100 Miles

Things are becoming more and more real as our plans come together:

David in the 2009 Tour de Los Alamos

Travel Prep

I bought two one-way tickets to Portland, Maine this morning! So we're definitely getting there, but we'll be relying on our own two wheels to get us home. Also, I took a "100 Places to Visit" quiz this morning and discovered that the Portland Head Lighthouse is a must-see on that list, which will be #37 on my list!

Supplies

We used our REI member coupon to order me a touring saddle, so certain parts of me are definitely looking forward to enjoying. We'll also be in Albuquerque this week for David's Professional Engineering exam, and we'll celebrate his successful completion of the test with a trip to REI to SPEND OUR DIVIDEND!

Training

In Los Alamos, "The Loop" is a popular route for cyclists, as well as a standard unit of measurement for training. It's 30 miles, mountainous, hot, and finishes with a huge uphill climb. The Tour de Los Alamos, a local race we hope to do as training, published this map of the Loop course.

We hope to complete two consecutive loops in preparation for the Santa Fe Century (100 miles). David tells me that if we can master the mountainous terrain of the high desert, the rest of the U.S. will roll under our treads like butter.