Choice Hotels er...Comfort Inn steps up!

Countdown - 34 days

Great news to share GVA fans! Scott Smith, General Manager of the Comfort Inn in DeForest, Wisconsin was the first hotel to respond to my request for the 'donation' of a night's stay!

Thank you Mr. Smith!

For those of you following along closely, I had approached Choice Hotels International months ago, trying to get the entire trip "sponsored" by them. It just made great sense, they have like 11 hotel brands (Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality Inn, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, Mainstay Suites, Suburban, Econolodge, Rodeway Inn and Ascend) and there's nearly a Choice Hotel brand in every town I'm overnighting in (with the exception of Hyder, Alaska/Stewart, BC). Unfortunately, the overall group said 'no'. Because it made so much sense to have just one hospitality sponsor, I was a little amazed at the negative response. But I can understand that the group can't just act on behalf of every hotel in their chain, every time.

To the rescue is Mr. Smith at Comfort Inn, in DeForest, Wisconsin. (Click the hotel name to see more about the hotel.) I just took a quick glance at the official website for this hotel, and it really looks fantastic. I have no idea how old the building is, but it looks well maintained. I flipped on over to TripAdvisor.com (one of my favorite places to read reviews from bitter, ungrateful people) and wouldn't you know it ... they are ranked #1 for hotels in DeForest from customer reviews! In fact, the only negative item there had already been corrected and addressed by...(drumroll please)...you guessed it, Mr. Scott Smith himself!

Looks like everything is coming up roses at the moment!

Thanks again Mr. Smith! Hopefully, others in your industry will follow suit and help out as much as you have!

It goes without saying (but I'm going to say it anyway, because I'm verbose like that)...
If ever in the Madison, Wisconsin area (which is only a scant 30 miles or so from the Wisconsin Dells), be sure to stay at the Comfort Inn in De Forest, Wisconsin. When you do, tell 'em Gordo sent you!

Under the Weather...

Countdown - 38 days

Today I was feeling under the weather and took a sick day from work. Got plenty of rest and feel a bit better as I write this (just before retiring for the night). But as usual, my mind didn't stray much from the adventure that is about to begin, so I had the day to think of things.

After the initial realization that I wasn't 100% today, (and getting all the necessary notification calls in and urgent emails and duties handled) I napped. While sleeping, I dreamt that I was on the GVA (Gordo's Vancouver Adventure) and feeling just as ill. I know what I'll have to do and that is simply press on. But today I was feeling a bit dizzy and wondered if the same were to occur in July, how would I handle it? It's not like I can just 'take a sick day' and wait it out. I've got 6,500 miles to cover in no more than 18 days in order to be successful. Can't really sit around waiting to feel better. But riding a bike while dizzy just isn't smart. And I'm rather proud that I always ride 'smart'. That means nothing that would hamper me from having a safe riding day (no alcohol, no hangovers, no sleep deprivation, etc.)

But it also made me think about the term 'under the weather'. Weather is a huge factor on this trip. If I have days like we're having now in Fort Wayne (sunshine and mid to upper 80's for temps) I'll be fine (warm, surely, but fine). If I get lots of rain or worse (storms), I'll have to alter things in order to remain safe. I promised my wife that I wouldn't do anything that might put me in harm's way, and that included trying to drive through rotten weather. Sure, I'll do my best to become a roadside meteorologist but I'm no expert (and if you've ever paid close attention to the prognosticators on TV, I'd say they aren't exactly experts either, yet they have the title!)

Certainly this doesn't mean I can't get a little wet. Rain never hurt anyone and only damages your pride once your shiny ride gets coated in the grimy wetness that is road sludge and truck wash. No self-respecting biker wants his ride to look like he doesn't care about it. I've ridden in rain plenty of times (and got my "Wet Butt Rider" patch to prove it). Simple drizzle and even steady rain isn't that much of a problem. It means slowing down and manuvering more carefully. If people don't expect to see motorcycles, they *really* don't expect to see them in rain.

Storms, hail, lightning and downpours are another story. Those are the kind I sit out. Usually they pass in a few hours at most, and you can be back on your way (still grimy and moist, but alive).

Since I don't know a whole lot about weather patterns along this route, I'm sure I'll be surprised by some. Might even get a freak snowshower in the mountains. I fully expect rain the closer I get to Seattle/Vancouver. And I'm expecting temperatures to drop substantially as I get further north and into mountainous areas. Again, preparation is the key.

It's the unknown that worries me. And I'm a worrier. So I'll continue to prepare for the worst (by bringing cold weather gear, rainsuit, extra gloves and plastic to cover electronics and such), and hope for the best.

And the best that I'm hoping for includes worrying about sunscreen, rehydration, and at least a bit of cloud cover from time to time. I mean, I'm gonna worry, so I might as well hope it's worry about something I have more control over than the weather or illness.

It makes me wonder: What do you, dear reader, worry about the most when thinking about me taking this wonderful ride alone for 6,500 miles and most of it in desolate areas? What do you suggest I worry about? Better still, put yourself in my saddle. What would you worry about? (and running out of lip gloss is NOT an acceptable answer!)

