[Terrytaylor] Adventure cycling events

[Terry Taylor]

I first went to REI which is way out on edge of town all commercial growth is in that direction the big box stores etc I had been given a 20 dollar card but couldn't cash it in till The 15th so I bought a waterproof bag and had to pay less than 5 dollars for it then met my group at Adventure Cycling Association hereafter known asACA  the place was packed one could not get around too easily. Two guided groups arrived as they had planned hundreds of bikes everywhere on the grounds including mine I talked with many people One woman said she and her husband are bike traveling at least half the year every year she said she is a real home body but  now after being home she finds herself planning a nice long bike trip somewhere in the world. They just got back from 5 months in Australia  did some incredible long bike trip there. After meeting some of the serious bikers I felt like a beginner 
We then hiked over to the UofM where they had a room set up with lots of memorabilia of the "76" ride. bikes all the panniers of the time the maps we used etc it was fun to look at the bikes an realize how technology has changed everything  I forgot to tell that Carol and Karen mother and daughter arrived bringing our total to 9 I think out of the original 15 Karen was 15 years old at the time and now of course is 56 and wants to run the show cause the rest of us are to old. Barbara is 84 now and drives a large Dodge Pickup and tows 5th wheel trailer She lives in that trailer and travels all over the country. She has the trailer out at the KOA and drove the truck to the hotel where the rest are staying she pulled up and backed it into a parking space perfectly then this little old lady climbs down from it yesterday she rode her bike to the ACA her husband was killed in an accident back in 1989 so she has been doing it solo a long time
After the memorabilia tour the rest walked over the the dinner and speeches that were planned I walked back to the hotel and got my bike and went my WS home and worked on organizing my stuff which is in a pile in the living room where today at 9am there is going to be a jazz band rehearsal 
Well I will send some pictures Karen was taking lots of pictures and so we wouldn't have to keep handing phones to the picture taker she said she would get them to us. When I asked her about pictures she said she would organize them and make them available after she got home to Ohio so I will send a couple I took
TerryT 



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