Crunch Time - 4 days to go!

Introduction ... another Rob

The pressure is on, 10-10-10 is near, and it is time to introduce myself as the second half of the team. Since both of us are called Rob, we will identify ourselves by RobC and RobT (which puts me ahead alphabetically, but that doesn't mean I am the faster part of the team). RobT and I got to know each other on a memorable motorcycle trip in Peru/Bolivia/Chile in 2007 (see 2007 Andean Adventure blog) and again on a short trip in the Chilean and Argentine northern Patagonia in 2008. Now it is time for the big one - 6 months of sharing our riding, experiences and adventures, and I am looking forward to it!

RobT will be riding solo this coming Saturday from Cambridge, Ontario, to the metropolis of Jenison, Michigan, from where we take off on Sunday morning, but not without a little send-off party on Saturday evening with friends, fellow riders, BMW of Grand Rapids people and perhaps the local newspaper.

My bike (BMW 2002 R1150GS) is ready to go and packed. It is quite a heavy machine with all the luggage (they call it a "Bakbeest" in Dutch), but it rolls along surprisingly smoothly and comfortably on the road. We will see how it does on the washboard gravel and dirt roads of South America and Africa. If the luggage falls off, I'll be that much lighter.

We plan to update this blog with frequent adventure reports and photos and we will try to answer any of your comments or questions from cyber cafés or wi-fi hot spots along the route.

Frequently, friends ask "and what does your wife say about your being gone for six months?" Here is part of Gabriela's answer: "...we are not a conventional family...we have been married for almost 18 years, we are in different stages of our lives and we support each other. Rob has worked most of his life, since he was a young boy. Now he has a dream, I agree it is crazy and dangerous, but he is full of life and the benefit of the experience is totally worth it. And who knows, maybe he will write a book about the adventure."

See you from the road,

RobC