Hotel, Motel, Holiday Innnnn (or your brand here)...

Countdown - 39 days

I just finished putting the final touches on 89 letters going out to 89 hotels that are along my route for the Vancouver Adventure.

[Let's take a minute and remember why it is called the "Vancouver Adventure" anyway. The original trip was planned to simply get to Vancouver and back. When Alaska got added to the itinerary, it was merely as a sideshow. Technically, Alaska it further west than Vancouver, but I'm considering Vancouver to be my western-most point before heading north to Alaska and returning back to Fort Wayne. Play along with me here. Vancouver is still on the route and a very important part of it. It's much more than the spot where I 'turn right at the Pacific and go north'. But I digress...]

Anyway, I've finished putting together a mailing to many of the hotels on my route in the hopes that just one of them in each overnight city destination will be charitible enough to write off the cost of the room as a 'donation' to charity. In doing so, I'll donate what I would have budgeted for accommodations that night to charity when I return home and complete this trip. It's a win-win-win: Hotel gets publicity as a do-gooder along my route (and I'm sure I'll talk up all the cool stuff about their hotel and facilities); CCFA gets the money that I would have spent on hotel rooms; and the hotel gets to write off the 'donation' as a charitible tax deduction. SWEET (water!)

Once the letters go out to all these places I'm hoping that I'll hear pretty quickly on who will take me up on the offer for each city. I'm *really* hoping that two places in Prince George, British Columbia get on board. I'm staying there twice! (one night in PG, then up to Hyder/Stewart, then back to PG). As I hear back from folks, I'll be sure to update the blog to recognize these forward thinking hotels and management staff.

So, how do you get a hotel to cough up a free stay for a night in their facility as part of a donation toward a great charity? Well, since I'm just now trying, I'll have to get back to you on that one.
In the meantime, if you know someone in the hotel business who might be able to pull a few strings, lemme know! Remember the cause!

It Makes Me Wonder...

Countdown - 40 days

My wife and I took advantage of today's beautiful weather and got in about 90 minutes of riding. We didn't go far, only about 60 miles, but at one point when we stopped for a little shady break, she said something that made me think.

We had just passed the second Amish buggy we'd seen, and then saw two Amish boys roller blading down the side of a 4-lane highway. She said, "you see the most interesting things when riding, don't you?"

It made me wonder about the sights and sounds that I'll experience on this big trip. I already know that the environment will be stunning. The sheer difference in landscaping will be a shock to me, the flat, cornfield-surrounded city boy that I have become.

But what about the people I'll see? What about the strange houses, businesses, signs and tourist attractions? My mind jumps at the different things that could cross my line of sight.

One of the biggest differences will be the mountains and plains. The glaciers will be completely new to me.

And I'm sure the animals I'll see will be different too. I'll bet the possum/raccoon roadkill that I usually see (with an occasional deer) will be replaced by some very strange things: big deer (much bigger than our midwest deer), elk, and other 'squishables'.

Let's just hope I don't run into many live ones. And I didn't mention bear. There's a good reason for that. I don't want to really see any until I'm done for each day.

And from a good distance!

I'll gladly get pictures of whatever animals cross my path. Which would you like to see? And what types have I not mentioned that you think I'll be surprised by?

5 signs that show you are ready to go!

Countdown - 44 days

Forty-four days.
Four sets of eleven.
Six weeks and 2 days.

A little over a thousand hours.

Tick.

Tock.

I don't recall ever being ready for anything as much as I'm ready for this trip. Okay, maybe a few things:

• Counting down to the day I got out of the Army.
• Counting down to the day each of my kids were born (but even then the exact date wasn't as sure as this one).

But this trip has been about three years in the making and I'm ready. How ready?

R-E-A-D-Y

How do you know when you are ready? Easy. Let me explain...

Five ways to know you are ready to go on an international & cross-country trip such as this:

1. You are 44 days (or more) away from the departure date and you already have picked out exactly which clothes and important gear you will bring along, including underwear. In fact, if you have already purchased, 'tested' and laundered special riding underwear specifically for the trip and it's just sitting in a drawer waiting- you are ready.

2. You find yourself frequently walking out to the garage to stare at the bike and look for anything that needs attention. Is that a drop of oil or fluid? (No, it's just a reflection); Is that spark plug wire starting to crack (no, it's the shadow of the light on the wire); That front tire looks low on air (no, for the sixth time, the air pressure is just right); Did I check all the nuts and bolts to ensure nothing was loose? (yes, at least three times in the past week). Yep, you are ready.

3. You have run out of things to tell people when they say, "Are you ready for your big trip?". In fact, they don't really care about all the preparation, list-making and donation-seeking activities you've been wrapped up in. As a side note, it's highly likely that they are just asking to make conversation and be polite. Kinda like, "How ya doin'?" (they don't really want to know how you are doing. Just say "fine, and you?" and be done with it). Yep, you are ready.

4. You look at your watch throughout the day and each time mentally figure how many miles you will have traveled by that time of day once the trip is underway. And then you go back and figure it again, adding in an extra hour or two for bad weather. You betcha, you're ready.

