"Big Dogs" are the fastest riders on any bicycle tour; they're the ones who arrive first at the hotel each day. While these bike "tours" are not races, some of the participants will be Type-A personalities who will push as hard as they can. I have to admit, when I rode across the country in 2009, I was one of the BDs. I started out with good intentions but my competitive spirit soon overcame my better sense. This trip, I hope to relax a little more to enjoy better the ride and the camaraderie - taking my time, stopping to take pictures, and interacting with the locals at every opportunity.
The bicycle is now on its way, via United Parcel Service, to Portland, Maine. My local bike shop packed the bike and I dropped it off at the UPS store for shipping last Wednesday. Luckily, I have a second road bike that I can use to continue my conditioning for the ride. It's only been three weeks since we returned from our non-bicycling vacation in Mexico and I've been putting in many miles trying to get back in shape for the ride. The first week back was challenging, but I think I'm going to be ready by the start. Only ten days to go before I leave for Maine.
This summer, the east coast of the United Sates has been hit with an earthquake, a hurricane (Irene), and a tropical storm (Lee). While the earthquake was frightening, it did little damage, but both Irene and Lee were devastating storms which destroyed a lot of infrastructure and many homes. It is going to be very interesting to see how much of the road and bridge damage will have been repaired by the time we get there on our bicycles. This may turn out to be a real adventure, especially on the Outer Banks. Is there a plan B? We will just have to wait and see.
