Ready/Aim

The time is fast approaching when I'll go wheels up and fly east. There are still a few things to pack before Friday, but being limited to two duffels at 25 pounds each means I have to be selective. The tent, sleeping pad and bag all have to fit into one of those duffels.

Training is going well, with close to 1,600 miles and 45,500' of gain logged. I'm going to keep it slow and safe this week, as a crash at this point would be very inconvenient.

If you're familiar with the great HBO series, "Band of Brothers", which follows a company of WW II paratroopers from training through V-E Day, perhaps you will remember this scene: the paras have trained for almost two years, and they are now jammed into their C47 for the drop into Normandy. They've enjoyed the status of having made it through the challenges of basic and advanced training, earning their jump wings, and have a genuine kinship with one another. But now, they have to earn their extra $50/month para pay and put that training and preparation into action. You can see the fear, the anxiety, the determination, on their faces as they await the signal to stand and get ready to jump.

That is how I feel, albeit at an indescribably lower level of danger, as I won't be surrounded by people trying to kill me. Nevertheless, uncertainty creeps in. Am I ready? Will I keep going when there is a chill, wet headwind? Can I really ride an average of sixty miles a day, for six to ten days straight... sleeping on the ground in between? At age seventy-three, what was I thinking when I signed up? Will I somehow let the side down?

I have a secret ingredient, which can't be found in any energy bar, that will make the difference. Supporters and friends such as you are like the other paratroopers on that plane. They continued on for one another. I'm determined to keep going for Leslie, for the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, the patents and caregivers they serve... but also for all of you. Each of you will be with me just as much as my actual touring companions. Thank you for giving me the confidence, and resolve, to try.