Sabbatical 1998

Once every six years the company for which I work allows its employees to take four weeks (20 work days, to be exact) off with pay (assuming that they aren't laid off first.) It is called a sabbatical, however, unlike the year-long academic sabbaticals that some teachers take, I will not be required to submit a report of my activities. This is a relief in some ways, but unfortunate in others as it is always nice to have a record of life experiences.

I have decided to maintain this web collection and update it as I enjoy my time away from work. I don't expect to update these pages each day (and neither should you), however, I will do my best to keep this up-to-date. As with previous experiments, the more you bother me, the less frequently I'll update.

Spontaneity requires careful planning.  I plan to be quite unpredictable in very specific ways throughout various (yet precise) moments of my sabbatical.  What follows is a description of some of the things I'm doing to get ready to begin to commence to start my adventure.

Data Hunting and Gathering

Being an Alpha Geek, (no that's not a fraternity), I find it necessary to surround myself with complex technology even when I'm trying to get "away from it all." I will have full access to a computer, e-mail, the World Wide Web and these pages throughout the course of my vacation.  Sending me e-mail about work will result in severe penalties upon my return.

I recently added a nifty new camera to the arsenal: a Sony Mavica. The camera takes 640x480 fixed-sized JPG files which are saved directly to ordinary domestic floppy disks. This technological advance brings images to your screen sooner. See? Life is better here.

Bike-abego

As part of my adventure this summer, I will be touring some of the Western United States as I search for naturally-occurring amusement park formations.  I'll be doing most of this from the seat of my motorcycle and I will need a place to carry my stuff.  I purchased and (eventually) installed a set of very fine GiVi luggage. In the picture to the left you're looking at over 100 litre of storage space. The top case can hold two full-face helmets or, optionally, one small dog.

Each case can be removed with a single key.  Away from the bike they look very much like suitcases. I have discovered through personal experience that the presence of hard luggage on a motorcycle seriously restricts lean angles through fast, sharp turns. In such a turn, the scraping sound startles the rider and the independently- moving rear end of the bike produces unpredictable handling characteristics... it sure is fun!

(After some consideration, I think I might have actually dragged the center stand peg, not the left bag.)

Trip Planning

With all the excitement at work my last week, I didn't have a chance to really work out where I would be going.  Most of my energy now will be spent doing just that -- studying maps, looking for narrow, winding roads and avoiding the major Interstate highways.

On Hotel Camping

When I was a child, my parents would take the family on camping trips.  Invariably our tent would leak or I'd wake up with bugs all over me or something equally unpleasant.   Over the years, either through selective memory or actual experience, I developed a strong loathing for the "great outdoors."  See, I don't mind riding through nature's splendor, I just don't want to get any of it on me.  It is for this reason that I will do my overnight stays, not in campgrounds, but in hotels (with TV, bathroom and modem connections).

The journey begins on Day 1.