well its been decided. I'm riding.
Hopefully I won't get face palmed by bad weather or mechanical problems!
Now you've done it.
Buy a spare bike, and tow it behind you the whole route.
The weather is going to be what the weather is going to be.
There's not a damned thing you're going to be able to do about it.
If its too hot to ride, pull into a rest stop, and ride at night.
If its rainy, just watch the storm clouds, put on extra layers of rain riding gear, and ride only during the day.
If you see a supercell form on the horizon, pull over, turn around, and go back the way you came, and head north at the first crossing road. For some reason, super cells tend to turn south more often than not in the spring.
If there's hail, get off the road, and under something. Overpasses are your only friend in the middle of nowhere.
But most importantly, when you get to Denver, don't park next to my bikes, because I don't want my bikes to have whatever disaster happens to yours happen to them, too.
I know the ride you're going to do very well, I've done it quite a few times over the years, both on bikes, and in cars.
Whatever you can do to your bike before the trip, do it.
Valve adjustment, new tires, new brake pads, chain, sprocket, whatever is currently questionable. Get it done, and out of the way NOW. Don't try to work on your bike in the 3 days before the trip, you will only risk breaking something that needs 5 days to get to you.
Every gas fill up, lube and check the tension on your chain. If it needs to be adjusted, do it.
Bring real tools to do the adjustment, too.
And the most important thing, don't risk running out of gas.
If you can plot out your fuel stops ahead of time, that works really, really well.
That way you never have to wonder if there's going to be a gas station or if you're going to have to push for 10 miles.
That feeling really sucks.
BC.
