Virginia

It's my second day in Virginia. It's been a pretty weird couple of days. I packed up pretty much everything I own (I think I left a couple things...sorry Sloans), shoved it all in my truck, And drove up here...not for vacation...but to move out. It's kind of heavy knowing that I just moved away from Asheville. Bittersweet would be a suitable term.

So, until I leave for the trip early Wednesday morning, I actually have a pretty full schedule. Today, I have a dentist appointment (sick), some work up on my dad's property, and packing for the trip. Tomorrow, I have a doctor's appointment, more packing, and my birthday/Father's day dinner! Then it's an early night/early morning to get to Greensboro for my flight.

The trip...

Like I said, I'm finishing up my packing. I was pleasantly surprised 1)With all of the awesome gifts I was given from Diamond Brand Outdoors and Frugal Backpacker, in Fletcher, NC (If you are in Asheville, make sure you go here, not REI) and 2) When I got to my parents place in Virginia, I had a new camera (Pentax Optio W60, waterproof), new sunglasses (Costa Del Mar TP2, tortoise frames, blue mirror lens), and a sweet Undertoad T-shirt (check out Undertoad @ http://www.undertoadcompany.com/).

Besides that, there's not a whole lot to talk about. Me and the Pops are about to leave to go look at chainsaws before my Dentist appointment (sick). But, I will leave you with a sweet video that I think you will enjoy....Actually, make that two videos. Check em.

This one is of a new film, 180 South. It's a trip, taken by Jeff Johnson, and inspired by the Yvon Chouinard (founder of Patagonia) and Doug Tompkins' trip to climb Mt. Fitz Roy, in Argentina, back in 1968. www.180south.com.

This one is of Liz Clark, a San Diego native who took a 5000 mile sailing trip with her family when she was 11, and has dreamed of sailing around the world ever since. She left Santa Barbara, on her mighty steed (Cal 40 sailboat) Swell, in 2006, and has travelled, so far, south as far as Panama, the Galapagos Islands, and has been in French Polynesia for a couple years now. She has had some great adventures, and you can read about them here, http://www.swellvoyage.com/.

Hope you enjoyed those. I may post again before I leave, but if not, you will hear from me next when I arrive in Bermuda!!! Holler.

Oh, and, Turd Furg finally watched Braveheart for the first time ever...my friend is all grown up...a true man.

Last Full Day in ASHEVILLE!

Well,

Today is the beginning of my last day in Asheville. In 24 hours, I will be in my packed out SUV headed to Virginia. I've figured out how to pack all of my stuff into a small duffel bag and a backpack...which is pretty impressive to me. I think I'm gonna smell real bad. But hopefully, so will everyone else...1) So I don't feel bad, 2) So our stenches will mix and mingle...and start to smell like home. Too much??? Hopefully salt air has some kind of anti-bacterial/anti-stench properties.

In other news, I finally got my freaking Arc'Teryx jacket that I've been waiting for. It got here a week ago, but everyone thought it'd be funny if they waited until my last day to give it to me...funny right? I hate these people.

Just kidding.

But seriously...Here's the jacket.

Friends...Family...Acquaintances....that thing is sexy.

So I am unbelievably excited right now. I put on War Paint....Seriously, check it out...

Awesome...I'm so bored right now.

But seriously, Asheville...you have been good to me. I hope I enjoy this last day in your warm, loving bosom.

I'm ending on that note...(single man tear.....crap, pulled a Sloan again)

This is Awesome

Check out the link. 

Ben's Trip

So, this is a link to the boat's complete course. My dad will update it everyday, so you should just be able keep clicking on the link and checking out where the boat is.

The List

Before i get to "The List", I have to tell you about my dream last night.

First off, I am congested and feel like crap, which sucks (But I did use a "Neti-Pot" last night....they work, I was surprised). But I think it was due to the mixture of congestion and Nyquil that I had an unbelievable dream...I had chest hair. I know what you may be thinking...How does a man as manly as "The Johnson" not have chest hair??? Well...It's a question I've asked God many a time, and He thought it best to bless my dreams, instead of my reality, with a chest full of luscious, thick, brown hair. And that's all my dream was about, or at least all I can remember.

