Route Discussion

The more I think about the route this summer, the less of a route I come up with. This trip is transforming from a rigid standard GDMBR ride to a GDMBR with a few tweaks to now, a free exploration of the North America West. I feel like I would miss out on too many great places if I stick to a predetermined route.

After I graduate in May, I am not going to have any responsibilities, completely free to roam the Earth. I plan on having a general idea of where I'm going at least for the first 1000 miles but after I have worked out the kinks in my setup and become comfortable bikepacking in remote locations, predetermined destinations will begin to disappear.

I foresee the main reason for wanting to come home to be loneliness. I expect to feel like what it truly means to be alone on this trip on a daily basis, and while it may be fun exciting and fun for a while, its bound to become an extremely lonely experience. Humans are social creatures who need companionship and community to survive. It has been shown that when these ingredients are neglected, the mental state of these creatures becomes altered in an unhealthy manner. Good thing my friends and family are planning on meeting me along the way helping to keep the spirits up. Although I can see that saying goodbye after many lonely nights in the wilderness could be rough.

This summer I will experience the ultimate feeling of freedom and I am itching to get started. All these thoughts about this summer are making it real hard to focus on school right now but without a diploma in May all these thoughts are just dreams.