5/6/2019
What is it like preparing oneself for a
journey of unknown duration, route or difficulty? Even
something as simple as the already booked air flight can
offer unknown challenges. How do you resist becoming
worried about the cost? What about lodging, food and
unknown dangers?
One way is not to plan very much. Don’t try
to predict where you will be on a certain day. Just let
each day bring itself to you. After so many years of
finding each day, not planning is what I do. Recently when
traveling with another person this became an area of
difficulty. They expected to know where we were going and
what we would encounter when we arrived there. For me that
concept is hard to understand.
I know what you are thinking. How is it
possible to just strike out and not know the destination?
Sometimes I will plan to stay the night in the next city
north when I mount up in the morning but will never make it
to that city. Something will distract me and my original
destination will be completely forgotten. So, what? What
does it matter? Many say that it is about the journey and
not the destination, but are incapable of living out that
philosophy.
I have told you that I am cycling from Athens,
Greece to Norkapp, Norway. That however is just to give
somewhere to start and an idea of what could happen. The
road is far too unknown for me to have any real idea of what
I will find as a route or destination. The path will be
decided each day. In fact EuroVelo 11 is still in early
development. It is not clearly defined, so it fits me
perfectly!
For many years I would declare a “Wind Day”
before I crawled into my tent for the night. When I arose
on that next day I would ride out of camp with the wind at
my back. The only directional criteria was the wind. I
used to say it prevented me from being tied to having to be
in Tucson on Tuesday. My interest is not where I am going
but rather how I get there.
So, how do I prepare myself for such
traveling? A travel list helps. Each and every item packed
is on that list. It is a list that has taken many years to
develop and provides for the right clothing, bike equipment,
camping gear, meal preparation facilities and all needed for
a month or a year on the road. The list prepares me for
almost any problem. Sunny days, storms, snow, broken bike
parts or a broken bike itself. No, hotels, no campground,
no store or restaurant, no problem, the list provides for my
backup. What about theft? How does the list help with
that? On the list and hidden away is $200
dollars. On the internet is a copy of all my credit cards
and the main page of my passport. All things that the list
tells me to do. How about injury? The list reminds me to
have a first aide kit, my medical cards and emergency
evacuation insurance. What does the list say about routes?
It tells me to have a map.
With the list carefully prepared and following
it precisely when gathering and packing my needs a big area
of worry is eliminated. It provides self confidence and
restful sleeping. Yes, many years of doing this helps but
remember there was that first trip and that was when the
list began.
As for the unexpected problems. Remember you
are on vacation, don’t let happenstance stress you to the
point of acting in such a manner as to increase the
problem. Yelling at the person causing your problem seldom
accomplishes your goal of finding a solution. Many, many
times I arrive at the ticket counter and the agent has
difficulties checking in my bike. Even though I have spoken
with the airline and gotten permission to fly it the agent
is the final word. I smile and talk with them as a friend.
I explain that I have done this many times, flying around
the world to all but the Antarctic continent . After a
while they come to my point of view. If I started telling
them they were wrong and acting in an aggressive manner. I
would only be hurting myself.
To answer the initial question of how does one
prepare for such a journey as the one I have before me?
Confidence generated by being prepared and knowing a journey
is about pleasure reduces worry. Approaching the challenge
with the anticipation of learning and meeting new people
works well for me.