Day One

FREE, FREE, FREE AT LAST. This is the first day of our trip and as I sit on a picnic bench under a pine in an RV park on the Easter side of the Sierras at 10 pm the 80 degree weather and gentle breeze is delicious. So peaceful!

We left at 2:30 pm today and covered some 260+ miles of the 1,225 miles to our first destination in Spirit Lake, Idaho. Our next two days will be to ensure we arrive on July 2nd as planned. Should be easy, but a lot of driving. Seems a lot to be covering that many miles just to begin the real voyage to Alaska with our friends living in Idaho.

Of course anyone might ask why undertake such a major expedition at all? What is it that causes us to go so many weeks, driving more than twice the distance of crossing the country, no doubt encountering adverse conditions of weather and roads for at least part of the voyage, away from family and friends, especially my kids and Jen expecting our first grand child, and our precious dogs, and no small thing to be away from our boat for so long. Why do all of this?

I suppose there is something in a great many Americans that is unsettling about our daily lives, no matter how rich they are. Jack Karoac/s ‘On the Road’, would be in good company with scores of writers who have been driven by this irresistible drive. But in all parts of the world those shut in in the winter find a powerful liberation to have a weekend of skiing. Sailing for me is very much of a weekly fix for this urge. We are taking an expedition to Alaska. Jack London did that too, over a much longer time, and vastly more difficult conditions, but was it not for the same reason? What was he looking for? Did he find it? What am I looking for and will I find it? Is it not all about opening up your life to something far beyond what actual and perceived limitations that are seeming to define that box we call home? At some stages of our lives we can feel comfort in staying behind our closed bedroom door. The excitement from the adventure of moving every outward over your life can be thrilling when you can do so with the thrill of seeing all the world has to offer over the next ridge and around the next bend. London found so much within by being at peace with the vastness of the wilderness. Where will this trip lead us in the future for our next adventure; maybe to some distant shore on the boat. I so much feel the world my oyster and this voyage helps to take it in all in and relish it and learn from it and create even more from it for the future. Though it may be a long voyage it is occurring as a mere stepping stone to so much to come. When Curley in the movie “City Slickers” held up his index finger and said it is just that one thing you have to find that gives you a worthwhile life to lead, he was so completely right. For me sailing has been that one thing for so long and I am sure it will always be. And I can now see what I have gotten from sailing is also available in other ways, without limitations.

So hopefully this may help begin to get at the “why” of this trip.

Also, to be connected to great people like all of you is so important too, those voyaging with us and those of you we feel connected to by communications. All of you are very important to us and I feel you are all with us, hopefully getting something out of our experience for yourselves.

My second apple martini is just about finished so I will close for tonight. Hopefully we will have some pictures with our next blog entry. ‘Till then…..