It finally begins!!!

I cannot believe that today has finally come! I have been thinking, planning, and daydreaming about this for several months now. The bike ride finally begins. I am in Los Angeles now (technically El Segundo, but that's just details). My bike is here and I am here. My clothes are laid out for tomorrow's ride to Riverside. This is unbelievable.

I have casually dreamed of a cross country bicycle trip since probably my high school or college days. I was never really serious about that then. I drifted away from biking, it seems, in the past several years. Back in 2005, it was Bill Pearson who got me back on track with his idea and encouragement then to do RAGBRAI. It has felt good ever since, although I do worry that I am about to get into something more than I can handle now. Still, I have been pretty conscientious in my preparations for this trip.

Last night was great. Lauren graduated from U of Minnesota, and this bike trip did not make me miss that. It was wonderful to see her, as well as Chrissy, Andy, Nickie, and Marsha. I am so grateful that Andy came. This was not only nice of him, but it also gave him a chance to show us his ancestral grocery store in Minneapolis. He is in key photos from last evening. With the help of Photoshop, Michelle will now have him to use as her avatar. She will be at Lauren's graduation after all!

Marsha was kind enough to get up at an unGodly hour and drive me to the Minneapolis airport this morning. Her support in this crazy trip of mine is so deeply appreciated. That is not even to mention the support of my short-staffed friends at work. I could not do this trip without the support of my family, coworkers, and friends. I will be taking Bill, my family, and my coworkers with me when I actually get on the bike tomorrow.

My flights today were on time and went great. As I had been instructed to do, I carried my bike helmet as carry on. On the flight from Minneapolis to Denver, I sat next to a woman who told me of her new granddaughter who she is flying to see in Fresno. She saw my helmet and asked the obvious questions. I told her that I was flying to Los Angeles to ride my bike. I thought that would be the end of the conversation. She however seemed upset with my poor planning. She told me that Los Angeles is a terrible place in which to ride a bike. She actually advised me to leave Los Angeles and see more of the country! I told her that I would consider her advice.

On the second flight, the one from Denver to Los Angeles, a very young flight attendant approached me even before the plane left the ground. She asked if I was nervous and if this was my first flight. I did not understand the question, but I assured her that I am quite well accustomed to flying. She didn't accept that answer, and she proceeded to launch into a rather well practiced speech regarding the safety of flying. I still didn't get her point. Finally she simply spelled it out, indicating that "in the very unlikely event of an accident" the bike helmet would be pretty useless! I promised not to put it on during the flight, which seemed to relieve her.

I wonder how all is going back home. I wonder if Andrea is still holding out. She is one week ovedue today. (But who is counting?)

We leave at 6:00 AM tomorrow. We go to the ocean, and then we leave from there for Boston! Tomorrow we will ride 78 miles, ending up in Riverside, California.

I am pretty intimidated by the group. Everyone is very nice and encouraging. Nonetheless, everyone seems phenomenally more hardcore than I am. I am probably the least experienced biker here. Oh well! It is good to have a challenge, and a defined goal.

Maybe my blog posting tomorrow will include photos. None today.