ITALY HERE I COME!

How awesome is my friend Christy for taking me to the BART station at 0330 to help send me off?   Here I am, on the train headed for SFO to start my adventure.

Just to think this whole thing started back in November when my friend Tobias and I were enjoying a nice homemade brunch in Vacaville.  I was tossing around the idea of doing a bike ride in Italy to visit Aunt Alba and he offered to use some of his miles to get me there.  A few minutes later I have a one way ticket to Italy!

Since then, it has exploded into a collaboration with Bike the US for MS so that we can make something amazing happen.  I am doing what we call a “self-contained tour” which means I support myself.  No vans, no maps, just my bike Kip and I traveling across Italy.  I get to decide my route, my pace, and my stops.  So for the past 8 months I’ve been doing just that. 

We’ve raised over $4,000 to remodel Aunt Alba’s bathroom and to make it handicap accessible.  The parts have been ordered and when I get there it should be installed.  I am so excited to see all the pieces fall together!

My first task is to get to Rome with all my belongings.  I’m traveling pretty light, with two pannier bags and a handlebar bag.  I just have to assemble everything once I arrive.  

I have stops in Houston and Chicago, two of my favorite cities before the overnight flight to Rome.  I arrive at 1030 on 7 July.  

So, my plan for the next 20 hours is to sleep as much as I can on my flights so that I’m ready for four days of biking awesome-sauce on the way to Porto San Giorgio!

Thank you to everyone that contributed to this project and for keeping me in your thoughts as I prepare for my first solo trip!

Ciao!!!! ????????  See you soon Italy!!