The result is, inevitably, a work in progress. I’m still nowhere near the Zen purity of Peace Pilgrim’s journeys (she walked for thousands and thousand of miles carrying nothing more than a comb and perhaps a toothpaste), but I have eliminated an incredible amount. Every time I unpack, I try to peel off a little bit more, shave off a few grams here or there.  Honestly, it becomes obsessive, but the reward is a a bicycle that moves easily and doesn’t buck like a bronco at every turn.

Currently, I’m down to (I think) about 20 pounds (or perhaps a bit less - my bicep scale is a a bit vague today).  I’ve resisted the temptation to get rid of my tent and sleeping bag (surely I can just doze in a garbage bag?) but I do feel the need to get rid of as much as possible.

In the next installment, I tell you about my embarrassing attempts to strap the gear to my bike rack - two days of experimentation, witnessed by none other than a representative from the Victoria Cycling Coalition! Horrors.