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. 

ICAA 2025 Vancouver BC

I am grateful to be alive.  I’ve been attending the International Conference of AA 2025 at the Vancouver Convention Centre and BC Place.  

I rode my Harley down Thursday to register.  It was great seeing Andrew and Barb.  Beautiful setting.  Vancouver Harbour near Stanley Park where I’d moored my liveaboard sailboat off and on over the years.  The Harbor Air float planes were taking off and landing.  A whole lot of joyful sober people.  I’d parked in the Convention Centre West underground and joined the throngs.  Sunshine and gratitude.  I was able to get registered and claim my badge at BC Place. Mission accomplished.  I was a part of.  

Madeleine had texted me the time and place of the cyber docs meetings.  She’d climbed the Grouse Grind.  Something we did 25 years ago. Amazing person.   I’m feeling all the traumatized arthritis of acquired injuries of multiple crashes, planes, motorcycle, cars and trucks.  I’m thankful to be mobile and still slowly recovering from the fall and resentment in Edinburgh.  

It was so good to be among Cyberdocs in the flesh,  Dave of Akron and others,  Dave of Brandon. Herb and his wife.  I knew the faces and the hearts.  Met Wendy.  Language of the hearts,  People sharing experience, strength and hope.  I’m amazed that the time has passed. I’m still practicing spiritual principle.  There’s 40,000 to 50,000 here.  

I enjoyed the meetings in the morning.  Enjoyed sharing but mostly listening.  Storytelling.  The oldest communications of hope.  Design for living,  What worked for me.  Suggestions.  Kindness.  Singleness of purpose.  Helping the alcoholic who still suffers.  Service is filling a chair as I’ve done.,

Laura joined me at night for the BC Place opening ceremony with the Delta Police Band playing Paul McCartney’s song on bagpipes,  Shawn sang Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah,  The natives drummed and danced.  There were announcements and three speakers shared their journey into and out of alcoholism.  A black Muslim lesbian, a Finish banker and a Canadian Métis hair stylist.  I teared up listening to the horror and resilience.  Then the gratitude.  The serenity prarer and cheers.  The flag ceremony with presentations from so many countries.  Canada and USA sharing the stage.  A marvellous time.  

It was good to be sober driving home and wondering about what could have been and what a glorious path this journey has taken thanks to joining the ‘last club on the block’.  We cleaned up nicely tonight.  

Thank you God.  Thank you Higher Poweer.

Sunshine Valley RV Resort - Gratitude

Thank you God for this day. Thank you for my sobriety. I am so grateful to have celebrated 28 years with my cake at Burnaby Men’s Fellowship. Marty was so gracious and kind presenting it to be and handing on the 28 years medallion key chain that George passed on.  Manny was so inspiring too with his sharing on his taking 6 years.  It was a fabulous evening,  Fellowship. Camaraderie.  Celebration.  So many young guys from the local treatment centres beginning the journey of rccovery.  I’m so thankful I began and stayed the course.  Thanks to you God.  You are the first principle.  I am your imagination Thy will not my will be done.

I’m am your creation. You are the creator.  CS Lewis says ‘stop looking for God in the wall’.  I was looking down and seeking salvation, nirvana, Samadhi in the ‘spirits’.  Carl Jung said.  ‘Spiritus contra spiritus’

It was so exciting and challenging to pack up stow and get on the road.  The Thor Motorhome has a huge slide that opens the whole drive side of the home.  The first step is to take in the awning on the passenger side and the slide on the driver’s side,  I have to ensure there are no socks or shoes that impede the travel of the slide inward. Once that is done I have to retract the jacks with the automatic switch by the drivers window Madigan was disconcerted by the slide coming in , Then he was even more shocked by the rocking and groaning of the jacks coming down.  It felt like a camel settling to the ground.  

Laura arrived when I had the hose disconnected and was mostly stowed, I had to find room in the underneath bins or cupboards to stow all the daily ‘things’ of existence, I have too much clothing. I have too many pots. I have too many old bathrooms ‘stuff’. I have too many duplicates. But it all got done. All that was needed when Laura arrived was for the Star Link to be dismantled and electrical cord disconnected.  

With her managing Madigan and an extra co pilot eyes I pulled out of the Burnaby site and made it to the highway.  The bus is longer and huge,  I’m learning the experience of driving this machine and the sounds and feeling of it.  It’s all so challenging yet we kept going.  On the highway every bump seemed an event.  Changing lanes, slowing and stopping, all felt new and tense,  The false smoke alarm was a challenge indeed.  We pulled over at the RV rest site only to find it full of squatters and fearful we’d not have room to pass through but we did.

