Death is in the details.
Who would of thought. Who would of thought there was so many things to do prior to leaving. The list, although not endless, sure seems it sometimes.
The basics are things like decide on make/model/year of the bikes. Then purchase said bikes. Then go over the bikes mechanically to make sure they are, hopefully, up to the trip.
Two of our group did not have their motorcycle licenses when they decided to go on the trip. They had to take the rider’s training, the three different examinations and then finally get their full licenses.
We all had to get inoculations for the various fevers, endemics and other nasty bugs that we could catch on the trip.
There was the insurance. Travel insurance, emergency medical evacuation insurance, special Mexican insurance for the motorcycles, etc. I have never had so much insurance.
Then there was my fitness level. I am a pen pushing, computer using, middle ages desk jockey. Although not in “pending heart attack” physical condition I sure as hell am not in anything that resembles good condition.
Yes I walk the dog about 4 kms every morning but I have not done a sit up or push up since Trudue was Prime Minister. Well Mulruney at least. I was doing my back exercises to strengthen my upper back and neck area due to a long standing injury issue that caused massive headaches but I was not getting into what one my call “shape”.
So when we moved the dates up from January 2009 to January 2008 in September of this year I went down to see my old buddy Dr John Yim, a local and very highly respected naturopathic physician. He put me on a “cleanse” for about a month – a restrictive diet while taking the proper supplements to clean out the bad stuff in my body – and then more supliments to build up my immune system. He also helped me with nutritional information to help modify my eating habits to get me to eat healthier and maybe get some weight off. The biggest thing he told me was that I had to get “hot and sweaty” for at least 30 minutes three times a week. I looked at Karen, smirked and winked, but that was not what he apparently meant.
So in mid September I went and started taking Bikram’s Hot Yoga. For those of you who do not know what this form of voluntary torture is imagine doing yoga moves, 26 different ones, over a 90 minute period in a room with the temperature between about 98 degree F and 110 degrees F. On top of that the humidity might be between 10% and 50% depending on the day. I makes you sweat like you never before.
The idea of going to this form of yoga was fairly straight forward. It would get me used to physical exercise in a high temperature environment so when I am riding a motorcycle in Central America in 30+ degree weather it wont kill me. Plus it might help me lose some unwanted weight.
So I went to the first class by myself. I was afraid to go with anyone I know just in case I passed out, vomited, or generally made an ass of myself. Amazingly I survived without doing any of the above. So being the generous person I am I enlisted participants to joint the “fun”. I convince Dwayne and Mark to joint me. Misery loves company. Thanks guys because I know I have gone some nights strictly because I know you guys would be there and I would feel guilty if I did not show up.
Who would of thought. Who would of thought there was so many things to do prior to leaving. The list, although not endless, sure seems it sometimes.
The basics are things like decide on make/model/year of the bikes. Then purchase said bikes. Then go over the bikes mechanically to make sure they are, hopefully, up to the trip.
Two of our group did not have their motorcycle licenses when they decided to go on the trip. They had to take the rider’s training, the three different examinations and then finally get their full licenses.
We all had to get inoculations for the various fevers, endemics and other nasty bugs that we could catch on the trip.
There was the insurance. Travel insurance, emergency medical evacuation insurance, special Mexican insurance for the motorcycles, etc. I have never had so much insurance.
Then there was my fitness level. I am a pen pushing, computer using, middle ages desk jockey. Although not in “pending heart attack” physical condition I sure as hell am not in anything that resembles good condition.
Yes I walk the dog about 4 kms every morning but I have not done a sit up or push up since Trudue was Prime Minister. Well Mulruney at least. I was doing my back exercises to strengthen my upper back and neck area due to a long standing injury issue that caused massive headaches but I was not getting into what one my call “shape”.
So when we moved the dates up from January 2009 to January 2008 in September of this year I went down to see my old buddy Dr John Yim, a local and very highly respected naturopathic physician. He put me on a “cleanse” for about a month – a restrictive diet while taking the proper supplements to clean out the bad stuff in my body – and then more supliments to build up my immune system. He also helped me with nutritional information to help modify my eating habits to get me to eat healthier and maybe get some weight off. The biggest thing he told me was that I had to get “hot and sweaty” for at least 30 minutes three times a week. I looked at Karen, smirked and winked, but that was not what he apparently meant.
So in mid September I went and started taking Bikram’s Hot Yoga. For those of you who do not know what this form of voluntary torture is imagine doing yoga moves, 26 different ones, over a 90 minute period in a room with the temperature between about 98 degree F and 110 degrees F. On top of that the humidity might be between 10% and 50% depending on the day. I makes you sweat like you never before.
The idea of going to this form of yoga was fairly straight forward. It would get me used to physical exercise in a high temperature environment so when I am riding a motorcycle in Central America in 30+ degree weather it wont kill me. Plus it might help me lose some unwanted weight.
So I went to the first class by myself. I was afraid to go with anyone I know just in case I passed out, vomited, or generally made an ass of myself. Amazingly I survived without doing any of the above. So being the generous person I am I enlisted participants to joint the “fun”. I convince Dwayne and Mark to joint me. Misery loves company. Thanks guys because I know I have gone some nights strictly because I know you guys would be there and I would feel guilty if I did not show up.
Well I will tell you that Dr Yim was very correct. Now going three times a week to yoga and sweating my nuts off – actually not figuratively because you sweat an amazing amount from places I did not know you could sweat from – I have dropped about 25 lbs. My cardiovascular is much better, my “man boobs” are shrinking and I noticed that I recover from the work outs much faster now. I actually have veins in my arms and shoulder that I had not seen for years. Maybe there is something to this exercising thing :)
So to Dr Yim my greatest thanks for making me sweat so much. Thanks to Dwayne and Mark for keeping me motivated. Thanks to the gang at Bikram’s Nanaimo for their support and for not laughing at me while I try to do some of those physically impossible poses.
Death is in the details but dealing with all the small details now, and not while on the road, is what hopefully will make the trip all that much more enjoyable.
