Destruction Bay to Watson Lake - Doug

Despite being tired, today's ride from Destruction Bay to Watson Lake was a good one. We had great weather and reasonable roads. There was some construction and that crazy mud hole detour but at least it wasn't raining this time. Plus some of the construction gave us the opportunity to stretch our legs and meet some new people while we waited for the pilot vehicle. Casey the Stop Girl was an amicable diversion from the ride.  She claimed to be paid the "big bucks" for holding her stop sign taped to a stick with which she expertly brought all traffic to a halt but then magically twirled the stick after 10 minutes time to reveal her next trick - slow.

Other than Casey the Stop Girl, we made several stops including Whitehorse and Johnson's Crossing. Lunch in Johnson's Crossing was equally enjoyable as last time but today we had a new waiter. I didn't catch his name but it was his second day on the job. He is 14 and going into the 9th grade which I found impressive considering his recent employment. He did a great job and was rewarded handsomely upon our exit.

I fancy myself a runner and put in about 25 miles a week when things are normal. The last couple weeks have been solidly outside normal for me. Scott Ressmeyer has been relentless about the ride miles so before today I have only been able to run once on this trip. We arrived in Watson Lake about 6:00 PM which gave me time to put in seven miles in some rolling hills and not anytime too soon. My legs were starting to hurt from lack of running while the rest of me is hurting from riding. Seven miles and I feel much better which I'm sure tomorrow will change since kickstands are up at 7:00 AM for a 550 mile ride to Fort St John, British Columbia.

Mike Hamby and I walked down to the Sign Post Forest at the edge of Watson Lake. I've never seen such a sight!  Thousands of signs from all over the world are on display. We found signs of all types from locations far and near but what was crazy was the Columbus, Georgia sign. Out of the thousands of signs, we walked right up to Columbus in the middle of the forest. What are the odds?

Good times, great people and unique experiences!

Scott's Ride Fund

Wiggles

Any time you wiggle on your bike, it's scary. When anything or anyone wiggles on your bike, it's scary. When you are not in complete control, it's scary. We hit fresh gravel, the front tire goes one way while the back tire goes in a different direction. We crossed a five span bridge with metal grates. Same thing. At that point all you can do is maintain your balance and hold on for the ride.

I have a pair of shorts made out of denim. I call them shorts. Not my kids, they call them jorts. My daughter Katie found a picture on Facebook of a dude in jorts, a belly, a beer and some New Balance shoes. She said it was me...it was not...message received, don't wear the jorts in public. And for the record I don't have any New Balance shoes. I think when you hit 60 you get a pair for free. Seriously, look next time, old dudes dig the New Balance look. I also have standard "Dad" jokes. When we sit down at a restaurant and the waitress says hi, my name is Betsy, I'll be your server....or later when they ask "do you want another beer"...I have standard replies that my entire family is rolling their eyes at right now. I tell you this because it makes me think of another old joke. It's about breakfast and the participants. The chicken is involved with breakfast, the pig is committed.

I'm committed to this effort. I'm committed to make a difference in one child's life. On these scary roads, every day I swing my leg over the seat, I'm committed. And there are 18 other guys that are all in as well. We have close to $400,000 in Harley's out here on roads not fit for a $7 Mule. We've lost countless head lights, shifters and other mechanical parts, because we are committed. We buy ride t shirts, we pay our own expenses, we donate, just to donate, because we are committed.

So if you want to be involved. Go to Columbus Tape and Video, buy a ride shirt or two. Go to Bricks and Minifigs in The Landings and buy a Miracle Rider minifig, or a ride shirt or two. How about stopping in your favorite beverage store and grabbing a six pack of Duster from Omaha Brewing, or even a local restaurant, where it's on draft.

But if you want to be committed, go to Chattahoochee Harley Davidson and buy a raffle ticket. At Bikes on Broadway on September 9 we will be giving away a 2017 Street Glide Special, you can see it there at the shop. Shoot, the first person that goes in there and buys two tickets I'll buy you two ride shirts. And if you do it before we return on August 11 who knows what might happen.

Answers: Hi, my name is Brian and I'll be your customer. Next when they ask if I want another beer I say...want, need whatever....

Today's song of the day...She Loves My Automobile...originally by ZZ Top, but I love Willie Nelson's version. Also go find Hank Williams Jr doing Jesus Just Left Chicago...

Brian

Back in Watson Lake - James Leatherwood

Day .. I don't know. 12? 13? 

