"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. "

Henry David Thoreau
Walden Pond

You have now read the best writing you will find in this correspondence. Read on at your own peril.

I do not set out on this bike ride with the thought that my time will be improved over that which I generally experience at home. I actually have no idea how these days on my bike could improve upon those here at home. My time is passed in a blend of exercise, reading, talking, on-demand napping, all seasoned with just enough productive activity to let me feel useful and of some value, with an interesting companion and in a great location. So why am I going off on a weeks long bike ride where I will be too hot, too cold, exhausted, bored, probably lonely and somewhat at risk of harm? Because I don't want to die without having done it. That's all. It's on my list.

The goals are two: to cross the country by bike and to call on as many friends as is practical. The guys in Tulsa, Dallas and California are out. I open with a ride around the north end of Lake Washington calling on the Griffiths, McCaggs, Olsons, Carlsons, Gowdys, Metcalfs, Jacobsons, and Powellsons. I sleep in Montlake. The next day I go south to the McCalls in Tacoma, back by way of the Webers on Vashon, and with a stop by at Beth's brother's. That's my last night at home and then it's up the peninsula to Port Townsend, Victoria, DeCourcy Island, Vancouver and to join the family in Bellingham for the Ski To Sea. On Memorial Day I head east via Washington and Rainy passes, Spokane, Glacier National Park and the Kolstad's wheat farm. The rest of the itinerary includes Minneapolis, Baraboo WI, Chicago, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Maryland, and Washington DC. I expect to sleep mostly at camp grounds, but may occasionally use motels, hostels, and some open ground. I will carry small amounts of cereal, powdered milk, powdered potatoes, tortillas, peanut butter and jelly. I will eat ice cream at every opportunity. I will leave a copy of our 2007 letter (previously undistrbuted) everywhere I can.

For a day dreamer, making such a plan is great fun. Camping stuff we had, but I needed maps, (easy to get on line at state departments of transportation) some bike gear including new tires, brakes, lights, helmet, bike seat, underpants, and an air foil/windshield. I tested my tent apparatus a couple of nights in the yard. The most significant equipment category was the electronics. I started with a Blackberry smart phone. To the knowledgeable operator this represents a mountain of useful options. To the uninitiated it represents a maze of maddeningly obscure, but tantalizing possibilities. There's no question that the Blackberry has occupied more preparation time than any other thing including the bike rides to be mentioned below. I am now master (sort of) of the phone, email, GPS, photo, internet, and memo functions of this thing. This message is being typed on the BB. Well, the typing is being done on the portable, blue tooth keyboard using ten fingers instead of two thumbs, but it is being processed and will be sent into the ether via the BB. I have not yet undertaken texting, instant messaging, voice dialing, or downloading my personal tunes. Neither have I visited the ATT mall to buy ring tones or wall paper etc etc etc. I tried out a solar panel to charge all this stuff. It is supposed to sit in the sun atop a pack all day sucking up energy and discharge itself into the devices at night. After about a week of trying it didn't seem to absorb and then dump enough energy to do the job. I took it back.

Finally by way of preparation I have taken weekly rides of 50, 60, 70, and 90 miles each followed by a day of serious rest. It is a very open question how much I will be able to ride on a day after day basis. Time will tell. And this brings me to the picture. You should find it directly below this post.

If you ride around on a bike a lot, inevitably there will be some falls. It just happens. Often when it does, there is a moment between the point that you know you are going down and the time when you actually hit the pavement. I usually have time to say to myself, "Oh shit.. This is going to hurt". Sometimes there's time to remember that it will hurt less if you relax. In the case pictured there was no such time. From the time the car clipped me to the time I hit my face on the pavement there was no thinking. There was never an instant of fear. I had no idea I was in danger. Just bam and I was on the ground. There was a flash of anger at the guy who hit me, but the first real thought was Oh shit, I won't be able to do my ride. As it turned out neither I nor the bike was much hurt. I rode about 40 miles after the accident so how bad could it have been? It was a strange situation. The difference between death and a bit of road rash was a matter of inches. I survived with the rash. It is said that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger - or smarter, or more cautious. In a week I am going to set out on a ride of several thousand miles and I am never going to let this particular situation arise again. Never.