#nohairdontcare - Matteo's Stories

It’s hard to think it’s been six weeks since I last wrote an entry.  It’s not that there is less on my mind, less to say.  I’ve been busy but no more than what would be deemed usual for me.  I most certainly plan to write more as I get ready to leave on June 15th for what we are calling Coast2Coast4Kelly (thanks Erik, it’s the perfect hashtag).  I plan to blog throughout the trip, posting pictures and updating everyone on the way.  We will be using Mail Chimp to deliver weekly updates.  If you would like to be on that list, just email me at matt@gingerstrong.com. You can however just check the blog on the website also.  Ryan Jean will have his own blog and Erik Braun will be instagramming, along with myself, the whole time.  At least that is the plan, and well sometimes plans are just plans for a reason.

I’ve been preparing a lot for this trip, spending a lot of time at the gym, riding my bike, working on my diet, getting all my equipment together.  It’s been great, but it’s also been a distraction.  I know when I hit the road for 5, 6 sometime 8 hours a day, that’s a lot of time to think.  My father asked me if I was nervous about my trip (if you’re new here I’m riding my bike across the country with two close friends).  I told him no, I’m not worried about handling it physically, getting through the 90-100 days of biking and camping and finding our way from San Francisco to Portland to Mount Rainier to Seattle to Jackson to Denver to Chicago to Cleveland to Buffalo to Manhattan. But what I didn’t tell him is I am nervous about all that time to think.  What will come of it?  I know how difficult an hour car ride can still be, thinking of Kelly.  What will all that time on the bike amount to?  I guess we will find out and I’ll do my best to let you all in as it happens.

I fly to San Francisco on June 9th.  I get to see some friends briefly before heading to LA to work at Indie Brewing Company, where Connor Forbes has agreed to let me work for four days, trading my manual labor for his knowledge on all things commercial brewing.  You can check them out here http://indiebrewco.com/# .  This is one of many steps I’m taking in making our charitable brewery a reality.  Every day I am chipping away at it and I’ve found the work enjoyable :)

So here is to TWO more weeks of prep and anticipation. 

Miss you Muppet

Matteo