Ready to Roll!

For future reference, this is Paul P., masquerading as a small burrowing rodent, aka Thomomous Talpoides. But for the next couple of months, I will be a tandem captain, riding across the southern US. Here we are leaving Meridian, with a FULLY loaded pickup truck.

Left to Right, Paul C., Dana, our support driver, and stoker Gayle

Whew! And now after two exhausting days of travel, we arrive at the Mission Bay Motel in San Diego for the start of the trip.  I figured it would take an hour or so to assemble the tandem, that we had carefully packed into its shipping box.  But somehow, not only did the bike have TWO flats, but the Di2 battery-powered shifter was completely drained.  After patching the tubes and charging the battery, then finishing the assembly, it was too dark to ride.  So we hope for the best and will dunk the rear wheel in the Pacific ocean at Mission Bay tomorrow to start the ride!  Here's the new tandem, ready for the adventure!

 

It will be about 7 weeks, 3000 miles, lots of laughs, hopefully few mishaps, and plenty of adventure!