I was inwardly praying the whole way and more so here.  And then we were on the road again. It’s a clunky drive. It’s a big machine. I’m used to motorcycles and sports cars and remember the same experience when I bought the F350 truck.  Now this is that plus .  Yet we did it.

Laura was such a comfort.  Just the presence of another is reassuring.  We are not lone creatures. We thrive together.  I like company.  

Sunshine Valley RV Resort was such a welcoming site. The staff were wonderful. We now have this love flat space with lots of fellow RV folk about.  In minutes I was leveled and had the slide out and the water and electricity hooked up.  I unloaded the barbecue and propane tank. It turns out there’s a propane barbecue connector so Idon’t need to take an extra tank. More room I have an out door kitchen,  I had the lawn chair and canvas rocking chair out. Laura had brought the electric bike charger I ordered on Amazon.  I had the bike off the rack at the back and plugged in a charging.  

That was Friday.  We’d left at noon and were here at three taking an hour lonnger because of the traffic jam at Langley.  I was exhausted but loved the experience. Success after success.  And glory. What a glorious place outdoors,  Out of the city.  It was a cloudy day but we were in the country and it felt so good and my home with all my amenities were with me. I am so thankful.  Laura was as pleased and said show. Madigan was a little kangaroo jumping all over and enjoying being taken for walks and sniffs and piddles

Life is good

I love the Thor Hurricane.  I love the elegance and luxury and convenience.  

We watched Blue Bloods after heating beef pot pies.  There’s the dinette table for sit down meals Then there’s the couch.   I like lining down to watch tv. Laura likes sitting up.  Madigan likes going from one of us to the other to bug us.  We had cashews and wild cherries.

What a great Friday night

Saturday I had my international AA meeting at 8 am on zoom and so enjoyed seeing my fellow doctors with a new design for living.  I shared that I was 28 years and Terry put up his digital 28 year cake.  I’m really grateful.

I made Laura and me bacon sandwiches on toast,  I’ve a smaller coffee bean grinder so I’m still having Ethiopian coffee with honey and milk. Laura took Madigan for a walk and he pooped He always seems to poop on his morning walks with her.  Gifts for his momma love.   I went to the hotsprings and pool first thing in the morning. There were only a few people there.  I felt really good about showing self care to my back which has been so stiff recently. Since the jets on the hot tub in Burnaby died I’ve not been going to the pool so much.  Just and excuse.  I was swimming twice a week 10 laps but with summer the kids come.  So I swam here and felt the unused muscles and joints.  Creaking.  Aging.  It was good.  I’ve been walking more. In the afternoon the bike was charged and I was able to to ride about the nearby townsite for a half hour. It does 28 km an hour without pedaling but with pedaling I can go a bit faster. I enjoy the power assist and was again most impressed with the Motorino Folding 4electric bike.  What fun!  

Laura and I had a long walk with Madigan.  I showed her the Japanese museum for the WWII internment camp where they moved Japanese families inland away from the hundreds miles of coast.  It’s developing just fine there.  Tasteful and thoughtful.  Later I saw that they were set up by the big barn like structure with a band and food outlets. They’ve now got weekly music events.  Later we heard the sound of rock and roll in the evening.

I barbecued the most delicious New York Strip steaks which we all enjoyed.  Madigan is the most spoiled under the table dog.  He gets a third of Laura and my steaks. We had potatoes salad and garlic toast.  

Another couple of episodes of Blue Bloods with Tom Selleck.  The sun had come out and the sunset was lovely.  

I actually had another bout in the hot tubs and a shower and lay on the couch reading a western for an hour or so.

It was that kind of vacation day.  Idyllic, In this amazing machine with the most beautiful kind and intelligent companion and the crazy dog,  Another walk and tv and then bed,  The sky vent in the bed opens so we had fresh night air.  

I am so thankful God.  I really am thankful,  This is one of those truly blessed gifts that come from working and the contrast and the fulfillment of service and contribution and a touch of hedonist R&R.  Away from the wars with loved ones feeling that special break and sense of reward.  Rest.  Peace.  Comfort.  

I’m so thankful that Scotia Bank and Traveland helped arrange for me to have this wonderful machine , this possibility of home on wheels, I’ve been escaping to the country most every weekend or holiday I have had and since I had my sailboat I’m finally again in the right machine for being in town and getting away on the weekend.  I feel especially blessed.  This really is heaven on earth. BC is truly God’s country.  

