The big ride starts tomorrow morning.  My friend Craig Matteson shipped his bike last week, and he arrived from Chicago this morning.  Chris Crum, another fellow graduate, will arrive this afternoon from Fort Worth.  He’s driving support, which might be the most difficult of all jobs.  He has to stay behind us most of the way, poking along at 12 to 15 MPH in his truck.  He’ll have to deal with irate motorists as well as tired bicyclists.  I don’t envy him his job.

I’m taking a digital camera along on the ride, hoping to get more action shots than last year.  I’m also taking the laptop in the hope of posting updates before I get home next week.  It’s doubtful that I will be in any condition to post anything on Tuesday or Wednesday, even if the hotel has an Internet connection.  Thursday is a possibility, but Friday is more realistic.  Stay tuned.  Wish us tailwinds.

Friend and MMA graduate C.J. Johnson and his wife Kim gave us a send-off dinner at their house in Leander.  The three of us posed for the “before” picture in front of the fireplace.