Spokane - IDAA 2025 Conference - Princeton to Spokane Ride

Princeton to Keremeos was a good ride.  Great weather. Terrific #3 road.  Green evergreens and blue sky.  Lots of fruit markets for the great area produce. A quail ran across the road in Keremeos. I remember seeing flocks of the curious little birds another time here 

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!!!

IDAA Spokane 2025 - Harley Motorcycle Ride Vancouver to Princeton

I through the Cascades.  Departure was easy.  Loading the Harley Nighster Special Motorcycle was a non event since I was planning on staying in motels versus camping.  Just a bag of clothing, flash lights , can of oil, and the electronic, computer lap top and such I needed to maintain work for the week.  I’m going to the Spokane 2025 annual IDAA conference, I took my 28 year cake last week at Burnaby Fellowship. As George was recovering from cataract surgery Marty graciously gave me my cake. It’s definitely a milestone.  Then the International Conference of AA followed with the meetings in the Vancouver Convention Centre and the big meetings at the BC Place.  I’d last seen Paul McCartney there. The Delta Police Band had played the bagpipes for the Mull of Kintyne song when he was here, They opened for the ICAA.  Laura and I attended the Al Anon meeting and there with some 50,000 others at what the speakers called the ‘greatest 12 step call to Vancouver’.

Now I’n in ACE Hotel Princeton where I’ve stayed offten for Deer and Grouse Hunting on Copper Mountain.  It’s been a while since I’ve had the camper for a few years. Last years I was camped on Copper Mountain.  I didn’t get any deer but shot a few grouse to the delight of Madigan my grouse fetching cockapoo.

I left Madigan with Laura in the new Thor Hurricane Motorhome.  I missed the little guy but confess I’m glad for the break and thankful for Laura house and dog sitting.

The ride was a rush.  Not too much delay in Langley.  Wind Therapy all the way to Chilliwack. That’s when the traffic thinned out.  Chilliwack I stopped for gas and had a Red Bull.  I’d hoped to stop at Mountainview Harley for a brief visit but it was closed on Monday. I stopped next in Hope for a little container for fluids. I was going through the mountains and realized I’d forgotten my thermos.  Reading westerns this last week and thinking about horses and canteens in the desert.  The ride from Hope to Princeton is a hundred a fifty km but the Manning Park Resort is half way. It really was a great ride. Hot sunny, blue sky.  Winding rising road through evergreens along side the shallow river.  I fueled up at East Gate.  Then I was riding into Princeton coming on 6 pm having left Burnaby Vancouver at 1 30 pm.  I thought of continuing on to Osoyoos but was tired.  Weary indeed.  I’m not used to long rides yet.  

Great to check in. Nice room.  I walked down the Main Street but the town was closed.  The great outdoor store, the great Harware store, my favourite places, closed,  I did get some chicken deli and fruits at Save On Foods .  Back in my room at ACE I ate and watched the Calgary Stampede on tv.  Fond memories of going as a child with Dad and Mom and Ron when I was a kid.  Now I’m riding my iron horse across the country wearing a helmet rather than a white cowboy hate.

Thank you God. Thank you Jesus. Time to get showered , dressed and check the oil before heading south.  Thank you Creator. Thank you Harley. 

Yuma, gratitude

Thank you Lord for this day. Thank you for the Bible. Thank you for my mentors. Thank you for prayer and meditation, Thank you for breath. Thank you for indoor plumbing and running water Thank you for clean air.

Thank you for Apple. Thank you for iPhone and internet and Starlink and Mac book pro. Today is a day of virtual work, Thank you for the clinics and thank you for my being able to do this from this beautiful site of warmth and sunshine. Thank you for the dessert air which is helping my lungs and joints heal. Thank you for cutlery and instant oats and coffee and milk.

Thank you for this day

Guide me in my words and deeds,

Help me to be closer to you and know you more clearly and love you more dearly,  

Thank you for madigan. Help me be more responsive to his needs and give him more walks and attention,

Thank you for my networks and friends and family. Thank you for the sunrise this morning. Thank you for the sleep last night.  Thank you for this camper mini home with all its amazing features and capacities.  

