The First Pedal Strokes

Hey!

Well, this is it. I’m headed out tomorrow. I’m done with a year teaching English, done with a year in Jishou, soon-to-be missing the mouth-numbing food of Xiangxi.

A week ago, I was nervous. There’s an uncountable amount of things that can go wrong on a trip like this. Some days, things as simple as finding food, potable water, and a place to sleep may be challenges. It’s kind of impossible to know what to expect.

I went on a test ride the other day to test out my setup and get used to riding with a fully loaded bike. 10 miles in, a man overtook me, stopped his car and flagged me down. I pulled over and checked to make sure none of my panniers were spilling their contents onto the road, then greeted the man. He was a bicycle enthusiast, it turned out, a structural engineer from the capital of the province. He had brought his wife and 6-month-old to see his parents for the weekend. He invited me to lunch, and I chatted with him and his family for a few hours about travel and family and China’s development.

Now I’m excited.

I’ve passed my initial goal of raising $2,500 for 350.org, and seeing as I haven’t started riding yet, I’m going to try to push it farther. Please help me raise another $1,000 to make it to $3,500 for 350.org. This is a great organization, and every dollar you give goes to 350.org (80%) and climateride.org (20%, includes processing fees). Check out their latest words and work at their website!

With nostalgia, nerves and enthusiasm,

Forrest