It must have been the combination.
First of all it was Opening Day. I consider this a national holiday and become much more excited for the beginning of baseball season than I do valentine's day or something like sweets' day. Is there anything sweeter or more romantic than a perfectly executed suicide squeeze?
I was also reading my third Paul Theroux train narrative. This time it was The Old Patagonian Express. Between moments of complete engrossment and pangs of envy I discovered a motivation to try this travel by train thing out for myself.
It was still rainy in Portland too. Many residents of the pacific NW are proud to proclaim that the rain doesn't bother them. At least in December I find this to be true. Come March and April, it has been my experience that a lot of these folks (including myself) are clinging to hope, like Vladimir and Estragon, like Jim Morrison, waiting for the sun. Escape seemed necessary.
I was flooded with reasons to do this: see a couple more ballparks; visit friends; promote (in my limited spehere of influence) alternative transportation; expand my sphere of influence (while promoting alternative transportation); transport myself alternatively; alternate between modes of transportation; alter the transportation landscape; transalternate language at various ports, the list goes on and on; adventure; challenge... All of the reasons seemed worthwhile and I was extremely excited to see if I could make the plan work.
Soon the combination of these elements nursed the notion of a two-week trip into a vision for a grand cross-country adventure. But the cost was very steep for a guy going back to school and working part-time. I estimated between $5000 and $8000. In order to get this trip done I was going to need one, two, or a combination of two things to happen:
1) Acheive sponsorship. Through a hierarchy of contirbutors I am hoping to get help to complete the whole trip. Ideally I would like to get the most help from Amtrak, Major League Baseball, and Jamis Bicycles. But the fun part would be receiving assistance from friends and supporters around the country in the form of places to sleep; invitations to meals; company at the games, on the trains and on bikes; and interest in/contributions to my blog.
and/or
2) Make it so worthwhile that I don't mind going into debt.
Here goes nothing...
