6 Week’s + 2 Days on the Road… I/we are Back! The 2011 California Trip comes to a Successful End!

Yesterday we left Amana Colonies Iowa…. The weather was great the whole day…. At the Canadian boarder the guard was not a ‘rectum’ like the guy at the USA boarder… Our guy actually welcomed us home…. He didn’t want a list of all the things I’ve ever written and/or  what I talk about…lol.

12 hours on the road… very tired…we found ourselves in London Ont…. The pipes on the bike are very loud… I looked at the Wu and said, It’s only 2 more hours to home and our own bed…. Wanna save $200 and stick it out?

She looked at the hotels on our left and said, Go In!

Unfortunately, all I heard was, Go!..... So we kept going!

We made it home at 10:20… I was very tired and the last 2 hours nearly killed the Wu…. But we made it!

Ariving home 14 Hours Later

The Wu back in the Harley HideAway

As I look over all the pics I took of the adventure, I have to say that the trip at times was thrilling… For the first 2 weeks, wet and chilling and at many times dangerous. What is apparent however, is that most of it was fun, exciting and a fantastic experience.

Being out on the bike alone, often calls upon your inner strength that sometimes even surprises you that you have… or at my age… still have. You get to see and experience so many things most people will ever know.

Traveling by yourself can at times, be very lonely so you come to expect the kindness and generosity of complete strangers. I am happy to report that other than the USA border guard, absolutely everybody I met turned out to be wonderful people [to be fair, the guard had a job to do and is probably just as rectal at home!... only kidding… I’m sure he goes to church *_* ]

What I’m saying is it renews your faith in mankind… Refreshing in light of what’s on the news every day.

On the bike you have plenty of time to think. You think about your past, where you are now and what’s still ahead. It forces you to appreciate what you have and the people in your life that really matter.

… It also gives you plenty of time to rehearse the speech you’ll be giving to Bell Mobility in 3 webinars in July…  I think I gave the speech 50 times on the road… that’s well over 100 hours!...Time well spent! … I hope they appreciate it!

Speaking of Kindness, there are many people I have to thank, starting with my neighbors Kristina, Desiree, Leyton and Danika for looking after my fish aquarium while I was away. Much appreciated!

50 Kms this side of Sault Ste Marie... I’d like to thank Mike the Mechanic who was the first to repair my bike and get me down the road.

Mike

Thanks to Fantasy Falls Kakabeka Tom and wife Lise Richardson who own the Shell Station… They took me in from the rain when my bike broke down a second time, gave me a free coffee and put me in touch with CAA and Ted, the owner of Thunder Bay Harley Davidson.

Tom & Lise

Ted impressed the heck out of me by coming to his shop on a Sunday of the Victoria long weekend to open it up and take my bike in. Tuesday morning he put a mechanic on it, first thing, so I could be on the road asap. Thanks Ted!

Ted on the left with the Thunder Bay Crew

Thanks too, to Ryan – the service manager for Harley Winnipeg – who went far and beyond his duties in taking care of a stranded biker. On his days off, he drove to the airport twice to pick up a part and had his mechanic Sean come in on a Sunday when Harley is closed. Thanks so much Ryan for that and the many entertaining stories of your ‘conquests’…. Ah to be 33 again… sigh!

Ryan

Thanks to Katie from Vancouver who drove me around in the rain to get all my errands done… Had a fun time seeing you and Kathleen again… 

Katie & I taking a spin at the Harley Museum

  

Thanks to my high school chum David [DD] and Kat who graciously opened their home to me in Victoria. They also guided me around the island to see many beautiful things and meet my old Pitney Bowes friend Dave… Had a wonderful time and hope to reciprocate the hospitality at this end one day.

Thanks to my sister Jacqui and George, Kevin and Kellie for a splendid time in California…. All your homes are gorgeous and the generosity you provide knows no bounds and is greatly appreciated!... Keep it up and I just might come back… I can hear George screaming… NOOOOO! …^_^

Jacqui & George

Kevin...aka BB

Thanks to my Dad…aka Ace who rode out to meet me… only to wave and pass me on the road to Murphys…lol… Looking forward to seeing you again at the Sunday dinner table here in Richmond Hill.

Ace is the one on the left..

Imagine looking at that mug over Sunday Dinner!...lol

Thanks to those who followed my adventure-blog…. Judging by the stats… there were a lot of you… Thanks especially to the people who left comments of encouragement both on the blog and Facebook… It’s like a life-line to home that warms an otherwise lonely heart on the long road!

Finally… I would be remiss if I didn’t thank ‘my-reason-for-living’ …. The Wu!... I missed you when I was alone and had a wonderful time with you on the ride back… Love you very much… Thanks!

The Wu is the one not Singing!...-_-

Well folks… If I’ve missed anybody, I apologize…

This concludes the blog entries for the 2011 Trip to California!... Hope you found it interesting, fun and entertaining… I had a Blast!

LIFE is GOOD!

MB11

ps: Stay Tuned for even more Adventures this summer to be posted on this blog!   ^_^