Prolog

Today was the day for the traditional rear wheel dip in the Pacific and hopefully in time, I would be dipping my front wheel dip in the Atlantic signifying the crossing the country from ocean to ocean. I was planning to do this was in the Ballard area of Seattle (Elliott Bay,) it wasn't exactly the ocean, but it was salt water.

I wanted to have a very quiet start, just Bob and I, take a couple of photos, and then for today, ride back to the hotel in Redmond.

We were unloading everything in the parking lot looking out over the water and the abandoned beach when two school buses arrived and sixth graders came pouring out running for the beach -- they were everywhere and loud, as only excited kids on the last day of school can be. So much for the intimacy of the start. We kept on with our plans, backing the bike into the water and took our photos. The teacher came over and said "I thought that's what people did when they rode across the country," to which Bob replied "it is, she's riding to the Atlantic starting tomorrow." I then pushed my bike back over the sand to the parking lot. By now the teacher had told some of the kids what I was doing and they started shouting "good luck," "have fun!" It was all very cute.