50@50 The First Day on the Road
/Blast Off
Preparing for this trip has been the focus of my efforts over the last few months. You can say the adventure started back in early January. May 1st, 2018 is the day, today, when I embarked on the 50-day journey. As the countdown from weeks to days commenced, the reality of leaving flooded my thoughts, but was balanced by excitement and other distractions.
I spent the last 4 weeks sick, going through a few rounds of antibiotics. Nothing major, but enough of a distraction to take my mind off of leaving, not to mention stressing out over not being 100% before I left. That’s the perfectionist in me that I’m battling, believing that everything has to line-up just right. Accepting what is and what comes your way is part of the adventure, part of going with the flow. Little reminders and lessons. I was determined and committed to leave on May 1st. It’s a date I picked a while back and it makes for counting 50 days a bit easier.
Last minute preparations continued literally to the last minute. Packing and organizing the bike. Struggling to fit more than I needed and then filtering through the stuff consumed my final hours at home. This was a great distraction from thinking about the reality of leaving home for 50 days. Jeanette, my wife, was helpful as always. It was nice to spend the time with her, as most of this trip will be solo. She’ll hopefully be meeting me for 1 week, about 3 weeks in.
The bike was packed up and ready. I was geared up and ready. It was time to go. I kissed Jeanette goodbye and she took some video & pictures. Everything was working fine on the motorcycle, and it was time to go. As I pulled away from the house I wasn’t thinking about 50 days. I simply was happy to be on the bike. The wheels were turning. All my dreaming and planning resulted in the “rubber meeting the road” literally.
As the miles added up on that first day, I was putting distance between home and traveling fast to something new. I knew that I wanted to travel slowly, but it was like an ignition and launch of a rocket ship that needed to escape earth’s orbit. I blasted off and accepted that I was going to travel far and fast these first few days, to break through and start this new journey.
It was an exciting and long day on the bike. About 10 hours on the road and a total of 585 miles. I traveled from Boca Raton, FL to Troy, Alabama, 1 hour south of Montgomery, on my way to Hot Springs, Arkansas. Much of today were highway miles, but also a few smaller backroads mixed in to make it exciting. I always remind myself that what you see along the Interstate is not representative of the area. Taking backroads and going through places where people live & work gives a truer perspective on a place. Many places don’t have a personality of their own, as they’re littered with the same store chains and bad fast-food restaurants. One can argue that is “progress,” but at what cost. The other thing you find are remnants of a forgotten time. Places that have simply been abandoned.
As this trip progresses, I’m going to be diligent in seeking out backroads and towns away from the Interstate. I want to get a taste of the real America. I know those places are out there. I’ve experienced cool towns and cities with their own personalities. I just wonder if it’s getting harder to find.
“It’s true yeah, horizons are unlimited
It’s a little challenge, the limits of your will power
With a single suggestion
Take it out, go on, take it out, open it up
You feel so connected
Now you’re driving, new heights
Every sense, every sense and dimension
Now you’re on the highway
Transcendental Highway ...”