Everyone has begun packing, and nerves are setting in.I know this because my phone keeps ringing, and my emails are piling up.

We have a very organized spreadsheet showing what each person is responsible for.....however the last minute jitters question every decision....

How many pairs of socks do I need? 3 pairs? 4 pairs? 3.5 pairs in case I lose a sock? Every decision comes with a weight and bulk consequence. How often do I want to do laundry?

Several years ago I would hear Chris talking about taking the bike trip from home to the Gulf of Mexico. I thought he was just talking. Over time I found out he really had this goal.

Here is my fairly standard packing list. Am I missing something?

CLOTHES
** 1 railrider shirt
** 1 railrider pants
1 short sleeve shirt
1 t-shirt
PJs
2 pairs shorts/swimming-trunks
3 pairs socks
3 underwear
biking shoes
walking shoes (sometimes sandals)
**Bandanna
Baseball cap
*rain jacket
Balaclava / gloves

CAMPING
**Tent (3 lbs) (trying new cheapo $20 tent instead of hammock)
Sleeping pad, Blanket, & Inflatable Pillow
Stove/Fuel (chuck has it)
Pot/Pan, Mess kit & silverware (Laura has it)
Enough food for a full day in an emergency.
pocket knife & Scissors (chuck has it)
**mini travel towel

ELECTRONICS
Camera / Charger / Batteries / Extra Memory
Laptop / Charger (huge, need a netbook)

The school year has ended leaving us two weeks to get ready. The excitement and nerves are starting to kick in! I hope our group has fun and meets many new exciting people along the way.

To begin, our goal is New Orleans (touching the Gulf of Mexico) as an initial destination. We are planning to use this site to keep family and friends updated on our progress. Check in every few days for pictures, comments, and update on our trip. I look forward to seeing everyone again in August and sharing our fun!

We plan to follow a combination of the Mississippi River Trail and the Adventure Cycling Association Great Rivers Route.

We plan to ride 1500-2000 miles starting June 20th, 2009. Our destination is projected to be New Orleans, but our goal is simply to have an adventure.........the journey is our true destination.

Our route is not the straight road, it is not the highway. We are taking the backroads and seeing the country at 15mph.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible. Please create an account and leave us some messages!

Check back often for updates.

This will outline most of our daily blog posts.

In late 2008, we rode from New Lisbon in central Wisconsin, to Lake Superior and back. This 500 mile trip accounts for the northern part of our bisection of the country. The larger southern trip will be in 2009.

We faced hot and cold weather, wet and dry. We rode many miles of gravel, and met a lot of great people. The nicest people we met were in Pittsville WI where we were given lunch. Please help us repay the favor by supporting Baums Mercantile.

We learned things like...
Where the hell is Pittsville? (the town motto)
Are teenagers impressed by hydrology?