I guess I can say that the planning and preparation work for OTR9 began this past weekend, if two small steps can be called that - I updated my Garmin GPS and Donner's radio collar. However, the planning really started the day I returned from OTR8 on December 3rd over a year ago, which now seems like an eternity, since I do not think a day has gone by since that I have not given some thought to my next trip.
I still need to make a decision on the Defender, although my delay in looking for a new vehicle or putting the Defender on the market might be telling me something. I still need to take it for some long test drives, which I will do soon.
As for my residual limp from my surgeries last year, I am getting closer to finding out what is causing it, an atrophied gluteas minimis in my abductor muscle, probably caused by a nerve damaged in the hip surgery. So far, I have learned that there is no easy prescribed remedy for this, only experimental stuff, so it may be that I have to resign myself to this condition. No big deal, as it could be worse. However, it will prevent me from hopping up onto the roof rack on the front of the Defender, which means I have to figure out another way to dop that, or bring along someone on the trip who can do that.
Tomorrow I will being to sketch out some optional routes and start my To-Do list. Stay tuned.
ED
