Coutdown--one week to leaving Ophir Oregon.

I can't imagine that Europe can be as exhilarating as the preparation for it.
The VBT literature says 18-45 miles of bike-riding/ day. I've been doing 15 to 30, discovering back roads, paved, no traffic, hedgerows of blackberries and sweet peas, incense cedar and pine. A stream gurgles in the canyon.
Today was the stamina test. I signed up for a Rotary-sponsered ride. Forty miles--up the south bank of the Rogue River, down the north bank, across to Cedar vally to Ophir Rd then on the old coast highway back to Gold Beach. At eight AM, not knowing a sole, I unloaded my lime-green  7-speed bike with comfort seat and handlebars  amongst dozens of  racing bikes with pencil thin tires. Was I the only one with fenders and a kickstand? Thank goodness for the friendly and chatty financial adviser on a 35 pound Mongoose who accompanied me all morning. At mile 30, a tall, skinny red-headed woman looked at my bike and said, "You rode all this way on THAT?" That made my day.
Then I was struggling up a hill in 1st gear; I heard somesone say. "Seven gears! You're an animal!"
So, into the fair grounds at 12:30, 40 miles before lunchtime. I'm ready for the Tuscan coast.
A brew in hand, I browsed the art  and car show. Loved the classic green 56 Impala. Hey, it would match my bike! But the 58 orange-red corvette with a backdrop of  a field of same color dahlias was the best.