Day 3 I think

I have said it could not get worse after Ross bike did not work.  I said it again after the half way house and drug den we stayed at the night before last. I said it again today. Shawn's bike broke down. We had covered 209 miles of a leg that should have lasted 302 miles from Garberville CA to Alturas, CA. Twenty miles out of Redding the Yamaha broke down. It had a bit of a problem with fuel starving but this time it had to be towed to the Yamaha dealer. $190 later plus we lost the booking in Alturas and had to rent rooms in Redding.

We are hoping the mechanic here can fix it in the morning and we can make the run to Meridian, Idaho of 469 miles tomorrow.

The country between Garberville and Redding was amazing. One hundred miles of twisting road, lots of gravel, washouts over sheer cliffs near the road. The valleys over the mountains were filled with very large  pine trees and the smell was like Christmas. The satellite navigation told us to go that route and we did.

Ross and Rully after dinner

  

Left - "drug house" parking and right foyer (boy did it smell)

"Drug house" sign from the 50s

"Happy" Shawn on the tow truck

Too late to count

A lot has happened since I last wrote. We had two problems with Ross' bike. The oil leaks were fixed we think but the gear change could not work. He had parts for a 400 and not a 450 whatever that means. We waited all morning to get the parts but none were around so we headed North without a bike. Ross' bike will now be shiipped to Syracuse. Ross rode on the back of his friends bike and I carried the luggage. It had to weigh two hundred pounds.

We might try to buy him a bike on the way. The night in LA we stayed at a local Motel 6 at Venice Beach. It was clean but expensive because it was the only hotel open. We reacched town Called Santa Maria 177 miles away. I have joked that we will stay at places that are dreadful but this was a half way house for druggies. I woke up at 2.30am to check the bikes (which was on the front patio because we did not want them stolen.) and there was a man talking to himself.

Sunday we were on the road at 5:35am and we covered 489 miles. We are up near Redwood CA. We stopped at Fisherman's Wharf and the Golden Gate Bridge on the way. Tonight we are in luxury. There is no smell of dead people in the room.

The clock is not working

Rods is working on his bike and we hope to hit the road by lunchtime. A day and a half behind. We hope to catch up or lose a day in Sturgis

The clock has stopped

Peter Puffin wants to hit the road and is sick of sleeping and eating. Peter has found a good place to sleep in my helmet but he want the wind in his feathers.

Today will be tense waiting to hear about Ross' bike. I feel a little guilty. My bike feels like a lounge chair and is very comfortable whilst the boys bikes will be like sitting on a bar stool for hours (well sometimes that might be better.)

We went to a great Mexican restaurant with Ann and Roger Greene. I am sure Ann and Roger are looking forward to getting their house back. Four marauding bikers clomping around eating and drinking. They have been great hosts.

13 hours and the clock has stopped.

 Ross' bike has passed the X-ray of the container and will be unloaded tomorrow (we hope) should be out by lunchtime but it could be later. I have cancelled the first night's accommodation and we will free wheel it on the first night and catch up with the original plan. (we hope) The trouble is that Ross' bike needs an hour or two's work to get it on the road.

I day & 1 hour to go

We wake up this morning with the utmost optimism. Ross' bike is due to leave customs today. He will them need to do some work on the bike and we should be on our way on Friday morning. If not we will have to make a lot of decisions about how to manage the trip as far as accommodation, route etc.

Whilst we have been in LA we have stayed with Ann and Roger Greene. Ann is Susan's fifth cousin five time removed but she is so much like Susan. Ann has driven us nearly four hundred miles looking at bikes. It is periods of tension coping with the crazy pressures of the LA freeway and finding well hidden bike shops and then sitting around whilst the boys looking at bikes and then negotiating. The trip would not have happened if Saint Ann had not been there for us.

Saint Ann has chosen her bike - Is she thinking of joining Puffin Across America?

I feel the boys might be getting a wrong impression on the luxury level of the accommodation on this trip asI have booked some pretty seedy hotels on this trip to keep within the tight budget. One hotel review was "I think someone died in the room and it smells like he is still there" and another said "I never took off my shoes as I was sticking to the carpet"

These are the boys at Ann's house and the other photos of her backyard. The boys have had to get passes into the gated community, the golf course and horse stables are just down the street. "How are you going to keep them down on the farm after they see Paree" (1920's popular song)

The boys have already sampled the hot tub

1 day & 7 hours to go. (we hope)

 Rully ready to go

 Shawn ready to go.

Piglets in the rear mirror

Two bikes down and one to go. We now only need to get Ross' bike out of customs. It was supposed to be out days ago. No need to panic we all have our fingers crossed but I'm starting to get grey hair. (OK it is getting even grayer.)

We almost lost a piglet today. The boys bought a bike each and on the way back to the house we lost one on the highway. The highway is twelve lanes wide and he pulled off to take off his sunglasses as it was getting dark. As he tried to catch up to us he took a wrong turn and ended up  off the highway. Luckily he had my spare cell phone so we eventually went back, found him and headed home.

