Yakima WA to Portland OR - 6.21.2014

"You're on the road"

That's the text I woke up to from one of my best friends this morning.  

It's true.  I guess I am on the road.  It doesn't really feel like it though.  I mean, I just rode to Portland.  I've made that ride fifteen times in the last couple years.  Once on my goddamn Vespa with a pedal bike strapped to the back rack for crying in the night.  

The ride went well.  I probably had the best weather I can remember.  The Columbia Gorge can get real nasty, between wind and rain.  The river looked fantastic yesterday.  

Saying goodbye to mama and James actually went pretty decent as well.  I think we all acted like I was just going to Portland for the weekend or something.  It's funny how we even lie to ourselves to relieve the pain sometimes.  Shit.  I think goodbye so many times lately that it's getting almost common.  

I'm trying not to think about not seeing mama for god knows how long.  I'm not ready for that breakdown.  Plus, it hasn't quite yet hit bottom as to what I'm about to do.  I mean, some of the posts on the interwebs definitely pulled on the heart strings.  

James rode to the edge of town with me as a send off.  I really couldn't have asked for anything else.  

The only hiccup I had on the trip was, with my bike fully loaded, my tire would hit my brake light over the big bumps.  I'm trying to figure that out today while I'm somewhere familiar.  Might have to throw taller shocks on the old girl.  I'm also going to repack everything and try and move some weight to the front of the bike. 

It was strange riding with no gloves.  Getting your knuckles tattooed the day before you head out on a cross country motorcycle trip is something only this dumb ass would do. 

The sun is out in full force this morning.  Rare for pdx.  Too bad we all know that it's going to dump tomorrow as we head south.  

You know that feeling where you don't want to go to sleep because it means you'll wake up and tomorrow is today and yesterday is a memory that can be forgotten, distorted, and even manipulated?  

Yet, you've looked forward to tomorrow...  

Burnt every goddamn tree down in it's path, leaving a forest fire in your footsteps with a trench of sap engulfed like napalm trying to catch your heels.  

So, you look ahead, with only the light of the flames on your back guiding you towards tomorrow's tomorrow. 

What else can you do?

Can't turn back now...

In all the hustle I forgot to order my Born Free ticket.

Thankfully, Lowbrow has got speedy shipping on lock!  Talk about feeling like a bone head...

11 days left...

It's coming down to the wire.  It feels like I've still got so much to do.  It's really difficult to be at work.  I know I need the money, but, it feels like I'm wasting precious time.  I've been spending almost every free moment going through all my possessions and getting them ready for a yard sale this weekend.  I'm only keeping my records, some books, music gear, and a few keepsakes.  The rest will be stored here in Yakima until I find a home base to ship it to. 

I'm hopefully selling one of my scoots to a guy in Portland this week.  Trying to sell some music gear I don't plan on using until I post up and start playing music again.  I did find my harmonicas.  Those are most definitely going with me!  

I've also got to dig out the button maker and whip up some supporter buttons to make some beer money. 

I've got almost all my supplies in order.  Cam hooked me up with a sleeping bag, pillow, and air mattress.  I basically just need a tent and a tarp.  A few little things like sunscreen as well.  Ginger from New Church Moto is almost done with my seat and then the bike is damn near ready to go.  

I'm beyond stoked!!!

I doubt anyone reads this shit..

I'll write it anyways.  

It's been a mentally taxing week.  It hit me that I'm leaving in just over two weeks.  I've decided to hit the road with absolutely no back up plan.  I have a gut feeling that I won't be back in the NW for quite some time.  

I'm selling almost everything I own that won't fit on the bike.  The way I see it, there's no point to pay for a storage unit full of possessions that I might never use again, and if I do, I'll most likely have to rent a truck to haul them across the country to wherever I decide to post up.  It just doesn't make financial sense to me.  

As of right now, I just need to get to Savannah GA.  One of my oldest friends is kind enough to let me stay with him and his beautiful pit as long as I need to. I might make that home base for the winter or even pick up some work to recharge the wallet so I can keep traveling.  I really don't know.  

I do know that I'm picking up my tent and sleeping bag from a brother here in Yakima today or tomorrow.  That's a relief for me.  Less money I have to preventively spend.  

A lot of shit has yet to fall in to place, but, I'm feeling a bit more at peace about it.  

Plans are always changing...

I'm still headed up to Seattle on June 21st to meet up with the boys to roll down to Born Free 5.  I'm also still going to Dan Diego and Phoenix.  Although, after Phoenix I'll head to Fort Worth Texas to meet up with Heath and MC go a minute.  Then, we're off to Austin.  I guess Heath is going to try and sell Austin to me so when I'm done with this trip I'll settle down there.  I guess we'll see.  

After Austin, I'll be headed north to Minneapolis and then Milwaukee for Hood Bush.  I'll make my way over to Georgia and then Tennessee.  After that, who knows?