We’ve been on our bikes for 13 days and I’ve just now convinced myself to start writing. The days leading up to the start were a blur of packing, finishing the house remodel and trying to get a thousand last minute details squared away. On the day we are finally ready to leave a blizzard rolls across the Southwest and even San Diego has snow. I-40 is closed and the roads are unsafe. We wait till morning. Jeremy’s parents are driving us to San Diego were we will meet my little brother Josh who will drive us in to Mexico. The area nearest the border is the most dangerous part of all of Baja and we are choosing to skip it for now. The roads are still snowy and the driving is slow.

We get to Josh’s hotel at 3am and try to sneak in quietly to our shared room. Josh doesn’t wake. In the morning we eat chocolate chip banana cookies thanks to Josh’s spot on anticipation of my breakfast desires and caloric needs. We grab a coffee and head for the border. As we near it we see the newly constructed wall running up and down the hills to our left, oppressively standing guard.

Crossing into Mexico is a breeze and as always I am surprised at how swiftly things change. A border and maybe 50 feet separate me from the US but everything is different. The buildings, the language, even the smells. I tuck away a small tingle of uncertainty at what we are about to undertake- bicycling from the US down to Argentina. A trip of more than 10,000 miles and likely 15 countries. Today has no room for doubts.

We pull some cash from an ATM, eat more cookies and head South out of Tecate. As we drive Josh and I reminisce about our lives and the various ways we’ve helped each other over the years. Spending those hours talking with him is an unexpected gift.

Finally we pull up to the hotel where we will do one last run through of our gear, take a shower, hopefully get a good night’s sleep and then head out in the morning.