This is the final countdown. Tomorrow is it! Tour de Cure! Somehow it\’s hard to believe that the big day is on the threshold. It once seemed so far off!

Final preparations are underway. My bicycle\’s lights are charging up. It will still be dark when I head over to the venue; and when we roll, at 7:00 am, daylight levels will still be low.

I\’ll charge up my cell phone, too. Sure, I know, I\’ll be surrounded by other riders; but \”One never knows,\” as the Little Prince was so fond of saying.

Of course I\’m making sure my Garmin is fully charged. I don\’t want to have it conk out on me tomorrow! That would be nearly as bad as missing the ride.

Cleaning my bicycle is on the to-do list, as is being sure I have my GU-Gels handy. In fact, I think I\’ll take a few extra, just in case. There will be riders who have diabetes (the Red Riders); and while I\’m sure they\’ll be prepared in case of a blood sugar nose-dive, things do go awry sometimes.

I\’m going to use my Camel-Bak, as usual for a long ride. But I won\’t need to take along the cable lock; so I can put most of the stuff from my under-saddle bag in the Camel-Bak pockets. It will be a nice change to not have that little pack crammed full.

Tonight makes the final countdown even more final. I have to get my electrolyte drink ready so it can chill. I must triple-check that I\’ve set my alarm clock; and check the weather forecast for the umpteenth time. So far it looks good.

Last minute stuff: prep my ride food; and fill the Camel-Bak reservoir with water. Then, I\’ll be ready to roll!