Thank you Jesus. Thank you God.  Thank you Holy Spirit.

I’ve woken this morning from a great sleep.  There was a gorgeous angel in bed beside me protected by a crazy neurotic pups wagging his tail and growling, eyes all enthusiastic. I have sat and prayed and given thanks and even had my first coffee. It’s a sunny day. Bright and green and blue sky.  Heaven on earth.  Thank you God.  Thank you Omnipotent, Omniprsent , Omnipotential, Loving God.  

  

Sunshine Valley and Thor Hurricane Class A Motorhome

I am so grateful for this Thor Hurricane the Class A Motorhome I bought from Traveland RV Dealer with the help of Scotia Bank.  I have the money but if I take it out the government will take it and Scotia Bank would rather loan me some of the cost so we both benefit.  Everyone benefits and I benefit the most.  

I must confess I traded in my 40 foot fitth wheel Toyhauler, a truly fine machine. I had it for seven years but it was too big for me to tow.  I was quite terrified with it despite my comfort with my Ford F350 truck and Camper and towing the RV’s I’d had before. It was just too big for me and instead of being what I wanted it became a mobile home. When I went camping I took the truck and camper.  

Driving the Thor Hurricane home with Laura that first day was so exciting.  I could do it. It was a challenge but after getting a trial ride around from Traveland the drive home with Laura and Madigan, the cockapoo was thrilling.

Laura has been camping with me a quarter century.  I began camping with my Dad and Mom and Brother in an army surplus’s canvas wooden poled tent.  In my 20’s I’d tent bicycling across Europe or white water canoeing in northern Canada. I even camped with just a sleeping bag hiking the west coast trail and the sierra mountains under the glorious canopy of the Milky Way.  Laura joined me tenting. We rode on the back of my motorcycle all over British Columbia summer  sleeping out in a pup tent at night.  She’s been with me as we graduated from tent to truck tent to little RV, camper, and now the ultimate Thor Hurricane,  My parents did the same transition form tenting to Class A Motorhome and loved all the friends they made in the Good Sam Club.

Yesterday we drove out of Vancouver and through the construction and delays in Langley on through the heavy traffic that persisted till Abbostford.  After Abbotdford the smoke alarm sounded and I tried to stop in the RV rest area only to find it was overtaken with squatters.  With alarms screaming I threaded my way through what seemed more like the Downtown East Side than beautiful BC.  For a moment I was infuriated at the outrageous taxes we pay our government and their incompetence dealing with immigration, housing and homelessness.  Thankfully I got through the slum and parked on the side of the highway.  It was just the heat or dying battery in the alarm.  I pressed a button and on came the air conditioning.  There but for the grace of God go I I thought looking back at the RV stop, a resource developed for those of us who use the roads and pay the taxes and work.  I don’t begrudge the squatters so much as authorities for not maintaining law and order.  In the US there are magazines for those who want to boon dock,  Canada has similiar wilderness.  These people could be redirected to alternative places and those who stay over 24 hours in these services areas could be fined or moved along.  Of course this is wrong and the situations that cause this are wrong and the government is the problem but I’m growing spiritually.  

As a doctor, wise in acceptance  said, I can find a speck of dirt on a white canvas wall and think of nothing else and if you don’t see it as the problem then its an even bigger problems.  So there I was back on the road looking out the increasingly usage window at the glorious scenery thinking how silly I am.  The alarm was nothing.  Everything was okay and very quickly I was driving through Chilliwack and past Hope seating beside the most beautiful woman in the world with the greatest little crazy dog seeing the most incredible mountains on the way to Sunshine Valley.

It was raining but so what. I was in heaven and arriving here I was ecstatic. I’d not had an accident. We’d not broken down.  Everything had goon so well. 

Now we are parked in the pretties little civilized RV park with mountains and clouds hanging in the snow covered peaks.  It’s taken no time to pack up and we have our home with all the amenities here.  i made us Beef Pies heated in the microwave and we watched Blue Bloods on TV feeding the dog half a bin of Hagen Daz ice cream before we got his tick pill he kept spitting out into him..  

Then it was the sleep of saints,  Laura is the most incredible companion to sleep with despite the crazy dog bouncing about between us.  Now I’ve woken to a new day in the country.

Thank you Jesus.  God is good all of the time.  This is truly heaven on earth.  

28 years

I took my cake at the Burnaby Men’s Group last night..  George had cataracts surgery so couldn’t make it. Marty graciously agreed to give me my cake and medallion instead. It’s all a huge honor to me.  I really admire George and Marty.  Marty kindly referred to my being a respected doctor and spoke to that moment when I sought help as we all must do. I was reminded of the sign at the Toronto IDAA , ‘we are not alone’.  It was only months before I’d thought myself outside the love of God which is arrogance of a special kind.

