the day before i leave on my adventure

the last few days I've been saying my goodbyes. I've been going to see every concert in Ithaca, giving my pop punk friends the last hurrah the bands and crowd deserve. I've been saying goodbye to all my unrelated little brothers and sisters who I've had the privilege to teach to swim. My bosses, or should I say mentors, are all excited for me and this incredible trip. Five years in the wanting, a year in the savings, I am about to ride my bike to the Pacific by myself. No politics, no compromising, just me, my journey, and countless new faces. My skills as an eagle scout have saved my own life in the wilderness more times than I'd like to admit. I've saved myself from drowning in the Delaware river, I've splinted my own knee and protected it until I made my way to a doctor, I've made stretchers, sleds and bridges out of logs to help myself and others escape storms with injured companions. These experiences don't just make me tough, they make me smart in emergencies. To this day I use my creativity to fix my bike, not the expensive and confusing assortment of tools that can be found in bike shops. I owe so much to others, but I owe this trip to myself. I will blog, I will take pictures, I will let the world see what I see. Into the unknown I go.