I had planned to ride in England for 3 weeks with Leo and Steph. It seemed sensible, given that I didn't want to be away all summer.

Then I decided to fly to Dublin and tack on an extra week in Ireland.

But Ireland seemed too much like England, in landscape and weather at least, and it's more or less the same language, more or less.

So I decided on Holland. It would definitely be Holland, for 2 extra weeks because I would need a little extra time for Holland. Then I would take a ferry to meet Leo and Steph in England.

But all those places seem cold. I'm a desert tortuous at heart, not only because of the pace I ride but I like warm temperatures, at least for part of the trip.

Spain? I've always wanted to go to Spain. And I did take a Spanish class a few years ago. My grade was a "C" if you care about that sort of thing.

I would need more than 2 extra weeks though. So it would be 3 weeks riding in Spain, a ferry to Portsmouth, then north to meet Leo and Steph.

Spain for 3 weeks and England for 3 weeks. Except Leo was planning the England portion and he gets carried away sometimes and needed 4 weeks.

My brain works in mysterious ways but at least I finally had a plan.

Except Donna invited me to Seattle for a music festival. You don't know Donna. She's not a bike tourer but I don't hold that against her and neither should you. But she invited me to this festival while I was making plans for Spain.

"Why don't you come to Spain with me instead of going to the music festival?" I said. It seemed like an even swap.

Donna has never been to Spain, or even Europe, which many of you may know includes Spain. She was in.

Except I needed to add 2 more weeks so Donna and I can do non-bike touring things. Because aside from Spain, it just so happens that the town she lives in, Issaquah Washington, has a sister city in Morocco. Chefchaouen is the name of the Moroccan city sibling.

I really don't get sister cities if you want to know the truth but somehow in this case it seems cool. How can we go all that way and not visit her sister city? Can't be done.

So, that's 5 weeks in Spain, with a side trip to Africa, plus a ride north from Madrid to the northern coast, a flight from Spain to London because the ferry didn't work out, then 4 riding weeks in England, Wales and Scotland and flying out of Edinburgh.

It is just like I had planned it all along.