two days and counting!

This has been a week full of goodbyes. I've been thankful to have made so many wonderful friends here in Seattle. These final few days have been full of last minute projects. A final bike-shop stop to change my brake pads and one last bike fit, and a last trip to REI for water purification tablets and a small fuel canister were part of yesterday's schedule. My brothers spent the evening with me, and we tested my camp-stove. The roasted marshmallows and s'mores were fabulous. Mmm! We timed getting a pot of water to boil, and timed fuel burning. That little stove is pretty awesome! I'm sleeping in my tent from now on, just to get used to its atmosphere. I'm still a bit sick, so I'm doing that inside the house. I figure I'll have plenty of sleeping outdoors time soon enough! 

 

I have to say that the nervous jitters are pretty much gone, and that I've reached the plain-old impatient and excited state! I felt very strong on the bike yesterday, and am nearly packed up. A very few final things to organize and it'll all be set. Two days to go, so that's good. I'm trying to eat and eat and eat. I have a feeling I'll be needing all the reserves I can get on this long journey.