Thanks Jason, for the encouragement....sometimes you wonder if it's worth the time and work, but reaching even a few folks who enjoy the story really helps.
It's 10 days into the trip already and this is the first time I've been near a computer. I have two days to get this up and feels like a lot to talk about. Paula and I keep journals of our more major trips and I've done that for the first part of this one....now she'll do most of it, but I'll share a lot of what I wrote here.
Wed. June 20
Ok, so it's Sunday already and I'm trying to catch up...but pretend it's last week.
The trip is off to an audacious start...I'm rushing around making sure of last minute details as I'm going down to take a post office test and leave from there. I decided a nice photo posted to the forum of me and the bike would be a nice opener and w/ Derek's help, got it done.....and left the camera sitting by the computer. He found it about 9:30 abd called Paula who called me at Clark College where I'm just about to start the test....I just got a message that said, 'Call home, you left the camera'. Had to sit through the test before I could take any action. Best case would be Derek taking the time to run it all the way to me....an hour drive...worst case would be my having to go all the way back home....meeting at Paula's school in the middle would be....uh....in the middle.
Derek, who's been learning to ride on our 68 BSA decided to ride it to the school and grab the car and deliver the camera.....only the battery was dead from the switch being left on. He threw the charger on it for 15 minutes, hoping it would be adequate.....it wasn't, the battery gave out about 3/4 of the way to town and he had to walk the rest of the way in...he missed me coming out after the test by about 5 minutes and I rode back to check in w/ Paula before finding out he was where I just left. Back I went and the delivery was made....only cost me about 1 1/2 hours so I'm on the road about 2 pm....add in gas and tacos and it's about a 2:30 start time. If we had a cell phone it would have turned out different, but I'll give up the wasted time if you don't make me carry one.
All the first part of this trip is going to be a 'super-slab' run, but what better way to start than heading up through the Columbia River Valley.
