Staying Ready

With 10 days to go, it is time for the first real post. We have been ready for a while and one week before I pick up Troels in San Francisco Airport on the 24th is about spending some good time with my family while staying in reasonable shape. Here it is an advantage that the shape was not that magnificent before leaving Denmark, so less to maintain.

From Venice I had a great 100k ride back and forth to Palos Verdes on a single speed California beach bicycle. It stood at the house, which we rented. I do not recall that there was a brand on it, it was just one of those bikes that you will find in a garage as part of the interior:

Beating the worst heat In Palm Desert I had to get up early and ride up into the mountains before the temperature hit 114 Fahrenheit (45 Celsius). The state route 74 took me up from sea level to over 5000 feet to the Santa Rosa Mountain. The bike was a rental from Tri-A-Bike – not just another bike – at Tri-a-Bike the bicycles had names. I had the honour of renting Frederick:

• 

• 

On the way up I was hit by a white Toyota Landcruiser. Its side mirror stroke my elbow – it was quite undramatic – the mirror folded backwards and I was not put out of course, but it made me conclude that US drivers are not used to bicycles on their roads. While many will probably brake to find the right time to pass there will also be some drivers who instinctively will try to maintain speed and maneuver through if faced with a bike on the right hand and opposite traffic in the opposite lane.

Two lessons on the heat:

1. When the air temperature is above body temperature riding down hill does not cool you off. It is more like riding inside a hair dryer.
2. Black shoes can get so hot that they burn your feet – let us hope that our more northerly route does not present such high temperatures.

Today we are in San Diego and the fitness room in the basement is where I will pedal the coming days. This morning I, virtually, biked Gorges du Verdon, where I know that my good neighbor, Michael, is riding his bike this summer. I did not see him though.

Soon it will be Wednesday next week and though it always feels a little sad that a good family vacation is running out of days it is exciting to look forward to the start of an adventure. Thank you to those who have signed up to follow the blog. I am looking forward to writing a few more posts on our preparations and later a travel diary.