Gordo's Vancouver Adventure

Another great effort is underway!

2011-11-18T23:52:00.003-05:00

Hey kids!

I just learned that yet another brave soul is about to embark on the planning stages to do far more than I did for the CCFA!

And of course, he's planning on generating money and awareness of the CCFA.

Got an email tonight from Stephen Lohmeyer of Connecticut, who is planning a trip from Connecticut, through Canada to the Pacific, then down the left coast. WAY down. To Argentina!

You can bet I'll be following along on his blog! YOu should too:

www.stephenlohmeyer.blogspot.com

Good luck!

I almost forgot to share!

2011-04-25T16:23:00.002-04:00

What?! Two posts to this blog in one day?

I just wanted to share (for those of you using Facebook - and who doesn't these days?!)

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150123992102457

This is a quick (20 minutes?) video recap of the Vancouver Adventure that I put together a little while back. I think you'll enjoy it.

It was my very first attempt at creating a slideshow and then - of course - I had to edit out about 10 minutes because FB has a 20 minute time limit. The songs that accompany the video are all in my collection and are some of my favorites that inspired me along the road.

You might like it, and who knows, you may even remember some of the songs (and some of the pictures from reading this blog!)

Lemme know!

What's next?

2011-04-25T15:19:00.002-04:00

Hey kids,

I realize it's been a really long time since I updated the Vancouver Adventure Blog, but that's mainly because that 'adventure' is over.

However, the fight for a cure of Chron's and Colitis continues...

With that in mind, I'm looking for ways to benefit the CCFA some more, perhaps in a continuing basis, that still involve my passion for motorcycling.

I've had a bunch of weird ideas, and I even passed some of them on to the CCFA, but sometimes more than one brain is needed for a successful idea coming to fruition. That's why I need your help.

What should/could I do next do help bring awareness to the CCFA and the plight of those affected by Chron's and Colitis?

Another ride? If so, where?
Organize some other sort of event (poker run, touring ride, some sorta biker hoedown)?

I want to get others involved this time, in terms of riding. Having Myles and Deb join me for a leg or two of the Vancouver Adventure was great. Myles became an 'associate spokesman' on our 2 days together (okay, two and a half days together), which leads me to believe that adding more voices (and butts in seats) will help spread the word and generate more benefit.

And what the heck, we can have some great fun doing it at the same time!

So share your ideas and let's hear what you think. Can't promise my schedule will allow anything this year, but I like to plan so I'll probably need the time!

Gordo

Just when you thought it was safe to look here again, a new post!

2010-07-28T23:00:00.002-04:00

Couple of other things that I wanted to share now that the GVA is over...

1. The fundraising seems to continue. You can keep donating to the CCFA all you want (and the more the better). My buddy Travis just donated yesterday (seems he finally got caught up with the blog and donated). Thank you Travis!

2. The News-Sentinel continues to surprise and impress me. They have done a wrap up story in the print and online editions. Once again, I thank them for their support!

3. I recently found the national CCFA facebook site and joined as a 'fan' or whatever. It may seem a bit depressing to read through many of the wall posts (because most everyone on there has been diagnosed with Crohn's or UC or both) but it's heartwarming to read as they comfort and counsel each other.

4. I continue to get great feedback from this blog and from my FB posts and emails. Just so happy I did this trip and this effort! Really makes me feel like I've given a little bit back! Still a lot more I've got to give, but I feel like I've made a great first step. Thank you all who have commented on these posts, emailed or FB'd me.

I'm sure I'll post again, but for now....

This is why I did this...

2010-07-19T18:38:00.005-04:00

If you'll click this link, you'll see one of the MANY reasons that I chose to combine a 'vacation' with a charity effort. This is a letter to the editor (At the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette) concerning a column Frank Gray did about "Gordo's Vancouver Adventure"

I can't make this stuff up, nor would I want to.

I cannot even begin to count the number of times I've had people express these same emotions to me in person.

But please don't thank me. I don't feel like I'm doing anything all that special. I'm just doing what I think is right, and it starts with the man in the mirror. The thanks belongs to folks like Aubrey who live every day to battle these diseases, and do so with honor.

Somebody needs to do something, and it may as well start with me. Let's just hope it doesn't end with me too.

The Wrap Up

2010-07-16T22:33:00.009-04:00

Gordo's Vancouver Adventure, I'm happy to report, has been a complete success.

This was a journey of Discovery for me. I've discovered many things about myself, about this country of ours and our neighbors to the north, and I've discovered many things that I thought no longer existed in my fellow man. I've discovered the limits of my abilities and many times they were beyond what I thought possible previously. I've discovered that there is great truth in 'where there's a will, there's a way.'

I've discovered so many things and I want to share them with others. But I'll save most of that prose for my book, which will get underway in a few hours. In the meantime, let me take a moment to kind of wrap up the blog and summarize this trip as completely as I can.

The money is still coming in, and I'm happy to say that I've surpassed $1,000. I suspect that it will be more than $1,500, but while I don't have a tally for you on that just yet, I can tally up lots of other things:

Miles ridden: 6,602.7 miles (10,630 kilometers)
Times stopped for fuel: 73
Number of days spent riding: 13
Number of days NOT spent riding: 0
Hours in Vancouver: 1.5
Hours in Alaska: 13
Departure date: July 3, 2010 7am
Return date: July 15, 2010 7:30pm
Average miles per day: 507.9 miles (817.7 kilometers)
Average miles traveled per fill up: 99.44 miles (145.6 kilometers)
Major weather events that I was involved in or within 50 miles of the event at the time it happened: 2 (Calgary hailstorm and Eau Claire, Wisconsin tornado)

Number of beers enjoyed on the trip: 13. Yep, just 13. Happily, I was eager to try local brews from the areas where I was staying.

Times I was Hyderized: 1
Times I had planned on being Hyderized: 2

Hotels that donated a room as part of my charitable effort: 8
Hotels that didn't: 4 (although a friend came through and popped for one room for me).

On to the most important part, the thank you messages.

First and foremost, thank you to my beautiful and understanding wife and family. They have undergone quite a lot with this trip, and I'm sure it can't possibly have been easy. I've probably been called far worse than 'crazy' but they knew my heart was set on this and supported me the entire way.

My closest friends - Matt and Lorraine. Matt was supposed to accompany me on this journey of a lifetime, but for a variety of reasons, couldn't make it. I understand completely and am glad he was able to take care of his other commitments. It would have been more disappointing to have him start the journey with me only to have to turn and go home alone after we started. Someday Matt and I will make another momentous journey together, and I'm sure I will apply many of the things I learned on this trip. Matt and Lorraine have been so supportive of my effort, even when they sat scratching their heads and saying things like, "so what do Colitis and Alaska have to do with each other?" or "Wait, you are going to Vancouver, but only for an hour or so?"

To my trusty metal steed, Cheeto. Girl, you are solid as a rock, baby! I know we went through a lot together, and I put you down some pretty treacherous roads and through some wild conditions, but you held it together and got me where I needed to go every day. It's good to have you to count on. Thank you for keeping me mobile, safe and stylish!

To my rekindled friends from the past that have supported me on this effort. Myles, who rode with me for two days, including a day through Glacier National Park in Montana with his charming and affable wife Deb. This trip allowed me to rekindle our friendship in person after 24 years. Also Bob and Teri Starkie, who I knew from around the same time as Myles. Bob & Teri shocked me with a rather large donation to the cause. And rather than seek the limelight for doing so, they are remaining quiet about their reasons why. I respect that.

To Stacy Baker, my 'agent'. Stacy knew that one of my goals in life was to write a book. She also advised me not to bother unless I was writing about something I was passionate about. At first, it was a simple "discover America on motorcycle" idea, but then quickly because a charitable effort and included Alaska, because (following her sage advice) it was something I had become passionate about. Stacy is nothing if not kind and helpful. She challenges me constantly, but only because she knows that my best efforts are -like pearls- most productive after great irritation or work. If it's easy, it's probably not going to be good. If it's difficult, it can't help but be good.

My inspirations for this charitable effort: Sarah and Russ. These two have the most positive outlook on everyday life and never have a bad thing to say about the hand they've been dealt. They both constantly focus on the good, and only after repeated prompts will acknowledge that perhaps today 'isn't the best they've had in awhile'. It's because Crohn's and Colitis has deeply affected the lives of these two genuinely good souls that I got interested. As I learned how many more were affected directly or indirectly, I knew I was on to something good. And doing good feels great!

My co-workers and followers online. I cannot possibly list them all, but folks who I knew long ago and folks I just met from this effort combined to keep my energy levels high. Their feedback and comments reminded me that what I was doing was the 'right' thing to do. The new folks that became 'friends' on facebook or simply joined the fray on this blogsite were also instrumental in my mental health and attitude. There are far too many to list.

The media. Hardly anyone ever thanks 'the media' these days. Instead, we just heap blame on the media for blowing things out of proportion or keeping dead issues alive. In my case however, to be thanked are: The (Fort Wayne) News-Sentinel, The (Fort Wayne) Journal Gazette, WANE Newschannel 15 (Fort Wayne), WJON in St. Cloud, Minnesota and countless others who had picked up the story and run with it as a 'feel good' happy news item. It was through many of these efforts that new folks learned of my endeavor and that brought them flocking to this blog connecting with me. Thank goodness that they did.
Specifically, I want to thank Melody Schmitt-Foreman, Frank Gray, Cindy Larson, Terry Lee, Kevin Kilbane, Alyssa Ivanson and Craig Klugman.

To the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (Indiana Chapter) - Dawn Drinkut and Scott Baumruck specifically. Scott was my reassuring voice when I thought I was going to seriously be traveling across this country both literally AND figuratively alone. Dawn got me started and really helped me with my initial research so that I wouldn't look like a total idiot. I guess you could say she helped 'school me'.

All the folks that took the time to speak with me out on the road. I'll do my best to mention them all here but I'm sure I'll miss some folks. Please know that I don't mean anything by it. It's just that I met an awful lot of people in a very short period of time:
Mary, Neil (from S.F), Dan, Linda (clerk at Select Inn, Bismarck, ND), Cindy and Carol in Dickinson, ND, Ben in Glendive, MT, David and Kathy from Lafayette, Indiana, Patty & Jan (Motor Maids from Saskatoon), Charles in Havre, MT, Brian the Lay's guy in St. Mary's, MT, Glenn from Ann Arbor, Mi, Wes in 100 Mile House, BC, Jason & Paige from Terrace, Tracy at the Mohawk station in Quesnel, Jerry at the Publik, Lee from Stewart, BC (we met in PG), Calen and Ben from Smithers, Suzi and Robin at the Sealaska, Gary and Michelle at the Sealaska, Caroline at the Glacier Inn (breakfast mate), Gary from Prince George (met in Burns Lake), Bulldog and Laurel in Burns Lake, Michelle at Esther's Inn in Prince George, Brad from the Saskatoon area, Jessie in McBride, Robert Darling (met in Jasper), Constable Raz in Calgary, Toronto Tony (IBM guy) in Regina, Marla in Regina, Todd in Minot, Cheron in Grand Forks, Montana and Rylie in Grand Forks, Marie from Evansville, Sheila at Subway in Alexandria, Mike from Stillwater, Jake from Anoka Ramsey, Jack and Tika west of Eau Claire, Rick from Janesville, Pam & Courtney from Huntsville, Texas, Dave in De Forest.

And MANY others who spoke with me but I didn't get their name or photo or just plain forgot to write it down. Every single one of you is important to my effort. Thank you so much for listening!

To all the hotels that saw the light and ponied up a room for the night for me. Please take a moment to remember these folks in your prayers and for the love of all things positive, STAY in these places when and if you get a chance (my reviews/impressions are forthcoming):

Best Western Countryside Inn - Lodi, WI
Outlaw Inn - Kalispell, MT
Coachman Inn - Bellingham, WA
Treasure Cove Hotel - Prince George, BC
Sealaska Inn - Hyder, AK
Esther's Inn - Prince George, BC
Hotel Saskatchewan - Regina, SK
Comfort Inn - De Forest, WI

Finally, a few random thank yous:

Todd - you literally saved my ass. Thanks for the Anti-Monkey Butt Powder.
Roger and Matt - You made Cheeto in tip top shape. She thanks you, as do I.
Big O - even though you acted as though you could care less when I returned home (as cats do), I know you missed me. Thanks for sticking around, even with your growing illness.
My sister, who supported me mentally, prayerfully, and monetarily.
The ghost and/or spirit of my Mom. I believe she was possessing the bodies of birds, swooping down to remind me to be careful, or just to remind me that she had my back.
To the gas stations and rest areas across the US and Canada: You don't know how welcome a sight you are. Thanks for having (mostly) clean restrooms and conditions.
To the Internet - with you (and God) all things truly are possible!

Post-trip, pre-wrap up

2010-07-16T12:59:00.002-04:00

This morning, I got up after an amazing night's rest in my own bed. As I promised Cheeto, I spent about 2 hours finely scrubbing her every nook and cranny and reminding her how much I appreciated her hard work to get me through the 6,607 miles.

Once she's all put back together again, I'll post a picture or two. I can't just yet....she's 'naked'.

Next on the checklist is oil change, and putting her all back together followed by a nice waxing.

I have to be good to Cheeto, she was good to me.

Then it's on to the blog wrap up.

I'm hoping to put together a dvd/slideshow with commentary but quite honestly, I'm not sure how to do that. I have a lot of wonderful friends with all sorts of talents so perhaps one of them can come to my rescue.

And I'll thank you followers in much greater detail in a future post, but you need to hear it again now anyway...thank you! You helped keep me going on this amazing journey that's been so positive in so many ways!

Home again, Home again, jiggity jig!

2010-07-15T23:20:00.002-04:00

Success! I made it home! But please keep tuning in over the next few days because I think you'll enjoy some of the updates I have planned.

I got home around 7:30pm and just as you'd expect, my teenage daughter thought going to see Lady Gaga would be more interesting than seeing her dad return after 6,607 miles (that was the official tally, but the way).

But let's start with the photos and the day...

This is what the day was looking like as I prepared to leave De Forest, Wisconsin. The Comfort Inn is awesome by the way! I had a great room with a full sofa and everything. This place even had a TV in the bathroom!

This was the sky I would be chasing. It would break up into sunshine soon enough. HOT sunshine!

This is Dave at the Exxon station across the street from the hotel. He was quite kind to me, and was interested in the trip. But hey, it was still pretty early, so maybe he wasn't listening as much as he was still waking up!

Traffic was kind of heavy at the Illinois border so I couldn't do my normal 'pull over and snap a picture' thing. So I stopped at the first rest area, which doubles as a visitors center.

You may have to zoom in on this to see it, but whoever did the marketing for this campaign for the Illinois rest stops was brilliant!

Here's Cheeto posing at a different rest area. Just a few more shots of her before this trip would be through.

A little closer this time. Mind the grime, would you? Poor baby.

Well, here it is, the shot I've been waiting for. I pulled up in the driveway at 7:30pm and Jannette came running out to snap my picture.

Then I rolled into Cheeto's 'stable' to put her up for the night. Tomorrow is a full cleaning day.

And of course, the most important picture of all....the welcome home kiss!

Much more to come folks, so keep coming back!

Now that's what I call a FULL day of riding!

2010-07-15T00:27:00.003-04:00

Day 12 Grand Forks, North Dakota to De Forest, Wisconsin

This was supposed to be an average day, but it's been anything BUT average. You'll see....keep reading.

Mileage today: 594 miles.

Time on the road: 10:00 am til 10:30pm (12.5 hours!)

So let me give you the brief overview-

I chased rain today and was chased by rain today. Once again, the rain genie looked out for me, for the most part, but I think even the genie got tired and went home early. I got wet at the end.

I started off by chasing some rain clouds out of Grand Forks as I headed toward Fargo to pick up I-94. I did a great job of cussing them to get out of my way and it worked. At least for a long while.

Even got to the point near Minneapolis where I got hot. Yes, I know there's only been one other time on this trip where I said I was hot, and this wasn't as bad. I applied sunscreen because the clouds gave way to beautiful sun for the majority of the morning. Well, technically early afternoon. I'm jumping ahead of myself, so let me start at the beginning with pictures!

This is Marie, and I believe she is from Evansville (Evanston?) Illinois. Marie was very nice and was treking around carrying a bike on her car. After 12.5 hours of riding, I cannot remember where the heck she said she had been on their trip, but she was obviously enjoying her retirement (again, I'm tired. Is she the person I met today who was retired?). Anyway, she promised to look up the blog, so Marie please comment and let me know you made it here!

As if the Super 8 in Grand Forks didn't have enough of a cutie with Montana, along comes Rylie in the morning (sounds like a radio show, doesn't it?). Rylie was very kind and just as cheery as can be. Somehow I stayed up until 2am last night blogging (just for you folks, I might add) so I missed my alarm completely and woke up at 8:30 am in full panic mode. How the heck was I going to get to De Forest (near Madison, Wisconsin) before dark?! Not when it should take a little over 10 hours of straight driving and no stopping (according to Google Maps).

I got the bike loaded as quickly as I could and that's where I chatted up Marie. I hope she doesn't think I was rude, I was just in a hurry to get moving.

Plus, Rylie told me there was another storm moving toward Fargo, so I figured I probably better get going. Sure enough, it had just passed to the west when I got to that depressing little town, but I was glad to have missed the rain.

Here's the sky in Grand Forks as I was leaving. Looks great, hey? It was.

I stopped for fuel and Monster at a gas station near the I-29/I-94 interchange. Not the friendliest folks in the station, but that's okay. I'm getting used to being treated like a second class citizen because I am a biker. It could be worse - I could work for BP. (sorry Marie, I couldn't resist!)

Not much here, but then again I just chose a random exit to get some fuel. I'm sure Fargo has at least one redeeming value. Wait - it does: It has two major interstates that will get you out of that town!

Shortly after departing Fargo, I crossed the Red River, and into Minnesota. I'm sure the traffic thinks I'm nuts for pulling over to the side and taking pictures of their 'welcome to our state' signs.

A bit closer of a view.

I stopped at this place for lunch. It was near Alexandria, Minnesota. Sheila is the manager of the Subway and was interested in my story. She told me that if I had told her what I was up to, she would have given me my sandwich free! Now Sheila, you don't have to do that. I'm happy to pay for my meals! I love Subway anyway. Sheila also hooked me up in an important way:

All along this trip, when I buy something I get change. When you are wearing chaps, you cannot get to your front pockets to put the change away. Since I don't (and will never) carry a 'man-purse' or 'manny pack' or 'European satchel', it goes into a baggie in my luggage. After awhile, you accumulate a lot. Like more than $10 worth of change. Sheila hooked me up by trading me paper bills for my coins (take THAT, Canada!). And thank you Sheila!

I bit later on, as I got heated up, I stopped at a rest area for a quick potty break and to reapply sunscreen. As I was walking back to Cheeto, this guy on a beautiful bike swings back around the parking lot, looking at Cheeto. He says he just wanted to see how she was packed. Turns out, the guy is Mike Berens and he has his OWN card to pass out! It's hilarious! It says his name and then, "Licensed Motorcycle Rider, chauffeur, pool boy, lawn mower". He's from Stillwater, Minnesota and was heading back home from about 30 days on the road. At least I think that's right! Great to talk with you Mike!

Now this guy....I could go on for days. I stopped again for fuel somewhere (nearing Minneapolis), I think it was St. Michael, and these three college kids get out of a car. This guy, Jake, went over to throw something away and I struck up a conversation. At first you could tell his momma taught him not to talk to strangers. But then, I got the feeling about this kid. You could tell he was a good kid. And you could just get the sense that he is probably the life of a party at Anoka Ramsey College. But, he also seems like the sneaky one who cracks lots of jokes, but never seems to get more than 6 feet away from the kegger. Let's just say I suspect he gets his fair share - and then some. And I don't mean that in a bad way. I just mean to say, he seems like he'd be a fun kid at a party, and probably not one to get into a lot of trouble. He seemed pretty smart like that.

Much later on, I stopped fuel again nearing Eau Claire. The weather was holding up, but I had been chasing this storm. I could see it, I could tell it was moving the same direction I was, but I didn't want to catch up to it too soon. However, I did want to get to the hotel before "Deer-thirty". So I stopped for a fuel up and had problems getting the pump to read my credit card. So I go inside. There the clerk, Tika, was talking with another customer, Jack, about an approaching storm or tornado sighting. Looked great outside, so I kinda thought they were nuts. But turns out Jack has HIS own card and he's an actor and stuntman. He is currently driving a van across the country promoting this charity effort to provide dolls (and money) for underprivileged kids. I wish I had gotten a picture of the van, it was pretty cool! Anyway, the site is http://www.junobaby.com/ Thanks for the weather update Jack. You were spot on! And Tika, thank you for your hospitality!

This was a truck that belonged to the owner of the same convenience store/gas station where I met Jack and Tika. He had parked under the canopy because he heard there might be hail. Hail yeah there was!

Ominous looking clouds. They were trying to tell me something.

