Approaching Liftoff

It is Saturday the 28th of August and my big bike tour is quickly approaching.  On Monday, the 30th of August, I will embark on my journey to the West Coast for my biking tour.  I will be leaving Provo, Utah at 6:05 a.m. via Greyhound Bus and will travel to Bellingham Washington.  I am taking all my gear for the tour with me on the bus in a large duffle bag, arriving early Tuesday morning on the 31st.  Some friends of a friend are picking me up in Bellingham and driving me 20 miles to Blaine WA., right on the U.S./Canada Border.  These folks actually live in Blaine.  I shipped my bike by UPS ground transportation to their home.  I will spend a couple of hours on Tuesday re-assembling my bike and orginazing my gear.  I will be carrying about 42 lbs of gear (enough to last me on for a six week self-contaned tour) on my front and rear panniers and some stacked on my back and front bike racks.  All of my panniers are completely waterproof inasmuch as I will likely encounter some rain, especially in Canada and Washington State.  On Tuesday, I will bike around Blaine and make sure the loaded bicycle is completely ready for the long-haul.  I will probably stay in Blaine that evening and then head out on Wednesday morning early on the 1st of August, crossing the border and heading for Vancouver Island some 30 mile distance from Blaine.  I am very much excited and a little apprehensive.  I am taking my IPad with me and will keep up on this blog regularly, so follow along if you want to.  If anyone needs to communicate directly with me my email is spanos.jerry@gmail.com.  Until next time, stay happy.  Jerry