Thank you for my education and experience. Thank you for Harlan CoBan and Graham Greene.  Thank you for Kindle and Prime and Netflix. Thank you for scientific papers on line, pub med and research

Thank you for this coffeee.  Thank you for the Canadian honey that tasted so much better than the American honey here. I’m interested in this as it’s likely to do with the honey bees and flowers.  I can’t compare one honey to all but I’d not appreciately how good Canadian Honey was till I had a comparison which was relatively tasteless compared to the rich full taste of Canadian honey.  Is is BC honey. Like the Okanagan or is it the Desert flowers.  Honey clearly is as precious as wine or cheese and yet I don’t think the average Canadian realizes how rich we are in honey.  I am looking forward to trying different Yuma honeys in search of the delicacy of delicacies.  I have another honey from the local market and look forward to trying that.  It’s also the way I use honey, mostly only as coffee sweetener . Maybe there are different honies for different purposes.  A smart entrepreneur would market a ‘line of honeys’, a major expansion over our Okanagan honey source which has mountain flower and barley honey .  I envision as New York shop just like the London shop that I encountered in the early 70’s with it’s rich choices of pates served at the underground wine bar.  My shop would be world coffees and world honeys.  

Actually I’m just thankful for this honey and this coffee .  I’ve been drinking Ethiopian since being there and realizing that Yemen, which was once part of the Ethiopian empire was the source of coffee.  I had the least caffeinate mellow Konan coffee when I sailed there and stayed there.  Now I’m planning on finding a fine Mexican coffee as I’m here.  

These are the minor challenges.  Decadent and epicurean.  No harm done. 

Thank you god for joy and whimsy.

Thank you for morning walks in the desert.   It rained last night when I was bringing home my Harley Davidson Nightster Special motorcycle from Bobby’s Territorial Harley Davidson dealer in Yuma. The ignition module needed to be replaced and it took a couple of weeks to get the part in.  I rode it home ahead of the storm.  I’m looking forward to riding and exploring.  Hope to get some goggles for Madigan because I fear there is sand in the air when the wind blows.  Normally no but if the wind blows up there’s sand and Cockapoo’s eyes are sensitive. 

Los Algadones. MediPlaza Cafe

I’m here again at my favourite outdoor cafe having a Mocha Grande.  I used to come here with Madigan when I was here before. This time I’m with Laura and we’ve done our share of shopping gifts again, our favourite jeweller, Sandra and leather goods from the husband and wife couple around the corner from Sol Optical. I ordered two more pair of glasses. They take 2 hours. We want to get to the border before the 3 pm line up begins.  Also we worry about Madigan at hone guarding the camper.  

Vespa 300 GTE Touring Motor Scooter

I am so pleased to be a Vespa owner.I woke up this morning and looked out to see the Vespa parked beside my Harley Electroglide and felt right with the world.  God is good all of the time.

The Harley Electriguide is the biggest Harley made. I rode it to Sturges South Dakota and back in 2013.  Nothing beats the Harley for highway driving.  However, it’s rather big for the city. And nothing beats the Vespa for the city. 

I know cyclists will tell you different. I bicycled across Europe with a gorgeous woman companion in my 20’s. I was young and athletic then. I’ve since had several bicycles and loved my latest, the Rad Electric Bicycle. But I’ve been a fan of scooters since I rented my first, in my 20’s riding about Hawaii and later in Cozumel, Mexico, having so much more fun. 

My first scooter was an Aprilia 50 cc which I bought when I lived in the Vancouver West end.  The Italians are famous for their scooters and motorcycles, world reknowned for their performance design and workmanship.   The next scooter I had was the amazing Honda Ruckus. The Japanese captured the American market with motorcycles in the 60‘s and 70‘s. My brother loved his Yamaha 125, back when the 100 to 150 cc machines were all the rage.  The big bikes, like the HD and Triumph 1200‘s used in WWII only became popular for cruising in later years. My HD Electriglide is 1600 cc and can carry myself, Laura and the kitchen sink at high speeds, all day without a care.

