Departure date May 17, 2014 for 30 days. Plan – Vancouver, BC to North Carolina to Long Island, Upstate New York and back. Don’t know the route yet.

LINK TO my Ride Report on ADV Rider Forum Click HERE

SPOT Live Tracking Page

I have done quite a few big RR’s and smaller one’s but what makes this one different is I am no longer with my thought to be partner for life Cheryl. Let me back up…Cheryl and I were partners as common law for 15 years before she proposed to me in March 2012. In August of 2013 we had a destination wedding that turned out to be the best day of my life. We shared our relationship with 62 of our closest family and friends over a 2 day party.

January 2014 Cheryl left without really looking back and here I am grieving the loss of a short marriage but long history of a relationship I moved to Canada for in 1998. This RR will not be full of morose “feelings” and thoughts. It will be part of my healing to continue my passion for riding long distances and learning what it is like to be a soloist in life.

My name is Leslie, originally from New York and moved to BC, Canada for the “love” of my life. I am staying here for now. I have a great career in Organ Donation working for BC Transplant. More about that later. I am learning I have friends outside who thought was my best friend. I have support but in the end it’s up to me to move forward but I have a lot of thinking to do and of course working through my grief and mourning.

I ride a 2013 BMW F800GS. Have been across country in 2010 on my 2010 BMW F650GS. Rode to Alaska on a borrowed Triumph Tiger 800XC from Triumph Canada. RR in my signature. Since 2010 I have put on my bikes about 88,000 Km’s and try to ride as much as I can to work. I run a blog that I am going to keep, just changed the name. I am no longer advgrrls but simply advgrrl.

I will be wearing the new KLIM Altitude suit made for women. The first really technical gear made for we grrls in our own sizing. Looks like this…

I know I am not smiling. Probably was not in the best of moods although I should have been elated getting the new suit before most even had one to buy. I have reviewed this suit as my first impressions but will post a thorough review since I will be living in it for about 14,000 KM’s.

This is my bike minus my dry bag and other things I will bring along.

Another shot of my beauty

As always, I will be honest and upfront about anything to do with my gear, my bike or anything else I come across. This will be like a journal of sorts so if you choose to follow I hope you have patience with me. I will be posting some prep pics of my gear and what I am packing if I get around to organizing myself before the day I leave. My route…not sure anymore. Keeps changing and I will take it day by day.

I will post a SPOTWalla page as I will have my SPOT Connect with me. So much easier to keep family and friends updated daily. I am a Type II Diabetic so this trip will also test my ability to take care of myself. Love the little pocket on the KLIM gear where I can put my emergency card for contacts and medical issues.

2 weeks to go and I hope some of you might join me on my first SOLO adventure and as always feel free to comment, ask questions etc….and I will do my best while out on the road to stay on top of them. Oh, this will be a live report as much as I can post. Stay tuned! Leslie