A Few Days of Fun Before the Ride

Tam and I left Columbus yesterday (Tuesday, June 11) flying through Washington DC to get to Seattle - obviously not the most direct route, but one that worked with our time frame. We were scheduled for a 3 1/2 hour layover, but  lucked out in that, just as we arrived at Dulles, there was a plane boarding for Seattle. It had been delayed by over 2 hours. We were the last ones to board and again lucked out with exit row seats - plenty of leg room. I couldn't even touch the seat in front of me.

We rented a car and drove north to Bellingham to renew friendship with a couple we met last summer. We had a lovely evening catching up and today (Wednesday) spent several hours on their 40 foot sailboat in Bellingham Bay. I learned how to hoist the mainsail and trim the jib without falling in the drink. Before today I wasn't even sure what a jib was.

Several of the streets here in Bellingham are rather steep. All day long,  I kept looking at the mountains outside town, wondering to myself how I would get a bicycle over them.  It's been a week since I've been on my bike, time enough to lose a little of the training I've done this spring.  America by Bicycle (AB Bike) has reported to us that there will be over 108,000 feet of climbing on this ride across America. An email yesterday indicated that almost 25% of the climbing takes place in the first week of the ride.  Part of me is thinking, "You're in trouble!" And a smaller part of me is thinking, "You can do this, but you're going to hurt a lot the first several days!" I'll report on this after a few days of riding.

I got word today that my bike made it to the hotel. Now I just have to pedal east.

Tomorrow, we leave Bellingham and we'll spend a day or two in Seattle before heading to the start line. Probably one, maybe two more posts before we start riding.

Be well.  Thanks to all of you who have called or emailed wishing me well. I enjoy hearing from you and will try to answer any questions you might have - about cycling, the ride, what I'm doing in my "spare" time. Feel free to ask or comment along the way.

Don