A late introduction

My name is Erin and I am an adventure seeker by nature. A few months ago I came up with the idea to ride my bike from the Olympic Peninsula near Seattle down to the warm sandy beaches of the Baja Peninsula in Mexico (and in the process I've learned to spell the word "peninsula", or at least, I think...). Ever since deciding to do this trip I've found myself having a hard time falling asleep at night, and have seen my reading materials change from great fictional works to atlases of North America, touring bike books, etc. Which is no complaint at all. I'm not really one to complain much when I'm happy. So here is my journal, my thoughts, my trip notes. I hope that you enjoy reading this as much as I am enjoying the prospect of beginning, riding, and ending somewhere amazing. I'm looking forward to anything and everything that will happen....

Although I have read so many wonderful journals, articles, books, and travel blogs written by the thousands of people who have taken long touring bike trips, a large part of me still feels like this is a very new idea. Something that is mine, something unique. And not in the way that devalues the idea of the bike trip as having been done before, but...I guess I can just say that I'm excited. Really excited. And the fact that I am choosing to go on this trip solo makes the whole experience even more amazing in my mind.

So who am I? What would be the best way to answer that question at the present moment?

I am a 27 year old girlish-woman who is planning a three month trip from Seattle to Baja and beyond! The ride starts May 2007, and until then I am training, packing, preparing, and most of all DREAMING! It's the most amazing dream ever. The type of dream that you don't feel your muscles hurt. You don't feel cold or wet or tired, just happy and warm. Everything is perfect and the sun is shining and the road ahead is smooth and there is a VERY LARGE SHOULDER. What could be better? So dream, dream, dream...until May. Then it's ride, ride, ride.