Well, I am going to give this blog stuff a shot. I hope you will all forgive me as you read this. You always have the choice, so if I bore you to death, well then, you don't have to come back.
I have been a fan of cycling now for about seven or eight years. It all began as I was serving as a boy scout leader for our church and the boys in my group wanted to work on the cycling merit badge. I had loved my gold "sting ray" bike with the "slick" back tire and the freedom it gave me as a child and even owned a mountain bike as an adult, but I hadn't seriously biked since my teenage years. I needed help to teach these boys about cycling and had a good friend, Lee Greer, that had the knowledge that we needed. The boys asked him to help and I will be forever grateful for the change it has made in my life. Not only did I find a passion in my life that has given me great joy, but I found a person that is a great man and has become the best of friends. He has helped me learn so much about cycling and has done so much for me in getting ready for this trip.
Back to the story. The merit badge requires that the boy not only learn about the bicycle, but they have to ride 2-10's, 2-15's, 2-25's and a 50 mile ride. We were on that first ride and I was sweating along with my 20 year old mountain bike and Lee and his son were riding some pretty modern road bikes. He could see that I was working like crazy, so he asked his son Marshall if he wouldn't let me ride his bike for a bit. Marshall just said, "Sure". Well, that is the moment I was sold on cycling again. I couldn't believe that cycling could be so enjoyable. I spent the rest of the merit badge on Marshall's bike. I don't even remember what he ended up riding. That year I bought my first road bike and have been loving it ever since.
I have also been a member of Adventure Cycling (adventurecycling.org) for about the same amount of time. I love the organization and what it stands for and, through their magazine, have dreamed for many years of making a long distance ride to somewhere. I always thought that when I turn 50, that will be the year I do it. I turned 50 last year and found a ride that goes from Bar Harbor, Maine to Key West, Florida, so I asked my wife, Carey, if she would support me in doing the trip. Bless her heart, she thought it was a great idea. I know that she has just known it has been a dream of mine. I also approached my partner in business, Dean Condie and asked him what he thought of me taking 2 months off. Bless his heart as well. He supported me equally as well and I know that he will have to fill in in so many places. So thanks to those that are closest to me, I have the chance to do this trip.
I leave on the 19th of August and the ride is supposed to take me approximately 3,000 miles and 60 days. I am riding with 13 other people from mostly around the United States, but we do have a riders from London, New Zealand and Australia and a tour leader (15 in all).
I hope to write often and let all of you who are interested in this trip know what is going etc. Please keep in mind that I am new to this. Hope it will end up being worth your time.
