Countdown - 2 days

i'm sure you are all relieved to hear, the ventura rack has been mounted!!!!! i am a happy MP. 0:-D i hosed off the saddle bags from the baja journey and we are almost ready to go! still need the rear tire for ratbike to magically appear on the porch. ye really wishes this would have come in yesterday, but i'm secretly pleased that it didn't come in last night. that meant he could concentrate on my ventura rack, and he did!!! now i hope the tire gets here, or i think my riding will be about as far as l.a.

i wish i had more time at home to really get things packed, but i can make my ever-comforting lists at work and get it all thought out, pulling it together is easy from there. i noticed when i pulled out my big ventura pack this morning that a couple of the standard packing items are still in there (first aid kit, siphon hose, bungee cords). i *know* the air pump is not and i must not forget to throw that in!!

i'm getting excited now. looking forward to life on the road for a while. the "unexpectedness" that comes with it. some get really stressed out by that, i used to, but i find that letting it happen and then dealing with it on the fly are some of the best times of a trip. the most memorable. deciding each morning how far to ride for the day, when/where to stop and dealing with all the little things in between. most exciting are the events or sights that aren't planned, that God bestows upon you to keep you guessing, keep you moving forward.

well, okay. looking forward to tires and maps being delivered today, hopefully. we can do without one more easily than the other. ;-)