I started the week with big plans and high hopes. I was going to do all these miles and really get with the program. It didn’t happen like that. The winds continue to be relentless and strong every day, often 25mph with gusts to 50-60 mph. Monday I went south and fought my way back a couple times. I don’t remember what happened Tuesday, but Wednesday there were not only strong winds, but there were fires on the other side of the river that burned all day filling the air with smoke and every surface with ash. We ended up indoors all day with the windows closed and the AC on.
Thursday I did a good loop around town, almost 24 km, and came home to find a cyclist guest at the house. The winds were supposed to calm down but Friday and Saturday were more of the same. Sunday, today, I went out but only 14 1/2 km, a trip down to the supermarket and back, and then down and back again fighting winds so strong I sometimes had trouble keeping the bike going straight.
So, training this week was not what it should have been. But, the good thing about this week is we had a cyclist for a couple nights, and then a couple of cyclists for the next couple nights, and all of them had come down from Alaska on the same route I plan to take. It was great to hear of their experiences, reports on the routes they took, advice on the trip and on biking in general. I feel excited and encouraged in spite of not being in the condition I wish I was.
Next week? Joel and I still need to sit down and look at the calendar and coordinate things as well as I can, not knowing how fast I will actually travel. I need to book the tickets. I need a box from the bike shop to practice taking my bike apart, and I may as well ask for advice and tools while I’m there. Then, I need time on the bike!
In a couple more weeks I think I’ll be ready to go public with my plans so I need to get the gofundme site up and running. I need to think about cards that can be used for info and thank yous along the way. I could use flags for the bike for safety. I need to put together a list of things to pack. These are odds and ends, but if I’m 5-6 weeks out it’s time to start getting it together. I have been shown a site for bike parts and need to order good tires and a better tire pump.
It’s all going to work out, I’m just not sure exactly how but that’s part of the adventure.
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