Preparation

I've been thinking about this trip for months now. I had recently graduated from UC Davis, a place where I've come to appreciate my place on this planet in new ways and where I've developed a profound love of the bicycle. With no desire to don the "golden handcuffs" (thanks for the advice, John) and with the suggestion of taking an extended bike trip through Mexico to Guatemala by my friend Andy, the choice was clear to me.

Davis is the most bike friendly town in the US, and more trips are made by bike here (as a percentage of those made) then any other US town. I've lived here for 5 years now and have decreased my reliance on the automobile more and more as time passes here. I've discovered new bicycles (like cruisers, tricycles, bike carts, whimcycles, xtracycles, cyclacross, touring and racing bikes) that I had never heard of, I've learned to repair and maintain them, as well as how to worship them. That's right - worship. Not in the conventional sense, I don't pray to them or anything, but two years ago, when some amazing characters (Chris Congleton stands out) organized a local "bike church" I saw the light and became active in the community that formed around the bike church and helped to "save" "lost" bikes and to donate them to the church (more on the church later).

Anyway, the months have passed and we've put forth the intention to make this trip - a bicycle tour from Tucson, AZ to Guatemala City. We had another companion put forth the same intention and so we are now three. We've set the departure date somewhat tentatively for October 27th, leaving from Tucson and heading south.

I'll be posting info and stories about the trip here. Keep an eye out for a detailed list of gear, pictures and one hell of an adventure.