The days before....

Friday night and the ride starts on Sunday morning.  Tomorrow I am contemplating cycling to the start motel in Everett as it's only about 20 miles from our new home since I'll probably be the participant who lives closest to the ride start....and consequently, lives the furthest from the finish (except for the 3 or 4 riders from overseas).  There is a pre-ride riders meeting tomorrow as well as a "banquet" put on by our touring company, so it'll be our first opportunity to meet our fellow masochists , I mean riders.

Can't say that I am totally prepared physically and mentally to the challenge that's ahead.  Mike and I have ridden a bunch over the past couple of months and have talked ourselves into thinking that we can do this without too much pain since "that's all we have to do" each day....just ride 6 to 10 hours each and every day!  The major concern for me remains to be the weather variable.  The Pacific NW has had a relatively cool spring/early summer until just the past 3 days.  Meanwhile the rest of the country has had numerous heat waves....and one cannot mimic cycling in heat/humidity without being in it.  We'll have to continually remind ourselves to hydrate and eat while out in the sun.

The mental part for me is not necessarily cycling related, but rather, the leaving home and putting everything else in my life on hold for the next 30 or so days.  Getting to the point where one can go and not worry about all the other stuff, is coming around slowly.  Fortunately, Laurie has been and will be a big help in dealing with "everything not cycling related".

The packing and organizing is almost done.  About 35 pounds of gear...and that only includes casual clothes of a pair of long pants, shorts, and couple of t-shirts.  The gear is mostly cycling clothes for all sorts of potential weather conditions, extra tires/tubes, various lotions (mostly for the nether regions), extra shoes/pedals, and a case of "5 Hour Energy" drinks.  The stuff really works for me!

I am also bringing a computer attache case, loaded up with a netbook, my new iPhone, digital camera, Garmin cycle computer/gps along with all the attending chargers and cables.

So getting a good night's sleep, waking up to my last chance to see the Tour de France, and a final review of my packing and I'll be off to Everett around mid-day.  Laurie will bring up my gear bag and computer case with her car.

Thanks to everyone who has helped me get this far....especially all my riding friends who put in many training miles along side me.  And especially to Laurie...won't be here without you by my side...and you'll be with me every pedal stroke along the way!

Finally, thanks for the many supporters on this blog and those who have made financial pledges of support towards the UW's Baltic Studies Program.