Ready, Set, Pedal: Countdown to Our Boston-to-Montreal Ride!

After nearly three months of training, outfitting, fundraising, packing, and stressing out, our 400-mile bike ride fundraiser for the Boston Cyclists Union (the Bos/Treal ride) is just around the corner—this Saturday, May 25th, to be exact.

Here’s my gear:

That’s my daughter Sophia’s two-person Coleman tent, which I have practiced pitching in our backyard three times. I’ve brought my time down to 10 minutes flat. I did this because, after very long rides, a condition can set in called the “brain scramblies,” where you don’t function well cognitively and forget how to do basic stuff—and setting up shelter for a good night’s sleep is pretty basic.

There’s a sleeping bag, and then in the orange duffel, there’s everything else—an air mattress, toiletries, biking clothes as well as regular clothes for our three days in Montreal, a quick-dry towel for showering at the campsites, miscellaneous electronics, etc.

In keeping with the summer camp vibe, everything must be labeled, so I went on a Sharpie attack to my T-shirts, undies, and everything else. There will be a communal laundry situation, and I don’t want to lose my stuff.

The plan is that tomorrow night we drop off our bags for the support van, and then Saturday morning we all meet bright and early at Boston City Hall and embark on day one of our ride—73 miles from Boston to Baldwinville (just past Gardner and near Mt. Wachusett).

I’ll keep everyone posted on social along the way!