Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Van almost finished...

le Van is almost finished! Well, the basics anyways. I started thinking about all the things I would like to have in the van and then I realized that I will not really know how to use my space effectively until Im living in her. So Ive decided this will be a learning experience and I will stop stressing!

Im actually excited right now about heading down there. I have been dealing with a ton of anxiety and other crap but it is finally making way to apprehension about just getting on the road. Im ready to be there!

Joe, from my previous trip, will be heading down there with a mutual friend Madardo to his family ranch in a little town in the state of Zacatecas. We will be camping for a few days on the ranch and celebrating Mexico independance day (from Spain) and hanging out. The town sits at 7000ft up in the mountains! Im ready for the cool weather!!!! Its been a scorcher this summer in Texas.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Been Awhile...

Well.. what can I say? I took a little break from the blog to deal with the craziness of leaving for a 3 year trip into nowhere.

I officially quit my job on August 5th and that was quite a roller coaster. I thought I would have second thoughts and all that mess but it turns out I really was just sad about leaving a great job, great co-workers and new/old friends. I left my job behind to start a new life, a life of open doors and unexplored trails.

Ive been busting some serious ass on my van and just trying to get everything ready for the trip. I set a deadline for myself, which ended up being a horrible idea, because I was trying to make it to a friends going away party in Monterrey Mexico. I was highly stressed as I had merely days to say my goodbyes, get the van ready, get papers for the dog and take off. I finally had to say screw it Im not gonna make it because the stress levels went through the roof! I was freaking out, literally thinking about cancelling the trip due to all the anxiety and fear.

Im writing this knowing I should be hitting the road next Tuesday, 5 days from now. Fear has been a huge factor this time around and its starting to annoy me. Ive been letting all this damn news and people around me get to me and it has me frrrrreeaked out about going into Mexico. Thank the Lord I have received some very good news from friends down there and my insurance guy who basically told me everyone is full of crap and its a media blitz to hype it as much as they can. A tourist from Georgia was found shot to death in southern Mexico the other day on the very same stretch of highway I will be driving looking for surf. I freaked out about this for a few days and finally decided to email a guy I know who LIVES there literally right where this guy was shot. Turns out the dude fired on a military checkpoint!!!!! That is rule number one in Mexico, you do not do shady things with the military because they have the same policy as ours does, shoot and ask questions later.

Fear...

What is it really good for? Rami and I talked about this the other night. Fear is such a useless emotion to the human. I must try and fight my fear. I know I have deep beliefs about life and living and now it is time to commit to them.

"Its not an adventure until something goes wrong." - Yvon Chouinard