It Is Getting So Close

Despite a year and a half of preparation it still feels like the last minute details are going to overwhelm me. However, closing out the end of the school year is always an exhausting and time consuming process. Nevertheless, I really hoped to be totally packed by now.

The last two boxes arrived this afternoon. One was the last shipment of freeze dried food from Nito-Pak, and the other contained rechargeable batteries and a charger that will work off my Solio solar charger for my Garmin GPS and my camera. The third box in the picture is some coffee for my wife.




Figuring out the logistics of the menus and the drop boxes has consumed an inordinate amount of time and effort. I posted that information as a service to those who might not otherwise be willing to invest as much energy into the process.

New Mexico is the biggest challenge logistically, and I am kind of cheating by having my wife meet me in Grants and in Cuba. However, that is something she really wants to do, so let's let her do it. It is definitely not cheaper for her to drive, but she wants to bring one of my granddaughters out to see what I am doing. That's great! I can't wait to see them out there on the trail.

My wife is much relieved about the trip since I started using the SPOT to track my location. She is also glad that I am not traveling alone; especially since a 5 year old was attacked by a young mountain lion (cougar) in the mountains near us this past weekend. He was only 20-30 feet ahead of his parents when he was ambushed. He will live, but it is going to take a lot of reconstructive surgery to restore his facial features.



I have decided to go with my "holey" tires. I don't see much point changing them out until I get to at least Cuba, NM or maybe even Del Norte, CO. The heavy monsoon rains last summer produced a bumper crop of thorns and goatheads. I am not trying to start a new religion, but I BELIEVE in sealant. Apparently I am the only one in my group who is using sealant. In fact, I think I might be the only one going tubeless too?



I got my "summer haircut" right after work today. I also need to finish packing. If I still have any time and energy left, then I will drop the skid plate on my Xterra and change out the belts. They are starting to dry crack. I really don't want my wife breaking down in the 100+ heat of the Chihuahuan Desert after she drops us off Friday morning. I want her to put the pedal to the metal and get the heck out of there post-haste. It's no place for a woman to be alone. Actually, Naran's friend will be driving his truck back to Arizona, so I am going to ask them to stick together until they get back to I-10.

Tomorrow at this time I will be picking up Cas at the airport and we will be heading down to Deming, NM. Meanwhile Naran and Dave will be making their way from Arizona to Lordsburg, NM. Tomorrow they are also going to try find time to hide a cache of water for us to pick up north of Separ on the second day.

A week from now we should be past Wall Lake, and have eaten lunch near Beaverhead Work Center in the Gila National Forest. In the afternoon we will push on far enough to put Pie Town within two days riding distance. It is amazing when you can start thinking in terms of "a day's ride." It puts a different perspective on life. That's a good thing!

If we have some tailwinds like there were today, then we will be in Banff in no time. Fat chance!