My Pal, My Hero

Not long ago a conversation over a coffee planted a seed in my friend.  He had not been on a bicycle since he was a teen but now there was a spark in him, he was committing to the Tour Divide.  This is a race and an adventure that I would love to be a part of, but until or if I ever do, he is my hero.  He has made the investment in the training and the equipment.  He has purchased a one-way ticket (because he doesn't know where he'll end up finishing) and is getting increasingly nervous because he flies out next Wednesday.
I will be following him with his spot tracker all the way.  Look for him.  His name is JD Pauls. That's him in the red. 

He trains fully loaded - that's his full Tour Divide kit.  I am trying to convince him to shave his legs (when he wipes out he'll thank me, but he says he's not going to wipe out!)

We went on a really casual training run over the weekend.  In his short time on a bike his level of fitness is way above mine already (he knocks off hundreds of miles a week training) and he barely breaks a sweat compared to my 190 bpm red face (notice the sweat).
Good luck JD!