Yee-Haw!! It is late January and the weather is perfect. Why not ride to work?

I can’t think of a good reason, so I started today. It turns out that the new job at xTime is just about 17 miles from home. The ride is through some of the best cycling anywhere. Woodside, Crystal Springs and Hillsborough. Lots of hills, not too much traffic, great views of the Santa Cruz mountains, San Francisco and the Bay. And for a change of pace I can ride along the Bayfront. What more could a Cycling Fool ask?

Gabi has been reading a very good book called “The Complete Book of Long-Distance Cycling” by (the late) Ed Burke and Ed Pavelka. The book has a lot of great information on all facets of long distance cycling, including training programs. Now we are all gung-ho to start training. One training program that looks good has you cycling four days a week, mixing in rest and other contitioning on the off days. I figure that if I ride hard to work twice a week and we ride together on weekends, that should do it.

On another note, I think my decision to ride to work has got Gabi itching to get a new bike. About noon today, she sends me an email about a hot deal on a Fuji Newest on eBay.

True, we’ve gone on two “long” bike touring trips and countless of long rides around California, but what makes us think we can cycle 4,300 miles AND carry our gear too which thanks to our new fish scale we discovered today will weigh about 60 pounds!! Where can we cut back…I totally draw the line at my blow dryer! I hate my hair curly. Even after riding a long day and we’re not going any place more special than our tent, I want my hair to be straight as I play backgammon with Robert by the (not so flattering) light of our travel halogen lamp (don’t ask). I mean, isn’t it enough that I am planning on bringing two pairs of light nylon shorts? Yes, that’s right count ’em – two, dos, deux — for 3 months of travel!! AND, no little black dress with matching pumps and clutch! Sacrifices I am making, yes, but WHO CARES!! This is going to the BEST thing we’ve ever done!!

And this wonderful web site Robert has created will enable us to share this amazing adventure with our friends and family. I can’t wait for people to actually start looking at it!! I think we’re committed like the pig (if you don’t get this, you’ll have to ask me about it).

And sweetie, thanks for the honor of writing the first entry and for being my life partner…with you, anything is possible.