NEW EQUIPMENT

 First off, I ordered covers for my shoes for when it rains like crazy—and believe me it will. I discovered on my Nova Scotia tour that once my shoes get wet it takes ages to dry. There’s nothing worse than wearing shoes two days in a row that go squish. No amount of wool socks will keep my feet dry if the shoes are soaking.

After the Grand Rapids cancellation because of ice and snow, I realized I need a somewhat more water resistant jacket. I ordered a Sugoibright yellow jacket off eBay for $11

It’s not waterproof, nothing really is, but it will go a long way in helping to keep me somewhat dry. And, the neon yellow is eye-catching—as in no driver could ever say I didn’t see her! I’m also thinking about other clothes for cold and warm conditions. I’ll probably experience it all. Plus mosquitoes and mid-night sun.

Also NEW this year is the back wheel. After my past trips where I broke spokes I knew I needed something with better reinforcement. This new wheel has 36 spokes as opposed to the original one with 28. The new back wheel also had a few more teeth (13-26t to my lowest gear is now 34.). The Torker Interurban Mixte was meant to be a commuter bike and so I had to retrofit it for touring. I removed the compact crank (50/34) and put on a triple crank that bottoms out at 20 (42/32/20). I’m fairly confident I can tackle hills and more.

I have a fairly new chain and Schwalbe Marathon tires installed last fall without a lot of wear.

Here’s hoping—