Border to Border Pictures

So... I've been meaning to get to this for a few weeks now, but life just kept getting in the way. First we managed to stay plenty busy while visiting Southern California, and then we've done pretty much the same since we got back to Hawaii since last Tuesday. But more on that later. Here are the pictures from the 12-day motorcycle trip, finally!

I'm sure you've already seen this one, but I find it hilarious, so I'll post again.

Riding through Southern California towards Mexico.


Mark on a slide in Jerome, AZ. Because there is still a kid in all of us.



Bev riding.
Mark riding.
Tim riding.

Entering Zion National Park.
The next few pictures are the natural beauty we saw.








Beware! I have a pirate!




Doug and Mark plan to take over something...

Apparently, this is the reason the window warned users not to open.


Scaring little kids.

What Doug looked like after the longest, coldest morning ride. Nevada might be worse than Utah.

Salmon River, ID.

A tiny deer, escaping the road.


Doug and Mark, taking the exit sign too literally. Silly Canadians, they should place their signs better.

Not sure what they think they will win if they manage to free the giant chopsticks, but they're sure trying hard.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Moose."


"I think the hotel is over there."

Being as touristy as possible in Victoria, BC.

Because they always stand around like this.


Mark is finally taller than Doug.

He broke they trunk key. Good thing there was backup.


The bridge to Astoria, OR.





Becoming artsy while waiting for a tow vehicle.



Bad things start to happen when you have too much time on your hands.

Boo! The downfall of Bev's bike.

And the 6-hour wait in Fred Meyer begins with Doug's neck tattoo.




After 6 hours in the deli seating area, Sudden Onset Slayer Moments are bound to happen.

Ready to go: 3 bikes, 1 U-Haul.

Pretty coast along the way to Ft. Bragg.





Golden Gate Bridge coming up next.

Looks pretty neat in the fog.

Doug and his college buddies Matt and Steve, throwing up their fake fraternity sign. For more information, you'll have to ask him (or one of his friends).

So, those are the best of the pictures. There are tons more of the scenery, but 613 pictures is a lot to look at. And that's only the pictures I took with my camera.

Back in Simi Valley

Today we made it back to our starting point, Simi Valley, CA. Sadly we did not all make it in one group though. The boys were able to make it along the planned route on the three bikes that were still running, but Bev and I came inland and came down I-5 from Mark's parent's house.

Yesterday on our way into Menlo Park, CA (where Mark's parents live), Bev and I made a stop at the Palo Alto VA Medical Center. I was still coughing and wheezing hard, and since it had been three days since the wheezing had started, Doug decided that it was likely more than just a cold and that I should get seen as soon as I could that day. Bev took me since we were already in the U-Haul with her bike. I was a bit annoyed when I made it to the ER, and the clerk told me I had to register since it was not my normal VA Center. I asked if there was anyway that I could just be seen, and when she realized I was short of breath just from the short walk in from the parking lot, she ran the paperwork around for me so I could be seen. Turns out I had been having a mild asthma attack, but because of the cold I didn't know it. After 60mg of Prednisone and two Nebulizor treatments I was let go, but told to take it easy for the next week or so, and given more steroid pills to help my breathing improve. Its been over two years since my last asthma attack, but with this last one, I won't likely forget the feeling anytime soon.

After getting the doctor thing out of the way, we met the boys at Mark's parent's house, where his parents put on an amazing meal for all of us, plus Doug's college friends. It was nice to finally meet the friends he has been talking about since we starting dating, and it was fun to watch him interact with them and bring up all the old college strories. After all the visiting was over, Mark's mom (Betty) gave me lavendar bath salts, and I soaked until all the road soreness and chest soreness was gone.

The boys said they had a great ride today, and it was a bit of a bummer not to finish with them, but the doctor said that it would probably be best for me to ride in the truck as long as that was an option, so I had to miss out. Bev is great company though, so we had a nice girls ride down from the San Fransisco area.

I'll work next on posting all the pictures. I'm sure there will be plenty of commentary to go along with them, so I'll end this post here.

Bike Out of Commission

Another quick post, and another without pictures. Late night tonight getting into Ft. Bragg, CA, and it was a long drive getting here. Yep, you read that right, drive, not ride. Yesterday morning Bev's bike lost its drive shaft, and is now out of commission. We had to wait in Tillamook, OR for her uncle to come pick up the bike, and then this morning her and Tim went and rented a U-Haul to get the bike back to Southern California.

