Three Teas never ending teatime

[Threeteas]

<embed id="VideoPlayback" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=-8896088835450662466&hl=en&fs=true" style="width:400px;height:326px" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"> </embed>


Remember those charity details:

www.ikat.org

www.penniesforpeace.org

If ever there were a more poigniant day than today, to consider how to address the issues that lead to that horrific event, then I don't know what day that would be.

 

[Threeteas]

You put cream in your tea ?

Milk...except for Earl Grey, when I only use lemon.

And I don't take sugar either...it's acting, or as near an approximation as I can muster.

 

[Threeteas]

A bit of background

Can one person truly change the world? If his name is Greg Mortenson, and he has the power of thousands of PARADE readers behind him, thereÔÇÖs no mountain that canÔÇÖt be moved.

Full and ongoing story of this incredible guys ceaseless efforts to overcome fear and ignorance.

http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2004/edition_02-29-2004/featured_1

It puts riding around on a BMW drinking tea, into perspective.

 

[Threeteas]

How to support Three Teas Tour's charities:

visit-

http://www.threecupsoftea.com
and buy any books you want, that way 7% of all the books purchased will go towards helping a girl's scholarship fund.

Check your local library and see if Three Cups of Tea is there. If not, either donate a copy, or ask for it to be added.

http://www.penniesforpeace.org
is designed for school kids, here in the West. One penny equals one pencil and a million words. Get your kid's school involved.

Contact: Central Asia Institute,
PO Box 7209,
Bozeman,
MT 59771.
Tel 406 585 7841
www.ikat.org

$1 per day for a teacher's wages
1 penny for a pencil
$1/month for a child's education.

Contact them directly, not me.

 

[Threeteas]

<embed id="VideoPlayback" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=-8438458139680680550&hl=en&fs=true" style="width:400px;height:326px" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"> </embed>

Revised...final version!

 

[Threeteas]

Seattle is awash, not with rain, but with a culture of alternative medicines, homeopathic this and that, crystals and other mumbo jumbo, which I've never bought in to.

Last year, I spent 3 or 4 months having the best scientific treatment that you can give to an achilles that's on the verge of rupture and the swelling and soreness went away. Two weeks ago, the swelling returned and threw a spanner into the whole ride's possibilities. I couldn't get my boot on.

My wife has had acupuncture and it seemed to help...quickly.

There seems no logic to it, needles in the head, needles in the stomach and finally some in the foot, but also the other foot. This seemed daftness.

But it has worked. I have no idea how, but it has.
Later this week, I'll have another needle session, not only to help the ankle, but, and I'm even more skeptical about this, for my anxiety about vertical edges.
This, if it works, could be a major boon for the Andean roads I face down south.

 

[The_Veg]

My wife has had acupuncture and it seemed to help...quickly.

There seems no logic to it, needles in the head, needles in the stomach and finally some in the foot, but also the other foot. This seemed daftness.

This, I think, is what drives the process of science and discovery. Just because something doesn't make logical sense now doesn't mean that it won't later. Faraday observed wires and magnets and compass-needles doing strange things. The scientific establishment scoffed at his ideas as to why they did those things, even to the point of telling him that he was reporting the impossible. Today the ideas that Faraday proved (and Einstein and Tesla built upon) are commonplace in our lives, from our wristwatches to our motorcycles to our spacecraft.

But it has worked. I have no idea how, but it has.

That's the important part. Run with it and have some excellent travels!

 

[Threeteas]

The departure is on Sunday 5th October from the Seattle Centre and the NW Tea Festival at 3pm.

I'll be at the Festival on the Saturday and Sunday, along with a tea leaf reader that I've found, so if you are in the area come along and exchange hard earned cash, for unrealistic expectations for the future. The cash goes to www.ikat.org and you get to drink the tea.

 

[Threeteas]

From a UK GSer:

May you always sup from a china cup.
May your sugar bowl always be full.
With jersey milk to top up thy brew
and that Sir, i mean - no bull.


Your efforts i praise,
much money do raise!
For no trip could be any finer.