We had bought bike number two and we knew the freeways were backing up so we decided to have dinner near the dealer before we headed home. (One hour in non peak and two hours in peak traffic.) The recommendation from the dealer was the Outback. It was a good meal and the Australian piglets got a good laugh. For those who don't know the Outback Steakhouse, the food is the same as most "franchise restaurants" but the menu is fake Australian. Choices such as Toowoomba chicken, grilled shrimp on the barbie and Alice Springs' chicken. The décor has lots of boomerangs, aussie flag, and pictures of koalas and kangaroos.

3 days 18 hours to go.

Here is Peter's planeIn Chicago. He would rather fly himself. The piglets (little wild hogs) have yet to tell me if they have bikes or not and Ross is still to tell me where and if his bike in LA. This trip is going to be fun if I lose one or two.

3 days and 9 hours to go

The three piglets (little Hogs) - Rully, Me (retouched photo)Shawn and Ross. Not sure who the guy in the orange shirt is but he might want to join us. Standing outside a famous Californian burger joint - it was great. Peter Puffin stayed home. The tension of searching for two bikes was too much for him. Ross should have his bike soon. I picked up my bike from the dealer. I knew it was low on gas but I had it on empty so a trip to the gas station with a gas can was needed before I could ride. It was great to hit the open ride again.

Ross on American soil. As you will notice this photo of me was photoshopped to make me look older than the photo on the profile. And we added a beard. Susan called me at 5.30am "I thought you might be awake" I wasn't but I am now.

4 Days & 19 hours to go.

My bags are packed and I fly out to Los Angeles tomorrow at 10am. I have a six hour layover in Chicago but I love to people watch and Chicago is great for that. Chicago is the second largest airport in the U.S.A. and fifth largest in the world. (Who said this was not educational.)

Ross and the boys held a party in Sydney last night to celebrate the big trip. They  raised over four hundred dollars for the Puffin Magic foundation and I gather one or two drinks. They all leave Sydney on Tuesday (their time.)

My bags are packed and the helmet and leather coat are going as hand carry so that if United Airlines loses my bag I can still ride. I arrive Monday and stay with Susan's twenty fifth cousin twice removed,  Ann Greene,  who is putting the four of us up in LA and running us around. On Tuesday we have to pick the boys up from the airport, get gas (petrol to you anglophiles) get Ross' bike out of customs, fill it with gas, buy two bikes for the boys, get some wet weather gear, get my bike, fill it with gas and fix some parts on Ross' bike. Wednesday and Thursday are to do what has not been done on Tuesday, pack the bikes and get ready to ride. I have a feeling the boys might sneak out to Disneyland on Thursday if all is ready. I think I will lay by the pool.

Funny aside. The four riders from Syracuse relate  to the movie Wild Hogs. If you know the movie one is a little cool, one is being yelled at by his wife for riding (a little) one is a little absent minded and one sensible. There are more similarities with my friends which I will describe another day. These Wild Hogs have been referring to the boys as "the piglets" for their ages. Very funny. The boys  apparently refer to me as "the old man riding the tractor" Wait till we have ridden four hundred miles and see what they have to say.

9 Days and 16 hours to go

My bike arrived in LA today. Six days early after all the worry. Down to packing the last few things and concerned about the two hundred things that are out of my control. (son's bike, his friend's bikes, my son's repairs, insurance, hotels, weather etc. etc

10 Days & 20 hours

My son reminded me that I once rode a Honda. I did not have a paper bag over my head but I did have a longer beard than I do now. This photo was on the front page of the North Shore Times in 1971 (I think I was seven years old then.) I worked at Grace Bros and had to think of a new way to bring Santa to the store. The bike had just won a big race and the Honda 750 was very new to Australia. Ross' bike he is riding on the trip was built the same year. Amazing.

11 Days & 23 hours to go

The map has been changed. Ross and the boys wanted to go to New York city so I have added a day and a few miles. (My wife Susan does not think this is good because of the traffic in New York is terrible.) It all depends on the boys and when they have to fly home. My friends from Syracuse who are meeting us in Sturgis are having their bikes shipped to Salt Lake City ship their bikes on Monday. Now all the hotels have been booked and we jsut have to ride. In 8 days time I fly to California.

13 days & 17 hours to go

The good news is that my bike will be in Los Angeles on time. (they say) It should arrive the 19th July which is plenty of time for our departure date of the 27th.

Even my wife has got into the action. She owns a store call the Yarn Cupboard (www.facebook.com/yarncupboard) and has discounted a whole line of her most popular yarn called Berroco. She is offering 20% off and 5% of that will go to The Puffin Foundation www.puffinmagic.org.au

Also to help the cause my son is holding a party in Sydney on the 21st July. Entry donation will also go to the foundation and so far 380 people have been invited. I will try to get some decent photos.

20 Days & 16 hours to go.

My bike has finally left Syracuse. They say it will arrive on time - lets hope

23 days, 23 hours

Well the lady at the company that is shipping my bike tells me my bike will be now picked up on the 6th July and will arrive in LA on the 22nd July. Sometimes you feel you are being told a porky. The line "pull the other leg - it plays jingle bells" comes to mind or the children's song with the chorus"

Tell me a story, tell me a story
Tell me a story, remember what you said
You promised me, you said you would
You gotta give in so I'll be good


Don't forget to log onto www.puffinmagic.org.au to find out about James Gribble and how you can donate. Also follow Puffin Across America at www.facebook.com/PuffinUSA and hit like.

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