Every adventure needs to begin somewhere.
The realization that you have an ageing body is a tough one. Finding a way to deal with this realization is even more difficult. Channeling that into an outlet that has meaning and purpose is the toughest of all.
I have found throughout my life that I function best when I have a clear and achievable goal. I understand the limits of my physical body and my mental ability. There’s no point saying that I’m going to climb Mt. Everest – heights terrify me. I’m certainly not going to swim across the Channel – I’d sink faster than a rock.
So what can I do that I can actually achieve? Cycle across Japan for 14 days? Sure.
I have a long history with Japan that started in 2007 when I stepped off a Finnair airplane and entered the country through Narita airport. Jet-lagged as hell and in a place where I couldn’t speak or read anything, I was fortunate that my first few days were spent in Tokyo, a city with plenty of access to English. I moved shortly after to a small town called Hitachi-Omiya, where a group of seven foreign language assistants were dumped to help Middle School children learn English.
At the time, it was the greatest adventure of my life. I had an experience I would never forget, and made friends that are the closest I have today. It also lead me down the road to marriage and with me moving to Houston, Texas, becoming a US Citizen in the process.
So here I am, almost 20 years later, wanting to go back and complete another adventure. I’ll ride for 14 days across Western Japan, hopefully surrounded by some of my nearest and dearest. I’ll do it because I need a goal to help me get healthier, but also because I want to be adventurous again.
This website will document, organize and raise awareness of this project. Follow me as I prepare for this epic journey. Will it be the last adventure? I certainly hope not.