At the start line - and a tribute to my great-uncle Allan

My wife and I drove down to Williamsburg, VA today to meet up with our group tomorrow.  When we arrived at the motel we found the Adventure Cycling Association van with trailer parked in the lot.  We didn't get in until late, so we haven't met the others yet, but seeing the van makes it all the more real.

On the way down we stopped at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. to pay tribute to my great-uncle, Allan Farlow.  He and his wife Catherine are buried there.  Allan was a career Air Force pilot who flew combat fighters in WWII then went on to fly missions in Korea and Vietnam.  After retiring from the military he went to work in Washington, D.C.

Allan with the plane he flew in WWII

Me with my great-uncle Allan's marker at Arlington

Allan's wife Catherine is memorialized on the back

When I rode the Virginia segment of the TransAm in 1976 I ended in Williamsburg, VA.  I then took a bus up to Washington, D.C. where I met Allan at his office in one of the Senate office buildings.  He showed me around a bit including a ride on a mini-subway system which runs underground between the Senate buildings.  He and his wife graciously opened their home to me and fed me for about 3 days.  I was most impressed that Allan gave me the keys to their old blue Vega, gave me directions to downtown and let me drive in to see the sights of Washington on my own.  I was a 19 year old kid who they barely knew, but we were family and they treated me splendidly. 

After paying our respects at Arlington we made another stop in Richmond, VA where we met three of Allan's daughters for a wonderful dinner.  Thank you very much for an enjoyable evening, Diane, Janet and Marilyn.

Now it's just about time to start.  We'll meet everyone at the kick-off meeting tomorrow, then do a shakedown ride to Yorktown for the ceremonial wheel-dipping on Sunday.  After many months of training and preparation the ride is about to begin.