25 more days until our journey begins in San Fransisco! We are super excited.  Just a quick update and exciting news. We have added a new partner in crime to our Wandering Project team.  Our third partner will be driving our SAG wagon (Support and Gear car).  My older sister, (yes, I have to point out that she is older than I am so that there is no confusion) Kelly Huskins, will be along on our journey.  We are happy to have her accompany us on this trip for however long she wants to be with us, especially now that she will haul my favorite pillow. 🙂  If I can’t sleep with two people snoring at least I will be comfortable laying in bed counting sheep.  Kelly and I will be heading to CA via car around the 20th-21st.  I am hoping we can make a few photography stops along the way so I can get my fix with my good camera. We will then pick up Donita on the morning of the 29th and begin our trip with cycling across the Golden Gate Bridge then on around to Pier 38 for our ferry ride across the bay.  We hope to get out of the greater part of the city by evening and call it a day.

A few weekends ago, Kelly, Donita and I met up in the mountains of NC.   It was great to get to do a mock mini trip with them.  I am happy to say that we are all very compatible partners.  Donita, of course, is a much stronger rider than I, having a lot of training under her belt, but we ride together nicely.  We road up some nasty hills, walked some too which I hate to say, but lawrdy I think I will be needing an extra set of lungs for our trip.  We made it about 31 miles the first day and that was starting off around 11 am.  Donita has ridden in the Colorado mountains and she was quite impressed with our NC hills. So that gave me the confidence I needed to make it through the Rockies.  I am still hesitant though about that first week.  Day 4 might just kick my arse! We have about 40 miles of climbing  8000 ft that day.

On our second day of riding together around Barnardville, NC it was a lot easier.  We started around 10ish and rode for about 41 miles.  It took us a long time though, not due to the hills, but a detour got in our way so we had to take it and my RidewithGPS app was so confused with the change of plans that it totally confused me and then I got turned around.  Once we figured out the map and app we managed to move along quite nicely.  When we got back we did more planning and discussing our trip.  It seems like that first week will be the biggest hurdle for both of us.  Riding in a rather large city, trying to find a routine, hotels, food, and extra lungs on days 3 and 4 are my biggest concerns. Once we cross over our first Mountain Pass (Carson Pass, elevation 8574) I think I will be good to go. Now that we have a car along with us I am hoping that once we get into Carson City, NV around day 5, we can take our first r&r and drive to see Lake Tahoe for a little photography action.  

We have lots of little detail to start ironing out, but so far all is coming together nicely.  We are starting to get more and more donations for HFOT which is a great blessing.  I am hoping that by the start of the trip we will be within reach of our $3800 goal.  We set our goal amount to equal the total miles we think we will be riding.  Right now we have raised $948.  That means we just need 75 people to donate $38 and we will make our goal.  That’s just 1 penny a mile we ride… like how I did that math in my head? 😉 How hard can that be?  So please help us make our goal. If you are thinking of donating to a worthy cause this year, then donate to Homes for Our Troops.  They build mortgage-free, specially adapted homes
nationwide for severely injured Veterans Post-9/11. Visit my page or Donita’s and help out our Vets find the independence and freedom within his/her own home. Check out HFOT for more info on this great organization.   Just FYI, all donations given through these links will go directly to HFOT.  It does not pass through our hands.  Thanks in advance for supporting them.

Many have asked us what they can do to help us personally on this endeavor we are undertaking, whether that is to donate to help offset our cost a bit, or by giving us items to take along with us.  Now that we do have a support car we will be able to haul more daily “staples” that we will need.  If you are interested in that list please contact us at wanderingproject@yahoo.com.  If you are interested in donating to Donita’s hotel/food fund or Kristy’s hotel/food fund then head over to our Donation page. Just FYI, If for some reason we are unable to complete the journey then 100% of the money personally donated to us that is left, will go directly to HFOT.

Thanks in advance for your support and your interest in our journey across America!  We hope that you will follow us for the whole summer. We will need cheerleaders, encouragement, and prayers along the way, so please comment after you read a blog or send us emails often. Thanks again!

-KM