June 3, 2017: The day started early. I’d been checking the time on my watch every few minutes, to see if it was time to be up, and when it was half past four, I got up, showered and packed the clothes I’d washed the previous night, into my saddlebag. Harrison was next up, and David the last. We were soon all set. Harrison suggested we grab something to eat at the cafe nearby, before heading out to the start, but it turned out that the cafe was not open yet. We started rolling to the start line. It must have been only about five hundred metres, when I felt I’d picked up a flat. I asked Harrison to see if I indeed had a flat, but nope, it was my saddlebag, rubbing heavily against my wheel. This would be a recurring theme over the next few days.

June 2nd, 2017: This was the rest day, and the day to get in any last minute shopping done, before the race. It was also the day we picked up our caps, and those of us who’d rented Spot trackers got their trackers, from Nathan Jones. I was staying at the Rivershore Motel in Astoria, and David Barstow Robinson (DBR) and Harrison McClain were right next door. Harrison had already written to me, asking to share my motel room on the 2nd, and we both decided to let David bunk with us too. They arrived just before noon, and I decided to head out to the local bike store, which I was told was getting busier by the minute, thanks to all the TABR racers who were descending on it!

June 1st, 2017: I’d slept fitfully the previous night, and rose by 0500 hrs. After some more tinkering with the saddlebag setup, a quick shower, and a banana and a smoothie for breakfast, I was ready. It was drizzling, so both Meaghan and I threw on our rain jackets and hit the road. She knew the way to the meeting point selected by TABR racers heading to Astoria, so that was one less thing for me to worry. After a few minutes of rolling, we made it to the meeting place, and saw many other racers had already made it there. Brad and Alexis Crossley were going to drive to Astoria, but were there anyway, to meet other riders. Ever the nicest of folks, they even offered to transport stuff to Astoria, if any of us didnt feel like lugging our gear all the way. I also met Jen Colestock, Eric Fishbein, Jack Peterson, Timothy Stephen, Andrew Suzuki, and other riders for the first time there.

I was set to leave to the United States, for the Transam Bike Race 2017, on the 31st of May, with my bike and all accessories in a bike box. The idea was to disembark in Portland, use the tools available at the Portland airport (they have a special bike assembly section!), discard the box and ride to my hotel. Then, there was this little matter of things not going according to plan.