Dog of the Week - 29 July 2008

The Current Champion ----Sophie (aka Precious) at Christmas








Annie.....The Contender or is she a Pretender?



Send in another gladiator! I think we have a real strong Contender for becoming The Champion this week in my Dog of the Week feature. First, she is a great little pooch and second, the $20 bucks her owner slipped me under the table won’t exactly hurt her cause for trying to unseat the current Champ (Sophie). Also, the fact that nepotism definitely played a part in this week's Contender selection won't go against this little little gal's shot either....or will it!!!

I would like to introduce to you a super dog. Her name is Annie and she is a two year old Yorkie. She lives in Big Sky Montana with my cousin and her husband (Sharon and Jon Holtzman). We met this week's Contender when Doreen and I were invited to their home for dinner just after we arrived in Big Sky. She (Annie, not Sharon) had just gotten her puppy cut for the summer and looked adorable and had a personality that would put Amy Winehouse to shame!

From the get go, Annie was so much fun. She has longer legs than most Yorkies (and even Paris Hilton) and this gives her the ability to pull a “Superman” now and then…..she can jump over tall buildings in a single bound. No doubt she has more vertical lift than did Dwight Stone in his heyday! At one point I thought she was a pogo stick with fur!

I also liked the fact that Annie has more energy and personality than just about any dog I have ever met. Sharon would stand at the top of her driveway and hit a tennis ball down their rather steep access road with her racket. In a flash Annie would run and get the ball and bring it back to Sharon and drop it at her feet. This went on for a few minutes until poor little Annie was dead tired. At that point, she would drop the ball and casually walks into their house as if she owns it….well, for all practical purposes she does! You should see her custom Lazy Boy!

The other thing I just loved about Annie is she is not afraid to show affection on the first date. I think she would French kiss a porcupine if she thought she had half a shot at it! Her feistiness further demonstrated by the fact that when bears come around the house Sharon and Jon have to keep her in doors because this little ball of fire always wants to go out and open up a giant can of “woop-ass” on them! I seriously think Annie could destroy the current UFC Welterweight Champion (Georges 'Rush' St-Pierre) with half a chance. I am telling you that this dog has more heart than Mike Eruzopme and his 1980 Miracle on Ice teamates ever had!

Now, despite what Sharon and Jon's son-in-law (Eric) says, I think we should give Annie a shot at the title………..What do you think?

Back to the Lower 48...

Something seemed different as I was motoring down the road from Edmonton toward Calgary and then on into Montana. Part of riding a motorcycle is the habit one develops to periodically glance in your rear view mirrors and to take a quick peek at your bike pack (called a T-bag) and saddle bags to make sure everything continues to be fastened onto the bike the way it should be. In addition, when I stop for gas I always try to walk around the bike and make sure that things are the way they are supposed to be. Each time I went through this exercise during this phase of my journey I found myself feeling that my Harley was a bit naked in the rear based upon the fact that my saddle bags, along with all my tools, were sitting on a UPS truck headed for Belgrade, Montana. Being a bit of a perfectionist, feelings would come over me each time that my bike was not complete and my pride was less than totally intact. Oh well, that is part of the sport.

In riding, anticipating the unexpected is part of the game and thrill that I get out of the motorcycling. As mentioned previously, I always try to put on my rain gear before the storm hits. Trying to do so after the rains comes, especially if it is a thunder storm, simply does not work. For some reason it is much harder to put it on then and you usually get totally soaked by the time you finally do. In addition, during this mad scramble everything else often gets wet as well. Putting on the rain gear too early, especially if it does not rain, can make you feel like you are in a sauna and you end up looking like a dork! What I am trying to say is; you end up a goat or a hero!

Well my friends, I decided to push past Calgary in the late afternoon since the Calgary Stampede was going to be starting that weekend and most of the hotels seemed to have no vacancy signs already hanging in their windows by 4PM. I decided to push on for another 100+ miles and spend the night in Fort Macleod, Alberta. As I passed through the center of Calgary I noticed that thunder clouds were forming, but I felt I had plenty of time to strap on the rain gear if I needed to. “Mr Cool" made another wrong decision! Within 30 minutes what started out to be a few thunder clouds developed into a totally black sky with buckets of water falling from the sky. The good news was my rain gear was safely tucked away in my T-bag where it would stay nice and dry. The bad news was that I soon looked like a fire hose had been turned on me from about 20 feet away. In case you don’t know, most rain hurts when you are going 70 MPH and not wearing a face mask. Going slower does not really seem to help either because you are just prolonging the agony.

