This is the bike that will get me across the US. I park it in my kitchen. I hadone bike stolen. I don't want to risk losing another one. My first trip with it was the Harrisburg Century. I stayed with Jenna, Jim and Moriah and had a great time.

Early San Diego arrivals

Cathy, Linda, Jeanne, Helen, Connie, Nancy and I will all be arriving in San Diego on March 4th. It will be great to get to meet some of the group early and explore San Diego with them. IT will also give us time to make sure the bikes are in good working order. I called San Diego this evening to cancel my single room because Connie and I will share a room for those two days and the reservations clerk told me it was warm there. Rochesterians don't remember what warm is! Einige von uns werden schon frueh in San Diego ankommen. Es wird ganz nett sein, die anderen kennenzulernen und mit den Frauen San Diego erkuendigen. In California ist es warm. Leute in Rochester wissen nicht mehr was "warm" heisst!

Our Route

To try to answer Lizzy Tish's question in her comment, the support wagon is the vehicle that's going to be driving along with us day by day, carrying our luggage, PBJs, repair stuff and other miscellaneous items. If one of us really can't make it, she can hop in and ride along for awhile. It's what I want to avoid, if possible. This is why I've been working out like crazy. I really dislike spinning, but I get on the stationary bike at the gym and turn on the TV or read a book. That makes it a little less disagreeable. IF the weather in Rochester would warm up a little and the snow would melt, I'd do more outside riding Uploading a map?! Ummmm, I don't even know how to upload pictures yet. I'm going to practice that tonight. But what I can do for you, Lizzy Tish and others, is write down our first 7 addresses and you can google map them. I know what you mean. I also am a visual person and have to see the map in front of me. I prefer maps to GPSs. So, here's the list for the first week: San Diego, CA 92106, Alpine, CA 91901, Jacumba, CA 91934, Brawley CA 92227, Blythe, CA 92225, Salome, AZ 85348, Wickenburg, AZ 85390. On every rest day, I'll post the next week's destinations. The participants are having a great email discussion about the advantages of different types of backpacks, handlebar bags, etc. There are lots of differences of opinion, reflecting, I think, lots of different riding styles and experiences. This will be the ultimate riding experience. Only 6 more weeks! Jeff and Debbi, I hope you're practicing. We are going to ride when I get back!!! Habe Heute gut trainiert. Ich mag die stationaere Fahrraeder ueberhaupt nicht, aber das Wetter hier ist wieder sehr kalt und ich musste dann im Fitnesszentrum trainierien. Wir Teilnehmerinnen diskutieren fleissig darueber, welche die beste Fahrradtaschen sind. Wir sind alle darauf bedacht, nicht zu viel mitzuschleppen. Da ich noch keine Ahnung habe wie ich die Routenkarte auf das Blog uploaden kann, habe ich die erste 7 Ortschaften oben aufgelistet. Ihr koennt die in Google MAps eingeben, da seht Ihr wie wir fahren. Heute will ich noch ueben, wie ich Fotos uploaden kann. Noch 6 Wochen!!!

Up and running

OK. So it seems as if the blog is really up and running now. What a complicated birth that was. You can tell I didn't grow up with a computer. I have to limit my suitcase to 50 pounds. That's all I'm allowed to put in the support vehicle. I think I should be fine, but I keep thinking of things I might need. It's still 6 weeks away, but I have the suitcase on the floor and am throwing things in as I think of them. I don't want to forget the key to my bike lock! So, jetzt klappt's mit dem Blog. War schwer aber es hat sich gelohnt. Ich kann dann ein Online Journal schreiben. Hoffentlich bin ich abends nicht so muede, dass ich nicht schreiben kann! Es ist noch 6 Wochen entfernt, aber mein Koffer liegt schon auf dem Boden und ich werfe gelengentlich die Dinge hinein an die ich gerade denke. Es wird vorm Abflug sorgfaeltig durchgescheckt.

Lodgings

Got the list of lodgings. I checked the distances between the first three on google maps. The first couple of days will be "easy". I let my friends in Arizona where we'd be staying so that they can come and cheer us on. Worked out for 45 min. on the stationary bike tonight. God, those things are boring, even if this one had a TV attached to the front of it. Hallo nach Deutschland. Jetzt haben wir die Uebernachtungsliste. Ich habe auf GoogleMaps die Entfernung zwischen den ersten drei Ortschasten ausgemessen. Sieht aus, als ob wir ein bischen "langsam" anfangen. Keine 100 km am ersten und zweiten Tagen, Gott sei dank.

Thanks, Betsy!

Big thanks to Betsy Marshall for helping me get this blog off the ground. I hope I cycle better than I blog. Turned out the wobble in my front wheel was caused by unequal weight distribution over the back wheel. Am going to velcro my bike lock on to the side of my carrier. With one saddlebag on the other side, that should do the trick. Hallo nach Deeutschland! Ich bereite mich schon auf mein Fahrradabenteuer in dem ich flessig im Fitnesszentrum trainiere. Heute war es hier gerade nicht so kalt und und konnte eine kleine Tour machen. Freue mich sehr, wenn es endlich mal los geht.

Getting ready

I'm getting excited to think that, in less than two months, I will be riding across the country on my bike. When I looked at the map with the elevation profile between San Diego and Tempe, I almost had a heart attack. I am going to try my hardest not to end up in the support vehicle. I've been pretty good about training (some spinning, some body building, some cardio). I'm going to have my bike checked out on Saturday. I feel a wobble in the front wheel that I don't like. I'll have to remember to buy some extra tubes and spokes. From the emails that the others have been sending, it sounds as if we're going to be a great group. Everyone sounds very enthusiastic. I'm really looking forward to this. We can do it!