Wow, it is finally May and we are now about a month and a half away from departure. The weather has changed for the good and we even have had a couple of very hot (for Seattle) summer like days to assist my training.
Here are some update:
1. I have found a foster for Apollo for the summer. After significant contemplation, we have decided it would be best for him not to endure this trip and to have a stable home. He will be staying with a high school girl and her mother near Gig Harbor. Susie fell in love with Apollo upon meeting him and calls him the "Gentle Giant". She lives in a safe gated community and it is a 5 minute walk to the beach, he loves the beach. Plus he will have several dog friends that he can play with. Susie is already planning a birthday party for him and has invited his new friends. I will need to get him a bow tie to wear to this event. I will take him to Susie on June 16, stay with him for some time to help get him settled in. Then I will drive away with tears in my eyes fore I really love my dog. But these will be good tears cause this will be much better for him and therefore me during this trip. I already look forward to getting him back to Edmonds in September. On a side note, Pipi will be very happy he is gone for the summer. Man does she boss him around!
2. The trip is going to more likely take me 10 weeks to get to Yorktown. After checking blogs, highway maintenance, weather, my muscles, etc I think I will be arriving into Yorktown by Labor Day weekend. Chelle will come out and meet me at the end. We will say good bye to Tami and Loren who will fly home. Then Chelle and I will start the drive back to west coast which will take about 2 weeks. So, those who are planning on meeting us along the route, account for our estimation to be about a week later than originally planned. I will also be in touch once I start and get used to the riding. This will help guide my pace.
3. My Grimes bike is now going to be a Niner. Just needed a smaller frame which does not exist in the Grimes line of frames. So Franco is going to send the Niner to me and I will get the parts switched over. I still will have a great bike to get me across the country.
4. Training is going well. Last weekend I rode 70 miles and felt good. I read training a great suggestion on the Adventure Cycling Association forums. One guy posted "only ride so much each day that you do not feel you need a rest day. If one rides too much and feel a rest day is necessary, time to cut back a bit." My average will be 70 miles a day which is very doable.
So, May is a very busy month. I am having an RTA (Ride to Astoria) planning meeting on May 18 at Karen's house with those going with me to Astoria. I will officially leave west coast on June 20.
Thanks to everyone who have supported the trip on GoFundMe! I truly appreciate this act of generosity and kindness. Today I will call the Alzheimers Association to get them in the loop about my trip.
More soon.
Laurie
