My bicycle is also getting a complete checkup. The brakes, tires, gears, chain, and other parts need to be inspected. Once I leave Morocco, my bicycle won’t just be something I ride for fun. It will be my transportation.
Then there are the bags. Instead of a suitcase, I’ll carry bags attached directly to the bicycle. I have the bags now and have been figuring out where each one will go.
Next comes deciding what goes inside them. I’ll separate my equipment into three groups: things I need, things that would be nice to have, and things I don’t need at all. Every extra item adds weight, and there is no engine to carry it. I’m the engine. If the road goes uphill, I have to pedal every pound up that hill with me. So my rule for packing is simple: Pack light. Travel far.
Soon, the bags will be packed, the bicycle will be ready, and I’ll be at the beginning of something I’ve never done before. I don’t know exactly how it will go. That’s part of exploring. I’m starting Pedal to Port as a beginner. Over the next several weeks, we’re going to find out together just how far a beginner can go.
Are you ready to come along?
Together, we’ll cross deserts, climb mountains, ride through forests, visit ancient cities, follow historic trails, meet new people, and explore places very different from home. There will be challenges, wrong turns, surprises, and probably a few things neither of us expects.
More than 1,000 miles of road separate us from the R/V Marcus G. Langseth. Let’s see what we discover along the way!
