Cherry Hill

I'm riding down to Cherry Hill, NJ early tomorrow morning to see Jane row in the EAWRC Eastern Sprints regatta, and to see Jane's parents. The ride is a full dress rehearsal of the configuration I'll be using on Intercity, and likely the first couple of weeks of Bike & Build.

I'm making this public because it's a good indication of the amount of planning I've been putting into some of my rides lately. Proper planning is my biggest procedural upgrade that will hopefully make the Intercity ride possible.

Route:
About 95 miles from Exchange Place, NJ to Charry Hill, NJ, via NJ-27 and US-130. It's an ugly, trafficky route through suburbia, but there are no better alternatives. I have to take the PATH train to cross the Hudson River, and hopefully, I'll be on the 0530 train tomorrow morning with time to spare. The ride is flat, and I'm hoping that being out early lets me beat the worst of the traffic.

Weather:
Mostly sunny, low 49 F, high 74 F. It will be humid for much of the day (so it feels colder), and the roads will be will be wet from today's rain (flats are probable). Winds will be out of the West at 13 to 16 MPH, a somewhat strong cross-tailwind.

Clothing:
Wool hybrid cycling socks, low cut. Bib knickers. Short sleeve jersey. Arm warmers. Cycling cap. Might bring long finger gloves. Might bring a rain jacket, though I don't think it will be necessary.

Bike:
2005 Specialized Roubaix Elite, upgraded with FSA carbon aero bar, Flash Point FP60 wheels, and Campagnolo Chorus parts, as well as a Profile Design Lightning Stryke aero bar. I'm running the Specialized Avatar saddle, after determining that the Toupe is uncomfortable for longer rides. I'll have full lighting, a Garmin Edge 705 cycling GPS, a small saddle bag, a Bento Box, and four bottle cages. This is the exact configuration I'll use to start Bike & Build. The wheel choice is the most interesting one: my argument is that, if I have these fancy expensive carbon wheels, it makes more sense to use and enjoy them than to be overly paranoid about breaking them.

Fuel:
Four bottles of Perpetuem. I'll make one bottle double-strength, so that if I do stop for water, I can split that bottle. I'll have two Clif shots, and five or six Clif bars. Per the current plan, I'll have about 2700 calories on the bike.

Logistics:
I've shipped a FedEx box, 792057314519,to the hotel where Jane's parents are staying. It was delivered at 09:08 today. It contains my sneakers, and a change of clothes. When I arrive, I'll leave the bicycle in the hotel room, take a shower, and change. I'll stay the evening, and take a train or bus home the following day.

Right now, I just hope that I can wake up at 04:30 tomorrow.