It all started March 2004, about 50 miles from here in Lake Peekskill, NY in a little cabin in the woods, our settled life in the USA.
After a year we moved to the Bay Area, CA and I continued the big struggle for a working permit. In the meantime I started climbing, I made new friends and learned about the American life. And finally finally I got a cool job and a Green Card and life was good. All this was suppose to end today, November 10, 2009, the day we would start biking across the USA for a year to see what we had missed between NY and CA. Instead I lost a love, lost a job, and I left alone March 1, 2009 on this big adventure. It feels that all I have experienced, every single minute I have loved on this trip, has been extra. The real trip only starts today! All these great people I met, all these new friends I made, are extra. But every single one of them made this trip incredible.
Some of them I met again, some of them stayed with me for a while, some where just picked up along the road for the ride, but in the end they all left, except for one. The one who protects me against the outside world, faithfully always waits for me, brings me where ever I want to go, carries what ever I need: the Oto! 
My little brother O bought him for me as my knowledge about cars and my interest in them is non existing. Most of my friends will confirm this, I do practically not know anything about cars. I am totally confused that I have to be careful with the car of M (Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution) and not with the car of J (Toyota Corolla). As far as it concerns me, they are both white. What I do know about the Oto is thats its a "he" (of course), and that he is named (thats what you do on a road trip) as a reminder of the good life I had. Together we did the West Coast all the way up to Alaska, and we crossed the country from the Pacific to the Atlantic along the northern border.
Together we spend many nights in the parking lot of the Wal*Mart (its allowed to camp there), hide away places along the road, or on real free campsites. Together we got our first official warning for illegal camping on the beach in Cape Cod. 
Together we looked for a good spot to make some coffee or food from the back of him, along the road. 
Together we can handle this trip. I hope he is going to stay with me for another year, because the trip only starts today, November 10, 2009. The East coast, the South and so many unknown experiences are still ahead of us. And why today...because today: Hieperdepiep Hoera!!! Dag,
Iris (Red Hook, 23961 miles)
