A curious journey - 1

Hey everyone, first post here, please be gentle :)

When I graduated high school I was hungry for adventure. I wanted to drive the perimeter of the US over the summer after my senior year. At the time I allowed my friends and family to talk me out of it. It would be dangerous, and I didn't have the means on my own to make it without their support. I worked that summer (lifeguarding) instead, saving up as much cash as I could before going away to college in the fall of 2003.

I did have the luxury of choosing my focus for higher learning. I chose graphic design... Having developed a love of photography, with an artistic and technologically adaptable brain it seemed like the perfect fit. And it was.

I have been working in the visual arts and communication industry since 2005 and graduated in Portland Oregon in the spring of 2007. I have chosen career over my personal life at every point along the way. That's not to say I'm a hermit... Just that I've been sprinting on that treadmill of life knowing that if I work hard enough good things will happen.

3 months ago I had a breakthrough.

After working for a small, local ad agency here in Olympia Washington for 4 years, I met a person who ran a very successful law firm. He was in need of a marketing director, and offered me nearly double my previous salary to go to work for him. I was ready for the challenge and hungry for the cash so I jumped ship just after thanksgiving 2012.

I had so much to be thankful for.

The new job started off great, lots of interesting work, and my ideas and observations about the business were being well received and implemented with a reasonable amount of fanfare and success... The company website (responsible for roughly 70% of all our leads and clients) was next up on the list. I was excited to dig into this project most of all. I had been building and managing the digital design department for my previous company... This project was in my comfort zone to make something awesome happen.

This is where everything turned ugly.

Within a month my boss had become so frustrated and irrational with the process that I was being treated like garbage every day. After two weeks of trying to maintain a positive attitude and move the website process forward I snapped. I walked out without a word. Just an email giving him my reasons for leaving.

I love my work, but I realized that day that my integrity and self-worth was more valuable to me than earning a paycheck. If you know anyone in the creative services industry ask the, about clients from hell... We all have stories. Just so happened my breakthrough opportunity was for the most hellacious client I've ever encountered. Nice guy... Bad client.

Now I'm unemployed for the first time since being a student. it's time to go back and do what I wanted to do 10 years ago after graduating high school.

I'm riding solo from the north west to the south east United States. I'll be keeping a ride log along the way and look forward to contributing to the adv rider community.

I am camping and couch surfing with friends and family along the way, so stay tuned for what should be a pretty good time!

I leave tomorrow.

-Paul

Enjoy your new adventure

I'm using tapatalk for iPad and iPhone on the rout (and right now) is using imgur to host images acceptable? Or is it better to do it another way?

Thanks GB - imgur it shall be then! Will post some pics when I pick up my bike in a bit.... New tires, chain and sprockets.

Paul:

You are lucky (unlimited time) and unlucky (limited funds) but do you mean you are heading to KW: Key West ?

can't wait until you are on the road and posting up some photos, then we can find out what bike/setup you have

most ride reports are to the South and I don't speak Spanish so I was contemplating a ride like yours too

bob

@bESS here is a link to my rough route. http://bit.ly/YW2Wxe Will send some pics of the bike and my packing setup today as I do my preparations. You're right about the unlucky and lucky parts... Good thing I've got room on my credit card! :)

Looks like a good ride
Best, cheapest camping in Montery is at the Veterans Memorial Park.
How come you're going inland at Monterey and taking the Freeway to Santa Barbara? 1 South shouldn't be too crowded this time of year and Big Sur probably won't be fogged in until a little later in the spring.

Jamala Beach is another good camp ground near Santa Barbara, a little out of the way, but I'm told they have a killer hamberger joint there. Might be a little pricey for camping though.

Good luck, have fun and keep us posted.

thanks for the reply airride. that map is just my rough route. google maps ran out of waypoints I have another file going with better roads to take which will ultimately put me in the same places you mentioned. 1 through big sur is definitely on that other one. ill be avoiding interstates as much as possible.

http://imgur.com/d9OiHPK tent and table of stuff...

http://imgur.com/FQua2k4 stuff on the table

Paul:

looks like it's going to be a nice trip.

can't wait until you get rolling. I'm heading East in Mid July but not unlimited time like you. I am heading from BC to the Atlantic Ocean so I'm looking at maps too

bob

Go Paul Go
Have fun keep us posted .Relax and enjoy the ride and the people .
will head down us1 this summer to Laguna Seca motogp. Paul

Looking forward to your trip and what you encounter along the way. I am starting one next month, opposite of you. I'll be leaving from the SE and heading West. Good Luck and Safe Riding.