By the time I got to Fort Macleod I was soaked to the bone and my ego was once again bruised. I always say to myself that I will never let this happen again, but inevitably it does... I think it must be a “male macho thing!” The town was quite small, but quaint. I ended up staying in a small motel in the center of this one horse town. As I checked in I noticed posters for Brokeback Mountain everywhere in the lobby along with autographed pictures of Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal were hanging behind the desk. As it turned out, both actors and much of the crew from the movie stayed at this motel for 3 months as they were filming nearby. Rumour had it that they both were really cool guys.

The next morning as I was loading up Captain America I noticed a very shiny ¼ inch wide fresh wear mark on the outside of my rear tire. I immediately knew that the inside part of the bolt that had sheared off (the saddle bag problem) no doubt was now rubbing on the tire. Needless to say, I needed to resolve this ASAP. I called the Harley dealer in Lethbridge which was about 30 miles away and thank goodness they had a new tire and time to put it on for me. I finished packing my bike and never rode over 45 or 50 MPH as I nursed my ride into the dealer. Within three or four hours after arriving they had me back out on the road headed for Montana with a renewed sense of confidence in my equipment and a swagger that would make John Wayne jealous.

As I was approaching the US border and the state I was lucky enough to be born in, I could not help but think about John Denver’s classic tune, “Country Roads”. As I was rolling down the road I even started to sing. It was so embarrassing because I had never seen prairie dogs put their paws over their ears before!

Although I left Montana as a young boy, I have always had a real sense of pride regarding the fact that I was born in such a beautiful state (so long as you are west of Billings), even though the city of Butte where I was born is considered the “hell hole of the world” by most folks in Montana. For me Montana is that special place that gives me an incredible feeling of great memories, heritage, tranquillity, familiarity, and comfort.
As I cross the border into “Big Sky Country” I know I will witness some of the most scenic views found anywhere in America, see more wildlife than one could ever imagine, and interact with some of the most genuine and down to earth people found anywhere. I decided to stay overnight just outside of Glacier National Park in Babb Montana. It was not that I was that tired, but I wanted to ride through this scenic wonderland first thing in the morning when all the animals would be more active and I would enjoy the ride more versus at the end of a long day.

This trip into Montana was even more special this trip due to the fact that I had just completed the first leg of my Cruising for the Cure journey (about 8,500 miles) and now I was back in the lower 48 and getting ready to spend two weeks with my family on the Gallatin River just 10 minutes from the entrance to the Big Sky Ski Area. Interesting fact... Big Sky was conceived and built by Chet Huntley of NBC’s Huntley-Brinkley fame back in the early 70’s.

The great thing about this two week break in my journey was that Doreen, Brendon and Denise (his fiancée) and Kelly and Ted (her boyfriend) all came up and we just relaxed and kicked around. The frosting on the cake is that my dear cousin Sharon Holtzman and her great husband (Jon) live about 15 minutes north of where we were staying. In addition their super cool daughter (Heidi) and husband (Eric) along with their two children (Will and John Jr.) were also visiting from Atlanta. We even got to know a great couple (Terry and Caroline) who we rented the cabin from. It was a great reunion and we laughed and enjoyed one another the entire time we were together. We spent our time river rafting, hiking, visiting Yellowstone, barbequing, and just cruising around the mountains. It could not have been better!

Here is the great cabin we stayed in on the Gallatin River.

During our day tour of Yellowstone we had great weather and saw more animals that you could shake a stick at….except no bear. I could “bearly” stand it! We saw moose, elk, deer, bald eagle, bison, and as you can see from the photo, I even got a great picture of “Bambi”.

The real "Bambi"!

On the Cruising for the Cure front, Sharon and Jon arranged for me to be interviewed by Laura Bell from The Big Ski Weekly newspaper. We talked a lot about the journey and the importance of finding a cure for breast cancer and raising the awareness about the importance of getting regular screening exams. She was an “absolute hoot”, so enthusiastic, and the time just flew by. She even mentioned that she was going to talk to her editor about including an article on Cruising for the Cure in another one of their publications called Forbes Life Mountain Time magazine. That would be so great!

