My Itinerary

Here is the 35,000 foot view of my itinerary:

• My last day in the office was yesterday.  I’m still on the books as a Microsoft employee for a few days but I’ll consume my remaining vacation time until I’m officially unemployed.
• Last night I flew down to Las Vegas for a vacation. This was a break that I planned before I decided to walk away from my career.  Coming down to the meadows during WSOP season has been a semi-regular tradition where I meet up with my brother Greg to play poker and seek out the best off-strip eateries. We won’t be playing in any bracelet events but the cash games on the Strip are consistently spectacular this time of year.
• I’ll eventually come back to Seattle (not sure when – this is my first Vegas trip were it genuinely feels like I have total flexibility on my return date), acquire camping supplies and motorcycle gear, and put some additional thought into planning – which is sorely needed.
• The movers come to pack and empty out my apartment in Belltown on Monday 7/24.  I’m not sure how much daylight will be left after the movers wrap everything up, so my trip likely will begin in earnest on the following day.
• My first waypoint will be Kelowna, British Columbia for my “Cousin Camping” family reunion weekend which is a bit of a misnomer since many of my cousins will be staying at an Airbnb like myself. I expect to log 300+ miles during the first leg of the trip.
• After catching up with loved ones, I’ll resume my trek to Deadhorse which is a tad over 2500 miles from Kelowna according to Google Maps.

When I initially pieced together this timetable, I had a minor panic attack while researching historical climate data since camping in below freezing temperatures isn’t one of my personal aspirations.  I even debated the merits of putting off the trip until the following spring for a short while.

A close friend reminded me of stories where attempts to climb Mount Everest ended within a few meters of the peak to avoid death or loss of body parts.  I understand that my journey isn’t remotely as dangerous as climbing Everest but there are similarities – instead of spare canister of oxygen I'll need a spare can of gasoline for parts of the trip where refueling stations are in inadequate supply.

While I hope to make it to Deadhorse this year, I’m giving myself permission to turn back at any time. The real motivation for the trip is to take an extended break from my daily routine and embark on a motorcycle trip to see how I feel.  I achieved that goal yesterday when I strapped on my helmet inside a parking garage at One Microsoft Way, saddled up, and rode off for the last time as an employee.

You might be wondering – So how does it feel? Click here to find out.