About this time of year, 10 years ago, I started thinking about riding in a fundraiser for breast cancer called the Pony Express. I had been inspired the summer of 1998 when the PE ride came through Seattle. I don’t think I had yet bought my 1981 R65 BMW; I remember attending the event with Jim and Barb Horton.

Originally, I was only going to ride the first leg: Seattle to San Francisco. I’d only been riding about 18 months; I’d ridden from Seattle to northern California in August 1999, but my friend J.C. and I took three days to make the trip. With urging and support from WetLeather, I decided to ride to St. Joesph, MO. But I wanted to do most of the ride solo. (I’m still not a fan of large organized rides.) I rode about 6,000 miles in two weeks (and 1.25 back tires). Read the rest of this entry »

Once on the Washington side of the Columbia, 97 starts to rise, and we’re soon out of the “hot” and back into pleasant cruising temps.

I’m passed by a sporty red pickup truck – and fall in behind him. I can see that he has a radar detector of some sort stuck to his windshield – with the little suction cups like the V1 comes with. When he slows down, I slow down. It’s not too long before we meet a WSP, and I think how much more intensely our roads seem to be patrolled than Utah, Co, Ne, Wy, Nv… Read the rest of this entry »

Not one to fiddle with a pattern, I awake at 5:15 again. Not quite so bright and cheery as the prior two mornings, although I don’t really have a hangover. I listen to Steve and Winnie pack up and finally drag myself out of the tent about 6 am. Martin has coffee ready and folks are already getting ready to leave. Me, I’m taking a shower and thinking about leaving. Read the rest of this entry »

Ash joins us on the ride back. I’m still feeling in the groove, and am keeping up with Gooz. “He must be riding slower than he was on the way out,” I think. (he later confirms that he was riding hard, but not as hard as on the way out) Read the rest of this entry »

Well, I wake up at 5:15-5:30 again — I suppose it must be the “bright” outside the tent. It’s certainly not because I’m going to bed early!

No negative affects from last night’s champagne. Nice. Read the rest of this entry »