They were trying even louder by the minute.

So I get down the road a bit, about an hour from the hotel and I start catching up to this storm. Turns out it's a massive one, and indeed a tornado did touch down in Sparta, Wisconsin (more on that in a minute). So after I fuel up, along walks this gentleman. named Rick. He's from Janesville, Wisconsin so he had about 2 hours to go. He had jsut been up in Eau Claire with a friend (and the friend HATES storms) and he was kinda waiting out this one with me in Oakdale. Really friendly guy, this Rick.

We decide to get back underway and both take off. A few minutes later Rick passes me and waves. Not more than 5 minutes after that, the skies began to open up. I took the next exit and found an old gas station that was no longer open. It still had a working canopy so I just took refuge there until it finally passed (about 20 minutes.) Then I had just about 60 miles to go.

As I get back on the highway, with less than 60 miles to go and some wet pavement (but nothing falling from the sky) I hit a construction zone that had all traffic completely stopped. Two guys on bikes roll up behind me, see Cheeto's plate and assume that's my name too. They were headed to Milwaukee but had already been soaked twice today. Hope they got there fine.

Finally, another bright spot to end my day (and I'm not being sexist, it's just that I seem to always end my day on a positive note, brought on through some conversation with attractive females.) This was the case again tonight. These two beauties are mother and daughter and they were checking into the Comfort Inn just after me. Pam (on the right, the Mom - I know it's hard to tell who is younger) and Courtney (on the left, with the cool shades) were only a few hours from Pam's Mom's house, but that was in Sparta. And that's where the tornado touched down. (Don't worry, her Mom was fine). They decided that rather than drive and drive through another storm, they would bed down here for the night. They are from Huntsville, Texas (they come standard with the pre-requisite Texas accent, by the way) and had just been out to Virginia to visit Pam's son (Courtney's brother) who was in the military there. Looks like they had a good plan: It's storming out there as I type this and lightning is everywhere. Poor Cheeto, she wasn't allowed under the awning so she's out there in the wet. And it's coming down hard enough to wash some of the grime off of her.

A long day of riding, but another great day of meeting very special folks. Thank you to all of you who took the time to speak with me! I hope your travels are safe!

Second Open Letter to North Dakota

2010-07-14T01:27:00.002-04:00

Dearest North Dakota -
I must apologize. I slammed you pretty good in an earlier post for your heat; for your boring landscape; for your borders. And probably for even more than that.

But you have educated me well, and I appreciate that.

Today, as I visited your northern portion heading east, I was made all to aware of the power you have over us mere visitors.

You gave me perfect riding weather to start my day. It's as if you said, "Oh, you think it's miserable here all the time? Try this on for size." And you gave me partly cloudy sunshine and nice cool breezes. In short, simply perfect.

But as if to remind me again who is in charge, you made your point abundantly clear. About 100 miles from my destination (the town you call Grand Forks), you reminded me that perfect riding weather is in the eye of the beholder. you showed me your immense storm building power - yet let me slip right through the middle of it completely unscathed! It's as if you opened a path for Cheeto and me and said, "Look around. I could really mess you up if I wanted. But here's a free pass this time. Now, go easy on me in that blog of yours."

And I will.

I griped about your boring landscape. The northern portions of your state, starting with Portal, North Dakota were quite pretty. Meadows and small valleys with lakes and trees. You had the insight to show me North Dakotans enjoying your landscape by flying bi-planes where I could enjoy them. You showed me many a truck pulling a boat on a trailer, headed for some North Dakotan lake to enjoy the watery portions of your state.

Finally, I griped about your borders. However, today I was never as glad to see a border sign welcoming me to North Dakota - and specifically back into the United States.

I'm truly sorry, North Dakota. You have trained me well. I will pass along your lesson to others that I hear disparaging your good state. And I will return, and find more joys that lie within your borders.

You are wise, and good and benevolent. And I thank you!

Just a note about the hotel 'reviews'

2010-07-14T01:12:00.002-04:00

Just wanted to give you a quick update on why you aren't seeing my 'reviews' of the hotels that have put me up as part of this trip...
I want to give that writing some of my best effort and I can't do that bleary-eyed from the road. I'll post them individually once I'm home, as part of my overall wrap up. There were so many great things about each hotel, I don't want to short-change any of them.
And did I mention I stayed at the 'Ron Ayres Suite' at the Sealaska Inn in Hyder, Alaska? I'm honored! If you don't know who Ron Ayres is....Google him! (Or if you are too lazy...here.)

The News-Sentinel Steps It Up Yet Another Notch!

2010-07-14T00:50:00.005-04:00

I can't believe all the great things people have done for me on this trip:

People handing me donations, despite my pleas to just donate online (that way I'm not carrying anyone else's money).

Hotels and businesses putting up signs, welcoming me to their town/city/village.

The folks back home at The News-Sentinel. Between Cindy Larson, Kevin Kilbane and notably Melody Schmitt-Foreman, they have been tremendous about updating their online readers! Here's the latest.

All you folks following along online. Your feedback really jump starts my energy at the end of a long riding day. Once I log in to post an entry, I start reading your comments and I'm charged up so much I can barely sleep! (Okay, so it takes an extra 3 minutes. I'm beat!)

Those of you who have made donations above and beyond what I could have ever wished. People I haven't spoken to in person in years are jumping on and donating. And not small amounts either. I hope they feel as good about their donation as I do! You can bet the CCFA is loving it too! They could really use that money!

Seriously, go and check out The News-Sentinel's online coverage...phenomenal!

Day 11 - Regina to Grand Forks and more rain?

2010-07-14T00:00:00.003-04:00

Day 11 was an exciting one, and one that seemed to take forever too, but lots of stuff happened, so bear with me! Lots of great photos today and I didn't think I took all that many!

This is a marker about an old west trail that's about 20km from the southern border of Saskatchewan. You may have to zoom in to read it, but I love history! Keep reading, you'll see.

Here's Cheeto posing with the marker. Sorry Cheeto, but you need a bath!

The wind was really blowing and I set up the camera to do that timer thing. The whole time the seconds were ticking off I was sure the wind would blow the camera off this precarious ledge and smash into bits. I'll bet I looked like an idiot high-tailing back to the camera after it clicked.

A view of the landscape in southern Sask. Rugged country. I can't imaging being one of the first natives out here, nor the white folks who came after. I thought I was being tough with my schedule, but it took these folks 3 weeks to travel 250 miles by wagon.

This was another "Historical Marker" just about 5km from the border of North Dakota. Actually, this is a picture of Cheeto while I stood uphill next to the marker.

The landscape behind the marker.

You can zoom in and read this, but it's a three parter. You'll see the whole thing in a minute.

Part Two

And Part three.

And the whole thing all together. Pretty cool marker, hey? (Oh cripes, am I turning Canadian with all the 'heys'?) It was bound to happen at aboot any time, hey?

I can't begin to describe this country. Fascinating that folks back in the early days could see so much potential out here. The mining was immense, and now the place is littered with oil derricks!

This marker talks about a famous trail that claims you can still see the ruts of the original trail (I couldn't). What would you give to go back in time to see these things happening in real time?!

So you can read it.

This was (I think) the Canadian Border patrol building. I guess you aren't supposed to take photos of it, but what are they going to do, throw me in the hoosegow? Wait a minute, they just might!

More of that building.

Just past (and I mean literally JUST past) the US Gate there was a gas station...a US gas station that gladly accepts US currency (including $1 paper bills!) and dispenses fuel in GALLONS instead of litres. Ah, I was feeling nostalgic about home and I'd only been out of the US for a few days (even less if you count the overnight in Alaska!). I had a bite to eat here too, it's on the table behind me. Yes, that's either a Monster or a Rockstar. And yes, I know that Monster 'sponsored' me but sometimes I just couldn't get a Monster and had to settle for a Rockstar. I guess it's fitting, since I'm both a Rock Star and a Monster.

Remember my post from the other day, disparaging North Dakota? Remember my 'warning' to North Dakota last night giving them a second chance to impress me? (It's at the end of that post) You'll be able to see the results in another post (gimme a minute, hey?) but this was a very welcome sign to me. I loved Canada. Just LOVED it. But there's something near and dear to my heart when it comes to the good ol' USA.

This is a picture mainly for Jim Gallagher. Jim will instantly know what this is, but I'll give the rest of you a few clues and if you comment and guess correctly, you'll win some Canadian coin currency (God knows I've got enough of it and can't use it). Jim: Don't you spoil if for the others. You (and only you) can respond by email or FB message. the rest of you (to be eligible to win a Loonie or a Toonie) have to comment here.

Here's your clue: This is in North Dakota, west of Minot. There are hundreds of them.

Here's another. Looks pretty harmless and plain, huh?

Here's a little valley in North Dakota that I thought was peaceful. I really ripped North Dakota the other day, and wrote about how there was simply a whole bunch of NOTHING here. I was wrong. This is Little House on the Prairie stuff.

Welcome to Montana, er I mean North Dakota!

2010-07-13T23:57:00.001-04:00

I've run across people on this trip that feign interest, just plain aren't interested, and those that truly are. Montana falls into that last group.

She is such a sweetheart, I can't begin to describe her to you. She's a pretty little thing that is working at the front desk of the Super 8 here in Grand Forks.

Montana checked me in quickly, made sure that I had everything I needed and just made me feel so welcome.

What a kewl name, hey? Montana, who is in North Dakota.

During these travels I've learned that there are some hard feelings between the residents of these states and poor Montana is stuck in the middle just because of her name!

Anyway, back to my Montana.

She gave me lots of directions to places I needed to know, and recommended dinner ata place called Speedway, literally a stone's throw from the hotel. She was absolutely right tho - the food was great! Thanks again for the tip, Montana!

By the way, she was really hesitant to let me take her picture, but i convinced her otherwise and wore her down.

Please take a moment to comment and let her know she has nothing to worry about, she's just as cute as can be!

By the way, my buddy Reggie wanted to donate in some way and he paid for tonight's hotel accommodations. Montana was working the night he called and she remembers the phone call. I'm sure it was weird to her at the time: Some guy is calling to reserve a room for another guy who is staying here but on his way home from Alaska. But the some guy on the phone gets the bill, and the some guy on a motorcycle is just staying in the room. Yeah, that's probably confusing.

And he was just as smitten with her name as I was!

More to come folks, busy day today!

Pics coming? From East Side Marios?

2010-07-13T01:02:00.002-04:00

Hey, I had dinner in Red Deer, Alberta last night at a place called East Side Mario's. Kind of a fun place, and probably would have been better if I wasn't so darned pooped. Anyway, they were having a foosball tournament and having a blast. Chandal, my server, was a cutie. She's all of maybe 19? I kept thinking...Rachel (my daughter) could be working here. Or anywhere. Please, God, ANYwhere!
Sorry, I digressed.
Chandal spoke with the manager (who's name now escapes me). She (manager) said she would send me pics of the folks playing foosball since I didn't bring mine along to the restaurant. I haven't gotten them yet though.
Let's hope they didn't forget about me...they were having a great time and I wished I had enough energy to join them...
Maybe this post'll remind them!

day 10 Red Deer to Regina...and Rain!

2010-07-13T01:01:00.001-04:00

Okay folks, today was a long riding day and by the end of it I spent three hours battling hail, torrential downpours, and lightning (and some of you know how much lightning scares the you know what outta me).

Here in western Canada, there aren't all that many roads. So, they don't tend to cross each other, and when they do, they just put up a stop sign for one of them. That means no overpasses/underpasses. That means no where to hide from the elements on a bike.

Nothing. No where.

I got soaked. Unfortunately, so did my phone. I hope it'll be working by the morning, but I'm not holding my breath on that. It didn't get anything more than 'moist' inside my rainsuit pocket, but that should give you an idea of how hard it was raining. The INSIDE of my pockets were moist. Thus, the Gordo inside the rainsuit was...moist.

This hotel is awesome. Really swanky, and full of really professional staff. You'd think this was the Waldorf-Astoria if you didn't know you were in Regina (pronounced ruh-JINE-uh). My room looks like a village in southeast Asia: clothes hanging everywhere, trying to dry. That includes my leathers, which I'm sure will have stretched out so much that I can only fit into them again if I go on a strict Krispy Kreme donut diet.

The day started out with a storm chasing me out of Red Deer, but it fizzled pretty early and I got nary a drop on me. Stopped for fuel in Calgary (east side) and then had a really nice ride all the way out to Medicine Hat, where I hit wet roads due to a passing storm, but I had just missed the rain itself.

Then it was on to Swift Current, where the skies looked threatening. So I pulled over and put on the rain gear. Usually that's a clear indication that you'll stay dry (once the gear is all on, typically the rain goes away). Not this time.

I got light rain. Then heavy rain. Then pointy, ouchy, hail. Then torrential downpour kind of rain. Then light rain again. Then nothing for about 5 kilometers. Then light rain, but I was just pulling up to the hotel. I'm told a tornado was spotted around here, but I didn't see that. I didn't see much of anything. I was sitting on the side of the highway, in pouring rain, waiting for it to let up enough so that I could at least get on the road and SEE where I was going. That's where the phone musta got wet.

I watched the national (Canadian) weather forecast (kinda like our TWC) tonight and the local news and the storm I went through was a record setter. Yay! Everywhere I go there's publicity! I guess I got out of Calgary just in time, the hail there was just below golf ball size.

Anyway, on to the pics!

Love how the Canadians call their rest areas "stopping stations". They have 'rest areas' too, but anything more than a little pit toilet seems to be a stopping station. Also, they had a little restaurant trailer at this one, serving food. I had my breakfast there. Not bad at all, hey?

This is Constable Raz from the Calgary PD. He was really cool. Talked to me for a long time and told me his ex-partner had Crohn's. He (Raz) was a rider too...until he hit a deer. I think that was his signal to stop riding. They helped get me back to the highway. Not a police escort, just directions.

(The picture makes me want to say, "One Adam Twelve, One Adam Twelve, Fight report, with chains and knives..." If you are old enough, you'll remember.)

I thought this scenery looked a lot like eastern Montana. Wide open spaces. Pretty land. I love how you can see for miles (and Myles can see quite well for himself, thank you).

This is from a 'rest area'. More wide open space. (and some guy who raced in, passed me just before the rest stop doing at least 90mph) to get out, run to his trunk, get out a torque wrench that was preset for lug nuts and check all the lug nuts on his car before taking off again. Obsessive Compulsive? Maybe. Or just weird.

Beautiful weather was just getting started. I had to give Cheeto her due.

This is Marla, who manages the Hotel Saskatchewan. She was just leaving work as I was getting there. Made a point to talk to me about the trip before she went (presumably) home. Really nice lady.

This is Tony from Toronto. He works at IBM and comes to Regina once a WEEK for business. Been doing that for months now. He invited me to the bar to buy me a beer and chat. He's a great story all by himself. Nice guy, very interested in my trip and my cause. In turn, we spoke about all sorts of things: motorcycles, children, real estate, travel, etc. He also turned me on to a local beer to Regina. The name escapes me now, but it reminded me of a Guinness, but tasted far better. Perhaps Tony will log in and comment and let me know what the brand was. He was one of the more fascinating folks I met on this trip. (And Sarge, the helmet and goggle wearing dog was also in the running!)

Tomorrow, it's back to the States! I'm entering at Estevan, which will take me into North Dakota. Remember my open letter to North Dakota? (See the earlier post here). Well, here's fair warning North Dakota - if you want to impress me, now is your chance!

Tomorrow night I'm in Grand Forks, ND (almost but not quite out of the state!) and my room is courtesy of Reggie Stahl from Johnstown, PA. I've known Reg for awhile and he wanted to do something to help the CCFA, so he's going to pretend to be the hotel and pay for my night. I'll, in turn, donate to the CCFA on his behalf.

AND both Myles and Bob Starkie - old Army buddies of mine - made way generous contributions to the CCFA too. It sure makes me feel good to have such caring friends...

No, that's not a tear in my eye....probably just road grime making my eyes water....that's all.

G'Night!

Video Success! Gordo gets Hyderized, film at 11!

2010-07-12T01:51:00.002-04:00

Here it is. What a dork I am in all orange, but that's just who I am.
It's a YouTube Video and you can find it here.

Yay!
I know you have comments, so let 'em rip here!

Day Nine - Prince George, BC to Red Deer, Alberta

2010-07-12T01:06:00.004-04:00

Wow, this was a day to remember. First, my hotel in Prince George this time was Esther's Inn. Wow. Fantastic place. So nice, I stayed a little longer and got a late start. Left at 7:30am and that bed was still calling my name miles/kilometers later.

I saw some great wildlife today. Right away I saw a coyote just trotting down the highway. At first I thought he was a dog, but then...

Also saw And elk, one more moose and some Caribou! Not enough time to get the camera though!

Anyway, as I got on the road, I stopped at this little rest area about 80 miles east of Prince George on Hwy 16. And this wasn't some polished up, well maintained rest area. It's basically pit toilets and a parking lot. And a view. WHAT a view!

You can see Brad Case from the Saskatoon area taking pictures as well. He was shooting his wife (pictures, i mean, of course!). Brad had one of my favorite Canadian accents - heavy on the uptalk and they 'hey' (another version of 'eh') What a neat guy. He's had it tough medically too. He had 4 heart attacks one after another and was clinically dead for 2.5 hours! I can attest that he's fully alive now!

Can you dig this river? The water is so cold you can feel the coolness of it by just standing near it!

Here's Brad posing for me.

This is Jessie. I met him in McBride, British Columbia. I was getting really, really low on fuel and figuring I was gonna have to employ the old gas can, but then this place finally met me at a great spot near the foot of some mountains. Yes, a little rainy, but it had gas and was open!

Anyway, Jessie was very interested in what I was doing. He rides an 84 Honda Magna 700 (I've seen -and talked to- 3 different people that were riding that bike on this trip and all of them swear by it. Honda didn't even make that many of them, but when they did, this bike was the fastest production bike ever sold. Those of my longtime blog followers will remember that Matt's Magna got a little scorched in Roger's garage. I think there's reason to salvage it though!

Jessie was also a past president (I hope I got that right) of Widows Sons riding club. He explained that it was related to the Masonics. He said that if I (or you for that matter) ever see anyone sporting these colors, know you can trust them instantly. I believe him. He was really kewl, but I had to get going!

This is Jessie's bike. Hey Jessie, did you ever get that tire rub figured out?

These folks gassed up in McBride just as I was leaving...the dog's name is Sarge and he has his own goggles and helmet. And he seems to like wearing them! he rides in a piece of backrest luggage with a hole cut out so he can enjoy the trip!

I don't think I even need to say anything about the views, do I?

This is Robert Darling, and I met him in Jasper, Alberta. He was heading the opposite direction as me, but he was almost to Valemount (his destination). He and I didn't get to talk much but he was very funny and quite entertaining. I think he's one of those guys who has a million friends everywhere! Now he's got one more....me!

This is in Jasper National Park. Just a common everyday sight there.

Some views from the road. Amazing mountains!

Can you imagine driving by this stuff? It was surreal! (as you can tell, I pulled over for this one)

Mid July and that's how snowy it still is up there.

Now this next series of photos I am quite proud of. This is a glacial river outside the park (I guess technically it's a glacial lake). Look at turquoise blue water!

This should have been a postcard!

Approaching the end of hilly country for awhile. When I got to Rocky Mountain House, things had really flattened out.

Oh, the contrasts! These things are immense!

Tomorrow it's off to Regina, only 878 kilometers or about 10 hours (more like 12 for me, I'm a motor mouth).

Keep feeding back, I LOVE IT!

Hey, why not donate?

2010-07-11T04:40:00.002-04:00

Thanks for taking the time to come here and read about my adventures. While you are here, why not take a minute or two and click that link on the left part of the page? Even if all you can do is a few loonies or maybe a few toonies or even good ol' US currency. Give it a shot, you'll feel better instantly!

More from Prince George

2010-07-11T02:46:00.002-04:00

I met some really good people here tonight....

Michelle was my waitress and bartender tonight. We struck up a conversation and turns out she has 7 dogs that compete in agility competitions! Very cool! I guess she is competing in Calgary soon. At least she has a hotel reserved already...I don't and I'll be there tomorrow! She knew someone with Chron's too. Hmmm I think everybody knows at least one person.

The bike belongs to Tom, who is returning to Edmonton from Alaska as well. He went quite a bit further than me though. Even through all that his Gold Wing still looks pretty sharp! He must normally be a clean freak like me too! I met him while he was talking to Drew and Lisa. Drew used to live in Stewart (maybe he's from there?) and he knew all about the town of Hyder. Again, more nice people. Canadiens are a bunch of nice people, aren't they?

Day 8 was Great! I saw Moose!

2010-07-11T00:44:00.004-04:00

Well, it's far easier to do things this way, and I need more sleep at night, so I'll worry about editing this later. In the meantime, you'll have to piece together the order of things on your own.

You do realize you can click on the photos and make them bigger, right?

