How to pack our Bike Fridays

       1. Remove Pedals and place in blue bag.

2. Take off seat post and place in clear plastic tube.

3. Remove front wheel and release the brake.  

4. Remove quick release spindle.  (Don’t unscrew lever end!)

5. Place quick release in plastic zip lock.

6. Remove right and left handlebars separately.

7. Place striped plastic tubes over end of handlebars.

8. Remove stem and place in red sleeve.

9. Put the handlebars together, move to the chain side of the bike then drape them over to the non-chain side of the bike.

10. Remove water carrier and rack.  Put the screws back in the holes.  You don’t want to screw the wrong hole. (grin)

11. Place cover on seat post and fold down.

12. Fold bike up and turn forks ¼ turn to the right (brake calipers face same side as chain ring).

13. Place bike in case with the forks in the top left corner (facing down).  Handlebars should be hanging outside the suitcase and bottom pedal should be pointing toward bottom right corner.

14. Screw the white plastic cylinder into the hole above the gear cassette.

15. Place clear plastic tube under spring for sachs cable.

16. Place seat with saddle in top right corner with nose pointing to bottom right corner.  Seat stem should be over upper pedal arm and parallel with top of case.

17. Bottom bracket of support should be slid under the bike in bottom of suitcase.

18. Place blue vinyl covers over break levers and saddle.

19. Place right handlebar, short stem, through bottom left triangle of rack.  Gearshift should be on left side.

20. Place gearshift in top left-hand corner of suitcase with the rack pointing to the right, resting on the wheel. (striped end of handlebar pointing toward bottom of suitcase)

21. Place left gearshift in bottom left corner with handle bar stem resting on wheel. (striped end of handlebar pointing toward top of suitcase)

22. Place red flannel stem between handlebars on left-hand side, resting on wheel.

23. Deflate tires.

24. Place 2nd tire on top.

25. Place “spacer” tube on “spacer” bottom.

26. Stuff in all your “junk” in open spaces and edges.

Preparation details - some not all!!

Make keys-done

buy Wipes-done

prep iPhones for trip

reservations for Madrid and San Sebastian

cancel mail

inform credit card companies 

tell MaryJo - check mailbox until June 2nd

check out panniers to see if they work

order tires

practice taking the bikes apart and back together in suitcases

upload recording of how to pack 

pack personal, travel, bike items

double pay bills in May

give contact info to Mary Jo and Sonya, Barb and Kevin

trial ride with loaded bikes

organize and prepare camino apps and maps and guides- 

Print docs

Make payment on  Alaska credit card before we leave for June 

unplug battery on car that stays home

XFINITY app on phone

Netflix app

Amazon app

order meds

AAA Visa cards loaded with $$

Make copies of cards and itineraries

Contact AT&T

Contact credit card companys

House and yard info to whomever is staying/mowing, etc

Melatonin fast acting 3 mg-for jet lag

house keys to people

take key to B&K

tuck away computers-done

Call Alarm company 

take out garbage

clean barbecue

turn down the heat

get papers together - travel docs

adaptors

sunglasses

passports + other docs and papers

Lest we forget: Computers are under the bed in Chris' room on top of the north side mattress

 

¡Saludos! Mi marido y yo nos alojamos en el hotel en 2013 y 2014 cuando entramos en el Camino de Santiago. Tenemos la intención de volver a España de nuevo este año con nuestras bicicletas para que podamos montar al lado del Camino del Norte. La última vez que se quedó con unas cajas para nosotros hasta que regresamos. Esperamos que tiene la amabilidad de mantener nuestras maletas para nosotros. Por favor, háganos saber si esto es aceptable y voy a hacer nuestras reservas. Esperamos poder volver a su maravilloso país. Gracias. Nuestra fecha de llegada el 1 de junio de 2016, y que partirá el 30 de junio.

Dates for hotel reservations:

Barajas:  May 31st , June 29th 

confirmation numbers are 115209 for the 1 June and 115210 29 June

Hotel Villa de Barajas

Avenida de Logroño 331

28042 Madrid

Teléfono: (+34) 91 329 28 18

San Sebastian:  June 1 and 2? 

HOTEL PARMA** RESERVATION 24577 IN JUNE 1ST 2 NIGHTS 

June 11 and 17th:  Vaughn Town Hotel:  Eurobuilding 2

Minneapolis:  June 30th

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First stop: Minneapolis

For the record:  message from Steven who is already there:

" We’ve been worrying for everyone. Hopefully it's all ready for you to sleep in in the basement and will unlock them and let you out a little if you behave)."

We woke at 6:15 am and no sooner did I get to the bathroom than a smiling face appeared already dressed for school!

She gave Craig a dinosaur to take with us so we would think about her.  Oh my ❤️.   Love having the means to keep in touch via Skype, photos, messages.  

And of course while having breakfast at the airport we sit next to a couple who are also going to a wedding and grew up in South Dakota and even know the same people! Always happens.

Leaving home

If didn't know I was 69 I'd feel better about this trip.  Hence the title of this blog:  "Slowly, please. "

This adventure will take us first to Minneapolis for Anna and Even's wedding on May 29th and then onto Spain where we plan to cycle on the Camino deal Norte starting in San Sebastián.  10 days on the Camino, we'll make our way back to Madrid by train for a week at the Vaughtown English immersion program where we will be facilitators. More on that when we get to that part of the trip .

Craig and I both woke up with some trepidation this morning as we prepared to leave home.  Doubts about our fitness for this endeavor crept in.  Looking for a specific phrase that Craig called me (later for that:)) on our last Camino, we ended up re-reading the blog from 2014.  Seems we had the same doubts two years ago and prevailed . That was helpful.  

Preparations for this adventure consumed us for the last week and earlier including all the home maintenance and training and of course packing . Craig juggled the suitcase items so that each one weighs 48 pounds, just under the free limit.  Then we each have 2 panniers, mine weighing in at about 18 and Craig's 35.  I'll post our packing lists separately.  

Off to Seattle to pick up Hazel and spend the afternoon at Carkeek with both girls.  

Alex drove us to the airport this morning, May 25th and we're in flight to Minneaplis as I write.