I passed my Honda 50 cc Ruckus onto Laura.  We both truly loved it as the ultimate inner city get about. It only weakness was the lack of power going  over Vancouver bridges. I‘d graduated to a Buell Blast 600 cc which had more than enough power to spare. I toured the whole of BC on that motorcycle.  

When I lived in Saipan, the jewel of the Northern Mariana Island I rented Vespas. Laura and I loved touring the island on a Vespa 250. It was grand riding through the jungles and coming out onto a stretch of endless white beaches with vast expanses of blue Pacific Ocean.   When we visitted Rome, not that long ago, I again rented a Vespa 250.  It was one of our favourite days travelling around  the ancient picturesque city, scootering from cathedral to cathedral to pray at the these famous sites of the most holy of relics.  It was a bit gruesome, finding the head of one saint at one magnificent cathedral and the feet at architectural.  The Vespa made it all so Italian. Really quite spiritual.  Cobblestone roads made by the Romans.  Places where St. Paul had walked.

Now I’m the owner of a Vespa 300 GTE Touring motorscooter and I’m thrilled.  

In Vancouver, it’s an unspoken rule that anyone on a motorcycle is fair game.   The trouble is female vegetarian yoga pant wearing liberal voters Huffington Post readers, with their unowned aggression in deep denial of their road rage loathing all things male, unfortunately, perceive motorcycles as masculine, It’s a life and death struggle with their constant negligence and insistence “I just didn’t see him, (before I smashed him like a bug with my Volvo SUV).”  By contrast scooters are treated like bicycles, somehow seen as not target worthy  metrosexual.  They are less triggering to the liberal arts college grads.  Riding a motorcycle in Vancouver is a serious matter. I’ve even a heard a Hell’s Angel say he wouldn’t ride his Harley downtown because of the poor drivers.  Vancouver drivers are definitely the worst in the world but they are equally passive aggressive.  However, they simply don’t target scooters.  Admittedly when I’m driving my Harley, Steppenwolf, ‘Born to be Wild’ plays in my head while  on the Vespa I’m hear opera arias or in the summer sun,  the Beach Boys.  People actually smile at me rather.  Part of it is that they don’t know my Vespa as gas powered.  Simply polluted with propaganda they believe electricity, even if coal generated, is ‘clean’  while all things gas is ‘dirty’.  Vespa even has an Electrica version and Harley Davidson has just put out an Electric 500 cc motorcycle

My Vespa maroon and sparkling which rich mahogany brown leather seats.   My Harley is black and I geared  up in black armoured clothing. I bought the Vespa wearing shorts, tshirt and sandals. I wore a helmet. When I got home I added armoured gloves. Once a surgeon and musician hands are forever important. The fact is I’d mostly miss the ability to type these days. I just don’t feel I need to wear leather on a scooter. My Harley is 800 lbs and my scooter is 300 lbs. In the city I mostly do 30 to 60 km and routinely bicycled at 40 to 50 km/hour when I was younger.  So while the chance of major injury remains it’s not the same as when I’m on the Harley on the highway doing 120 mph.  The Vespa 300’s top speed is 135 km/hr.  Admittedly less than a day old, I’ve had it over a hundred already.  I was only wearing t shirt and shorts and helmet and being stupid but it’s not at all like the day I took my Harley up to 140 mph and chickened out finding just how fast it would go. It goes a lot faster but I’ll never know. What I confirmed with the Vespa is that it really can go on the freeway.  If I plan on touring I’ll at least wear jeans and jacket.  Armour protects joints at higher speeds. 

The truth of the matter is I really like slower speeds on the Vespa. Sitting upright it’s a wonderful platform for sightseeing and looking about.  I have already taken it out to a country trail to confirm that it’s just fine on country roads. I’m so looking forwards to taking mine camping and having a camera or a bow along as I explore. Laura enjoyed riding on the back of the Vespa for a spin so it , will be fun again to ride with her about the city. We rode all over the province together on my HD Roadster but she‘s lost interest in the highway the road trips I still love with my HD Electroglide. The last year Gilbert, the cockapoo was my companion on the rides up the canyon to Merrit. 

Laura and even Gilbert, now,  much prefers riding out to the country in my Ford Truck with the Adventurer Camper. I carried the KTM 690 on the front or back so will now have to arrange to carry the wider but lighter Vespa the same way.   My Vespa is only 300 lbs. 

