#mic-keys

[mic-keys]

That time my mom didn’t know how to meme. 

[backpackermikeonabike]

Day 5

Woke up 5am - not hungover. Those Nuun electrolyte tablets are god’s gift to earth. Dissolved 3 of those bad boys last night.

I looked out the back of my tent around 5:30am and saw a deer grazing! It’s moments like these that you can’t get when you’re in a city. But speaking of city, I need to find one with outlets, lol.

Now i’ll always be on the look out for charging outlets. Never was a priority. Until I needed a charge. My battery setup is good for 4 days it seems. Going to charge this morning at the campsite restroom, brush teeth, shower at 7.

Update: The bathroom chargers do not give a steady charge. I plugged in and then it stops charging after 15 seconds.

I refilled my waters. I dumped out my wine, which looked like blood after dumping it 😅😶‍🌫️

Gonna use the rest of my last portable battery, meditate, wait for Taps and think of a new plan.

I remember my one wheel app had a map for charging one wheels. It was a community base generated map where people would put markings on a map to show where available outlets were. For example, there is one I’m going to use in Carmel that says at the back of City Hall on the right side. So I have a map for Wi-Fi and restrooms and I have a map for electrical outlets. Carmel City Hall, Monte Verde Street, Carmel, CA

First Whole Foods Del Monte (69mb/s upload speed) 800 Del Monte Center, Monterey, CA 93940

I uploaded my first day video here within 15 minutes.

I used Campendium (app recommended by ChatGPT for camping) to locate a cheap campsite in Big Sur. This is a big moment (pun intended). This place has been on my list for a few years ever since my buddy camped there and told me it was beautiful. Might make a song and short video with the views.

36°15'10.0"N 121°47'13.6"W

This trip is proving life is figureoutable. Even when I don’t know how far i’m biking, where/when I get my next water refill, where i’m sleeping and where I can find a convenient electricity plug for charging are all unknown.

4:00pm and i’m about quarter of the way done charging. It’s almost pointless to look at a map to scope out where to sleep for the night. Sunset for Big Sur is 8:28pm. Takes 2 hours riding, 2.5hrs or 3 hours at my pedal pace. Go with the flow. It’s not fun charging in public. I feel like everyone walking by is looking. But this will help me for the next few days having batteries full. Worth it. Especially since i’m standing next to my bike and it’s not 20 feet away and i gotta keep an eye on it.

Sitting here waiting for all my batteries to charge, I catch myself with thoughts of doubt. “No seriously, where am I sleeping tonight?” But when I’m pedaling?!? Man when i’m pedaling or cruising down a hill with a view of the coast, that’s the reminder of why I’m doing this. But when I’m still, I drift. But when I’m drifting on my bike, I’m still. I’m still = i’m in the moment, there’s no thoughts of yesterday or tomorrow interfering with my experience. But charging my batteries and feeling the weather get colder, then thinking, “heh…might be a cold one tonight.” That’s when I get doubt. Sometimes I wish I had a teammate or partner. Someone I could tell my jokes to besides myself - the jokes that pass too fast and the camera can’t catch. But sometimes I prefer to be doing this alone. I think I’m the only one fine with backtracking 8.1 miles and 1 of those miles up hill STEEP, in order to get to a relief campsite. Where I can go out of protective mode (of my belongings). And I can go to the town and blend in like a normal tourist. Those moments are nice.

I have to wait to fully charge. It’s pointless and silly to leave half charged when I don’t even know the next time I’ll have an opportunity like this. Being able to charge overnight in a hotel would be nice. Or inside of a restaurant. But funds are dictating my guerrilla charge method using the OneWheel app.

Slept by Rocky Creek Bridge

Total 17 miles today plus whatever to Whole Foods in Monterey and the 17mile ride to Carmel City Hall to charge. Then to Rocky Creek Bridge

[backpackermikeonabike]

I wrote a book to get you started on how to begin thinking how I think.

I want to plant that seed for you. Because maybe in 1, 5, 10, 15 or 20 years…you might have an aha moment 😉

[backpackermikeonabike]

Visit Original Link

I still don't have a date locked in to leave yet. But I know it will be next week. Maybe July 1 just to have an easy date to remember...just checked the calendar - that's a Tuesday. 

I'm a bit torn because at the moment, I'm not working. There's no substitute teaching work because school is finished for summer. The company for brand ambassador work is limited. And the people at the brand ambassador events say the company really only works 3-5 big events per year. There is background acting work, but only in Los Angeles and it's 1 day gigs. I am waiting to hear a response for a potential 6-month acting gig beginning at the end of July/early August. But if you ever worked in entertainment - things can change at a moment's notice. I'm hopeful to get a consistent acting job, but not banking on it. 

So in the meantime, I'm just sort of frozen. I can't leave yet because I haven't done the 1-2 day test camping. My test ride taught me that I should put some of my belongings on my bicycle itself - rather than everything in my bicycle trailer. I'm waiting to hear back from this guy- who actually messaged me back right at this moment I'm writing this. He is selling $40 panniers and a front bicycle. He's a 25 minute drive away. 

