There was more to preparing for this ride than I expected. For the Utah trip I rode my lightweight road bike. But for this trip I wanted something a bit more substantial in order to carry some extra gear. I wanted to have extra food and water, a camera, some emergency repair tools, etc. I opted to revive my old trusty Cannondale T2000 touring bike which had seen little use over the past 10 years. With the help of Oak City Cycling of Raleigh, the bike was fully restored with new wheels and tires, cassette, bottom bracket, new handlebars, new brakes, pedals, and most importantly a new saddle! I had hoped to ride the Cannondale more before the ride, the long restoration put me on my road bike for most of my training.
I love this bike!