Now thanks to this program I’ve known Hank, Art, Archie, Bernie, Terry, Dave, Graham, Don, George and a whole group of intelligent beautiful women and friends. It was fun, then fun and trouble and finally just trouble. Only looking back could I see how the disease permeated my life contributing to the choices of work and wives and friends.  There was such disorder and chaos back then ,  Yes I sought to know God and serve but in my recreational binges like a soldier on leave I was the ultimate narcissistic hedonist.  This progressed to dominate my life till one day I stopped.  

We joke and say you can get off the elevator anywhere. You don’t have to go to the sub basement.  Graham said, some people run with the cheetahs and some people rune with the turkeys. I’d certainly run with the turkeys. I had low friends in low and high places..  And then I was out 

I’m glad I survived the treatment. I’m glad I remained in medicine.  I’m very grateful for the journey that took off and contained after I cleaned up the wreckage of my past.  How hard to realize the ‘promises’ came true when I had thought they were beyond mine,  Luke 15.  And that great song I was lost and now I’m found.  

ODAAT

Now another year is past.

I’m very thankful.  Dean said I was inspiring and Neil was a delight. Mario and Jack and Tom and so many others were there sharing and smiling.  It was so good to be apart of.  I really liked Manny.  We’d shared this journey together taking our cakes at different years listening to each others stories. I liked especially that he said he was working on doing nothing. Turning our will and our lives over to God. Walking upright and hoping to soar on eagles angel wings rather than crawling on our bellies.  The caterpillar butterfly transformation, 

The realization that we are together Where two or more are gathered together there too am I.  

Thank you God.  Thank you for my sobriety.  Now this next week I’ll be at the WDIR meeting on line and the International AA meeting and then the Spokane IDAA meeting.  Such good to look forward too.

I succeeded this morning in getting Madigan to have his worm medicine by giving him half a bin of Hagen Daz Vanilla Ice Cream to entice him to stop spitting them out.  Thank you Jesus  Agreat start to the day!

Joule Electric Motorcycles

I am on my fourth generation of electric bicycle. I couldn’t find the charger form my folding Motorino so stopped at Joule Electric Motorcycle.  They didn’t have what I needed but looked at the battery and said it was a 32 volt and recommended a charger on Amazon. Voila’ I’m waiting now.

Since I was in their show room of street legal, off road and dual purpose electric motorcycles I checked them out.  What an advance in technology!  Shorter charging, longer batteries and more choice. I lived a little green number that reminded me of the early triumphs.  Pretty bikes.  Price tags about the same or less that gas vehicles.  Well built.  I loved the owners.  So knowledgeable and answered all my questions which come from years of cycleing and motorcycling. I road my Harley Electroglide to Sturges and back but now have a Harley Nightster Special bccause getting older I found I needed lighter weight to load and off load as well and move it round. My Electroglide was 1200 lbs and ideal for the American freeway but my Nightster special is only 450 lbs.   I carried it on my truck to Arizona quite easily.  An electric motorcycle would be even easier. 

I’ve just bought a Thor Class A Motorhome and the hitch is higher than my truck so to run the motorcycle onto a carrier will be more difficult . I spoke with the amazing E&H Hitch  father and son team recommended to me by Burnaby Hitch who have the best equipment, Thule, etc but don’t fabricate. .  The son was  concerned about tongue weight on the motorhome hitch.  The father had  reinforced the hitch on my Ford F350 years past. .  ‘It’s doable’he said ‘but it would be better if you had  lighter motorcycle’.   

Since the batteries come out of the electric bikes they can be loaded running then the batteries easily removed for transit, The frame for the dual purpose motorcycle which was just like my Honda dual purpose 250 , sweet machine, would only be 200 lbs.  Light enough even to lift. 

At Joule Electric they  have off road electric motorcycles and change out parts in the shop to create a machine could almost climb vertically.  I really like my off road fat tired electric bike.  I took it grouse hunting but couldn’t carry my cock a poo hunting companion on the back whereas there’s room on the dual sport and off road motorcycles.   My friend who I gave that bike  to la couple of years back oves it. I returned to the Honda 450 quad but need a trailer to tow that around . I don’t like that or that I have to stow the quad the rest of the year whereas motorcycles take up so little room especially these electric ones,   The quiet is a joy.  Doesn’t’ scare the game like motors do.  I saw a lot of wild life riding the trails on the electric bike and just carried an extra battery rather than a can of gas. 