One of the things I love about long rides, and Scott's Rides in particular, is that after a few days, the day of the week and even the date don't really matter. Wednesday? Thursday? Don't care. Where are we headed tomorrow, and will I need my rain suit? That's all that really matters.

That, and talking to all the really cool people out here in the world. Like Casey, our flagger on one of many AlCan construction pauses. She grew up in Whitehorse just a few miles from where she stood holding a Stop sign duct-taped to a stick she found by the side of the road.  She works construction during the summer, then travels for the winter. She's quick with a smile, and somehow makes people happy they're stopped on the side of the road waiting to drive through loose gravel and dirt.

Last night a couple of friends from Jacksonville caught up with us in Destruction Bay, an even though they left at 10 this morning (instead of 8:30, like normal people) they still were able to join us here in Watson's Lake for Chinese food. Doug and Hart are riding round Canada and Alaska for fun - maybe someday there will be a Scott'sRide chapter in Jax, and maybe we can ride to help make a difference in a child's life.

As for today (and yesterday) it's amazing how much different a road can look coming down the other side. It helps that it wasn't raining today, and the cloud cover was high enough to see the snow at the tops of the mountains we were riding through. I don't think even Brice's camera could capture the raw beauty and the contrasts. Simply stunning, and I have images and memories that I'll never forget. I put the collected works of Mannheim Steamroller on my phone before we left Fairbanks, and simply rocked while  we rolled down the highway.

Even the construction didn't seem as bad today as it was the last time were down this road. And the hotel here in Watson is definitely a step up from the last time we were here. That was what, four days ago? Six? Something like that.

Lots of motorcycles on the road, and lots in the hotels. Some are going to Sturgis, because it's there. Most, though, are riding to a destination that's not really the destination, because just being on the road is reason enough.

A couple more days in Canadia, then we're back to the land of real internet, green money, and (with a little luck) some better food.

James

Out here. Somewhere Between Day 12 and Day 13

Yesterday Tuesday Aug 1st we said good bye to Alaska. 

Fairbanks, this time of year is a beautiful place, but decievingly so. In 2 months time this entire region will be placed in a severe deep freeze, the likes we in the sunny south can only imagine. The lady at the front desk is a retired US Postal employee. She says its not unusual for temps to get down to -45!

SAY WHHHHAAATT! (Ronnie Wilsons favorite thing to say)

The mail must be delivered, she said. Ok, I said walking away, thinking, these people are nuts for sure!

So if Alaskian Postal Employees are nuts, what does that make me and my Brothers out here riding to The Artic Circle and back? Afterall,

I think I got some of the same reactions from people when I would tell them what we were/are doing, but when I tell them why, they say, thats a great cause, raising money and awareness, ALL, to Make a Difference in One Child's Life.

Music is a very powerful thing, it can lift your spirit, it can comfort your Soul. John Michael Montgomery recorded such a song a few years back, The Little Girl, moves me to tears everytime I hear it. If you have never heard The Little Girl you should listen now.

Such are the Children we ride for. They are displaced from their homes, that for some reason or another their parents are not able to give" Kisses and Hugs Everyday".

CHILDREN DONT HAVE A CHOICE WHERE THEY LAND IN LIFE!!

A mama bear ferociously protects her cubs and a mama eagle teaches her young to fly. God's plan was that humans would follow his plan for the family modeled by the Holy Trinity, but somewhere along the way things have gotten off track.

People are people and enough said about that.

So right now I want you to stop whatever you are doing and listen to The Little Girl by John Michael Montgomery. And when your eyes are sufficently teared up or you are balling your eyes out, remember this is not fantasy or make believe, this really happens. First Law Enforcement is on scene, then the Social worker comes on scene, and instructs the child or children to place their belongings in a plastic garbage bag. 

I think of my own children and grandchildren, to be taken from home and put in a strange and unfamiliar place. How traumatic, how unloving!

There are 2 places in our town where these kids are treated with Love and Compassion. Arrabella House and Carpenter's Way Ranch. But they need our help please while you are reading this blog please make a donation, after all if we don't make a difference in one Childs life, who will?

Thank You

Mike Hamby

Trust - Brian

Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. We all know that one. The roads up here are tough. You never know what's next. If it changes color watch out, could be a dip, a pot hole that would swallow your bike, gravel, or even soft sand. You can't trust the road any farther than you can see. You sure can trust the Canadian department of transportation to warn you. When they put up a sign, they mean it.

You have to trust your mechanic. You have to know your wheels will not fly off. You have to know your bike is going to perform as expected.