This is Caroline from Hyder. She put up a sign on her store (It's one of the very first buildings you see in Hyder and I probably got it on my pic of the Welcome to Alaska sign and didn't know it.) Anyway, Caroline was just so gracious and nice. She is a breast cancer survivor and has many family and friends who are either battling or have survived breast cancer, so she is empathetic to any cause that helps save lives. She was quite funny and sincere. I wish I had more time to get to know her!

This is where Hyderizing began, at the Glacier Inn. To be fair to my host hotel, the Sealaska, at least The Sealaska was open and ready to Hyderize me. the Glacier Inn was already closed. What bar closes on a Friday night at 10pm? Oh yeah, this is Hyder. What's the point of staying open if you don't have any customers? I understand it. But by the time I was ready to get Hyderized (I figured I'd do it twice, and get official at both places).

In any case, both these places have a ton of character. The Glacier is a little more kitschy, but the Sealaska had a more interesting building (great ceiling beams too!)

This is the sign Caroline hung up for me. I'll edit this later and tell you the name of her store (it's packed and I'm not in my room. I love wi-fi!) I won't tell you where I'm posting this, but let's just say I'm enjoying a beverage in the hotel! Any way, back to Caroline...

This is her store. It wasn't open as I left (I just left her having breakfast in the Glacier so I'm not blaming!)

This is the Glacier. Cheeto was the first bike there, and the one from furthest away (at that moment in time).

From a rest area on BC-37 showing where I was. Gives you a better perspective of just how far I was going.

Nice view off of either BC-37 or BC-16. Great view.

Just loved how big this place is. The valleys go on for ever and mountains never seem to stop reaching up for the sky.

My first moose! He (she?) was HUGE. Just when I thought I'd never see a live moose, this one was near the side of the road as I was zipping along at 110. (That's kilometers, don't get exicted). I didn't mention earlier that I had seen three bear on the way up to Hyder (none on the way back). First, a black bear (a good sized one) scooted across the road about 1/4 mile in front of me. He looked my direction, so maybe he knows the rules about crossing the road and looking first. I saw him on BC-16 West before Kitwanga.

The second was a brown bear about the same size. He was on BC-37 (leaving Kitwanga). He was on a bit of a ledge on my side of the road, laying on his back scratching his back. By the time I saw him, I wasn't sure if i should turn around for a picture or just hope I was lucky and keep going. I chose the latter.

Here's that moose again. Just before he got spooked by some other tourists who kept wanting to get closer to get a picture. Ever hear of a zoom? At least I got turned around in time to get back and get my camera out.

The arse end of that moose, taking off.

This is Gary. Met him in Burns Lake area. He's from Prince George. Nice guy!

This is Bulldog (Kevin) and Laurel. Met them in Burns Lake just after Gary left. They saw me preparing to leave and stopped in just to talk. Turns out Bulldog had some great tips on different routes back toward Calgary. Dunno if I'll be able to do it, but he sure made it sound interesting!

What a cool place Esther's Inn in Prince George is! This bottle of sparkling apple juice was waiting for me in my room. That's awesome! Want to know what's more awesome?

This is! Esther's Inn put up this huge banner for me! I'm a rock star! That's twice in one day that folks have welcomed me to their town with a banner. And the best part is that they mention the CCFA!

My last look at the sign that leads to the Highway to Alaska. From this sign, Alaska (Hyder) is just 140 miles away!

Gordo gets Hyderized!

2010-07-10T03:00:00.006-04:00

Here it is. The moment I've been waiting over a year for. I got Hyderized at the Sealaska Inn. The bartender was Robin and I have my card to prove it!

I'm working on the video!

Hyder Alaska - and getting there!

2010-07-10T01:23:00.005-04:00

I'm reposting this to add some stuff, and put in stuff I forgot. Heck, it's so interesting just read it again.

First of all, I'm having difficulty tonite, but I'll get there...

these pics aren't in the right order, but...

This is the Canadian Post Office in Fraser Lake. Very helpful clerk tho. It costs more than $1.50 to send a simple letter to the states! You should hug your local post office employee and thank them for doing so much for so little! (Auntie, that's for you)

I saw this sign a lot today. But no Mooses. Meeses. Mices. Moose.

This was a deer that I saw on the side of the road...I stopped (quite quickly and safely) and tried to get a shot before he skedaddled.

This is Calen and Ben from Smithers, British Columbia. Calen is a retired locomotive engineer and was really quite wonderful to me. He blessed me many times over for safe travels. Nice guy. Poor Ben didn't get the chance to say much but he seemed quite nice too.

This is the infamous "Road to Hyder" sign at the one and only fuel stop in Kitwanga. Matt will like this part: I spent quite a bit of time getting every drop of fuel I could into Cheeto at this fuel stop. I had a backup can of gas, but I wanted to see how far Cheeto could really go on a tank, without a big headwind or super high speed (I kept it right at about 105 Km/hr., which is about 70mph for us Americans.) You'll be pleased to know that I'm STILL not on reserve at 149.5 miles. I'm sure that in the morning it will sputter and cough and want that reserve fuel. Luckily, the only gas station in Stewart (a half mile or so away) opens at 7am. But with my reserve and my gas can, I can probably make a tank go more than 200 miles if I need to. I did cheat a little on long downhills by pulling in the clutch and coasting. And since I was up in the mountains, there were quite a few downhills.

This is Cheeto at a glacial river that opens right next to the road. That ice is probably 50 feet thick. Nice cool breezes when you pass the waterfalls or other areas of open water that is from the melting glacier. Would have felt great in Lilloet the other day. Glad I'm not going through that again!

Another shot of the glacier as it comes down.

This is the sign welcoming you to Stewart, BC. I haven't seen much of the town, since I wanted to get to Hyder, but I have to go through Canadian customs in the morning, just to get to the gas station!

I pulled over for this one. There are many on the web of this same shot, but this one is mine dammit! I was there and I saw this!

Suzi and Robin at the Sealaska Inn. Suzi's husband is the postmaster in Hyder and suffers from Ulcerative Colitis. She was great to talk to! Robin was a fantastic bartender/check-in host. She made me feel like we've been friends forever!

This is the outside of the Sealaska Inn. You probably aren't impressed, but up here this is a welcome oasis! They are a very biker-friendly place, but that doesn't mean kids aren't welcome. They are friendly to everyone. Gary (owner) met me tonight, and he was very gracious. I met his wife as well and she was also very helpful about the sights around the area. Unfortunately, I don't have time to see them, but I plan to come back and spend some time here. After all, I have friends here now and this place is quite reasonable!

This is my 'room'. I think Gary set me up with either the 'executive suite' or the 'freebie' suite. Either way, It's awesome. I have my own "Hotel" all to myself. Kitchenette and everything!

Me sitting at the picnic table above blogging! You can even get the wi-fi outdoors! (some limitations apply). What about that background though?! What's your backyard look like? (by the way, why don't I ever smile?)

Approaching the Meziadin Junction where you either turn off for Hyder/Stewart or head on to the Alaska Highway. I turned. Thank God!

pic test

2010-07-10T01:14:00.001-04:00

Day Six - VANCOUVER!

2010-07-09T03:04:00.020-04:00

What good soldier ventures out with non-shiny boots? I don't know, it's not me! I told Myles that all the rain earlier in the trip had really put my boots through the wringer. He brought me Kiwi and a brush so I could be stylin' and profilin' (and have a little extra protection if (and I say IF) it rains on me again.

Here we are waiting to go through customs. Gee, you'd think with all those lanes, more than one would be open, huh? Musta been a big donut sale at Tim Horton's this morning. THAT'S why all the Canadien security folks are missing.

The beautiful buildings in the beautiful city of Vancouver. Love this town! Perhaps not quite as much as Fort Wayne, but still....very diverse, very cosmopolitan, and always something to do.

More great views of the city. Note the way back, background...That's one big reason why I love Vancouver. Note as well the electrical wires overhead. The city buses run on electric, but look like regular buses. Weird.

Me rolling on to Lionsgate Bridge from Stanley Park. Shortly after this I began my ride up BC-99 on the north side of Whistler Mountain. That section (the first 150 miles or so) is just fantastic. Great views, great pavement. I started off with a ton of fun!

The view from the bridge itself.

Hokety, hokety hokety. This is what Cheeto looks like now. Bought a gas can 'just in case'. I have a feeling if I EVER ride BC-99 again, I'll need this. And I'll need a visit to the chiropractor. That road shook the heck out of me. Crappy pavement.

Another view from just past Pemberton (I think). You should have heard the rapids in the creek beside the road. The water was rushing so fast and loud you could barely hear the cars, trucks and so on that were happening by where I had parked.

Saw this sign at the gas station in Lilloet. I thought it was a joke, but no. It's real. There isn't much warning. By the way, BC-99 changes about- an hour before Lilloet. That road over the mountain is a hazard to all creatures big and small. Including us riders. It needs to be re-paved, and SOON.

The view behind the gas station in Lillloet. It's seriously hot there. Someone told me it was regularly the hottest point in British Columbia. I believe it!

This is Wes, a man I met at 100 Mile House. Nice guy, very friendly! I just can't figure out that Canadiens didn't change the names after they switched to metric. But don't worry, I'll keep you Americans informed about Canadien culture as I have been for the last quarter of a decimeter! (last line stolen from XM Comedy channel. I think it's hilarious!

I don't remember why I included this one, but check out that sky! Great weather pretty much all day!

These lovely folks are Jason and Paige from Terrace BC. They were both very interested in the trip. Paige was very helpful about the area. I was nearing the end of my day, so I'm sure they thought I was a nutcase.

Also in Quesnel was Tracy at the Mowhawk Gas Station. WAY friendly, eager to help, and I think she had the hots for me. I guess she must have a vision problem. Just kidding about the hots. She was really quite kind and got me straighteded out and leaving in the right direction.

Another cool bridge near Quesnel (someday I'll learn how to pronounce this, but it's nothing like it looks).

Cheeto's resting spot for the night. Right next to an '84 Honda Magna 1100! And the owner works in Stewart, BC. That's about a mile from Hyder, Alaska! Small world indeed!

Tomorrow is the culmination of the first half of my trip. Worn out like a big dog, but having fun and meeting a lot of great people. Hopefully they are thinking just a little more about Crohn's and Colitis after having met me and hearing what crazy stunt I'm doing.

News-Sentinel coverage...

2010-07-09T02:59:00.002-04:00

Have you seen what Melody has been doing on the News-Sentinel's website? She is awesome!

She even cleaned up my typos and poor grammar.

Click on the tidbits section at the top, and "Photos from the road" She really made me look ...witty!

See It By clicking here

Day Five. DRY, hot and busy!

2010-07-08T01:31:00.017-04:00

Miles traveled today: 671.
Temps: Started in the low 50's and ended up in the low 90's!
Location: Started in Kalispell, Montana. Ended in Bellingham, Washington!
Left at 6:30am Mountain Time Zone, Arrived in B-ham at 9:05pm Pacific Time.
15.5 hours on the road today. We even gained an extra hour by crossing from Mountain time to Pacific time.

DRY ALL DAY today!

Here are some pictures from Day Five. I'm super excited - tomorrow is Vancouver! Then it's on to Alaska!

First, some leftover pictures from Day Four -

This is a friend of Myles' son. His name (the friend) is Jesse. Myles' son is named Cory. Jesse and Cory are good guys. They shot a few games of pool with us last night at the Outlaw Inn's attached lounge. It was a fun nite.

Speaking of Cory and Myles, here they are in all their glory. Cory is a good kid. Smart, respectful, and polite. I think (no, I KNOW) his dad is quite proud of him. Cory and Jesse came over to Kalispell to meet me, and so that they could hang out Cory's dad too.

My last view of the Outlaw Inn before we motored away at about 6:30am.

We ended up going through Missoula, Montana due to some roadwork being done on one of the back highways I had planned to take. It added some miles, and some time, but it was a great ride. I even got to see where these crazy Montanans built a bridge over a highway so the bears could get across. Turns out they don't use it much. Bears aren't good listeners. Eaters? Yes. Listeners? Not so much! Anyway, we pulled into this little truck stop for breakfast. (I won't mention the name of the place because our service was horrid. But it rhymes with Buralt's and starts with an M.) Let's just say, that it was not a good day for Kimmy. I'm told that normally the service is great. Maybe Kimmy just was having an off day. Food was good!
Anyway, the sign out front had the time and temp. When we got there, it said 69 degrees. Considering that when we left Kalispell it was 51 degrees, (only 110 miles north of Missoula, and only two hours away), we knew the sign was wrong. As we ate breakfast, we laughed and watched the temp drop every few minutes. We were worried that if we dawdled too long, it would start to snow!

Yay! We made it to Idaho (who da ho?) I had to pull off the road coming down a mountainside to get this photo. Traffic was kind of heavy, but it all worked out and no one got killed, maimed or even more than slightly cut!

I didn't get a picture of the welcome to Washington sign. Traffic was heavy and the shoulder of the road was full of orange barrels (those seem to bloom heavily every summer).

Along the way, Myles had an equipment malfuntion on his helmet. While it was nothing as entertaining as a Justin Timberlake/Janet Jackson malfunction, he needed to either fix it or get a new helmet. We happened across Experience Powersports in Moses Lake, Washington.
Robert took care of Myles, and Myles ended up with a new helmet (better safe than sorry) and Robert even took care of sending the old helmet to Myles at his home in Eureka, Montana so that he didn't have to lug it around! Great guys there at Experience.

There's Cheeto and Myles' Bike in front (and Myles by the door)

This is the Columbia River Gorge near Vantage, Washington. Absolutely stunning! We had to go past the "watch out for rattlesnakes" sign (honest) to get these pictures, but it's so big, it makes you feel a bit insignificant!

More of the Columbia River Gorge. That bridge is now I-90 and shortly after taking this picture, we were crossing that bridge. Vantage is to the right.

Dunno if you can read this, but it's about the Columbia River Gorge.

More of the gorge, but that speck in the water is a rather large speedboat! That should give you an idea how large this is.

We got through Snohomish Pass fine and withing very little time we were at
Seattle. It was the tail end of rush hour, and traffic was maddening, but we got through it fine. Almost got rear ended in a tunnel leading to I-5 but we lived, right? Once we came out of the tunnel and were on I-5, a few thousand of us on the road were buzzed by this Seaplane. scared the heck out of us!

Ever take a picture while riding a motorcycle (one-handed) while moving in a large metropolitan city while trying to work the clutch and not hit anyone at the same time? Me? Yep, you can check that off the list for me!

Great shot of Seattle! (Please ignore the bugs on the windshield, it was near the end of a long day!)

Tomorrow, it's going to be Customs and Border Protection before hitting Vancouver, eh? It's aboot time!

Pics of Glacier National Park

2010-07-06T23:28:00.012-04:00

Brian the Frito Lay man. He caught up

with me in East Glacier, Montana and said that since I passed him on the way from Cut Bank to East Glacier and was 'advertising' Cheetos (my license plate) he felt I needed some compensation.

He gave me this bag of Cheetos!

One of the many views of GNP. What an awesome ride!

Myles and I at Logan Pass (I'm the handsome one on the right)

More pics tomorrow. Having pic problems tonight!

Gordo

Day Four - What a ride! What a rush!

2010-07-06T20:39:00.003-04:00

Short day, but wonderful day.
Only 167 miles today, but oh my.

Wow. I'm not sure if I'll even find the words today. It went from chilly to...who cares?! I got to meet up with Myles and his wife Deb this morning. Myles was in the Army with me and I haven't seen him in 25 years.

Anyway, Myles and Deb took me through Glacier National Park and what a rush! Unbelieveable scenery. I'll post a special report with all the pics in a bit.

I gotta get some laundry done, so that comes first!
Stay tuned sports fans!

Day Four Begins!

2010-07-06T08:50:00.003-04:00

Forecast: 30% chance of rain with cloudy skies. (Ha! It's raining now!)
Current temp: 49 degrees.

Expected high temp today in GNP area:74 degrees (better than most of the eastern part of the country as far as I can tell!)

Extra special day today...
First, I get to re-connect with Myles, an Army buddy that I haven't seen in 25 years. We've spoken via phone and email just in the past year or so, but I haven't physically seen him in a long time.
I'll also get to meet his wife Deb. They are both riding with me through the second highlight of my day: Glacier National Park. After the park, Deb will head back to their house (about 90 minutes from the park exit), and Myles and I will head to Kalispell, Montana for the night (just a quick few miles from the park exit.)
Hopefully, the sun will break through the clouds and give me a chance for some great pictures...

By the way, tonight I'll get back to Day Two's pics (sorry about all that delay folks)

Oh yeah, I got about 6 full hours of sleep last night. I think it was too much. I'm groggy!

Enjoy your day! I will!

Day Three Pics

2010-07-06T00:17:00.014-04:00

I took a ton of pics today, but here's the ones with the best stories-

This is Cindy and Carol, who were working at the Cenex Museum Drive Gas Station, where I stopped for a bite after the first 100 miles. (And where the rain began). I still had another 60 miles of North Dakota to go, and it was all rain.
These two made up for it though! This is where I remembered that it was only 7 am in Mountain Time

Good Grief! Get me into Montana, poste haste! You can see the sky clearing in the background. That was as welcome a sign as .... the sign!

And that other sign? That's for my wife. I didn't know she had her own sign! (Her nickname in HS was 'Bump'....volleyball player, go figure.

Two of three Ohio riders I caught in Glendive, Montana. They were pulling out as I pulled in so I didn't get a chance to talk to them. I did notice Ohio plates though!

This is Ben from Glendive. He was a REALLY nice guy. Chatted on for a bit about the things we take for granted and that Montanans enjoy as everyday pleasures (like 100 mile trips just to go to WalMart!) Hey Ben, did your kids ever go online to see what this blog was all about? Heaven knows you're too lazy to do it!

I got to Wolf Point, Montana and fueled up at some rinky dink gas station. I was afraid the inside of the building was soon to be quarantined for some rare disease, so I went to McD's to ...get some relief.

As I pulled in the lot, this INDIANA bike was sitting there. (Notice it's delightful ORANGE color). The rider was...taking up a stall. He is a Purdue student (Lafayette) doing an internship in Minot, ND and had gone to Kalispell, Montana to do some rafting and other non-fun outdoor activities. He was headed back to Minot. I didn't get his name, nor bother to ask him how many times he ran out of gas regularly, since he carried a spare container!

Before I spoke to 'feeling much better now' Student, these two pulled up for lunch. Note the plate: INDIANA!

What are the odds that they would also be from Lafayette and traveling to Glacier National Park? All three of us (four, technically) from a few hours apart, now in the same McD's parking lot more than 1,000 miles away! Weird!

had to take this one. Fueled up in Malta, or something, and this was across the street. Right next to another store called "Big G's!". Weirdness abounds!

These two were hilarious, eh? This is Patty and Jan from Saskatoon. (PJ's! Get it?) They were on their way (a day late) to the Motor Maids rally in Cody, Wyoming. I think Jan had a bike problem or something that delayed them. In any case, they were very interested in my cause and promised to look up this blog. Now, let's see if they comment. But first, give them a chance to get back home.

I can't get his picture to load, but I also met Charles in Havre (prounouced, Have-ur). He was pretty funny too. He has a Honda Dream (one of the first Hondas ever sold in the US as a commercial Honda motorcycle.

Hope you enjoy!

NOT part of a Hitchcock movie...

2010-07-05T23:34:00.002-04:00

All through this trip I've experience birds that seem to either have a death wish, or are playing "chicken" (probably an appropriate name for a fowl creature to play, now that I think of it).

They seem to dive bomb my bike as I'm cruising down the road. Just before they get to me, they swoop away. Kinda freaks you out a little.

At first I thought maybe I look like some sort of bird food from up in the air. But orange bird food? What are birds eating these days, Cheetos?

Then I figured it out. My mom was always fascinated by flight. She loved to fly and always talked about hoping to come back as a bird if reincarnation was true.

I think she's come back.

Her soul must be transferring from bird to bird, to swoop down, get my attention and remind me to be safe and pay attention to what's going on in front of me.

Thanks Mom! (But did you have to be so dramatic?)

Open Letter to North Dakota

2010-07-05T22:37:00.003-04:00

Dear North Dakota -
How nice it was to leave your border this morning. You decided to 'christen' me once again with more of your liquid sunshine. Gee, thanks. Maybe you needed something to break up the monotony of ....nothing.

Funny how it stopped raining just shy of the Montana border. Ha ha. REAL funny. Yuk it up, ND - your turn is coming.

There's really not much from Fargo to Beach. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Zippo.

Well, I'll give some credit. There's the Little Missouri National Grassland, which contains some of the most rugged, uninhabitable land I've seen. Beautiful, yes. Useful? Not really.

Who negotiated your borders? That guy was either drunk on the take. When Minnesota saw their land starting to flatten out and get boring, they decided to let you take it from there. Montana must have said, "We'll go ahead and take everything after that Grassland area. You guys can have that river and the rugged rocky stuff." Who approved that deal, Stevie Wonder?

