The WCGT Part I -- Preparation

     Now begins the tale of the West Coast Grand Tour, as I call it.  In the few days before departure, I was busy packing for this adventure.  The three days of prep work basically included installing some last minute accessories to the bike, and figuring out what to take along, and learning how to strap everything onto the bike.  This was the first time I would be bike camping, but I had been backpacking for years, so I had the equipment, and a general idea of what to expect.
     The plan was to head north.  We knew our first days destination would be somewhere around Lake Tahoe, and we had a map of California, so you can say we were adequately prepared.  We had four weeks to travel and the destination was unclear, besides the plan to go up [north].  This direction was chosen for the weather.  In the late summer, even at 3000' in elevation, it can get very hot in these parts.  So spending a month in the northern mountains, where cooler weather could be expected, sounded like the best idea for a trip taking place in the hottest part of the year.
     Here are the bikes, on the eve of departure:

     Not the greatest photo...