Good evening friends,

I hope all had a good and safe Cinco de Mayo, or Thursday like it's known in most places. 

Now that the road is going to be my home for the next few month, it kind of felt weird this afternoon not heading home or seeing my faithful puppy Kalani to end my day. Im sure she’s wondering where her owner is tonight.

First off I wanted to express my gratitude to Ethan at Fast Signs on Oracle rd. for producing the great decals on my truck windows. They’ve have gotten the attention of many a passerbyers where ever I go!  I accidently left them off the list yerterday.

Well after all the buildup of the last few weeks I finally landed here at my first stop, Phoenix. The state capital of my home state Arizona. It really has grown since I last lived here some thirty-four years ago. It reminds me of Los Angeles minus the beach, earthquakes and movies stars. And boy is it hot! You wouldn’t think a few degrees make a lot of difference between here and Tucson, but I swear it felt like 110 not 98 today!

So the big question is did I find a job today? The answer is no. I didn’t really look much, simply because I haven’t got much sleep over the last week. I’ve probably slept a total of two hours last night and maybe three the night before. All the excitement and loose ends to tie up were the main cause, but moving my stuff out into a storage, and cleaning the 2,600 sqft home burned me out! So after arriving here in the valley of the sun about 830 am. I rented a motel and slept all afternoon. I needed to charge my batteries and get my head focused on the task of finding those elusive Gigs! Besides, I would have not been of any use to anyone who would’ve hired me today anyhow.

So after I woke up at 2 pm, I got on the computer and started looking for that first job. Once I get that first gig under my belt, I will relax a little more. I sent a few messages and talked to a guy about a mason job, but as of 9:30 pm, he’s yet to call back to confirm. That will be the routine for the unforeseeable future for the Johnny man I guess!

 I went to the Gym and had dinner nearby at an Italian placed called Metro Pizza. The spaghetti and meatballs were awesome, and now I getting sleepy again! So I will call it a night and may tomorrow be a fruitful day for me and my tour. I will definitely be ready for anything in the morning!

Have a wonderful night you all and thanks for your time.

Juanjohn

Hello friends and family!

It's been quite a day! From the time I got up this morning at 4:30 to now almost ten o’clock here in the AZ. I’ve had seven months to prepare and I still found myself fighting the clock all week long! Today I went to the Bank, Post office, landfill, lunch with Johnny, visit Mildred to say bye, take my personals to storage, cancel gym, rent carpet cleaner, take Kalani to my sisters, clean house, wash clothes, pack my clothes, dinner with family, post blog……Im beat! I need a day off already!

In six hours I will get up and hit the road! But before I do I have a list of special people I want to thank, for I am eternally grateful for all their love and support of my idea and my dream journey. Just so you know, I created a new page on this site, just for the fifty gigs. So I thank to all these good folks, forgive me if I left anyone out. In no particular order;

Alonso Torres my cousin who has used his skills and connections to get me some media pub in the Latin television world he works in. Also for loaning me his GOPRO3 camera. Te avientas mi primo!

His sister Araceli for your tips and ideas with the social networks entities. Most of us baby boomers need a lot of technical help!

My friend and fellow tradesman Charlie from Ace Remodeling for subbing me on his projects to boost my traveling budget.

My little Brother David the ‘Snake man’ Bayardo for working alongside me the last five months. And for letting me use his digital camera. All the wonderful pics I will shoot will be possible thanks to him. Keep up with your culinary career! Someday you might be as good a cook as I am! ha-ha! Pue he.

My regular, long time clients, Susan K, Josh P, Harry, Greg H, the Yonkers, Andy T, Paula S, Barbara l, Tucson Golf Villas, Joel, Neil and Luke at Anasazi Stone and others.

KGUN and KVOA television, Tony P at Tucson Public Media radio, The Letty Show on Azteca for all the exposure and enthusiasm for my journey, and especially Lilliana at La Estrella newspaper for being the first to respond to my countless emails I sent everyone over the last two months.

My youngest son Jonathan who made time to help a dummy like me set up this very website and took the time after a long days at work to help me with all the preparations around here for the tour. Without his help I could never figure out how to navigate my way with all this technology.

To my good friend Krista Wells who is just a dream customer for contractors like me. From the first time I told you about my hair brain idea while I was pruning your tree, you always encouraged my idea and now its hours away from becoming a reality.

To my longtime friend and mentor Mildred Horn, who always supported and believed in all of my dreams, weather it was a book idea, a move to Hawaii, or a crazy trip like this one.   Through the thick and thin, you have been there for me. You’re the best!

A very special thanks to Kim and Don from Oro valley who also bought into my madness wholeheartly from day one, and have been the main reason why I am hours from launching this tour. Thanks Kim! There are not many people like you who walk this planet.

To my big sister Angie. The spiritual soul of our family. You have your own battles in life, yet you always make time for everybody else, even at your own personal sacrifice. You have always been my biggest supporter, guardian, and the rock I can always count on to anchor my weary soul. My love for you is unending sister. Don’t forget to message Savannah!

Last but not least, I thank God Almighty for blessing me with all these skills, health and freewill to pursue my dreams.

I have to go to bed now, for tomorrow the adventure begins! Good night and thank you too, my readers for your support and enthusiasm as well!

Juanjohn

Hello friends,

The final 30 hours are upon me now. Boy did this week go fast! I thought I had planned everything right to the tee, but as always things don’t always go as planned. The hours turn to minutes when one has a list of must do’s to accomplish. For the most part Im pretty organized and follow through with my projects in a precise manner. But this is not a kitchen remodel or a backyard install Im taking on!  There are so many bases Im trying to cover and possible scenarios Im trying to plan for, all without a script.

A backyard project entails square footage, drainage, hard and soft scape features, water works, materials and labor cost. I could see the finished product without a design or plan with my mind’s eye by just looking at an empty backyard. I know how long it will take and how much labor it would require. Done it a hundred times by now! That also goes with other skilled projects like carpentry or remodeling.

Now this endeavor Im about to embark on is not like any project I’ve ever attempted. I have an interstate road map I printed and filled out, but I’m not tied to it. It’s just a general guide that connect all fifty states, but it will be subject to change, depending on the weather and job availability. I have no real budget or financial chart. With 90% of the work I do I have a close idea how much I will profit from each job, big or small. Not this time. No time frame either. I have an idea what I believe it will take me complete the journey, but it’s anybody’s guess! At two states a week, including two travel days, it should take me six months. Barring any major breakdowns, injuries, illness or family emergencies of course. I do plan to take some rest days to ward off any travel fatigue. Im really winging it a bit and totally relying on my skill sets and my willingness to step out of my comfort zone, but the reality is Im unsure of many things yet down the road for me.

All that said, I guess THAT is the allure for me. The unknown elements that await me spurs the adventurous parts of my soul. Some people fear the unknown and others can’t function without a game plan to follow. Whatever works for them is what makes us all different in our own special way!

So as I get ready to depart on Thursday morning, plan as I did, I still didn’t reach some of my preparedness goals. I didn’t get in the physical shape I wanted to. I didn’t lose the pounds I wanted to lose. 8 instead of 15 or so. Truth is, I like to eat and eat well! I didn’t get the rest I had planned on nor did I get to save the money I had planned on or did some of the modifications on my truck that I wanted to do. Still I’m ready and determined to press forward. Its Honolulu or bust!

Tomorrow is my last full day here and I have every minute accounted for. I will post a small letter of acknowledgement to all the special people who have helped me in some form or another. But who have from the start believed in me and my dream.

Good night and thanks for your precious time.

Juanjohn