I must admit to not understanding what I am working with here WORDPRESS but its doing the job what I wanted to do was to add another page as its taking me ages to load and unload what so I do hope you and me both manage to find this when I press the magic APPLY button.

So on, in one of the last photos it show me up very close to another man this is Tim Godsmark whome I met some 10 years ago, what with another fellow his name not that it means anything to you reading is Greg Masters theses two people, I hold solely responsible for my wanderlust.

Of course there are many others but Tim has featured most houndingly not sure that’s a word but its good for me, I first saw him at Santander Port in 2002 going the opposite direction to us as we were getting on a ferry home.

He looked so cool all manly in his bike gear on his big adventure bike, I strolled over cap in hand, saying ” excuse me, next time can I come with you ” 18 months or so later we were a group of 4 ticking off Chris Scotts off piste routes on the fringes of THE ANTI ATLAS MOUNTAINS for 10 days.

Over the years we have ridden together and I totally understand his one man obsection to be doing the one thing he loves in life and taking this to extremes, to day was one of those days and I was happy to stay at home at the MOTEL, and go rafting.

A quite man nothing to prove he would have rather spent 6 weeks on the Cargo boat sleeping next to his bike than an 8 hour flight from Manchester this flight he called a horrible endurance, so Tim its all your fault and I promise never ever to share a room with you again.

Next 3 picture all of that man, oh whome I highly respect.

The Colarado River was my play ground today, a trip into town well three blocks I book
onto a rafting trip, also a trip to the Bank to change money not at WELLS FARGO as they only change money in Cities sent to the ZION BANK in MOHB rate $1,475 to the £1 not sure if that’s good or not you really cant be choosy on the road.

The others are doing a Trail called THE WHITE RIM today, and I wanted to see the landscape from the water, also I am trying to save my rear tyre and the WHITE RIM looks like a 150-200 mile loop.

I do think the others understand and don’t mind the fact that I love riding my bike but I also love to involve myself in the places we stay, as I had to do the train ride and I cant see myself returning to MOHAB to river raft.

Kelly aged 22 rowed us for 7 miles, a speed skier works this job have a the year ” No need for gym pass ” she said.

The day was cooling with my feet in the water as we travelled and when hopping off the raft into what I thought was a foot of water saw me up to my chest, in the Colorado River with my life jacket popping up over my face as It wasn’t pulled up tight by me.

The trouble with writing like this while traveling I am 24 hours behind what I have done, anyhow the boys returned from the trail, a very hard trail with Mike pleased with his earlier purchase of Gummy Bears

Its HOT and washing doesn’t take long to dry, I managed to was all my kit and to the amusement of the others my bike again, I real don’t like climbing onto a dirty bike O.C.D no, but you can spot things wrong and clean the chain and sprockets properly.

We have an early start tomorrow 7am the earlier the better for me as it soon gets hot, we start with breckfast in THE JAILHOUSE CAFE an old Jail house in the early 1900s, a good food stop as I eat here the day before on my own when the others were on the trail.

As we all know food tastes much better when made with love, I remember so well my Grandmother Parker and my Auntie Mary giving me that hand mixing bowl, with butter and sugar that needed cleaning out, they were both badly worn plastic tuber-ware bowls that seemed to hold the mixture in the wore scratches and groves, and to be given the paddle to lick just as you thought that was it.

The food in the Jail House was made with love, and heres the gang all ready to eat, not too much food envy by me , only that Stuarts bacon on his Jailhouse Classic looked real real good, you can just make that out in the photo.

Off we ride to The Arches Nation Parks a must if your in the area, a 15-20 mile is ride out on this hot tarmac took the toll on my rear tyre and explained to the others its best I go and find a tyre as I now we have a full on day entering Navader Desert and I am going to need grip in the sand.

We part and off I go back into town, soon to find a tyre stop 2 miles out of town

A tyre chosen, and oil filers and new oil bikes all fresh

Thank you MAD BROS I am on my way again, it was a real treat to find you and meet tha family business so friendly and instant service for me and the bike.

I ride on to meet up with the others in Green River, passing this sign I have to stop and snap just cant resist it here you go

Up to date now with theses writing as settled down in a motel Robbers Roost Green River Utah with the others this photo should tell you something my bike is far right.

