Yesterday, I looked through all of my stuff and started putting together a packing list for the trip.

plp-packlist1

I’m a big list person. I make lots of lists all throughout the day. It helps me make sense of the constant jumble of stuff in my head. For the trip, since this isn’t just some weekend jaunt, I wanted to start an “official” big long list that I could work off when figuring out what to take, where to pack it – and what I still need to acquire before we leave.

plp-packlist2

I’m also a bit of a perfectionist, so making a list allows me the space to make sure that every little detail is as spot on as it possibly could be before leaving. A bit silly, yes, but it helps me feel at least a little bit of control over a very open-ended and un-structured trip (I’m discovering that, maybe, I’m not quite as spontaneous as I’d like to think that I am).

What do I still need to pick up before we hit the road? For starters, I’ve decided to go with front and rear panniers, which means that I need to get a set of front panniers. I’m eyeing one last wool shirt, and I’d like to swap my current pedals (MKS) for the style that Russ has (I discovered that my toes don’t have to grip as much on his pedals, which might help keep them from cramping!). Then there’s the question about whether or not to get a new folding chair (the ones that Russ and I have, that are really compact and great for bike travel, are falling apart). Do I want to get a better travel pillow or just take the one I have? And, last but not least, do I want to carry a torch?