Lift-off

No pulling out now! The airfares have been paid and the down payment made for the ride with America By Bicycle from New Orleans to Minneapolis (1700 miles) from May 11 to June 4. The only immediate problem: losing 10lbs of excess flab in ten weeks. Hope the week-long training ride in Mallorca with the NDCC in April will add a little extra fitness. At least I won't have 30 kilos of panniers to contend with a la OZ. On these trips we are pampered peddlars with only water, sun lotion and maybe a camera to carry. I try to explain to Mrs Hicks that the ride is a major challenge but she insists on calling it just another 'jolly'.