The Prologue

I can feel the bubbling up from deep in the depths of my character. An explosion of meaning with profound internal impact. The pursuits that once gave me meaning have fallen off the wayward side, in favor of new passions and purpose.

Like a river the essence of my being seems to constantly be changing. In fact, 5 years from now, the only thing certain is I will have a completely different perspective on life as I have now.

I feel I am slowly but surely pulled away from main stream society. A place I never felt at home in. The friends I have known since before my adventurous pursuits comment with harmless remarks like ‘You are a mountain man now’ and ‘You are always gone.’ The pursuits that bring happiness to my life have in a very real way alienated me from my peers who do not share my passions, and could not understand my motivations. Motivations derived from experiences so powerful, they demand residence in every fiber of your being.

This is a sacrifice I willingly make.

To the desert, it will reveal something bigger.

But our trip was different. It was to be a classic affirmation of everything right and true in the national character. A gross physical salute to the fantastic possibilities of life in this country. But only for those with true grit. And we are chock full of that, man. - Hunter S. Thompson