Packing Up

Two days to go. Thursday, May 14th, Joe and I will pack the car with his bike, two duffles (filled with tent, sleeping bag, electronic equip, clothing) - making sure that each duffle weighs no more than the allowed 25 pounds - and head off for Williamsburg, VA.

The drive down will be leisurely - stopping at the kids' house in Jersey for an overnight - and we'll arrive on Friday at the group hotel. Saturday he'll have a 5 hour meeting with the others in the group and on Sunday morning, May 17, I will watch as he leaves for Yorktown to dip his bike in the ocean and head off into the sunset. 82 sunsets, actually, until he arrives in Florence, OR on August 4th.

Biker Joe is not travelling alone. This is a group organized by Adventure Cycling, the folks who had laid out this cross-country route back in 1976 for the bi-centennial. While Adventure Cycling has organized self-contained trips in the past, this is only the 2nd year that they have led a supported bike trip. Meaning that they have a van to schlepp all the gear and the riders don't have to carry it all on their bikes.

Joe will be one of 11 bikers from around the country. There are also 2 support people from the tour company - one who drives the van and the other on a bike. One of them is an emt and the other a mechanic.

Our daughter, Donna, will fly down to VA on Saturday to take the drive back home with me.

I don't know who is more excited - Joe or me. He's a guy - doesn't show his emotions. I'm a gal - will probably cry when I see him ride off.

Keep checking back - Biker Joe will have much to tell us as he embarks on this amazing adventure.

Caryn