Tomorrow is known as a big day, lots of talk bit like the old boys in Dads Army “we are all doomed” great way to start a nights sleep, this is one part of the boys talk that I find very negative, why is this done ?

Writing again soon, if we make it through.

Well that was an entertaining day, we have all come to the agreement the hardest days riding any of us have done and survived 10 hours riding in the desert with everything thrown at us in the way terrain.

The trail started with a rock and cerement powdered turns easy to catch you out, then into Black Dragon Creek then Eagle Canyon 150 miles in very difficult conditions under foot, deep sand high rock climbs.
All theses mixed together mile after mile, we all toppled off at one stage or another, with a grateful rest out with the bags of dried fruit trail mix, a bit of a huff and a puff and we are away again

That last photo shows us lost in the first 100 yards how we managed the 150 miles is all down the the skills of our leader.

That’s Tim there !!

and Stewart !

as you can see not easy going

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3 days without the internet strength to call up this webpress site so I am will behind so I can even start to explain NAVADA we came in from Utah and stayed on the bourder at THE BOURDER in with the HOTEL in UTAH and the Reception in Navada.

Away from there with 3 days hard hard riding, dust being the Hazard. Its was so dusty in parts one bikes length was the view and with 2 or 3 bikes hitting theses dust tracks at once zero visibility.
Large rocks everywhere in the ground and loose are a major hazard too for all of use.

Now very happy in Origen with the contrast changing in a matter of miles, I have some wonder photos, and images in my head, very happy to leave Navada, fuel was one problem if we were to have stuck to our route. Its also the bow hunting season and most hotels motels are full.

We had to forward by road today 250 miles in stead of 350 miles dirt roads as we would not have been able to get fuel, as the one stop has had its fuel tanks condemned and its Motel was full.

I must admit to putting my hand up at last nights dinner and saying I am happy to for fit a 4 days dust for a day on the road, on which we had to do anyhow.

So what with dust, and all we are now 6 again as Gary (Gaz) has caught us up on day 8 from his first bike braking down on DAY 1, he managed to get it back to the start in Albuquerque buy a new motor off ebay in TEXAS have it mailed fitted and re join the group.

Its great to see him again as a few hours is not enough time to get to know somebody and he has a wicked dry scene of humour with really suits the group.

Tim

New Boy Gaz

Mike

Geff

Stewart ( he keeps calling me Dad )

Steve (me)

All photos taken at a steady 55mph

Just a few more from the past few days

Gaz in the middle

That’s me done now off to find the others and eat !!!!!

Another horrible Mexican meal, why do we do it, you just cant beat El Pasc home cooked Tacos and Baritos, it must be the only supermarket sold product that tastes better than the real thing.
As for refried beans I must apploigies to the Mexican population or they should appoligies to me what are they all about.

But then you get to the drinks a Margarita a name stolen by the Italians for a Tomato and cheese pizza, both splendid but the the drink I can have more than one.

and then the second one three or four times as good as the first

the look on Mikes face just about sums it up

Restaurant Mexican food sorry not for me that’s the 3rd bad meal in a matter of a week, I do wonder how the Chinese cook for the American market and I am beginning to wish I had pressed for that extra block walk to the Golden Dragon where we might have not been offered a styleafoam box so that we can look at it again in the morning.

Here’s a small clip take by Tim from a head camera, part of a day that all I can discride as a wilderness day here’s some of it in Eagle Canyon UTAH, United States of America (USA) for you texting folk.

Enjoy and hope you never have to do it

Few pictures from todays ride,

I love Origan,

We were either very hungry I know we were cold and wet but this guy man could make a Costco patty burger taste like the best thing we have eaten up to date, I kn0w traveling is more about sights and scenery. But an army marches on its stomach and boy were we ready to eat.
As I have said before and we all know that things taste better made with love, well this guy fed 6 very needy riders all on his own.

What are you guys doing out there in this weather he said you can get into a lot of trouble out there its not the place to be on a day like this, well any day were his words.
We took that as scare hungering and sheltered from the wind and rain just in his small hut, we had two English guys though a week or two ago he said, funny guys one had a problem with his bike.