Last Saturday morning at about 8:00AM I said good bye to Doreen and jumped on Captain America and headed down the Highway 191 toward Wyoming. I could not help but reflect about the adventure that I encountered during phase one of my journey and now phase two was just beginning. Although the roads should be better and the weather warmer, my mind continued to wander to thoughts about what lies ahead during the coming days and weeks. No doubt I still have a lot of ground to cover and the summer heat is definitely building. Remember, expect the unexpected!

The first day it was sunny, but very cool in the morning. I had my trustee electric vest on high in the morning as I headed toward West Yellowstone and the western entrance to the park. Things changed for the better as I headed into Yellowstone for the second time in a week. The park was a bit more crowded this time due to it being on a weekend and it was a little later in the day than when we toured it with the family. I saw more cars and fewer animals this time, but the beauty of Yellowstone could not again be denied. Even the portion of the park that was burned heavily in the 1988 fire is stunning with the tall dead trunks sticking out of the ground like toothpicks and all the much smaller emerald green trees starting to reach for the sky. Thank goodness that our forefathers were intelligent enough to protect this incredible resource as the world’s first national park way back in 1872!

That night I made it as far as Casper, Wyoming which turned out to be about a 370 mile ride. The hotel, meal, and evening were all totally uneventful. In addition, I tossed and turned all night trying to determine my best route choice for the next few days due to the huge rain storms that are due to hit much of the mid west this week. In the end, I opted to head toward Colorado, a state that I know well based upon my having lived just outside of Aspen (in Basalt) for the 72 ski season and my numerous motorcycle trips through the entire Rocky Mountain region over the past 15 years.

Last Sunday, it finally got hot for me, which I love. As I rode through Denver the temperature reached 95 degrees. I made it as far as Colorado Springs and knocked off early so that I could do some work. I did find that during this trip the drivers in Colorado all seem to think they are NASCAR professionals and the traffic coming into Denver was bumper to bumper for about 20 miles due to four major wrecks that I saw along the way. I thought I was in LA!

Colorado Springs is the home of the Air Force Academy and the town appears to be a bit more laid back than Denver. As I was checking into the motel, I found out that the manager is a 16 year survivor of breast cancer. She was over the moon about the idea of Cruising for the Cure. She was a lady about my age, so professional in her demeanour and adorable. In addition, as I was leaving the next day a young lady in a car next to me rolled down the window and wanted to know what the heck I was doing. I briefly told her and then made a couple of turns trying to find the UPS local store. I noticed in my rear view mirror that every time I made a turn so did she. The long and the short of it as I pulled into UPS she stopped got out of her car and asked me if we could talk. I said sure. She was a university student studying to be an oncologist and was in the middle of a creative writing class and felt my story would be perfect for both her major and for the writing assignment to complete the class. We spent about 15 minutes talking about the trip, the reasons for it, and I left her with my Cruising for the Cure business card so she can obtain more info. I sensed that my trip was now going to solve her summer creative writing class paper problem. Why did she want to become an oncologist you ask? Because her younger sister some years ago experienced a rare type of cancer and she decided at that time that this would be her career so that she could help others fighting this terrible disease.

No question that weather will remain a key factor in my directional route during the coming weeks. It will either be hot as hell, thunder storms or both, but compared to phase one this should be much easier…..famous last words! Captain American is purring like a new born kitten again, my saddle bags are now back on the bike, and I found myself trying to figure out what stuff can I send home via UPS due to the extreme heat that is headed my way. No doubt I will be riding in just jeans and tee shirts as the mercury starts to climb toward 100 degrees and possibly beyond.

This means the chaps, electric vest, and leather jacket now have to be tucked away on the bike at this point. Bottom-line, I am currently carting too much cold weather gear. But, rule number 47 in motorcycle riding, the weather can and will change, so sending the above three items home is not an option. I thought a lot about my options and decided to jettison things like extra tee shirts and even my camping gear… that’s right camping gear! I know some of you are laughing … especially Doreen who has watched me buy over the years: two tents, two ground mattresses, and numerous other camping gear only to have me camp only two nights during the last 15 years. I know I am going to take some heat over this decision, but my attitude is “bring it on!” Reasonably priced hotels and motels are too plentiful and easy to find, while finding camping sites that offer food service are not as plentiful. Bottom line, my motorcycle camping days are now a distant memory, just like worrying about getting asked for my ID at the liquor store before turning 21.

