Here I am staring down the short end of 20 days left until the trip. In reality only have 11 days left before I take off a day of hiking in Chuckanut and then 5 days of Toor Camp.

The KLR, good to go

The KLR, good to go

The bike has been booked on an earlier flight than the one I’m on, giving me the whole of the 13th free. When I arrive in Montreal on the 14th, I should be able to pick up the bike quickly as it would have arrived and been processed the afternoon before. I’ve sorted out the Dangerous Goods shipping information and it’s ready to go. I’ve done a lot of work to the bike, including:

  • Upgraded front suspension.
  • Upgraded rear suspension.
  • Upgraded the sub-frame.
  • New front tire.
  • Installed a top box.
  • Added a few RAM mounts for cameras and phone.
  • Put together a tool kit and various spares.
  • General service and inspection.

The next time the bike will get a lot of attention is in Ottawa or Toronto, where it will be due for a service and probably new tires.

I swapped out the stock KLR front suspensions springs with a set from Progressive Suspension. The new springs (and oil) resulted in a lot less sag at the front, especially under breaking, and improved handling. After much hassle with finding spring compressors, the rear suspension spring was swapped for a 6.6kg/mm one from Top Gun Motorcycles. This transformed the KLR from being a comfy couch that you sink into, to a stiff and rigid chair that offers support. The ride height has increased to the point where I’m back on tip-toes, instead of flat feet. A ride out to Harrison Hot Springs and back was used as a shake down test. The bike felt great the whole time and I got to see what 250km in an afternoon felt like.

I’m still yet to do a full pack of the bike to assess if everything is going to fit. While optimistic, I have some doubts about some of the gear. There may be a tank bag being purchased in the near future.

I’ve packed up a fair amount of things in my place and filled a bunch of boxes. There’s still a bit more to pack, which will need to be done by this time next week. I’m set to move everything into storage on the 30th, after which I’ll be staying with Aki and Reiko until the 5th. A 10′ x 10′ storage unit has been booked for 4 months (with 25% off!) and all that’s left to do in that area is book a truck.

Last week I was feeling the pressure of trying to get back in order to participate in the Loose Screw Dual Sport ride on the 12th of August in Kamloops. The list of things that I wanted to see and do on the way just kept on increasing. In the end I decided that I wouldn’t be able to make the ride. This meant that the schedule I previously set went out the window and I was a lot more relaxed about the trip. I’m hoping that I’ll take it easier and explore more in my travels across the country.

Something else that will help me slow down is that I’ve managed to set up some contracting work with my soon to be ex employer. It’s nothing too demanding, 10 hours a week or less. This should enable me to spend more time in a place, as I’ll need to make the time to work and I’ll require power and possibly internet access in order to do so. The money will also allow me to take longer on the trip. I only have 3 days left in the role, which I have mixed feelings about. On one hand I’m excited for the adventure, on the other it’s a shame that I won’t get to see some of the projects completed. I find that the people on the team are very capable, great to work with, and some of the upcoming projects excite me.

About a month ago I brought a Canon video camera, which I’ve been getting familiar with. I’m planning on recording some footage along the trip. I’ve also been researching techniques for filming decent video, with Steve Stockman’s ‘How to shoot video that doesn’t suck’ getting the points across in a concise and humours way. Now to think of a story and add intrigue.

Tick tock, tick tock. Tempus Fugit.