I’ve only had it a day and already made the trip to the market.  Like I found with all my previous scooters there’s lots of storage. My Vespa came with the box I’d had added to my previous scooters.  It holds too bags of groceries. The under the seat storage holds tools and there’s even a rack on the front and a dashboard storage compartment. There’s a little ring to hang bags from at my feet too. I love my Vespa. 

On the way back from the market and the post office I picked up burgers and fish and chips from the White Spot.  With Covid I’d had to take two post office trips a week and with the Harley I’d simply be less likely to make stops.  Not now. Scooters are just so convenient for multiple stops. I won’t even compare them to cars. Cars are cages and anyone who has ever had a scooter knows how much they open up a city.  Parking is everywhere and unlike a bicycle you don’t have to go through all that locking up and chaining up one has to do in Vancouver where a million bikes are stolen by the hour despite NASA titanium locks.  

Did I say I’m happy with my Vespa. Admittedly I’m happy with every vehicle. Vehicles are adventure to me.  Different vehicles, different adventures. I’m the same way with canoes, boats and yachts.  I’d really like a personal space craft. I asked my brilliant nuclear physicist engineer cousin I’m depending on him for a nuclear powered Harley Davidson with outer space capacity.  For now I’m really looking forward to more fun on the Vespa. Last night I took it for a spin too to check out the lights.  Perfect. Not only that but it was just quiet enough that I didn’t feel like I was disturbing the neighborhood. I don’t take the Harley out after 10 pm unless I have to and my KTM 690 was similarly, though not quite as loud. Loud pipes save lives.  Not the Vespa. It’s loud enough that Laura heard me come up beside her as she was driving the car but not so loud that I couldn’t go out for a late night spin and feel I wasn‘t  disrupting the neighbour hood. It‘s a trade off.

Metrovespa,the dealer was like a miniature, Trev Deely,  my Harley Dealership. Martin, the sales man was terrific, so friendly and helpful. The service department is there and they do everything as well as manage maintenance schedules like Trev does.  I confess,a major part of owning a two wheel machine, is trusting the service department. Harley and Honda have been great that way. Now I’m delighted to see the same kind of professionalism and concern in the Vespa service centre. The good news was that Vespa,  doesn’t require much service, less than Honda or Yamaha.  Vespa has always been known like Harley for being built sturdy.  Tough little machines.  Marten showed me where the oil inspection site was and added it doesn’t use a lot. He reviewed the walk around inspection bike owners need to know with powered two wheel vehicles. A tank of gas gets 200 km.  At the price of gas today the fuel economy is terrific.

Now I just need more time to explore. One of my joys is going for coffee at outdoor cafe’s. I love to carry a laptop , and journal thoughts and impressions outside.  A consummate blogger.  Now I’m looking forward to next weeekend, weather permitting, a run down to the New Westminster wharf area on my Vespa. New Westminister is one of the most marvellous and oldest areas of Vancouver but while it’s only a half hour away from where I am in Burnaby I’ve simply not enjoyed taking a car or motorcycle down the hills to the waterfront. The Vespa was made for such terraced roads and traffic. I remember riding about such places in Rome.  

Lots to look forward to.  Thankfully a friend will take care of selling my KTM which ,while being a skookum motorcycle is too off road for any of my needs to day. Older I just didn’t ,this last year like the risk of leaving the logging and forest roads or any of the  risk taking in the wilderness with an off road enduros deserves.  A decade back I’d ridden my Honda 250 on deer trails and literally off roads through pastures and fields, jumping rocks and barrelling through streams.  I didn‘t even think if I broke my body or machine,  it would be hours or days before someone found me.  This last couple of years I simply haven’t felt as  courageous or foolish alone in the woods as I did younger. Someone else will enjoy the full experience of the KTM while I scooter about, never planning on leaving a road with my new to me beautiful little friend.  Kaloo Kalay, he chortled in his joy! Thank you, Jesus!

Vancouver Motorcycle Show, Tradex, 2020

Incredible show.  All the best of the motorcycles, quads, scooters and accessories BC has to offer in one big Abbotsford Tradex location. I love coming back each year. This year I met up with Victor and Tim. Previous years Laura has accompanied me along with others.  