Let that bless you. If you're wondering about the hand on my belly...It's God's. He's rubbing my belly. And yes...God does, in fact, wear a watch.

Alrighty then.

The List...of things I am going to pack. If you can think of anything else, by all means, fire away.

Clothing:

3 pair of shorts
1 pair of long pants
1 long sleeve shirt
2 bathing suits
1 set of good clothes (casual)
Underwear and socks (optional)
1 pair sneakers or deck shoes
1 fleece shirt
1 set of foul weather gear (pants and jacket)
1 Pair of work gloves (aka my hands)
Hat

Toiletries:

2 towels
Liquid soap/shampoo
Toothbrush/Toothpaste
Deodorant
Sunscreen

Gear:

Sunglasses (polarized w/ strap)
Headlamp
Insect repellent
Sailor’s Knife
Ziploc Bags
Moisture control crystals

Electronics:

Camera (Waterproof)
Computer (Mac)

Documents:

Passport
Customs Letter for Bermuda

And the best thing is, I can fit all of this in a relatively small duffel and my backpack!

The only other things I know I'm taking are books, so if any of you have any good ideas, please indulge. (If you know of any 1000 page books that are awesome and not boring, they take up less space and more time) I know I'm somehow going to fit The Chronicles of Narnia audio books on my Ipod, but that's all I've got so far.

I starting packing everything up from the house yesterday. I was pleasantly surprised. I thought I had way more stuff! So I pretty much cleaned out the whole man cave of all of my stuff, packed a Tupperware container, and put some clothes in a bag. I called it a night when I realised that, for the past 10 or 15 mins., all I had been doing was picking things up and putting them in a different spot...

So, a good start to the week, besides congestion, and I am more excited than ever!


AND...I watched The Man From Snowy River last night....Holy crap people, great movie. Men, go watch it. It's about this orphan, Jim Craig, and how he has to prove himself to these other mtn. men, so he can claim his inheritance. It's awesome. Great quote:

"I think a man could sooner hold back the tides than tame the mountains."

It's good, It's good.

The Beginning of the End

Well, it is officially June 1st. in 10 days, I'll be trippin on down to Bermuda to jump on that boat and get outta here.



Rock out to that...I wasn't born when this video was made. What a shame, because these guys would've been my heroes. One guy is wearing a suit jacket, and glasses to see into the future, the other guy has a mullet and a jail stripe shirt (you can he likes to party), and the other dude looks like he's about to go chop down an entire forest....80's....do you hear me??? I miss you.

It's good, It's good.

So, this is my last week of good, honest, 9 to 5 work. And I have ALOT of packing to do. I have to basically pack up everything I own at the Sloan's house and somehow fit it all in or on Steven (My Isuzu Rodie-whoa!). And you know my Dad will be overjoyed when we have to unpack it all and shove it in his storage shed...


On another note, since I haven't been to the doctor or dentist in a very long time, I scheduled appointments with both the beginning of next week. Why not?


In other news...


Earlier last week, I had put an ad on Craigslist rideshare, to see if I could find somebody to help me out with gas. So this dude emailed saying he needed a ride to Raleigh from Asheville. I said I'd pick him up and immediately went to my car to find the most strategical location for my 7-inch blade.


*Side note - when strategically placing a knife in your car, just in case the man, woman, or animal in your passenger seat turns out to be a psycho, there are many things you must take into consideration, such as: 1) You don't want the passenger to be able to see the knife, therefore giving you the element of surprise, 2) You want it in a place where, if you go to grab it, it isn't very obvious, 3) You want to put it where the stabbing or slicing motion will be as quick as possible...there are a few others, but I think you get the point.


So the location I chose was in between the drivers seat and the armrest...hidden from sight, but easily accessible.


Anyways, so I picked John up at his house, he was a little squirrely, and smaller than me, so I knew right off the bat I could take him, which immediately relaxed me a bit. We left his house and started chatting, and he turned out to be a super duper dude. He was an accomplished carpenter, and then decided to do something he'd always wanted to do, become a website developer. So he went back to school (NC State) and is about to graduate and start his own website business. Pretty cool eh?


