Day -2: Arrival in LA

My wife dropped me off at Detroit Metro airport at 4:30am this morning.  It's not clear now what my thought process was several months ago for booking a 6am flight from Detroit to Los Angeles via Atlanta.  Whatever it was, I'm sure it seemed like a good idea at the time.  We said our sleepy-eyed goodbyes knowing she'll visit me in Santa Fe, New Mexico in a couple of weeks during one of our few rest days, again somewhere in the midwest, and then pick me up in Boston at the conclusion of the trip.

I landed in Los Angeles around 10:30am PCT.  Although the temperature in Ann Arbor was in the mid 70Fs the day before leaving, it still felt refreshingly energizing to walk outside LAX and be greeted by a bright warm sun and clear blue skies.  It put a smile on my face from ear-to-ear.

Our host hotel for the night before the first day of riding is the Courtyard Marriott El Segundo.  I've been very impressed that CrossRoads pays strong attention to ensuring the riders' safety by recommending specific equipment and riding technique, but they also don't miss the little things to make you feel welcome or special.

Once I was checked-in, I found my bike box and took it out to the pool area to begin assembling my ride. A few of the other riders saw me and came over to introduce themselves and talk about  bikes, equipment, tours they've done, etc.  Did you ever see comedian Tim Allen do his stand-up bit about a group of men watching another man work on his car?   He likened guys to chimpanzees in the way we talk and interact.   Deep guttural sounds were made about heavy duty bike tires and chests were puffed-up and thumped about frame material. Excited grunts of approval were frequent.  I think we started to bond as primates. 

I'll take the Arenberg for a short test ride tomorrow morning and make final adjustments.