Day One and Beyond

WWhat a wild ride

adiing fuel from the can in middle of the wilderness, Wyoming/Montana border

.  We got inn to seattle on Tuesday evening totally “zoned” from the trip across the continent, Wednesday in Seattle??? RAIN , they say in seattle there are 100 words for rain, this would be considered a “soaking drizzle” or perhaps a “soaking mist” but not a “blowing drizzle” byany means.

The highlight was getting together with My Son and Father for a three generation reunion, we had Breakfast and a good time chatting and catching up etc… I was feeling the butterflies for the first time, as I saw , jimT, geoff, dave B and Brian head out of the lot on thier way north, all geared up and hi vis. This IS happening!

We rode up to Vancouver SImon and I on I-5 a nice 2.5 hour straight shot.

not issues just express lane riding. and we tried out the scala cardo rider G4 headsets which make the ride awesome as two or more riders can communicate along the ride , this makes lane switching and hazard avoidance a dream.

ok we meet up with the Gang at the Motel 2400 and have the big meeting and settle in with Nervous energy coming from all directions. the Day of: the run we pack up and grab a quick but filling and yummy breakfast. and head to the start.

Ok I have to hurry here but here’s the deal:

 we made grand forks, the views were awesome, the roads were steep, twisty, fast, and did I mention how awesome the Brittish columbia mountains are???

 I had done a little research on the local food and we discovered that the word was “Russian” as the dukhobors live in these parts. so with a little caling and driviing around , Bagel , got us set up at the grand forks hotel for some really fine hospitality and Russian cuisine.

 

the next two days are in the Glacier national Park region and communication will be spotty, I may b able to phone in by landline we shall see…

 off to the ford dealer to have the “check engine light” looked at ( more on that later)

Cheers and ride safe, wish us luck and hope that the Navigation Gods are looking out for us.

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Doing it for the future Chefs!!!

Back in 1978 I was a bright eyed lad going off to Culinary School!! I had worked in Restaurants and a country Club, and was very pleased to learn that there was a COLLEGE FOR COOKING!

I am sitting in Dr. Dominic Vavala’s Nutrition Class and every day he calls all the roll with “authority and perfect pronounciation.

Lourdes Cino… John Couture… well flash forward 22 years and I have been successful chef in Las Vegas, and I moved east, I accepted a position as a chef instructor at Le Cordon Bleu In Dover NH. and on my opening day’s “walk around and meet the gang” I am introduced to “john Couture” Hey! weren’t you in Dr. Vavala’s Nutrition Class at Johnny Wales??? hell yeah! wow small world.

 so CANNONBALL, I met up with Chef C

Chef Cooch checking out "Bettie"

outure ” Cooch” and we discussed doing it for the future chefs! Riding cannonball as a fundraiser for the high school culinary students who may wish to continue their culinary journey by attending Culinary School.

 Chef Couture runs the high school vocational culinary Program at “Sanford regional ” aka Noble High school in Berwick Maine!

Scolarships for kids with a passion for cooking and doing it right, WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO SET THIS ALL UP OR HOW TO FORMAT IT.

but we will be taking pledges per mile and somehow setting up a donations section on this blog. YAY

 and Chef Cooch and his gang of bright eyed foodies just may have a suprise waiting for us when we reach the eastern shore! (pass the butter…)

What a crazy day…

why are these guys so happy?

Dr. OZ’s Daughter got Married, in a private ceremony , last saturday, only 8-10 mles from the Cannonball Finish line, BUT you can’t get there from here! guess who did the “Wicked Good Ice”?

 The CRAZY DAY>>>>Ok ,OK you plan for two years, cross your eyes and dot your t’s, and still  seems like there is so much left to do.

6:30 am Lynn is on her morning dog walk so I will empty the truck’s tool box and re organize it for “support truck mode” loading in the jack,air compressor,first aid kit,safety stuff like orange cones a hi vis vest and signal light. spare wiper blades, scooter battery, battery charger, truck/trailer tool bag,tie downs, really big zipties, some rope, makita drill and bits, 50 foot cord, shop rags, CHECK!

Hurricane Earl will arrive by dark today, that is the limit to outdoor activities, so get up early, ( crap I’ve got the beginnings of a cold) ok,before it gets too hot out, move the outdoor plants up under cover, secure the outdoor furniture, take down anything hanging> plants windchimes etc… looks good.

 Now off to the ice studio to put the finishing touches on a sculpture ( a bouquet of roses in ice) for a wedding at the Elks club. Wrap it and deliver to the Elks freezer (freezer drop). Noon.

Home, Pack the truck with Austin’s stuff, one half of a truckload! LAX gear, giant duffles, guitars, amps , boxes etc..Done

Now take the clashmobile and head down to the tire store for a scooter inspection, yes, I didn’t get inspected in May as required by law ( I couldn’t find my registration) Ok happy little red sticker on the front “fork”! CHECK!

 Phone is ringing, logistics from where is Dave the driver? (he flies in from the UK today) to the hows and wheres of the scooter pickup from “Malecopywriter” that is THE malecopywriter my friends….accept no substitute!

Lynn is helping with the errands while I do the final construction on the Trailer, still 2 chocks, and some guides for the rear tires and a system for securing the big ol lift. Lynn is trying to source out a better chock, I have three nice sturdy ones and two cheesy Harbor freight ones , CHECK!

 oh hell its almost 5:30 Ive got to run to Berwick Maine and meetup with “Cooch” moreon this project later….

Back to construction mode, Lynn is helping, we balze through the assembly and mounting of the final chocks and wheel guides, some extra screws in the front guard and good to go, and here it comes IT IS RAINING!!! Earl has arrived… now inside work, downloading photos, trying to get the electronics in order, final packing…….. bloddy hell, so far behind I think I am ahead…

won ton soup from Happy city down the street, gotta go!

Hurricane Earl

About one year ago the debate was on about the “route” of the cannonball 2010. there were several options and one which was favored was a diagonal route, Seattle,WA to Florida… one of the issues was that the CBR is always held during hurricane season ans the last portion of the route would take us too close to hurricane country… well, the Northern route won the voting and here we are EXCEPT, now  team Northeast is prepping for the CBR, loading the truck, doing final touches on all the electronics, hardware, etc.. all with Hurricane Earl bearing down on us!

The emails and calls have been buzzing and we are almost settled on a plan to escape to the west as soon as Earl swings through. Hopefully Earl will be nice and leave a few roads clear, and our houses standing.

Seems we are going through the catskills and not NYC… point it west my good man!

Cheers.