countdown to adventure

I'm not sure I want this entry posted. It's one of those times when I'm about to describe the exploits upon which I'm preparing to embark (is that too wordy of a sentence?) but I may come back tomorrow and say, "Well, I'm not gonna do it after all." But forget the doubting side, I'll reach for the stars (wink wink, if you know what I mean).
Tomorrow I'm leaving on my first motorcycle trip. Before your jaw hits the floor, I must admit that there will be no continent-crossing, bridge-building, off-roading, and probably not even any camping. I've set aside 3 days for this little adventure with the following goals:

Maintain an average of 200 miles/day
Stop to see and explore small towns or other interesting places
Take a roll or two of pictures that I wouldn't normally capture
Only take backroads and country roads; NO highways
Offer to help anyone that I see on the side of the road
Write down what I think about between stops and my experiences
Not plan ahead for where I'll sleep or ride (maps and compass are my guides)

The challenges that I foresee aren't too large. But after this trip, I'll have a much better idea of the limitations and planning required of motorcycling. The hard parts will be:

Riding fatigue (motorcycling is more physically demanding than driving)
The heat (hopefully a wet cotton T-shirt or long-sleeve shirt will work as A/C)
Finding good roads
Finding places to sleep
Setting a good pace between riding and sightseeing

I'm hoping it'll be a safe adventure with several anecdotes I can relate later, and perhaps even some introspection while it's just me and myself. I'm almost done packing: minimal clothing, a toolkit, maps, some books and a journal, my camera, rain gear, and some snacks and water. Sometime tomorrow around noon or 1pm, I should be on the road, riding through an experience I've never had.

odometer (guestbook)

cloud watching