Starting To Pack

Departure for North Dakota and the Maah Daah Hey trail is this coming Friday as soon as I can escape work for the day. Last night I pulled the fenders off the Long Haul Trucker and put on the knobbies. Now it’s time to start packing up stuff.

Since this is going to be at least five (5) days of riding I’ll need to carry lots of food. I’m planning on caching water on my drive from I-94 to the North end. I’ll have camping gear and clothes.

I made a stop at REI last weekend and picked up a big variety of freeze dried food. In addition, I’m bringing dried apples and Grandma’s Cookies brand cookies. I’ll have the Jet Boil along to boil water, a Melitta coffee system, filters, and coffee.

For clothes I’m thinking one set of non riding clothes, two sets of riding clothes, and some colder weather gear. I’ll toss in a rain jacket for its intended purpose but also to keep heat in if it gets colder than wool jersey weather.

The only thing that makes me nervous is the weather. If it rains, I’m screwed. The trail will be unrideable. I guess I won’t be entirely screwed. The screwed part amounts to not being able to complete the trail length. I can always bail on a gravel road to the highway and back to the car.

I’m not entirely sure what to expect on this expedition. I’ll have everything I need along. I intend to take many pictures. I’m not expecting my cell phone to work except perhaps at the far North end and maybe near Medora. I wonder if I’ll see another person.

Ride On.