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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