Jun 24 - a few chores

I had some catching up to do - Randonneurs Ontario file updates as well as banking.  It was also time to double check reservations etc. for the High Country ride, now that the Cascade is history.  To be truthful, those only took an hour or so but I whiled away the day, news junkie that I am.

We didn't see Emma all day.  She was out playing with friends in the neighborhood.  This is good. 

Zoe is much calmer now even compared to Christmas; her ability to communicate reducing the frustration that gripped her before.  She has been diagnosed as being somewhere on the Autism Spectrum, but aren't we all ?  The diagnosis means that she'll receive extra help, education-wise, which is key.  She's very bright but needs that help.

It took 24 hours but Matthew is not as shy around me.  He took to Sandy almost immediately, however.

Jeffrey and Sara took us out to Viva, the restaurant at the Reading Country Club.  It's a semi chain; they're the exclusive caterer.  It was good albeit somewhat frantic as  service, especially getting the bill paid, was somewhat slow given the kids in tow.

I'd made a mid-day trip to Giant, accumulating stuff to take north -- in this case Snapple, which you cannot buy in Canada.  I might also pick up beer, but undecided.  Not drinking it much myself, it just sits around. 

Oh yes, I did laundry and sorted clothes in the second bike bag.  I've got a bunch that need hand washing -- rain gear mostly -- I swish those around in a bucket and hang them on the line.  That can wait until we're up north.

I spent quite a bit of time researching rear rack alternatives.  Revelate Designs makes these off-the-seatpost bags that many riders use.  It's more convenient than a rack, weighs less, providing a place to stuff clothing, for the most part. The only issue for me is whether they'll work since I have so little exposed seatpost with my bike setup.  Another approach, that I might try, is simply using trekking stuff sacs.  They allow you to compress your clothing pack, weigh less than the RD stuff, but of course need the accompanying rack.  I'm really struggling with finding the right solution.

This is the sort of thing that I'm looking at -- https://www.bikebagshop.com/revelate-designs-viscacha-seat-bag-p-2597.html

Hamid and several other riders used these on the Cascade.  It's much more streamlined than what I had albeit not as convenient for some items like tools etc.  They also make a variety of frame bags, handlebar bags etc.  My problem is that my frame is small and there are limits to what I can carry in those locations.  I've seen some nice under-the-toptube bags which would be great for tools and spares.

Anyway ... I may try a stuffsack for the back for now and bungie it down.  They are very lightweight and inexpensive -- only a couple of ozs -- and offer compressability, which I don't have with the existing rack-pack. 

Onward !