So my friends, it is now going on 10:00 PM and I am headed to bed. I am beat after doing a lot of work in the AM and then putting in another 300+ mile day. I have a bunch of calls to make in the morning and e-mails to get out, but after that, it is “varooom time”.

I have some other stuff to share with you and promise to update the blog again within the next 72 hours, so please stay tuned.

Enjoy your week and one another.
Smiley

A funny thing happened to me on the way to Saskatoon...

I want you to meet my newest friend. His name is Brad Parker. He is a 24 years old single guy who lives in St. Albert, Alberta Canada (a suburb of Edmonton). He owns the local UPS retail store located in a shopping center close to where my hotel is located. I know you are trying to figure out, “What the hell is Dave still doing in Edmonton at a UPS store?” Well, " Houston, we have a problem!"

On Sunday night when I went to unload my bike I noticed that one of the brackets that holds my removable saddle bags onto the frame of my bike had sheared off and the bag was just barely hanging on. This is obviously not good! It was a miracle that the other bracket did not also break and ultimately the bag would have either just fallen off or banged into the side of the bike with the potential for a far worse event to materialize due to the potential instability it could have caused. When I noticed it, I just started laughing at first. My initial thoughts were that at least I made it to the hotel. After that I shifted gears (no pun intended) and starting to speculate about a far uglier outcome and then again back to how fortunate I really was. This ping pong match going on in my mind lasted about 5 minutes and then the reality of the situation set in. Like so many things in life, things like this don’t just solve themselves. You and only you must take the initiative to solve the situation which I did.

I quickly concluded that I was not going anywhere until I got this issue resolved. Thus, no Saskatoon today baby, but will pick it up after Montana. By now, no doubt you are asking how does Brad Parker fit into the picture? Well, here is the story and I am sticking to it! Unfortunately, both Harley dealers in Alberta were to be closed on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday for the Canada Day celebration (our equivalent to the 4th of July). This meant that I would have to hang around Edmonton until at least late on Wed and there were no guarantees that they would even have the parts that I needed or the time to solve my current crisis. I could easily be out of commission until next weekend and maybe even longer. This would be long after I am due to pick up Doreen in Bozeman on this Saturday.

What next? I decide to take matters into my own hands. Trying to tie the bags onto the bike was ruled out early on during this challenge due to the instability and risk associated with such a half ass approach. I called the dealer in Belgrade Montana since I was due to take my bike into them this coming Saturday for a major tune up and to get a new rear tire. No doubt it would prove to be less costly to do both things at once instead of having to remove the rear tire twice.

This is where Brad Parker comes in. As you can see from the photo, I decided to ship my two saddle bags to Belgrade versus running the risk that another bracket could be sheered off or my temporary fix was just that……too temporary to get me to Montana.

The long and short of it, after a great deal of personal embarrassment, I took both of my saddle bags to Brad’s UPS store and shipped them to the dealer in Montana. They should have plenty of time to solve this various issues since I will be on the Big Sky area for the next two weeks starting on Saturday. Brad could hardly contain his smile as he was collecting my $65+ Canadian! Seriously, I really enjoyed meeting him and I am confident that his parents are very proud of him. He is bright, good looking, loves sports, works hard, and owns his own business all at only 24. Oh yes, and for the girls reading this blog, he is truly single, but non-atheletic girls need not apply.

Today, minus my saddle bags, tools, and a number of other things, I left Edmonton and headed toward Montana instead of Saskatchewan. I am now planning on hitting that province now after Montana. I have about 900+ miles to cover between Edmonton and Big Sky based upon my revised plan. I concluded that the shortest distance between here and Belgrade is the prudent thing to do under the current circumstances.

Ah, for the life of a motorcyclist! It is kind of like owning a motor home except with only two wheels, a lot of wind blowing in your chops, and no pop-outs on the vehicle. According to both mybrothers something is always crapping out on their motor home and they are in a constant state of tinkering with them. No doubt it will feel a bit strange tomorrow as I pull out of here with nothing covering my rear fender other than my bruised ego!

Enjoy your day, vote for Dog of the Week, and it is so very important that you donate to this very worthy cause. We all need to work together to find the cure for breast cancer and to help to better educate both men and women about this disease.