That will be two friends of ours we replied, they seen to have caused mayhem at a couple of previous garages and motels we have been to and were going too, just like in the movies words travel and that’s how this country was born, transient folks moving around, and today is no different.

This small town of Silverlake was depentant on a mere 30 Mexican logger working by day in the woods and by night spending up to $100 a day in the town, with a small local community using the local shop its up for sale, just like thousnads of other businesses we see as we become transients our selves.

The last lots of photos shows us in the Origan Forests we split into a group of four with two setting off to the motel with only 40 miles road work and we had 40 miles off road trail to do too our two day stop in Cresant Village.

This 40 miles about 90 minutes of the best riding to be had if I park my bike up and never ride it again it all ended there in Origan between Silver Lake and Cresant Village, that 8 – 12 hour flight was paid of in those 90 minutes.

Then boy did it rain for the second time today, stair rods so hard it power washed the all the bikes clean, seconds before it was nice mild and overcast.

The Penultimate Day was taken up by site seeing something I wasn’t going to do, I wanted a days sleep at the motel but dew to over bookings in most of the area it being hunting season we had to vacate the rooms and return later to rebook the same motel, strange but partly our fault as a group as we were only booked in one night.

Off to Crater Lake for some site seeing.

This random man comes over starts talking normal stuff where are you from what are you doing, he informs me that he had been on my first Christmas Offroad Charity event from the bakery in 2008 and was the first bike to fall in a mass skittleing of large off road bikes on a concret road just outside of Tidworth. He had also attended a motorcycle event called THE HOGRAOST in the same year.

We are in Origan, its a small World but I wouldn’t like to paint it.

I love that stuff, it happens to us all I just love it when it happens and the internet is the main culprit.

So here we all are as happy as Larry I cant name them as I cant see the picture as I am writing this , but TIM, STEWART, MIKE, STEVE (ME) GARRY, GEFF at the visitors centor at Crator Lake.

Just another random chick that wants to be photo’d with me, well I did ask her as this is the first person we have met in the USA that rides something other that a Harley Davidson, a 800cc BMW GOOD GIRL is all I can say.

Good traveling day yesterday, even if we have only travelled to the otherside of that crator lake, we manage to start off on theses days around 8am the dessition is made the night before.
I am normally the one they have to wait the extra minute or 30 seconds for.t
The last one to put his gloves on and crash helmet, I try hard to be faster in theses getting ready tests strange also as I am one of the lighter packed travellers.
We get all kitted up then off to breakfast if you all don’t go in as a group a group order is not taked just those few seconds later in the door, means a outside order has come in takeaway or others have sat down and BINGO your at the back of the breakfast queue.

So then I am late for the start, two days ago I had to tell the waiters sorry got to go after a 25 minute wait and my order.

Anyhow a gravel road day, with a mix of tiredness on my behalf as the gravel roads though the woods go on for hours, the only way to beack this tired ness is to ride as hard and as fast as you dear then the concentration level is heightened massively.

Or starting point this day

Miles of burnt out forests were passed through as we entered Origan proper, with a morning of gravel roads, the Trans America Trail sometimes pitches in the odd hidden old timers routes, these must date back to the first Pieonears. As group we cant hardly imagine how hard it must have been to lay down these tracks.

The last three photos showed you odd-sticals on the trail, and how theses odd-sticals can be put to use in this next photo !

and every time I ask Stewart to take a photo of me they end up like this appsalutly priceless.

Chester my son gave me his Red Bully running scarf which has adorned my handel bars to keep me brave.

Adventure comes in many forms for me friends are made in seconds in all sorts of guises, a chance need for fuel ends in a mass good feeling of help and friendship to the fellow human being.

Mike had to be taken to hospital today I just loved the simplicity of the entrance’s also no folks on drips smoking outside and not a motorbilaty scooter in site.

A small bite on the trail yesterday caused its problem in the night so Garry and myself escorted him to the local hospital.

Looking a lot better now the swelling has reduced an awful lot by this evening.

This young lady made our short stop a wonderful experience at THE HUMAN BEAN near the hospital by just being interested in our trip and Mikes nose.

