Familiarity breeds contempt

I got all packed up for the Breck Epic on Tuesday night, minus a handful of last minute things to add a false sense of urgency later.  To say this was my most laissez faire pack job for a stage race would be an understatement.  I'm just grabbing things and thinking, "This will do," and then tossing them in the duffel bag.

Hello, there, old top... I mean Breck Epic.

I started with the squeezy leg bags and then just went about packing around them.  I thought about leaving them behind, but even assuming that Elevated Legs might show up with a slew of meat stick squeezers for the racers to use, I don't wanna walk all the way over to the big tent.  I wanna be able to watch shitty yet still rewatchable movies on cable while eating some simple-to-prepare meal and drinking a beer whilst getting my squeeze on.  They went in the bag first, then tools and a few spare parts (I don't wanna go looking for valve stems or brake pads in the middle of prime time down time), followed by shoes (two pair), and then... stuff that I just started grabbing.  Some gloves, these socks... enough cut-off shorts to get through a week of lounging about, etc.

My biggest concern right now has been my lack of concerns.  I haven't really "trained" much at all this summer, and I'm just operating under the assumption that I "got this."  I made sure to do all the little things I could think of that required minimal effort.  I drank Rocket Red for two weeks straight in the lead up to this weekend.  I trimmed my fingernails and toenails.  I went over my bike, checking things like sealant and brake pads... and made sure to pack extras of both... while also discovering that my big jug of TruckerCo Cream is empty. 

Someone has been doing a shitty job keeping track of inventory here.

I didn't bleed my brakes like I promised myself that I would.

I didn't quite lose those extra pesky pounds that have just been lingering around since... April??

I didn't put a fresh Rekon 2.25 on my rear wheel... but at least I packed it, no?

Hopefully none of these non-preparations will affect the making of great bike race, especially since I'm racing duo with someone I consider "responsible," at least in the realm of people that I would call "my friends."  He's not one to lead me down a dark path (ahem, Watts), but he would allow me to go down it if I so chose, and he would do his best to keep me from wandering too far into the weeds.

Basically, what I'm looking for is a non-harmful, buddy movie experience.  A little more Bob and Doug and a little less Jay and Silent Bob.

Although, I feel like I'd be Bob in one and the not Bob in the other scenario.

Of course, we all know that I'm just doing this whole thing in order to get material for quality blerhg content and maybe some hi-res meme-friendly images, right?

That and a distraction from reality AND also a break from the heat, humidity, Charlotte, work, lawn care... life...

AND the chance to ride my bike in one of the most beautiful places on earth with my little friends.

See you in a week and change.