You meet and interact with lots and lots of people throughout your life, and every one of those gives a little bit of them, to take with you on your journey forward. Some might be just small tidbits, some are very significant chunks of impact they have on your path into your own future.

Inspiration

In terms of inspiration for this very trip there is one guy’s journey and story that sticks out for me: Alastair Humphreys. A while after I had completed my San Francisco to Los Angeles bike ride in 2012, I bought his two books telling the story of his bike ride around the world, spanning a total of four years. He describes, with a certain sense of humor only a Brit could put forth, how scared and sad he was about leaving his home and comfortable life in August of 2001, having to change his plans about going through the Middle East right after 9/11 happened and eventually riding down the length of Africa, up the Americas, through the imaginable cold of Siberia and eventually making it back home to Yorkshire in England.

He embarked on a few more big adventures and expeditions after his ride around the world, but today he tries to emphasize his idea of Microadventures, little trips and activities that people, despite their busy day-to-day lives, can take to refresh their minds, broaden their horizons and enjoy the outdoors. And have fun while doing it.

Others in the array of folks who I have drawn inspiration from are Mark Beaumont, Leon McCarron, Dave Cornthwaite, Rob Lilwall and most recently Rob Lutter, Will Frazer and Johan du Plessis, Dwayne Burgess and Mike Minnick and his dog Bixby.

Motivation and Support

Inspiration is all well and good, but in order to make changes in your life and attempt something you have never done before, it helps if you have people around you that support you in your ideas, no matter how “out there”, uncommon or even crazy they might sound.

I won’t be singling out specific people, you know who you are. The ones that have been there for me during my darkest days and hours over the past couple of years, who helped me up when I was down and who believed, when I couldn’t, that there will be light after darkness.

Even though she will be worried about me, naturally, I’d like to especially thank my mom for instilling that sense for exploration, for adventuring, for going places and, most of all, for the sensibility, respect and interest in other people in me. Thanks mom, I would not be here without you.