Packing

Since I'm leaving tomorrow, today was dedicated to taking an inventory of all my stuff, buying any missing things, and packing it all up. I attempted to pack all my stuff into my yellow duffel bag and tank bag THREE times before it all fit. I had to take out: a bag of ground coffee, a 5 gallon water carrier, three shirts, three pairs of socks, swim trunks, and a pair of shorts. While I was buying everything I kept reminding myself that space is at a premium and I still managed to go past the limit. I wish I had one of those big BMW R1200's right now. I could pack all this stuff on there with plenty of room to spare. My bike isn't exactly designed for long distance touring, but it's what I've got so I'm making do. When I did my Grand Canyon trip last year, I stayed in motels (HoJo's and 6's) and fitting everything on the bike was not a problem. All the camping gear really adds a lot even though I've got the bare minimum.

Below is a picture of all the bags I'll have with me on my trip. From top to bottom: tent, foam mattress, sleeping bag, yellow duffel, and my tank bag.



The realness of what I'm about to do is finally catching up with me. I've found that although I plan for the future, I don't really internalize the feelings associated with my plan until it actually happens. I'm sure I'll be fine, but what I'm about to do is no joke. Any time you take yourself out of your urban surroundings and get closer to nature, there's real danger. It really makes you appreciate how much of our society is geared around making life safe and muting the consequences of mother nature.