Friday 1 March 2013

All quiet on the Wild Western front

It's been almost 3 months since my last post and what a few months it's been. No excuses, I've been pre-occupied with other things.

On Christmas Day I learned of the death of a friend, after a 3 year battle with cancer. The day of her funeral, my mother was taken into hospital, after a fall. She died 6 days later!

So, the last thing on my mind has been the tour in June and this blog.

Believe it or not though, out of the tragedy has arisen another bike trip. Watch out for the Ashes Tour in August. Mother's wish when she died, was for her ashes to be scattered at her ancestral home, Loch an Eilean, in Scotland. My brother Paul and I will take mother on a 2.5 day trip to her final resting place, stopping off at some significant places from her past en route. A round trip of some 1300 miles, in 5 days.

Anyway, back to WHWW, I've still to complete my booking forms but things like insurances, etc, have been arranged. I've been discussing with Dudley the Alcatraz tour when we get to San Francisco, so now just need to chose and book it. A city and Alcatraz combined tour is about $90.

In prep for the tour, I made a couple of purchases at the Excel bike show recently. Some fingerless leather gloves, a big chain for my wallet and a cooling jacket. The latter soaks up cold water in a couple of minutes, then retains the cooling effects for several hours. It's worn under a light mesh jacket ideally. I figured Death Valley mid June could be quite warm. I already have a camelback
 rucky to keep me hydrated.

Think that's all for now. Just 13 weeks to go.



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