Launch Date: Oct. 2nd 2006

Cross-country tour update. I am on my way east again. (how many times will I say those words?) this time it feels real. I have had a wonderful 2 weeks so far and have had moments where the world around me feels brand new. I have been with people that are dear to me and I have had some time to myself. My bike has been great. I have had no mechanical problems. I have had a fair bit of weather on this trip and my gear and the bike have all handeled it very well. I have waterproof ballistic nylon pants and jacket with plastic inserts at knees, elbows, shoulders, spine, and hips. I have heated vest and gloves that plug ito my bike, To be warm while riding the back of this yellow machine in the rain at 65 mph with an air temp of 38 and windchill of 25 farenheight... Its incredible. Absolutely stunning feeling.

Read below for the day by day account of what i've been doing. (all entries are writen after the fact) I am trying to be more diligent in writing this stuff down earlier.

first week.

This is the morning that I left flagstaff, Az. First light with my dad, Rob, in the driveway at his house. I was pretty anxious to get on the road. The previous two days had been filled with agonizingly slow packing and errend running. I keep wondering at the ways in which we sabotage ourselves. Even as I just couldn't wait to start traveling, the fears that I have made it difficult to do anything that would speed up my departure.
So, as my alarm rang at 5:00, I was immediately got up and poured a cup of coffee for myself and for dad, clicked my luggage on to the bike, took this picture and rode into the sunrise. 5 minutes later, i was greeted by one of the most beautiful sunrises I've ever seen. From the top of the hill, I had views of the sky that just wouldn't end.
I stopped for breakfast in Winslow. As I sat there eating oily sredded potatoes, eggs and salty sausage, I felt like the time I did when I had a fish and rice breakfast in a smokey hostel in Kunming, China; it was good, it was where I'd never been before.

I met Tori Johnson on the river two summers ago. She was an assistant of Kevin Greif, another guide for AzRA. I had the fortune of doing a trip with Tori's dad, Bruce Johnson, a sculptor from Marin County. Tori is a masters student in Landscape Architecture at University of New Mexico. When I first arrived in Albuquerque, I went and got a haircut at a strip mall and started calling around to make reservations for a massage. I stayed at her house for two nights, and walked around the university area during the days. It was good to find out what Tori is working on with school and to see where she lives. Thanks, Tori!

Santa Fe was wonderful. I stayed at Sharon Woods' house in the north west of town. Sharon and my dad have been together for about a year and during that time I have seen nothing but good things come of it. Sharon is a home designer and the owner of her design/build company Woods Homes. Earlier this year, I drove to Santa Fe with my dad for the weekend. We saw the opera, Cinderella, at the Santa Fe opera house and saw 5 homes on the Tour of Homes. Sharon's entry in this year's Hacienda Tour of Homes won . Besides the laurels, I truely is a beautiful home. I enjoyed it emensely.

Sandy and Carl hosted, Phil Smith, Stephen Auger, Sharon and myself over for a dinner on wednesday night Oct 04. I can't even describe the meal. It was so good. The salmon just melted in your mouth, the complex salad had a simple dressing, and the rice was "just something I [sandy] made up". It was so good. Some background: Sandy is writing a book on how our brains "map" the human body; Carl is a process guru for local government public projects and policy changes (if I understood correctly); Phil Smith is one majorly connected man; Stephen Auger is an accomplished artist in several different media. Phil brought a collection of his friends and aquantainces down the colorado river this summer and each of them know him in a slightly different capasity. He has done many incredible things, least of which is uprunning the grand canyon in jet boats. Yes, he was on that trip.

A couple days before I left Flagstaff on my motorcycle, I bought a nikon speelight sb-800. I was anxious to learn how to use it and this is the first attempt at using it inside. From left to right: yours truely, Carl, Sharon, Sandy, Phil, and Stephen. I am comming back down to Santa Fe for thanksgiving and look forward to seeing all of you again. I am also looking forward to seeing Joan and Bernie, as they were in mexico when I came through on my motorcycle. Thanks, everyone.