AFTER, A 13 HOUR 15 MINUTE RIDE ALONG THE OREGON AND WASHINGTON COAST, I FINALLY ARRIVED IN POULSBO WASHINGTON ON BAINBRIDGE ISLAND. THE WEATHER WAS COOL IF NOT COLD FOR MOST OF THE TRIP, NO RAIN.
I SHALL SPEND SEVERAL DAYS WITH MY SISTER DIXIE AND ALSO VISIT MY NEPHEWS AND NIECES.
I HAVE NOW VISITED ALL MY SIBLINGS ON THIS TRIP EXCEPT BROTHER PAUL, WHO WAS IN TENNESSEE WHEN I LEFT, TOURING IN HIS MOTOR HOME.
I HAD A VERY NICE AND COOL RIDE FROM SUSANVILLE CALIFORNIA UP TO CRATER LAKE OREGON. DOES NOT LOOK MUCH LIKE JUNE, ESPECIALLY COMPARED TO THE 110 DEGREE HEAT OF PHOENIX. I WILL SPEND THE NIGHT IN ROSEBURG OREGON.
BROTHER GENE LIVES IN NOVATO CALIFORNIA ABOUT 1 HOUR NORTH OF SAN FRANCISCO. NO, HE IS NOT GAY.
I HAD A VERY LONG RIDING DAY, 12 HOURS FROM RIALTO TO NAVATO ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST HIWAY, IT WAS COLD AT TIMES THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS AND ALONG THE COAST BUT WARM AND PLEASANT IN NAVATO.
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.
All good things, eventually come to an end, and at times we do not get to choose when that might be. My trip came to an abrupt end on March 17.
I was about 15 miles north of Tres Lagos Patagonia with 15 miles more of gravel remaining. I have no recall of the event but suspect strongly that my habit of riding too fast on gravel roads may have had something to do with the eventual end over end fall and crash. I was found on the road taking a little untimely nap, by two men in a pick-up truck. They loaded moto into their truck and took me to the small village of Tres Lagos. At the gas station there, I then met two other men who took me under their wings and got me to a local hostal where I continued my nap. These men, pictured above, were down visiting a recently purchased sheep ranch, above. They were very kind and agreed to take me back to Buenos Aires the next day. This journey took three and a half days as we were about 1800 miles south of the capital. I had decided to not attempt repair of the moto as it would have cost about $ 1500 just to get it to Buenos Aires and then another $ 2000 to get it home, plus the $ 2000 or so for repairs. I gifted the moto to the good shepherds
and it will spend it’s days tending sheep. I ended up with bruised ribs, sore hip and a sore sternum. I may have been knocked out for no more than 10 minutes, as there is some traffic on this road. When I returned home I went to my doctor for an exam and had a cat scan just for safety sake. All seems well, I did get rattled pretty good and recovery is slow.
I had been warned about this section of road by other riders but decided to ride it anyway, I have no regrets and up to the fall enjoyed the riding.
I shall not return to continue my travels in South America but cannot overstate how much I enjoyed it. It was truly a trip of a life time. I can walk and talk. Yes!
Besides losing the motorcycle I also broke my Apple Mac Book, beyond repair. I lost many of your addresses and all of my photographs. Bummer. At this point, I have lost most of my web-page entries, so if someone has copied them to their hard-drive I would appreciate it, if you could forward them to me. I arrived home Easter Sunday and have been spending my time recovering, and thinking about my next motorcycle.
I met so many wonderful people on the road and will miss the fellowship.
This will be my last blog until my next trip to ?
Yes, I am finally back on the road after an almost 2 week break waiting for my voltage regulator to arrive.
My new friend Martin was kind enough to house, feed and befriend me for all that time. He is a real old-time gentleman and character. We had a most enjoyable time.
Ron was kind enough to get and ship the regulator to me. Thank you Ron.
The regulator arrived at 1130 am and at 130 pm I was on the road heading for Argentina. I rode straight through to Bariloche, a very pretty large town setting on a very large lake.
I spent the night in a youth hostel on the lake and left the next morning riding through beautiful lake and river country. I had planned on riding only to Esquel Argentina but continued on to Futaleufu Chile, Futaleufu is in Patagonia and also is a center for whitewater rafting and kayaking. I stayed in a kayaking hostel then left at 10 am for the 2 hour ride on a gravel road to join the Carretera Austral.
I found the road to me well maintained and very pretty to ride. The road is a times single lane track and at other times wide and smooth. Fuel and services are sparse so proper planning is necessary.
I will continue down this road until the end then cross back into Argentina via a lake ferry.
Puerto Cisnes is a sea water fishing port.
There are no natural salmon here in Chile but they farm a great many.
I shall sample some this evening.
More to come.