It's the little things

We're just about one month away and the major items have been taken care of (luggage, seat, GPS, etc). I'm left with a plethora of small details that still need to be sorted out:
- Tool kit (mostly done)
- Water Repellent for my suit and luggage (in the mail as I type this)
- Bungee straps for my seat cover
- Base layer clothing (more Under Armor, wind proof pants and jacket, etc)
- Sort through the music for the trip (variety is key)
- Lock for our bikes
- Chat with friends with detailed info about the areas we'll be visiting
- Spares - headphones, tools, oil filters, etc (mostly done)
- Luggage liners so I don't need to take my luggage off each night (a real pain-in-the-ass)

I spent most of yesterday giving the bike a cleaning and good once over (brake pads, cable lube, cleaned the chain/sprocket, etc). Of course, this is kind of ridiculous since it's going to the mechanic in two weeks. I guess it's like brushing your teeth before you go to the dentist.

Anyway, I put on the larger top case (46L vs 37L) and it's a much better set up. It's Larger in every dimension, has a more stable bracket, and the locking mechanism just works better. I think I should put a few tie-down points on it just in case I need to strap something down. I also installed some factory handguards and the install was a snap. The only down side to the install is that I lost my weighted bar ends so I feel a bit more vibes through my hands. Only time will tell if this is an issue or not...

I just cleaned my helmet liner (truly disgusting) and washed my suit with a special treatment for Gore Tex. I'm slowly collecting my gear in a nice neat pile in the corner. I think I have everything but I can't seem to find my winter gloves -- I wonder if I lost them when I moved last year or loaned them to someone. Now that I don't commute year-round like I used to, I just don't ride when it's that cold so I haven't had the need for the gloves. They aren't cheap ($200), so I better keep looking. The heated vest will help as will the new hand-guards but I don't think a single layer of leather on the gloves will cut it in upstate NY in Oct (average for that time of year is low 50's).

I'm vain and lazy (a fun combo, for sure), so I decided I'll cut off most of my hair (down to 1/4") for the trip. Helmet head no more! I have a few presentations to give before I go, so I can't do it just yet, but a week before we leave, it's gone. My face is another story -- I haven't had enough time off work to grow a full beard so this seems like a good time to try! If nothing else, I'll figure out if I look rediculous or not. There should be plenty of pics and most of my friends are kind enough to tell me if it looks hideous....