Ode to Lyon

This post is a long time coming. I want to put in writing how incredible lyon has been. For those of us who teased him about lack of preparation because of all the weeks this summer spent sitting in a van touring the south and the east coast, well, we can just eat our words. Lyon is strong and fast, and having way too much fun bombing down large hills. His top speed according to his bike computer is 37 (mine is 35). While i keep a slow steady, comfortable pace climbing hills, he usually passes me with a sprightly pedal. I think he used his inhaler the first day, but has not since.

Besides having taken to this whole cycling -with-40 pounds-strapped-to-your-bike thing, he is also an amazing partner to have on this trip. He waits for me if I've gone out of sight behind him, but prefers to give me a head start so that he can see me. I am so thankful for this. It makes me feel safe and keeps me from feeling like a drag on the day's mission (I'm not that slow, but I would feel slower if I were always trying to catch up). And we have developed hand signals so as not to slow each other down. One wave over the head with the right hand means keep going, I'm fine. Frantic downward waves with the left hand mean stop and wait for me.

We are learning. We have not, however, learned that if we both lean in at the same time to look at a map our helmets will knock against each other. We keep doing that.

Woke up this morning thinking we had slept through the alarm.lyon informed me it was 3am. It's 7:30 now and we hope to be out the door by 8. Going to try for a 60-mile day today.

Love to everyone. Thanks for commenting, it helps.