This ride was the first with my new front rack, and the first with the 6 liter water bladder we plan on bringing. Balancing the bladder along with the rest of our gear (approximated) meant 30 pounds up front and 20 in the back. It handled pretty well, although it did make steering a little sluggish.

We’d done this ride before, but Anne extended it to start in Lafayette to add a few miles. It ended up being more climbing than we had expected, including a surprise 10℅+ grade climb at the end (we walked a bit).

Anne took the trailer for most of it. I took it for the two big descents which was kind of terrifying with the full set of panniers. Then there was some more climbing.. I wasn’t quite up to it so Anne took the trailer back.

Then on the drive home there was a weird sounds we kind of ignored. Then we hit a bump and Anne told me to stop the car. The roof rack for the bikes was falling off! It seems the front crossbar slid back somehow, maybe from catching wind on the front fenders, our maybe just loosening over time. We decided to just put the thing back on, tighten it good, and drive home. The roof rack is now off the car until we can figure out how to keep it happy.

Animal sightings: a bunch of horses, a deer drinking from a water fountain, a snake hanging out in the bike lane

Most disappointing moment for Ruth: when a stream engine train went past us a few feet away, but there was a bush in the way

Happiest moment for Ruth: when we let her hold onto the bag of freeze dried mango while we biked. “Mango! Mango! Mango!”