Thursday, May 21, 2015

The Only Thing that Makes Sense Anymore

Throughout my fears and anxieties about this upcoming tour, I have now realized that I must do it. What is left for me here anyhow? I now have someone accompanying me for much of the trip, be it a blessing or a curse. Life has taken me by the horns. Bicycle touring is beckoning. My fears about this have now dilapidated. I must do this trip, I have to do this trip. I will do this trip.

Lately I have noticed how life is getting to the blah level. What I mean is that life is just going by and nothing is really happening. I am of course talking about my own life. Your life might be great. I don't know what the future holds. I only know that I am not experiencing the joy I ought to. By way of work, my job is un-fulfilling and I need a change. Whether that change will come now or later, I don't know. I am unappreciated and at times feel unwelcome. I am not treated very well and all I do is try to do my best job I can do. Also, I am treated like a child, at work and at home. Someone once said, "Go where you are celebrated, not just tolerated." That is well said I believe. But it's hard. It's not that easy. Friends of mine are diminishing. They get married and lose interest in your friendship. It sucks, but that's life I suppose. Life, life, life. I need a break from life. I need a break from this fury, this noise, this rush, this here and now.

This is why I need to go on this bicycle tour. When I go alone, people ask if I get lonely and that is one reason they choose not to go on such adventures. Well, to be honest, I often feel more alone at home in my normal life than I do on tour. Yes, that may sound odd, but you truly won't understand this concept until you embark on your own tour.

I am un-fulfilled in my job, in my life, in my living situation...my dreams, and yes I do have dreams and passions and desires...my dreams are not seeing the light of day...at least not yet. I have been patient. When I look around me, I feel as though I am the one not living. I look at my family. My parents travel the world and seem joyful in their lives, and my siblings are seemingly living their dreams. My brother is a mountain guide and my sister is married to a pastor and is in ministry with a family. I have none of that...and it's not even on the horizon. What is the Lord playing at? I have ideas and thoughts and dreams...but who will help me? I can't do it alone. It is scary. I am a dreamer. I need a business partner who can provide practical tips. Good help is hard to come by...so are good friends. We are called to live in community, but no matter how hard I try, being a part of 2 groups and 3 or 4 ministries throughout the year, I don't feel like I'm in community...I still feel alone. Am I doing something wrong? What's the deal? Lord, please send me someone...

The only thing that makes sense anymore is packing up my bicycle and start pedaling and camping and pedaling some more until I reach Monument Valley and beyond...The only heartache is the deadline. I do wish to be back August 7th in honor of my close friend who "went Home" a few years ago. One of these days I will hop in the saddle without a deadline...Iceland, Alaska, Argentina, New Zealand...who knows...

Bicycle touring is the only thing that makes sense anymore...

Zero to Travel: Epic Bike Rides Podcasts!

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

The Route 2015 - Deserts & Canyons

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zoHXzBDE6Blw.kngmiqArBSKY&usp=sharing

Here is a link to my route. I finally figured out how to do this with google! Enjoy!

Monday, May 18, 2015

A Companion to Beat the Odds

With less than a month until I am due to depart, I get an unexpected opportunity for a companion to join me. The dots are not quite connected yet so it is not completely set in stone but as of now, he will join me for the majority of my journey. He is an older gentleman from Cheyenne, WY. I must admit at first I had mixed feelings. I usually attempt tours solo but the more I talked with him I realized this might not be all that bad. Good companionship is hard to come by and this may present some unexpected blessings, especially during the rough stretches and when things go wrong because they always do. He has a friend in Bend and La Pine and our tentative plan is for him to fly into Bend and visit his friends there and south in La Pine and meet up with me a few days later south from there. He hopes to make it with me to Moab and return home from there.

My itinerary is set and printed. Thank goodness this is but an itinerary and not a schedule. Plans change and routes get disturbed. I will leave June 14th and ride like the wind south to Lake Tahoe after meeting up with my new friend and we will cycle through Nevada making that my 30th state visited! We will make our way through Monument Valley and Four Corners. I am so stoked for this route! After that it is on towards Moab and Arches where my newly acquired friend will depart for home and I will make my way towards Salt Lake City, Idaho and Eastern and Central Oregon...finally arriving home on August 7th. That is my goal because I wish to be a part of scattering my good friend's ashes at a place where we bonded. He passed away a few years ago and on his birthday, August 7th, Lord-willing I will be a part of this. I miss him so...

I am eager to get back on the road and forget about my troubles at work, at home, finding a place to live, worrying about whether I should stay with my job or not...just get away from it all. That is all I ask. Into the wilderness I will embark. I am struggling in life right now...and when I am on the road I find peace. Some ask me if I get lonely and to be honest, I am more alone in my real life than when I hit the road alone... Not many will understand that, but it is true. I am surrounded by a forest, but I am a lone tree that stands unsupported. If I didn't have my bike and tent, I don't know what I would make of this life. Yea, the God above loves me as His child even though I blow it time and time again but that never changes the fact of His love.

