With each tour the unsetttling feeling diminishes. It's almost gone now, but I remember the start of my first big tour down the Pacific coast. I hitched a ride with some friends from home in San Luis Obispo up to Seattle. I remember the feeling when I watched them drive away and I realized the only way home was my bicycle. Holy cow! I also remember the first couple of nights. I was by myself, it was cold and rainy northwest weather, and I kept thinking over and over, What have I gotten myself into?

That trip turned out to be the best thing I had ever done. I remembered that on the next tour, which helped to assuage the apprehension. As each tour has turned out to be fun, and the mechanical issues have become pretty nonexistant, my nervous feelings have gone away.