Less than 3 weeks, ready or not.

August 3rd viewed from April or May looks much different than seen from July 15th! Right now I go from feeling super excited to asking myself why I ever brought the whole thing up. I’m guessing this is pretty natural. Loaded my bike yesterday for a dry run camping trip to Bradbury State Park. 20 miles with a bike carrying 55lbs of gear/water is a bit different than a bike carrying just me. Pushing off was a bit tricky but became routine fairly quickly. Hills are hillier. And the wind is windier. Slow speeds with weight is a critical time to pay attention to balance. But all went well.

I am going to connect a low-key fund raising initiative to the ride. No hard sell, so please don’t be turned off by this. My rationale is that I’ve become a big fan of safe bicycling and the importance that local, state and national organizations play in this seemingly obvious goal. I believe in the multi spoke approach to realizing this end. So, I have identified 3 organizations that I hope to support. At the local level, I am partnering with Gear Hub, the non-profit outdoor, bike centric shop in Portland that is on the front lines getting all Mainers (new and not as new) into cycling, maintenance and connection. http:portlandgearhub.org

At the state level, Bicycle Coalition of Maine has been advancing the healthy pursuit of bicycling and walking in Maine since 1992. http://Bikemaine.org

And at the national level, I am a supporter of the wonderful mission of the Rails to Trails Conservancy. Imagine a time when a bicyclist can travel from the East Coast to the West Coast without battling vehicle traffic. Well, that vision is the driving force behind RTC. http://railstotrails.org

Shout out to my friends at Maine Bike Works for my bike and setup. Jason and Theron specialize in adventure touring bikes and accessories. See photos. Looking for a name for my bike if you have ideas.