Got the T-shirt

The Brand
Today's mail brought a delivery of T-shirts for P2P. They pretty cool too. Can't be arsed putting up a picture at the moment but I'll do so later on when I get the chance. I've also recieved a new toy that should make video recordings that much better - a remote microphone. Yes it's not what you'd call that exciting but bugger it. I like toys and this one is practical. You've noticed too, I've learned sub headings.

The Gear
The problem I've always had with recording is getting the sound right. You can often muck around with pictures but the sound is very important. Dont get that right and all you can do is stick in some repetitive rock music to your motorbike video and voila! Another youtube motorbike video that doesnt mean very much at all. Yes I've seen and made a few of them.
This microphone thingy means I dont need lots of fiddly cables and bulky transponders, different battery packs and so on. The clip on mike takes one small AA battery and communicates via bluetooth to a receiver thing that sits on top of the camera which also supplies power. Dead easy and works a treat. So now I have excuse for crap sound. Time will tell.

The Route
Oh - the Route. In the past few days I've been looking at various routes and have spent too much time procrastinating over going via KKH or China or Iran or Caspian Sea or Iran or China ... driving myself round the bend. I often wish to stop planning and simply drive my bike. Sadly I need to organise visas in advance for many countries so thats not really practical. I might just leave it till end of March, see if the Israeli's and Americans fancy another war and then decide.

The Rider
I've been a lazy bugger this week. Haven't been to the gym once. Haven't had any booze either so we're even. I have over 2kgs to lose in just over two weeks which is achievable usually in the first few days of a health campaign but not after four weeks. Also, Its really hard to stay reasonably fit if your job means sitting down at a desk all day in front of a computer ... just like now for example. I must say also, my back has been giving me some worry. I've been getting pains from standing up too long, then pain for sitting down too long, I have small pains in my left foot as well which sounds alarming but I've had it so long its a way of life.  I have some seriously damaged discs on my spine. Two are damaged and one is in danger of disappearing altogether. This may or may not make things worse, the vertebrae can and will fuse together by themselves, or it can all simply turn to shit and I'll be unable to move at all without an spine operation which obviously is not good. My own back care regime is basically - ignore it and keep moving moving moving ... worked so far. I'll keep a batch of anti inflammatories at hand just in case.

The Movie
No I'm no film star, I really dont carry too well on TV (if thats the phrase I was looking for) but Im hell bent on making a video that I can look back on with my kids in 10-15 years time think - Hey! thats allright. It would be nice to see on TV again (yes I've been on TV once) but Im not holding my breath for another shot at my fifteen minutes of fame.
I need to develop the art of one man production. Being able to feel safe enough to leave a camera at the side of the road without it being stolen, having the ability to record events happening to me when I already have enough to deal with. are just some of the challenges ahead. (Maybe theres some merit in a helmet cam and rock music on youtube, it's much easier)
Anyway, Lorraine keeps on at me to promote this trip, others tell me to write a book of my adventures. Others tell me to just go!
There are dozens of books out there written by far more talented and entertaining people than me, whats the point of another one. Who wants to see another bloke on a bike chugging around the world on two wheels. Hmmm well I do for one.  Now where's my wife hidden that overused Mondo Way Buster Rider movie gone to?