Since so many of you guys helped me purchase my first road bicycle and some gear I figured I owed everyone who followed a quick update.
For those that don't recall, i got a slightly used Masi Vincere off ebay for a steal. I put on some crankbros egg beater quattros. I rode all last summer in Texas on a borrowed bike and I used to do tons of mountain biking, some competitions, 4+ years ago.
Now I have ridden several hundred miles now, despite occasional snow fall still; most recently on April 30th. I am graduating a week from Sunday and my biggest regret is not hafing had a bike all four years while at university. I appreciate Vermont a LOT more. I get to ride some world famous "gaps" or paths between mountain spines. My general routes take me across hundreds of postcard moments from covered bridges with ancient 3+ ft wide planks, along side melting white water rivers, and across great mountain roads. Unfortunately some cooler places have dirt roads, and although they are compact I'm not sure what's safe.
The bike is holding up well. I took the week off because classes were ending and I had to do my thesis, besides we had massive rain. I need to get it to a shop and beg for some air because the front tire is suspiciously low.
Now I am deciding on whether I return to NASA or accept a Cabot cheese sponsorship to ride from VT to Colorado this summer promoting voting among youth, with many other riders from VT colleges. It's a tough decision...
Unfortunately grad school may take this away from me since I am attending Tufts for grad school and my gf is working at Harvard, I will be stuck living in Cambridge/Boston/Medford with no easy access to open roads.
So once again, I ask for some advice
What should I be doing about emergency equipment. For now I am interested in keeping things light and my newbish level of experience on the road has kept me from packing anything extra on. Should I carry patch kits, tubes, or small air pumps? How much should I worry about problems of those natures?