Well, looks like you were looking for adventure, and got it!
I'll be toolin' around that neck of the woods later this summer, as I make a long loop of the western half of the country.
Hope you get a chance to complete the ride to the Grand Canyon!
I leave next weekend for a 3-4 month, +15k ride. You can follow it all here:
thenextmile.tumblr.com
ps - what kind of pants are you wearing? they look nice and non-bulky. my tourmaster ventures are like parachute pants!