T - 6 Days and Counting

The official countdown began a month ago. It's hard to believe the ride is now less than a week away.

Thanks for your encouragement (whether you meant it that way or not), I surpassed my training goal (1,000 miles) last week. Hopefully that is enough.

Your questions about the trip or how training is going has kept me motivated during an odd training year. Having been traveling roughly 50% of the time makes consecutive riding days a premium. Fortunately, on many trips I've been able to take gear along and do some speed and hill work while I've been away from home. But in the end, there was no way I wanted to admit that I hadn't been riding, so the training continued.

It's also motivating to hear that you've monitored the blog, so I'll post each day that connectivity is available while I'm on the trip. I hope you enjoy it and find it interesting to hear about the things that we encounter or that occur along the way.

Dale and I will go to Manitowoc on Saturday, July 22 (of course, Dale won't stay). The tour left from Astoria, Oregon with a group of 70 riders on June 18.

This is a larger group than what I've ridden with before, but still smaller than the RAGBRAI group of 10,000. It will make meal times more challenging as most establishments are not necessarily equipped for large groups, especially bikers who typically descend onto restaurants like swarms of locusts.

The ride leader does a fabulous website. It can be found at http://www.bamacyclist.com/Journal2007/North07/07north.htm . I begin "riding" on Day 36. He is able to provide more information about what happens throughout the day. He also includes daily photos from the ride.

This will be the third year that I've created the blog. The previous two years are as follows --
http://acrossamericaii.blogspot.com/

http://iowthoughts.blogspot.com/

(In case you feel the need to backtrack; which, by the way, is impossible with a route sheet!)

I'm looking forward to this part of the ride. It will be interesting to see how the border patrols handle 70 cyclists + crew crossing into Canada and back.

The rest day will be in Niagara Falls, which should also be interesting.

The Berkshires in Vermont should provide plenty of challenge.

And, best of all, the conclusion with the obligatory wheel dipping in the Atlantic in Portsmouth.

Many of you have asked, "What's next?" We'll think and talk about that after August 7. Right now, it's important to focus on the two and half weeks that lie between me and the Atlantic.

See you on the road ~Lisa