By the way, I wanted to send you condolences on the loss of your (apparently) one and only law enforcement officer. No he didn't pass away or anything, he apparently went to work in Wisconsin. I mean, I saw tons of Wisconsin cops out on a busy holiday weekend, but I spent two different holiday weekend days in your borders and nary saw a single police officer. Not even a Bismarck city cop. Not even a state trooper! What kind of 'increased patrolling and increased presence is that?

I'm not complaining, really. I just think it's odd that apparently not one single law enforcement officer was on any stretch of road I was one (and I-94 West is one LONG stretch of road!)

And one more thing - I like how you have exits every so often that say things like "Exit 234 - no services". Gee, that's stimulating. Sure enough, when you get off that exit. There's nothing there.

Of course, that's your claim to fame, isn't it? Nothing.

I'll be back in about a week, North Dakota. Let's see how your north border fares under the scrutiny of King Gordo!

Day Three Wraps up!

2010-07-05T22:33:00.002-04:00

I'll spend some time in a bit working on photos and stuff, but just wanted to post and let folks know I made it safely to Cut Bank, Montana and rolled in about 6:30p local (and taking into account the change to Mountain time Zone) I rode today for 13 hours! Total of 655 miles.
That brings my total miles logged through 3 days to 1,716!
That means that I'm averaging 570 miles a day, which is better than my needed average of 450!

Day Three Begins!

2010-07-05T05:47:00.004-04:00

Today's goal is Cut Bank, Montana
Looks like another wet start to the day.
It's just before 5am, but the local radar is showing rain about 3 hours away, but heading right for Bismarck.
At least it looks good after that.
It's a bit chilly too. 56 degrees right now.

Let's hope one of two things happen:

It breaks up before it gets here
I move so slowly that it passes before I get moving

The second one is unlikely. I have about 630 miles to go today. The first is unlikely...it's moving slowly, right for me.

And where there are few roads (or few anything) there are few overpasses to hide under. Ugh. Will my feet ever get dry?

Happy trails!

Day Two - Lodi, Wi to Bismarck, ND

2010-07-04T23:23:00.006-04:00

Presently (in body, but not in mind): Bismarck, North Dakota
Miles traveled today: 685 (holy crap!)

SORRY FOLKS, I'm too wiped out to load photos tonight. They'll have to wait until tomorrow!

Where do I begin? To start with, my watch says 11:30pm but it's only really 10:30pm here. Yikes, it's still light out!

Waiting for the Bismarck fireworks to start, I can't miss that, no matter how tired I am!

What a day! It was filled with contradictions:

First, the weather - started off quite warm in Lodi at 6:40am when I left the hotel, but two hours later the rains came. Then no sooner did I hit St. Paul (and the worst of the rain just before that) and the sun came out, just as happy as you can be!

Second, my attitude - After getting rained on for most of the morning, I wasn't a very happy camper. I started the day with a great conversation with Kane, the overnight clerk at the hotel in Lodi. I was feeling good. The contradiction? About 2 hours later I was in no mood to talk to anyone. I just wanted my fuel, my Monsters and water and dryness! Luckily, I perked up and lost my grumpy Gus attitude once the sun came out and I was back to spreading the word about the CCFA and my mission.

Then, my fuel consumption - I panicked (so what else is new) when I started sputtering around 104 miles. I figured I had left a full tank in the sun too long and evaporation had done it's thing. Then on the next fuel load, I sputtered at 94 miles. Something HAD to be wrong! How could I be going through that much fuel? I should get at least 120 miles before needing to hit reserve! The contradiction? I called good ol' Matt and he talked me down from the ledge. he reminded me that I was dealing with lots of headwind and cross wind and I was traveling at higher than normal speeds for long periods (I was doing around 80 most of the day, probably averaging 77mph (hey, I was keeping up with traffic!). That, plus he reminded me that I was carrying essentially another person when you take into account all my gear.
So the contradiction was me in full fledged panic and Matt, ever the voice of reason. Hmm, seems to be a recurring theme here. I'm always the unreasonable one and someone else always seems to be the reasonable one.
Thanks Matt, you're a life saver -- and a trip saver! I probably would have seriously considered re-routing without your calming words.

Another contradiction - Midwest features and North Dakota. I'm not about to disparage the state that I'm currently in, but I gotta tell you: whoever started the joke about Kansas being boring had never been to North Dakota. Mile after mile of NOTHING. The next time you offer to get someone something and ask what they need, and they answer "nothing", send them to North Dakota. They will have more NOTHING than they can handle. The contradiction here is Bismarck itself. You come up over a small hill of nothing and BAM! There's Bismarck it all it's trailer park glory (the first buildings you see are in the form of a huge trailer park on the east edge of town.

Met some really nice folks in North Dakota, and they can't be blamed for the lack of scenery. Heck, even the Hardees next door to my hotel let me in the door at 4 minutes til closing so I could grab some grub. I got it 'to go'.

I'll fill you in on the rest of today later. I am just beat.
Got the bike cleaned up and while I was doing so, I was talking to two good bikers that had parked next to me in the hotel parking lot. We started jawing and it turns out that Murray (a Canadien) and Gary had traveled much the same route I had. They left from Janesville, Wisconsin the night before. It was also their second day of their journey to Edmonton. Guess where they are from? C'mon, guess!
You aren't going to believe this - Kokomo, Indiana! I travel 1,035 miles to park next to two guys from about 90 minutes from Fort Wayne!

Pictures tomorrow, I promise!

The WANE-TV bigger package...well done!

2010-07-03T22:20:00.003-04:00

Here's a link to the longer package that Alyssa and Jeff put together about the GVA. Man, are they awesome or what?!

Can't wait to see Glacier National Park, Lionsgate Bridge in Vancouver, and Hyder, Alaska!
Long day tomorrow - 650 miles. I better get some shut eye!

Dinner! For me, at least...

2010-07-03T21:28:00.005-04:00

This is what I had for dinner:

Italian Sub - Salami, Pepperoni, Lettuce, Onion, Tomato and more on Parmesan Asiago bread

Pizza flavored Combos

Big ol' Coors Light (hey, I'm not going anywhere tonight)

But as I walked back from the Travel Plaza where I got this, I was thinking...

Would someone with Crohn's or Colitis be able to eat this meal? I can't remember everything that "Mara" or "Gus" cannot have, but I'm pretty sure lettuce is one thing that they have to be careful of. And Combos? Well, they may be tasty, but I'm pretty sure they aren't 'good' for anybody!

Anyway, just keeping all those Crohn's and Colitis-affected people in my thoughts tonite as I enjoyed my meal. And reminded myself how blessed I am that I don't have to worry about such things. Another reason that we need to find a cure! Who needs the hassle of worrying about *everything* you eat?!

Hotel Impression - Best Western Countryside Inn - Lodi, WI

2010-07-03T19:57:00.019-04:00

This is my first 'review' but I don't really think about it like it's a review, because I don't do reviews for a living. Between you and me, let's agree that this will be essentially my impression of the hotel, and I'll tell you what you can expect, and what kinds of features really stood out to me.

That way, if you decide to make a trip that would be in this area, you can take my impression into account as you book overnight accommodations.

Proof that Cheeto and I made it to the hotel and I'm not squirreled away in my basement pretending to make this trip! I got here so early (before normal check in time) that I'm certain I was the first new guest of the night. As I type this it's filling up pretty quickly. The parking lot is getting more full with each half hour. And that likely means a few things:

Reasonable rate for the rooms

Great location (very close to the Wisconsin Dells)

Clean comfortable rooms

All these are true. I can see (but not hear) I-39/I-90 outside my window and it's quite convenient. Although the entrance to the hotel is actually off of a residential street, it's obvious how to get to the place even with little signage. Plus, there's a travel plaza (glorified service station with multiple restaurants inside + little souvenir shop) that you pass by just before getting to the hotel. I've already picked up (and eaten) my dinner from there, which is far easier than venturing out to "downtown Lodi" to find grub. Burgers, Subs and Pizza are the main choices but it's all tasty.

Back to the hotel...

I was greeted by Jamie, who was cheery and genuinely glad to see me. She was not only professional, but personable as well. Like I mentioned, making great time on the road got me here at least an hour before normal check in, but she took care if me, and wouldn't hear anything about making me wait.

She will, however, probably kill me for using this photo. She was a bit camera-shy (something about the witness protection program, I don't remember) but agreed to point to their sign in order for me to take the picture. I don't want to upset her, so here's the one she agreed to:

Breakfast area - (I'll tell you how good this is tomorrow, I gotta eat there first! But it's quite clean.

Here's my room (and I kept my stuff organized for this pic before I eventually totally threw everything everywhere.)

Decent enough TV, comfy bed, lots of room really, and I can't get over how clean this place is. I even went looking in dark corners for dirt or debris, but found nothing!

Can't wait to jump into this thing tonight and get some shut eye.

The pool looked inviting (kids sure got their money's worth right after I took this!) There's a hot tub too.

Cool layout for the lobby. There's a fireplace and business center (actually with a decent computer and printer) and some comfy chairs. But upstairs from this (I was on the stairs taking the photo) there's another little gathering place with comfy chairs in a loft. Never saw something like that before so that was neat.

Like I said, this place is close to the Wisconsin Dells, so they get a lot of tourist traffic (that's a good thing, Mr and Mrs Traveler). They have all sorts of material in the lobby about nearby attractions. And the front desk staff are quite knowledgeable about those attractions (see? I was eavesdropping.) Best of all, they took the time (even though there was a short line of folks waiting to check in when I went spelunking) to make sure each guest knew all the important stuff. (Pool hours, breakfast hours, check out time, etc.).

Jennifer (I hope I got that right) even went as far as personally taking a new keycard to a guest when the one he had wasn't working correctly. She could have just told him to come down and get another.

(You don't see that everyday)

Before I leave this discussion here's my final thought, let me tell you what struck my as unique about this place. The front door contains window stickers for various charities that the hotel supports. It also has one about welcoming support animals (like dogs for the blind, you know?). It's obvious that manager Jaimin Chokshi (I think they call him Jimmy) clearly knows that "it ain't always about the money". I know of a few companies that could use a refresher course in that. Folks who understand that know that brand loyalty can trump a one-time snippet of revenue every time. I'll be a customer for life after this visit.

Of course, that may be awhile from now, but you can bet that when we make a family trip to Wisconsin Dells area, this will be the place that we stay!

Thank you to the Best Western Countryside Inn staff and management for making me feel so welcome and taking care of me so well!

The Adventure Finally Gets Underway!

2010-07-03T16:17:00.014-04:00

Currently in: Lodi, Wisconsin

At: Best Western Countryside Inn

Traveled today: 348.2 miles (a VERY light day!)

What an awesome start to the day and the trip. I teased my wife about leaving earlier and earlier, but ended up leaving the house at about 6:30am. First, I had to get a few shots of the bike all loaded up, my daughter (who actually got out of bed to see me go) and my beautiful wife.

Then hit the road. Stopped at the Circle K on State Street, where the clerk looked at me like I was nuts. She was quite interested in her fresh tattoo, which she had done yesterday. Elenora (I think) didn't seem to grasp the concept that I was going to Alaska. But I'll give her a break, she had just gotten freshly inked and it was early.

On to Valparaiso I went, where I fueled up again. The clerk at the Speedway I stopped at could not care less about my trip, my charity or my presence. I don't recall her name but I think she was the manager. Once she saw 'biker' she shut down the pleasantries. But it was interesting how the young lady in front of me was 'Sweetie' and the young dude behind me was "Honey". I was just "Is that all?" That's okay Ms. Manager, I can spend my money elsewhere. And I will from this point forward when it comes to Valpo. At least Mary came jogging by and was really intrigued about the trip and let me take her picture. She also took mine.

If you have a few twenties laying around doing nothing and you want to use them and get absolutely nothing, I suggest taking the Chicago Skyway and Illinois toll road system around Chicago. I've never been interrupted so many times in so short a distance and had to pay that much just to ride on their tar-snake and crack-infested roadways. Geez, I musta spent $25 just getting around Chicago. I did make a detour for Lakeshore Drive (because I love it so much, and then made a little jog through 'town' to go by Northwestern University.) I had to do that for my daughter because her heart is set on going there. Let's just hope that Mega Millions ticket I bought today works, otherwise I dunno how she's gonna pay tuition!

At a Rest Oasis (love that name) in Des Plaines, I met up with Neil from San Francisco. I approached him and interrupted his breakfast/lunch. He seemed interesting because he had a bike helmet (motorcycle) sitting on the picnic table next to him. So, being the really skilled genius I am, I deduced that the only other bike in the parking lot must be his. Looked new too. It was. He had just flown to Indianapolis, purchased the bike and was driving it back to SF. Cool trip! He was going through Glacier National Park too! I think he thought I was going to beg money from him at first. When I told him what I was up to he quickly handed me a 10 spot as if to brush me off (I really don't think he was rude, I just think he was hungry and I was stopping him from eating his Egg McMuffin!) I asked him to contribute through the blog instead and he said he would. Strangely enough, Neil works for a pharmaceutical company in SF called Genetech (I hope I got that right) and they make drugs for the treatment of both Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis! Talk about your small worlds!

I hope I meet up with Neil again (after he's just eaten something). He seemed to be a really cool story to tell, but I was getting anxious to get back on the road.

I was making great time (save for the 5 or 6 weird traffic jams that seemed to appear out of nowhere and have no discernable cause).

Anyway, the next worthwhile story for you comes from my lunch stop in Janesville, Wisconsin. Now, for some reason I didn't get her name, but a youngish Mom and her kids (and very cute puppy) pulled into a spot at Arby's just as I was getting ready to leave. She was kind and when I gave her my card and told me what she was up to she was very interesed. Even her teenage kids - who were more interested in getting inside Arby's, like most teenage kids- were very respectful and also seemed intrigued by the Alaska concept. The now nameless woman came back across the road after saying goodbye to hand me a $5 bill and said that even though she knew she could contribute online, she wanted to give me something NOW. That was awesome!

Stacy: (and I know you are out there Stacy), as my relatively frequent magician and agent (because you disappear so often), you gotta remember - $5 goes to CCFA on behalf of the 'mystery mom' in Janesville. I guess I could just call her "Jane". Duh.

The rest of the ride was pretty. Lots of farmland in Wisconsin and with the exception of it being more hilly, it looked a lot like Indiana. Corn, corn, corn, soybeans, corn, corn, dairy farm, corn, corn, dairy farm (phew!) corn, corn....

I'll post a review of my hotel in a bit. Gotta go clean off Cheeto and get her ready for tomorrow! She also needs her blanket (bike cover), even though it's 85 degrees now (and I started this morning at 61 degrees. It got hot quick!)

And Away We Go!

2010-07-03T05:55:00.003-04:00

Forget the Countdown - It's Time to roll!

I never thought this day would get here, yet here it is. In a few minutes I'll head out the door, starting this crazy journey.

Weather is clear and it's going to be warm. This morning's Journal Gazette says the police will be all over the roads cracking down on speeders and such. This is a good news/bad news thing for me.
Good news- It keeps the idiots in check.
Bad news - Makes it harder for me to 'make up' lost time.

However, today should be a light mileage day of only about 350 miles or so and leaving this early should put me in Lodi WAY early.

I'm trying not to sound overexcited but it's not working inside my head. Giddyup!

Video Killed the Radio Star...

2010-07-02T19:30:00.011-04:00

Countdown - 11 hours!

Finished taping an interview with WANE-TV's Alyssa Ivanson, the weekend anchor for NewsChannel 15. I guess the interview will air tonight at 11 and then again on Saturday morning and possibly Saturday afternoon/evening. When it's on their site, I'll put up a link. I'm a long way from my radio days, but it actually felt very comfortable being on the other side of the interview table.

Even though she's a Ball State grad (Magna Cum Laude, no less), she was still very interested and attentive. (Spoken like a true Western Michigan University Bronco!)

It was a much longer interview than I expected. Maybe I was more interesting than I have been in the few other times I've been interviewed for television (I AM a celebrity, you know! ha!)

Jeff, the videographer/cameraman was pretty fun to work with too. He seemed quite young. Or perhaps I'm just quite old!

In any case, it was an opportunity to talk about the cause (CCFA), the trip and even mentioned getting 'Hyderized' again! My daughter, Rachel, even got to be on television too as they shot background of us sitting on the porch and talking. She's extra cute when she's excited!

How in the world am I going to sleep tonight!?

More from The News-Sentinel here & Interactive!

2010-07-02T11:53:00.003-04:00

Countdown - 18 hours!

Melody at The News-Sentinel in Fort Wayne really spiffed up the online portion of their story about me. You can see it here

There's an interactive map, links to this blog and a link to the CCFA, and even a link to my oft-forgotten Twitter account. I just haven't gotten the hang of tweeting as often as I should.

In any case, Melody did a fantastic job and she should toast herself with one of the many beverage containers she keeps on her desk.

That's what she looked like when she was just a child. Now she's significantly older (but still looks nearly identical....jealous!)

In any case, please visit their coverage and give her some feedback if you like it.

Could be some television coverage coming as well. Trying to work out the details now...

Stay tuned! It's practically just a matter of an overnight and we'll be underway together! (Although you get to sit in your air-conditioned comfort, I get to experience everything in person!)

Wanna know what's cool? Here are 5 things...

2010-07-01T20:41:00.003-04:00

Countdown - 34 hours!

Want to know what will really make you feel good?

1. When my story hit The News-Sentinel (or more accurately, hit their website) on Wednesday afternoon, I was immediately contacted by Facebook friends and others who wanted to express their gratitude for what I was doing. Immediate and instant gratification!

2. This morning, when Frank Gray's column had barely been a few hours old, a dear old friend (in fact, my daughter's babysitter's mother) contacted me with all sorts of praise. First amazement at what I was about to do, then real gratitude. It would seem that two of her grandchildren have Crohn's.

3. I got a call at work from an 84 year old woman from Columbia City. She wanted to tell me how great my story was and ask me a little about my route. What a charming and dear woman!

4. Frank Gray calls me late in the afternoon to find out if there is some sort of 'send off' party for me. Apparently he had gotten a call about his column and some folks wanted to help send me on my way on Saturday morning. When I told him I'm just basically rolling down the driveway quietly (so as not to wake the neighbors) he actually sounded a little disappointed.

5. I got a call from a woman tonight at home who just wanted to thank me for undertaking this adventure. She -like many, many, many others- have told me about a friend or loved one that is suffering from Crohn's or Colitis. That's a recurring theme. It continues to show me how pervasive these diseases are. Now since we know many people are affected, let's work on getting a cure going!

Did I mention that I actually packed everything but my phone charger and laptop on the bike already? Am I anxious or what! Tick tocking it's way to -almost- 33 hours to go now!

Correction to a news story about the GVA -important!

2010-07-01T09:45:00.006-04:00

Countdown - 45 hours!

Earlier I posted a link to a story from The News -Sentinel about my big adventure. There was a slight error in their story, and I probably should clarify.

Cindy Larson mentioned getting "Hyderized" in Hyder, Alaska. Getting Hyderized is the tradition of having a shot of pure grain alcohol, getting your official "Hyderized" card signed by the bartender and surviving the walk back to your hotel (I don't recommend driving after such a feat).

I'll be getting my "Hyder on" at the Sealaska Inn where the walk will be quite short (I'm staying at this same Inn compliments of the fine staff there). Cindy got the name of the place mixed up with another in the town. This wouldn't be a big deal to most of us, but when you are running a hotel and bar in a town of less than 200 people, name recognition is a big deal.

Cindy's error is probably my fault. I was explaining what getting Hyderized is, and mentioned a YouTube video. It's probably from that video that the confusion sprang. Perhaps I'll shoot my "Hyderization" there and post it to YouTube so there can be representation of the Sealaska Inn on YouTube as well.

I do apologize for the error, and if I caused it I certainly meant no disrepect to the proprietors of the Sealaska Inn.

When you find yourself in Hyder, Alaska, make sure you visit the Sealaska Inn and say hello to Gary there! (And tell him I'm still sorry about the mix up!)

Read all about the GVA in the Journal Gazette!

2010-07-01T07:04:00.005-04:00

Countdown - 47 hours! (I just couldn't write "1 day and change" when it's that close)

Isn't is strange when you read something written by someone you know (letter, article, online posting, email, etc.) you can hear their voice as you read it? Maybe it's just a mental thing for me, but I could hear Frank Gray's voice today as he wrote about my efforts.

If you know Frank, you can try it too - here's the link to the story in The Journal Gazette.
If you don't know Frank, you can still read it. It's not a weird test.

Frank did a great job of getting all the various distractions out of the way and getting down to the nitty-gritty of what this is all about. I think he made me sound a bit more 'tough' than I believe myself to be, but what guy doesn't like sounding a little macho from time to time?

To my knowledge I have only one scheduled interview remaining to air before I leave. I'm hoping for more along the road as I travel, but tune in later for the link to the WJON-AM story that will air on Friday in St. Cloud.

