So you know that feeling you get before that big presentation, upcoming athletic event, or interview? You’ve done countless hours/days/months of preparation. You’ve checked and rechecked your information, gear, goals and benchmarks. Visualized and gone through the “big event” in your head a thousand times to optimize your performance, and just before… you get that queezy feeling in the pit of your stomach, a bit or worry maybe self doubt attempts to lodge itself in your psyche as you wonder, “What was I thinking?” “Have I prepared enough?” “Will all go as planned?”

And then you hear that stupid saying your college coach used to chant, “If if’s and buts were candy and nuts, we’d all have a merry Christmas”…at least that’s how I remember it. Meaning, for me that, IT IS WHAT IT IS. Translation…It’s just a really long walk. You’re as prepared as you’re going to be, and of course NOTHING will go as planned (Murphy’s Law)…that’s the adventure! Thus anticipation turns to excitement which is currently evolving into impatience as we are now roughly 1 week out. Alas there are still things to tighten up on the home front as one must still be responsible…damit! Not quite sure whatever quite compelled us to strive to be responsible adults, maybe we’ll get over it one day…doubtful, but one must have something to strive for.

All permits have arrived. Taxes are done. Two major home projects scraped till we get back. Weather forecast checked for launch date. Re-supply boxes packed/organized…ready to mail (mostly). Now to per-flight our gear one more time to make sure it’s still good to go, and more importantly figure out how to pack all our crap into our synthetic shoulder carry “U-hauls”.