Hi All!
Thanks so much for the kind words; much appreciated, as I work largely in a vacuum as far as local cyclists go; no one seems to do these sorts of things and have little interest in my expeditionary setup or pursuits.
Yes, Andy, it is funny how things sometimes work out for the best. After wishing like anything I could have gotten the all-black Ortliebs, I went with the red-and-black ones because of some massive price reductions. The front SportPacker Plus bags were "only" USD$72 after a sale price, stacked coupons, and some cashed-in store dividends at REI. Regular price at the time was around USD$228, now USD$210 -- but only in the red-and-black combination! I like them now, too! I tried to tie-in little touches of red in the black on the bike so the lot would look more integrated (red silicone gripper bands on the bottles, red accents on the Blackburn B-52 Bomber cages, etc). I was at first a little disturbed the pattern atop the front pannier caps didn't match the rear, but Ortlieb tell me they made the change in response to user requests. Apparently the black tops really are easier on the eyes in terms of reduced reflection when mounted on low-riding racks. The handlebar bag is all-black 'cos that's the only color offered in the Ultimate V large, and it was on a big sale, too! It ties in nicely with the red and black elsewhere.
Any idea of total weight as she stands before you step aboard?
Matt, I know when it is fully loaded with the full 20l of water in the trailer, the lot comes in at a heady 70kg/154lb. I expect it to be less now, thanks to some different food choices (I have to go with canned when resupplying at rural stores) and only 6.5l of water in reserve. I have a dual-scale measurement rig so I can get absolute weight of each piece as well as weight distribution of the bike, bike and trailer, and each with and without my weight added. It makes it much easier to make packing decisions. I will weigh it this afternoon and give you an update.
Also, I am a snake fan. You mentioned the animals you hope to see. Will snakes be a problem in your area?
Matt, seeing and interacting with animals is one of the great joys of touring for me. I love how, when I first arrive at camp, the place seems dead. Pitch the tent, put the kettle on, and settle in for an hour or so, and the Welcoming Committee come 'round. The air comes alive with birdsong, and the little ground and bush-dwelling birds come right up to my feet. The bushes begin to wiggle with the smaller creatures like ground squirrels, porcupines, raccoon and 'possums, and they're all there to check out the new neighbor -- me! I do my best to be a good one, leaving the camp just as I found it...or better; if I find any trace of visitors before me, I remove their trash as well and fluff up the grass again after packing my tent. The goal is to leave the place as if I hadn't been there.
Among my animal friends are snakes, of course. The ones I encounter are essentially shy around people and have not been a problem. I like rattlesnakes, and will sometimes sense a presence at rest stops and look to my side to see one stretched out, basking in the sunshine on the warm roadway as close as a meter or two away. The most common ones I see are
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crotalus_oreganus ...and...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crotalus_oreganus_lutosus On a prior trip through the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheldon_National_Wildlife_Refuge ) I stopped to explore the old, abandoned Director's cabin. Approaching on foot through bunchgrass and sage, I heard many sizzles from rattlesnakes. I just stopped when I heard them, located where they were, and altered my course. I appreciate their saying, "Hey! I'm here! Don't carelessly step on me, Mr. Bigfoot, I don't want to get hurt!" My larger concern comes when riding cross-country through the sage and brush, when my greater speed on the bike might put me on a rattler before I could hear it. I don't want to harm one, and I don't want to be bitten. I also don't want any ehm, "snakebite" punctures!
I also take care in the desert when "dirt-bagging" (sleeping in a bag on a pad without putting up the tent) to make sure I close the zipper at the foot to prevent a snake from seeking warmth and entering. I shake out my shoes in the morning to avoid jamming my foot into a scorpion's new home. In the "regular" forest of Oregon's Cascade and Calapooya mountain ranges, I am far more likely to encounter furry animals -- certainly deer and the occasional Roosevelt elk and sometimes a bear. Little bunnies and porcupines as well as golden-mantled ground squirrels are much more common and represent the greatest threat to my panniers in terms of gnawing holes when searching for food. I often see snakes sunning themselves on little-traveled gravel logging roads. If one seems sleepy and reluctant to move, then I'll stop a distance away, stamp the road a couple times with my foot, and they soon get the idea to lazily wander off into the brush.
I've attached a couple photos of snakes I've seen on recent trips. Next post, I'll show you the sort of cross-country terrain where I have to be more watchful of snakes to avoid running into/over them.
Best,
Dan.
