Background and Introduction:

Its been said many times that people have either time or money, and its rare to find someone who has both. After graduating college, I had plenty of time but no money. A year earlier I had traveled to Ireland for two weeks to complete my required “cultures” coursework, and had been yearning to travel again. Career councilors advised me put aside my ideas of traveling and to take my career seriously. Get a good job, and start climbing the ladder. I had earned a degree in Industrial Engineering, and already had many applications and resumes on the street. The Peace Corps, or other far flung adventures would not improve my credentials upon return, and in hindsight I think this was good advice.

I graduated in May 2006. My career path took several bends from one area to the next, where I worked in jewelery manufacturing, chemical manufacturing, and with an energy engineering company. I finally ended up working for the New York State. I help fund projects to develop new transportation and renewable energy technologies. This is actually a good fit for my interests in technology and the environment, but after six years I've became disillusioned and dissatisfied that my work was making a difference in the world. My job scope has been reduced to clerical tasks assigned by those above me, and often involved assembling reports, sorting paper, data entry, and projector setup, and printing.

Around the same time I was becoming increasingly discontent with my living situation in Albany. Albany has a high crime rate, and very little culture. There are few jobs outside government or healthcare, and census data confirms my theory that most people leave after college. We're basically a college town, with many major universities nearby that are famed for their partying culture. This was tolerable when I was in my early to mid twenties, and I have to admit, I did have some fun times. But I feel increasingly out of place as I get older, and frankly, a little fed up with the loud bar scene. Unfortunately, there is not much else to do. Many buildings, even within reach of the capital are boarded up or abandoned. It seems only bars and perhaps a hotel or two can stay in business rotating ownerships every few years.

State workers or other professionals make there way out of the city every day, jamming local highways in surprisingly intense rush hour that's been compared to major cities like New York. Most people travel north, or otherwise to the suburbs (such as the one I grew up in). The downtown area is nothing short of deserted during the nights and weekends. Some clubs attract late night crowds, but these crowds are somewhat dangerous, and incidents are regularly reported in the news. This prompts regular police presence. Personally, I took years of self defense classes, and to carried mace when I left home at night.

Probably the hardest part was the feeling of isolation. My family and many friends had moved away, and I've never really good at making new friends. Woman mostly ignored me, which hurt my situation substantially. I work almost entirely by myself. Frankly I was pretty down on my luck.

Also hurting my attitude was my deplorable living situation, as I was literally living like a refuge, whom occupied much of the same apartment building. A constant stench filled the hallways, and flies and mice proliferated. The insects got so bad we started having bats in the building. Gangs and dealers on the street got me to move as soon as the weather turned warm in 2013, before people returned to the streets.

It was due to these concerns that I did not buy a property but decided to rent, keeping me free of long term obligations. I went as far as to buy minimal furniture, as I honestly thought I'd be gone in a few month or two, and minimal was best. I was aggressively looking to leave, and had interviews in Chicago, San Jose, New Jersey, and New York City. I was sending resumes and active on services such as LinkedIn. My own company had cross-department job postings in New York City. I was sure I was on the cusp of change for six years, but nothing ever came of it.

This was a pretty dark time for me. I felt that no mater what I did, it seemed like nothing was going to change. Jobs, woman, friends, and the lights of the exciting life I wanted did not return my calls. I felt like I was falling more entrenched, rather then climbing out of my situation. My inability to change my situation for the better was the hardest part.

There were several silver lining however. I was, in fact, saving money. Several good investments around the early 2000's were proving fruitful, as well as a frugal lifestyle had saved me a bit of cash. During this same time, I had also earned my MBA. I had lots of opportunity as I could go anywhere, and do anything. This really does hell on internet job search engines and I was overwhelmed with options, so much so that it was difficult to know where to start. I feel I had little traction in what was still a recession, and there was little progress on this front.

An important realization came in that my career was not really going anywhere, and I might as well try for something different. As Steve Jobs said “Stay hungry, stay foolish.” Besides joining a monetary, I started thinking about volunteer work or traveling as a way to learn more about the world or perhaps learn more about myself. Earlier plans to travel under sail resulted in a lesson in humility, and an eventual collapse due to unwillingness to travel alone. I had plans of traveling all over, and eventually the bike trip took on the same scope: an virtual open ended one way trip with only the first 6-9 months planned.

It was one of my friends girlfriends brothers that influenced me in this direction as well. He took a bike tour around Europe and kept a blog about his journeys. I was further inspired by publications like Adventure Cycling, and several specialized guide books and internet resources. When I discuss the trip with people, nearly everyone tells me to go for it. “Do it when you're young” is often heard. True, I'll probably be 75 by the time I have another chance like this. A special tip of the had to the YOLO crowd who influenced me there is life beyond the cubical. Important realizations about life are sometimes found at the bottom of a beer glass, and I was stumped to think of a reason NOT to go. Frankly, I don't know what will become of this trip or where I will end up. Plans are half made, but it will be an adventure at worst, and life changing at best.

I will try to post here for the events leading up to, and during my journey. I hope you follow along in the ups and downs, as I will do my best to report from the field, as well as from within myself.