For a ride like this you have to trust your planning. It is unforgiving up here. If we didn't have the chase vehicle this year we would have had big, big challenges that would have delayed us for days.

You have to trust your abilities. You have to know all the training (thank you Lt. Tim Wynn) and all the miles you have ridden have prepared you for whatever.

But what happens when you lose trust? When you lose trust, you lose a very important part of your ability to function. Think about how many people and times you trust in one single day. My grandson Brody trusts me explicitly. He doesn't understand gravity and how it works. When we go down the stairs, he holds my hand and takes three stairs at a time. But he knows I've got him. Country music is littered with lost trust. Lawyers all over make a fortune when a husband and wife "lose trust".

What happens when children lose trust? How do they get it back? It is a precious commodity, and once lost, can never be given again without serious thought. Been burned before? Are you just going to trust again?

I can imagine the children at Our House and Arabella have had some level of trust ripped away. And one of the most important things the staff has to do is rebuild that ability to trust. There will be no other progress or growth until they can trust again.

I know what I'm doing to help rebuild that trust. What can YOU do to help.

I trust you'll make the right decision.

Today's song of the day..."Life's a journey, not a destination" Amazing by Aerosmith.

Headed for Home - James Leatherwood

We've officially completed the Arctic Expedition from Columbus, and made the turn toward home. Wifi at the hotel here in Fairbanks is ... not great, but it's better than we'll have for the next couple of days!

We left Fairbanks yesterday with glorious weather - a bit chilly in the morning, but not freeze-your-face cold. It warmed up to the mid-70s, and the blue skies were amazing.

The Dalton Highway doesn't start right away out of Fairbanks, but it's very clear where it dos start. If you've watched today's video, you can see the beginning of the Dalton - it's the part where the flatbed truck, carrying another truck, is passing us. Uphill. On a curve. Fortunately, that was probably the worst traffic situation we had to deal with. There were other trucks, and a grader putting 12" rows of dirt in the road, but for the most part the traffic wasn't as scary as I thought i would be.

The road, though - it was either perfectly flat paved highway-grade asphalt, or inches-deep gravel concealing rust and washboard, or slick-looking fresh dirt.

We kind of took over the Arctic Circle pull-off - there were several folks who we invited to jump in while we were taking photos, because 19 Miracle Riders and the support crew take a long time to do anything. We wrapped up the photos, and some of the Riders headed back to Fairbanks, while some of us went on to Coldfoot.

Thanks to the expert cooking on a beautiful Golden's grill, we had delicious reindeer sausage and steaks. And we fed a bunch of new friends, too!

This morning was chilly, and soon a gentle rain started. We covered the same roads we'd seen earlier, with the added challenge of those slick-looking roads now being, well, slick. Another headlight was sacrificed to kicked-up gravel, and there were a couple of unscheduled pull-overs, but eventually we made it back to the BMW rental place, and traded in the high-performance, nimble German machines with their rock-hard seats and unfamiliar riding postures for our familiar, comfortable, American Iron.

Tomorrow the journey home starts in earnest ... back through Destruction Bay and Watson's Lake. I think we're all tired tonight - but the mood is great.

Check out the videos and pictures - and if you want a slightly different perspective, go read the "End to end" blog on my sponsor's website at Availity.com/ride-blog.

A Message of Hope - Mama Cat

This morning the riders received a message that makes hard miles and horrible weather all worth it.  They gathered for their morning briefing and over the phone hooked to Ronnie's speakers I read to them; it had come only moment earlier. The silence at the end was complete.  I hope the road will be a little better today.  I know their spirits are renewed.  Here it is.

Hey Friends...Alison here...CEO of The Methodist Home.  I am in awe of you and your determination to press on for our kids.  Thank you for your sheer GRIT and incredible love.  I have been reading your blogs - the journey through one person's eyes. It truly reminds me of our kids.  While you all see the same scenery, critters, roads and rivers, you each navigate it individually.  However, there is something magical, indeed binding, when you experience the comfort of being in the group...the fellowship, and the feeling you are not alone.  I was especially moved by the amount of rain and the terrain, the condition of the roads - it keeps you mega-alert...probably another similarity for our kids in their journey.  You understand the value of a good night's rest when you have been tense all day, wondering what comes next.  If you didn't know the true meaning of why you are on this journey, I pray you do now.  Seeing life as our kids may experience it is invaluable to understanding their young lives.  YOU are helping us provide them with a good night of rest, a safe and healthy place to call home. God Bless you and thank you for sharing the road with our kids!          Alison

