We finally moved back indoors because the boys took a trip to the Bay Area to visit family. Jose borrowed my parents' car because it's such a hassle to bring kids and carseats and have to depend on the train/bus schedules and routes. So this weekend, it was just Zorro and me. I stayed in bed until 11:30am to compensate for the rough nights in the tent. 

Last week, our Blaq Designs weather protector arrived from Splendid Cycles! It is even more beautiful than I had imagined! It came minimally packaged with simple instructions so it was up within 10 minutes. 

The boys were so excited when they saw it! They couldn't quite figure out how to get in at first. Little Brother climbed through the back under than handlebars and took a header into the box before I could grab him. Big Brother was more cautious and waited until I unsnapped the side before he climbed in. One side is harder to clip in so we usually load/unload on the other side. 

Sadly, there hasn't been any real rain to protect the boys from but it is nice to have in the chilly/windy mornings. I even notice a difference on my hands since they're tucked under the roof. It's the perfect width to allow for turning, even including my mirror. 

One nice bonus is that it allows for extra cargo in the box without it falling over the sides. I like not worrying about the boys dropping things in the road, too. 

Today, I was spending the day giving lots of attention to our sweet doggie so we walked the 3 miles to the dog park for him to run around. Since my parents live close by and our Bullitt was still there from Jose picking up the car, I thought I'd try getting Zorro in the bike for his first time. Zorro is a very neurotic dog. He's a border collie mix with some PTSD from his previous life. We love him but he's nuts. Last time I tried to take him for a bike ride, it didn't end very well.

It took a lot of treats and encouragement for him to be willing to get inside the box and he wasn't ready to relax enough for a ride but he stayed inside while I walked the bike down the block. Because the cover was on, he kept trying to stick his face out the back opening. A few times, I could tell he wanted to bail but I kept him in with more treats. 

After our little walk, I realized we wouldn't be able to get all the way home like this so I turned back around and went back to my folks'. We got him to be able to jump in and out of the box on command (without the cover) but he still wouldn't relax enough to lay down and for me to trust him enough to ride with him. Overall, he did amazingly well for his first attempt! A few more boxes of treats and I think we'll be ready to move! 

My big goal this year is to go on our Whine & Chocolate epic bike adventure in summer--Eugene to Vancouver with a side trip to Victoria. We'll be moving slowly with low-mileage days and plenty of rest days and detours. However, it will be quite a trying journey both as a solo parent for many weeks (although we won't be alone for much, if any of the time) and constant every day riding with kiddos in unfamiliar territory.

To help minimize the shock of the trip, we are continuing to practice with overnights as often as we can. I want to make sure our gear is useable and functional, that we're not over- or under-packed, and that we know our limits. I'm only planning 30-40 mile days but with a loaded bike and kids, it could sometimes feel like a double century.

One way I plan to practice touring is by having our bike "kit" packed at all times and ready to roll at a moments notice. We have most of the gear we'll need but are still looking into a few things such as a sleeping pad solution for the boys, cookwear, and wool clothing for me. I have come up with a list of things to gather. Let me know what you think and if there's anything I'm missing or you think is superfluous.

Whine & Chocolate epic bike adventure gear list (edited additions in italics):



Clothing:

Me--tights, pants, skirt, short sleeve, long sleeve, 2 socks, jacket, gloves, gaiter, hat, rain gear, off-the-bike shoes

Boys--thermals, shorts, long & short sleeves, jacket, gloves, gaiter, hat, rain gear, sunglasses, off-the-bike shoes



Kitchen:

Bowl, mug, spork each, knife, wooden spoon, ladle, cutting board, 2 pots, skillet, stove, gas, windblock, lighters, towels, spices, oil, baggies, foil, food stuffs, scrubbie, Hydroflask & Klean Kanteen bottles, cloth produce bags



Toiletries:

Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, Dr Bronners soap, sun block, Chapstick, hair ties, pStyle-like device, bug spray, baby wipes, towel



Electronics:

Phone, charger, lights, light charger, batteries, headlamp



Tools:

Multitool, pump, tubes, duct tape, zip ties, oil, wrench, patch kit, chain tool, lock, tie downs/bungees



First aid:

Band aids, ice pack, tweezers, scissors, gauze, bandages, aspirin, kid pills, thermometer, nail clippers, Rescue Remedy, antihistamine, Traumeel



Sleeping:

Sleeping bags, pads, tent, pillow for me



Toys:

Books, dinosaurs, Star Wars toys/cars/something little that they can play with for hours, notebook, color pencils/pens



Food:

TBD although lots of chocolate is a given!