I am offically unemployed

I quit my job yesterday, and am now just getting the last few details squared away before I leave the Monday after next. While I was coming home for the last time from work, it was a beautiful sunny day, people were hanging out at the beach and I thought to myself; I am leaving a really good life behind. I have great friends, live in a cool place and had an awesome job. But here I am forsaking all of it to be a vagabond for the next three years on a bicycle with a shoe string budget.

It really does sound crazy when I spell it out, but I feel compelled to go. I know I wont feel complete if I don't at least try and accomplish this goal I have set for myself. To see the world, and achieve a fairly spectacular feat is something most people in the world are unable to even consider. I feel lucky to even have the opportunity to try and do something like this. I know that if I were to take the safer road and stay here, enjoy the last of my twenties in Southern California, things would be relatively safe and certain but for me, boring! I would always regret not having taken the chance to do something amazing.

So I ready myself for the coming adventure and with a smile on my face turn my back on the safe path. The thing is the safe path is only safer by perception. I have lost two close friends in the past two months to freak accidents and their loss has only driven home to me the fact that our time here is limited and that we must all live our lives only the way that we want to live them because at any moment, we could be gone.

The bike, fully loaded!

I got a few pictures of the bike fully loaded and ready to roll. It handles a little sluggishly with all the kit and it feels like it may tip over if I am forced to take a sharp turn, but on the straights, it just sails right along. As I ride it more frequently with a full load, I am sure handling it will become second nature.

It is a somewhat strange thought that all of my worldly possessions for the next three or so years, will fit into that little yellow bag! It is a little scary to give up so many amenities that I am used to, but I have to say it is also really liberating to boil life down to the essentials. Time will tell how it plays out in practice.

One Month Till Lift Off!

I am coming down the home stretch in the countdown to freedom and adventure! I have my ducks lined up and am now in cruise mode until my departure date of March 10th. It is an incredibly good feeling to be able to relax and just enjoy the last 4 weeks remaining to me before I leave.

No more getting up at 4am for work, no more 12 to 14 hour days, no more stressing out. Now, I just need to tie up loose ends and prepare for departure. My average work day now consists of getting up at 6 or 7, a nice leisurely breakfast, ride my bike at cruising speed to work traffic free, take care of the day's tasks for a few hours and then head back home. Oh, and the ride is nice! I roll along the board walk for half of it!

Each day feels so great. After years of busting my butt, stressing and dreaming about leaving, my trip is so close now, I can taste it. Once March 10th comes, I will get on that bike and pedal off with a smile on my face from ear to ear.