Gear Wish List
For those who want to make my day...

Some have asked about what gear I still need for the ride, so here is my wish list. Most of these items be found at any bike shop or a sporting goods store like REI, SportsMart, etc. Bike shops will typically have more selection and be able to answer questions better. Performance (in Redwood City and Campbell) has good prices. Mention you are shopping for an AIDS Rider - some stores may give a discount!

The links are are just example to give you a visual. I definitley don't care about brand, etc. If I care about a particular feature (like wicking) I'll mention it.

Biking Gloves with full-finger ($15-$30)
There are a lot of different kinds (and prices). Neoprene is warm and waterproof, but expensive. Coolmax isn't waterproof, but has wicking so it keep hands warm. They also make women-specific gloves, but the selection is limited so this isn't too critical as long as the look like they'll fit me. Basically I'd be happy with a not-too-thick pair of full-finger gloves. (I could use a second pair of short-fingered gloves too, but not needed).

Hydration Backpack ($35-$70) Got it - Thanks Mom and Dad!
I would love a Cambelbak or similar hydration pack that fits on your back and has a bite valve. 70oz would be a good size. There are many models with various features. A cylcing-specific one like Rogue might me good since it will be no-frills, but all I need is a basic pack. Off-brand will be cheaper and fine by me.

Cute biking socks ($8-10) Got the chili pepper, sun and mermaid!
Should be moisture wicking. Most bike shops carry DeFeet Air-E-Ator socks which have cute designs and are designed for cycling. (I don't really need these, just thought cute designs would be fun.) I already have the Hula Girls. My shoe size is 8.5 Women. There should be a size chart on the package.

Swim Chamois towel ($10-15)
These are chamois sport towels small and super-absorbent, so they dry fast on the ride. They can be found in swim section of sporting goods store (probably won't be at a bike store). Speedo Watershed Chamois or Camp Towel are examples.

Inflatable Sleeping Pad ($30-50) Got it - Thanks Mom and Dad!
I'm looking for a thin yet inflatable sleeping pad the kind that can be inflated with just a few breaths or is self-inflating, not a bid air mattress that needs a pump. ThermaRest Explorer is the kind of thing I had in mind. There are lost of varieties.

CycloComputer ($30-$75) Got it - Thanks Paul!
Something I would love to have and probably won't buy myself. The features I want are: Speed, Average Speed, Max. Speed, Trip Distance, Odometer, Ride time and Clock. Cadence would also be a great feature but not needed. Don't want wireless, since it will cross signals with nearby riders. Cateye Astrale CC-CD100 is a nice example, but any brand or model with the above features will work.