I Think I'm Ready

I am scheduled to arrive in Portland on 2 June and plan to begin riding south from Astoria on Friday, 3 June. The bike awaits me on the west coast. The longer I wait the heavier my panniers become: enought already. I'm about as ready as I can be: I have logged 1,000 miles this spring including two metric centuries over the last three weeks. The difference in my butt, thighs, and back are noticeable. After holding out in the hopes of saving money, I bought new shoes this weekend and am glad that I did. My feet thanked me profusely during today's ride.

Although I'm sure that numerous challenges and frustrations await, my concerns going in revolve around sleeping on a thin pad. Going in, I plan on restricting my use of motels to one night per week and any night when it is raining at the end of the ride or expected to be raining at the ride's beginning. We will see. I have few specific goals other than to have a good time, enjoy the people I meet and the land I pass through, and to persevere during the hard times.