So Craigslist rideshare = potentially sketchy, but totally worth it. I got $25 out of the deal.... Don't forget the knife.

Hope that was fun. I'll let you know how the packing goes...

AND...Kyle stepped on my freaking sunglasses over the weekend and broke them. My beautiful Costa Del Mar sunnys. I just bought a new pair though, for 40% off plus a little thing I like to call a gift certificate. A big thanks to the Sears!

Another Day...Another Destiny

Well, 1 more week until I am unemployed. That's a bit nuts, and scary really. I always get stressed about money, more than I should...and I just decided to quit my job...Just gotta stop thinking about that.

This morning, I looked online for an hour trying to find 1)Ray Ban Wayfarers and 2) a sailing cap with a string (It attaches to your shirt so if your hat gets blown off, you don't lose it). I didn't find any that I actually wanted to buy, since for some reason Ray Ban Wayfarers are still $200, and they stopped making sailing caps in the early 90's....speaking of the early 90's...

I watched the movie "Wind" last night.



Talk about an awesome movie. Made in 1992 but based in 1987. It's about this dude who is a sailor and races yachts. Well, he basically loses this huge race, one that America has won the past 100 or so years, to Australia. The US and Australia are like Duke and UNC at Chapel Hill, but for sailing. They hate each other. So it's all about how he and this dudes make this sweet new boat design and win the cup back. Did I mention it has Jennifer Grey in it?

Yea...She fine. Here's something funny about Ben Johnson...He loves poofy 80's/90's hair, and when girls wear jeans (acid wash) up to their belly buttons, and grandma sweaters. Seriously...I will take Jennifer Grey in Ferris Buellers Day Off, Dirty Dancing, and Wind...or Elizabeth Shue in Cocktail and Back to the Future, over any girl EVER. I love it.

Gotta stop.

So, the date is slowly approaching for me to take off. I get more and more excited everyday. I'm finding every video on Youtube that has to do with sailing, looking up websites, all that mess. I really am becoming obsessed. I hope it lives up to my expectations.

AND>>>>>Margarita is a follower on my blog!!! There is no greater honor.

AND>>>>I'm going to Goldsboro (aka Eden) tonight. Nick and Angela's engagement party tomorrow. Pretty pumped about that.

AND>>Rock out to some "Southern Cross" from Crosby Stills & Nash. 1) Great Song 2) Gets me fired up to sail man.

Crap...AND>>> I forgot about this. There's a transmitter on the boat that sends an email with our location twice a day. My dad will be getting the email, so if you want to keep track of the voyage, send me your email address and I'll put you on the list!

Ben...Out

Ben Johnson...The Sailor?!?!

If you don't want to read the glorious story below because it's too long...Read This! It has pictures!

So, I leave June 10th from my parents home in Lynchburg to fly to Bermuda...which looks like this...

Amazing...I will be in Bermuda for 5 days, learning about the boat, an Alden 44' (pictures of boat will come from Bermuda) and going on day sails, etc.

So, the 15th of June, 1 day after my 23rd birthday, I will hop aboard this sea going vessel and begin the voyage across the ocean...which apparently looks like this...

Awesome sunset, I hope I see a few.


"Hey, whats that in the distance??? Oh..it's just more freaking ocean..." ( I think I'll say that, with heaps of sarcasm piled on, one time)

And then, after 2-6 weeks, depending on the wind (1850 miles, 50 to 100 miles a day), I will arrive at Horta, Faial, which is in the Azores off the coast of Portugal. They look like this.

This is the Horta, where we will land in Faial. You can see the harbor if you look really close.

This is the view of Mount Pico, on the neighboring Island of Pico, from Horta.

If you can look really close, you can see all of the paintings on the walls of the harbor. An old harbor legend is that if you paint the name of your boat on the walls, you will have good luck sailing...Just another reason to sail...legends.

Well, that's all I'm going to write right this second. I'll catch ya'll up later!