5. You begin to panic slightly every time you think of something that you maybe, shoulda, coulda, done for this trip (like contact all the media along the route and beg for coverage). You wake up in the middle of the night, after dreaming that you've already gotten to the middle of North Dakota and forgot to wear your riding boots. Ding, ding, ding...Ready.

6. (Bonus sign, I guess there were 6 after all) You wonder if the people reading your blog, and the people you talk to about this trip are secretly, desperately, e-x-h-a-u-s-t-e-d hearing about it, and just want you to 'get on with it already, GEEZ LOUISE!'

Yep. I'm ready.

Monster comes through...sort of

Countdown - 53 days

I don't want to be too excited, and I also don't want to appear ungrateful at the same time. So is that 'fine line' that I'm always being told I cross too easily?

Here's the deal: Monster Energy drink got two sponsorship proposals from me.

The First - I asked them to make a monetary donation of their own choice (in terms of how much) to the CCFA. I also asked if they wanted to give me any swag to give away and/or any clothing items that they would want me to wear for publicity purposes. Yes, I will pimp myself out to raise money on this trip.

The Response to the First - 'Thanks, but we aren't able to make a monetary contribution at this time.'

Undaunted, I immediately replied.

The Second - This time I send another copy of the first proposal (to remind them of who I was) along with a cover letter and stressed that I understood that times are tough and they probably can't give money to everyone who asks. However, I still offered to act as an unofficial, unpaid and completely biased spokesperson for them. I offered to give away whatever swag they wanted to provide. I suggested coupons or certificates for free Monster Energy product. Again, I suggested that I would wear (within reason) anything clothing wise they wanted to provide.

The Response to the Second - I got a visit from the UPS man (otherwise known as 'Brown Santa') and a package that contained:

• A sheet of Monster Energy stickers
• A wrist sweat band, with Monster logo
• A lanyard, with Monster logo
• 10 coupons for free Monster Energy drink
• A business card from Lori Esler-Jung, a customer relations representative.

Now, I was overjoyed that I got any kind of response. It wasn't the kind I was looking for (I could give away 10 Monster coupons at my first fuel stop), but it was something, and that's better than no response at all (isn't that right, Choice Hotels International?).

So I hereby officially thank Monster Energy for their support and response. Perhaps seeing this post may cause them to reconsider and donate some sort of money to CCFA. And/or perhaps they'll want to send me more swag (that I can actually give away) and get people just as hooked on Monster as I am (remember, the first one's free!). But no matter what, it was nice of them to respond in any fashion and I'm thankful for that.

Thank you

Now, onto more and different sponsors!

This route has to be finalized at some point...or does it?

Countdown - 61 days

Anyone who has followed my blog for a bit knows that in the past 18 months or so, the route has changed a couple times. Okay, maybe more than a couple.

First it was just the "Vancouver Adventure" with the farthest point (and turnaround point) being Vancover, British Columbia. The plan was to take a route down the California coast and then back through Las Vegas to the midwest. That changed.

Then it was still Vancouver as a primary destination with a route through the US southwest on the return trip.

Then it became a trip to Vancouver with a 'return' trip through Alaska (since we're going to be that 'close' anyway).

That's pretty much the way Gordo's Vancouver Adventure is holding up today: Fort Wayne, Indiana to Vancouver, BC to Hyder, Alaska to Fort Wayne, Indiana again. All told, about 6,500 miles.

I worked more on the route last night, keeping in mind that I want to be able to see as much as I can without overdoing it on the daily mileage. Nothing says 'risk' like riding when you are overtired. Considering I have to be back at work 17 days after I walk out, 16 is the magic number for riding days. If all things were equal (and they aren't), I would be looking to average 406 miles a day just to stay on point. I'm hoping to really do far more miles per day on average, so that I can have some time to spare for weather or other issues where I might need to delay my trip slightly.

As of right now, I'm going through 8 different states (5 of them I'll be traveling through twice), 3 Canadien provinces and 2 countries.

Here's where I'm planning on bunking down each night and how many miles I'm planning for each day:

1. St. Cloud, Minnesota (642 miles)
2. Dickinson, North Dakota (461 miles)
3. Shelby, Montana (534 miles)
4. Kalispell, Montana (158 miles) [much of the day spent in Glacier National Park]
5. Bellingham, Washington (609 miles)
6. Prince George, BC (490 miles)
7. Stewart, BC / Hyder, Alaska (432 miles)
8. Prince George, BC (432 miles)
9. Calgary, AB (489 miles)
10. Regina, SK (468 miles)
11. Grand Forks, North Dakota (462 miles)
12. Madison, Wisconsin (583 miles)
13. Fort Wayne, Indiana (337 miles)

Surely things will change slightly from this, based on the weather or how close to being 'on-schedule' I am each day. And certainly I will not probably be staying specifically in those cities, but likely an outlying area nearby - preferably a hotel on the low end of the cost scale.

So depending on construction and weather and all the various other little details, I've once again put together a route that I'm surely going to amend. Except now I'm getting down to the nitty gritty on time before July 3, 2010.

So now it's on to finding a way to get sponsors to help foot the bill for the expenses (and make donations to charity). At least now I know -sorta- where I'm going to be each night!