Jul 24 - revised configuration

Playing with the bike configuration a little, I've got the front bag back on but am using a large seat wedgie for tools and tubes.  I still have the rear rack in place with battery lights but no wired light.  The spare tire is rolled and zip tied to the front of the rack at the seatpost.  The rear rack will allow me to bungie my heavy jacket there.  I'd still like to find a roll up tube that I've seen some riders have, that could hold clothing and/or other stuff, but isn't a bag with pockets per se.

Oh yes, and I don't have the fenders on at this point.  That makes it easier to get the bike in and out of the car and may, hard to say, affect wind resistance.  I rode that way yesterday and can't say that it really made a difference.  The bike seem nicely balance front-to-back although as I add weight (left the spare electronics behind yesterday), it will be mostly at the front, which is ok, as my butt weight is mostly at the back :).

I went fishing first thing, without any results.  There were a couple of dead minnows and this morning, heading out again, we aborted because the rest were dead.  That happened even though I attached an anchor to the minnow bucket to put it down with colder water ... shiners don't do very well in warm water.  I know that they'd survive better in the fridge, but we've got that loaded up with food, or I suppose that I could have them in the utility room with the bubbler going.

I'll head out shortly and try setting up the minnow traps at the pond, much as I hate to do that.  I haven't been in there for a couple of years.

After the unsuccessful fishing trip, I headed into town and picked up the Bayliner.  On the way back, I decided that the best thing to do would be to launch the boat and leave the car & trailer at the ESS Narrows and then I'd pick it up later after my bike ride.  The only trouble with that approach is that I didn't have a paddle or life jacket with me (should have packed those, had I thought about this first), and it meant that I'd have to brave the deer flies riding along Osprey out to 522.

It ran like a champ, making it back here without incident (thank goodness !) and I survived the ride along Osprey, albeit with a crowd of deer flies leaving their shadow in the sunlight.

Sandy had gotten back a while before me and had finished unpacking a little before I got back.  She and Lauren had come back with a car full of groceries etc.

We had chicken breasts on the barbie for dinner, always good.

Sandy and Lauren are heading to Huntsville to have lunch with Kylie; Abby and I will be here by our lonesome.

Onward ?