Turning the Cranks, and Final Prep.

Here we are with, really, only one week of training/preparation to go until we start our trek North…to start our trek South.

We’ve had the chance this week to put about 225 miles on our bikes, after the final drive train replacement and tune up. So far, no surprises. Thanks to Outdoor Adventures in Las Cruces for helping us out in getting our rigs prepped and special kudos to Estes and Rob for being first rate bicycle mechanics! Thanks gents!!

So this week we spent a lot of time on pavement, trying our best to ensure we got our miles in, but in a way that was not going to result in a lot of goat heads in the tires and sand in the drivetrains. We did enough to break things in and still not create issues.

We have also been doing every thing we can to ensure we take care of things at work (Ray at NMDA and me at NMSU PSL) so that there are no lagging issues and thoughts to distract us from our race during the event

We have mentioned this before, but we simply could not even think about doing this race if it were not for the unending support and love of our ladies and our kids. If we tried to race for 3 weeks, largely without contact with the family, without KNOWING we were supported 100% in the endeavor, it would simply not be possible We have trained incredibly hard for the last 6 months, at least 25 hours a week. We have spent another 2-4 hours a day in studying the route, gear, logistics, etc basically a part time job away from the family and have felt nothing but love and support. Finally we want to thank Dave Rutledge for volunteering to drive us to the Canadian border! Thanks to his family as well. Basically we have had the support of a whole community of folks helping us live this crazy ordeal!!

That brings us to the two weeks until we depart.

This week will be perhaps the most hectic yet as we button up things that need to be done at home, finish our final packing, continue to study the ever changing route (fires and road closures causing re-routes), continue to train and sayour final goodbyes. Next week will be three days of driving to the Canadian border and 1 rest day before we depart from the border at Rooseville at 1200 noon on the 11th.

All that said, this will be a tough week because we are ready to go!!! We’ve done all we can and we’ll feel a ton better at 1201 on race day. The prep is done, it’s almost go time!!!

Ride On!!

Shane and Ray