Thank you again for your interest in Cruising for the Cure and spending the time to read my blog. Both Doreen and I sincerely appreciate your efforts and we want to wish you kind regards to you and yours,
Dave

You get a little goofy after a month alone...

I can’t believe that I have been on the road for about a month. I am currently in Edmonton Alberta. Today I reached a milestone in my motorcycle riding career. Up until now my longest ride had been 7,200 miles which I did back in 2002. Today I have gone beyond that and I am loving every click of the odometer as I continue down this road of enlightenment and discovery. Tonight I find myself reflecting back over the highs and lows that I have experienced during this initial sector of my fund raising adventure. Some of more vivid memories and impressions include the following:

1. The People - No doubt my biggest surprise has been the incredible people I have met along the way. Although I have never seemed to have a problem meeting people, I have been blown away by the number of people wanting to engage me in conversation about what I am doing, the Cruising for the Cure cause, and asking question about Titan Sports Media (my sponsor). Even more amazing is the fact that some people approach me and hand me, a total stranger, money to help find a cure for breast cancer. With only one exception, these people have not appeared to be wealthy. They are just nice, down to earth, caring folks with a heart the size of a watermelon. These acts of kindness are so refreshing in a world that seems to be filled more and more with negativity and cynicism. I must say that I am much more optimistic today than I was just a month ago about the kind of world our children and their children will experience during the coming years. These contributions have ranged from $1 to $100 and I find myself in total awe of the $1 contributors just as much as I do the ones who donate $100. I think there is a lesson here for us all in these jesters of wanting to help others!

One funny story is about a contributor (who will remain nameless). The guy was a total classic. I was in Fort St. John yesterday in BC. I was riding around town looking for a hotel, the visitor’s bureau, and trying to find a gas station. I noticed during this hour long ride through town that I saw a guy on various streets about 4 or 5 different times driving his hot red Mustang. Sometimes he would be going in the opposite direction as me, sometimes, perpendicular to me, and sometimes in my same direction. He was about 35 years years old and looking at my Captain America every chance he could get. Next thing I know he comes into the gas station that I am in. He pulls up right next to me and asks me what I am riding for and then I tell him. Without hesitation, he hands me $2.50 Canadian and says he would have given me a $20 if he had it on him. He went on to explain that he is an oil field worker and was born and raised in the area. What happened next almost knocked my socks off. No doubt I am looking a little scruffy at the end of the day after riding hard for 8 hours and being on the road for a month. He looks at me as he opens his glove box and pulls out a sandwich bag packed full of pot. I mean it looked like a Thanksgiving turkey crammed full of stuffing! He next offers me some by saying, “It will take the edge off after a long ride”. I just started laughing out loud and quickly said “no thanks”. I felt I could easily be staring on either Candid Camera or COPS and neither one had any great appeal to me. He was really a nice guy and I am sure he would have made a “special contribution” had my answer been different, but no way for this biker dude! Shortly thereafter, he peals out of the gas station with a smile on his face.

2. Weather – Today I finally had my first really warm day. High pressure is now building and I should have hot summer kind of days for the next 4 or 5 days anyway. It was in the low 90’s (31 or 32 Celsius) and should stay that way for the next few days. With the exception of Alaska where it was partly clear on some days, the weather up until now has been very cold, rainy, and pretty miserable. June is supposed to be the best month up in the northern BC, the Yukon, and in Alaska. Keep in mind, you take cold weather, then throw in a 70 to 75 mile per hour motorcycle ride for 8-11 hours and it does not take a genius to figure you that often you can be freezing your tail off. So, no doubt you are asking what have I been wearing each day for the better part of the last three plus weeks? Long underwear, jeans, and chaps below the waist and then above the waist the typical day would include long underwear, three short sleeve tee shirts, two long sleeve tee shirts, a long sleeve turtle neck, a canvas long sleeve shirt, an electric vest turned on high, my heavy leather jacket, and rain gear. No wonder I look like the Pillsbury Dough Boy in most all the photos.

People who know me know that I love hot weather and am longing for the days of 100 to 110 degrees that I hope to hit in the lower 48. The only issue with that will be where to store all the cloths that I have been wearing to keep warm. The space where I would ordinarily store these items is now taken up by the spare helmet and video camera that I purchased along the way.

