Return To Forever

I’ve been exercising by climbing these 137 steps straight down to

Swami’s surf beach in Encinitas, California

As the days tick by I can’t help but feel loss and longing. Earlier this month I passed the break-even point. That is, I’ve been more days in recovery and at home than I did on the road for the first leg of my WorldRider trip. It’s a push-me pull-me see-saw when it comes to discussing my inevitable return to the road. Family, friends and loved ones don’t want me to go back. And those who still fall into the former group that urge me to continue and promise me that they understand – understand me. I must return.

So the preparations are in process. The spare parts collection on the floor is growing. Sprockets. Chain. Spark plugs. Filters. And odd things like a headlamp snap-pin module. My bike still sits in Bolivia. It hasn’t been started for more than 7 months. I’ll need to pick up a new battery in Sucre – where Jorge the kind Bolivian gentlemen who has graciously stored and watched over Doc will meet me and help me get my bike ready for WorldRider – The Second Leg. Even better, Jorge will join me as I ride to the Salar and onward to Chile and San Pedro de Atacama. And while I never met him, I feel close to him as a friend. My homecoming is long overdue.

The offers to help continue to roll in. I’m forever thankful and humbled by the support of my friends, family and the motorcycling community. I wonder if I’m deserving of this generosity — especially from those whom I’ve never met. All of you, thank you.

Am I ready? No one is every ready for a journey like this. As for my health, it’s been better. It’s been worse. Truly, I’m a bit apprehensive.

Just a couple months ago my friend of more than 20 years Jim took off on a journey that he and his buddy Bill. had planned for a good part of a year. Not on adventure motorcycles, but on Harley’s they set out on a three-week journey to discover and explore the great west of these United States. Their plan was simple. Trailer their bikes from Southern California until they were deep into Scenic Utah where they’d unload the bikes and begin a giant loop of the west. They’d trailer the bikes back at the end of the journey.

In a flash Jim and Bill’s journey came to an abrupt end when a dear ran into Jim’s motorcycle. Bill followed suit and hit the dear. They both went down. Fortunately, their injuries weren’t serious. But what the painkiller’s couldn’t do is give Jim and Bill back their time and their adventure. I know they’ll be back. But this is another episode that underscores that no matter where you are, something could happen. Dwelling on such circumstances does not good and certainly isn’t healthy. For if the harbinger of doom knocks at my door – I’ve got harsh words for him. That is, if I choose to answer.

David McMillan and his trusty Honda TransAlp fresh off the “boat” from Australia where he

ended a 16 month odyssey 2-up with girlfriend Erika Tunick

Last week I finally met David McMillan, a fellow world-traveling motorcyslist who 16 months ago left his home in San Francisco with his girlfriend Erika in tow and started on his own around the world motorcycle tour. He finished his tour in Austalia last week. Over a bottle of great wine (1997 Flora Springs Rutherford Reserve for those of you who care) we chatted about his amazing journey through Central Asia, Pakistan, India, Thailand, Laos, Indonesia and more. A cow ran into him in Laos. A month of recuperating on great Thai food in Bangkok and he was back on the road. He promises to get his blog up to date. But what’s there is amazing. Check it out here.

Many questions linger. And I don’t have the all the answers. But I will return to Bolivia soon. And i will ride to the bottom of the world. Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, I’ve been in constant touch with Jeremiah who is also scrambling his stuff together so he can catch a flight to Rio de Janeiro later this month. We’re hoping to meet in Bolivia. Together we’d like to go back to Tica Tica and reacquaint ourselves with the beautiful people from that town that helped me when in a pile of mud in their tiny town my journey came to an abrupt end. From there we’ll go to the Salar.