Gettin' Real

Yesterday we bought one way plane tickets to Vancouver- woo hoo! Our adventure, long an amorphous vision, is really happening. In exactly two weeks, I'll take (and please lord pass) the bar exam, and 5 days later, on August 4, we'll head to Vancouver. We haven't bought a return ticket because we have no idea how long we'll be gone. We're guessing about a month and a half, but who knows what'll come up.

One of the cool things about this tour is that because I don't start work until the end of November, we are totally unrestrained by time. We'll be free to linger on the beach, take unplanned side trips, explore towns big and small, and really take time to be completely present in the experience, unencumbered by the real life worries and responsibilities we will face at home.

Although Arik is a pretty que sera, sera go with the flow kinda guy, this will be brand new territory for me. I plan trips meticulously, down to the restaurants we'll eat at, I don't go anywhere without my google maps printout in hand, and my clothes are color coordinated. I like to be in control of my life and this tour will take me emphatically out of my comfort zone. That's a big reason why I'm looking forward to it.

After considering getting an iphone to have access to a GPS, Arik and I decided to go without it, and will instead rely on good old fashioned maps, human know how and interaction to meander our way down the coast. We have no idea where we'll be staying, what we'll be eating, or when we'll finally roll into Imperial Beach. What we do know is that we'll be biking the coast for a pressing cause, and that whatever craziness happens along the way, we'll have each other to lean on and laugh with.

Be well,

Arik and Mia

http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2009/ariknmiabike