Is there a Cause?

The photo at left is Ed last winter


On Friday Ed spoke with the Canada Border Info [BIS]. He reports:

“After spending some time explaining to the Border Service agent the nature of my travel intentions, he replied, ‘Courageous‘. I explained I had heard a number of different words, but that was the first time I heard that word. I advised I would be forwarding it to my wife for her blog.”

Most people ask him - "Are you doing this for some kind of Cause like...?"

And the answer is Yes: Ed's Sanity [see Manifesto comment #1]

Alternatively, it‘s for “Freedom from the oppression of wage slavery.” [concept courtesy of Jack London]

The other questions are about his bike, gear, route and what he plans to take with him.

Ed says, “I have been accused at times of some gear freak leanings. I thought maybe there was some truth to the notion. Then I ended up on some fender mounting blogs. Now there are some freaks.

The heated exchanges regarding leather washers and rubber spacers were both passionate and troubling. Shout out here to the guys at Speedway Cycles in Anchorage for getting my Hondos well mounted."

As for travel equipment:

Wrong:
1991 Ford F250 Truck with 6 foot trailer - the biggest pain in the tuchus ever
That’s how we got up to Alaska

Now…

Correct:

• 2003 Gunnar Sport
• Shimano 105 w/Nashbar [yes, that’s right] 50/34 compact
• XT 11-32 cluster
• Hondo Fluted Fenders
• Nitto Noodle Bars
• Conti Top Touring 2000 700x32
• Axiom Rack and Panns
• Gortlieb Compact Bar Bag
• Egg Beater SL
• and of course: Brooks w\Ti rails

Other gear:

• Black Diamond Mega-Light [Pyramid\Teepee\Tarp]
• Custom Feathered Friends Bag [Fat\Overstuffed\PTFE] (Maybe the best fathers day gift the other side of the Dumpster. Thank you dear)
• Old School Thick Camp Rest
• No Stove\No Pots [Road Houses and No Cook Groceries]
• No Water Filter [Public Services\God's Creeks\Water Pills]
• 8x8 floor plastic left over from trailer move.
• Mini BD HeadLamp [Thank you Evelyn for the loan]
• Conrad[Always]\Kerouac[Its about time I read]
• Small 1st aid Misc Toilet BugDope\SunScreen
• Misc repair and just in case kit developed during 14 Alaskan years
• Bike Tools\Tubes\Tire\etc.
• Ipod, DigiCam, Cell, HeroCam, SPOT
• Bear Spray
• Candle Lantern
• Stuff I forgot to list
• Stuff I plain forgot

List subject to pending subtractions additions and angry destructions.

And, just so you know where he is, here’s the map link:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=61.1389,-149.8193&ie=UTF8&z=12