This year Murray had hoped to come but couldn’t make it Friday.  “I have a work shift I need to take so I have the money to pay my motorcycle Insurance.”  Motorcycle insurance cost are appalling. If Climate Change was serious business then the government who actually claimed to care about the environment they’d not punish us with carbon tax and gouging insurance costs.   An enlightened age would see motorcyclists subsidized.      

Buddha said, Desire is the source of all suffering.  I really suffer at the Vancouver Motorcycle Show. Sweet misery!

Two years ago I was ready to trade my Harley Davidson Electroglide in for the HD Street Glide. Last year , fickle, I loved the big tired cruising and styling Fat Boy. This year I’m back to the Street Glide. I drooedl and got shivers up my spine when I sat on it.  Low to the ground. I felt the wind in  my hair.  Sitting there  I riding down the highway listening to the Doobie Brothers and Steppenwolf.   

I was styling. Really.  I had my heavily weight down Harley Davidson Owner’s Group leather vest with pins from my Ride for Dad and various other fund raisers and poker runs over the years.  I had my  Christian Rider’s Cross and  Dr. Bob patch.Under it I had on my Sturges North Hoodie.  Under that I had a 2013 Sturges Black Hills Rally t shirt.  On top I had a black togue, like Edge wears but mine has a discrete little HD logo. I am so cool I’m hot.    

The trouble with Tradex is they don’t allow dogs.   Gilbert rides with me, stylin his HD leash and collar with his black leather jacket.  I know everyone would have been looking at me if if it wasn’t for all the utterly bodacious babes  in leather bodices and tight tights.  Mamma! Biker babes are over the top.  While many were trying out the bitch seat a whole lot more were checking out the rides for themselbves.  

I have a KTM 690 enduro. The KTM 790 Adventure just teases me.  The KTM 690 is perfect but that doesn’t mean I can’t look.  I even sat on the 790 Adventurer. It felt so good.   

I got the new God child Harley Davidson baby clothes.   

The Norton was on display. British Bike Owners club. My first bike was a Norton.  I crashed it my first ride so didn’t ride motorcycles for a decade after that. My Honda Ruckus , the greatest of 50 cc Scooters was there. I have to resist getting one. I’ve had two over the years and they’re just the best fun. Laura had one too.  Tha great Italian Aprilia’s were there. I loved my Aprillia. I sat on a red Vespa just for the memory of Laura and I whizzing all over Rome.  We drove all over on that rented Vespa searching out relics of saints.  We prayed at each ciurch admiring the architecture, rlinguary art and just thankful to be at each hallowed place.

I enjoyed seeing the fabulous Yamaha’s and Honda’s.  I have a couple in my day. I will always remember riding on the back of my older brothers Yamaha when I was a kid.  He was so cool.  The Can Am spyders were there. I remembr riding with a girl and her parents in northern Montana. We had Harleys but she was wild and crazy loving her Spyder.  There was even a ski doo at the show.   Harley’s new Live Wire electric motorccyle was selling.  Other electric scooters were too.  Mostly it was still a glorious fuel efficient machines. BMW’s, Ducattis, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Indians and Royal Enfields. They are all so different.  Each is unique. I’ve had so much joy riding motorcycles. My friend Dave calls it, Wind Therapy.

I didn’t buy a bike but I did get more swag. There’s always such great deals at the Motorcycle show. 

I was having my favourite hot dog and americano when Victor found me. He’d bought another leather jacket. “I don’t need it.”  “I know’, I said showing him the armoured gloves I’d bought and didn’t need.   Tim from Old  Motorcycle was with him. He introduced me also to his neighbour whose with Mountainview HD. I’d already talked to him about the Streert Glide. I liked that all the Harley dealerships were in one area,  I could talked with the great guys from Kamloops Barnes and Langley Barnes, Trev Deeley and Mountainview.  

The new bikes were all round incredible. Something about the new sleekness of design and colours.  

Talking bikes with a variety of guys was funtoo. talking hunting was fun too. And talking wives and girlfriends.  All round a great day.