Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. ~ attributed to Mark Twain

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Its seems kind of funny to see a picture of myself actually riding. When I'm on the bike, I'm so engrossed with what is going on inside my helmet that I don't generally consider what it might look like from the outside.

I had no idea Kenny was capturing spy shots of us on the go. I found it kind of neat to see myself in motion, completely natural and unaware. There were a few times on the trip when Ed or Greg had moved ahead and tried to catch pics of us moving through the environment naturally. Being the ding-a-ling that I am, I would come around a corner and see them with the camera and completely stand the bike up and practically park it in the corner as soon as I saw them. :D So much for full lean, fancy action shots.

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Welp, it's running and full of fun - finished assembling it last night, and it's officially road worthy.

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I will be the first to admit that I will say things like, &quotOh, bears are so cool. I'd love to see a bear!" In passing these comments are meaningless but when you really consider seeing a bear close up, you just might feel entirely different about it.

When we were riding through Sequoia National Park I made it clear to Kenny that I needed a little space from the group. When you're used to doing things on your own, stopping and starting a train of people can feel a little claustrophobic at times, so I just wanted to do my own thing for a little while. With that off I went on my own, the gang still behind me but out of sight, I slowly moved along up the road towards the Giant Forest Museum feasting on the wonder of my surroundings.

As the road climbed and rounded a curve to my left in my peripheral vision I saw something brown bound out of the foliage. In my limited scope of animal exposure, I had assumed in that split second was a deer. I came to an abrupt, shaking stop in the middle of the the uneven road, nearly dropping my motorcycle. My arms had instantly gone to jelly. There standing momentarily was a small bear, about 20 feet away from me. I was stunned and completely startled. It was a curious natural reaction that I didn't even have time to really consider consciously. Clearly my brain was frightened.

The bear didn't really think much of me and didn't linger. It scurried its way up the banking on the right side of the road and slowed its gate to a meandering stroll. I could see a green tag on its ear as it turned around to look at me, still shaking in the middle of the road. Kenny pulled up along side of me and I pointed to the bear and he was able to grab a quick shot with his camera.

Its not a perfect shot - but its enough to say "look what I saw!" My first bear. And in hindsight... hopefully my last from that close up.

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Tonight I said to Kenny, "When do we leave for California?" I swear, it already seems like it was 5 years ago that we were there and I haven't even been home for a solid week yet.

Though each morning I've gotten to see the giant pinecone I brought back for Chloe in the middle of the kitchen table and it makes me smile. I'm not ready to let the feelings fade away yet but each time i reach out to get a firm hold on them, it seems like they are a little more gauzy and slip through my fingers just a little bit easier. I guess thats why I keep going through these 750 pictures I took, trying to keep the vividness. 

'06 & '07 too :)

"....I miss you...
I'm goin' back home to the West Coast.
I wish you woulda put yourself in my suitcase..."

- Coconut Records

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