What are you using in place of the Samsung tablet?

Sounds very promising, much more so than before. And I agree with Kelly on kitchenware - but then, I hate cooking.

Many bicycle tourists plan shorter miles the first week or so to get in the groove. You are a perfect example!

I like your specific mention of leaving behind 8 pounds of gear, and noticing how the bike handled more favorably.

Question(s) - how important is cooking to you? Is that an enjoyable part of your daily routine? Would you miss not mixing up your favorite pasta specialty? If you pared down your kitchen, or eliminate it, would that be a positive move for you?

Some people travel with just a tiny nesbit stove for emergency coffee, hot water, etc. Or a Jetboil.

I don't know the answer, I'm just asking the question.

I look forward to following along with you.

We've been away for a couple days and I'm just catching up on reading journals. You are right - it's good to have a plan but even better to be flexible.

What has me worried now is this: given that there's a near-certainty of high heat in the first two months of my summer tour, and high humidity for the central month at least, is it even reasonable to deliberately set off into those conditions?

I thought I was doing that. I emptied my CamelBak by lunchtime each day, and again in the afternoon. I was also carrying four water bottles filled with Gatorade and they got emptied and refilled on similar schedules.

Maybe that still wasn't enough, or I was missing something else.

Hydrate, electrolytes.

Sound to me like your short pre-tour was a great success. You learned so much that will serve you we’ll going forward.

As others have written as we get older we are less able to cope with heat and for me when it is accompanied with high humidity I take it very easy. Your decision to stop was a no brainer.
Mike

Also sucks not to be 70 any more.

Pretty sure I agree!

It looks worse here than on the ground. 400 feet of elevation gain in 4 miles is really only an average of two percent if I have the math right. But it was enough to do me in, in the long run.

You absolutely made the correct decision!!!!

Yikes

Love your quote headings