The Turn

Tomorrow begins training day.   

The immediate moment that Hudson was diagnosed with a mast cell tumor, I knew my plans for walking cross Japan would be delayed or discontinued indefinitely at best.  The red cranes of Hokkaido have to wait another day.  

Still, it is time for me to return to the road.  

Come this May the fuzzybutts and I will walk from Seattle to San Diego (which, yeah, pains me especially since they sneaked into the playoffs), the California corridor from Canada to Mexico. 

Over the past few days I have chewed this thru with my trusted compadres, that's Spanish for knuckleheads, and made my decision.  Hudson and Indiana are def on board.  

Most certainly Ginger will say the idea came from her.  Hey, I just go where I'm told to go.  

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2 Dogs 2000 Miles 2.0  

Haven't slept much since the inspiration and there's a bit of planning and preparation between now and May.  But I have made a few important decisions.  I'll embark with the same amount of money in my pocket as in 2008 which was $200. 

I have most of the gear and won't require anymore save a few pairs of socks and liners.  My right strap on my Osprey pack is still bound only by a crimp and a carabiner which tore apart in North Attleboro just weeks before the final mile.  

I might get that fixed but it kinda reminds me of me.  

Osprey declined to sponsor my first walk for which I cannot fault them but they were a big big help when the frame snapped on the Great Allegheny Passage. 

Speaking of sponsorships, I'm not really keen on the idea on seeking very many though the ultimate determination probably won't be mine.  First I spent a lot of my time chasing pairs of socks and hiking shoes and the lot.  Second, we don't need much to get from Canada to Mexico.  What we will be looking at are strategic long-term partnerships with companies committed to work together to end cancer in our lifetime.

This is our second last and there will be a third and a fourth, maybe more and I'm a patient man to wait and find those partners.   

Also, (1) There won't be a follow vehicle like our first walk. (2) We'll have a vet clear Hudson's health at every leg of the journey.  (3) We won't be staying with host families (even though we've had the greatest of experiences doing so - this walk is all about time and efficiency).  (4) Nor will we be doing media or press events throughout other than start and finish perhaps.    

While I'm still mapping out the route, it seems 1,500 or so miles from border to border.  East CA is out of the question so I'm trying to determine a coastal route given Google maps.