Planning is going on...

The summer 2011 trip has undergone additional planning and a challenging route is under consideration. I have also been getting the bike ready for the trip, so far lacing one new rim with new spokes for the rear wheel, and next getting the front rim, which got new spokes a year ago, trued up by the local dirt bike wizard who did a great job on the first one. I have only ridden the bike 18 miles this year due to foul weather and too many other things (like work) taking up days with perfectly good riding conditions. It ran great for a 42 year old bike!

Another idea is to raise funds for a couple of military families that are living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Inspired by a Tech student that rode across the country on a bicycle and raised a lot of money for MS, I figured that as long as I am riding why not help some folks who have given to protect us all and got more than they bargained for. My current idea is to accept sponsorships at $1 per mile which, if fully subscribed, would bring in over $7000 which I would split between two families. I am counting on military friends to identify the recipients, and would give the funds to them as a Debit Card to be used as they see fit, hopefully on something to benefit the whole family. More details as the plan is finalized. If you know of a family that you think is deserving, please write up a nomination without revealing last names or other identifying details like address and send it along with YOUR contact info to me at bmw@goodhousing.net. No promises on this, but you might make someones day in July.

Click on the map above to see a bigger image. The westbound part follows Bob Pirsig's trip detailed in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance from St Paul, MN to San Francisco, CA with a detour to visit friends in eastern Oregon. The Eastbound route follows US-50 coast to coast ending in Annapolis MD, or if I can stand it, all the way to Ocean City, MD. I will be blogging and if you want you can follow along by reading the book as I relive it. I'll post page numbers for each days travel and I may offer a T shirt that I designed for the trip as well.

And note that the book is NOT about Zen or Motorcycle Maintenance.

There will be a party on the East Coast if I make it! You are invited, stand by for details.