We're launched

We've left Decatur

Here's my first post about why I'm riding and why donating to Water Life Hope will make conference calls vanish from your calendar.

We left last night around 9:30 pm a day and a bit later than scheduled but with everything working.  Not everything was up to Matt's standards but it just couldn't be helped.  I was tempted to check the roof of the bus as we pulled out to make sure he wasn't up there, wrench in hand, making something perfect.

Leaving a day late was really a blessing.  The water system on the bus got hooked up, with the predictable leaks chased and fixed.  The electrical system received additional love.  And we were home to attend Ash Wednesday at my home parish, Holy Trinity.  After they'd made such a fuss over me on Sunday it was a little like being last week's peanut butter sandwich, but HTP is home.  They'll always take you.

Brian surveying the wreckage

My new touring tires had been lurking in the hallway. The gravel racing tires that came with the bike had already worn down.  I'd recently taken the bike tubeless at an REI class, and dutifully purchased the tires recommended at Bicycle South.  What could possibly go wrong with a simple tire swap?  Well, let me count the ways.  Actually, counting would take too long.


I finally placed a panicked call to Bicycle South and bagged up the tires, leaking air and sealant, and drove them up to the store on the north side of Decatur.  Brian, Cathy and company were angels of mercy.  In about a half an hour they had the new tires on, seated and sealed.  There were gentle words of advice that burned into my brain the way no class could.  I bought oceans of sealant on the way out, praying I could leave the tires just the way they were until we got home.

Cathy, certified angel of mercy

Faithful buddy Jude and son Ezra were at the house when I got back.  Jude is both a lawyer and an artist, and Ezra is (really) a union sculptor whom I've known since before he was born.  Like the rest of the Greenbride clan, Ezra is cheerful, capable and efficient.  Before I had time to finish up things in the house Jude and Ezra had magicked up two "Water Life Hope" signs for the front and back of the bus and taken off.

After that things spiraled downwards for a good bit.  Time estimates went off the rails just because everyone was so tired that numbers weren't making much sense.  We called it when Matt started talking about pulling the steering wheel and opening the dash again to fix more stuff.  No, we can get that done in Baton Rouge.

Jude, helping with signage.  This is
particularly difficult in the cold.
Thanks, buddy.

At the end Matt and Steve finished up last bits while I made the last possible dinner, mourning the comfort and delight of a proffered Al and Jude dinner in the interest of leaving that night.  The bike dudes cleaned up the rubble and we moved our bikes, gear and whatnot into the bus.  Then we rolled out, more of an escape pod than a triumphal launch.  No matter.  We were gone.

We made it to Carol's house around 11 and melted into her guest room bed.  Today we started the trek to LA to actually start the ride.  Wow.