Scott

Two days of challenging riding, with two more to go. Then we get to do it all over again. 😀 the best part is that we will be going a different direction on the same road so it will bounce everything back in the right place, I hope. Friday we rode in the rain for the whole day then add to that the temperature was in the mid fifties. Mr. Cole just informed me that made it feel like 34 degrees. He knows this from his years, lots of years experience and he also stuck his head out the window of the truck and said it was cold. Now that we have water on all of our body parts we can add mud to that as well. Let's just say this is not a ride for the faint of heart. This is not to say that we are better riders, in fact there are alot of better riders than us. What makes the deference is that you got to have the heart. You have to be willing to get up each morning and put your chaps on and say I'm here in this world to make a difference. It does not matter what you choose to do in life, you will have to ride thru a little mud in life. Then at the end of day the sun will break thru and you can find out what was the ride (life) was all about.

Tidbits from Destruction Bay - Mike Langford

Rooming with James Cole again. He was getting dressed this morning and asked if he needed a sweater today?? Remember now, he is riding in the geezer mobile with Vern.

All in all the bikes are holding up well to all this torture we are putting them thru. A couple of shifters, a couple of broken lights, a gas leak, a couple of air shocks leaking. Not too bad, better than some of the old bodies riding them.

Several guys are moving a little slow, a few with sore body parts, and instead of looking for beer store, drug stores are in high demand. Aleve is like gold.

A few guys also left home without all the cold weather gear. It is summer after all. You can pick them out easily, they are blue.

Tonight we get to Fairbanks. Tomorrow we get the little off road bikes and do last 200 miles to the circle. At that point 5 of us will have ridden from Key West to the Arctic Circle in 13 days. How cool is that?

Day 8 - Rain, Dust and Gravel Mike Hamby

When they say the Alaska Hwy is not for the faint of heart, it is an understatement.

Yesterday was only 423 miles, but with the spotty gravel roads and rain it made for a full 12 hours in the saddle.

The Alaska Hwy starts in Dawson Creek British Columbia and runs all the way to Fairbanks Alaska.

Some 1493 miles. 

It was built by US Army Corp of Engineers starting in 1942.

These little tiwns we are staying in are inhabited by the decendants of the civilians left to run the outpost.

I am always intrigued by the history of places, especially such remote places as this.

Destruction Bay gets its name because of the high winds that come through the mountain passes to the south. 

Today we will be crossing back into the good ole US of A.

And on to Fairbanks. 

This morning has a sad note to it. My Brother in Law, Milton Davlin passed away. He has been suffering from Parkinsons and Alzheimers. 

He was a good man, a good Husband and a good Father.

I will be riding in his honor today.

He is finally free of his earthly bondage. 

Please keep my Sister Sharon Davlin and her Family in your Prayers today

Destruction Bay Yukon Territory - Doug

Made it into Destruction Bay, Yukon this evening about 6:30 PM local time after a 430 mile ride. We had rain and drizzle much of the way but it cleared for the last 60 miles.

It was. less technical ride today with better roads (not much sudden gravel mixed in the with pavement) and no major construction.  The curves were sweeping and the elevation changes were less dramatic. We were warned about the frost heaves of which there are many but they are marked with yellow "wave in the road" signs and/or little red flag markers. If you aren't watching and hit a frost heave at speed some of them will launch you like motorcross which isn't cool on a Harley.

We met a lot of interesting and very friendly people along the way! Some of the are even more intense than us. Gou from China is riding his bike from Deadhorse, Alaska to Panama. Sam and Taryn are riding theirs from Vancouver to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska and then on to the southern most tip of South America. That is the northern most to the southern most points of the Americans. Oh, and Gou's bike is bicycle - the peddle kind. Sam and Taryn are riding on-road/off-road motorcycles. We have seen many more BMW, Kawasaki, and Yamaha "enduro" touring bikes than Harley bikes up here.

Thursday, a little late. Mike L.

I may have had a worse day on a motorcycle, but I don't remember one.

We had rain, we had cold, and we had rain and cold together. Seems like it was 550 miles of road work. And if it wasn't sand or dirt, it was loose gravel. Not just a few places, it was all day, and it was just gravel thrown on the road.

Then the rain mixes all the sand, dirt, and gravel. Ask Kevin how that works out!

We did get stopped by a herd of buffalo. A very large herd that did not care that they were not crossing at a cross walk. And we also had two mountain goats with very large horns standing in our lane of the road who refused to move. And maybe 8-10 black bears watching us go by.

