Today was to be a straight forward grind-out-miles day, and it was. My alarm went off at 5:45 am, well before dawn. It was light enough a bit past 7:00 am and I started my mileage app and saddled up at 7:23.

Today began much earlier than desired. I was in a cheap, down-and-outer motel on the outskirts of Liberty, Texas. Dinner had been whatever I was carrying in my panniers and a Budweiser.

Today was a big day. I covered only 58.29 miles, but I'm out of Houston, past the rain (at least for the foreseeable weather forecast) and I think the flooding issues from the recent deluge are behind me.

Today I'm in greater Houston and going to the Space Center Houston for one of my few touristy days. But the weather was ferocious what sheeting rain, lightning, flash flood warnings everywhere.

Upon completion of Backcountry Leadership Training, you will be ready to lead a weeklong backpacking trip in the Cascade, Olympic or Rockies mountains.

You’ll learn core technical backpacking skills required for wilderness travel and camping through a combination of classroom sessions, field days, and overnight trips.

We’ll provide you with the planning tools for backcountry trips, with a special focus on how to work with teenagers and to facilitate groups. We’ll teach you the strategies for decision-making and risk management in backcountry and in low angle environments (that is, not climbing).

Upon completion of Mountaineering Leadership Training, you will be ready to lead an ascent of a glaciated volcano in the Pacific Northwest.

You’ll learn core technical mountaineering skills required for glacier travel and camping through a combination of classroom sessions, field days, and overnight trips.

We’ll provide you with the planning tools for alpine trips, with a special focus on how to work with teenagers and to facilitate groups. We’ll teach you the strategies for decision-making and risk management in alpine environments.

Upon completion of Sea Kayak Leadership Training, you will be ready to lead a weeklong kayaking trip in the San Juans Islands or South Puget Sound areas.

You’ll learn core sea kayaking skills required for safe open water travel, camping and trip management in inland marine environments through a combination of classroom sessions, field days, and overnight trips.

We’ll provide you with the planning tools for sea kakaking trips, with a special focus on how to work with teenagers and to facilitate groups. We’ll teach you the strategies for decision-making and risk management in inland marine environments.

Upon completion of Whitewater Rafting Leadership Training, you will be ready to lead a multi-day whitewater rafting trip on the Deschutes or Lower Salmon Rivers.

You’ll learn technical whitewater rafting skills required for up to Class III river travel and camping through a combination of classroom sessions, field days, and overnight trips.

We’ll provide you with the planning tools for whitewater rafting trips, with a special focus on how to work with teenagers and to facilitate groups. We’ll teach you the strategies for decision-making and risk management in a Class III reiver environment.