May 23, 2023 - at 4:15 AM I'll be sitting on Dralla (my bike) waiting for first light - fully loaded - to begin my RTW trip. Four years of planning, work, research, buying the bike, modding, getting gear ready, selling everything and now I'm running out of time...

Part One - Ottawa to the Labrador Hi'way to Blanc Sablon, ferry across to Newfoundland - When done ferry to NS via Argentina - visit folks in the east - then its across Canada to Edmonton. Still trying to decide if I ride this or ship it...

Part Two - Edmonton to Tuktoyaktuk - to Alaska

Part Three - Alaska to Central America - where the plan is to spend a bunch of months taking a break, studying Spanish, gathering myself for part 4.

Part Four - three years in South America

As time gets close the emotions are interesting. Excitement mixed with fear. Methinks a little fear is a good thing. Keeps you on your toes.

I still have a lot to do. Shutting down an an entire career and life is a lot of work. And there's an interesting side effect I didn't expect - a loss of identity. I know this will disappear as the road and routine gets into place...but its been disconcerting.

I work every day on all my systems. Its complicated, and until I show you it working, you'll not believe me - but its close. Big steps every day.

Believe it or not I've found a new and powerful ally - ChatGPT. This technology has helped me solve more problems or opened doors that I never knew existed before than any other single technology. I use it every day now.

The bike is apart again in the garage...waiting for March 1st where no matter what the temperature is outside, I have to get at it and finish the wiring, mods to panniers, and other systems, so I can actually pack and see what I've done to myself.

Part one and two plus parts three are in Canada for a reason. I love my country and I have to see Newfoundland again. There's places I haven't been yet. But its also a way for me to shake down all my systems in a place where I can get parts, know people and get settled into a groove - get the mind, body and spirit ready for an never ending road.....

Good luck to you - sounds like a true travel adventure, giving up your settled life to become a traveller. In my opinion there is no greater opportunity in life - so much more rewarding than undertaking a fixed duration trip with a defined end. I did the same when I was 25 (in Asia).

My advice would be don't worry too much about the plan, don't make your set-up too complex and heavy, don't let early tribulations put you off your goal, and make sure everything is really tied up back at 'home' before you leave.

I had planned the first few months and they were great, but the real adventure began when the plans became vague and fuzzy. Then it was down to chance meetings, snap decisions and a shot of luck for the coming years.

EO

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EurasiaOverland a memoir of one quarter of a million kilometres by road through all of the Former USSR, Western and Southern Asia.

Too late on the complex setup - you'll be hearing more about this - thank you for the reply and advice. Canada, due to weather constraints will be under a fairly tight schedule. Don't wanna be in Tuktoyaktuk in December. The REAL adventure and fuzzy begins in Central America - where my only time constraint will be visas.

And three years in South America is a guess...It may be two, or it may be more - let the fuzzy rule. The world is moving in strange directions right now. Politics will play a role...

But my inoculations are all done. Camp gear 90%. Gas and water done. Clothes done. Work on the bike is electrical and storage mostly. A few other things.

The big stuff is clearing out. It will be hard to say bye to some people. When in Central America, planning on renting a house for 2 to 3 months and sending the address north - come on down - its warm, and you have a place to stay....

Good luck and you finally made it, I remember your deliberation on bike choice several years back..!! Looks like we'll be hitting Labrador around the same time, we are looking to set off West from Signal Hill end of May so I reckon we'll be chasing your tail into June/July..!! You must be super excited? We'll done Sir

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Just finished all critical electrical systems. Now working on panniers. I've had them modified for my use, but lots still left to do. The weather here has been cold and crappy and working outside at zero degrees for 10 hours a day is hard on the body.

I don't have a car anymore and this slows down the ability to just run and get what you need. But I have to admit that things have gone full green light. Finances in order. Health in order. Bike coming. By end of week I'll be doing a test pack of everything.

Maybe some of you will relate to this. As I'm closing out my life here, going over people to say goodbye to - there was a friend who I lost touch with maybe 7 years ago. This one hurt. I helped him move his mothers stuff out of the house after her passing, and then never heard from him again. I tried. This loss left a hole, an unfinished blemish that I never understood. This person is one of those totally unique individuals that are once in a life. I refuse to live life with regrets - but the hole existed....

Three days ago, I found his wife on FB and sent her a message. Just saying how I was soon leaving - that I'm sorry, and tell this person, no matter what, miss them Jove them, and always will.

He called me the next day. It was like zero time had passed, and the next morning he was at my house for a visit. And the hole in my spirit closed. I felt light, and whole, and this was perfect and beautiful.

I can leave. Dealt with everything. The holes are filled. My spirit is as clean as it can be after a longer time on the planet. Dralla is raring to go. Me, I'm ambivalent and unsure, but again, I think this is a good thing. To question yourself in the midst of a major life change is necessary.

Folks have been warning me of depression and loneliness after a time on the road. Taking this seriously. Working on it now - to be ready, aware, and to formulate a plan. Its called visualization - sitting totally quiet and still - putting yourself in it - and embracing the fact that this is what I want, worked on, stayed focused on for 4 years now - spent umpteen hours studying, learning, and praying for.

Its really cool to see each thing that I worked on, all the small parts be installed tested and working. To have the theory proved. But the actual proof will be on the road - and only now, in this moment, am I truly ready.

Yup - I'm ready.

Thanks for reading.