February 5th 2015 (feel free to click the pics for HI-Rez versions)
After 6 days off the bike visiting my parents in Polk City I am back riding and heading into the Winter abyss of the North East. I enjoyed my vacation within a vacation but I felt I needed to get back on the bike and try to finish this Winter Trip.
I would like to answer a few concerned emails I have received as well as ease my folks. Continue reading “Back On The Bike, Day 23 – Rain and then Sun”
February 1, 2015
Ahhh…rest time. After 17 days on the bike and over 9000 KM’s or about 5700 miles later, I thought I needed some R&R off the bike. I rode on Friday from Bonifay, Florida to the Lakeland area where my parents have a RV/House. Great place to layover and get some rest. I have my own room, bathroom, entrance, well…whole house. My folks stay in their RV lol and do not use their house at all except for laundry. So, enjoying my rest off the bike, going to see cousins today, Superbowl Sunday, might go for a leisurely ride tomorrow with a friend of my folks and I am keeping an eye on the weather up north. Continue reading “Lay Over – R&R in the Winter Florida Sun”
January 28th, 2015 – Day 15 (NEW ORLEANS)-click the pics
I should have really called this trip BMW Dealership Tour. On a serious note, I did not have to be in New Orleans until 1500 hrs so I thought what the hell, stop by Baton Rouge BMW and see if they can figure out my EWS code. I sent the dealer an email the night before and Cory, the Service Manager responded promptly and said “sure we can fit you in”. Got a late start, took my time in the morning and made the HUGE ride of 8 km’s to the dealer from where I was staying. Continue reading “Baton Rouge BMW & New Orleans Tour”
Day 6 – January 19th 2015
UPDATE: My spider bite on my right temple swelled up last night and puss came out. I know gross eh? It’s now infected because of my helmet, etc. Put Bactine on it and it’s looking scabby but better. Other than feeling like someone punched me in my eye, I think it’s on the mend.
When I decided to take this trip, and I won’t name names, many thought I was crazy. Maybe I am when I carry on and meet the east coast but so far my plan for this winter trip is holding out. I mean I did check the regional weather reports and they have been SPOT on.
Now I don’t want to jinx myself so I will not carry on about this but I am so glad I decided to go with my gut. I needed this trip in ways not everyone can understand. Hard to explain but being between jobs, between countries literally I needed to find a place that is a constant in my life. My bike.
Some might say I am obsessed. I agree I am…I mean who wouldn’t be? I ride my bike and see Continue reading “Day 6 – All about heading into Spring?”
Day 4 – January 17th 2015
Today I tried to be a tourist, I really did. However, the Drive-Thru Tree Park was closed and when I attempted to make it to Fort Bragg the weather was so horrible that I did not feel very safe on Route 1. It was slick and it was pouring out. No other cars were on the road at all that I could see. Just me. After about 30 KM’s or so I turned around and headed out. Went back to see if the Drive-Thru Tree was open and it was still closed after 0900. Early bird did not get the worm today.
The first 200 KM’s it just pissed on me. I know rain but this rain is a lot in a short period of Continue reading “Short Post, Long Day”
2015 – EASTBOUND-Down and Around the USA Trip
January 15th & 16th 2015
I don’t seem to be really making that much distance each day. Having too much fun meeting so many nice folks on the road and hospitable folks allowing me into their homes. Today, Friday, Jan. 16th I met this young man, CARLOS. His family owns this little restaurant in Rio Dell, CA.
Meet smiley Carlos who has to be one of the nicest, polite and happy young man I have met. Adorable too. It’s OK I say that I told him to his face. Continue reading “Doesn’t Feel Like Winter Anymore….”
Click the pics
Got myself a little entertainment for this trip…my Mini Bose
Yesterday, January 10th, 2015 my new buddy and friend Mike came over to assist with checking over my bike before my trip. Mike is like family now, met through the virtual world, rode together on a Dual Sport BC ride, have the same dealer and he even bought my ex’s 2013 F800GS White Fluffy bike. 😉 Hopefully he will post some pics of what he has done to that bike.
Hope to leave January 15.
Continue reading “2015 Countdown and Prep for my WINTER X-sing”
As I work on my post from my last road trip with my car, not my bike here TWO quick slide shows of my year in review. I mean quick! 😃 Enjoy, and I will get my act together to post about my December 30th 2014 – Jan 1 2015, 2010 KM or 1250 mile trip.
