November 12, 2011

Day 51...Welcome to California!

Beginning of Day 51
10 miles outside of Quartzsite, AZ


I slept well last night + woke up feeling a bit tired. Ha, I guess 111 miles took a little (a little??) out of me. I gingerly rolled out of bed and began fueling my engine, first with a cup of coffee and then with a heaping bowl of cereal + banana. That ought to get me through at least 20 miles today ;-)

The morning was bright with a very light breeze out of the west. We descended quickly for the first 12 miles and then cruised for another 20 before we made it to the state line. We climbed up a narrow bridge path and once again crossed the Colorado River, leaving the state of Arizona behind us ...and entering the mighty fine state of California. Yay! Sigh.


Eureka...I have found it! Welcome to California ...

California


Today we rode 75 miles from just outside of Quartzsite, AZ to about 20 miles shy of Glamis, CA. We finally entered the Pacific and have under 200 miles before we reach our final destination, San Diego!  Oh, but first we have to traverse a mountain range...

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Today there was a brief moment when I allowed myself to "realize" the magnitude of what I'm actually going to accomplish in a few days. I'll be able to say, "When I was 34, I biked across the country." Now, how great is that?

During the past 51 days I have spent countless hours thinking about my reasons for taking on such an endeavor. Every single day I think deeply and compassionately about the evil and consumptive diseases we call Eating Disorders. My heart grows heavy thinking about the people whose lives have been consumed by them and have felt shame no human should ever have to feel.

An organization like MentorCONNECT is invaluable to these people and to everyone who might know someone with an eating disorder: a friend, mother, sister, daughter, brother, father, uncle, aunt, son, cousin, colleague, stranger.....

Please, if you can, donate to a wonderful cause and help me reach my goal of $10,000. If you have already donated, thank you but please pass my link along to someone you know who might also want to contribute. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.