Therefore, I will ride and camp and camp and ride and see the sights and visit my 30th state and make a new friend and the perfect circles will keep rolling...

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Ultralight or a Race against Time to Honor a Friend...?

Today I received news that may alter my bike trip plans for the summer.
My good friend Jason who went to be with the Lord in August, 2011 will have his ashes spread out this coming August, early August. https://www.facebook.com/events/1434083296901743/ It is only scheduled for a half-hour, but this means a lot for me to attend...and my proposed bike trip would end towards the end of the month....which would be about 2700 miles, give or take. So, you can see my dilemma here.

Do I stay close to home and just do some short-term trips/adventures? That way, I may regret doing a large scale adventure.

Do I modify my trip and make it shorter? That way, I may miss out on some important places.

Do I stick with my proposed trip but go ultralight or race against time to be home by August 7th?

Do I go with another trip all together?

Dilemma, dilemma, dilemma...

I have been researching some ultralight options, but don't feel the need or feel comfortable going all out ultralight touring. There are some key things I can do to lighten my load though. I have been researching light tents for a long time and hopefully will choose one soon. Clothes are another big one...I can do without much of them.

The other thing is my itinerary. I plan, but the plans always change and get thrown out the window. However, I still deem it valuable to have some sort of plan or idea where I am heading...That being said, I have struggled to even complete a rough itinerary. Therefore, in light of the recent news, I am tempted to throw out the itinerary, and just hop on my bike and go come June 21st with only the rough route in my pocket. This will put it up in the air of where and when I sleep. I would have to do at least 60 miles a day with little or no rest days and I am not sure if I am up for that. The last thing I want is to inure myself again or kill myself or have no fun.

So, alas, I have not come up with a solution that writing usually brings about. All I am left with is a big fat dilemma...what to do? I have about 3 months to decide...

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

That Intriguing Part

A trip of this magnitude dwindles in comparison to larger trips. However, for many, including me, this is enough...for now. It is large, it is challenging and when completed, rather impressive. Therefore, I would be lying if I said I have not had fits of fear heading into this segment. I get headaches, I get dizzy, I get saddle sores, my knee aches, my Achilles aches, I get cold, I get hot, I get shattered and twisted. But I still go on...the journey remains, the odyssey continues to be plugged in. It is unwavering. It comes and goes, my excitement and fear. One minute I am so pumped up about taking a journey on two wheels through the Great Basin and into the desolate Monument Valley, but then it soon turns to fear like what the heck am I doing? It's easy to say that now because I am sitting on a couch in front of a television set in a heated house sheltered from the outside elements. On top of that, I have endless water and food at my disposal. So what is a guy to do about this, this...what shall we call it? I think is should be put plainly as wanderlust...

This begs the question why? Many people go on vacations in the summer to places like Disneyland. I have never been and the idea of Disneyland scares the hell out of me. I would much rather wander the woods for a week alone. I have about 2.5 months off in the summer currently and it is so tempting to sit back and relax, sleep in everyday, barbeque every evening while drinking iced tea, walk through the city parks, read good books, catch up on television and watch new movies, visit friends and family and eagerly await my birthday at the end of August. Why on earth would I trade this comfort for the uncomfortable, unknown, unforgiving wilderness.....?

It's easy to answer that with one word: adventure. I was born for adventure and can't stay still for long. You can't keep me caged. I have to spread my wings, stretch my legs. It's easy to answer it with that one word: adventure. But I don't tend to take the easy way out of things. I suppose I want to do this trip because it intrigues me. I want to know what is around the corner. I am curious. I am not a cat so hopefully it won't kill me. There are places I have not been to and riding a bicycle puts it all in perspective. "You mean, I just rode from my front door, kept riding and now am in Utah?" Wow. I want to be able to say that. I also suppose I want to see what I can do. I don't know whether I will complete this trip or not. There are so many unknowns. "If you think you will succeed, it's too easy." There is truth to that. When things go wrong, the real adventure begins. I don't suppose I have anything to prove. I am not setting out to prove anything unless it is to myself. I want to see if I can do it. I want to see new places, but I want to get there on my own power, my own steam...and in this case I want to do it alone. But I won't really be alone will I? There will be people, more in some places than others. I enjoy meeting people. Everyone has a unique story. Memories and experiences trump documentation I believe.

