I hope this rings true with one or two of you because I’d hate to think I’m the only one who takes half an hour to get ready for a ride. Here’s how it rolled this morning:

Once I decided that I was digested enough I got up off my chair and headed to the bike, picked it up and carried to the front (ok ‘only’) door. Walked back to my office to start the clothes process, taking my jersey, bibs, gloves and socks over to the bedroom for later. Back to the office to grab my sunglasses, cycling wallet and mini-pump, and with a little luck, remembering my credit card. These go out to the front door as well…for later. After passing the bathroom a few times, I remember that I have to put sunscreen on, so I go in there and slap it all over.

By this time I’ve realized that something needs to be charged – usually my back light – so I go back to the bike and haul the light to my office for charging. If my Garmin is what needs juice, it’s game over, because it takes a day to charge. Next is a trip to the kitchen, where my two water bottles are usually sitting. I fill these then walk back to the office to pick up an electrolyte tablet if it’s hot out there. We are getting closer now, but the tires still need to be at least checked, maybe pumped up, and I grab my helmet from my office.

All this moving around usually makes me want to go to the bathroom. When that’s done it’s time to get dressed. It’s around this moment that I feel like this ride is really going to happen. But inevitably I have forgotten to bring my cycling shoes out of the closet, so it’s back to the office. Out in the hallway I shove things in my pouches and realize I don’t have a banana. To the kitchen for that. And of course I now need to make one more trip to the office to pick up whatever has been charging. But then I’m really ready to hit the road.