Am I completely nuts...

... or why do I want to do this?

It's something I've wanted to do for over 20 years. The reasons have changed over the years, however. The pure adventuristic aspects of the old days are long gone. More recently, events in my life (sometime difficult and somewhat dramatic) have sent me on a quest that I'm still struggling to define, yet is very real. I've never been religious or spiritual, but slowly, this trek across the country has become my "pilgramage to mecca", a way to find peace and strength within myself.

Of course, the more down to earth aspects of this trip are still very present. It's something different that not very many people can say they've done, something I still hope to be proud of in another 20 years. Last year, I also resumed cycling and commuting to work after 5-6 years of complete inactivity. I’ve re-developed an appreciation of being in shape, and the "improved" enjoyment of life that goes with it. This too goes a long way towards helping me keep my sanity. I could also talk about the "green" aspect, but... I'll only say that growing crops so that we can drive bigger SUVs while the rest of the planet is starving is beyond me. Something is terribly wrong with us, I'm afraid.

On a different note, there is a lot of pressure from virtually all sides (people, events, even myself, etc) to not go on this trip. I understand my wife's worries, and the enourmous sacrifices that I'm asking her. I've had to feel the judgement of others who seem to think that I'm selfish without saying it. But to me, life is all about dreams, excitement and fighting fears. This trip sure has all of those in great abundance. I'm so grateful that the "important" people around me, those who matter and whom I care about, can understand and accept that.