mexico or bust!

after another rushed drive across the country - well, as rushed as an old VW van can go - matt and i arrived in my hometown davis, california to drop off all our stuff at my parents' house, pack only our unicycling gear, and fly up to calgary, alberta to get the wheels rolling. with a few days of cushion once we arrived in canada, we had time to explore banff national park, a place in which i've always wanted to spend a bit of time.

in davis, we were greeted by our newly screenprinted "divideby1.com" trip apparrel. it's true, you get stronger when you wear it.

matt peformed a stellar paint job on my unicycle. the opposite side boasts a black lightning bolt. oh, and if you can't tell from the picture, it's coated in a glittery clearcoat.

finally to banff, we were able to ride out a ways on a backcountry trail and camp out for a night. this proved to be a valuable opportunity for a final testing of our gear and to make sure we are adequately equipped.
the verdict? we are not adequately equipped.
i was too cold to sleep, even with a fleece jacket, beanie, and socks. enter sleeping bag liner.
matt's backpack was as unstable as a unicycle, and demanded extra focus and energy to balance. enter new backpack.

behind the famous banff springs hotel is where the great divide mountain bike route starts. yeah, i've seen worse scenery.

we took a day to head further into the national park to visit lake louise, a place whose reputation preceeds it but does not overstate it. simply breathtaking.



we hiked around the lake to the glacier field.



beautiful blue. almost murkily blue.



back in calgary, we camped in the backyard of cory and rae read, who offered their hospitality via a cycle-tourist website. we had amazing burgers and a chance to catch our breath before heading off to see collective soul play in the city. it was a great show!



packing mayhem ensues. sidewalks are a suitable space for such shenanigans, me thinks.
hours later, we are now a bit more prepared and ready to ride.
pack weight = 29 pounds, including 3 days worth of food... EEK!!
seat, don't fail me now, seat don't fail me now.

this is the last update before starting the big journey south. we hope to leave within an hour.

a couple of website updates to look for on divideby1.com:
- a link to more pictures on a picasa web album
- a link to track us on google maps through our satellite messenger

MEXICO OR BUST!

- team blazing saddle sores