Prelude to a ride

September 6, 2023

Meeting my traveling companions.

LEAVING MY COUSIN'S CABIN, we note that the temperature has dropped by about 20 degrees from what it was yesterday afternoon, courtesy of the cool front that pushed yesterday evening's storms through the area. "It's the first day of fall", my cousin's husband says, "and you're here to witness it."

It's still overcast, and in fact mizzles on me at several points during the five hour drive down to Maple Grove where the rest of the crew have assembled.

Hey, what are YOU looking at you crazy human?

I'm transitioning from one cousin's care to another's because, as fate would have it, I have a cousin who lives in Maple Grove and she's offered me a bed for the night. As with the cousin I've just been visiting, we don't know one another especially well so it's another wonderful opportunity to begin strengthening and deepening the relationship.

Minnesota's state bird, on the lake behind my Maple Grove cousin's house.

After a few hours, it's time for me to head to the hotel that's the gathering point for the group so that I can be there for the introductions and pre-ride meeting. We cover logistics, some details about tomorrow's ride, and a few other pertinent details then it's time for dinner.

Over the meal, I begin to learn about the people who will be my companions for the coming 17 days. They're from New Mexico and Wisconsin, Oregon and Iowa, among other places. Some ride recumbents, others traditional upright diamond-frame bikes. One couple are here for just three days, riding e-assist recumbent trikes. Another couple won't arrive until tomorrow evening, so they'll miss the first day's riding.

Collectively the group have crossed the country, done weeks and months of solo or small group self-supported tours, ridden in many supported cross-state tours, and in general covered the waterfront of the world of cycle touring. In addition to the bikes they've brought for this occasion, many either now have, or have previously also had, tandems. In short, it's a group that knows what they're about and how it's done. If there are any dificult personalities among them it's not obvious, which fills me with hope for a harmonious, drama-free adventure.

I'm also reassured to find that I'm the youngest member of the group, so I needn't worry overmuch about having to struggle to keep up. This looks like it's going to be fun!

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