First things first to get the full experience of this post you must,MUST read it while listening to this song ………
Right then with the dulcet tones of Jack Black in the background I will bring you up to speed. Its been a while since I last posted which is mostly due to me being incredibly busy working,planning the trip and generally being a bit of a mess,sorting myself out for a bit and then becoming a mess again.
At the moment I am roughly half way between being a mess and being sorted which is good enough for me.
It only seems like yesterday that I first started planning this trip where as it has actually been about seven months. Back then the whole thing felt like it was far enough away that it might never actually happen. This gave me a warm sense of security like when you see a gazelle getting ripped to shreds by a lion on TV,’bloody hell that looks painful but hey I am not in Africa nor am I a gazelle,aaaaaand relax’. But this feeling didnt last for long and as the months have ticked by and I have spent more and more money the trip has finally become a reality,I will soon be in Africa (I wont I will be in America) and I will soon be that very same gazelle (this is also untrue).
The last couple of months have been a bit of emotional roller coaster. One day I have been excited,the next massively scared,confused,very sad,so happy I was physically shaking and full of despair.
I have made a drunken idiot of myself at least twice,stopped drinking at least twice,quit smoking about 90 times for about two hours each time,filled out about 70 forms,filled out the same forms again after getting them wrong,been to wales several times for various different reasons,lost contact with someone I cared about,met new people and started a mutually beneficial friendship that most men (and some women) dream of.
Its not been easy and I have been constantly fighting my old demons but every single person (except Shane Grimsley) has been massively supportive and I have been blown away by the interest people have shown in my adventure.
There have been plenty of hiccups along the way not just my scooter nearly not being roadworthy in time and then being saved by some very helpful people in the scooter trade and not just me losing the bank card that I booked the flight with and having to rummage through bin bags to find it but also mentally. I am still on anti-depressants which seem to keep me on an even keel when I am not drinking enough booze to cancel them out and I have been having counselling sessions with a wonderful woman called Sarah. There are still a few niggly things that get me down every couple of days but other than that I can honestly say I have never felt better.
So,enough babbling I’ll get to the point………
I leave for London tomorrow afternoon to stay with my good friend Victoria and then fly out from Heathrow to JFK at midday on Monday. I then have to get my bike through customs,spend a couple of nights in New York and then hit the road to ride around 5,000 miles in 26 days.
If one more person gives me that ‘Youre an idiot mate’ look I am going to make it 6,000 miles in 25.5 days !
I was going to be completing the trip on my own but I decided that it would be good to have some company along the way so let me introduce you to my riding
partner……. Fake Franco
I said goodbye to real Franco yesterday and wont see him again until I get back and as I am raising money for a dog charity this little fella seemed like the perfect companion for my ride.
Fake Franco will be having his photo taken with as many people as possible along the way. He has already met the guy at the shipping company …..
Got taken down by security at my leaving party..
Hung out with some lovely ladies…
And been eaten by real Franco…
Hopefully we will both meet many,many more people along the way.
So this is it,the bike is running better than ever (for now),my bags are packed and there is no turning back. I dont think I am going to be getting much sleep for the next couple of nights.
Thanks again to everyone for all of their support and to everyone who has donated to my just giving page,thanks to all the companies who have donated products and services I would be very poor without you (I’ll list you all at the end of this emotional bit),thanks to GPS Kevin for being patient with me when making my route,thanks to Max for looking after Franc while I am gone and thanks to Ben for looking after the Merlin while I am away.
Next time I speak to you all it will be from the GOD DAMN BIG APPLE,lets get this show on the road.
You can still donate – https://www.justgiving.com/Matt-Tipper1/
Thanks to –
http://www.lmlparts.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/wildcatscooterparts
http://motoretta.motogb.co.uk/home.php
http://www.motogb.co.uk/
http://earcandi.com/
http://reevu.com/
http://www.gogogearla.com/
https://www.cornwallscooterparts.co.uk/
http://houndsfirst.co.uk/
https://sites.google.com/site/gpskevin/
https://www.facebook.com/stanley.whippet?fref=ts
Rollin on tens. 