Check In Day

Today I see the PAC trailers are in the parking lot so now things will get down to business. We had our kickoff meeting this afternoon which gave me a chance to meet some folks. I find out only seven of us are "newbies" so the vast majority have been on previous PAC tours before. One of the girls on the crew from Washington state was the winner of the 2005 RAAM and a couple of others have been on the "elite" PAC tour, which simulate a Race Across America. The itinerary for the day is similar to the America By Bicycle tour day schedule so that part was familiar, as I had worked as mechanic for a couple of summers previously with ABB.

My training for this tour has been sorely lacking in mileage and I can only hope the intensity and the riding in Alabama summer heat will make up for that shortfall. Tomorrow I will find out. The weather today reminds me of our early fall days. I can almost hear Eli Gold on the radio doing play by play for the Crimson Tide. I rode about 25 miles around town and didn't sweat a drop! The people from Washington and Canada think it is really hot however. They tell me it has been unusually cold where they are and they worry that the heat will give them problems.

I had some time on my hands so I had a chance to take some pictures. Here is the veteran's memorial adjacent to the train depot in Kalispell:



Kalispell is the county seat and here is their courthouse:


A lovely little art museum:



Hmmm... A town where I don't sweat? I think I could live here.