I'm down to just hours away now and way excited. I wonder if I could air up my tires with this adrenaline and these endorphins?

The News-Sentinel writes about the GVA!

2010-06-30T12:16:00.002-04:00

Countdown - 2 days (and change)!

Although I sorta knew it was coming, I was still shocked to see the coverage today in The News-Sentinel about Gordo's Vancouver Adventure. Cindy Larson did an absolutely wonderful job shaking down my diatribe into a concise, yet insightful story. Great graphics too!

See it here: The News-Sentinel

The picture is a little large (and I need to learn to sit up), but kudos to my daughter Rachel for such a wonderful shot.

Still in a little hazy fog from this, it's wonderful to see my efforts paying off with such great reward. News-Sentinel readers are nothing if not intense, and hopefully they'll get behind my efforts. And if just one takes the time to learn more about Crohn's or Colitis...

Can't wait to get this adventure underway. Next couple of days of waiting will be tough!

Thanks again Cindy, Melody and Kevin at the The News-Sentinel! I hope to do you proud!

Coming to a radio station (not necessarily) near you!

2010-06-29T19:24:00.003-04:00

Countdown - 3 Days and change!

Everything old is new again, sort of. Today I was interviewed by Terry Lee at WJON-AM 1240 in the St. Cloud, Minnesota area. Terry was really gracious and recorded an interview that they will air on Friday about the GVA (Gordo's Vancouver Adventure). I say it's new again, because it's been quite a few years since I was 'on the radio' and the last time I was the one doing the interviewing, NOT the interviewee. But I must admit, it felt quite natural to me, even though there was technically not a microphone in my face.

I got the usual questions: Who am I, what am I up to, why am I doing this, and where will I be going. Unfortunately, I had to re-route my trip so that an overnight wasn't happening in St. Cloud but Terry still felt his audience would be receptive to such a story. Of course, in my completely fair, honest and unbiased opinion, how could anyone NOT be receptive?! Ha ha!

Speaking of the media, one of tomorrow's Fort Wayne newspapers is slated to carry a story about me and this effort. It's probably bad luck to mention it ahead of time, so I don't want to go into too much detail. As for the other major daily paper in Fort Wayne? Yep, I'm told there will be something happening there as well. Again, keep your fingers crossed I didn't jinx it.

So by this time tomorrow hopefully the air will be abuzz with discussion about the GVA! Be sure to submit your comments about the stories right here!

Have you thanked your local (blank) today?

2010-06-28T20:28:00.005-04:00

Countdown - 4 days (and change)!

Here we are closing in on the last few days before it's 'kickstand up'! Wouldn't you know it, I have a million things left to do, but really - in all seriousness- I'm ready. If I didn't do all the things I'm stressing about, I'd still be able to go without much of a hitch.

One thing I want to do before this even gets underway is thank those who have supported me thus far. Wait! Don't stop reading! You might be mentioned here!

First and foremost, my wife. I don't know how she puts up with me. One crazy idea after another. Most of the time she's supportive. The other times, she's also right. It bothers me a little that she isn't making this trip with me, but in her words, her "bum can't take that kind of mileage!" (Stephanie and others, you may insert your 'that's what she said' here). And my kids, who for some strange reason, find Dad's obsession somewhat normal.

Matt, my riding buddy. Matt was all set to take this adventure with me, but then had to back off to take care of his family. Good thing, in a way. His father just passed on Sunday, which would have completely thrown his world in even more of a tizzy if he had this trip hanging over his head. Matt is the voice of encouragement and common sense. If he hesitates on an idea, it's probably wise to re-think it. Let's include Lorraine (Matt's wife) in here too. She knows I've rattled my helmet a few too many miles, but she puts up with me. And I'll take credit for teaching her to be quicker with the witty comebacks.

Sarah and Russ (aka Mara and Gus). They inspired me on the charity portion of this whole idea. It's their positive outlook and constant high-spirit that made the light bulb come on for me.

Stacy 'my agent' Baker. Never short on ideas (that means tons more work for me), Stacy is my writing inspiration. And at her young age, it gives me hope that after us old-timers have moved on they will take care of this world nicely.

My friends and colleagues at work and at play. Jennie, Toni, Greg, Natalie, Pam, Mark, Jessie "You're doing what?!" George, Jessica, Anna, Sheri, Lynn, Leslie, Kathy, Craig, Dennis, "Sharp-Dressed" Jack, Stephanie, Todd 'I got your back' Steele, Lindy, Chelley, Ed, Molly, Richard, Sherry, Johnny, Alex, Nikki 'I'm just lurking' Donlan, Nigel, Hollie(wood), Bob, Teri, Jeff 'The Jones Thing' Jones, Becky, Scott 'Preacher Man' Henwood, Rick, Kim "I'm tearing up" Chin, Jennie O, and Mark. You folks have already helped me in immense ways. Your support has been a steady wind to my sails.

Myles "You don't smell so good yourself" Hickman. Part of this trip should help rekindle a friendship born over beers in Germany about 25 years ago. I look forward to riding with Myles for a short bit and remembering why he was the 'voice of reason' for unreasonable youth.

All the hotels and businesses that have already stepped up. You'll see plenty more about the hotels as these posts continue, but a thank you to Monster Energy Drink for helping at least a little and really for just being available. I don't know how I survived without you, my liquid crutch.

The Journal Gazette, The News-Sentinel and FortWayne.com. These media sources have already committed some of their resources to help spread the word of my efforts. More media have inquired and will be thanked as their efforts get underway. Who says newspapers are dead?! Bollocks, I say, Bollocks! Changing certainly, but still the driving force of all media.

And to Julie. Quietly supportive and a true inspiration to those who really try to make a difference. She demonstrates by doing just that. And now, you ^still know! If and when I ever grow up, I want to be like her.

Next few days will be busy as one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest. Then, believe it or not, the 'easy part' of just riding 6,500 miles. And oh yeah, telling you all about it along the way!

Pics of what's being packed

2010-06-26T17:14:00.009-04:00

Countdown - 6 Days!

Here are some photos of what is being packed. This shows you how I always tend to overpack. But I did my best to limit all the non-necessary stuff. (sorry for the quality of the pictures, I had to use my camera phone).

Left to right, starting at top:

Roll bag
Collapsible cooler
Main luggage bag
Backpack
Extra Biz cards
Each day's clothing (pants, shirt, etc.)
Vest and Leather jacket
Computer and notebook cover
Travel Atlas, printed itinerary
Passport
Boots
Mocassins

5 ways to Stay Cool on the Road...

2010-06-26T16:12:00.003-04:00

Countdown - 6 days!

Got my haircut today (yes, both of them), and realized how much cooler I was (both literally and figuratively) as I walked outside.

I was packing up my bags and making sure I had everything necessary,and deciding which clothes to leave readily accessible and which to bury at the bottom of my bags.

Even though high temps in Hyder, Alaska are only in the upper 50's right now (and lows in the low 50's), temps in Montana are expected to be in the upper 80's each day. Since I expect to spend many hours per day in that heat, staying cool is important.

So how do you do it? I can give you five ways:

1. Wear breathable clothing - the wick-away shirts and undergarments available today keep moisture away from your skin, and allow you to stay cooler. I've found that if you wear a wick-away shirt under a t-shirt you can actually feel just as cool as if you are wearing one shirt (even though technically you are wearing two).

2. Use water-soaked doo-rags around your neck - this is the cheap and easy way to stay cool. Keeping your neck cool will help your head feel cooler. Of course, this will create some humidity for you and will soak your shirt and other clothing too. Riding in wet clothing isn't the most comfortable ride.

3. Cooling vests - Yes, you can actually buy vests that circulate water or contain removeable frozen packs that actually keep you cool. Heck, you can buy anything. But I've been told that these work great. I haven't tried them but I can only imagine that they might actually cool you down too much. Nothing like a freezer pack stuck to your back for hours.

4. Rehydrate regularly - Even if you don't feel like you are sweating a bunch or seem particularly thirsty, you have to replentish with plain old water. My thing is to drink at least a full bottle of water at each stop. I might have a Monster energy drink as well, but I try to also drink water. If you find that you are having to stop more often to ...relieve yourself, that's a good thing. It means that you aren't getting dehydrated.

5. Get some shade - Use the shadows created by other vehicles, notably semi trucks, to stay out of direct sunlight. Be careful though that you stay out of the "No Zone" which is directly alongside a semi truck. If he has to come over, he's got no where to go except to move you over. It's also a bad place to be when a semi loses a retread, or blows a tire. But aside from riding in shadows, use a tinted shield on your helmet, and clothing that will reflect light, instead of attract it. (Unfortunately, most chaps only come in black leather. Not much you can do about that.)

So, there's five ways to stay cool. And how often do you get to be cool like me?

Three things this trip has evolved into...

2010-06-25T16:24:00.003-04:00

Countdown - 7 days!

Just a short update to give you an idea of my thoughts a mere week out of blasting off...

Stress levels are high - I want to make sure I have all my loose ends wrapped up at work so that I can fully concentrate on the trip and not worry about some ad campaign being missed while I'm gone. I want to make sure that I've taken care of all the things going on at home before I leave so that my beautiful and talented wife need not worry about getting household chores done (the few that I actually do). And I'll be missing my friends and family a bunch too. Notably, my riding buddy Matt, who couldn't take the ride with me. I feel some sorrow for the fact he's gotta stand on the sidelines and miss out on an adventure we planned for over a year together.

But there are thousands of fun things just down the road. I cannot begin to imagine the things I'll see (and share) and the things I'll see (and not share)!

Here's how it's evolved -
1. This trip started out as a simple 'vacation'. It was just an adventure that was planned for Vancouver and then back home through some portion of the US. It started out to be pure relaxation and exploration. As people learned about this trip, they asked lots of questions. Suddenly I had their interest and thought, "wouldn't this make a great book?" So the trip turned into fodder for a passion I still have to undertake. Still a vacation - even if it was an 'endurance vacation'!

2. Then, as people showed more interest, I figured I'd take advantage of their interest and try and kill a couple birds with one stone: I'd raise awareness and money for a charity as part of this trip. I mean, what's a little extra work if it can help those in need? So, quickly this went from a 'vacation' to a 'cause'.

3. As things progressed, the cause became much more important than the simple endurance vacation with a cause. It's now blown into a full "Mission" with all sorts of angles and features and high points and sidebars. The vacation portion is all but a distant memory. I'm hopeful that once on the road, some of that vacation momentum will return and I'll be able to turn down the energy level on 'cause' and turn up the 'relax' mode.

The whole process has taught me an awful lot: I can help others in more ways than I ever thought I was capable; I can use my wit and wile to get others to help my cause, and they can feel good about it at the same time; and I can put together the fodder that I need to set myself up for my next adventure, which will include re-telling this story in a different format.

I can't encourage you enough to feedback and tell me what you like and what you don't. I can't make any promises, but if you tell me what is most interesting and least interesting, I can do my best to bring it to you!

I warned you the route would change!

2010-06-24T22:40:00.003-04:00

Countdown - 8 days!

So, those who have been faithfully reading know that this route has already changed a few dozen times. But to give you some reassurance, it's not changing much.

Day One is still Fort Wayne to Lodi, Wisconsin.
Day Two is Lodi, Wisconsin to Bismarck, ND. (This is new)
Day Three is Bismarck, ND to Shelby, MT.
the rest is pretty much the same.

The reason for this switch is because I never did get a Dickinson, ND hotel to take me in as part of a donation. So rather than try and go 754 miles from Lodi to Dickinson, I backed off a bit and planned a night in Bismarck, about 100 miles shorter for the day. It does make my Day Three a bit longer, but nowhere near 754 miles. That should give me some breathing room in case the weather turns ugly.

Lots of little items of note today:
1. I've been interviewed by both major daily newspapers in Fort Wayne. (For those of you who are skeptical because I happed to work for the agency that operates both of these: Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, it's HARDER for us to get our own news and events in the paper because no one wants to risk looking like our coverage is self-serving or slanted.) I can't tell you what each is doing with the story, but I'm sure you'll dig it! Now, getting linked on their sites is my next mission.

2. Got another hotel offer today, but had to turn it down. Travelodge in Regina, SK wanted to put me up for the night, but I had to tell Shayla that I already had accommodations. I greatly appreciate their offer though! (Now, if I could just get the hotels in Bismarck, ND, Shelby, MT, Calgary, AB, and Grand Forks, ND to wise up to what all the others have done, I'd be set!).

3. Waterproofed my boots, leather jacket and chaps, and began packing the luggage today. Yeah, it's a week early, but I'm pumped!

4. And a shout out to all the folks who have recently 'followed' my blog. I'm feeling the love! Thank you!

Esthers Inn in Prince George comes through!

2010-06-23T19:11:00.006-04:00

Countdown - 9 days!

Big shout out to Esther's Inn in Prince George, British Columbia for hooking me up with a complimentary hotel room on my return trip. As a reminder, the money I save by getting 'comped' at hotels will go directly to the CCFA. So every little bit helps. Bonnie at Esther's was gracious enough to work with me on getting the right day scheduled. By the way, this is one hotel that I'm certainly anxious to visit. It's got a 'South Seas' theme, nestled about as far away from the actual South Seas as possible. Looks like a fun place (and not exactly tiny...118 rooms!) See for yourself here.

Other exciting news: I got my 'business cards' back from the print shop today. Impressive! Now, the next time I do this, I've got to be a LOT less wordy. Randy in the print shop is a great guy, and he's a biker too (that gives him extra brownie points) and Lisa R (jr.) did a bang up job on the design of my cards. Kudos to both these professionals!

Started passing out my cards right away, and unfortunately people seem to feel pressured to donate. PLEASE note: donations are just that - donations. If I can get you to think a little deeper about Crohn's and Colitis and help shed some light on these diseases, then I've done my part. IF -and only if - you choose to donate, that's YOUR choice. You can always do so by clicking the link at the upper left hand side of these pages. These diseases won't just 'go away' or cure themselves. It will take lots of research and study and trial and error, and all that means money. But don't feel pressured by me. Give if you can and if you want. All I ask is that you think about it, share my story, and spread the word that Crohn's and Colitis have big targets on their backs. And hopefully your donations and my efforts will become arrows, of sorts. (Strangest analogy I can recall ever making).

Let the games begin! Book that hotel room!

2010-06-23T11:20:00.004-04:00

Countdown - 9 days!

Here's the top 5 things to check when booking accommodations for your travel. I'm sure there will be plenty more as I learn through my errors...

1. Check all the available mega-sites - Priceline, Hotwire, etc. Priceline has treated me well so far. Quick information, and rapid results. I haven't been successful at the 'name your own price' option yet. Perhaps I'm just too cheap. But start with these sites to get ideas on what hotels are where and roughly what you should expect to pay.

2. Check the websites for individual hotels as well - Sometimes the hotel website will actually be cheaper than what you find on the mega sites. Doesn't happen very often, but it does happen. The hotel sites will sometimes give you more accurate information about what room options are available.

3. Don't forget the Mom & Pop hotels - these are harder to find, but I use Google Maps and find my destination, then enter 'hotels' and see what pops up. Many times these hotels don't have a website, so phone calls may be your best option. Other times they'll have rates online, but no way to check availability. Again, a quick phone call may be faster.

4. Check the reviews - clearly there are far more negative reviews out there than positive ones. That doesn't mean hotels with negative reviews are all dumps. It means that people who write negative reviews typically far outnumber those who write the positive ones. And most people who have an acceptable stay don't think at all about writing a review about it. In any case, you can still use the reviews to get an idea of what might happen when you visit a particular location. You can decide for yourself if there are far too many negative comments to 'risk' your stay there. Tripadvisor.com is my favorite review place.

5. Expect to get what you pay for. If you are able to book a room for $50 a night when all the surrounding hotels are charging at least twice that, keep in mind that there's a reason that they'll rent the room to you for such a discount. Don't be 'surprised' that you don't have all the amenities that you see at other hotels (with much higher room rates).

4 last minute preps

2010-06-22T21:29:00.007-04:00

Countdown - 10 days!

A bit of mixed emotion today. First the good news: Only 10 days and a few hours to go. Things are really getting down the to wire. On the bad news side: My buddy Matt (who was originally going with me on this trip) had a family emergency today. We're praying for him and his family.

Since we're on the "T-minus 10 and counting" schedule, here's four things I accomplished today:

1. Notify your credit card companies that you are planning on traveling. That way they won't put a temporary hold on your card when you least expect it. As you may know, sometimes credit card companies will notice unusual activity and shut down your card. But if you notify them of your travel plans, they'll be prepared.

2. Safety and maintenance check your vehicle. In my case, today was the final oil change and all-around safety check. Things like air pressure in the tires, visual inspection of the various hoses, cables and wiring.

3. Test fit your gear, and make sure you have all of it gathered together. In my case, I simply had to put my battery charger in the saddlebags, and strap down the luggage where it will go when fully packed. Everything else was done. But you may want to remember spare wiring and connectors, tools, electrical tape, siphoning tube, extra bungees and perhaps duct tape.

4. Prepare your loved ones. I printed out a complete itinerary/schedule of where I should be each day and phone numbers of hotels as well. In case anything odd or unusual happens while I'm away, at least she will know where to start to reach me.

A little Pre-GVA warmup!

2010-06-21T10:54:00.010-04:00

Countdown - 11 days!

If you've ever wondered if you could undertake a trip of roughly 6,500 miles in about 14 days on a motorcycle, I'm hoping this blog will help you figure that out.

I wondered it too. Many times, repeatedly. I still wonder. The best answer is one that my buddy Matt offered up (in his quiet but simple and profound way): "We'll see."

Of course, I'm sure that 99% of the folks reading this aren't planning anything this crazy. The few that would consider it have probably already done things that are just this crazy. But perhaps those that wouldn't do it can live vicariously through me, and heck maybe they can learn about stops along my way that will be interesting for future vacation destinations (although I don't typically see "Shelby, Montana" on anyone's bucket list).

No one should go from a standstill to full blast. You have to warm up to these things. That's why athletes stretch before a big contest. It's why race car drivers do 'practice laps' and qualifying.

So, I used Father's Day weekend to do my 'practice lap'. Matt and Lorraine rode two up and Jannette and I rode one up from Dayton, Ohio area to Oak Hill, West Virginia. Since it's an extra 100 miles from our house to the Dayton area, we get to ride an extra 200 miles total.

We took a slower and more meandering route to get to Oak Hill, going through some twisties on WV-60 near Kanawha Falls and over to the New River Gorge Bridge. All told, the ride out was about 285 miles. The ride home was about 290, but it was far more direct and about half interstate and half highway. For Jannette and I, it was a total of about 800 miles. I'm counting the few miles we logged around the Oak Hill area, exploring.

The "warm" part of 'warmup' was appropriate. Leaving Friday, Jannette and I left our place later than we wanted and arrived at Matt's at about 10 am. We then left there at 10:45am to get to WV. The sun was warm right from the start, but it really heated up when we were about 2 hours outside of our destination. In fact, we saw a few time/temp signs that said 97 degrees. When you are in the sun and there's precious little cloud cover, that will wear you down in a hurry. In any case, we arrived at our hotel about 6pm. So with our leisurely 'stroll' it took about 7 hours to go 300 miles.

On the way home Sunday, we left at 8:30am (again, not in any rush) and arrived at Matt's about 2:30pm. So with a more direct route, less heat and quicker stops, that 300 miles took about 6 hours.

Then of course, Jannette and I still had 100 miles to go to get home, but we arrived back at our house about 6pm. Nine and a half hours for 400 miles (granted, there was about a 90 minute break in Ohio.)

So, with all the stops and breaks and talking (we weren't in any hurry - we were on a vacation day!) you can't really compare this to any of the days that I'll have coming up on the GVA. This was a restful, 'easy' ride after all, with no real timetables urgent need to get anywhere by a certain time. The Vancouver Adventure will be far different.

I figure if I haven't knocked down 150 miles by 9am each day, I'll be way behind. My plan is to get through 300 miles each day before lunch. Tough? Yeah, maybe. Doable? Certainly!
But the more miles I can put behind me in the morning hours, the more I can take it easy in the afternoons and early evenings.

If you just do the math and let all things be equal, I'll have to travel an average of 464 miles per day to get this 6,500 miles done in two weeks. Luckily, I'll have more than a few days where 464 will be done by 3 or 4 pm and I can start banking some rest time for later in the day. Since weather is a huge factor, this will play a part in how far I'm able to get as well.

And please, no offense is meant to my wife and riding companions this past weekend. We had a blast (sometimes it felt like a blast from an oven) and we relaxed.

Just what I needed to tune me up and get me a little R & R before the real 'fun' begins!

Why do this for the CCFA? Great Question!

2010-06-17T23:31:00.004-04:00

Countdown - 15 days!

I promised a little background in my last post, and it's even more appropriate since quite a few folks have joined since then.

This isn't exactly an FAQ, but let me give you some insight as to why I've chosen the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America. This is my charity of choice and the folks that I'm trying to raise money and awareness for. When I decided to change this trip from a pure and simple 'vacation' to a 'cause', it was because of my experience in learning about Crohn's Disease and Colitis.