I am more comfortable on the road, meeting new people at campsites, in stores, at parks, on the open road than I do going to the same job, seeing the same people, doing the same thing...how uncomfortable. I long for the day it will all end. I am a bird ready for flight. One day, my legs won't let me return. The world is a beautiful place and it is begging to be seen. We remember those experiences for the rest of our lives. The pictures, the videos, the stuff we bring back...how could I forget any of this? I cannot neglect the reality of the hurt of this project, but once I return home, I will have a tale or two to tell. And this my friend, is freedom at it's finest.

"You can promise that I will come back?"

"No...but if you do, you will not be the same..."

What will I hear in Lassen?
What will I see in the Lava Beds?
What will happen in Tahoe?
What will I find in Yosemite?
How will I enter Zion?
Who will I meet in Monument Valley?
What will I smell in Four Corners?
How will I make it to Mesa Verde?
When will I come to Moab?
Will I get to the Great Salt Lake?
Who will help me through Idaho?
What will happen once I travel through Oregon?
When will I arrive home...safely?

That intrigues me.

Friday, March 27, 2015

In praise of the bicycle

by Alastair Humphreys

Ladies and Gentlemen, if I could offer you only one tip for the future, travelling by bicycle would be it. Cycling is the best way to experience a country and a culture. I am well aware that I am biased: I have spent five years of my life cycling through over 60 countries on five continents. I have a passion for travel and adventure. And I have a real passion for encouraging people to try travelling by bike. Consider then these advantages that bike journeys have over conventional backpacking adventures:

Cycling is cheap, as cheap as you want it to be! Once, riding through Argentina, I met a French backpacker. As we chatted he became envious of my experiences. So I persuaded him to buy a cheap bike and a tent in the local market. And then we set off on a very spontaneous adventure together. We rode to Bolivia. Fabien calculated that, just two weeks after buying the bike and tent, he was already saving money compared to using buses and budget accommodation. If you cycle and camp then you remove the two biggest backpacking expenses: transport and accommodation.
Don’t you hate it when the train you are travelling on passes through stunning scenery and all you can do is watch it whizz by through the window? On a bike you are living, breathing, hearing and smelling every mile of countryside. Yes, you will be moving slowly, but that becomes a joy in itself: the journey is the reward. Your trip becomes more than just ticking off a list of must-see sights. It’s the places in between that forge the strongest memories.
Tourist hotspots often attract con-men, pickpockets, touts, or just inflated prices. Get off the beaten track and people stop treating you as a tourist. People are curious about who you are and where you are from, and they usually want to show off their country in the best possible light. Arrive in a village in the middle of nowhere by bicycle, and the effect is magnified! People may laugh at you and think you are mad, but they will be curious, amused, impressed, fascinated, and eager to welcome you. The kindness I received on my bike journeys was amazing and humbling, whether that was in Azerbaijan, Belgium and Chile, or Xinijiang, Yugoslavia or Zimbabwe.
You will get fitter than you have ever been and more tanned than you can imagine. The breeze on your face and the freedom of the road are so much nicer than being squashed on a bus playing loud kung-fu movies in a language you cannot understand.
Cycling round the world is so much better for the environment than a round the world air ticket.
Journeys by bike are more unusual, exciting, rewarding, challenging and fun than backpacking trips.

I’m going to finish by countering your immediate reasons why you’re going to say that travelling by bicycle is not for you:

“I’m not fit enough and it sounds like hard work…” Start slowly – you are not racing anybody, and within a week or so you will feel yourself becoming so much stronger. And use this excuse as a reason to stop frequently to explore villages or chat to farmers in the fields. The slower you travel, the more memorable the experience. There’s no hurry.
“It’s dangerous (especially alone or for females)…” There is a small risk to all of our travels. On a bike the biggest danger is from traffic, but I feel safer on my bike than I do in many of the world’s crazy, high speed, ramshackle buses with loud horns and dodgy brakes (you know the ones I’m talking about!). In terms of risk from other people, my experience is that 99% of the time you are treated better and more warmly when cycling than when backpacking. Females worrying about the dangers of travelling by bike should read the books of Anne Mustoe, Josie Dew, Dervla Murphy et al.
“I hate camping…” Then consider riding in countries where you can easily reach a town to stay in each evening. Or look at a company such as Cycling for Softies (http://www.cycling-for-softies.co.uk) to ease you towards a more challenging journey.
“I can’t mend a puncture…” Nor could Anne Mustoe, and she cycled all the way round the world twice! Bicycles, and bicycle repair stalls can be found in nearly every village in most parts of the world – you are never too far from someone who can fix your bike for you.

So, are you tempted to explore the world on a bicycle? I urge you to consider cycling even for a small part of your next adventure. If not, let me know why in the comments. If you are keen, feel free to ask post any questions you may have in the comments section and I’ll do my best to answer them for you.
But trust me on the bicycle…