It has been a busy month of travel for MotorMouth and the trend is about to continue! Having just experienced an amazing cruise/tour of Alaska with five other couples, I’ve just hit the reset button to gear up for Tuesday’s departure from Ottawa to San Rafael, California for the start of Great Race 2016!
Going over the list of entrants, I’m excited to see a great mix of rookies, returnees and legends! As often happens, former participants with whom we were hoping to reconnect are unable to compete with us this year. I’ll miss them! I hope that my daily blog will help them keep in touch throughout this year’s event.
For me, it’s not just about the competitors, but also the volunteer staff, the administrative group, the sponsors. and the host cities and towns that greet Great Racers at both lunch and overnight stops. As I grow older, I appreciate even more the energy that each of these entities invests to make this dream become a reality!
My immediate anticipation is not the flights from Ottawa-Newark-San Francisco or the drive from San Francisco to San Rafael, rather it’s about pulling in to the parking lot to instantly feel part of the “family” once again. It is something difficult to explain…we come from so many varied backgrounds, we share so many experiences in what is a stunningly brief time. This year offers the opportunity for us to travel through 8 states, with 20 stops in interesting places. Some, we’ve been through before; others are brand new! I know that at each venue, committees of volunteers have worked tirelessly to prepare for our arrival.
As with every challenge MotorMouth accepts, exceeding expectations is always my goal! I’m pumped and ready to go!
Follow me daily, on this 2016 Great Race!
You’ll love the journey!