The Real Thing

It's for real. On Friday morning, Kohl boarded a plane and headed over to the Canaries. Twenty-odd hours later, I got a call from the other side of the Atlantic, saying all is well and that she was waiting for the ferry to cross from Tenerife to the small sailing port of San Sebastian, on the island of La Gomera. From thousands of miles away, I could feel the renewed sense of purpose in her voice and could almost see the new glimmer in her eyes. I heard my teammate as I heard her two years ago: we are going.

On September 18th, exactly two months ago, I answered a call from England, and it changed my world as I formally knew it. I could have just as easily said no thanks, hung up, and let it go. It was just a whisper of potential success, without a team, or sponsors, or money, or a plan. It wasn't feasible or realistic to even try. But, the power of a dream is strong one, and the combined power of four of them can overcome all odds. In two months, the four of us have gotten a boat, equipment, funds, and a full ocean rowing campaign together. We have gone through all the trials and tribulations of our previous preparation... empty promises from what we thought were potential sponsors, equipment failures, logistical nightmares, stress of making sure that all our paperwork is in order, begging for donations from every possible source... all in two short months. Last time we had two years to prepare, and we have managed to put together a very promising campaign in the highly abridged version of what we were working with the last go around.

And now as a result of all of our hard work, Kohl and Jo are over in the Canaries, drinking Dorada beer with the ocean rowing crowd in The Blue Marlin and hiking the desert hills of the island to view the incredible vistas of the deep blue ocean fading into the sky to the west. I am jealous... and sooo excited. In one week, Tara and I will arrive and race Jo and Kohl up those same hills, meeting for the first time as Unfinished Business and formally starting our adventure. And, two weeks from this exact moment in time, I will be about 12 hours off the coast of Gomera watching the volcanic peak of El Tiede fade away in the moonlight and happily enjoying the freedom that only the ocean can offer.

Looking back at San Sebastian and the marina from one of the western hills of Gomera.

I have a lot to do in the meantime though. When Kohl first called me from Tenerife, I was in the heat (literally, Phoenix is still HOT) of battle with Beef Jerky during our last pool play game in VOTS Fall League finals. We played three amazing games in pool play, with intensity, teamwork, and a just a great sense of fun. Our third game was a tough match which ended on the wrong side of a universe point for Come From Behind. But, it was a good way to go out: a hard fought, low scoring, intense game with a respectable adversary who went on to the Finals. After our games ended, I stayed to watch the semis and finals and get my fair share of heckling in with the rest of the league. It was great fun with an incredible group of awesome people. Before I knew it, though, the sun had set and the last point was played, with our favored Beef Jerky just barely failing to win it all. And then I had to say goodbye... the first of many to come in the next few days... to my team, to the dozens of friends that I have made in the league, and to the game of ultimate for a few months. As I walked away from the field, a pit started to form in my stomach... I really am going to miss the people and the sport while I'm out on the ocean. I didn't have long to get pensive or melancholy, though. After a shower and dinner, I headed over to Suda's new condo for a joint housewarming and goodbye party. The wine and beer were flowing, and Guitar Hero, Dance Dance Revolution, and beer pong kept the festivities going strong well into the morning hours. More goodbyes were said, but the atmosphere was one of celebration, and I didn't even think about what I would be leaving behind.

Today I've had plenty of time for that though. My mind races in a circle, one moment eager to be off on the adventure, the next sad about leaving my friends, the next stressed about making the last shipping payments, and back again to being excited that our boat arrives tomorrow. Today was spent running a plethora of errands... getting the last of the food and equipment, and making sure that everything is ready to go. And then I had to go say goodbye to our faithful, third teammate of American Fire. She's not very happy about not going, and I'm not happy that she won't be carrying us to Antigua, but she's already been across twice before, and understands why we are doing what we are doing. I sat in her footwell for some time, consoling her and looking over the bow, imagining the blue horizon beyond. She is surprisingly taking things better than my bike, who was sitting sullenly in the corner of my room when I got home, his brake cables sagging and tears of chain oil dripping from his frame. He's a good bike, but he has his needs, too - ones that can't be satisfied chained up in my room for months. I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to cheat on me with Hannah while I am gone, but I am hoping that one last ride on Tuesday morning in Papago will keep him loyal.

Other than that, I'll be busy the rest of the evening finishing off a manuscript for work and then organizing the hundreds of Snickers, granola bars, peanuts, Slim Jims, and other snacks into a manageable mess that will make it on the plane on Wednesday.