Expedition Recovery

10/11/16 San Diego, CA to Mesa, AZ 417.6 Miles ridden. While up late last night doing laundry I chose to go ahead and take the opportunity to go to MRDA champs in Texas. I got up and told Lauren thank you for having let me stay and apologized for being gone so much during the visit. She said it was fine but I felt bad about how little I had actually done with her during my week stay. I ate the last two muffins Boo had given me and packed all my gear up. I got the bike loaded and got on the road about 11 am or so. I set the GPS for Mota Skates in Fountain Hills, AZ and set an extra stop for the post office along the way so I could mail home a flat rate box of stuff. It took a bunch of time but at least it got done. I pretty much rode straight through with a stop about ever 110 miles or so for fuel and a rest. Got in to Fountain Hills, Arizona at almost 7 pm and, as expected, the shop was closed up and empty. I went for gyros just up the road and then sought out the cheapest ...

9/11/16 Whitehorse, YT to Dease Lake, BC 682.4 kilometers, 424 Miles ridden. Morning started out slowly as I worked to get ready for departure. It was my first time repacking the bike and I shifted a few things around where they went to try to make for better access and balance. No real breakfast, just computer work to get everything prepped and then an egg salad sandwich and a chocolate milk at my fuel stop.  Got on the road later than I intended but mostly a smooth start. 36F when I started out. Ran into some GPS issues that left me wondering if  I was on the right route. Got directions from a hitch hiker and then figured a way around my GPS issue by rerouting to somewhere close to the border on the maps I had. It turns out my downloaded off-line GPS for my phone didn't have the Washington map loaded. Stopped to top up on fuel after just 135 kilometers just to be safe.  Had a great scone and a peach iced tea while I sat and typed on my phone to ...

9/6/16 North Pole, AK Like all great trips, this one started late too. I was supposed to leave today but as usual the VA didn't have things in order. My shot records still weren't ready after months of notice due to my provider quitting due to the bureaucracy and hurdles involved in trying to care for patients in the VA system. When he left, my order for a certified copy of my shot record so I could cross boarders when I reach South America got lost in the system. It forced me to go to the VA to handle it in person at the last minute. Then they couldn't even get them for me and I was forced to go and get them from the Army directly, which took about two minutes. What a joke. I was able to go and get all of my paperwork in order with UAF in regard to my classes and then did an impromptu presentation to the new crop of UAF Journalism students taking Writing for the News Media. It was nice to speak with the group and see that putting a spot light on PTSD, depressio...