Thanks for the wakeup post Crank Addict! After spending forty years on motorcycle and just now going back to bicycles I've forgotten a few basic things. I've been riding 6 to ten mile loops for months now while not carrying anything. You mentioned patches and the thought of walking home eight miles in SPD clip shoes....not good. Time for a backpack.

oh yeah- I've started over on the beater challenge with a $20 Royce union I found today.