Wheel Dip Ceremony

A tradition for cross country bike rides is for riders to dip the rear wheel of their bikes in the Pacific Ocean when the ride begins, and their front wheel in the Atlantic Ocean at the end of the ride. Although our wheel dip ceremony had been originally planned for Sunday, we were forced to move it to Saturday due to celebrations for the 75th anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge taking place that day. So yesterday afternoon the riders loaded up on their bikes and rode the few miles from our hotel to a beach near the Golden Gate Bridge. It was fun watching the riders bring their bikes up to the ocean to dip their rear wheel in, symbolizing the beginning of the long journey ahead. Afterwards we returned to the hotel for dinner and watched the documentary Two Shining Seas, which tells the story of the 2010 Sea to Shining Sea ride. It was a very emotional film that detailed how many of the riders became disabled and the struggles they've been through since. The film also did an excellent job of displaying the spirit of both the riders and the American people who they met along the way. Seeing the film helped give me a better idea of what's ahead, but it's difficult to wrap my mind around everything that is to come in the next two months. I just hope that I don't become too overwhelmed, and am able to fully absorb every precious moment of this amazing opportunity.