And they're off! An Annapolis retiree and his trusty yellow lab, Sadie, embarked this weekend on their big adventure -- biking from Maryland to Maine.

Man and dog are making the trip to promote the East Coast Greenway trail system. It's an 850-mile ride from start to finish. Dan McCrady's neighbor's sent him off with mimosas. Guessing he needed a drink even more at the end of the day -- he planned to bike 55 miles.

On her blog, Sadie McCrady's East Coast Greenway Adventure, Sadie reports the ride on Saturday was hard. With the temperature hovering around 90 and her master pulling not only her 75 pounds but a 40-pound bike AND a 40-pound trailer AND gear.

But when they two finally neared the end of the first leg, the welcome party at their host's home made it worth it -- or so Sadie thought. "They had seven screaming people on the main road with signs! One said "Free Beer!" and another said "I'll drive you to Maine for $100," the dog blogged. "I don't know what these mean because I can't read!"

Sadie has promised to keep us updated along the 22-day trip. If anyone has any questions for her or Dan, be sure to ask -- I think they'll be reading. Dan, at least.

Annapolis Mayor Ellen Moyer gives Dan and Sadie a proclamation this week before they set off on their big adventure. Moyer also gave Sadie a blue crab toy. Photo courtesy of Dan McCrady.