off I go

This evening after the shop closed, Jon packed my bike for the trip, saving me a little time since he's probably packed thousands of other bikes before they've been jetted off on adventures with their owners. I've been making decisions: what to pack - what to not pack; which routes to take - knowing that at any moment on the trip I may want or need to detour. That's one of the fun parts: the unknown. It's also what makes me get a little nervous because I know I don't have the route figured out with certainty. Like anyone else does?

Traveling on my own, I won't have Jon to consult; to say: which route looks better? Or, what makes the most sense to you? Sometimes, I just want a little confirmation that I'm on course. Whether it's a trail marker telling me that I'm at the top of a pass or a street sign telling me I'm on the bike route, having a partner along can be reassuring. Of course, it both people are hungry and it's late in the day, a partner who is equally indecisive at an intersection can be frustrating. "Where do you think we should go?" "I don't know. Where do YOU think we should go?" *Sigh*

No matter how much you plan, there comes a moment where the planning stops and you just have to send yourself out into the big old world. I fly out early in the morning and arrive in Chicago in the late afternoon. I'll reassemble my bike, repack my gear and await the Wednesday sunrise. I hope for positive experiences with the people I meet. I hope for not-too-hot days. I hope for a gentle tail wind and clear paths. I hope I don't get waylaid by the thunderstorms that are forecast, but will pack my rain jacket just in case.