Such adventure is valid,
may thy tea ne'er be pallid,
be it Earl grey, Green or plain China.


I wish you the best,
whether north, east, south or west.
I do hope your waters well boiled.


For we all do admire you,
adventure will tire you.
Many miles you will have toiled.

So keep in fine fettle,
a good copper kettle.
A caddy to store precious leaves in.

A good china 'pot
adds flavour - a lot.
This; the sum of what to believe in.

It just remains to be said,
your leaves will be read,
your blog and your videos seen.


I'll sit with my brew
and raise it to you.
Three cheers from me
and three teas for you!

~~
Og

 

[Threeteas]

Excellent News

There's a lady at the North West Tea Festival that has been taken ill...that's not the excellent news though...she was the person responsible for the Festival's charitable support, but hasn't put anything in place, so, here's the good news, the Festival have asked to adopt the charities I'm riding for instead.

On the personal finances side, all is not so good.

The Sony HD camera won't work with the PC I was taking, and will only recognise I movie on my desktop mac, so I've had to buy a new Apple laptop. Problem then is, Garmin doesn't like Macs, so all my mapping software is "shagged" until I download some intermediary software between mac, garmin and mapsource.

Carnets are the next pain in the pocket. $3k for a carnet, which I know legally I shouldn't need, but which I believe eases passage across borders. I know I'll get some reimbursed upon return, but here's the snag...Tom probably won't have a carnet, so all I'll do is get through borders, then have to sit and wait.

Next, the blog is a problem. The graphics and the template are unhappy web fellows, so for $800 someone can fix them, but I have a budget of a free T shirt.

It's all a bit of a financial drain, above and beyond what I'd already though was an excessive budget.

Totting costs up so far, before setting off:

Insurances: Medical and Bike and medijet- $5k
Cameras and Video things $8k
Blog and promotional things $6k
Bike prep $2.5k
Accommodation, camping and other misc gear $2k, so far.

On top of this I've budgetted $2k/month travel costs for the 6 months
An additional $5k reserved for a possible Antactica trip
A sum for shipping bits back (video media etc and the bike, if I can't cover the distance in 6 months)
Flights across the Darien Gap
Bike spares on the road and services
Tea!!!


So if anyone a has a bob or two and fancies buying an Unchainedworld T shirt for $20 +p&p each (Port Authority, so not cheap tat) let me know. I could do with the extra cash.

Cheers.

 

[Threeteas]

The aversion acupuncture (overcoming my dislike and anxiety about edges) had it's first session yesterday.
Now I'm thinking it may have some sort of psychosematic benefit, because the blinding headache it gave me, must have some dividends.
Apparently I now need to find an edge and stand as near as possible. Come away, then go back and see if I can get nearer. Now that seems to make more sense than sticking needles in my head.

On the ankle side, that's a physical thing, I can conceive that needles stimulating nerves can help. But stopping sweaty palms on a cliff edge...I'll have to let you know...I need to go and take some headache pills now...oh and a malaria pill.

 

[Threeteas]

So, here we are with one week to go and to be quite frank, I'm not looking forward to it at all, and I've worked out why.

For the last two months, with only the distraction of the little video above, my whole focus has been on problems. The what could go wrongs and the preparations to over come them. The spares for breakdowns, the documentation...insurances against this that and the other, visas, places to conceal cash, dummy wallets and credit cards, illnesses, accidents...every unpleasant aspect that could possibly occur has been aaddressed, planned for, rethought and done again.

Not for a moment have any of the pleasant events been considered, because you don't need to plan for those, they happen to you.

By the end of this final week, it will be a merciful release to get underway. To be able to stop second guessing what could go wrong and just face up to whatever does or doesn't. And to encounter the fun, enjoyable, fascinating and wonderous events and people that will inevitably occur.

Roll on the end of this week!

 

[Threeteas]

Paid my last visit to REI yesterday, you just can't leave home without a titanium folding spoon, then started packing.

It's all getting a little "real" now.

