Lighten it up, Chief!

Countdown - 21 Days!

I heard from my good friend Myles today. For those just joining us, or for those who may have forgotten, Myles is an old Army buddy (and yes, HE is really old) who will be joining me for two days of this adventure. He'll take me through the Glacier National Park, then accompany me to Bellingham, Washington before he scoots south to Oregon.

Anyway, Myles said something that struck a nerve (when doesn't he?). He said the tone of this blog had gotten a little fierce lately. It seemed stressed, pushed, tense.

I don't want that at all.

This is supposed to be a fun blog. One you'll enjoy reading and want to come back for more to see what the day's adventures hold.

So, I'm going to lighten the mood a little this time around. I thought instead of telling you what's going through my head, I'd share with you the common refrains I've heard from friends, co-workers and others when they hear about me taking this trip. Many get repeated, and some are quite funny.

Top 5 reactions to hearing about this trip (to throw you off a little, I'll count down to number 1)

5. What does your wife think about this? Why isn't she going?
Jannette is all for it. She knows that I'm not really wired completely right, but she knows this is something I've wanted to do for a long time. She knows that the great northwest US is one of my favorite places and she knows I like to do things a little differently than others.

However, she also knows that while my butt can do 600 miles in a day - day after day-, hers can't. She realized early on that this wouldn't be a fun trip at all for her if we spent that much time in the saddle. There's nothing like a vacation where you are in pysical pain for most of it. Kinda takes the gild off the rose, to slaughter a metaphor or three.

4. You keep saying this is for charity..what charity and why?
I chose the CCFA after seeing what two of my co-workers go through with their respective cases of Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. It's not pretty to watch people lose weight practically in front of your eyes. But what struck me most was the presence of mind that both of these people had to fight these conditions. It is quite rare to hear either of these people gripe or moan...and NEVER about their afflictions. They just have a positive attitude about everything and that's admirable.
American Lung Association, Cancer Society, March of Dimes, American Heart Association, etc, are all very good charities. They've just been helped by every Tom, Dick and Harry. This Gordo wants someone else to get the recognition for a change (see above where I talk about doing things differently. Hmmmm). I wanted to bring awareness to Crohns and Colitis because so few are. And the more we -collectively- know about it, the more we -collectively- can DO about it.
IF you choose to make a donation, bless you. I won't pressure you. But at least take a minute to learn a little more about it. There's a whole Internet out there with all sorts of information. Go for it.

3. You're going ALONE?!
Yes. Well, I didn't WANT to go alone originally. I wanted my riding buddy Matt to go with me (and if you read this blog back far enough you'll see that was the original plan). Unfortunately, Matt had to take care of his family the best he could in this rotten economy and just couldn't make it. You can't blame him (I don't). But I also couldn't wait another year. I've been planning this trip for 3 years already. If I wait any longer, I'll explode. OR all the people that I talk to regularly would murder me for taking up another year of their life talking about the trip.

I've assured my wife (and keep trying to assure myself) that there's nothing to worry about. I'm a big boy (bigger than many) and I can take care of myself. (I can hear Jannette laughing at that line already). Besides, the solitude will give me a chance to do some heavy duty reflecting and I need that break from my multi-tasking hectic days.

2. Oh! I thought for a minute you meant bicycle, not motorcycle!
Are YOU stoned? Have you actually looked at me? I have a body that would crush the average bicycle. Who in the hell can get from Fort Wayne to Alaska and back on a bicycle within a year? No, no offense to bicyclists, but I didn't earn this gut from exercise. I've invested wisely in Taco Bell, Coors Light, and chocolate, and as you can see, I've been paid dividends!

1. Are you just completely nuts?
I am not a qualified psychiatrist or analyst, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. Therefore, I cannot answer that truthfully and completely. Yes, I think you have to be a little bit nuts to do this. You also have to be willing to do something that will attract attention in a positive way to get people to focus on the message you want to send (learn about Crohns and Colitis! Discover what you can do to help!)
It's a vacation. It's work. It's a charitible effort. It's gonna be fun. I hope you keep tuning in to see what I see, experience what I experience, and learn what I learn. Who knows? You might even end up in a book someday (if you make reasonable and kid-friendly comments to these blogposts.)
But to answer the #1 question? Short Version: Yes.

But ain't it fun to watch!?