Traveling to the Unknown

Florida

My imagination runs wild while I am traveling. Ranging from different ideas on how to promote the documentary, to what the dogs are thinking when they realize that they are chasing a human on a big bike instead of the largest chew toy they have ever seen. I like the fact that I am able to explore all the crazy ideas and occasionally I write them down. I keep a hand written journal along with the twitter and facebook updates and this blog. I had some trouble starting it, so what I did was let my story telling skills take the reigns and I created a alter ego that is a captain of a adventuring sea ship. My first entry was within the first couple of weeks while being on the road. At that time I was haveing some motivation problems on doing the documentary and learning how to stay alive while touring. This is how it read:

"Day 11, 4-15-10

Today I start my personal journal. My first mate found me crying over the maps in my captains quarters and it shook him to the point of inspiration. He told me that he cannot follow the command of a meek and sad individual, so if I were to lead this crew into the unknown seascape than I needed to make decisions for my self and follow them full heartedly. No more must I think about how my choices affect others, no longer must I worry about my reputation. If I am to lead this ship to victory through this treacherous voyage than I must take a stand.

After looking my first mate in the eyes I took a deep breath then stood and said, "Tell the crew to hold on to their hats, buckle down and get ready to go on the greatest adventure of their lives, because I am here and I am ready to make the choices that will lead us through the storm and into the great unknown""

I recently reread this entry and I wanted to share it with all of you because I have met some amazing people that everyday make decisions that lead them through their adventure. From Dave who is trying to see his children, but does not have the funds, Nate who was recently laid off from an oil rig and now is trying to be an inventor, Connie who works everyday getting her kids to all of their activities along with maintaining an active role in the education system, Granny who is the grandmother to anybody that needs one, to Rodz who has opened his own seafood store and is now struggling to keep it open because of peoples fear of oil contamination. Each of these peoples stories continue to inspire me to ride on, to take the lead of my ship and make the destinations that need to be made.

Now halfway through my travels I am excited to see who else I meet and what stories they have. I want so badly for all of you to meet the people that I have met and learn from them the same way that I have. I plan on keeping my imagination wild and seeing what comes up. So man the sails and hold strong, cause we are still on the adventure into the unknown.

BIKE TRACKS: Givers "up, up, up"

TOTAL TRIP MILES: 2355.2 miles

TOTAL TRIP: 45 of 90 Days

Help Mark Get Across the Country

Things Seem to Happen

A phonebooth in the middle of the NC woods

I live a fairly simple life right now. All i have to do when I wake up in the morning is decide on where I want to bike, where I want to eat and then get on the bike and ride for how ever many miles then do it over again. I have places where I want to go, I find places along the way and then people and places seem to make them selves known at the perfect time when I most need it.

Every single day of this trip something that many people consider destine, happens.

Example:

I was staying at a campground on Jordan Lake in Central North Carolina and I was trying to decide whether I should head towards Raleigh the next day because I had 4 days till I was supposed to meet my friend Sean and the Band he is with (Lotus) for one of their concerts. I wake up and pack my bags on my bike and this red car comes to my campsite. This man and woman stick their head out and ask me if I'm leaving. I tell them yes and they start unpacking their camping gear in the campsite next to me. We start talking, I tell them about my trip and how I am trying to figure out where I am going to stay for the next couple of days. Well After helping them set up their tent and unload some other things from their car, they invite me to stay an extra day or two at their campsite. For a split second my mind goes no I was planing on going into town, my bikes all packed, but then I realized that this was exactly what I was looking for.

After Staying with this couple and their kids for the couple of days I became friends with them and now I am even playing a word game with Brian on my I-phone.

Life seems to provide if I keep my mind open.

Many of these types of stories have happened to me all through out this last month and in North Carolina they seem to just keep happening. This makes me think about a topic that I have been thinking about since High school (probably earlier). whether or not our lives are guided by Fate or freewill. IS everything already planed out for us? Am I writing this blog because I was destine to think these thoughts and do these actions? Or am I souly the one that is creating these instances?

I like to think that I have the control over my choices. That the actions I take are my own. I guess that is a common thought. I feel more in control of my life thinking that way even when I choose to not control my life and let life happen, that is my choice.

Fate is a very interesting idea though. It seems to make moments and meetings easier to explain. When I meet someone and I feel right talking to them, to think that is was completely random takes away the romanticism. But if I was fated to meet this person then the stars have aligned and I have followed the path that was meant to be. My meeting and interaction brings me to another checkpoint in my life. I feel as though this is a safe way to explain things that I don't understand.

With freewill I feel as though I can trace back my steps and choices and go "Of Course I like hanging out with you" we both went to the same type of school and we both traveled and we both chose to be actors or what ever the choices where that I made in my life and you made in yours. I don't want to think that I am who I am because it was mapped out for me, I want it to be my choices and my trials and tribulations that created who I am and why people feel the way about me that they do.

So every time that something like the Jordan Lake camping example happens I question myself on whether this was a complete and utter coincidence or was I fated to become apart of these peoples lives. Either way I am happy that all these things are happening.

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Please keep commenting on facebook, twitter and Bikeagainstthewind.com. I am still looking for more people to videotape themselves talking about why they live where they live and what are the roots that hold you there if there are any. Please film yourself talking and post it on youtube then submit it through the SUBMISSIONS page of Bikeagainstthewind.com.

Thank you.

BIKE TRACKS: Lord Finesse

TODAY'S MILES: haven't left for today

TODAY'S TIME: 0
TOTAL TRIP MILES: 1376.5 miles
TOTAL TRIP: 32 of 90 Days