Houston, we have luggage!

Now with my eyes doing a billion times better (still not perfect by any stretch), it's time to get focused on the trip once again.

A while back, Dylan and I discussed the age old motorcycle adventure question: what type of luggage do we use with the bikes?

We settled on a heavier choice, but one that will afford me tipping my bike a few times with minimal damage. The debate was among soft cases and hard cases made from either aluminum or plastic. We agreed on plastic.

So with Dylan's contacts in the aircraft parts industry, we managed to snag a great deal on four Pelican 1550 cases. Better yet, Dylan and his wife gave me my cases to me for my birthday.

I think these cases are easily the best choice for the trip, however, Dylan is concered they will be too large and will stick out too far on the bikes, affecting aerodynamics and fuel economy. He's probably right, but I'm just happy to have something new and tangible that we'll be living out of for four months.

On another random note, the motorcycle adventurer's spiritual guide, Jupiter's Travels by Ted Simon is back in print. If you haven't heard of it yet, Ted rode around the world for four years in the 1970s. Now in his 70s, he's finished re-tracing his ride, again by motorcycle. That guy is cool.

More to come...