Bag It!

Preparations continue. Tomorrow is the first day of August, The Month. Twenty days until departure.

I bought a cheap suitcase on EBay to hold my camping gear, but, while it had a nice vintage vibe, it was completely un-aerodynamic. Further, its dark-brown leatherine exterior promised to bake anything within whenever the sun got busy.

Enter Version 2, a moderately-large, allegedly water resistant duffel that holds all of my camping gear comfortably. (Rarely see those three words together.) I have a self-inflating pad, a light-weight sleeping bag, a one-person tent and an inflatable pillow. Oh, and a battery for my CPAP machine so I can breathe while I'm sleeping off the grid. The duffel is squishy and can be made to be relatively aerodynamic and it is yellow so it will reflect more sunlight. Oh, and it matches my yellow brake calipers.

I've modified my drivers side door card so I can actually bend my leg now. I've added satellite radio, four USB ports, a new radiator, and have a few spare parts. I think I'm getting close.

[Update, August 5: In a rare moment of clarity, I've realized that I can put The Yellow Duffel in the passenger footwell for the majority of the trip. I will have a passenger (my sister Kathy) only from San Jose down the coast to Encino. The rest of the trip I will be able to more easily see out the back.]