The precise mess of packing a light-weight house

This is the most organized I'm going to be during this three-week bicycle tour. Everything is rolled tight, precise and wrapped in plastic. Once the tour hits I will wish for this much clean indoor space where I can spread out and get my bearings.

It's all part of the adventure.

My friend Lisa stopped today to pick up her instruction kit. I have a very close team of five friends that keep an eye on the home front and on me. Keys, credit card cancellation numbers (just in case), insurance, passwords and log-in numbers. They volunteer - - mostly because they care.

I've still got to shed about 10 pounds worth of gear yet. Repair tools weigh the most along with electronics - everything has a power cord and I'm carrying a couple of contraptions that allow me to juice up my camera/phone/computer if I'm not near an outlet.

Also a shout out to Jillian Clark who donated a map of Italy. I grabbed that today and picked up a message from my new best friend in Italy. See below. We've never met - but it shows the power and reach of social media.

Me thinks I'll have legs that will rival Denise Austin when I'm done with this tour.  Ciao.


Dear Judy,

The Po Valley in which Milan sits is nice, flat country full of rice fields and fruit orchards, but north is the beginning of the Dolomites, so you will be doing a lot of climbing.

To get to  Tuscany or Umbria, you will have to cross some mountainous terrain as well.  The only other relatively level area is on the Adriatic coast east of Milan and on the other side of the mountains.

When I lived in Cagli, which is a mountain town near the Adriatic, I used to see teams of German bikers who were heading south toward Rome. Some were following the route of the Giro d'Italia  which Periodically
went through Cagli on the way to the Adriatic coast. Climbing was part of their plan.

Mountains are the rule in Italy.  Florence sits on the Arno River in a valley surrounded by major hills.
That said, I would try highway E45 which runs through flat land with modest hill climbs -- wide, well paved with interesting towns along the route from Ravenna to Rome with a major climb at Terni.

One advantage is that Italian drivers are used to seeing bikers on the highways, and biking is taken very seriously, so bikers are treated well..  You will find high-end bike repair shops in almost every town of
any size.  Along with a local biking club.

Be sure to take  camelback.  Water can be hard to come by in the heat.

Have fun.  I'm envious. Bill Thorn

Businesses in the community show support for Alzheimer's tour

A nice window display at Husar's House of Fine Diamonds, 131 N. Main St., in downtown West Bend as they show off this year's biking jersey for the Amazing Ride for Alzheimer's. For the third year in a row Husar's donated the jerseys for the three-week tour. A huge thanks to Mike and Mary, Helyn for helping me cobble the whole thing together and Tricia for making the display window look wonderful!

Also a big thanks to the sponsors who help make this possible. The support is so encouraging and the fact 100 percent of the money raised goes to Alzheimer's programs at Cedar Community. All money raised stays local.

Counting down to June 3 when I take off!

Behind the scenes: Prepping for the tour

I'm glad it's raining. It makes it easier to stay indoors and get the million things done before I leave on tour. I deem this - crunch time. My friends say "it's sooooo interesting" why don't you write about it.

Personally, I think it's a little mundane - but I'll take a 10-minute break and let in you in on some of the prep work that goes on behind the scenes.

First, I'm pretending I leave this week. Wednesday, to be exact. This gives me the opportunity to stress out twice. Actually it helps me tie up loose ends, prevents procrastination, and then - in the event of some unknown emergency - I am ready.

As you can see above, I'm writing thank-you notes to all the people who made donations. This year I have homemade stationary!  Thanks to Cedar Community.

I have about 50 of those left. Once the weather clears I'll try to deliver the ones in town on my bike. It'll be good training and I may be able to introduce myself personally. It's that added touch and yes, I do save a stamp. (you're thinking it anyway so I might as well say it.)

My one-day packet project is now turning into four days. I have a team back home that watches out for me. They each get a packet with a house key, all my emergency numbers, my flight info, and copies of my social security card, license, and my will. I know...  morbid - but I'd rather be prepared.

I've also reviewed all my checking and savings accounts and made sure I have a POD - so none of that gets caught up in the courts. Finally the packet includes my credit card numbers and the number if I lose my card or its stolen then I can call my team and they can call to cancel. Yes - I try to think of everything.

I have my bike boxes, my tour jerseys, my tools, tubes, tires are all lying in a somewhat organized pile. I'm trying to cut down my gear by 20 pounds and I'm not having much luck. I know I'm going to hit a lot of up down and hauling around 80 pounds of gear is too much.

You saw Dan Brunner, the guy from Kewaskum walking the Pacific Crest Trail - he's going to be gone five months and all he took was 10 pounds.  Jeesh!

Cables and power cords and European plug adapters OH MY! I haven't even got to that segment of equipment yet.... much less a map of Italy. That sounds like something I should push to the top of my to-do list.

Stay tuned!  Tour leaves June 3!

Music, exercise and rummage therapy are my Rx secrets for Alzheimer's

Took my dad to Kewaskum today for its Village-wide rummage sale. My father is 91 and suffers Alzheimer's. He is mighty fit and farm strong. When he's dressed up (normally for a funeral of someone younger) people say, "Al looks like he's ready to start a corporation."

His appearance is deceiving; my dad is adrift in Alzheimer's in a well-preserved body. His world resets every three seconds. Memory is definitely an issue with repetitive questions, no sense of a current timeline and you can't say, "Do you remember this or that" ... because, no.... he doesn't. 

I found he responds well to music and exercise. Rummage sales are also good therapy. We always used to go to sales together on Saturday morning.

I find it's a good opportunity to drift back into his era - because I know he's never going to be able to step into mine.

At the sales we gravitate to hardware, tools and farm equipment. "What's this," I said holding up a carpentry thingamajig. "That's a planer," he said. My dad was a Mr. Fix It in his prime. "How about that," I said. "It's a horse collar you'd put it over the back of the horses neck......" And there he goes .... it's more words than we've heard in a week.

"Did you have horses when you were growing up," I ask. "Well, yes. Matter of fact I'd have to get up in the morning, milk the cows, load the milk into the wagon and take it to the cheese factory in St. Cloud."

I've heard the stories a million times. But now he's in his element. It's kind of amazing really, because otherwise he says nothing.

A couple of things about the disease - my dad doesn't initiate conversation and when we walk from sale to sale he follows about five paces behind. I'm told that's normal for someone with Alzheimer's.

At each sale I hear the same comment "high prices." It's a hard thing to grasp, this 2015. Maybe my dad is the lucky one - stuck in his era of Happy Days, 15-cent a gallon gas, and when neighbors helped neighbors - because it's what you did.

Today I found a 45 rpm of Elvis with The King on the sleeve. "How much change do you have in your pocket," I asked. My dad pulled out 57 cents and handed it over. It was a good old-fashioned rummage, they took it - happy to make a sale.

We normally don't buy much, but it's quality time and gives my mom some freedom, even if only a couple hours.

After my small purchase, we stopped at a sale by Kewaskum's famed Jules Dreher and then head home.

Getting out of the car my dad turned to me. The look in his eye is very distant. I ask if he was feeling OK and after somewhat of a pause he said, "You owe me 57 cents."

I consider it a miracle. That was more than a half hour ago.... from a guy who can't remember three seconds ago. I laughed. It's a sign - - the rummage therapy works.

I know somebody's in there.... it's up to me to reach him.

I think I'll keep my dad on the hook with that 57 cents... at least for a bit. Selfishly, maybe he'll stay around a little while longer.