Cycling Ellen

2/23/08

First, it was my bike. I dropped it off at Burrow’s Specialized Sports on Wednesday to be packed up and shipped off the next day by UPS. I could tell I’ve been a little too busy lately. When Joe asked me where to send it, all I could tell him was San Diego - oops! When I got home I phoned in the information and it left on time the next day. It should be there in a week.

The tears started at yoga a couple of hours later. Yoga class is a welcome respite - some space and time in my week when I’m not busy doing too many things at once. As I left class for the last time before my trip, the reality of leaving hit home and the tears of leaving began. I’ve never been very good at leaving (or having my children leave) without shedding a tear or two but leaving for 8 weeks seems to have helped me set a new record! Later that night, I left chorus - all those great soprano hugs and I started leaking again.

The next day our school staff hosted a fun, celebratory evening at a local brew pub. I didn’t cry - I was seeing them all the next day at school! On Friday, my last day before my leave began, I taught a geography lesson with a huge map of my trip at All School Sing with appropriate songs interspersed. I hope all of you Marlboro School kids know what the Continental Divide is now. There will be a quiz in May!

At lunch in kindergarten yesterday, the parents and students and my dear substitute, Sarah, really got me going with a surprise lunch filled with special food, a happy balloon, flowers, a book and cards and presents. I couldn’t ask for a more supportive and loving community of people in which to work. I filled the compost bucket with used tissues as the goodbyes and hugs were said. Thanks to all of you for all the love and support. I’ll miss you all!

Tonight a new chapter begins with a trip up to northern Vermont to meet the other two Vermonters on our adventure. It’s part of the transition from life at home to life on the road. No doubt, I’ll cry again when I leave them in St. Augustine!

2/10/08

People have been asking me if I’m getting excited.  Yes!  My analogy is to the 9th month of pregnancy.  You know that you will suffer with the delivery but you’re ready to get on with it - enough waiting!  I still have many things left to do before I fly out to California but I’m feeling that excitement building and want the anxiety of what is going to happen to be behind me, not ahead.

At the same time, I feel so humbled by people’s stories about their dealings with breast cancer, either their own or their friends or relations.  It is such a pervasive disease and these women are so brave.  It makes this ride seem more of an honor than a personal challenge.  I am also humbled by the generous contributions I have received for both the NBCC and the Brattleboro Music Center.  Thank you all again and again.  I have a long way to go to get to my goal but no matter what amounts I raise, it all helps.

As I was tromping through our beautiful snowy woods today on snowshoes, hot sunshine and the desert seemed very far away.  But in less than a month, I will be over the first set of mountains.  Wow!