I’d planned to cross into the US after Osooyous but saw the Nighthawks day time border crossing sign and headed there. A lonely post. One pleasant young American customs man on duty. Asked me where I was going.
Spokane
What for
The IDAA medical conference. I’m a doctor.
He seemed to wonder at me riding the Harley or taking this off road route to Spokane. When he gave back my passport he handed me my Nexus card. It had somehow been stuck in the passport and I thought I’d lost it. Good find, Good news. New terrain now, very sagebrush and cowboy movie. Louis L’amour would like it. I loved riding the Harley on to Oroville then down the 97. There were stretches of orchard mixed up with free range. All beautiful country. Great riding. Lots of rivers and lakes. I stopped in Oman for gas and to get my bearings. It as getting hotter and hotter when I stopped and downed yellow edition Red Bull. The chocolate bars I bought became liquid in their wrappers in my saddle bag.
I took an Alt 97 to Lake Chelan, this great holiday lake. I was able to find a secluded place beside the lake where I could watch my motorcycle while I took a dip. Someone had joined a ladder to the rocks von the south shore so I could climb down in my shorts and swim in the gloriously cool clear water. What a fabulous lake. It’s designated a National Recreation Centre with fishing and lovely homes along the shore, beaches, sailboats. The town had everything you could want with restaurants and cafe full of families and young people.
I was so thankful for the cooling off and continued. I left 97 and continued on number 2 through Watervile and Coulee City. I’d come out of the Arizona Southern California terrain into endless wheat fields. Further along I was taken by more cowboy terrain. I took a side road to Jefferson Lake imagining another dip but found this algae filled lake with ducks and geese and an RV resort. It was such a surprising find in the desert like environs I imagined how the original settlers would have felt blessed by this western Oasis and great find of water.
Back on number 2 I was making good time going 70 mph or a 140 plus km on the straight well paved highway. The distance to Spokane got less and less so I decided not to take a motel for the night but go to the hotel I was booked into the next day.
I was joyful entering Spokane but when I pulled over to find the name of the hotel the phone was dead. I used to iPad to charge it further but I couldn’t find the hotel name and decided to stay the night at the Best Western City Centre. Great hotel. I ordered pizza and drank a couple of water bottles an a half dozen cans of coke I was so dehydrated. Eating Dominos pizza and watching Mom I didn’t feel vat all tired at might probably because of the earlier Red Bull. When I tried to sleep I was back on the bike on the highway travelling like the day when I’d come ashore from sailing and still be in the motion of the ship.
I really did feel thankful to God for guardian angels and blessed support. It was a rush to make this trip. I pray a lot on the road doing meditation in motion and wind therapy. I finally fell asleep and woke tired but till happy to be alive,
I found the hotel name and my receipt for the weeks stay so headed here first thing in the morning. I was able to drop my bags and then ride the Harley to Vintage V-Twin. Lone Wolf Harley Dealer is another good place but Vintage was closer and ready to solve my problem immediately. I loved the service. It helped that the reception was really cute and loved bikes. The mechanic was the best. He found that the brake fluid was the problem old with water in it. He also found the oil leak. Fixed both and I really liked having my rear brakes back. I’d been losing them since Princeton. I didn’t like the idea of returning through the Cascakes dependent on only thee front brakes.
While the Harley was being serviced billsfriendlyrides.com picked me up and took me back to the Conference centre, I was able to register and meet a whole lot of great folk I knew. I’m in these little gallery pictures of virtual doctors, so it’s’ a real experience meeting the big people. Akron Dave was there along with Dick who carries on Hal Marley’s attitude of gratitude traditio. It was great to see so many people and catch the first half of Penny’s talk on REDI - race, equity, diversity and inclusion, She’s been studying institutions and pointed out that medical schools are now 54% female, and that AA is more male than female versus NA which is more closely comparable. Those sorts of assessments are just observations but the aim at IDAA was to make it more inclusive.
Vintage V-Twin called just then and I was glad to get Bill to take me back to pick up my motorcycle. What a great machine. So glad to ride it back to the Grand Hotel. I have to stop frequently and check maps on my phone do am looking forward to when I can get a GPS mount on the handle bars.
What a great day and there’s still the evening
Madeleine texted me that she’s moving over to the Davenport since she’d stayed at the Centennial where hundreds of bikers have gathered. I was invited by one to a barbecue feast tonight. I’m rather tired and will enjoy a good nights sleep but first will head out and great some more,
I ran into Art outside the men’s’ room and saw Carol in the lobby. It’s just a huge meet and greet of my favourite people of all time, What a wonderful society. Everyone’s been asking me about the International Conference that was just in Vancouver, Some were there too. It’s all about spirituality and a higher power. I feel like I’ve been lofted on eagle’s wings or rather Harley tires. I’m really feeling blessed and grateful.
Thank you God. Thank you Jesus, Thank you Holy Spirit. Hallelujah!!!
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