I just wanted to spend a moment describing what has brought me to this place, that being on the brink of a year cycling with my partner through the Far East. Well I was born a poor black child...wait that was Steve Martin in The Jerk. I am originally from NY where my family still resides.
I have also lived in RI, CO, AZ, NC and now OR. I have spent a good part of my adult life moving around this country either via my truck, feet or bicycle.
My life now is less nomadic since I bought a house in Portland where I wile away days working as little as possible as an Emergency Dept RN (Before you say anything, the answer is "No, it is not exciting", after 7 years it is a career like any other, just one with more blood and occasionally "Your life does depend on it".) and tending to my yard, chickens and home brewing.
I have spent short stints out of the country including trekking in Peru, studying Espanol in Guatemala and eurotrashing with my mate Leigh, but nothing to the breath of our upcoming adventure.
Two years ago I crossed the US on the Northern Tier cycling route. 64 days, 3940 miles, 4 tires, 3 long e-books (I recommend the Count of Montecristo, quite the yarn), countless exceptionally gracious Warm Showers hosts and one pair of riding shorts (yes, really!) I finished the journey.
Cut to today...I live with my wonderful partner, Chiara Maltese (aka The Italian Bull in the China Shop) and her two cats...I am a dog guy. About one year ago we decided that we wanted to take some time away from PDX to clear our collective heads and get some perspective on our lives. Day to day we are quite content and always tell each other how lucky and happy we are (100% the truth), but it is amazing how things can be taken for granted. We knew it was time to get lost in foreign lands but not until we took a hard look at options were we sure that cycling in Asia was going to be our charge. Through living and working in the NW we have met people from all over the Asian continent and the depth and breath of the cultures seems boundless.
Well that catches you up to where we find ourselves...a few weeks out from an amazing journey with too much to do and a single minded focus to make this dream a reality!
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