11 Weeks and Counting

76 days left until I roll out from Goreville, IL and head towards the coast of Oregon. 

I found a blog written by someone who rode last summer, and in it I learned of an alternative to the TransAm Bicycle Trail, once I reach the Tetons. It cuts off about 300 miles and would give me some extra room for slower days and some rest days, too. My goal is to be home in 6.5 weeks and her itinerary looks really appropriate for what I would like to accomplish. With that said, I'm also open to riding whatever mileage I can each day. I most definitely want to be home with my family sooner than later but I also know that in order to reach my goal (the Oregon coast!) then I'll have to pedal the miles that will get me there. There are no short cuts and it's really up to me to figure out how to move forward. Pushing myself to ride longer days than I had four years ago may mean that I'm not enjoying myself as much as I'd like...or it could mean that I tackle that many more miles and feel good about how I'm progressing. I really think that momentum in the beginning will be helpful; to see how far I've ridden in the amount of time I've set as my goal will probably just feel like a great accomplishment. Even though I didn't ride to the coast of Oregon in 2016, I continue to feel super proud of the 1,100 miles I did pedal from Virginia to Illinois. 

Starting March 2nd, I've been waking up early Monday-Thursdays to attend a cycling class at our YMCA. I had attended a cycling class (in college?) before but I didn't think I really would enjoy it. With Jim's encouragement, I registered for the classes for March and April. It will only help strengthen me and prepare me for when I start my ride. I haven't been outside yet on longer rides, but that'll come soon. 

I'm just really enjoying this anticipation and the planning that goes into bicycle touring. Looking forward to sharing it via this blog.