A week of "firsts"

Where to start? Well this is my "first" blog post, ever. Sure I've posted to forums before, but somehow a blog seems different. More "personal", "the" thing to do as an online presence. It's not a week where I'm taking my first multi-day motorcycle trip, but it is the first multi-week trip and certainly the largest trip I've done yet. I think just about everyone on this trip has considerable more riding time and experience than I do and I certainly am grateful for being invited along.

Wow, just 3 days away. And like Chris' post, the packing is not done even though I thought I was a leg up on it. I still think getting the bike packed and to Keith's for loading was the biggest chore, but there are still clothes to stuff in to a duffel and decisions as to what I'm taking on the plane. And it is adding up.

I'm not a big reader, but I did buy a book for this trip and introducing myself to the "graphic novel" genre by reading Alan Moore's "Watchmen". I've been told by several sources it is a benchmark of the genre and a great place to start.

I also considered downloading some movies from iTunes and taking the iPod along. But then I considered that I'll have earplugs in much of the day, radio and GPS chatter, XM Radio and MP3 tunes (both via GPS) throughout the day so my ears would most likely appreciate a break at the end of the day. I'm not sure how long it will take to read the Watchmen so I may need something else to take. Yet something else to pack.

In addition to the five other riders, I'll have two "co-riders" with me. My traveling companions will be Flat Stanley and Gumby. I'm new to the Flat Stanley Project (another first I suppose) but it sounds like so much fun! The daughter of a co-worker has a Flat Stanley and I've agreed to take him along. Watch for pictures of Stanley, you never know where he'll pop up!

Gumby, well who doesn't know Gumby? This Gumby belongs to my step-mom Meg and has been with her since I met her, residing just east of Harrisburg PA. I've been told he's well traveled and I'm going to make sure he gets a few more miles under his belt. No doubt you'll see him hamming it up with Stanley somewhere along the way.

Seems best to wrap up this, my first, blog and get busy packing that bag and perhaps filling up another SD card with tunes for the Garmin.