HERE AGAIN, MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD ME SPEAK OF MOMMY AND DADDY.
MY BROTHER ALLEN AND HIS WIFE CHARLA HAVE THE CLOSEST AND WARMEST MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIP I HAVE EVER SEEN. IT TAKES A WHILE TO GET ACCUSTOMED TO BECAUSE THEY ARE SO CLOSE, BUT ONCE YOU DISCOVER IT IS REAL YOU WARM UP TO AND ADMIRE THEM BOTH.
THEY LIVE IN RIALTO CALIFORNIA WHERE THEY HAVE BOTH BEEN FOR OVER 60 YEARS ONLY BLOCKS FROM WHERE THEY WERE RAISED.
IT WAS JUST A SHORT 45 MINUTE RIDE FOR ME.
GLEN AND JEAN ARE LIVING IN THEIR MOTOR-HOME, PARKED IN THE YARD OF THEIR RECENTLY PURCHASED RE-SALE HOME IN APPLE VALLEY CALIFORNIA. THEY PLAN ON TURNING THE HOUSE OVER FOR SALE IN JUST A FEW MONTHS. THEY DO ALL THE WORK THEMSELVES AND ARE BOTH QUITE TALENTED. THEY HAVE JUST RETURNED FROM A TRIP ACROSS THE US TO WASHINGTON DC, NEW YORK CITY, BOSTON AND NIAGARA FALLS.
MY SECOND DAY WAS ANOTHER HOT RIDE VIA PALM SPRINGS, YUCCA VALLEY AND APPLE VALLEY.
FOR YEARS, MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD ME SPEAK OF MY FRIENDS “ THE CHRISTIANS” WELL HERE THEY ARE. TED AND BRENDA WERE HIGH-SCHOOL FRIENDS AND IN-SPITE OF OUR DIFFERENCES HAVE MAINTAINED A CLOSE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP. WE HAVE CHOSEN DIFFERENT PATHS IN LIFE BUT ARE ABLE TO PUT THOSE ASIDE AND ENJOY OR HISTORIES AND SIMILARITIES. THEY NOW LIVE IN PALM DESERT CALIFORNIA AND HAVE A BEAUTIFUL HOME ON A GOLF COURSE AND RESORT.
MY FIRST DAY OF RIDING WAS ONLY 5 WARM HOURS AND A WARM VISIT WITH THEM.
TOMORROW BROTHER GLEN.
I NOW HAVE TOTALLY HEALED FROM MY FALL IN PATAGONIA, PERHAPS A LITTLE SMARTER, AND HAVE BOUGHT A NEW MOTORCYCLE AND HAVE IT EQUIPPED FOR MY NEXT RIDE TO ALASKA. THIS WILL BE MY FORTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR TO ALASKA AND PLAN ON RE-VISITING SOME OF MY FAVORITE SPOTS AND ALSO GET IN SOME GOOD TROUT FISHING. I AM GETTING A BIT OF A LATE START, AS I PREFER JUNE RATHER THAN JULY IN ALASKA, AS IT CAN GET A BIT WARM FOR SLEEPING OUT. I SHALL BE CAMPING OUT FOR THE MOST PART AND AM NOW MORE COMFORTABLE ABOUT THE BEARS, OOPS, PERHAPS NO SMARTER AFTER ALL.
I SHALL BE VISITING FAMILY AND FRIENDS ALONG THE WAY AND WILL RIDE AT A LEISURELY PACE.
THIS YEAR, I WILL GO TO VICTORIA, VANCOUVER ISLAND AND RIDE TO PORT HARDY THEN TAKE THE FERRY TO PRINCE RUPERT B.C. THEN RIDE THE CASSIAR HWY TO THE ALASKA HWY TO ANCHORAGE. I SHALL RETURN TO DEADHORSE ALASKA AND INUVIK N.W.T. I HAVE TRAVELED NEARLY ALL ROADS, SHOWN ON MY MAPS IN ALASKA BUT NOW SEE A FEW TOWNS I HAVE MISSED SO SHALL VISIT THEM, JUST FOR BRAGGING RIGHTS. ON MY WAY HOME I WILL STOP IN WILLIAMS LAKE B.C. TO VISIT MY FRIEND WAYNE ADAMSON, WHO YOU MIGHT REMEMBER I MET ON THE BOAT FROM PANAMA TO CARTAJENA COLOMBIA.
I SHOULD ARRIVE HOME AROUND AUGUST 10 OR SO.
THIS NEW MOTORCYCLE IS A CARBON COPY OF THE ONE I ABANDON IN ARGENTINA, BUT WITH DIFFERENT SIDE CANS AND 40, 000 LESS MILES. I CONSIDERED OTHER BRANDS AND MODELS BUT DETERMINED NO OTHER WOULD MEET MY NEEDS SO WELL.