My apologies for posting pictures of young girls but as 50% of the population are women its hard not to, she had worked there for two years and not one have a nice day the conversation was a learning experience for her, yes we had the parting words “have a safe trip” and look yourself up on Facebook as she took our portrait.

Off we go again to meet the rest of the group to finish the last leg of the Trans America Trial (T.A.T) for short.

Our chosen forms of transport are stating to look a bit better for wear I oil my chain much to the amusement of the others, and I managed a Air Filer clean and sorted a oil change and tyre a thasand miles or so ago.
Its us that need the good fuel I don’t care if I never see another Buffalo wing or Patty melt again, sorry the USA, but your food is shite, hospitality then that’s amasing, and anything can be done, but unless its fried forget it.

We are not far away now the leaders of the group, I am just in tow, are struggling to route the final 50 – 100 miles due to forest fires, many trails are closed fires are big here as one can imagine they burn for months.
Helped along by the winds many fire fighters loss their lives on turning winds, and fire stations are like Cathedrals in most towns, groups travel from all over the USA to manage these monuments burnings.

250 miles wide one is burning at the moment in California, and firemen are held in hero status as you can well imagine and well deserved.
The last miles are taken to the coast and the small fishing village of Port Orford we enter a beautiful untouched town, and head though the mist to our end.

Bit emotional for me because I am a softie, I walk away from the others and tears roll down my face its really self indulgent of me as they are again now while writing this the next day, but hay why not, I am not missing East Enders but I am missing good food.

Heres Tim off the beach to order the beers and buffalo wings.

Today about 100 miles was covered on tarmac one of our first full days on tarmac, it seem very strange and difficult to concentrate, we are on Highway 101, into California after a few days now in Origan.
The 50 miles of the coastline from Port Orford is spectacular beaches almost coming up to the roadside, lots of cyclists do this route from Washinton Origon and on.

This is the colour I want the house dear !

This is what we do when we get bored the man said.

The office today, from left to right, a GPS Garmin 62 stc a fantastic bit of kit only used too 20% of its capeabilaties, in the middle is a bike computer, not used as I haven’t got time in my life to learn how to use it, bit like a casio watch that sings HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you everyday and you don’t know how to switch the thing off or on.

Then a sling shot or catapult, great deterrent for the gun packing sort out here, as they don’t know how good you are with it, and it looks cool on your hip at a 45* angle.

Then theres the SPOT TRACKER ON telling you a lot where I am, with two other buttons one being 911 emergancey HELP.

Video taken in UTAH a had come to this bend stoped put my foot down to find nothing and just toppled over as I have now done on about five other occasions once on a petrol station forcourt with the attendant watching baseball as I lay there under the bike.

Today we left FERNDALE in two groups, I was not listening and taking to a lady who was asking questions, so I said across the car park, I will do anything, so 3 of us went out on the trail and 3 for the road to the DRIVE THOUGH TREE.

I wsa realy surprised at the group of 3 it was all turned on its head in the way of people, we rode off TIM – GARRY – ME I am always last and today I made sure that I was first fuelled up and ready by 10am start, but I still don’t listen and I could see Tims eyebrows raise as I said whats happening, we are going to the trail, and the others are going to the tree.

Bum I wanted to go to the tree, hay ho

We ride off, wait for me

We road the USAL ROAD about 20 miles of the best trail I have ever ridden, one minute ridding though a red wood forest next a rain forest or just like 5 miles ridding though KEW GARDENS glasshouses.

For the past 3 weeks I have carried my open face helmet on the back of the bike today I liberated me face and put it on, its full of dust and leaves but I don’t care I am going to wear it and if it wasn’t for the endless days of dust in the other states I would have wore it all the time.

The trouble with a full face helmet is the fact that folks cant see your face and if you pull up anywhere with a beaming smile it cuts though every possible sinario
Also it is very difficult for me too go into what the group is calling face DEFAULT MODE with Garry the other side of the camera.

Here you go FACE DEFULT mode cant help it now, I was here in 1983 I am sure we went though it on a coach trip, Japanese tourist seemed to hug the limelight in front of the tree for ages making all wait while Granddad Granny and the whole 4 generations hang out of the car.
Funny Granny driving with a DISSABLED BADGE in the window seemed to hang out waving madly as much as the children.
Then a swoop around with all out of the car and all taking photos back in the car with ipads etc to go through again causing a back log of confused car drivers waiting.

