Last minute organizing

So yesterday I run a whole bunch of errands. Most importantly I went to Mountain Equipment Coop and geared a little bit up, I still needed a bag for my camera which would mount in between my areo bars, and which would allow easy access during the ride. Another item was a can of bear spray, the last resort if the bear is within 1 to 3 feet of you. Instruction spray it into the bears face, well I hope I won't get a close encounter with our dear friends. I also got a cook set the MSR dualist, 2 fuel bottles, a bunch of straps, a 500 ml thermos and another bag which mounts in the front of the bike frame. 
Otherwise I visited a dear friend of mine and spent an hour with a my friend Vicki at a reception of the 2011 CHI conference before going back to sorting my belongings, reorganizing and pretty soon crashing in bed.

Well rested I finished packing this morning loaded up my bike and said a farewell to my Vicki before hitting the road. The weather formidable - probably what I will have to get used to, a little drizzle, not too cold and uncomfortable but after an hour I was soaked but well spirited.

My first stop was a bike store. I had ordered yesterday some spare parts for my Ortlieb panniers. Just in case. The parts hadn't arrived yet and so I dropped my bike at the store and went over to MEC to get a few more things. On top of the list were a pair of water proof gloves, one or two poaches and the replacement for my swiss army knife, which I likely had left on my counter top in Illinois.I also wanted to look after a regular bike shirt as it provides some storage.
Digging through the store a found a couple of more things ...
The most important thing is that I will send my blue Mountain Hardware jacket together with a few other small items by mail back to the States. Not that I would be unhappy with the jacket, it's just not a bike jacket. Instead I will be wearing Little Red - MEC Derecho Jacket - a nice hardshell touring bike jacket - perfect for my trip, keeping me outside in dry. I also got a nice merino wool bike shirt (Swobo Merino 753), nice comfy and warm, and it was on the clearance rack.
Now I am really prepared for the ride. Though after a quick stop in the food store and a visit at my dear friends place it has gotten a bit late for hitting the road. So I will be crashing for an night in TED an RV parked behind the house and hit the road early tomorrow morning.

So watch out for the Little Red Flitzer.