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Since my 20's, I have dreamed of a transcon bike trip. I have decided that 2020 is the year. I am planning to spend the months of April and May on a mostly solo cross-country trip from California back to Boston. To supplement winter training, I took my bike south to visit my daughter in North Carolina and begin the serious part of getting ready.

While I had ridden in the Carolinas before, this was my first bike trip to the Raleigh area. The riding was amazing -- miles and miles of rolling terrain through isolated countryside. The roads are in excellent shape, and I never experienced the annoying New England problem of suddenly finding myself on a dirt road. The cars -- amazingly polite and consistently give cyclists a very wide berth. I felt embarrassed when the mailman stopped to check on me as I was pulled over at the side of the road "Thanks, I'm fine, just needed to take a leak :)"

After logging 300+ miles in six days, I concluded there is no such thing as a bad road or bad ride in the countryside north and west of Raleigh. And while it is a going to be a step up to the planned 100 mile days for the transcon, I am going to make it work. I learned what a Tar Heel is. And the difference between Carolina Blue and Duke Blue. My daughter gave me a tangible reminder just to make sure that I wasn't a D**k. Closed the trip with day of business in NYC, and took a ride share bike on a tour of Central Park. Life imitates Zwift!

Six weeks to get ready -- training, bike prep, packing lists. Lots to do. More to come.