Happy '13!

And so, the year that arguably is going to be the most significant and memorable of the project begins. Years of planning and training will finally come to a close.

There's still alot of work to be done however. There's a bunch of things I still need to order, and the bike itself needs some TLC as well. It's hibernating at the moment, and I'm using the time to get some other bits and bolts done. By the end of this week, I've probably taken out the rear wheel to do the breaks, chain and sprockets. Other work on the to-do list includes the spark plugs, bearings, brake fluid, the steering stem bearings and fresh rubber.

As far as the last item is concerned, I'm probably switching from Michelin Anakees to Metzeler Tourances for the trip - last Summer in Great Britain I noticed how quickly the Anakee 2 wore down (after the trip, the rear was right down to the legal limit) and because the upcoming trip will be twice as long I'm not going to take my chances again. The Michelin's OK for commuting, but for long distance, heavy loaded all-tarmac touring the Metzeler seems a far better option (if you have any better suggestions though, I'm all ears!)

Also, my trusty Drift HD170 seems to be longing for retirement, as with some of the repairs the watertight seal has probably let some water in over time resulting in pictures such as the one to the right. Very nice if you're dropping acid, but not so much if you want some awesome HD Windows Desktop surrogates in another country.

The new Drift Ghost seems an obvious replacement, as it's the only long distance cam on the market today. There goes my X-mas bonus...

All in all though, I'm pretty amazed how quickly the past two years have gone by, and how far they've actually brought me. I for one am eager to see what's still around the bend.

Here's to an amazing year.