I rode in the truck with Bev to keep her company/help with the driving, and also to get some rest from the bike myself. The cold I picked up back in Idaho is still with me, and I was hoping that with a little extra rest from the road it would clear up. We'll have to see how I'm feeling tomorrow.

We went the same route as the boys, and managed to stay ahead of them the entire day be getting a head start and making fewer stops. We knew they would be excited about all the twisties, and they were. They were pumped when they pulled into the hotel only minutes after us. I'll write more about the trip later.

Astoria, OR

Just a short post tonight, from Astoria, OR. We've been through to see my family in the Seattle area, where we were able to stay with my Dad and Stepmom. After 5 nights in hotels, it was very nice to stay somewhere familiar. It was also great to see my family again, even though it had only been a week since I left them to start on this trip. So thanks Carmen and Dad, for having us!

After leaving Seattle we headed north for Canada. We crossed the border on I-5, and then took a ferry over to Vancouver Island. We stayed in Victoria, BC, which was for lack of any better word: beautiful. We were there early enough to enjoy the city before bed, and left late enough today that Doug and I were out playing tourist this morning.

Today we took another ferry, from Victoria, BC to Port Angeles, WA. Then headed south to Astoria, OR. The ride was great.

More from me later. I need to get some sleep so I'll be ready for the ride tomorrow.

Yuma, AZ to Ketchum, ID

Well, not all in one day. It has actually taken us three days to get this far, but blogging was put aside for sleep two nights ago, and gambling last night. Tonight I write from Idaho. Here are a few pics of what I have caught with the camera:

June 21st: Yuma, AZ to Page, AZ

Riding through some twisties. I tried to catch the lean of the bikes in front of me. Tim is leading, Mark is riding second. Doug and I were third in line, and Bev rode fourth. Pictures on these roads are a little more of a challenge for me, as the bike doesn't have a bar for me to hold onto like Doug's bike does. This was on the way to Jerome, AZ.

In Sedona, AZ. Apparently there was a sign that said "Please Do Not Sit," but since we all read real well, it was missed.

Doug looks like he was having way more fun.

View from the bar where we found Tim and Bev once we were ready to be back on the road.

Going through some mountains in Northern Arizona. This was a huge change from what we had experienced the day before.

Plenty of signs advised us to watch for deer and elk, but none were seen.

June 22: Page, AZ to Ely, NV

To start the day we passed over a really cool bridge, but in effort to keep postings on the road short, I'll have to post those pics later.

Bev in action.

Mark in action.

Tim in action.

Heading into Zion National Park.

Doug and I rode last so I could get pictures with the other three in them.

Inside the park's Visitor Center. Doug and Mark are planning to take over the world. Or at least this part of it.

Some more Utah.
Wide open road, Doug and I leading. We had to speed up to pass Tim. This was shortly after we passed into Nevada.

Just a nice shot, showing the difference in terrain from the start of our day.

We stayed in a hotel that was built in 1929, at which point it was the tallest building in Ely, NV. Funny signs were posted all over the place. One said "Caution: Do Not Open Window." Mark is demonstrating the reason for this warning.

July 23: Ely, NV to Ketchum, ID

Today was cold. Cold enough that I wore my jacket and liner, with a long sleeve underneath. For the entire day. We also encountered our first delay for construction.


Mark, trying to evade the elements.

Doug, after the longest stretch of nothing-to-see highway. The gas station was called Loves. About 50 miles after leaving Ely, we passed a sign that said "Next gas 78 miles." We usually stop every 100 miles or so for gas, so this was a stretch. Luckily, we had mp3 players plugged in to make the ride a little more enjoyable.

Most of today was spent just heading north. Not much to see, though we did stop for lunch in Jackpot, NV, the last stop for gambling before leaving the state. Idaho was yards away from the casino.

Once I have a chance to edit the rest of the pics so they'll load faster, I'll post a photo journal of the entire trip. Until then, I'll just keep up with the short(er) posts.

Simi Valley, CA to Yuma, AZ

8am: the 4 bikes, all lined up and ready to go. Just need their riders to climb on and get them started. If you look real close, you'll see Doug's co-pilot, Sharka, strapped on to the front of the right bike.