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE. Best to watch videos full screen and in HD
When I look back at all the years I have spent in Canada, all the fortunate riding I have been able to do since 2010 when I got my street license these videos will enable me to really see, feel and reflect. My life here has not been bad. Continue reading “Remembering 2014…my own form of therapy”
Update: I learned how to import vehicles into the USA from Canada today. Not terribly difficult but nonetheless work. I had to contact BMW & Fiat USA to apply for letters of compliance. This was after I called the Canadian divisions because that made sense to me. NOT! 😒 Compliance letters mean my vehicles meet USA DOT and EPA standards. Both vehicles do.
However, since my motorcycle and car were not built-in North America I have to pay 2.5% duty on the Kelly Blue Book values. Just another way to tax us. After I decided what State I will live in I will have a letter of import all ready from the border and just have to get them inspected. More money and will have to change the insert for my speedometer to MPH versus KPH. I can get that insert from a BMW and Fiat dealer. Continue reading “Canada to the USA….oh, the joys of moving back “home””
Feel free to click the pics for larger Hi-rez versions
2014 has been one hell of a year for me and still is on some levels. Separation, leading to divorce, death of my beloved 10-year-old Beagle, Cruizer…work issues, deciding to leave Canada after almost 18 years and start over? So, what to do? Do I dwell on all the misfortunes I have experienced or do I try to hold on to the things I am and should be grateful for? Seems like such an easy question to answer doesn’t it? I should instinctively say I am THANKFUL for being alive, my family, my friends, my passion for organ donation, my dogs, my bike, my many many trips I am able to take, yet I am not completely convinced I feel this thanks deeply in my heart.
I think after I write this post and I’m reminded how fortunate I am, I hope to end with a truly genuine thanks. Let’s see how I feel as I write and post some of my favorite pictures from the Fall of 2014. I don’t BS, been told I offer too much information, TMI, but again this is me and what I like to do is actually write how I am felling in the moment and I just happen to share it with well? A few people around the world. 😉
Continue reading “2014 – A Year to Forget but I am still THANKFUL…”
November 19th 2014 – My Seattle Day Trippin’ to AltRider!
All pics clickable and videos throughout this post…short clips
Mileage 678 KM’s – left at 0600 and arrive home at 1930. Weather? Perfect, cloudy, some sun, cool temperatures and NO RAIN!
I left in the dark and came home in the dark. LOVE my new Aux lights and the LED low beam. Truly helped me when I decided to ride a road in Washington called the Chuckanut Drive. More about that later.
Once again I made an impromptu decision to finally get down to AltRider to meet Erik to get some upper crash bars installed on my bike. Erik and I tried to arrange this prior to my X Country 2014 Trip Continue reading “AltRider, Bikini Barrista & Chuckanut in the Dark”
November 14th -16th 2014
In this video if you listen closely I rub my pegs….;-)
Mileage 1178 Km’s
Continue reading “I SURVIVED THE POLAR VORTEX on 2 Wheels”
All pics can be enlarged by clicking on them and I always add more pics at the end that aren’t always in my posts. Little raw videos at the end. Just FYI.
Starting out temperature was -18C for everyone else .4F and let me tell you this…IT WAS COLD!
The best part of my morning was Co Co’s being open at 0430 for some freshly brewed coffee.
Spoke with the owner for a bit who is a talented artist along with his wife. They have been at this location, right near the turn off for Osoyoos for 5 years. Nice ambiance and nice people. Coll decor too.
I wore my base layer, then my riding jeans minus the knee armour and my KLIM pants. Good thing I have lost a little more weight to be able to wear all that I had and still be able to move and get my leg over the seat. 😉 I always carry a back up heated liner. Gerbings WON today over my Powerlet. Was way warmer in the frigid cold with Gerbings than Powerlet. I constantly moved my toes in my boots and that saved me from having another frozen foot. So, I learned from yesterday’s arctic blast and things went better today. Once the temps got to reasonable ones I was free!
When I left Maple Ridge yesterday, Nov. 14th my plan initially was to take Route 3 to Osoyoos, BC. Last minute change as I always do I decided to take the Coquihalla Pass and then an off shoot of Route 5 to 5A. Continue reading “Princeton, BC to Leavenworth, WA”
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