A Whistling What?

Fool I Say! .. for surely anyone that walks around whistling, as much as I do, must be a bit foolish, eh? You can surely tell when I am in a good mood, as I will be blowing away and won't even know it. Obviously the only safe place for me to be when this happy, for the protection of others, is inside a helmet and if one is going to be living with a helmet ones head, then that one should be on a motorcycle... and it might as well be moving, and if it is doing that it should be going somewhere.


There, all explained.

sigh... somehow, I know, that this explanation, as valid as it might be to you and me, will not in anyway sway those of you who are bound to tell me that what I am about to do is just a bit whacked. I have Geoff's endorsement, what more could I possibly need? Then again, he is a courier in London and by his own admission, is considered not quite in the center.

I do not think my brother will understand and frankly I have no desire to explain it. My dear brother, who has tirelessly been slogging through the process of settling my mothers estate, with huge amounts of help from my SIL ( me thinks that I will point them at this blog once I am on the road ), worries too much. But that is him and I have learned to just accept it. I think my ssister will tsk tsk me, but will be supportive.

I *am* putting myself in a precarious situation for sure. I have a mortgage, for which I have funds secured away that will last through the winter of 09-10. I have no other debt. I have enough to pay for the trip and keep me alive through the Fall, but I will have to find a job, and in the current economy, that is looking extremely ugly.

Today is very sunny and in the 40's here in Maine. A very welcome change. The drive to the basement, where the bike is, is very gishy with mud floating on top of still-frozen earth beneath. Just getting to it means a muddy slog...... wait I have old planks... !!

Yesterday the Heated Grips showed up. So I now have everything I need to start the farkle process on the bike.... I sent out an email to Bob at Ma's Cycles yesterday inquiring on the status of my order for a set of crash bars... I'm not worried per se, but anxious as they have been on order a month... Ma's works with a shop that would normally not do such small runs of materials, but they have managed to get them to fit in there needs in between jobs, and they do fantastic work, so it will be worth the wait. I did a bunch of research looking at crash bars and settled on the Ma's product for the value and that it is made here in the States. They are also supporting me by giving me a discount on the bars..... for my part I hope they don't prove their worth, but will be glad they are there if they do. My plans do call for some serious gravel travel, so it will be a comfort to know I can just let go if the bikes starts going over, and depend on the bars to catch the bike.

Oh, I scored a set of the driving lights I have been looking for on eBay last night! I really will feel better overall if I have a set of driving lights on the bike, but the Tigers alternator would have issues with std 55 watt bulbs. PIAA makes a 35 watt H3 Bright White bulb that the 004XT lights can use. These lights run about $160 a pair with installation kit, and I managed to pick them up for less than $90 shipped. I am really hoping that is the last item, but given the last few months additions to the "must have for trip" list, I shouldn't invest to heavily in that hope.

In later posts, I want to go over the budget more, do a post about my goals for myself and the trip, and share more of then thought process going on in my head for planning the aspects of the trip.