First - its good to hear you aren't letting your condition get in the way of your dreams.

Secondly - Don't write off the solo adventure.

As previously stated, the answer ultimately lies with you and your knowledge of the realities of your condition. I'd like to pitch in with my experience, however, in case it helps you come to a decision.

At 17 years old I was diagnosed with epilepsy. A very mild form, the incidence of seizures was initially around once every year or two. Now, having discovered my triggers, I haven't had one for over 12 years. Those triggers were a lack of sleep and altitude. Altitude is easy to control, lack of sleep, less so, especially when travelling. (I find a small supply of Temazepam helps deal with occasional sleeplessness.)

I decided at 17 that I wasn't going to let the epilepsy stop me doing the things I wanted to do. I just figured the risks in with all the others. It soon became apparent that due to my condition, it was easier for me to plan solo trips than make my friends adapt their plans to suit my needs (although I still did plenty of trips with them, when they were appropriate).

Since then I have climbed ice solo, mountaineered solo, snowboarded solo on extreme descents and in the backcountry, ski-toured solo, canoed solo, ridden my motorcycle on long trips solo and I'm off to the interior of iceland on a solo cycle tour in August. The fact is, since discovering the peculiar pleasures of solo adventures, I can't get enough of them!

There is, of course, a very small chance that I'll have a seizure at an inopportune moment one of the these days and it will be, as they say, curtains for Mr Cartney. However, this is just one risk among many and I mitigate for it by reducing risks in other ways. I am cautious in the mountains and ride my motorbike like an elderly vicar, and I don't do anything risky after a bad night's sleep. I reckon the risks of me coming a cropper are probably less than someone who, say, razzes their bike like a loon or is sloppy in their navigation.

Adventure is not adventure without some element of risk. You simply have to ask - am I prepared to accept the risks presented by this situation? If those risks are acceptable then go do it and don't let anyone else make that decision for you.

Just use your experience and judgement lead you to the correct decision.

Have a good trip, whatever you decide!

Matt


PS - A scottoiler is not necessarily a good idea in the desert as the oily chain picks up grit and increases wear, so I believe. I used a 'dry' wax type lube and it seemed to work well.

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*Disclaimer* - I am not saying my bike is better than your bike. I am not saying my way is better than your way. I am not mocking your religion/politics/other belief system. When reading my post imagine me sitting behind a frothing pint of ale, smiling and offering you a bag of peanuts. This is the sentiment in which my post is made. Please accept it as such!