BIKE ODYSSEY PART II

HERE WE GO AGAIN!

About four months ago, out of the clear blue sky, Rusty said "I think we should finish our bike ride up the Mississippi River to Wisconsin." Well, okay! How can I turn down an offer like that. He told me to remind him along the way when the going gets tough that THIS ride was HIS idea. I'll have no problem with that.

So we're flying out Tuesday morning for Baton Rouge LA. Our bikes were shipped two weeks ago to a bike shop who will check things over, tighten things up and deliver them to our hotel. We'll start our ride up the Mississippi River Thursday morning and plan to be in Wisconsin at Susie and Eric's home sometime mid June.

The preparation for this ride is the flip side of last years ride. Last year Rusty pored over maps, emailed and called bike clubs and travel departments in the states along the way. Our itinerary was exact with dates, towns, miles, which actually only held true for about the first three days. This time we do have Adventure Cycling's map for the Great Rivers Ride and a book by Bob Robinson on his multiple rides up the Mississippi. We're thinking that we'll probably use the route in the book mostly because it stays pretty true to the river crossing over back and forth. We will definitely ride through Nauvoo visiting Church History sites and my brother David and family who were scratched off the itinerary last year.

Yesterday Rusty dragged out our bike stuff and spread it all over the living room and set up our new three man tent in the garage. Last trip we used a two man which is actually only good for one girl and her gear. It was pretty cozy with the two of us and we had to keep our gear outside. This new tent we can even almost stand up in. Of course it is heavier but as the saying goes "nothing is too heavy if you need it." We found that out last year for sure and sent home two shipments of "nut's to have" and "nice to have" stuff. I'm actually thinking that we are being so casual about packing this time that we might pack too light and leave some "need to have" items we should have taken. Well, that will be another post later on in the ride, I'm sure. We'll probably get dirtier and eat plainer than last trip. No frying pan for pancakes this time and no Sunday church shoes. We will certainly look the part. Last year we were told at one of the wards we visited that we didn't look like cross country bike riders but visitors from California. Yikes! California even!

Another thing different this time is that we are not riding tandem. That doesn't mean that we didn't love it last time or that we don't still love each other. It just means we need to give solo touring a try. I've done it before. Rusty hasn't. Riding a loaded bike takes a little adjustment. Rusty says he knows he'll probably fall once or twice getting used to it...I told him just once should do it.

Today is Easter Sunday. The rain is blowing sideways here on the Oregon Coast and we're planning to fly out tomorrow for Baton Rouge LA to begin Part II of our bike odyssey around the world in 80 years! Rusty checked the weather in Baton Rouge and today they have heavy thunder storms with tornado warnings and high in the 70's. (High in the 70's isn't bad!) But the forecast for the rest of the week is high in 70's & 80's and low in the 50's. Now that sounds like good bike riding weather.

Come join us on Bike Odyssey Part II. We're going to have a fabulous time making memories! We'll be posting on our blog whenever we can get to a computer at a library. Keep checking in and if you leave a comment it makes us feel like we've had a visit from a friend.

So here we go....."Up the Lazy River"!