Going home

6018 miles later. We did all the things I hoped we might. We crossed high mountain passes, rode through deep sand in canyons, crossed streams and even got up to the snow. The majesty of the scenery was more than anything I could have imagined.
The riding was also beyond expectations and the bikes turned out to be perfect.
We met so many good, interesting and enjoyable people who we will remain in touch with.
Now it's time to go home and we are looking forward to that as well.
Before that though just a few more things, as always. I must thank Dave again for an astonishing adventure that will be well remembered for the rest of my life. For two men who have much in common but are also very different we have done very well considering how closely we have had to live together. At times we exasperated each other but mostly we got on very well, solved problems with little drama and generally enjoyed each others company. Dave pushed me when I needed it and occasionally I pulled him back when he needed it( this is why he is still with us). Needless to say we have had a lot if laughs along the way.
Dave is no longer a sausage and peas man but has now developed a taste for Thai food although Mexican is a step too far. In fact Asian food was our preferred option, generally cheap and tasty.
Dave still can't move on the morning. I tried to solve this by spending every morning fully kitted up sitting on my bike for 40 minutes before he would appear. He noted the hints but there was always one more email or detail that needed sorting. Never mind. I learnt to let that go. In fact Dave taught me not to worry about the little things so much and just enjoy the moment good advice
The pictures today are taken from the entire trip.

Nice photo after a nice evening

This is a pic of Seattle taken from across the harbour after a lovely dinner with Brian and Holly.
It was a good way to bring our trip to a close, a good evening with good people.

Day 37, Seattle part two

We have said goodbye to the bikes until next year.
They are in their little cubicle in the storage facility.
The only really interesting thing about this is that it provided some photos that are available on request to be blown up and placed on the wall in the tearoom at Professional Farm Services.
It's not often you will see Dave like this and hopefully I will be safely home before he sees the pics.
So, to be fair, we did paint Dave into a corner but he only ended up there as the bikes needed to be dragged around. Now, I could have done the dragging but not if I intended my rectum to remain where it belongs. Suffice to say that we have established, amongst many things, that Dave is significantly stronger than I am.
The other gentleman in the photos is Brian who has been absolutely awesome in helping us. He has taken the time to drive us to and from the motel to ferry our box, cooked as a delicious albacore plus bloody Mary for me and is taking us out to show some sights tonight. Once again we are blown away by the hospitality we receive here. Thanks again Brian.
PFS, enjoy

Day 37, Seattle

Our final days now. Yesterday was a most enjoyable day spent at i90 motorsports, servicing the bikes in preparation for going into storage. Once again we have been blown away by the hospitality shown to us. We were given a work bay with lift, bench etc. also able to do electronic diagnostics on the bikes so they are now fully serviced. Dave was a happy man in that element. Dave said he would be happy to take the bike back there for servicing in the future which is high praise indeed.
As I type Dave is doing the final detail work on his bike and then we will take it up to the storage facilty.
Not many interesting pictures today. The one picture is of our two waterproof roly bags. Guess which is Daves. I suspect that amongst his other nocturnal activities he spends his time cleaning his gear..
Both of us are ready and looking forward to coming home now.

Day 35, Seattle

We rode our final day into Seattle today. Yet another day of excellent views as we rode through Mt Rainer National Park. The mountain itself put on a lovely parting show for us. I understand it is often clouded over but today it's 14 000 ft summit was putting on a fine display. The
Chinook pass leading up to the mountain was also beautiful reminding me very much of the European alps. From there we wound down into the environs of Seattle and a horrendous couple of hours getting lost, having to make last second lane changes across several lanes of grumpy city folk, the odd excursion the wrong way up a one way and a couple of kerb hops (lucky we weren't on Harleys). I'd like to thank Dave at this point for choosing to leave one digit off our target address thereby placing us 6 miles in the wrong direction at a non- existent address in a slum. Ta.
We somehow collected an extra person on a cruiser today. He was kind enough to advise me on all sorts of road etiquette. Given that his presence prevented us from going down a series of intriguing little dirt roads I felt hard pressed not to comment on the etiquette of latching onto complete strangers on totally different bikes. Given that this was Dave and my last day of riding together I was a little annoyed by his presence, perhaps a little unfairly. Anyway, the views of Mt Rainer cheered me up and so I decided not to sulk anymore and to make a connection I asked if I might sit on his bike at a rest stop. Well, bad idea. I received a lecture on how sitting on another mans bike is like sleeping with thier wife etc.
I told him his "wife" was fat, ugly and not much good for what she was designed for and I had no desire to sleep with her, annoying little man.
I then flicked my hair ( which has chosen not to grow since the ill advised buzz cut Jennie gave me a month ago), no mean feat, and stalked off.
Well I thought it anyway. Needless to say this interchange enhanced the bonding process and after that I chose to leave him with Dave.
Some nice pics today but the best one is of a brave young boy on the recovery path. I am informed that he has earned 6 weeks off school so there is yin and yang in everything. I am reliably informed that Jennie has been her usual epic self in how she has coped with all this. She is very special.

