Small Details

In my preparations for the 2014 TDR I am down to the small stuff.  I received my last eBay purchase today, a short USB power cord for my GPS.  All the new parts are now installed; all the bags, cables, bar ends routed or wrapped, basically all is done but final pack out and boxing.

Speaking of GPS’s, my main GPS unit started acting funny (intermittent USB power) during my shake down ride so I took it apart tonight thinking I would find a broken solder joint.  But what I found was 4 pressure connectors that might have been making less than ideal contact, hard to tell for sure.  I cleaned and re-sprung the pressure connectors and reassembled it as best as possible. These eTrex Vista’s are not really designed for field repair so mine may not now be quite as water tight as before.  Oh well I will re-test it over the next few days and replace it if necessary. I will be carrying my old but still working 2007 unit as a backup. 

Inaddition to my Garmin GPS units my I-Phone is also loaded with a base map and TDR route track so if both Garmins were to fail I could try to limp on down to AW with the I Phone powered from the USB charger per dymo hub.

I also switched out from white leg/arm coolers to black ones.  White leg coolers not only look sort of funny they are also soon stained from dirty hands and the inevitable chain/grease stains. But before I can use my new arm coolers I have to sew up a small hole in one—

I nicked it cutting off the tags—gurrr…..

I just finished off a worrisome work hurdle and have only 2 work related travel requirements between now and my departure for Banff.  During the next 21 days I plan to get in about 10 more training rides, will make sure all the new stuff is working and adjusted.

todays ride was nice--new Fast Trak tires roll fast but still hook up in the sand and dirt

 

It feels good to have everything but the little stuff done.  In a few more days I will sit down and make out a final check list.  It will include things like ‘add a spare brake bolt’ to ‘buy a pair of cheap travel pants’ to ‘add a empty Ziploc bag’ to…………………………………..