Out on the road, Doug and I riding tail. Tim is leading, Bev is riding second, Mark is third.

The day started with some sprinkles in Southern California along the coast, but after lunch we found the heat.

Mexico is on the other side of that fence. Notice the Border Patrol car keeping this empty street safe.

Gateway to Mexicali, Mexico.

See? Sign to the left of the door says "to Mexico"

Sign says "Arizona State Line." Yuma is only 2 miles from the border of CA.

4pm: end the ride for today. After checking into the motel (which I got a great deal on with my military ID) we headed for the pool to get nice and cooled off. Tomorrow starts us on the road at 6am, in hopes of missing most of the dry, Yuma heat. And I should get to see the Grand Canyon by the time we finish the day!

Getting Ready to Ride

Yesterday Doug, Mark, and I arrived in Los Angeles. Doug's Dad (Tim) picked us up from the airport and the ride from LAX to the house was a conversation based on the upcoming ride. Below are Doug, Tim, and Mark looking at the bike that Doug and I will be riding for the trip.



Doug and Mark are so excited about this trip, it is like Christmas and their birthdays all rolled into one, with probably a 4th of July or two mixed in.

The funniest part of the trip so far - and also the best way to acquire the 4th bike. Mark will be riding the bike of Doug's Stepdad.


Probably the only time anyone will ever see Mark riding passenger. Had to prove it happened.

And then they were off to Palmdale, to pick up the 4th bike. They took their time riding back, so both could have a chance to become acquanted with a bike they haven't ridden much yet.

Today we went out for about 200 miles. 200 miles on the mainland is completely different than it would have been on Oahu. For one, it didn't take the whole day. And second, it was all new road. Well, at least for me and Mark. Doug used to ride on the mainland before moving to Hawaii, so he already knew about going 200 miles without doing the same loop we always do. Since it was just to go out for lunch and to get used to the bikes, I didn't take the camera along, though I should have.

Tomorrow we head for Arizona. The day will mark the beginning of our 12-day journey from Southern California to Victoria, BC and back. And the idea is that we will not travel the same road twice.

Repack

For the last few days I have spent my productive time of the day down in my Grandma's basement. Opening boxes and storage bins that were packed and brought to Seattle nearly two years ago. Some things are easy enough to discard. Others are set aside to be thought about. And some are immediately repacked.

Most things that are set aside to be thought about end up getting moved to the discard pile, but it is a slow process. I packed with the expectations that after only a few months, I would be unpacking the boxes in a new apartment. Now it will be some time again before I get around to unpacking. I need to have the boxes packed and ready to go to get a valid estimate of shipping costs, but I still need more time to finish. Once I've chosen a company, I need to make an appointment. At this point I feel it is unlikely I'll finish in the time frame I expected to. I'm hopeful though, I'd like to get this done.

Last Day of School

Friday was my last day of school... As a teacher. My last day as a student was May 12, and on the 13th, I took over teaching a second grade class. I learned how to come up with things to do when lesson plans provided were inadequate for the amount of time I had in the day. When the lesson plans I was given ran out, I learned to come up with things to do that would keep 20 8-year-olds busy and be somewhat educational.

The class wrote auto-biographies, learned about fractions and multiplication, had a mini geography project, and even had a couple of PE sessions. Turns out with all the other stuff second graders are supposed to be learning, not many get out for regular PE. And they love PE. Our two and a half weeks together were fun for me, and by the end of it I was a little bummed I had already made travel arrangements before I was asked to take the job - otherwise I could have stayed with them next week too.

Tomorrow I fly to Seattle. I need to go through my things that are in storage in my Grandma's basement and decide what is worth shipping to Hawaii, and then figure out what to do with the rest of it. Hopefully I'll have time for a small garage sale - the cash will be useful for shipping. And then: summer adventure begins!

Validating My College Education

This week is the start of me depending on Substitute Teaching to pay the bills, finally doing something that requires that I have a 4-year degree. I spent a day in a classroom a couple of weeks ago, but was still waiting for my final two weeks of the last job to finish up. Yesterday I worked in a classroom again, and loved it. Working with kids is way more fun than hanging signs for grumpy shop owners. Today I turned over my computer and other supplies from that last job, officially ending it. I can see the bottom of my car trunk again, yay!