Day 34, Toppenish, Washington State

Two days in one. The truth is I didn't get it together to tell yesterday's story yesterday and as it is a better story than today's I shall tell it today. Confused?
A bit of a background theme for us on this trip has been the memories for Dave of a trip that he did with his family through the States 40 years ago. My how time flies. Daves folks, Peter and Erica did a very daring and excellent thing, especially back then, by dropping everything and taking the family travelling the world for 2 years. This trip has clearly not only created some tremendous friendships and memories but I think in no small part has played a role is shaping Dave in who he is today. Mostly that is a good thing although his random habit of slamming on the brakes and shooting up some side road, usually at about 7.30 at night could be questioned.
Anyway, yesterday afternoon we were able to spend a very pleasant couple of hours visiting Gail who is a lifelong friend of the McMillan family. 40 years ago the two families had a chance meeting at a campsite that resulted in an invite home to Gail and Betty's place, that resulted in a weeks stay and the lifelong friendship mentioned.
It's easy to see how they hit it off. Gail clearly also shares a bit of the McMillan talking gene and so for me I was able to spend 2 hours listening but not a chance that I could get a word in edgeways!
That afternoon visit was preceded by a fantastic ride further up the Oregon coast and them inland from Waldport following a river, the name which I have forgotten. The ride was truly stunning through leafy tunnels for mile after mile of the best flowing turns.
Today we rode up the Columbia Gorge to the East of Portland ( we never made it into Portland).
Again very beautiful with a multitude of waterfalls and the river itself a massive presence. I'm not sure why we didn't take any photos of the gorge, think wide valley with cliffs, not small and tight, but we didn't.
The high waterfall you see in the photo is the Multnomah Falls which Dave still clearly remembered from his last trip.
The sky was very strange today with a blood red sun in the evening. Somewhere there are forests burning.
Although this is a bit personal I would like to thank all of our friends for being there for Jennie, Julius and Lucien. Poor Jules is in hospital. Get well soon little fella, I look forward to being with you. You were in my thoughts today.
Love Dad

Day 32, Florence, Oregon

We had quite a cruisy day today, riding up the pacific coastal highway 101.
I was pleased this morning that I had sent my thermal longs up to Seattle so that I could fully appreciate the 6 degree Celsius temperature in the fog when we left crescent city. Fortunately a cutting wind arose which blew the fog away. At least I could appreciate the view as I frose slowly almost to death.
We rode past Port Orford today which is the end point if the Trans America Trail. I had envisioned a quaint little seaside town where Dave and I would have had a celebratory meal and for me a glass of wine, perhaps by the light of an oil lamp or two. I would have been disappointed as its a dump where you would be lucky to get greasy fish and chips. I didn't even bother to take a picture.
Just north if port Orford we rode backwards up the last part of the TAT for about 20 miles. Nice riding that was the days highlight. Dave and I were chatting at the top of the hill when we heard some motorbikes and would you believe it but Phil and Dawn plus Stefan appear around the corner. I can't remember if I mentioned Phil and Dawn earlier but I should have. They are a kiwi couple doing ( now completed ) the TAT two up. We met them last at Denio Junction in Nevada so what's the chances we would meet again in the 5 minutes we were up there. Pretty cool.
We also had a nice dinner with Chris and Andrew from Melbourne yesterday.
They have done a similar thing to us, having bought a couple of Ducati Multistradas which they are riding around the states and then shipping home. So that proves what we are doing is quite reasonable. We shared a few ideas and stories and this morning they went south to Los Angeles and us north to Seattle.
Not many pictures today although we saw plenty of nice views. Hands too numb to use the camera. The sand dunes are a bit unique , where the pines grow straight out if the sand.
Tomorrow we will probably end up in Portland. This is because Jennie is keen on the place and if I'm not mistaken, one of her favourite artists, Carol Marine lives there. I shall go say hello.