We also had to stop when the pilot truck driver at one of the construction areas stopped the truck and ran for a ditch in the tree line. She came back after a few smiling and waving at everyone.

So, you have to keep an eye on the road or fall down, and you have to keep the other eye on the right shoulder for bears and the other eye on left shoulder for buffalo. And you do this for 550 miles.

I am going for an adult beverage.

 

Terrifyingly Beautiful - Brian

First, let me make it clear, I did not get Karen's daughter, Ginny's number from a wall...got it from Facebook.

Normally I let the other guys tell you about the ride, of the day...today is my turn. When we got west of Edmonton, away from the farming, the scenery changed. Mountains, valleys, rivers, goodness there are named creeks every mile. We go up, we go down, curves, great riding. Go look up Muncho Lake in British Columbia on Google Earth. Beautiful teal blue water, Ronnie said sea foam green and Doug wants to know when Ronnie and I are picking out wall paper...more on that later. Rushing rivers into big lakes, I really would like to spend more time here. 

As we are riding through this stunning scenery at eighty fi...seventy fi...the posted speed limit, it is raining. The road is sometimes muddy, always wet, tar snakes in every turn. Oh yea, we are right on a river, so one bad move and your bike is at the bottom of a lake, or a canyon. The Canadians do a wonderful job of marking the roads, they let you know there is "loose gravel" everywhere. Cars are zooming past in a curve, on a mountain, in a no passing zone with loose gravel. Go ahead, take a look around, I dare you, terrifying beautiful.

Today's song of the day...No Way Back to Eden

They say that you gotta go, to know

That you wanna come home

There is no shame till you know

There’s right and wrong

We dipped ourselves in the river, but we never get clean, there's no way back to Eden from what I've seen

Destruction Bay - James

Long days, short nights. Rain. Gravel. Construction. Stunning views. And some of the most amazing people.

There are a lot of things you don't see when you're watching the live feed - when it's live which I'm sure it hasn't been for a couple of days. 

You miss the little puffs of dust or water that tell you the riders ahead have just hit gravel, or puddles, or both. You miss the sudden flashing of taillights that might mean anything from HOLY COW IT'S A BUMP to a herd of bison in the road. You miss seeing a string of 16 motorcycles in perfect formation, leaning into a sweeping turn, with a lake or mountain in the background.

And you miss a lot of the laughter and teasing that happens when 18 guys are stuck with each other for weeks on end. I'v written a lot (mostly on previous Rides - see the comment about long days above) about the camaraderie in this group. Whether it's sitting in the Chinese restaurant in the middle of nowhere, waiting for dinner (and how does a Chinese restaurant run out of fried rice?), or the scramble to help when a motorcycle tips over, the fun never ends.

Even when it's 50 degrees and raining, and the road is 50% washboard gravel, we seem to find something to laugh about. And there's always something new, just around the corner.

We're stopped tonight at what was founded as a workers camp in WWII, when the US Army was building the road to carry supplies and men to Alaska. It's a little slice of history that they probably tried to teach me in school, but standing here, looking at the mountains and the lake, and thinking about hard-living men, hacking a passage through the wilderness, makes it come alive in ways no textbook ever did for me. 

I find myself thinking about those early explorers a lot while we ride. What must it have been like for the first surveyors, facing the same wind, rain, and cold we're facing, with the added challenges of figuring out which pass could support a highway; which hills to carve a road into? We ooh and aahh when we see bison or bears on the side of the road. For those early explorers, those were dinner - one way or the other.

We think we're pretty hardy because we can cover 500 miles in a day, no matter the weather. In 1942, t took 10,000 men almost seven months to build the AlCan's 1700 miles. There have  been a lot of improvements since then, and believe me, there is still plenty of room for improvement.

Tomorrow, we arrive in Fairbanks (after another 400+ mile day), then it's on to the Arctic Circle, and the official turn for home. It seems many of us just can't get enough riding, so some will continue on to Coldfoot, THEN turn for home.

It's already been an adventure, and the scenery promises to keep taking my breath away. 

If you haven't already, please hit the Donate button - and if you have, THANK YOU!

Love, Time, Support

Whew...today was unique. I'll let the others give you the details, but, I survived. Today I offer you more perspective. Perspective I don't have so I asked for help. This is from Ginny Patterson, otherwise know as Mamma Cat's daughter. 

