Thee History & Plan

It's been well over a week since I started this site, so I had better start things on an informative note. Here is the the history of what is going on with us:
Mark and I have been married for 22+ years. Ken is a Nurse Practitioner, as I am, and works with me in an Urgent Care in Spokane, WA.
In 1984 Mark and his brother bicycled across America carrying all their gear, sharing a bowl to eat out of, sleeping out wherever they landed. Quite the stories evolved from that adventure. Remarkably, Mark has wanted to do repeat the venture ever since.
Then life and time occurred........
Last autumn while chatting during the completion of a bottle of wine, Mark and I decided we would finally accomplish that trip. We both agreed, however, carrying all our gear, sleeping outside no matter what the weather was or where we were, just wasn't the flavour we wanted to experience this time. Plans evolved and solidified into having 3 people riding across America. While 2 ride their bicycles, the 3rd would be navigating a SAG van for support and to carry all gear. We will stay in motels, enjoy hot showers, sleep in comfort!! Yes!!
Mark and I could only wrest 30 days off from our employers, so that is what we will go with. Ken was able to take a 2 month sabbatical splitting the second month before and after our leave. Lots of planning has gone on and is accelerating as we count down...5 1/2 weeks left.
We've planned to get 1000 miles each cycled by the time we leave 6/16/09: Mark has 550, I have 450, and Ken is going to MT to add another 160 miles this weekend. So that goal should be achievable, which is remarkable since we've had the winter/spring weather from the direct opposite of hell. Give me warm weather!! I struggled curled over my drops today to hang on to the road without being blown off in the 30mph winds today wearing full leg/arm clothing. Yes, I was thankful it wasn't pouring rain. There's got to be a better "middle".
My "job" is to do this blog thing. Bit slow so far, but I am moving forward with it. Ken will be doing the Google Earth thing with our daily maps. I haven't figured how to link that yet, but I will. We've generated a huge amount of interest from our co-workers, other athletes, bunches of friends and many extended family members; so this seems to be the best way to keep in contact with all.
Tonight I added Ken's pic so you can see the three of us!!
Just got in our $600.00 Hammer Nutrition order (can't imagine long hours of cycling without it!!) I decided I've figured out how to get them to sponsor me and provide all supplements to me for free : if they don't sponsor me, then I'll wear their gear in future races (triathlons). Since I'm pretty darn slow, I suspect they would be too embarrassed to have me finishing near the end, so they should be delighted to supply me with products just to not wear their name!! One more thing to work on this next week....
Ken & Mark will shop next week for a rental van. We'll drive from Spokane to Florence, OR. That is where the ride will start. It'll end on the Jersey coast. At that point, Mark and I will fly back in order to be back to work on time. Ken's wife will fly out to meet us on the east coast, then she'll drive back the distance with Ken to Spokane. The two of them can sight-see, since we certainly won't be doing that in great detail on our way out. Too many miles to cover in 30 days.
I'm making lists of list; shopping for all sorts of stuff; learning how to take a pic, hook to a computer, download without losing it in the vast space of where ever it is stuff goes after you send it to your computer, file it for future memories, and put the really good ones on this site for your perusal.
Mark and Ken are working on the route, which is very flexible and will change depending on road construction, wind, traffic, wind, wind, and then, wind. Call us wimps.
OK ... that's enough for today. Sincerely, my "best laid plans of mice and men" really is planning on blogging more frequently. By the time we leave, it'll be daily entries.
So there's the history & plan!!!