Even though there's still lots of snow on the ground, Mariah and I are gearing up our plans and training for the upcoming TORCH tour.
For one thing, we've been taking a spin (cycle) class at LA Fitness. If you've never had the privilege of indoor cycle spinning, it can be likened to basic military training with the benefit of loud, pounding music. It's a great way to strengthen spirit, mind and body. ;-)
We're also shopping for bikes. The idea is to get a bicycle that will carry us and our gear the 2,200 miles down the road with little repairs and minimal fatique. It's not for the faint at heart because there are lots of decisions like frame material, body geometry and color (Mariah, of course). ;-)
Then there's a regular consumption of books and journals and reviews and discussion forums where people share their story of bicycle touring. One of my favorites is Over the Hills: A Midlife Escape Across America by Bicycle, by David Lamb. Written by a LA Times columnist, the book tells the charming story of the author, who in his mid-fifties set out to cross the country by bicycle by himself. It's a good read.