Sandy Takes Off

As mentioned in our last post, following a very quiet winter, we now have some adventures finally under way. After spending most winter evenings on her laptop searching for the next ride for us to do, Sandy decided she had found the perfect one. A six week trip across the bottom of the United States, from San Diego, California to St. Augustine, Florida. Unlike the 10 week cycling trip she did across Canada in 2008 that saw her tenting every night and eating camp food every day, this trip is 6 weeks of nightly hotels and restaurant food. How eleven years and a set of new hips changes one’s perspective! 

As you can imagine, with all those hotel nights, this is going be an expensive trip. Since I prefer one week tours, I told Sandy she was on her own for this trip. Besides, the cost for two of us would have given me sleepless nights for the rest of my life! As she will be 65 this year, I said, “Happy Birthday, let’s make this a memorable one,” and told her I would pay her way. I should have told her to pay the single supplement, cuz our Canadian dollars are really getting stretched right now. But what the heck, 65 only comes around once a life time and it should be celebrated!!!

Leaving me no time to reconsider the impact my offer would have on my wallet, the next thing I knew, Sandy booked a quick flight home, departing the next day, to bring back the gear she would need for touring. I guess I was committed ... or maybe, should be!

The next few weeks saw Sandy packing, unpacking, repacking, and generally driving me crazy as she contemplated exactly the right stuff to take. With the cool and rainy winter we had been having, we had really slacked off our cycling. Now we had to up our game and get some serious riding done to get Sandy ready to take on this challenge.

Last training ride

During her ride across Canada, I turned a photo of Sandy riding her bike into a map marker. I had maps of the nation posted in the house and outside my office at work so everyone could check the progress of the little Sandy marker as I repositioned her at the end of each day’s ride. Well, the tradition continues with a map of the USA now in the hallway leading to my study.

 Sandy placing little Sandy at the start

Finally, Sandy had as much training done as conditions allowed, all her riding kit, civvy clothes, and other essentials all packed for the final time when the day to depart for San Diego arrived. My sister, Patti, was here, so the three of us, Sandy’s gear, and of course her bike, hopped into Scotty, the Highlander to get Sandy to San Diego. Needless to say, she was so excited, she did not sleep the night before!

We departed Friday morning to start the three hour drive to deliver Sandy to the Ocean Villa Inn, the hotel, right down at the beach, where she would meet up with her ride group. 

My kind of hotel

After a nice lunch together, and a brief stroll along the beach, Patti and I headed back to the desert well ahead of the weekend traffic heading inland from the coast. As we departed, Sandy was already becoming fast friends with her ride group.  I have no doubt she will have a wonderful time!

Back together in six weeks!!