14 August 2010 – We arrive at our staging point and ride to the starting point and back, scouting out points at which to rendezvous. I believe these are set. Tomorrow we will have a continental breakfast and get to the starting point just before 0900. In my mind’s eye I always imagined flat roads and sunny skies, but it is windy and overcast as I write this evening, and I am now Bill in the hills. Tomorrow’s ride is on a road with wonderfully wide shoulders so I will not be concerned with traffic. I will meet Dad and Sam the Sheba Ihnu about 4 times during the ride, the first just six miles after the start and also after a hill higher than anything I have climbed before. I am concerned about my back. The twinges are still coming, although not as severe as a week ago. We’ll see. I am happy I made no commitment to anyone to finish this ride, just to try -- but it could be depressing to not do much especially if it is my body that lets me down. Notable events today were: (1) we met Tyler and Andrea in a bakery-espresso store (It turns out that Tyler is a pilot who spent last year flying the exact plane that went down with Alaska Senator Ted Stevens aboard. Andrea was surprised when it turned out that my bike did not come with a motor.);and (2) further up the road we had a great French dinner at a waterside restaurant. I had French onion soup, boullibaise, a salad sprinkled with fresh blueberries, and Italian cheese cake. Yum. Finally, weather and road conditions, but especially weather has prompted Tour management (me) to discuss with Tour participants (me) some modifications and rules about the running of the Tour. Sam has had some thoughts of her own too. Turns out she hasn’t traveled in some time.
Thought for the day: Act like something is real and some day (tomorrow) it is.
No comments:
Post a Comment