Watched Wild Hogs last night, what cliched twaddle. I don't think I'm going on my ride to rediscover myself. If I do happen to cross paths with "myself" along the way, I'll probably be polite, but won't stay in touch.

So, busy week. New gadgets and gizmos to fire up and see how they work...Spot, Mac Book, Blackberry and various media bits and bobs, either learn them fast, or have a spare bike following with all the instruction manuals.

Still have the blog site to complete. It functions, but the design isn't set in place.
There's the web TV thing to do and then a hair cut and other daily chores.

Time has however, compressed into seven days...oooh eeerrr, I should have done more, earlier.

 

[Threeteas]

3Ts title sequence

<embed id="VideoPlayback" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=5029807948907349116&hl=en&fs=true" style="width:400px;height:326px" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"> </embed>


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5029807948907349116&hl=en

Try this link if the embedded won't play.

 

[Threeteas]

Packed today. Will repack tomorrow as there's too much "just in case" stuff. Good job I had the Ohlins re sprung for extra weight.
The Mac is proving to be a pain too.
Had the biking hair cut today, it won't last 6 months though. I was almost tempted to go white, it was my chance to go weird for a while, well weirder.

 

[lockster]

Farewell my mate, keep us all updated on your adventures and remember, ITS ALWAYS ABOUT THE BIKES....ALWAYS HAS BEEN, ALWAYS WILL BE !
My order will be a cup of Yorkshire Gold, no sugar and some green top to finish it all off with.
Kind regards and thoughts are with you lamble

Lockster

 

[Threeteas]

San Diego

Day 4 reached San Diego.

Day 1 So far we've ridden down the I5 to Shasta, which was pathetic, the ride that is, not Shasta, which was spectacular lodgings.
Day 2 Rode across to Ukiah. That was stupendously good. High mountain roads, clinging in an anti gravity manner to sheer cliffs. It appears that my acupuncture worked as I didn't feel any anxiety.

Day 3 was different. After another splendid mountain pass, I left Tom and meandered around, but principally followed the coast road the 1 and 101. Again edges were overcome, although not without some trepidation, but certainly not fear.

I lost Tom all day and stayed in Paso Robles, while he was elsewhere. We met up again at lunchtime in Malibu, before heading to Santa Monica Pier.

So far there have been many highlights and I've got some on film, like day 2 where we ended up in prison, day 4 where Randy the GS800 bought me breakfast (he'd have to tell you where, because I've no idea where we were.

There have been too many freeways for my taste, but we have to do some miles.

Looks like a new plan is needed however as we are heading straight for a storm...Norbert...in Baha.Who calls a storm Norbert, that's a like calling it wufty pufty. It needs a name like Thor, or Helmut, or something to strike fear, not sympathy.

Tom broke his fuel cap, and needs new tyres, so we may spend time in San Diego today...it's Friday now isn't it?

 

[Threeteas]

So, been blogging like a lunatic today, while Tom does his tyres and fuel thing.
Take a look, then buy a book.

Seriously, buy a book and help my charities. Any book you want and at a discount price.
Just use www.threecupsoftea.com as your online bookstore and some of the money you'd have spent anyway, will go towards helping build schools and educate folk. it will also help with pennies for peace, a cultural awareness programme in the USA.

Fear is ignorance, so ignorance is the enemy. Here's a way to help alleviate the symptoms that ignorance can cause, with money you'd be spending anyway.

See, it's a bargain and a charity...what a deal!

www.unchainedworld.com for the latest on the none riding that took place today.

Randy (GS800 breakfast person), what's the name of that Oyster place please?

 

[Threeteas]

Lamble,

May your crusade to the Falkland Islands be for Queen and Country. Please establish order on the way.

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XfqRh0D72f8&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XfqRh0D72f8&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

Can I have that as the ident for my postings here, or doesn't it fit in a 64x64 pixel size?

 

[Threeteas]

Crossing into Mexico today. Baja will have to wait, Norbert and Orile are too strong to want to be the Pacific side of the mountains, 138mph gusts and a fully loaded GS, do not make the best of buddies.

So, vamos muchachos!