Friday-the day before

Friday was a day I had been long awaiting.  It seemed like all the many miles that I had put in to prepare for the Bike Across Kansas were going to be paying off soon.  Grahame and I left home about 10:00 with the truck packed full of stuff.  Wasn't sure if I had everything but it would turn out later that I had brought way too much stuff.  It was a journey of about 4 hours or more but we finally made it in very good shape.  One of the first things that I did was go have Grahame  haul me out to the border so that I could start from the "unofficial" start of the race....16 miles from Tribune, Kansas.  It was warm and just a nice little breeze to push you along the highway.  Many other riders were doing the same thing as I was.  I felt a lot of strength in my legs and I knew that I would do just fine.  But I had this "unwritten rule" to follow...I was not going to let anyone pass me on the way back to town.  That worked for a mile or two but then I had to "rewrite" the rule.  I would only let one person pass me but no old-geezers.  You know, that worked out pretty good for about 5 more miles and after the two old-geezers flew by me as if I was standing still, I worked out yet a new plan.  Actually I had to work out about 3 more new plans.  So by the time I made it back to Tribune, my motto was:  "I will only let 5 guys and two old-geezers pass me on the way back."  Luckily for me, I made it back before the rain started coming down.  I was so glad to meet up with my very good friends, Shelley and Clint Rodriguez and to know that they would be there with me as well.  All of us were excited...no one anticipating any troubles and hardships that might lie ahead.  900 cyclists were running on adrenaline that night and nothing was going to stop us.  Grahame spent the night there with us and headed back to Reno County early this next day.  It was a sobering thought to see that truck go by us on the highway out of town and to know that the only way I was going to get somewhere was on the back of a bike.  The adventure had begun...