Saturday, March 28, 2009

Walter

Walter has ridden his bicyle across the United States three times; his last cross-country ride was when he was eighty years old!

Walter will be 86 this year and is still going strong. He rides with the Palos Verdes Bicycle Club three or four days a week. He wanted to do the crossing again this year, but he fell in a bicycling accident in December and just isn't up to going with me.

I wore my new CrossRoads jersey on a club ride last week. Walter said he had one just like it and could I wear mine on Friday. Here's the picture of Walter and me.

Walter is my hero. I want to be him when I grow up.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Test blog

This is a test of the email to blog system.

Hey! It works. You can send in your blog via email with images attached. Now that's really cool.

The above image is "art" in front of an apartment complex in Palos Verdes. The site is on a downhill.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Anticipation

I signed up for this year's cross-country ride more than a year ago! Of course, the waiting and planning is part of the fun, but I'm ready for this thing to get started. CrossRoad's has a ten-week training cycle that we are all trying to complete. I live in Southern California, so it's very easy for me to get out and ride. Those who live where they have that nasty white stuff must be going crazy on their indoor trainers.

Our duffle bags and CrossRoads jerseys arrived today. We have to limit our luggage (not counting the stuff we will carry on the bicycles) to thirty pounds max. I did a preliminary packing and my two bags total 17 pounds. Either I've forgotten something, or I have a great deal of leeway in what I carry. No sense in taking any more than the bare minimum. We will always be near a store and my credit card weighs next to nothing.

By the way, if you are riding across the country on a bicycle, don't bother to mention it to any non-bikers; they just don't understand. Bike riders, on the other hand, they get real excited and want to know more.

Friday, March 20, 2009

First time blog


I'm riding across the U.S., from Manhattan Beach, CA, to Boston, MA, on my bicycle!

Am I crazy? Some folks would say, yes.

I'm riding with CrossRoads Cycling - an organized tour. I'm too old to do the tent thing. With CrossRoads, all the planning has been done for me, hotels, routes, meals, etc. All I have to do is ride from one spot to the next.

Riding across the country is something I've always wanted to do, but never had the time. Now that I'm retired, I'm going for it.

We leave Los Angeles on Mother's Day, May 10 and arrive in Boston seven weeks later.

I'll post more as the departure nears. Now, I have to go out and ride and then ride some more to get in shape for the trip.