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The following are excerpts from my journal on Day One.

6/24/99, 4:25 am

I can't believe I woke up BEFORE my alarm this morning! I'm obviously psyched, pumped, and ready to pedal! I am going to try not to even worry about the biking, but just to let that come. I'll eat, drink, and pedal and try to enjoy and experience this day as fully as I can. It's pitch black out and a little chilly, forecast is for mid-80s.

6/24/99, 10:00 pm

[Walking at the beginning of Day 1] WOW! What a great day! Ride-out was very organized, but with 1700 riders it was TWO HOURS before we were able to ride at pace. Pit Stop 1 was chaotic. Zillions of bikes and hella long lines for the porta-johns. Carolyn and I actually stopped at McDonald's and later at a country store to pee. It was great weather - mid 80s and little humidity. I ate and filled up on H₂0 at every pit stop. I used my water bottle to keep my body wet and relatively cool and my Camelbak to stay hydrated. It was amazing to see people sitting along the road cheering us on.

The spirit of the ride is wonderful, people are very friendly, open, and supportive. Carolyn and I rode together most of the day. My hardest leg was just after lunch. After Pit 4, I felt stronger than before and felt really strong until the last 10 or 15 miles.

There were people cheering as we rode into camp and a crowd cheered everyone as the sag wagons came in, too. The food tonight was also wonderful! Fajitas and rice & beans. Perfect road food. We're all snug in our tent city now, tired, full of food and water, ready to let our bodies recoup and ready themselves for an 80 mile day tomorrow.

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