Once upon a time a few years ago, a friend and co-worker got sick. We didn't know what was wrong with him, and even HE didn't know what was wrong with him (at first). All we knew was that he was out of the office sick a lot (highly unusual for him) and his weight started dropping faster than a prom dress at midnight. For the sake of the conversation, let's call him...Gus.

I don't know how much he weighed previously, but I'll guess at about 180 lbs. In practically the wink of an eye, he lost something like 60 pounds. Maybe not 60, but it had to be at least 40. In about 3 or 4 weeks. We all got scared.

Could it be the 'C' word? We've all had someone we know affected by cancer, so it wouldn't be all that crazy of an assumption. Finally I got up the cajones and asked him.

That's when Gus told me he had been diagnosed with Crohn's Disease. I looked at him like a teenager looks at a job application. I was totally confused. I'd never heard of such a thing and didn't know what that meant. He was gentle, but explained that it had to do with his digestive system and that he wasn't able to retain any nutrients from the food he ate (that's putting it gently, right?)

I didn't know anyone else who had such a disease so I kinda figured this was something rare. Little did I know at the time how widespread it is. So I kind of chalked up this whole illness as a special 'one-off' and tried to forget about it.

After all, by now Gus had been to several specialists and was getting things under control. He was still rail-thin, but at least he had stopped losing more weight.

And the most glaringly obvious thing? He never once griped or moaned about it. Still to this day, you wouldn't have the slightest clue he has any problems whatsoever.

And yet, Crohn's Disease has certainly taken over his life. If affects and restricts what he can eat, when he can eat, how much he can eat. It determines what he does, when he does it, and how much he can do. His life revolves around this terrible disease.

But you'd never know it.

Enter another co-worker about 18 months ago. Let's call her "Mara". I learned pretty early on that she suffered from Colitis. Bang. Once again I had that 'deer in the headlights' look. What the heck was that? When she mentioned that it was similar to Crohn's Disease, I knew this wasn't as isolated a group of diseases as I thought. In fact, because of Mara, I started to pay more attention to what this terrible medical condition was all about. I wanted to learn more. She was happy to share once she realized my desire to learn wasn't some sick fascination, but a true concern for her well-being.

Mara's story was quite different. She had been diagnosed at about 21 years old. She's had over thirty operations since her diagnosis. She had her colon removed. She had huge portions of her intestines removed. She's had multiple infections and complications, and all sorts of medicine-related complications. Can you imagine more than 30 operations?

Oh, yeah. She's all of 27 now. That's just 6 years since being diagnosed. Let that sink in a minute. That's an average of 5 operations per year, or about one every other month.

She knows about 80% of all the gastroenterologists in this area. Most from having consulted each one at some point or another.

Again, this young woman is the picture of positive outlooks. Never a day goes by where she complains about her disease or it's affects. On some days you can tell that she's just having a rough day, but when you ask if she's feeling alright she'll respond, "Not so good today, but I'll get through this. Tomorrow is going to be fantastic!"

Mara has never shared numbers (that's not her way), but you can imagine that the medical costs for her since being diagnosed make a Harvard tuition expense look like pocket change.

When you look up the words 'courageous' or 'brave' in the dictionary, these two ought to have their photos included.

It's because of the determination each of these two share about dealing with this very personal, very destructive group of diseases that I chose to do something to help. If I could muster up even half of the positive spirit that they possess and share with the world, you'd think I was hopped up on happy pills.

Surely, Crohn's and/or Colitis have taken over and control their daily lives. There is no escaping the fact that their most minute daily routines revolve around how to deal with the flare-ups and complications. But what is most endearing to me is that they refuse to let these diseases affect their outlook on life. They will not be beaten by these afflictions. Instead, they will rise above them and make the very best of every situation.

Many would look at their situation and say, "poor me, look at all the things I can no longer do." They instead look at their own situations and say "lucky me, I can still enjoy so very many things in life, even with this challenge ahead of me."

Wouldn't you do everything you could to help these two find more comfort and potentially a solution?

Can you believe the generosity?

2010-06-16T22:26:00.003-04:00

Countdown - 16 Days!

I got a wonderful call again today. This time it was from Tara at Hotel Saskatchewan Radisson Plaza in Regina (tee hee), Saskatchewan. She was letting me know the great news that they have decided to join the other 6 hotels and arrange to put me up for the night at no charge. In return, I'll make the donation of room costs to the CCFA.

This just made my day. After I revisited their website (http://www.hotelsask.com) I was even more overjoyed. This looks like one swanky sonuvagun! Even my most cultured and jaded friends would have to agree that this hotel looks like something Thurston Howell III and Lovey would stay in on their trips off Gilligan's Island.

As my daughter would say, "It's the bomb".

So that brings me to 7 out of 12 overnights that are being graciously donated to me so that I can make a more generous donation to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America. I can hardly believe that these fine hotels are being so open-armed about the whole thing. Sure, it doesn't hurt them at all that I'll be telling you readers about their lovely establishments, but there's far more to it than that. They truly want to give back, and this is a way they can do it more easily.

In the next few posts, I plan to recap some of the basics here on who, what, when, why and where for this trip. Things like:

Why are you doing this again?
Why did you pick the CCFA to be the charity you helped?
What can I do to help you make a difference?
Gordo - what are you trying to achieve?

Sure it's riveting stuff, but stick with me. The best is about to come steamrolling your way. Once this baby gets on the road, you're gonna be in for a thrill!

Just some pictures this time...

2010-06-14T23:37:00.008-04:00

Countdown - 18 days!

Just posting a few pictures this time to get the hang of it down. You can thank my lovely and talented daughter, Rachel, for the fantastic shots.

I think the flowers give it just that perfect feminine touch, don't you? And I can't believe I'm not sporting my usual orange t-shirt. I've only got a few dozen of those!

Clearly, these are just posed shots for media types. I can't wait to post the ones with the bike fully loaded. I can hear my wife now (imagine her head bopping from side to side):

"Hokety, hokety, hokety...look at me, I'm Gordo! And I'm taking WAY too much stuff with me on my trip across the country! Hokety, hokety, hokety"

I guess if you dish it out, you gotta take it. My turn to take, I guess.

Love you honey!

More Great News - and quick!

2010-06-13T23:26:00.002-04:00

Countdown - 19 days!

This was a productive weekend for Gordo's Vancouver Adventure. I was able to secure two more comp'd hotel rooms along my route so that more money will go to charity.

Big thanks go out to the Coachman Inn, Bellingham Washington, and the Sealaska Inn, Hyder, Alaska for stepping up and helping me help out the CCFA.

I've not had a ton of time to really check out these hotels online or read reviews and whatnot, but that doesn't really matter. The most important review you'll read about these places will be found here, after I've visited. Most importantly, you can rest easy in the knowledge that these establishments have gone out of their way to make sure that my worthwhile cause gets more attention and fundage. Gary at the Sealaska even alerted me to a "motorcycle Iditarod" that is actually getting underway within about a week, that will roll through the Stewart/Hyder area. Hmmm, maybe that's worth considering for a future trip.

For those keeping score at home (does that sound like Don Drysdale?) it's now a total of 6 nights out of 12 that have been arranged at no charge to me, and that money will go directly to the CCFA.

I spent this weekend getting follow up emails out to as many of the hotels that hadn't responded to my snail mail request. A few actually took the time to respond with "sorry, we can't help" messages, but thankfully they've been quite few (three total, I think).

I'm pumped. I've got an interview slated with a major newspaper for Tuesday of this week, and they are asking for ideas on how to further publicize this blog within their newspaper website, in addition to doing a story on my trip. I should start hearing from many more news media in the coming couple of weeks, as they prepare to present my arrival in their fair cities.

And did you notice the very first line of this blog entry? Down to the teens now for days remaining before I get underway. Hot diggity!

Tell you friends, your neighbors, your co-workers, and even people you don't know about this blog and this effort. I remind you, it's not about the publicity or about me. It's not even about the hotels and the generosity of others. It's really about creating awareness about Crohns and Colitis and seeing what we can do to help find a medical solution to these devastating diseases!

Peace, Out! (If I can sleep now!)

Lighten it up, Chief!

2010-06-11T23:59:00.004-04:00

Countdown - 21 Days!

I heard from my good friend Myles today. For those just joining us, or for those who may have forgotten, Myles is an old Army buddy (and yes, HE is really old) who will be joining me for two days of this adventure. He'll take me through the Glacier National Park, then accompany me to Bellingham, Washington before he scoots south to Oregon.

Anyway, Myles said something that struck a nerve (when doesn't he?). He said the tone of this blog had gotten a little fierce lately. It seemed stressed, pushed, tense.

I don't want that at all.

This is supposed to be a fun blog. One you'll enjoy reading and want to come back for more to see what the day's adventures hold.

So, I'm going to lighten the mood a little this time around. I thought instead of telling you what's going through my head, I'd share with you the common refrains I've heard from friends, co-workers and others when they hear about me taking this trip. Many get repeated, and some are quite funny.

Top 5 reactions to hearing about this trip (to throw you off a little, I'll count down to number 1)

5. What does your wife think about this? Why isn't she going?
Jannette is all for it. She knows that I'm not really wired completely right, but she knows this is something I've wanted to do for a long time. She knows that the great northwest US is one of my favorite places and she knows I like to do things a little differently than others.

However, she also knows that while my butt can do 600 miles in a day - day after day-, hers can't. She realized early on that this wouldn't be a fun trip at all for her if we spent that much time in the saddle. There's nothing like a vacation where you are in pysical pain for most of it. Kinda takes the gild off the rose, to slaughter a metaphor or three.

4. You keep saying this is for charity..what charity and why?
I chose the CCFA after seeing what two of my co-workers go through with their respective cases of Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. It's not pretty to watch people lose weight practically in front of your eyes. But what struck me most was the presence of mind that both of these people had to fight these conditions. It is quite rare to hear either of these people gripe or moan...and NEVER about their afflictions. They just have a positive attitude about everything and that's admirable.
American Lung Association, Cancer Society, March of Dimes, American Heart Association, etc, are all very good charities. They've just been helped by every Tom, Dick and Harry. This Gordo wants someone else to get the recognition for a change (see above where I talk about doing things differently. Hmmmm). I wanted to bring awareness to Crohns and Colitis because so few are. And the more we -collectively- know about it, the more we -collectively- can DO about it.
IF you choose to make a donation, bless you. I won't pressure you. But at least take a minute to learn a little more about it. There's a whole Internet out there with all sorts of information. Go for it.

3. You're going ALONE?!
Yes. Well, I didn't WANT to go alone originally. I wanted my riding buddy Matt to go with me (and if you read this blog back far enough you'll see that was the original plan). Unfortunately, Matt had to take care of his family the best he could in this rotten economy and just couldn't make it. You can't blame him (I don't). But I also couldn't wait another year. I've been planning this trip for 3 years already. If I wait any longer, I'll explode. OR all the people that I talk to regularly would murder me for taking up another year of their life talking about the trip.

I've assured my wife (and keep trying to assure myself) that there's nothing to worry about. I'm a big boy (bigger than many) and I can take care of myself. (I can hear Jannette laughing at that line already). Besides, the solitude will give me a chance to do some heavy duty reflecting and I need that break from my multi-tasking hectic days.

2. Oh! I thought for a minute you meant bicycle, not motorcycle!
Are YOU stoned? Have you actually looked at me? I have a body that would crush the average bicycle. Who in the hell can get from Fort Wayne to Alaska and back on a bicycle within a year? No, no offense to bicyclists, but I didn't earn this gut from exercise. I've invested wisely in Taco Bell, Coors Light, and chocolate, and as you can see, I've been paid dividends!

1. Are you just completely nuts?
I am not a qualified psychiatrist or analyst, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. Therefore, I cannot answer that truthfully and completely. Yes, I think you have to be a little bit nuts to do this. You also have to be willing to do something that will attract attention in a positive way to get people to focus on the message you want to send (learn about Crohns and Colitis! Discover what you can do to help!)
It's a vacation. It's work. It's a charitible effort. It's gonna be fun. I hope you keep tuning in to see what I see, experience what I experience, and learn what I learn. Who knows? You might even end up in a book someday (if you make reasonable and kid-friendly comments to these blogposts.)
But to answer the #1 question? Short Version: Yes.

But ain't it fun to watch!?

Thanks to Best Western Countryside Inn, Lodi, WI

2010-06-09T14:33:00.006-04:00

Countdown - 23 days!

More great news, GVA fans! (That's 'Gordo's Vancouver Adventure' by the way).

Jaimin Chokshi at Best Western Countryside Inn, in Lodi, Wisconsin has been gracious enough to offer me free lodging for the very first night of the trip.

I should also mention that Jaimin was one of the first to respond to my original request, but I had already accepted an offer in that area from another hotel for the last night of this adventure.

In any case, I'm looking forward to spending my first night in Lodi!

There are still opportunities for me to bring exposure to more generous hotel managers and operators! I have 4 of the 12 nights covered, still looking for 8 more in order to make an even larger donation to the CCFA.

So, by taking this generous offer I will stop a little earlier than planned on Day One. That means a significantly longer Day Two (about 770 miles), but I'm sure after a night of pure relaxation at the Best Western Countryside Inn in Lodi, I'll be ready for a 13 hour riding day the next day.

Wow. Did I just type that? 13 hours in the saddle? Eh, the first 7 or 8 hours on day two will be pure adrenaline!

Check it Out - New Image

2010-06-07T23:16:00.004-04:00

Countdown - 25 Days

Hey GVA fans! My good pal Lisa Runge hooked me up with a business card (this was part of Fort Wayne Newspapers sponsoring me). And Lisa did all the fancy stuff that you see in the photo at the top of this site.

For those of you who only get this in your email: Tough tomatoes! If you wanna see the photo/card you're going to have to go to -

http://gordosvancouveradventure.blogspot.com

So thank you Lisa! And thank you Fort Wayne Newspapers for sponsoring me and covering the cost of the business cards.

Which leads me to ask...if you want an opportunity to be a part of this whole adventure, like 3 hotels and one newspaper company have already done, hit me up and make a donation!

5 Critical Things To Remember

2010-06-07T22:48:00.007-04:00

Countdown - 26 days (blogger has been down, this shoulda been posted yesterday)

With just 26 days left before I leave, I've realized there's a few things that absolutely critical to do. Admittedly, not everyone needs to do all these as some of them may already be handled. Others are just helpful tips.

1. Get your bike paperwork in order - Make sure that your license, registration, and proof of insurance are all up to date and properly signed. This is crucial for me as I'm crossing an international border a few times. Something you probably didn't know (I didn't) is that you need a special card from you insurance company in order to qualify as proof of insurance for Canada. Your 'normal' card simply isn't good enough for the Canadien Mounted Police.

2. Get your really important paperwork in order - Perhaps my case is abnormal (wouldn't be the first time I've been called that), but my wife wanted me to have all my stuff up to date, like my will, all life insurance paperwork and any kind of living will or other arrangements in order. It's not pleasant to think about but it's important all the same. Lots of things could happen, and it's best to just have everything arranged ahead of time. I don't want my family to have to worry about handling things I should have done.

3. Get your 'also important' paperwork in order. Crossing a US border? Going to Arizona (and look Hispanic?) you'll need your passport. I've got mine. Now just gotta remember to pack it! It's worth the cost, time and effort all the way around.

4. Money - Obviously, making a trip like this alone puts me at some additional risk. So, you have to take some extra precautions. For example, I'll be taking along a pre-paid credit card with a low limit. As for cash, I'll take a long enough to get me through a couple of days if I can't use a credit card. Not a lot more than that. In this day and age, you just don't need to carry around a lot of cash.

5. Personal safety - I don't want to ruffle feathers, and frankly, I don't care about any else's views on guns, but if you feel it necessary to carry a gun (or knife) or other weapon for personal protection on a trip such as this, think hard about it. If anyone percieves YOU to be a threat, having a weapon in your possession isn't going to go in your favor. Think about the situation if cops roll up on you having a coflict with a local, even if the local starts it. You are the outsider, carrying a weapon. Why be behind the 8-ball before you can even get your side of the story out? And if for no other reason, it will save you a ton of time going through customs if you are NOT having to explain that concealed weapon. Not saying it's wrong to carry, perhaps just not smart.

And more hotels chime in with support...

2010-06-01T13:43:00.005-04:00

Countdown - 31 days

As you've already seen, I've had a good response to my request for hotels to put me up for a night to support the CCFA. Well, the hits keep on coming!

Today I got an email from the Outlaw Inn, in Kalispell, Montana (Barb Smith) inviting me to bunk with them for the night. I also got a phone call from a wonderfully bubbly Jessie at the Treasure Cove Hotel (and Casino!) in Prince George, British Columbia, offering the same.

I cannot thank these forward-thinking hotels enough for having the generosity, and foresight to know that good news travels fast. Obviously, I'll be blogging about these facilities and letting you know what to be sure and experience while a guest. Clearly, I won't have time to experience everything the hotel offers, but I'll certainly hit the highlights and let you know about the most crucial areas. And it's a win-win anyway: The hotel can write this off (if they choose) as a charitable donation, and I can donate the money I would have spent in their facility directly to the CCFA.

I'm not a complete shill though. If I should experience something that no traveler should have to endure, I'll let you know that as well. But for the most part, I'm a pretty easy-going guest. If I find something wrong, I'll let the hotel management know and give them a chance to make it right. No one deserves to be hammered by a mistake or two.

As I started compiling my list of hotels to contact for this arrangement, I started with the most reasonably-rated ones, in terms of price. After all, most travelers are going to book a room at a place that will leave them money to use on vacation. No sense only contacting the hoity-toity places and tell you about them if chances are you wouldn't be staying there anyway. It's "common man experiences general purpose hotel and tells you what you can expect". That's the most helpful to you and to me!

Anyway, back to our stars of the show so far today: Barb at the Outlaw Inn was wonderful about getting me additional information. Jessie (gosh, I hope I spelled that correctly) was even insistent that I travel carefully! Both of these ladies seem to be examples of great customer service - and I'm not even a customer yet! And I don't mean to perpetuate a stereotype, but those darned Canadians are just so nice!

So, I am hoping that I'll hear back from hotels in the other 9 locations to help join the fray and make for a wonderful donation. I actually am in need of a second night in Prince George (staying there twice - once on the way up and once on the way back). I don't think it's fair or right to impose on the Treasure Cove again, do you?

If you have any connections, I'm looking for hotels in the following cities to respond (with the exception of those noted):

St. Cloud, Minnesota
Dickinson, North Dakota
Shelby, Montana
Kalispell, Montana - Thank you Outlaw Inn!
Bellingham, Washington
Prince George, BC - Thank you Treasure Cove Hotel!
Stewart, BC / Hyder, Alaska
Prince George, BC
Calgary, AB
Regina, SK
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Madison, Wisconsin - Thank you Comfort Inn - DeForest!

And I should take a moment to thank another hotel in the Madison area that responded just hours too late. I had already confirmed with the Comfort Inn - DeForest when the Best Western Countryside Inn in Lodi, Wisconsin. I'm hoping it's not necessary, but if need be, I'll re-route to hit Lodi on the way out in order to take advantage of their hospitality. Thank you to Jaimin Choski at Best Western! Your offer is greatly appreciated!

It's been bright spots and rainbows all around lately. Let's hope it continues!

By the way, if you read this in your email and not on the blog, you dunno what all you are missing: Click here.

Choice Hotels er...Comfort Inn steps up!

2010-05-29T15:13:00.005-04:00

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...

2010-05-25T22:48:00.003-04:00

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)...

2010-05-24T20:07:00.003-04:00

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...

2010-05-23T23:05:00.003-04:00

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!

2010-05-19T19:40:00.007-04:00

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

2010-05-10T17:57:00.006-04:00

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?

2010-05-02T14:08:00.004-04:00

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:

St. Cloud, Minnesota (642 miles)
Dickinson, North Dakota (461 miles)
Shelby, Montana (534 miles)
Kalispell, Montana (158 miles) [much of the day spent in Glacier National Park]
Bellingham, Washington (609 miles)
Prince George, BC (490 miles)
Stewart, BC / Hyder, Alaska (432 miles)
Prince George, BC (432 miles)
Calgary, AB (489 miles)
Regina, SK (468 miles)
Grand Forks, North Dakota (462 miles)
Madison, Wisconsin (583 miles)
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!

Where are all the comments and followers?

2010-04-26T22:03:00.002-04:00

Countdown - 67 days

I started this blog looking for ways to share this adventure with others. I hope that it will still be that way. There's still quite a bit of time before things start 'getting exciting'. But I'm reaching out to my followers and hoping for a little positive feedback. A little nudge from you will go a long way.

Call me selfish. Call me insecure. Call me a little crazy (okay, more than a little). But just call me! Well, you don't have to call me, but give me some feedback, or a comment or something to let me know you are there.

