So many details to attend to. I'm thankful for all the planning I did in advance because the closer I got to actually leaving the less time seemed to be on my side.
As much as I try to plan things I am limited. I was concerned about bike box size, turns out what was more of an issue was weight.
I'm so used to touring with my road bike, Mr.Fuji, whose comes to about 17 lbs, but since his impending retirement from touring (he was never designed to bear loads), I have a new touring specific bike, AWOL.
AWOL stands for "adventure without limits", and I didn't make that up, it's written right on the frame!
Anyhow, AWOL comes to about 30 lbs add a little for the rack I put on the back... So all of a sudden I had less weight to add to the bike box, which I have been accustomed to cramming with all my gear so I don't have to have any checked baggage aside from my bike.
But I'll try not bore you with such things ;)
These are the sorts of pre-trip challenges I face. (I'm trying to see "problems" as "challenges" and even "opportunities")
This will be the longest solo bike trip to date if all goes well. I have five weeks off from work.
Destination Albuquerque, New Mexico, at least, that's today's destination, where I fly to.
Don't envy me going "down south" just yet! The weather forecast shows that it's colder there than in Toronto! So it might be a bit more of a challenge in regard to dealing with the cold! I'm thinking I'll be grateful for every stitch of clothing I brought along!
After getting dropped off at the Hamilton GO Station by my brother-in-law Aaron I took the bus to the airport, which is about an hour. It was easy enough, and I'm glad to have saved someone the time/gas money of a round trip to Toronto Airport.
A kind lady helped me lug my boxed bike till we could find a cart to put it on. I was very grateful for her kind assistance. I think I might've been a bit confused as to where to go without her help. There is grace extended in everyday encounters.
Alls well that ends well in that my bike box was counted as checked baggage, (as in I didn't have to pay the $150 fee I feared due to being a few lbs overweight), and after unpacking everything(!) passed security no problem.
I was asked if I wanted to change flights, receiving a $400 voucher off my next flight. Not bad for two extra hours of waiting around, however I had a host expecting me at 8:30 pm (which is, in Toronto,10:30 pm). I tried calling him but no answer so I didn't think it wise to take the offered flight. Turns out that's was a good move as my host, Trevor, had lost his cell and it would've been impossible to get ahold of him regarding later arrival. Besides that, I had been up since 3 am (had one last work shift to put in before heading out). So the day was long enough as it was!
Had a stopover in Denver for an hour, then on to Albuquerque (54 minute flight).
Had great seat mates both flights.
Everything was prompt at Albuquerque airport, I hardly even had to wait for my bike box!
The box was pretty beat up looking when I got it and the sound of scraping metal from the bottom of the box alerted me to a problem, oh wait, a challenge.
The challenge was that I had, unknowingly packed my bike so it sat upside down, the where the seat goes in touched the bottom of the box. And somehow it got ripped open, the seat post clamp torn off the post (I must've not tightened it enough?) and the exposed post was showing wear and having been bent such that I wouldn't even be able to put my seat post in the frame! Not good at all. And this on the bike I've not even owned more than a month!
It made me feel rather sick inside.
My flight had come in early so I wasn't too worried that Trevor wasn't there yet.
Sure enough he showed up, energetic and happy to help.
He drove us down to his cute little place where his girlfriend Elaina met us. She was the one who had connected me with Trevor, since she is on the WarmShowers site and he's not. I always appreciate it when a host is able to provide other options if they themselves can't host.
Although it was already 9 pm Trevor cooked up a quite and healthy pasta for supper before I crashed out in the guest room for the night.
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