Last minute preps & The Great Return

Never before has a summer seemed so long. Traditionally I have taken my vacation starting on the weekend just following my birthday; I like when things start with a bang! But this year I made a small adjustment because of the bike tour, and with the stupid hot/humid summer we've been having it seems that the decision was the correct one. So this year my vacation starts on Labor Day weekend and ends with the fall equinox. No wonder I've been feeling like this summer has been stretching on and on, but now with only two and a half weeks to go I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel and wanderlust is beginning to work its magic.

The last big piece of the puzzle has been ordered and I will be receiving it next week: the Topeak Bikamper bike tent, an award-winning tent that will allow me to set up a camp literally anywhere. I intend this to be a spartan trip so I will be travelling light, and I expect any excess fat I may have to be completely gone by the time I return! But even though I love the feeling of adventure and riding off into the unknown, I still have just a little planning to do. I'm in the process of fine-tuning the path I'll be taking; the first part isn't too hard, just follow the Ottawa river upstream. Chances of getting lost are impossible. The last part is also very easy: follow the "P'tit Train du Nord" path downhill, stopping only at Val-David to see Brutopia manager Bill Thornley. The second part though, from Thurso to St-Jovite, by way of Lochaber, Ripon, Cheneville, Ste-Emilie-de-Suffolk and Amherst... entering the Laurentians from the side and into sparsely populated woodlands, this is where getting lost would suck. But still, looking at the maps the way North is pretty straight-forward, but I still need to know exactly what I'm riding into, what kind of facilities are available and where, that sort of stuff.

Also on the horizon is the final check-up on my bike and my hardware, making sure everything is tight and well lubricated and all that jazz. The final little things I need to get are a box of PowerBars, a second water bottle and cage, a compass (I have one on my phone but it won't work where I may need it), and brace yourselves... baby wipes! Why, you may ask? I got this from Brad Pitt, of all people! I've heard this in an interview he gave: when actors go to a crazy location to shoot a movie, where there are no star trailers with running water, you gotta keep yourself clean somehow. Baby wipes do this perfectly. Plus they make you smell all cute and stuff XD

The Great Return

And it is now official, having first announced it to the Montreal EVE crew, and then to #Tweetfleet and #EVEonline on Twitter: on August 23rd, Cozmik R5 will awakened from the deep cryosleep he's been into for the past 9 months, given a strong dose of espresso, and resuming training of Large Autocannon Specialization V. I've made my peace with how I'll be earning ISK and I will concentrate on the only things of interest to me, which are blowing shit up and getting myself blown up. I'll take a bit of time to get re-acquainted to the "beautiful" Neocom, the new inventory system and the new ship fits for frigates and destroyers (which will be my main ships). I won't be able to get very active right away because I will be concentrating on finalizing the trip preparations, and when I'll come back from that it'll be crunchtime for the Wishmaster drumline project. The big show is on October 20th. But I will be taking the following Monday and Tuesday off so October 21-22-23 will be THE big return to activity, corp search and all that. Red vs Blue interests me a lot, but I've also been thrown a line by Ushra'Khan pilot Thorvik; U'K is now into the new revamped Faction Warfare and I've been told "no alliance bullshit, so far" At any rate I will get into some serious interviews when the time comes, and I will find a bunch of like-minded players and together we shall rape, pillage, and hopefully extract a few tears... isn't that how EVE is meant to be played? :)

Fly (or ride) adventurously !!!

o7