I am grateful that you have been following so early on. I'm grateful that you are following at all. And I'm grateful that you are still following.

Yes, I'm feeling a little lonely about this trip at the moment because I got a rejection letter from Monster Energy this morning. No, not the best way to start a Monday, but then again, I'm not through. They've only rejected the request for a monetary donation to charity. So I've decided to go back to the well and see if they'll still give me some swag to give away on the trip. And yes, sure, I want to have my daily fix of Monsters, but think about it: If you gotta go 600 miles in a day, what's the best way to power your body for endurance? Yup, Monster Energy. Works for me! And hey, if they decide not to go with me, I'm sure I can find another energy drink to power my way. Maybe even one with the cajones to make a donation to a great charity. I'm sure they'll come through.

Much more work to be done yet, and if you'll keep tuning in, I'll keep you up to date. Now how about a little encouragement? ;-)

Back on the Right Track

2010-04-24T21:42:00.002-04:00

Countdown - 69 days
If you've been following along, you know that I had a minor electrical malfunction the other day. Actually, it was a brain malfunction, and it was while I was doing electrical work on Cheeto.

Well, since today was a cool, rainy mess, I decided to try and fix the problem I created the other day. And I'm happy to report that there was indeed success! I now have my cig lighter recepticle wired and ready to plug the GPS into. I still haven't tested with with an actual GPS (I'm skeered) but I'll be testing it with a cheap $3 plug-in light tomorrow. If the light blows up, I'm going all the way back to square one. I blew up a continuity tester in all this, so I'm out all of $5 there, but worst is I no longer have a functional continuity tester!

I bought (but haven't yet mounted) a new horn for Cheeto. I'm a huge fan of loud, disturbing horns. [Insert your 'horny' joke here]. So I went to Harbor Freight and found a $10 air horn that I think will work once I can figure out where to mount everything. That's the biggest pain about it. Sure, I could hook this up in a matter of a few seconds, but I want to try and mount all the components in a way that they are visible and aesthetically pleasing OR hidden and functional. And since I couldn't even get the fake plastic 'chrome' horns for $10, I bought some orange spray paint so that I can pain the horns to at least come close to matching the bike. If orange looks crappy, there's always black.

Cleaned both front and rear wheels the other day, using a ton of elbow grease and aluminum polish. Put that shiny crap on the new tires too to give them that fresh, wet-look. Scrubbed Cheeto down and got most of the nooks and crannies clean.

All in all, I'm just an oil change away from being ready to hit the road, and I've still got 69 days to go! Next up will be figuring out how to get folks to donate to the charity - or at least know they have the option. That means website technical stuff and mailing list coordination. I apologize in advance for the solicitations you are about to receive!

So, I'm not an electrician...sue me.

2010-04-20T21:56:00.002-04:00

Countdown - 73 Days

I'm down to the little nitty gritty items now, in preparation mode. I've got all the big stuff done:
Tires, luggage, super good cleaning, brakes, coolant flush, etc. Now it's the little stuff.

Like a better system for powering my Garmin GPS. Prior to today, I had your standard GPS power cable running from a cigarette lighter adapter in my saddlebag all the way up to the front of the bike. Worked fine, but it was a pain in the rumpus to connect and disconnect power to it quickly (without draining my battery).

I have already installed a switch for my Bambi lights (these are an extra set of passing/driving lights that I've mounted on my bike to make sure I see as much of the road in the dusk/dark as possible). The switch works out great (as long as I remember to shut it off). So I thought, why not go ahead and wire the GPS up to that power source and get rid of the 6 foot cable running the length of the bike?

Well, it sounded good. Unfortunately, I must have wired something funky because as soon as I plugged the GPS in, I got nothing. No flash of the screen, no smell of burning wires, nothing. It just wouldn't power up. Ever. Even just trying to power up using the internal battery didn't work. I even tried plugging it into the lighter socket in my car, in case I had a short somewhere, but no dice. So, apparently I blew it up.

So now I have to decide whether I want to get a different GPS mounting system and take my wife's other GPS (wider, newer, cooler), or just replace my old one. Either way, we're looking at a nice unexpected expense. And since Garmin stopped making my cheap model a couple years ago, I'll have to resort to Ebay and cross my fingers.

And before I do anything else, I'm checking with the nearest electrical expert (or Radio Shack store manager) and making sure that what I have wired now won't burn out another GPS or give me one helluva shock riding down the road.

As Matt would say, "That's how you learn these things." Yeah? Well I'd much rather learn by NOT spending all that extra dough on replacement items! I even tried to pep talk myself into doing it right. I kept saying, "Gordo - be smarter!" Didn't work.

2010-04-19T23:20:00.001-04:00

Just hooked myself up with Ping in order to simplify my postings from the road. You may now return to your regularly schedule life and ignore this test. www.gordongiven.com

Baby Has Brand New Shoes!

2010-04-11T19:38:00.004-04:00

Countdown - 82 Days

Cheeto got some new shoes! By the way, if you haven't been following along with this blog, Cheeto is the name of my motorcycle. She's orange, with flames, and lots of character. She's an 8 year old, with lots of experience. She's got 1,100 cc's of power and her bloodline is pure Honda. And now she has new shoes as part of the preparation for the Vancouver Adventure. "Shoes" in this case are tires.

Without boring the non-rider too terribly much, I've used Metzler Marathon 880's for past couple of years. This time I've switched over to Avon Venoms. My wife's bike has the same brand and she swears by them. So do many of our friends, so I may as well try them. I've not been disappointed by the Metzlers, but it's time to broaden my horizons.

Aside from tires, I've got other preps ready: coolant flush, oil change, etc. Those are relatively easy. The tires on the other hand, were not. Let this edition of the blog be a bit of tribute to friends.

My buddies Matt and Roger hooked me up with the service on the tires. Roger has all the equipment and much of the knowledge. Matt has the knowledge, experience and the brawn. Both are excellent teachers. It took a little longer than we expected for the tire switch (remove each wheel, one at a time, take old tire from the wheel, prep the rim, put on new tire, balance it, and re-install the wheel). I suppose if we weren't keeping our whistles wet the whole time, it might go more quickly, but it wouldn't be as much fun.

Matt is the kind of guy would do anything for you. Yeah, that's easy to say about people, but let's face it, if it weren't true, would he have taken the time to drive 6 hours, pull my trailer and bike with his truck, and put up with me for 24 hours, JUST to bring back his son's bike from Roger's house? He is dependable. He's concerned and caring. He's reliable. He's trustworthy. Matt is just a great friend, plain and simple. There's so much more to it, but it really comes down to that.

Roger is much the same. He's the father figure to many of us, or at least that's the way I look at it. He has the mechanical expertise, he has all the tools, and best of all, he has the desire to teach. He's one of the those people you can turn to to trust. He won't pull any punches and he won't blow sunshine up your...well, he won't just say what you want to hear. He's brutally honest, and that's appreciated.

So thanks to these two great guys, I'm a very large leap forward in being ready for 'kickstand up' time. And my Cheeto has some sweet new kicks!

First ride of 2010, it's all good!

2010-03-29T23:11:00.002-04:00

Countdown - 95 days
So the first ride of 2010 is done. My lovely wife and I headed to the teeming metropolis of St. Paris, Ohio and got in a good hour long ride in some pretty chilly conditions with some good friends, Matt and Lorraine. It really wasn't bad, since the sun was shining and the roads were pretty clear. There was still snow on the ground from a freak snowstorm that ended their winter season, but it wasn't on the roads. The only real disturbance was some loose gravel on the roads in corners and on some turns, which is a carry over from the winter plowing.

I got to ride Lorraine's V-Star 1100 with my wife and Matt and Lorraine were on the VTX. Even being on a strange bike, the road felt good, my reflexes were right there and my sense of balance and control were pretty strong. Even with a passenger on board! Lorraine's bike is pretty comfy and although it's a stock seat and a lower center of gravity, I didn't notice any sign of fatigue at all. Let's hope that holds true on the 6,600 miles to come!

Of course, I'll be on my trusty Cheeto for that long trip and I'll have all my comforts: Ipod, GPS, familiar gauges,and a taller bike. Plus I'll have less bulky, heavy gear. I figure for most of this trip I'll be in just a vest and t-shirt, until I hit some of the mountains. I'll likely wear chaps no matter what because bugs and little rocks can really leave some nice bruises and welts and since I'll be at it all day for about 2 weeks straight, it will just be bruise upon bruise upon bruise if I don't. I like being a little on the chilly side, rather than a little on the warm side. Keeps one's senses fresh if they are facing a cooler wind than a hot one.

The reason I bring up this first ride is because it's certainly renewed my energy in a long trip. I really didn't want to get off the bike when we were done.

It's getting down to nearly 3 months from 'kickstand up' time. 95 days to be precise. Am I ready for this? I have all the gear, I have all the electronics, I have all the lists of things to take. I have all the pre-trip mechanicals either taken care of or lined up (tires, cooling flush, brakes, etc.). I have the money for expenses already budgeted (and some of it saved).

The only real thing left to do is the marketing and the donation seeking for the charity. And that is the mindless, repetitive workthat I can do right up until the last minute.

Vancouver Adventure, I'm talking to you: Bring it! I'm ready!

Vancouver has become a household name!

2010-02-13T16:56:00.002-05:00

Countdown: 140 days

The Winter Olympics are well underway in British Columbia, as you no doubt are aware. For me, that means that we'll be hearing lots of discussion about areas around the Vancouver and BC areas. Places like Whistler, and Vancouver proper are being tossed around all over NBC and MSNBC.

It's kind of cool for me, since I hope to see many of these places this summer. Even though the downhill ski runs and the the bobsled runs will certainly be closed for the season, it should be fun to see these places.

Too frosty and cold outside to think much about the Adventure lately, but rest assured, you ain't seen nothing yet.

The Great Underwear Experiment

2010-02-02T21:18:00.004-05:00

Coundown 151 days

Just returned from the 2010 Cleveland Bike Show, and while the show was pretty good, the more exciting part was....underwear!

Let me start with a disclaimer: Underwear gives me problems. Not everyday underwear, mind you, and stop getting that weirded out look on your face. It's not like that.

What I mean is that on long distance bike trips, my underwear can give me problems. The seams on it can sometimes sit right where the edge of the seat rests against my bum and the underside of my thighs. And of course, black leather seats can get rather warm in the sunshine. That makes for a sweaty bum. Again, sorry for giving you that mental image. But the end result is that the combination of seamed underwear, heat, long term friction against a black leather surface just creates a rash of problems. And while the thought of it may chafe you, it won't bother you as much as it bothers me.

So, the big news is that at this year's bike show, I bought some 'special' underwear to try out on this trip. 600 miles in a day wearing 'problematic' underwear will seriously cut into the comfort factor. In fact, it will make doing 600 miles in a day painful and difficult.

The brand for these spiffy special shorts is "Bodz". I checked the label and learned:

They will fit perfectly as a second skin to fit smoothly under your riding gear, or any outerwear. They make it easy to slide into and out of tight-fitting leathers.
Bodz feature active breathing fibers for moisture management and thermal regulation. They will keep you drier in the summer by moving the moisture from your skin to their outer surface for evaporation, making it the perfect complement to other Goretex® gear. They will provide a soft extra layer to protect you when it gets cold.
Made with Meryl Skinlife which maintains the skin’s natural biological balance, it reduces the risk of allergies, and insures freshness and odor control.
The smooth inner surface provides greater comfort for day-long rides.

Yeah, well that's the marketing spiel. I'm not so much worried about 'insuring freshness and controlling odor' but I'm most concerned with those seams and the moisture wicking properties. These supposedly have 'welded seams'. Which leaves me with the question - If something is 'seamless' yet it has welded seams, is it truly seamless?

So when the weather turns and I get the chance to try these new undies out, I'll be sure to let you know how it goes. In the meantime, I just have to wait and wear my regular old standard undies. And not have any problems.

Fourteen Most Interestingly Named Places Along This Route

2010-01-23T17:22:00.019-05:00

Countdown - 161 days

As I pore over online maps for this trip and generally familiarize myself with the route (at least the route as it stands today), I have run across some names for different places that are intriguing to me.

I recently read a book called "A Place Called Peculiar" by Frank Gallant (buy it here) and it was interesting because it's fun to see that some towns have been named something unusual simply for the wonderment of it all, and to attract tourists.

It got me to thinking about the unusual names that I'll be seeing. Not only towns but features as well. So I'll share with you the ones that I've see so far, purely by going over the maps....

Sleepy Hollow, Illinois - I don't really expect to see any headless horseman coming at me, but I will be looking for Ichabod Crane Lane, if there is one. Wouldn't that be a picture?

Little Canada, Minnesota - Do you suppose there are little neighborhoods called "Alberta", "Ontario" or "Newfoundland"? Yeah, me neither, but I'll bet that since this is still relatively close to 'Big Canada' (the real country) they still have a lot of "eh's" going on. I'll let you know what it's all 'aboot'. Sorry about that. (And even in the apology it's another slam, because you know how polite Canadiens are, apologizing all the time....I crack myself up!)

Medina, North Dakota - Do you suppose it's funky and cold there? You think this is the hometown of Tone Loc? Yeah, me neither.

Double Ditch Indian Village, North Dakota - Not far from Medina, you come across this place. I'm supposing that it truly is an Indian Village, but I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if it was no longer related to Natives any longer.

Sipple & Straw, Montana - These two towns are about 6 miles apart. I just thought it was funny to see a town named "Sipple" because immediately I think "nipple" which just proves that my brain never matured properly and I'm forever a 12-year old. And Straw just makes me wonder if that 's simply related to the fact this is in the plains area of Montana.

Big Arm, Montana - Seriously? Is there some huge statue (carved in wood, of course) of some massive bicep? Gotta have a picture of a sign for Big Arm, sporting my own 'guns' of course.

Eureka, Montana - My buddy Myles is from here. I've always wanted to visit so that I can say things like he did. For example:

"Where you from?"

"Eureka"

"Eureka?"

" You don't smell so good yourself!"

Opportunity, Washington - Near Spokane, this area just exudes confidence and optimism. Perhaps this was simply to attract new settlers, but Green Acres, Washington (without Eddie Arnold or Eva Gabor) is nearby.

Eureka, Washington - Just to see how it compares to the Montana version. I fully expect to see some sort of monument in one of these towns to Archimedes. That or at least some sort of flood control. Maybe a huge bathtub?

Chilliwack, British Columbia - I must admit that I've heard of this place before. I used to really love this rock band called "Headpins" which was led by a guy who was from here (or at least was in another band called Chilliwack). Still, the name is too funny, so I gotta go there and see what that's all about.

One Hundred Mile House, British Columbia - I'm sure there's a logical explanation for the name of this place, but I don't wanna spoil it. I think this is one of my scheduled fuel stops and that will give me the opportunity to discover from a local why it is named the way it is. My suspicions: It's about 100 miles from Kamloops, BC. But I could be very wrong, and probably am.

Smithers, British Columbia - Don't you expect to see a statue of the Simpsons' character here? Well, you shouldn't. This was around long before Bart took to the airwaves.

Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan - Just the name makes me smile. Darned Canadiens and their literal sense of humor.

Regina, Saskatchewan - They pronounce it "Rah-Jinah" (long I sound). See my comments about Sipple above. Twelve-year-old brain kicked in again.

Wasn't that fun? Well it was for me anyway.

Son of Still Speaking Through Song

2010-01-20T19:33:00.009-05:00

Countdown - 164 Days

Okay, so we're continuing our list of songs that about are about or at least mention the states that I'll be traveling through on this trip. At first I thought this wouldn't be so hard since there's gotta be thousands of songs that mention states and cities and such, right?

Well, I've done Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota and Montana. Now it's on to Idaho, Washington, British Columbia (that's Canada just so ya know) and then back through the states again.

Idaho -

Private Idaho, B52's (You're livin' in your own private Idaho)
Danny Says, Ramones (Danny says we gotta go, we gotta go to Idaho)
I Miss You, Randy Newman (You must be laughing yourself sick up there in Idaho)
What's Your Name?, Lynryd Skynyrd (It's 8 o'clock in Boise, Idaho)

Washington -

Ballad of Donald White, Bob Dylan (I landed in the old northwest, Seattle, Washington)
Jet City Woman, Queensryche (it's about Seattle)
The Mud Shark, Frank Zappa (A nice little dance thing called the Mud Shark, now this dance started up in Seattle)
Sick of Seattle, The Smithereens

British Columbia -

Blame Canada, South Park - Okay, I'm just kidding. I think I'll save the Canadian songs for a different post. Maybe I'll list the best Canadian bands and performers.

Iowa -

(Don't worry, I'll explain how you get from British Columbia to Fort Dodge, Iowa when I write about the route the next time). Let's just say....North Dakota songs? Been there, done that.

Turn the Page, Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band (On a long and lonesome highway, east of Omaha).

Well, that's about all I could find. Anybody else notice all the Zappa I found? Moooooaaaahhhhh! This is gonna be one very entertaining ride!

Still Speaking Through Song

2010-01-19T20:30:00.004-05:00

Countdown - 165 days

Here we go with the next installment of songs about the places I'll be traveling on this trip. This time it's Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana.
If you have no idea what I'm talking about, read the previous post. I suppose since we're getting farther west and the population thins out, that means there's less to sing about....which is why I can only think of these songs:

Minnesota -

Uptown, Prince (She saw me walking down the streets of your fine city)
9th & Hennepin, Tom Waits (And the broken umbrellas like dead birds, and the steam comes out of the grill)
Skyway, The Replacements (You take the skyway, high above the busy little one-way.)
Funkytown, Lipps, Inc (Won't you take me to, Funkytown?!)

North Dakota -

North Dakota, Lyle Lovett (The boys from North Dakota, they drink whiskey for their fun.)
That's all I got. Apparently there's not much to sing about in ND.

Montana -

Montana, Frank Zappa (Moving to Montana soon, gonna be a dental floss tycoon.)
Montana Cafe, Hank Williams, Jr. (Montana cafe, we're a little bit out of the way)

This is kinda fun. But I think it's really kinda odd that there's already two Zappa songs on the list. That's a sign of something great!

Speaking through song

2010-01-18T22:55:00.006-05:00

Countdown - 166 Days

Ya know, I said I wouldn't do this, but I think I will after all. Long ago, my good friend Stacy suggested that I combine a couple of my loves, music and motorcycling, and write about the songs that are relative to where I will be traveling. Seemed like a cool idea at the time, but I had almost forgotten all about it.
Surprise! My brain cells kicked in and I 'amembered'.

I'll probably put together a playlist of songs for the Ipod to listen to while I'm making this trip. Let's start with where I'll start and get through the first couple of states:

Indiana -

Indiana Wants Me -R Dean Taylor (Indiana wants me, Lord I can't go back there) But of course, I hope to!
Going Back to Indiana -Jackson 5 (I'm Going back to Indiana, back to where my baby's from) Okay so the second one contradicts the first, but it's actually a much better song.
Up in Indiana - Lyle Lovett (Up in Indiana where the tall corn grows, I do a little thinkin' about a girl named Rose). I can only stomach so much Lyle. But his wife Julia Roberts is hot.
Small Town - John Mellencamp (I was born in a small town) Okay, so technically it's not precisely about Indiana, but does anyone really think it's about any other town than Bloomington or Seymour?

Illinois -

The Illinois Enema Bandit - Frank Zappa (The Illinois Enema Bandit, I heard he's on the loose). Gotta love this song. Don Pardo does the introduction. Zappa was the true King.
The Night Chicago Died - Paper Lace (daddy was a cop, on the east side of Chicago...) This song brings back some special memories for me. One hit wonder and great song to sing along to!

Wisconsin -

Highway 51 Blues - Bob Dylan (Running from up Wisconsin way down to no man's land) Now we're talking about some seriously good music.
Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot (and the Rheostatics) (The ship was the pride of the American side, coming back from some mill in Wisconsin). How appropriate! One of my favs of all time, and also done by a guy with a great name.
Cadillac Ranch - Bruce Springsteen (drivin' alone through the Wisconsin night). Not a big Boss fan, but I'll suffer through this one.

Hey that's just the first three states. You got any suggestions? Comment below.

I still have a lot of places to go through: Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, British Columbia, and more. Put your thinking cap on!

Soundtrack to the Road

2010-01-15T22:00:00.008-05:00

Countdown - 169 Days

Is there anyone who doesn't like music? I haven't found anyone yet. It's amazing to me how we can all love music, yet argue incessantly over what's 'good' and what's not, regarding musical genres or styles.

I have always had a more keen fascination than most when it came to music. I enjoy so many styles that I can't really pick one for a favorite.

I started out liking pop, AM radio music: Elton John, Brownsville Station, Three Dog Night, Alice Cooper, etc. Then, Heart, Kansas, Rush, Uriah Heep etc. Later it changed -passionately- to 80's hair metal: Scorpions, Vandenburg, Whitesnake, Quiet Riot, Van Halen. Then came the alternative years: Elvis Costello, Clash, Cars, Joe Jackson, Pretenders, and the more modern alternative: Verve Pipe, Brian Vander Ark, Jones Thing, Sorta, and Glenn Hughes (I'll call him 'throwback alternative' coz he's really back to that 80s metal hair band stuff).

