Introducing...

OK, so here she is. My trusty steed. I thought I'd come up with a name like Firefighter did but I've changed my mind.

This is what it should look like fully loaded. Notice the panniers on the back with tent and sleeping pad as well as the handlebar bag on the front.

I was thinking of doing a few test runs with all the gear loaded up to see how it handles and to make sure everything stays on.

The panniers attach with two hooks and an elastic band. I may take a trip to the hardware store to see if I can find something a little more secure.

I also just realized that I'm going camping in two weeks. That will give me the perfect time to test out some of my menus for the trail. More on that in the coming days.

I'm in the process of developing a packing list. I'll post that when it's finished.

But back to the bike... It is an older Specialized mountain bike, the Hardrock model. I bought it in 1997 and used it to commute to college. When I bought it, I wanted something that I could use as a commuter and for touring. But alas, I've never had the opportunity to do any touring on it in those 10 or 11 years.

A few years ago I swapped out the knobby tires for some tires with smooth tread in the middle and knobs on the edges. This was to make it better for trail riding, less rolling resistance, etc. I bought the tires for really cheap at Bike Nashbar and I have to say I like them a lot. The only thing I don't like is that on hard wet surfaces, the bike will tend to slip a bit on tight turns when the knobs are in contact with the ground.

I've also added the bar ends you see in the picture. I like those. It gives you more places to put your hands in order to avoid fatigue.

So we'll see how it does on the trip.