I know ... some people love it. I really don't. I think I don't like packing before a trip because I'm usually swamped with other things to do then too. For example, this year, in this week before my tour, I had to/have to pack, write 2 midterm exams, complete 3 major projects, and hopefully make some headway on 2 smaller projects which are due during my trip. In addition to that, my new part-time job added some extra hours to my shifts, so I've been working my butt off this week in addition to attending University full time and trying to get all this homework and studying done.

I live in 2 places so some of the stuff I need for my tour is in one place, and some is in the other. And I need(ed) to co-ordinate everything so that everything I need for this week is here, and that everything I will need on the Monday I get back is in my other place so I can bring it here ... that's a simplification of the process I've been through last weekend, and will be going through on Thursday. I think I've got it pretty much all arranged now so that the right stuff is going to be in the right places. And I've been trying to coordinate all that on about 3-5 hours of sleep each night for the past week.

For some reason packing for my trips always ends up being something like this ... if I'm not in school trying not to miss too much, I'm working and I will work right up to the day I depart, even part of that day if I can! I probably bite off more than I can chew.

Least

Cold weather. I just don't respond well to the cold. Sleeping, riding, you name it. By the way, 50F is cold.

Packing before a tour starts. It's a chore.

Heavy traffic.

Most

The actual, physical act of riding my bike - day after day. In that regard, I suppose that I am more of a long distance rider than a *standard* tourist.

Maps. I enjoy reading them, developing a route, following a route...

Wide open spaces. The Great Plains, the Everglades, the desert...

Chance encounters with fellow bicycle tourists.

..

Most: meeting people

Least: heat stress.