Preparations have begun

"Children's children are a crown to the aged..."

Proverbs 17:6

(How things have changed since our last post of 2009. We have three more precious  grandchildren! This picture was taken last summer in 2013.)

Yes, we are planning to do it again!

Our bike ride across America in 2008 was one of the most memorable experiences of our lives. We decided shortly afterward that someday we would like to do it again, and our "someday" is almost here. The post below has the letter we've sent out telling about our endeavor.

Preparation for this second trip is not nearly as intense as last time. Because we already have most of our major gear, we've had to pick up only a few disposable items such as fuel canisters and pepper spray, and a few items that have worn out such as shorts, camera, and sleeping mat.

I'm thankful that I took some pictures last time of how we packed things for that will make it easier this time to get started. Those pictures also helped us to remember a few things that we may have forgotten. And yes, we are still carefully counting ounces as they quickly add up to pounds.

The logistics for getting our bike and ourselves to the Gulf coast and then reconnecting with the van are a bit more complicated because we aren't flying back to the van as we did last time but are, instead, just riding home. Also, instead of just a 12-hour drive to our starting point, this will be a two and a half day drive. We are thankful for friends who have volunteered to drive with us and drive the van back home. (Of course, the opportunity for them to see their grandkids in Texas was hard for them to pass up!)

In six years we have come a long way in regard to our technology. Last time we used a small outdated keyboard apparatus that I would type into, then download when we came to a library in order to update the blog. This time we not only have smart phones, but also have a small tablet that can connect with any Wi-Fi and we can do our blogging that way. We also have a portable solar charger that will charge our devices as we ride.

We've had people ask if we have our route planned out. The answer to that is "no", which usually results in a raised eyebrow and questioning look. We quickly found out on the first ride that it is nearly impossible to plan more than a day or two ahead because we really don't know what each day will hold or what the terrain or weather will be. What we DO know this time is that we won't have seven mountain passes in the first two weeks! And we also know that taking it day by day is a lot more fun and adventurous and makes us trust God more.

Six years ago our training was very sporadic and interrupted due to a very wet and temperamental spring and me being in a walking cast for six weeks. The first two weeks of the ride was our training. This time, we've been able to join the university gym where we're spending a lot of time on the indoor cycles and spinning classes, and on the weights. Will it make a difference? I guess we'll see when we get started.

Check back periodically as we continue our preparations and count down!