1:08 pm | I have returned! With a full belly of Trader Joe's pasta and pasta sauce for lunch and an official date to leave. July 1. Although the fb seller made me wait 9 minutes due to him not getting FB Marketplace notifications, the panniers are worth it. They are clean and are more nifty than I thought. There's a lot of zippers and pockets. Even water bottle holders. I believe I have everything essential. I can always pick up water bottles along the way. I might even get lucky and receive free ones from a promo. Who knows! I do have an audio that sort of summarized a realization I had:

A lot of people WANT to do a exciting trip like this. But some people's reality just won't let them. Or they are scared. 

[backpackermikeonabike]

If you're in college, please read this

Take advantage of your youthfulness. It's currency.

And I haven't even aged like milk (yet) and I'm telling you this.

Go fill your emotional wallet. You can always fill your money wallet later.

I realized at 32 how important traveling at a young age is. Not only is there a HUGE opportunity for emotional intelligence and maturity, exposure to different passions/jobs, but the idea that in my early 20's I was attractive without even trying. And I didn't even know.

This may sound egotistical, but looking back on photos I can see this. My skin in my face was tight and taunt. I could eat anything, drink anything, and remain slim. The 3-5 days of exercise gave LOADS of ROI in terms of energy, strength, and appearance. Yet we get pounded with the idea of "get a job, earn money" from friends, strangers, teachers, and other students. The wallet in our pocket is empty, but our emotional wallet is also empty.

And the no energy after working during the week is true. When I try the working 5 days a week, I am so exhausted I have no energy to make music, be creative, or explore the city I am in. And if I force myself, I create poor quality - and I know this.

But I realized that most people don't talk about how they are most attractive and most energetic from 20-30. If you exercise, you increase that last number. So someone might be wasting their beautiful youth stuck inside a building. When that youth could be used to meet people, get discounts, and bend the rules. A little charm and a little look can go a long way (from a genuine intention). Obviously, this can be manipulation if used poorly. But you know what I mean. Be nice to everyone and see what happens.

I find it almost silly and laughable that most people prioritize making their wallet in their pocket fatter rather than the invisible emotional wallet. Think of it this way: you can buy a lottery ticket, purchase stock options, or receive an inheritance that could represent 40 years of "working hard" in terms of money. But how can you do that with experiences and emotions? Books and movies maybe. But it's not the same. You know this. A $40 meal received because of "hard earned cash" can still done because of the "winnings of a lottery ticket." Really think about that.

In seconds, you can purchase a winning lottery ticket and fatten your wallet in your pants pocket. But how can you do that with the emotional wallet?

[backpackermikeonabike]

Cold Feet (for the first time)

Yesterday | June 10, 2025

This happened yesterday for the first time. Around midday I received a response from someone that was sort of the catalyst to my brief moment of cold feet about the trip. To be more honest, I allowed someone else's words to be the catalyst. But also, that's super difficult to hear something from someone and not let the words resonate, especially if you believed there was trust in that friendship and you trust that person.

This person basically said, "You're crazy. Anyways, back to my adult responsibilities of returning to the job I earned by working so hard for and the evening activities that if I mentioned these activities at a social gathering, I would receive head nods in agreement and praise." Almost like, "Good, good! You're fitting the mold like the rest of us."

So then that started my doubting of the whole trip. What if I run out of money because I don't have that "job" this person mentioned? What if I need something that costs extra? What if I need money for a flight? What if I need to rely on credit cards and build a bunch of debt? What if I need to purchase a U-Haul and drive back? What if? What if? What if?

So how did I get out of that cold feet moment that seemed to last days but was only 4-5 hours?

I mowed the lawn. I did something I could tangibly look at that was finished and done. A product. Then the body movement from the mowing of the lawns. Probably blood flow as well. Then after mowing the lawns, doing something related to music. Posting a video that I felt 80% was finished, but to the rest of the world might seem completely done. I just started doing.

When I started doing, I started to give more "energy" (I guess I could say) towards myself and made myself greater. But even this morning, the morning after, I sit and think that there are way more pros than cons. There are way more positive "What if?" questions than there are negative ones. At least the weight of the positive "What if?" outweighs the negative. Which makes the trip, for me, worth the effort:

What if I meet someone who discovered their passion is travel, at 65 years old? And I get even more inspired.

What if I meet someone who never made more than $50,000 per year, but at the age of 40 they started a business and retired 2 years later? And I learn even the seemingly impossible is possible?

What if I receive a free large hot coffee with 8 creamers inside, just how I like? And this tastes better than any other coffee because the morning was cold and the coffee was hot.

What if I get the opportunity of 10 lifetimes (I can't even imagine of what this might be) and I say yes? All because I got on a bike and rode.

After talking to a friend that has done this bicycle trip, she told me something that I knew but had forgotten: It's easier to put someone else down for chasing their dreams than to chase our own.

[mic-keys]

I told myself, “If the hat is under $10, I’m getting it. It was $9.99.” 

[mic-keys]

Thai Milk Tea...IN THAILAND. This was at the French Bakery in Koh Tao, Nui Bakery & Sandwiches. If you go, get the “Salmon + mozzarella cheese (cream cheese if they are out of mozzarella cheese) + honey mustard sauce + lettuce + tomato + on a baguette.” Best breakfast sandwich I’ve ever had in my entire life, seriously. 

And get the Thai Milk Tea (obvi).