3. The Scenery - Although I have ridden to British Columbia on my bike in the past, the beauty of BC, the Yukon, Alaska, and now Alberta has far exceeded all of my expectations. Not just the scenic mountains, rivers, and steams, but the farmland is nothing short of breathtaking. Even with very difficult weather in some locations, these places have been worth making the effort to visit. The variety of terrain, the wild life, and the great locals have been something that I will never forget.

4. Travelling Alone – It forces one to be more outgoing than one would usually be. I know some of you are saying, “How is that possible with Dave?” I have found myself often engaged in “Seinfeld” kind of conversations with total strangers. It has been a total kick getting to know the locals as well as the bikers and motor home folks. Most people are really interesting and fun to talk to assuming you only give them half a chance.

5. Cost of Fuel - Everyone is complaining about the cost of petrol. Most merchants are expecting fewer visitors this year than over past several years due to the current cost of fuel. The exception is that they feel that motorcycle traffic is definitely on the increase. I am seeing a ton of “Motorcycle Friendly” signs out in front of hotels, restaurants, and gas stations. I can’t tell you the number of people who have said to me while I am paying for my gas, “I wish my fill up was that cheap”. By the way, so far I am getting about 51 miles to the gallon. Gas prices have been running about US$4.25 to $4.75 per gallon and my fill ups are now costing me just north of $20.

6. My Harley – Although I have always been a long distance rider, this trip has caused me to begin to rethink my equipment. I am going to give serious consideration to moving to a new road touring bike for my next major trip. Riding a modern version of a Captain America chopper is fun, but it is obviously not built for the incredibly harsh riding conditions of parts of BC, the Yukon Territory, and Alaska. The thin front tire makes riding in sand, DG, deep water, over pot holes and in hail that much more difficult versus a bike with special suspension and a wide front tire. I smell a new bike coming on as soon as this trip is wrapped up... assuming this one makes it to the finish line!

7. Family – I can’t tell you enough how much fun it was seeing my brother-in-law and sister-in-law and all their kids, etc. in Anchorage. A real treat. Also, I am really looking forward to heading on into Saskatoon in Saskatchewan later this week. Why am I going to Saskatoon you ask? Because I like the name of the town!

A real bonus comes a week from yesterday when I pick up Doreen at the airport in Bozeman Montana. As mentioned, we are renting a great house on the Gallatin River (where they filmed the Brad Pitt movie called A River Runs Through It) and we are having our kids (Brendon and Kelly) come up with their significant others. In addition, no doubt we will spend a lot of quality time with my cool cousin Sharon and her great husband (Jon) along with their family during the following two weeks. Can’t wait!

My friends, that’s about it from here at this point. The trip has been a total blast so far. You sure meet some characters when travelling alone on a motorcycle, but that is no doubt what some of them, if not all of them, are saying about me!

I hope you all have a super week and for those of you living in Canada enjoy your Canada Day on the 1st of July and for those in America, enjoy your 4th of July.

Until next time, I will try to keep the rubber down and the paint up (a motorcycle saying). Ride on my friends, ride on!

Smiley

Dog of the Week - 30 June 2008

I can’t believe it is Dog of the Week time again already.

In another close contest last week, Nimo lost becoming the Champ by only one vote. It can’t get much closer than that! This obviously means that Sophie (aka Precious) retains her crown for at least another week.

Before I introduce this week’s Contender, I must address a complaint that was forwarded to me by my blog’s Complaint Department. Donna from Carlsbad apparently feels that I am ignoring all the wonderful male dogs that I have come in contact with during my journey. This week I purposely set out to prove Donna wrong and I am pleased to announce that this week’s Contender is none other than a 2-year old male French Bull Dog named Charlie.

I met Charlie in Alaska at a wonderful bed and breakfast boutique historic property in the small town of Cooper Center on the way to Valdez. First, I must say that I wanted to make absolutely sure that this week contender was a male. You can see from my second “money shot” of this adventure (the first one being the mother moose and her calf at the lake) that Charlie is “all male”. I have to tell you that this pooch was hung like a chipmunk! If you don’t believe me, check out the picture that I took of his "hind quarter panel". No one will be asking “Where’s the beef?

Charlie was a true classic. He followed me everywhere I went on the property including into the restaurant to watch me eat my breakfast. Since I went the extra mile to find Charlie, I now expect all of you male dog lovers out there to support Charlie’s bid to become our new Champion. It is now time for you to cast your vote and then I will report the results next week once PwC tabulates the votes. Good luck Charlie!