So I’m impressed.  The Joule folk were just so knowledgeable and helpful and listened carefully to what I needed. No trying to sell me what they wanted to off load.  Just a wonderful experience with people who love their machines want to pass on the joy.  

The motor home has a generator and I plug into 30 amp and the electric motorcycle cycle charger only needs 15 amps.  Two to three hours to charge .  A lot better than the early electric bikes that took over night. I can attain roads speeds and travel for an hour or more on a charge, something like a 100 km range.  The early bikes only did 20 km and as many miles.    

The government also supports buying electric and that brings down the cost considerably. 

I confess I am impressed. I can see myself  returning to Joule to purchase that Inbot.   

Joule Electric Motorcycle

5491Regent St.  Unit 303

Burnaby BC V5C 4H4

604-294 3840

Another day calling out to God

I woke a little dispirited. I’d slept well enough.  My dreams has been neutral if not pleasant. I was again in heaven. My Thor Hurricane Class A Motorhome is truly elegant. If anything would uplift me it’s my immediate environment.  I went through the motions. Toilet, shaving, and then felt better when I showered.  The hot water felt good on my stiff and often painful back.  I dresssed in clean clothing and meditated on the prayer rug cross legged. Lord’s Prayer. Call for God.  Seeking awareness of his presence, more knowledge of God and questioning his will for me.  Thy will be done not my will.  Relieve me of the bondage of self that I might better do thy will

Next I walked my most enthusiastic dog who i disciplined yet again pointing his nose at the new marking.  He’s regressed in face of change.  I point it out to him holding his head then put him outside. I know . I know I should rub his nose in it. But I’m patience. He was a few years trained then marked when we stayed at my sisters in laws with the other dogs.  I have a spray that takes away his smell. I use. We’ve just driven across Canada and back with the camper and truck.  Laura was over on the weekend and has left. He’s a little darling and I adore him.  Suck a rascal.  I feel he must have been like me to my parents. Loveable and bright but breaking rules.  He growls at me wagging his tail,

I listened to Jordan Peterson’s We Who Wrestle With God audiobook as we walked twice around the park.  That was better. I realized that it rained in the night and the sky is covered with heavy cloud.  I joke that I have Neanderthal DNA but also flower DNA.  My mood always dips now when the sun is overcast,

My patient was telling me of a book about heat rising at the Equator and the migration due to Climate Change. I have read so many books doom zooming and weary of the hypothesis of global warming at desperate levels and the demonization of CO2.  Yes there is global warming. No it’s not catastrophic.  The arctic hasn’t disappeared.  The whole Al Gore crowd are scientifically bankrupt or liars.  The science crowd backed Einstein because his predictions were right.  This political Maoist Sharia Communist hodge podge is ridiculurs.  We had an idiot failed drama teacher mascot for PM who lined his own pockets and his cronies while depleting the wealth of the nation. Now we have another leader who seems scientifically in error but tied to WEF And the Maoist UN.  

Meanwhile I so enjoyed hearing President Trump criticize Germany and Europe for buying Russian oil to finance Russia’s war with Ukraine. Obviously Europe could have increased their nuclear power plants and energy as Netherlands is doing now rather than funding the Russians and relying on the US.  Zelensky has said only a third of the money from Canada and US is making it to the Ukraine confirming it’s a magnificent money laundering scheme and of course war is big business. I was pleased to hear that whereas Trudeau gave money to fight the war PM Carney has given money to rebuild.  That’s like the Marshall Plan.  There’s still the disappointing thought that the war mongers and builders are aligned. One destroys and the other rebuilds , both for profit. Still I’d rather be on the construction side though it may be naive.

Meanwhile the Iran and Israel war has heated up.  I confess the desire to have a Motorhome was tied to a fear of a need to escape the city and now I have that means.  In Tehran there was traffic jams and gas station congestion as Persians fled the city.  I didn’t like that my truck and camper were in storage and my RV didn’t have the capacity to be towed. Now I’m independent again. I’ve always the motorcycle.  I really must go to Burnaby Hitch to get the part that would allow me to load and carry my Motorcycle on the back of the motorhome,

Work is fine.  I look forward to Burnaby Men’s meeting tonight. 

Thank you God for this day. Thank you God for my dog. 

Please God watch over my family and friends and their pets.  Help me today to know thee and to serve thee more fully.  

Thank you for the fresh air clean water, plumbing, clothing, coffee and refridgeration.  Thank you God.