posted
Yeesh. I remember freaking out about a little bike marathon.
Well, it's damn near time for me to go. I intend to leave the sixth, though I may be forced to extend my start to later that week -- in any case, I'm leaving, and soon.
I went biking up to San Luis Obispo recently, and I think I have the hang of it, though admittedly I have absolutely no practice or experience. I read in the biking book that the first week will help me train for the rest -- though it goes on to say don't ever, ever, for the love of god don't, think of the children, never postpone bicycling until you actually start the tour -- and I'm counting on that week to carry me through the rest of this. They write the books for the weak anyway, yes? I'll just get in testosterone mode, pretend a chick is watching me the entire way, and grit through it. Except on hills. I hate hills. Gah...
In any case, heh, two weeks before I leave would be a good time to start planning. I intend to bike from LA to Portland (or possibly San Luis Obispo to Portland -- no way in hell am I getting back on the nightmare that is the Pacific Coast highway), where I want to take a ride up the coast for the first time (where the cities are few and far between. I'll find redemption on street signs bearing my name, and direction's the last thing on my mind.) I'm guesstimating a good two weeks for that stretch of the journey. I'm guessing three will actually happen, if I don't actually drop dead on the way, but hey, whaddaya gonna do.
After that, I intend to bike from Portland to Chicago, following the major rivers that pass through Idaho, then Wyoming, then Nebraska, then Iowa. I don't yet know if I'll cut up through Michigan and Canada to reach NYC from there, or follow the Lakes up through Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Now, from there, assuming I defer, I'll drop down to DC, if only to see the beauty that is Kasie in person. And the beauty that is John in New Jersey along the way, of course, be NJ the armpit of NY or not. (If I'm going to live in NYC, I need to learn to be snobbish as regards NJ.)
After that's the tricky part. I'm very serious about wanting to work for at least a season on a fishing ship, the longer the expedition the better. And here's a job from www.monster.com:
quote:Work in the Alaska fishing industry.
* Earn up to $1000+ per week during peak season in a cannery or processing facility and potentially a lot more as a deckhand on a fishing boat.
* Companies hire over 20,000 people every year. Many companies provide free or subsidized room and board and transportation from the point of hire.
* Summer, winter or year-round opportunities. Often can work anywhere from six weeks to year-round.
* No previous experience necessary for most positions.
* Both males and females are encouraged to apply for these Alaska fishing jobs.
* This is a perfect job for college students, recent graduates or anyone looking to do something different.
* Ages 18 - 70+
- - - - - - - - - -
FALL, WINTER, & SPRING JOBS - Autumn in Alaska means the end of the bustling salmon season and a shift to a variety of other fisheries throughout the state. Numerous employment opportunities exist during this period in all three major sectors of the industry—onshore processing plants, offshore processing vessels, and harvesting vessels.
Factory trawlers harvest during most of the fall, winter, and spring months. In fact, the most lucrative time to work on a factory trawler is during the Pollock A season, which extends from late January often into April. Factory longliners also harvest halibut, blackcod and other groundfish between March 1 and November 1. The majority of crab are caught during the late fall and early winter months by both individual crabbing boats and the larger crab catcher/processors. During the fall and spring months hundreds of boats also fish for halibut, sablefish, and a variety of species of groundfish. In addition, the sac roe herring fishery also takes place during spring.
Hot damn, deckhand! Z's mentioned this to me before. I don't have any clothes suitable for colder climates, but hell, all that means is that snuggling becomes a necessity.
Hmm. Damn, this sounds like fun. Hard work, but fun. I can do this up until, what, February? By then I'll be wanting to move on.
What to do after that... I could always return to Costa Rica -- I did promise Ian I'd keep him in mind for that summer. Then again, I've also promised Kylie I'd look into working a freighter out to New Zealand around that time -- which, actually, sounds like fun. And not just for her company, sweet as it may be -- I hear she has hot friends. And I could use an extended time aboard a boat. Or I could take another bike trip, though I doubt I'll have the money for it. Or I'll just act on whatever idea enters my head at the time. Anyone have any suggestions?
In any case, by September I'll need to be back in New York City, to attend NYU. And by then, I hope to be more or less prepared to become the man I want to be.
But to do all this means some major preparation's in order. First and foremost, my bike trip -- and I really should plan out some sort of intermediate period between the end of my bike trip, whenever that may be, and my request for a job up in Alaska. Maybe I'll apply online during the last few hundred miles of my bike trip, and transfer smoothly from one adventure to the next. And I should be packing a cell phone at the time, so hey, no problem. I'm not sure what the hell a cell phone would actually do for me as regards this, unless it can phone Alaska for cheap, but hey, no problem.
Hmm. So this is my rough sketch of the upcoming year. Suggestions? Comments? Warnings? Death threats? Sarcastic comments about suggestions to issue warnings about death threats? I'm open.
Posts: 3293 | Registered: Jul 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
As per my bike trip, I have yet to do, well, anything for it. But I think I can get the damn thing together over the course of the next few weeks. I have little to pack -- clothes, a couple books, a journal, a tent, a sleeping bag, a few electronics, a few tools -- so how much do I need, really, to tote it across the country?
I'm rather worried about my physical capabilities, though. I'll start biking, what, forty miles a day or so to get an idea of what I should be doing. And later today I'll get around to actually planning out my trip, detail-by-detail -- right now I don't even know how many miles per day I can do. I'll aim for sixty the first week, and move up steadily from there.
quote: I've also promised Kylie I'd look into working a freighter out to New Zealand around that time -- which, actually, sounds like fun. And not just for her company, sweet as it may be -- I hear she has hot friends.
Hahaha yeah, I also told you most of my friends are guys. But whatever, dude. *grin* Hhmmm. Actually, in the interests of getting you to visit NZ, maybe I shouldn't remind you of that bit.
quote: After that, I intend to bike from Portland to Chicago, following the major rivers that pass through Idaho, then Wyoming, then Nebraska, then Iowa.
Your word, Eddie. I want your word that you will stop by Omaha and see me.
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Cool]](cool.gif)
