Breakfast in America

Here I am in Missoula! Yay! Yesterday UK, today, breakfast in America - literally.

I spent 24 hours travelling to get here, and all three flights and connections went smoothly. AB picked me up Missoula airport at 12.30am today Friday 5th. Went back to theirs & immediately slept deeply. I am delighted to be here.

Yesterday started at 5am with a thunderstorm & torrential rain walking to Cambridge station for the 6am train. With newly-announced train strikes, I wasn't taking chances, and took a string of trains to reach Heathrow on time.

Travelling Club class on the Virgin Atlantic flight (thanks to the generosity of Sangha friends) meant some space to spread out and relax on the 10 hour flight to Seattle. Watched 'Intersteller' and 'Oppenheimer'. Both good.

I cleared US Customs & Immigration in just 5 minutes (I was irrationally anxious about this but paperwork & visa were in order). Then I took a local flight to Salt Lake City (see pic above -  from the plane) and then a final late- night flight to Missoula. I was falling asleep on the last flight.

AB & SB are attentive and welcoming hosts. Delightful to see them. I slept well and feel fine today. No doubt jet-lag will soon kick in.

Being in the USA for the first time feels strange - but in a good way. Everything is on the 'wrong' side of the road. So many folk wear baseball caps and there are significantly less folk about than densely-packed UK. The mountain ranges around Missoula are jaw-dropping. Strangers are friendly.

Had a great morning out and about with SB. We had a long walk to Missoula Fort & Museum, then went shopping to stock up for our road trip to Utah next Friday. It is great getting to know her. When we went to the grocery store I was amazed. We had an excellent lunch there very cheaply. 'Grocery Store' doesn't really cover it. More like 'vast, multi-functional food dispensary/restaurant with twenty brands of everything'.

Tomorrow, we go to the bike shop and buy last-minute bike gear. Then we begin the serious business of preparing the bikes and gear for the ride. The bike AB has got for me looks very good.

Last gym session before flying

 Today was the last gym session before I fly off to the USA. Tony, the gym trainer was there to see me off. He's been really helpful to my health and fitness over the years, as well as being a friend. In the last couple of months, he's helped prepare my body for this big ride. 

As I'll have my 65th birthday on the ride, and I suffer from Rheaumatoid Arthritis, Tony devised a programme to build my leg strength and endurance, plus prepare my upper body for the demands of hill-climbing etc. I'll need that, as this ride is a tough one! Though my body is pretty strong and fit for my age, there's a fair bit excess weight around my waistline to get rid of. This ride should do that. Then its a question of keeping the weight off permanently.

AB and SB in Missoula have been WhatsApping me and informing me of their unfortunately getting covid. What a challenge at the wrong time!. The good news is that the pair have thankfully just tested negative. What a relief!

AB tells me he is left feeling weak, and will need to take it easy on the first few days of the ride. Fair play. Also, he tells me that the Utah winter is hanging around and Spring is late. It is still COLD! We may be camping in freezing conditions in the first few nights. However, The BBC weather app tells me that most of Utah is bathed in wall-to-wall sunshine, with mid-day up to 18 degrees C. I'll take that. I can handle cold nights if the days are sunny and warm.

I am now packed up and ready to go.

Training and packing

 As I am flying to USA on Thursday April 4th, I am greatly looking forward to this trip. Each day, I'm out on the bike doing around 30 miles - by way of training. Tomorrow, I'll do my last gym session before leaving. I'm also getting packed. What to take? What not to take? That is the question!