We Ride at Dawn

We didn't ride at dawn. We rode at 10:30, but that's fine. We would have left at dawn on the 17th, but when we realized the length of the journey before us we chose to pivot and leave a day early. With the 4-Runner loaded full of camping gear, dehydrated food, three over confident ladies, one bicycle, and one C-Pap we started out on the first leg of the drive west. 

The Ladies

Prepping for this journey has been one of the largest undertakings I have yet attempted. Hours of contemplation, dehydrating and packaging food, buying supplies, booking accommodation, researching gear, and biking. So. Much. Biking. We will journey from Forks WA to Imperial Beach CA in roughly 6 weeks. I have spent countless hours hunched over an excel spreadsheet, reading thousands of campsite reviews, scouring the internet for route advice, and praying this trip is as incredible in reality as it is in my head. 

dry goods box being prepped

Aside from all the logistic planning I've also been on my bike almost every day. In the winter it was indoor cycling, but once the daily mileage goal was over 20/day I moved outside and trained 3-4 days a week, steadily increasing the goal every month. Rebekah, on the other hand, for the last 6 months, was essentially living in a sweat lodge known as Djibouti, Africa with a weight room stationary bike as her only training option. We aren't in the habit of doubting our abilities, so neither of us thinks this is problematic enough to change the plan. In fact, this was part of the plan from the beginning. If you ever need someone to believe in your ability to do something way outside of your wheelhouse, we are your girls. 

Michael building a platform to fit in the trunk

So, lets answer some frequently asked questions: 

How far is the ride? ~1645 miles

How far are we riding each day? Roughly 50 miles/day

Where are we staying? Primarily campsites 

Who is driving? My mother in law (Mary) 8/22-9/5 and then Michael 9/6-9/28

Is the car following you? No, the driver will go ahead to either meet us for lunch or at the campsite

Are you on bike trails? Nope, we're riding the Pacific Coast Bike Route (PCBR) which is primarily HWY     101 and HWY 1

Are you riding with a group? Nope, just us and whoever else is cycling down the coast at the same time

Testing our tent options in the backyard

So, there you go. We're making our way out west and my old favorite mantra comes to mind ringing truer than ever. "Wherever you go, there you are." All the prep, all the worry, research, and explaining yourself, has to fade into the background once you start. You can't undo or increase what you've done, you just have to accept it and go forth boldly into your dream.