Good evening from Fairbanks, Alaska!

A one-room school in rural Alaska

The last few days have been packed with nothing but great things on my journey. First, by total coincidence my sister and brother-in-law and their entire family were in Anchorage while I was there. They were preparing to embark on a week long cruise back to Bellingham Washington. We had a chance to get together for drinks and dinner two nights in a row. It was really fun for me to see them all and to spend some quality time with family. We ended up eating at the same incredible restaurant both nights. A place called Humpy’s and if you ever make it to this part of the world we would all recommend it highly… especially the crab. Just be prepared for a crazy local spot that is busy all the time. No reservations taken.

After dinner, on the second night, while I was walking home I heard a huge commotion across the street and as I looked over I saw two restaurant security guards chasing a guy who allegedly pulled a “Smoky Tennis Shoe” (ran up a US$300 bill in their restaurant and bolted for the door without paying). As you can see, I am also now a member of the Anchorage CSI unit based on the photos I took. The police asked for my name and contact details so they could contact me if necessary. Of course, I handed them one of my Cruising for the Cure cards. I was not sure how they were going to react when I started playing Jimmy Olsen, but thought I would give it a shot. They were actually appreciative because I recorded everything and they felt this would counter the guy yelling “police brutality”.

In Anchorage I decided to go ahead and have a 5,000 mile service done on my bike. While there I met some great guys at the Harley dealer. There is something about motorcycles and the fraternity of people who are drawn into this sport. You meet people on the road and it does not matter the brand of bike, their city, state, country of origin, what the person does or used to do for a living. There is an immediate common bond and understanding as you talking to most of them as if they are old friends. It is truly amazing and a total kick to be accepted into this fraternity.

At the Harley dealer while waiting for my bike service to be completed, another guy and I wondered over to a motorcycle touring company that was located next door. The very experienced guy working there highly recommended that we take Hwy 7 east and then Hwy 4 south to Valdez. His comment was that “If you were only going to make one ride in Alaska, the Valdez run may be the one, but weather can by iffy at best”. That is all it took for me to change my plans… I canned Denali and headed for Valdez the first thing the next morning. He was spot on with his assessment of the beauty of this experience. Even better was the fact that I hit perfect weather both going and coming. Sunny and warm most of the both days.

The touring company guy also recommended that I take Hwy 4 north to Delta Junction which also was a great ride. From there I headed into Fairbanks just in time for the Summer Solstice Festival that was held last night. It was a giant street fair with bands, food stands, and junk for sale from hot tubs to jewellery and tee shirts. I finally called it off and went to bed at 1:00AM with it still light outside. What a trip it is trying to go to sleep when it is still totally light outside!

The festival brings out all type of individuals!

Today I hung around the hotel all day and did some work, some wash, and made some phone calls to Asia and to the Middle East.

Tomorrow I head to the Harley dealer here in Fairbanks due to a potential clutch cable problem that developed late yesterday. I would rather take care of it now than be in the middle of nowhere and find out that I have a real bad problem. I am cautiously optimistic that it is only a minor adjustment that I need. Will keep you posted.

That is about it from here for now. I will be going into a dead zone again over the next few days as I start heading toward Alberta and Saskatchewan and then on into Montana for the 4th of July. I am really excited that Doreen will meet me in Montana for a couple of weeks starting on the 5th of July. We have rented a house on the Gallatin River just outside of Big Sky. Our kids and their significant others will be joining us for part of the time and it will also give us a chance to visit with my cousin Sharon and her husband John who live close by.

The trip continues to meet and exceed all of my expectations. Saying good bye to Alaska in a couple of days will be difficult to say the least. No doubt I will come back to see more of this incredibly beautify state with all its colourful people. As one Alaskan resident told me when we were talking about the large number of men in comparison to the much smaller number of women living in this part of the world, “The women feel that the odds are good, but the goods are odd up here in the land of the midnight sun!”

Travelling alone and with Cruising for the Cure as my cause, I have had the opportunity to experience things that I never would have imagined had I done it any other way. I guess that is why they call it an adventure.

Enjoy your day and be good to one another. I will resurface when I can.

Dave

Alaska!

A glacier in retreat
Everyone up here has a cause
Guess what they do up here during the winter?