GeoPoints Bulletin: First Rider was in the house

Mid-month we received our First Rider of the season. Traditionally, the arrival of the First Rider has varied from early April to late May. So when he showed up on our doorstep on Wednesday, April 15 (otherwise known as Tax Day in the US), he was right on time. We were delighted to welcome Michael Petty from South Lanarkshire, Scotland. He began his tour in Kelowna, BC, Canada and is headed for Boston, MA, USA.

Annually, the office anticipates and plans for the First Rider's arrival by collecting prizes from each department, all with the intention to help her/him continue on her/his journey in style and well fueled. This year's booty included gift certificates to the Old Post Pub and Big Dipper Ice Cream (a well known fact: a cyclists' meal is not complete without dessert, it might even begin with dessert!), any map from our route network, an Adventure Cycling t-shirt of his choice, a one year membership, a solar flashlight and an 8" x 10" print of himself ala Greg Siple's Portrait Gallery style.

We heard from Michael via email about a week after he left Missoula. What he had to say put smiles on all our faces, "arrived at yellowstone, bison behind me and in front of me on the road yesterday, felt like a chicken in a herd of lions! i love this country!" Sounds like Michael gets it, he's definitely no chicken in our book. Ride on, Michael.

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GeoPoints Bulletin is written by Jennifer 'Jenn' Milyko, an Adventure Cycling cartographer, and appears weekly, highlighting curious facts, figures and persons from Adventure Cycling's route network with tips and hints for personal route creation thrown in for good measure.