Why do I bring this up? Easy. Travel is so much easier with music to accompany you. I just got an 'upgraded' Ipod that will triple the available tuneage that I will have at my disposal. That will mean I could *theoretically* boost my collection to 9,000 songs, all ready to blast in my earbuds as I travel down the road. I'm at 3,100 or so right now, and I can't remember exactly how long ITunes says it will take to listen to each song, but let's just say I won't even be able to hear everything on the Ipod right now, not to mention anything I add between now and departure day.

I'm not even going to attempt to try and give you an idea of what playlists I'm planning to put together for this trip. I don't even know that I will. All I know is that I will be draining my Ipod battery by jamming all day while motoring. And quite honestly, I can't wait until I have all those tunes right at my fingertips. You see, so many times I'll buy an album (yes, I'm so old I still call them 'albums') and I won't really have the chance to sit down and listen to it as closely as I'd like.

That will change when I've got a full day to put a soundtrack to the sights and smells I discover along the way. And that's really the way I look at it. Music is so powerful in that it can affect your mood, your emotion, your outlook and color your attitude. I often let the melodies in my ears become the soundtrack to the road. There's nothing like a nice rhythmic, acoustic and musky sweet sound of Brian Vander Ark and his lyrical story-telling as you cruise down a canopied tunnel of trees in northwestern Michigan. Hardly anything can compare to putting the hammer down on the Interstate while the Scorpions rock out to "Blackout" and you find yourself having to really watch your speed.

Before any safety freaks begin mentally forming their 'letter to the editor' about how unsafe it is to wear earbuds and operate a vehicle, let's chill. First off, wind noise, engine noise and loud pipes already cut down your ability to hear most anything on the road. The earbuds help protect ears from those loud road noises from damaging my already sketchy hearing. And years of riding have taught me to 'hear' using other senses. For example, you can 'feel' a car coming up from behind to pass you, because it pushes the wind over toward you before the car is even alongside. Normally the pitch of the wind will also change as it deflects off the other vehicle. But even not hearing that pitch change, you can feel it in the way it pushes your bike slightly away from the approaching vehicle. As long as you aren't blaring the tunes so loud that you cannot hear at least your own engine, you'll be golden.

Some folks think that anything other than road noise (or lack of it via earplugs) is the only true way to truly two-wheel it. I compare this argument to the same with mandatory helmets. In my not-so-humble opinion, I feel like each rider should make their own choice. If you want to enjoy the 'natural sounds' of the road, great. Just don't disparage my right to craft a soundtrack to go along with the fantastic visual images I'm experiencing.

Unless it's country music. Then somebody please put a bullet in my head, because that's a sure sign I've suffered a head injury somewhere along the road. (And to country fans reading: I don't apologize. Somebody has to stand up for the truth and proudly pull back the curtains of deception and show the world that this 'country music' is really nothing more than aural swill for the uninitiated.)

Okay, I just wanted your blood to boil for a minute. I kid. I'm a kidder!

What the hell is this post about?

2010-01-14T22:22:00.002-05:00

Countdown - 170 days

Writer's block? (you've have to be an established writer though, right?)
Uncertainty about what the heck I should be writing about has me thoroughly frustrated and confused.

Some days I think I should write something super helpful, or insightful or something directly related to this trip and the mechanics of it. Other days, I think it should be really more personal and witty. I think I have some responsibility to incur a guffaw or at least a chuckle from you. After all, this thing should be fun, right?

But lately, most days have been a mixture of thinking about the mechanics/logistics of this trip, and wondering if the way I'm writing it is entertaining enough to keep folks interested. And I don't think my personal stories are really all that interesting. You gotta tell me that one, I'm not a mind reader.

So forgive me if I'm all over the place for awhile. Once I get a bit of steam built up, I get the feeling that it'll be easier. And quite honestly, as we get closer and things start getting more and more important, I'm sure this blog will lean more heavily toward the mechanics/logistics, but I'll be ready to sprinkle in some personal stuff too. Whether you like it or not!

Time to call in the reinforcements!

2010-01-13T20:19:00.004-05:00

Countdown - 171 days

Can you feel it? It's really getting closer now. We're on the downside of 6 months. Seems like just yesterday I was celebrating the fact it was just a year away.

There's still a lot to do:

Fundraising
Sponsorships (Hotel and Fuel?)
Bike conditioning (new tire install, etc)
Marketing hype & social networking.

So, now it's time to call in all those favours that I'm owed, and incur a few more. So if you are one of the people I know that has a great special talent, like marketing expertise, html writing capability, mechanical prowess, or just the ability to generate donations or awareness: look out. I'll be calling on you for help. Be prepared, but don't disappear, I need you!

Let me just drop a few names of people who better ante up or come up with some great excuses: Stacy, Keith, Jim, Roger, Matt, Natalie, and many others.

Are epic bike trips just for the younguns?

2010-01-11T21:44:00.004-05:00

Countdown - 173 days

So, lately it seems like just about every time I mention this trip to someone who doesn't know about it, they say something like, "seriously? at your age?" or something like that. The only thing harder than hearing that comment is finding someone who hasn't heard about the trip yet.

Is this just a trip for young people? Am I too old (I'm not even 50!) for this?

No way! In fact, I've got a few reasons why it's even BETTER for us graying types to be making this undertaking.

5. The more mellow you are, the more time you take to smell the roses. See, to us, it's not just the destination, it's the ride. We savour the sights and sounds along the way. We're not as obsessed with simply getting from one place to the next. We'll notice the things along the way. Call us multi-taskers if you will, but the fact is, those young punks miss a lot by keeping their focus on destination goal and not the real goal, which is the journey itself.

4. Patience. If there's one thing you have to have on long trips, it's patience. Traveling a long way in one day can make anyone get antsy to 'get there'. But those of us with experience will know how to pace ourselves. We'll get there feeling a lot less tired because we planned and prepped for a full day's riding. We didn't take off like a rabbit, only to come dragging in like a tortoise. We know enough to stop at a couple of beers at night, instead of 'celebrating a particularly good day' with a couple too many. The next day is a killer.

3. Wisdom. Because we've likely been around for a few more years than these punk kids, we probably have made the mistakes (a few times) that they are just making for the first time. That means that -hopefully- we've learned our lesson. And we know that just because you are in a groove and don't feel like stopping for fuel because you just stopped an hour ago, doesn't mean you don't stop. It means you check to see how far it is to the next available fuel stop and make your determination from there. Once you've pushed a bike to the next fuel stop, you NEVER want to do that again.

2. Mental Capacity/Diminished Mental Capacity. Either you got it or you don't. Again experience is a great teacher. But age can also be a great equalizer. Being wise enough to know your limitations is great, but sometimes oblivion will make you a lot happier. So here's to us old-timers who are either aged and wise, or aged and memory challenged. It's easier to explain why your went 75 miles out of the way by taking a wrong turn when you are old enough to say," gee, I just forgot what road I was looking for." People can understand and forgive that. When you say that at 22 years old, well, you just look stupid.

1. We find such majesty in the little things. We're like small children (and my wife would agree to that whole-heartedly). It doesn't take a whole lot to entertain us. A trip like this is something we check off of a bucket list, but young people can do that too. To those of us who are showing a little frost on the roof (or missing a few shingles), trips like this become a sense of purpose for us. Raison d'etre.

5 Ways to Stay Awake on a Long Distance Motorcycle Trip.

2010-01-09T14:22:00.005-05:00

Countdown - 175 days

In keeping with yesterday's blog about how far 600 miles really is, I thought I would share some ideas that help me stay safe on long distance trips. Well, "safer" might be a better word.

No matter what type of travel you are doing (air, motorcycle, car, bus, train, etc.), 600 miles in one day is rigorous to say the least. Consider that these 600 miles days are coming back to back to back over about 11-12 days. That will just make you downright sleepy.

So what do you do to stay awake? Certainly, some folks reading this would find it hard to believe that anyone could fall asleep while driving a motorcycle. I'm here to tell you that while, yes, the simple act of being 'in the wind', is exhilarating, it can sometimes get a little boring too.

I know that seems like it couldn't be true! But as crazy as it seems, I've experienced this a few times. Riders in Kansas are testifying to this truth every day. So, what's a poor, hapless rider to do? How do you stay awake? I'll tell you the top 5 things that work for me.

5. Get as much sleep as you can when off the road.
This is tough for me, I have a hard time sleeping in hotels anyway. But you have to do all that you can. You can also power nap for 15-20 minutes at a rest area. Just lean up against a tree in the most secluded part of the rest area you can find. Your body will tell you how much rest you need. Surely, this isn't the best answer, because napping all day won't get you through 600 miles very easily. But if you start here, you're starting out ahead.

4. Sing.
I'm not a terrible singer, but there's a reason I am not up on stage with Elton John, Twisted Sister or John Mayer. However, it's pretty hard for your brain to lull itself into a comatose state when you are belting out the lyrics to "Final Countdown" by Europe. It just makes sense. They say your brain can't effectively multi-task the act of listening intently and talking at the same time. Perhaps the same is true of dropping off to sleep and singing at the same time. It works for me!

3. Count something.
Keep your brain engaged by picking out something that is common along your route and counting it. For example, telephone poles, mile markers or other vehicles on the road. Chances are as you get tired, you'll begin forgetting how many light poles you've already counted and you'll have to start over.

2. Keep moving.
This sounds goofy, but as long as you aren't moving so much that you are dangerous, move around in the saddle. Slouch down, sit up, scootch side-to-side or find something to fiddle with on your controls. That means checking your guages, turning on and off your extra accessories (like highway lights) or your Ipod. Stretch your arms and hands out above your head or off to the side of the bike (if you aren't skilled enough to ride no handed without cruise control, do this one arm at a time). Keep moving your eyes and your head. When it's misting a bit, I'll sometimes stick my face off to the side of my windshield and let the wind clear off my glasses or goggles. That works great at reviving you as well. Sure, you might look like a dog sticking it's head out the window, but it works.

1. Don't pee.
I saved my favorite for last. But it's also somewhat of a last resort. Let's be honest: When you have to pee it's pretty much all you can think about. Now, it's uncomfortable and can be messy, notably if you hold on just a little too long. Don't do that. Trust me. And I wouldn't recommend this for an all day thing, but if you start feeling drowsy, I'd suggest sucking down a bottle or three of water and getting back on the road. Within a few minutes of bouncing and lurching over our fantastically maintained roadways, you'll find your bladder screaming at you in no time. By the time you simply can't take it anymore and MUST stop, you'll be awake.
Wide.
Awake.

And then by the time you finally relieve yourself, you won't be thinking about anything else except how good you now feel. Plus, you can combine tips #1 and #2 by doing the pee pee dance in your motorcycle seat.

I'll bet you try this at least once, the next time you are driving or riding and get sleepy.

Just thinking out loud - how far is 600 miles a day?

2010-01-08T22:51:00.004-05:00

Countdown - 176 days

As I figure out my planned daily mileage, I'm just putting things in perspective for my own brain.

This trip is about 6,500 miles. I don't remember exactly, but let's just say for example that I have to average 600 miles per day to stay on track.

How far is 600 miles?
600 miles is 1,056,000 yards.
600 miles is 3,168,000 feet.
6oo miles is 38,016,000 inches.
600 miles is also 965,606.4 meters.

At 65 miles per hour, and no stopping for gas or breaks at all, I could travel 600 miles in 9.23 hours, or about 9 hours and 15 minutes.

Since I have a tendency to need to pee and occasionally re-fuel, let's assume that I spend 2.5 hours a day eating lunch, stopping for fuel and rest breaks every day. That means that I will be traveling each day for about 11.75 hours or 11 hours and 45 minutes. So:

Get up at, say 5:30am, shower, pack bike, grab something to eat, get checked out of the hotel and make a phone call or two to 'check in', and get on the road by 7am.

So that means if I hit the road at 7am, travel for roughly 11 hours & 45 minutes, I should hit the 600 mile mark at around 6:45pm. Check in the hotel, grab something to eat, something to drink, and give the bike a once over. Then I relax a bit, talk to some locals, and spend an hour or so updating the blog and answering email. Off to bed around 11:30 or midnight, and do it all over again at 5:30am!

I get the feeling these are going to be some long days! I can't wait!

It's Official! It's the CCFA!

2010-01-07T23:46:00.005-05:00

Countdown - 177 days

I've got 15 minutes left in the day so that I can keep up my streak of a blog post every day so far this year. But I'm wiped out, so this will be short.

I heard from the Indiana Chapter of the Chron's and Colitis Foundation of America today. Thankfully, they are more than happy to accept my monetary donations and help me educate folks about these diseases. You know, I don't even know if that's the proper term but I think you get my gist.

I'm very happy that they are pleased that I want to do something for their organization. I know that sounds odd, but if you don't ride a motorcycle, you probably don't realize what kind of stereotypes we have to deal with.

There's a special fundraiser in March in Fort Wayne, and I think I'll plan to attend that to learn more about the people in the CCFA as well as those who suffer. Maybe I'll learn something (maybe? ha! it's certain I will) and maybe I can convince more folks to sign up for my blog and follow my trip. But most importantly, I can figure out the best ways to generate donations from people willingly.

Of course, I could always just glower at people stopped at traffic lights and scare them into giving. Wouldn't that be the stereotypical 'biker' way? HA!

Riding Flashbacks, volume 1

2010-01-06T19:47:00.010-05:00

Countdown - 178 days

I thought it might be interesting to share with you one of my more favorite riding flashbacks. Just a few 'out-loud' memories of a ride that sticks with me.

Not sure of the exact date, but Jannette and I took a trip from Fort Wayne to Mackinaw City, Michigan. I don't remember the exact number of days, but if I recall correctly, we were only in Mackinaw City for a day or two.

In any case, let me set the stage. An old friend was getting married on Saturday night in Sturgis, Michigan, which is about 90 minutes from our house. So we figured we'd just go to the wedding, make an early night of it, get some shut eye and head out from the hotel in Coldwater, Michigan *really* early Sunday morning. We didn't exactly dress up for the wedding since were only had the motorcycles on which to pack our stuff. But we were able to enjoy ourselves and wish the happy couple well. As planned, we snuck out a bit early and hit the sack before 11pm.

We got up around 5 am, loaded the gear up on the bikes and headed for the 'top of the mitten'. It was probably a June or July and the weather was beautiful. We got about 15 miles down the road and began to see plenty of Bambi activity along the side of I-69. In fact, at one point I did a double take as I saw at least a half dozen deer in the median. I realized how happy I was that I wasn't around when they were trying to get from the side of the road to the middle. Or when they decided to move again. But they seemed content to just stare and munch on grass.

I don't think Jannette saw the first or second group of deer as we headed out, but she was thoroughly enjoying the ride on her Yamaha 650. At our first fuel stop, I remember her saying something about how she felt really good and was hyped about the rest of the trip - even though we'd gone about 100 miles from Coldwater and we still had another 200 or so to go.

It was really a special time to be sharing the beautiful Michigan countryside with each other, during relatively light traffic on a really nice day. But we also knew we had to hustle. We were supposed to meet up with a whole bunch of our regular riding pals in Mackinaw City by noon. Keep in mind that without stopping and going the legal limit, it would take us about 5 hours to get there. We were pushing things by trying to leave as 'late' as 6am, and we would pay for that.

Those never-ending green pines get boring over time and by 9:30am or so we were ready to already be done. But you can't just snap your fingers and be there. However, if you are riding an 1100 cc V-twin with lots of power, you can er, gently bend the speed limit rule. Even though I believe the limit was 70mph, I was trying to maintain a speed just slightly higher in the upper 80's.

For some strange reason, Jannette kept falling back worse and worse the longer we rode. I would ease up and wait for her to get caught up. Finally, at a rest stop, I asked what the problem was. She didn't seem upset at the distance between us, but she was wondering why I was in such a hurry (hello? we gotta be at a hotel we've never been to by noon, sharp).

I asked her in my gentlest, kindest, most sincere and sensitive voice, "Can you pick it up a bit or do I have to stick my boot in your ass?" Which, as you can imagine, was met with just the same emotional sincerity, and the response of, "Listen here &^!*, that bike sounds like it's full of angry, high-pitched bees, so gimme me a break, assh**e." Or as I remember it more accurately, "My dear and handsome lover, I do believe that you are correct, and I will do my best to adjust my behaviour and speed up." I guess I had forgotten that you can't really push a Yamaha 650 Classic up to 88mph and maintain it for a couple hours solid. I think her hearing was shot for awhile because of the high-pitched whine.

So I slowed things up, asked her to lead the way so I could just match her comfort speed. We got through the various tourist trap exits and got to Mackinaw City around 12:30, only a half hour behind schedule, but a bit worn down.

We quickly learned that, while we were all set up for early check-in and our room was delightful, the rest of our group had already left a few hours earlier (glad they waited for us!) and we decided to meet up with them as they returned from Sault Saint Marie, on their way to Whitefish Bay. Or something like that. So, now we had another deadline, which was to get to a certain point in the upper peninsula - where neither of us had been before - and the Mackinac Bridge to cross. This was no small undertaking.

We had learned that the bridge, known affectionately by many as "Big Mac", had one lane in each direction that was really metal grating, and NOT pavement. Perhaps you don't know, but driving on that metal grating on a motorcycle is insane. You slide all over the place and it's like trying to drive on ice. No worries though, after all, the OTHER lane is paved and 'normal' right? Right. Sort of.

Once we had already gotten on to the bridge and were about to be over the water, we saw the unmistakable flashing lights and signs of a construction zone. Yep, they were painting the bridge, so they were reducing the traffic down to one lane. Guess which one would remain open? Yep, the metal grated one. More big fun for Jannette.

But she did a great job, never looked down through the grating to the water once, and before we knew it, we were on the other side. And paying the exorbitant fee for crossing the bridge. Motorcycles - those are much lighter two-wheeled vehicles carrying no more than two passengers- pay the same rate as bloated, gas-guzzling, multi-passengered automobiles. Talk about stupid. And while were talking stupid, who in the hell puts the toll booth AFTER you cross the bridge? What dumbass came up with that? What do you do about folks who cross and 'forget' to bring their toll money? Make them go back across and get it? Make them swim back? Ship them off to Canada as a punishment? (it's really not that far away, eh?)

Anyway, we eventually met up with our riding buddies, had a terrific, long day of riding and sightseeing and eventually ended up at an old abandoned WWII airport, with three runways/airstrips arranged in a triangle. It was now being used (unofficially and illegally) as a drag strip, mainly for souped up cars. But we figured motorcycles could play that game too.

So we all got a chance to pretend we were Don Garlits or Shirley Muldowney (look them up). I never came close to beating anyone but I am consistently in a higher weight class than most of those skinny boys. Much fun. Even Jannette and our friend Lorraine had a duel on the drag strip, but amazingly it was a slow speed duel, and I don't think either pushed it much past 35 mph. It was worth a big laugh though!

It was getting dark, and we were still quite a way from our hotel room. We headed back south to the bridge to return to the hotel, and the winds had picked up considerably. That meant big delays at the bridge itself as the big trucks and the itty bitty motorcycles had to be escorted across the bridge by an escort vehicle. Required. No options. Of course, it's not like you get a choice: you've already paid that exorbitant bridge toll again, and unless your bike is fast enough to skip across the water, you'll be doing what they ask/demand. Of course, we had to wait for their schedule -not ours- and we quickly realized that this was cutting into our drinking time for the evening. And everybody was in the mood for a tall cool one after a terrific day of riding.

So, after meeting and getting to know some other folks who were in line waiting (we can't seem to help ourselves from just randomly finding people to talk to), and plenty of time for the smokers to get their fix, we got started up the bridge. Within seconds, Nigel developed some sort of engine issue and pulled off to the side. He motioned for us to keep going and he'd get things started as soon as possible. We don't listen well. So we all pulled off to the curb side one by one and began the game of telephone (that's yelling over the road noise, traffic, wind noise and such, trying to find out what was happening and what we should do).

Suddenly, Nigel roars past us yelling "I think I'm out of gas!" and heading to the top of the bridge. Apparently he had gotten enough fuel shook around to get the engine fired up again and was racing to the top so he could coast down the other side, if necessary.

It was necessary.

We surrounded and convoyed Nigel to the bottom of the bridge to protect his coasting, non-running bike as we saw the service station sign just up the road about 500 feet. We got him pushed up to the pump and figured all was well.

At least we didn't have to stop at a toll booth AFTER coasting down the bridge.

Long story was that Nigel wasn't really completely out of fuel, but had a fuel pump that was starting to fail, although the short trip from gas station to hotel was less than a half mile so he didn't have any further issue that night. The next day was a whole nuther story, but that's Nigel's story to tell, not mine.

By the time we returned to the hotel in Mackinaw City, we were worn out and beat up. Which is how every good riding day should end.