Why?

My cycling friends already understand. Others seem to take a moment to think before asking. Why? The idea for this trip has been rolling around in my head for years. I stumbled onto the website of the LA-based group "the Dittybops" last summer. They set out via bicycle for New York to promote a new album...playing gigs along the way. They posted the details of the ride from what they ate and thought to the roadkill they encountered. That was it!!! I had to start planning. My original plan was to do this ride solo. It didn't take long for me to come to my senses. I wouldn't last a week camping under the stars, eating turkey jerky and brushing my teeth with water from someones garden hose! A bit of web-search and I found America By Bicycle, a company that has run cycling tours all over the country for more than 15 years. Looking at the tour dates for 2007...there it was: Fast America 2007 Costa Mesa, Ca to Amesbury, Mass (3459 miles) April 22-May 24, 2007. All I needed now was 5 weeks off work. April 19th just happens to be my 25th anniversary of working as a photographer for The Walt Disney Company, so I certainly had good reason to believe my request would be approved. April also happens to be my 25th wedding anniversary. My wife has always been hugely supportive of my cycling and never hesitated when she said: "you must do this trip!" To say that I am a lucky man to have the support of my wife and the time off to do this trip...would be an understatement! I love a good road trip!