TAT: Final Pre-Ramble - TAT Eve

Not a creature was stirring

I’ve spent the past two weeks trying to tie up every loose end that could be tied. I’ve tried to fix it so that work stuff will bother me as little as possible while I’m on the road, which I feel sure isn’t going to work. This is the longest I’ll be away from my wife since freaking 1998. This is the longest I’ve been away from my kids since they were born (other than my oldest daughter who made it to one semester of college before Covid hit). I’ll be honest. Taking a month to do something like this feels very selfish. And it makes me wonder why my family is so cool. Are they trying to get rid of me? Or are they just the coolest humans I know? It’s clear that they absolutely don’t understand why anyone would be excited about five weeks of discomfort, dirt, stink, and severe ass-soreness.. But they’re excited for me because they know how excited I am. I’m going to miss them.

I’ve got my shit together as much as I can get my shit together. I’ve cross-checked my psychotic spreadsheet gear lists against my gear. I’ve tried to think of what I’ve forgotten (which of course is not possible). At some point you just have to say, “Okay,  let’s go.” Right?

I know that thousands of people have done the TAT. It’s not like I’m going to the moon or something. But it feels like a major life event. Thousands of people have climbed Everest too. That doesn’t make it any less epic if you’re someone who does it. I don’t think anyone in human history has ever been on their deathbed and said, “I sure wish I hadn’t attempted the Trans America Trail…” Except for everyone who’s ridden through Oklahoma, apparently.

I hit the TAT tomorrow. Thanks for the encouragement to do this, wife. Thanks for inventing it Sam. Thanks for the inspiration Ed and Kiwi Groms. Thanks for making this ridiculous bike Honda. I’m going to do my level best to keep a record of this journey here. Send me and my bike Little Ugly Homefry some good vibes.

Hell yes!