We embark on the Tour one week from today.

As I contemplate our pending departure, I alternate between bursts of excitement, fits of panic, and passages of restorative gratitude.

Robbi and I have dreamed on this project for more than a decade but never thought we’d be able to actually pull it off. It was just too complex—and way too expensive.

But over the past two years, more than a thousand people and families have contributed to the Tour—some through financial donations, some by lending their time and expertise, and others by cheering us on when the challenges seemed insurmountable.

Here we are with a bus and an itinerary and 25,000 books—still tending to a few final details but otherwise ready to begin this adventure. Thanks to you.

We love that this trip has no sponsors. Only partners who believe in our mission.

Which is to say, this might be our dream, but for all of you who’ve helped us get to this point, it’s your adventure, too.