I am subscribed and wish you a safe journey. Are you really taking the Interstate from Florence SC to Atlanta?
Head north out of SC and hit the Blue Ridge area then come down through Helen, Ga to Atlanta. You could spend two weeks and not ride the same twistie twice, some of the best riding around. You cannot live where you live, hit the Southeast and miss the mountains.

Just saying, zoom that map in and look at those squiggly lines.

Be safe, update often.

Terry

I covered a lot of those same miles 11 months ago. Don't miss Cape Perpetua OR and the Barber Museum in Birmingham AL.
This link helped me avoid quite a bit of rain.: http://www.wunderground.com/roadtrip/

I'm definitely paying attention to what you guys are saying about that rough route... like I said... it's rough!

ill post maps with each update with the actual roads. thanks so much for all the tips and things on places to visit and stay... this is what makes ADV rider so great!

this is my first post here, a buddy strongly recommended I bring this trek to this board, I am not disappoint :)

I'm all packed up! camping and overnight things in the blue roll on the back. saddlebags carry street clothes, cold / wet weather gear, tools, electrics. tank bag is snacks, camera, personal effects (lip balm, cigs, etc).



the bike is a 2001 Suzuki sv650.

gonna have a hard time sleeping tonight methinks.... haven't been this excited since I went to disneyland when I was 8.

day 2. morning.

yesterday was a bit bittersweet.

started the day by having breakfast with my sister. we've lived together for the last 4 years. you might think living with your sibling is insane, but we compliment each others personalities pretty well. she's neat, organized, and keeps the house running in tip-top shape. I mostly make messes and make her laugh.

she left me a goodbye card in my tank bag. surprisingly nice things to say despite being siblings and roommates. she even gave me some gift cards for some fast food and Starbucks! score!


visited my parents in centralia on the way out of town. they were great. got the last of my insurance straightened away and they gave me some advice and encouragement. overall they're cautiously excited for me to be doing this, and it's really great to know they're behind me.

hugs and a prayer on the way out the door.

from centralia it was a short but sweet ride to Vancouver via I-5. the bike feels great. nice temps in the 50's, partial sun the whole way.

staying with my aunt and uncle in Vancouver is always a great time.

I actually lived in Vancouver with them for a good while when i was in college. it's crazy how time flies, but I have fond memories of this town. it was neat to gas up at the 76 station on mill plain i used to frequent. and dinner was from an old 4:30 am favorite, muchas gracias...

if you don't know, MG is a chain of fast food Mexican restaurants. open late, and never in a building of their own design. the one we hit-up tonight used to be a skippers. it still has the signature porthole windows. it's shitiness only adds to it's charm. and the food is darn good too.

my uncle and I spent most of the evening playing with balloons, cameras, and a BB gun. he's been taking photographs for longer than I've been alive. it's always magic when we get to create images together.



he had a vision of capturing primary colored balloons exploding with colored sugar inside them. it's a tricky thing, but it turned out pretty cool!



working the kinks out a bit on the bike today... ill make a few adjustments to the luggage. basically just securing the camp roll around the seat, instead of just roped to the saddlebags. should help keep the soft saddlebags a little more easily accessible and keep the camping gear from shifting forward during braking.



the road 3's motor sports of Olympia (link) put on are great so far, just breaking them in a bit. they did see plenty of water yesterday, and even brand new felt capable.

today I'm heading down to grants pass Oregon. will stay with my cousin kyle and his awesome wife. looking forward to meeting some new itty bitty members of the family for the first time.



(btw seafood chimichangas are delicious)

I'm in! Stay safe out there

Later
John

Just did half this, east half this summer so in, on, going , keep it twisted!

I'm camping tonight after riding CA199 from grants pass OR to just outside crescent city CA. camping in the Joseph jedidiah smith campground among the redwoods.



got into a few proper twisties today... I'm ready for the coast and more more more :)