Well, big read is all ready to go, tires all pumped, panniers are fully loaded and sorted. Man, I cannot believe how friggn heavy these damn pannier bags are!!!! I took the bathroom scale and weighed all the bags to allow for even weight distribution. I had been advised that I might want to carry more weight up front than in the rear, but think i'm going to go lighter in the front as the bike just seems so heavy in the front now. The bags in the front currently weight about 10 lbs each, not including the handlebar bag which is maybe 1-2 lbs. And with that the front seems like I'll be driving a Sherman tank! The rear bags, right now are weighing about 15 lbs each but I've still got more shit to get in there. What is going to work really nice, is that for the most part, the bags in the front are fully loaded with all the children's t'shirts (about 100) that I bought in Boulder from the Kid's Triathlon, to give out along the way. I'm anticipating that by the time I get 1/2 way through Laos, that that front end will be lighted a lot and I can move things from the rear to the front to get good front/rear weight distribution and allow for me to be able to buy any small handicraft or whatevery I find I like as I should have room on the bike then.
I've never ridden a bike like this with all these bags...my idea of a bike ride has always been on a road bike riding it with least amount of weight I can take along on the bike, and crusie at 20 mph...and go like a bat out of hell on steep mountain descents. This is a totally new departure for me and I'm really wondering how much I'm going to like riding at 12 mph all day with everything I need on the bike. Hell, I may love it! I hope so, as I'd really like to think about doing a self supported solo trip through Australia after Matt and Nicole moved there.
Speaking of which, I talked with them yesterday as they were in Sydney apartment hunting. Matt is my youngest son who works for Garmin and he accepted a 2-3 year assignment in Australia to set up their sales/marketing there (lucky kid!). Scott my middle son is also moving to Asia, as he accepted a new job in the Philippines for 2 years...so I'm looking at staying over here for a couple of years myself, base myself out of Scott's apartment and spend more time in Philippines and rest of Asia traveling.
My buddy from UK gets into Bangkok tonight and is meeting me at the hotel at 9. We'll then discuss the route, Monday put his bike together, pick up last minute stuff at the bike shop and be off on train on Tues morning at 8:30 a.m.
Well, time for Pad Thai....
Len
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