The greatest days trail riding Starting with a road call the lost Highway a hauntingly empty road that seems to have left the GPS, finished of with about 50 miles of Highway hugging the Paciffic Seashore, and we get to visit the TREE what a bonus, hate to say it guys you missed out as I know I did in UTAH not riding the White Rim trail.

We arrived in FORT BRAGG to find the others in a Motel in the town, I booked a room and entered it to a horrible smell, I returned to the office to see the manager and he just shrugged his shoulders and said its his only room.
Sorry not for me and I asked for a refund, then intantly his wife finds another room, I look at it and its just as bad,we walk back to the office and the managed refunds my card and slings my recipt at me.
There is no way this rude man that just shrugs his sholders when spoken to is going to get my dollar, for his stinking room. So I exit left, the guy never spoke while booking and had a dreadfully attitude, as I rode in I counted some 5-10 other Motels with VACANCY signs up, his guy was just bloody rude.

So I load up go 500 yards and for $10 more have a clean room and my own LODGE HOUSE, I shower and ride back to knock on others doors and the manager is out again, don’t worry I say I am just looking for my friends to find out whats happening, I don’t want your room I have a clean one 500 yards away.

I ride around into town and visit 3 restaurant’s and a bar to no avail, slip into the deli next to the boys Motel and grab myself a Bottle of wine and a Chicken Creaser Salad $25 and $1.50c for a bottle opener, very very happy days.

Look Mr Rudeman in Motel a clean room with daylight, not like your stinking motel, now wheres Trip Advisor.

We have a 9am wheels rolling a Facebook message from my lost friends 500 yards away, I am sure they can do with a evening with out the crass comments and the vegetarian and job baiting that crosses the dinner table form one less person.

Days now roll into one, but the difference can be seen in the people, Californian folks like no other, the are more than interested they are intrigued in what we are doing, at any stop, drink or petrol we are surrounded and interrogated in a lovely way.

A sort stop ended in being a long stop with Tim having to mend a puncture, we waited 30 minutes for the tyre shop man to return from lunch, but for some strange reason he wasn’t used, not sure he was that helpful or the fact that Tim didn’t need his help, in the end anyhow.

I managed to talk the lady from across the road at THE RELAXATION STATION to come on over and check the guys and the bikes a and spread the love of relaxation Californian style, great fun ten minutes was had with “T” yes that’s her name as she managed to give us the run down on the town.

Then off to find the house of Ted Simon motorcycling’s Guru of the past 40 years not that I have read his book Jupiter’s Travels, but I did meet the man in June at the motor cycling travel event kwon as THE HUBB.
I must admit to feeling a little strange riding off to see where somebody lives that wrote a book in the 1960s bit like a poormans trip around Bel Air, oh look that’s were Richard Geres blah blah blah.
I feel in taking a photo and I couldn’t resist leaving one of my Hitch Hiking cards, so next time I meet the man here can say, your that idiot that left a card in my post box, I am sure hes too polite for that, why we never banged on his door I don’t know may have something to do with no Bkaes don’t do that.

above sad I know, please expect my apologise Mr Simon, anyhow I just loved this in the field opposite may be Ted drove it over in the late 1960s

Then back on the road to Santa Rosa about 100 miles or so all on Highway 101, passing thought numours vineyards non that I recognised

Then into Santa Rosa for the nighty debriefing around the pool, the last one too.

Point a camera at Tim and he instantly poses, I think I may have mentioned this before

My Tyre at the endo

Totally lazy day today, just stayed around the hotel washed my stuff and my crash helmet that has been attached to the rear of the bike for 3 weeks just got a very strange face from our hotel maid, must have been the shoreline of sand in the bath, that’s now gone.

Washing your motorcycle helmet a must when away, two small bars of hotel-motel soap leave in with tap running for 10 mins on warm.

Bit of a test pack as well

NOT THE TOTAL ENDING that small Dri- Wipe board comes into its own now as I hitch hike then to L.A