Just about a year ago, I stumbled upon the Blackburn Ranger website, and the idea of a bike-fishing trip down the coast was born. The time since being accepted as a Ranger has flown by, yet the trip has always seemed more of an idea than a reality. With less than two weeks until departure, it's finally starting to materialize.
If the feelings around leaving home for a two month bike fishing trip weren't enough, Nancy and I have decided to move to Alaska, in February, while I'm pedaling down the coast. Suddenly, I not only have two weeks left before the trip, but also two weeks left in our Wyoming home. It's always strange how these changes come about. Even thought we're pretty mobile and used to bouncing around, it's a bit of a shock seeing a friend and realizing it's probably the last time you'll see each other. It is hard not to be a little sad about leaving somewhere you love, but the excitement of a new adventure in AK always endures.
Being on the verge of such a big trip, I feel like I should be doing something productive: training, packing, preparing; yet I find myself idly tying flies and cooking antelope osso bucco. l like to think it's because I'm so well prepared, but it might also be that I don't know what to do. The current temperature outside is 5 degrees with ice covering most roads, so training rides are out. There is a large, unorganized pile of gear on the floor that I could sort through, but I've done that at least three times already.
My bike is all ready to go, with the exception of a few last details that need to be sorted. I've changed a few things on the bike, and I'm fairly happy with the result: plastic pedals are less of a heat sink than aluminum, pogies to keep hands warm and dry, a 38 tooth chainring for easier climbing up hills, new chain, and fenders because apparently it rains on the west coast.
In the words of Queen, there is nothing left to do but, "Get on your bike and ride!"
