A side note: The many thanks I owe.

It is hard to believe that we are here in China with two well equipped bikes. It certainly was not an easy task. Perhaps this is a good opportunity to thank all those who helped us get here:

Thanks to McGill University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for awarding Maria and I with a Dunlop scholarship (for the study of Contemporary Rural Architecture in Rural China) and a Burch Fellows Scholarship respectively (for Cycling Through the Minority Cultures of China) (http://www.burchfellows.unc.edu/). This funding helped make our dreams a reality.

Thanks Randi Davenport, Executive Director of the James M.Johnston Center for Undergraduate Excellence, and my UNC support unit, for providing the answers to my many questions, for taking the time oversee every detail of my preparation while at school.

Thanks Khanhthong, former downhill champ of Nova Scotia, for your invaluable help, time, and advice in buying, tuning and putting the bike together. Not only did you make sure it was rideable, but that it was in the best shape possible for the journey. We knew nothing about bikes or bike repair before this trip, and thanks to your numerous crash courses we will probably be ok on the road. So far so good!

Thanks Luke Gregoire, owner of Cycle Tecnique on Notre Dame and Atwater for giving us the best deals in town. For your patience with us, for letting us use the bike workshop late past closing time and for managing all of our bike part orders.

Thanks to Mark Gotlieb of Vulgar Equipment (bike apparel) for hooking us up with our beautiful blue Jamis bikes and various spare parts. And for the great design of our Vulgar biking shorts which we have been wearing every day. We love them. Check them out at
http://www.vulgarequipment.com

Thanks Steve Gisselman for the great panniers and for all the advice and support.

Thanks Michelle and the Kwok family for the great reception and hospitality in Hong Kong. Thanks for giving us the deluxe tour of the island and surroundings with a taste of HK cuisine (including one meal at the SARS hotel) and for driving us to the airport in two cars due to the size of our luggage and through typhoon weather.

Thanks to the Jackson-Gleich family for giving me a home in San Francisco. Thanks for the great food and the fruit juice (I've been craving one ever since, Jasper) and for making sure I was safely on my way.

Thanks Nat for your support and patience all the way through. Thank you for waiting. November is coming.

No thank you list is complete without a thanks to Mom and Dad who have been very brave in letting us go on this trip and for all of the little things you do for us we take for granted that help keep our naturally disorganized lives under control. Please don't worry too much and we'll call when we can.

Also, a big thanks to all of you who have encouraged us and shown interest in our plans. Your support means a lot to us. Please write and send some news from home.