When growing up, I felt like I had a normal childhood and family. My dad was in the Army and my mom stayed at home. We moved about every 3 years, which was hard but we got used to it. Throughout all the moves, and weeks or months at a time that my dad was in the field, my mom was home with us. My parents had a good partnership, but honestly, my mom was in charge. 😃 She not only cooked, cleaned, and shuttled my sisters and I to activities, she mowed grass, plunged clogged toilets, and fixed sinks. She could do anything that needed to get done and knew the answers to all my questions. The world today sometimes gets really worked up about letting girls know they can do anything they want, and having women in certain roles. This seemed odd to me at first because but I NEVER thought I couldn't do something because I was a girl. That's because I know my mom can do anything, and she raised me, so I can do anything. 

When I became a mom, my husband and I had our own parenting style, but I still sought my mom's thoughts and opinions on parenting. I have 2 girls of my own and pray that I can be as great a mom to them as my mom is to me. This is no easy task with all the new articles, blogs, and studies there are on how to be a good mother. Technology, gadgets, social media, and society opinions are hard to ignore.  Despite all that, I learned (from my mom) that the best thing I can give my kids is my love, my time, and my support.   She may not know it, but she continues to remind of that as my girls get older. 

Love, time, support......These are the things that the children, who are supported by The Methodist Youth Home, need too. Supporting this ride helps children receive the best we can offer them and set them up for an amazing future. 

So I get to choose the song of the day...no brainer...867-5309...let me know when you get it...

Brian

Alaskan Highway - Scott

We have been on the road for 6 days and this morning as I write this we have traveled 2371 miles or so, depends on who you ask. If you look at where the tracker places us on the map you will see that puts us a little over half way. As hard as we have been riding that does not even seem possible. At around 5 pm local time (which is 8 pm back in the world time ) we made a turn and there it was ( I only know this cause a big sign said so) Alaskan Highway. I'm not sure if it was the anticipation or if was just the way I was looking at it. It seemed to instantly change. The landscape became dramatic and the road became well let's just say a challenge. First you have frost heaves, that's not what happens when you drink a Coke slushy too fast for you Southern's. A frost heave is when it get so damn cold and the ground freezes 5 feet deep and pushes the ground up then summer comes and it thaws and it sinks back down. I know this does not seem like a big deal but when it sinks about a foot lower then the rest of the road. Let's just say you get air between your tires and the road, air between your seat and your butt and air between your underwear and your skin. I will leave you to your imagination what fills that spot between skin and underwear as you fly thru the air. Then you have the bugs. I just thought we were hitting bugs in lower part of the states. They come in all sorts of colors, I have the spots on my shirt to prove it. When you hit them some have green goo some have yellow goo, a few just leave a black spot. When you hit one that leaves red you know it without a doubt. Any bug that can bleed is a damn big bug and he will about knock you off the bike. The first one I hit and looked at my shirt I was afraid it was my blood and thought about pulling over and having Brice administer first aid. I sure hope I don't hit one of them at the exact same time that I hit a frost heave. God only knows what will be in that space between my shorts and skin. All of this was in the first 5 miles. I love it. 

Day 6, Mike Hamby

For the last two days we have been making our way up through Canada's Provinces. At first the terrain is much like North Dakota, flat as a fritter, but gradually gave way to gently rolling hills. It goes without saying that it is all, with exception to the mining and oil drilling, absolutely breath taking. Green verdant hills, and lots and lots and lots of canola seeds, except they are beautiful yellow carpets of canola seeds. Go look in your kitchen cabinets right now, ill bet you have a bottle of canola oil. Well chances are it came from Canada, and I saw it.

We covered another 560 miles today, and even though I'm tired and dirty and ready to hit the sack, I sit here and ponder what it must be like for kids .

To have parents that do not and cannot love them, to the point of having to be removed from the home, and its worth every mile to try and let them know how much we Love and care for them, and support them.

As we journey to Alaska I hope you will check out these rider blogs, and find it in your hearts to make a donation in order to make a difference in one Childs life

Mike Hamby

Day 5 - Mike Hamby

Day 5 and I'm just now writing ? What's up with that? I'll tell you what. My butt is being kicked... but in a good way, like the kind of tired you get after a good work out tired.

I joined this "Band of Desperados" back in 2010, cause I like the way Scott thinks.

Make a difference in one Child's Life, its just that simple.

We as a band of Brothers are riding over 500 miles a day to do one thing, draw attention to Our House, Inc

I've had all sorts of comments from, y'all are crazy, to anybody can just sit there and ride a motor for 21 days.

REALLY ?

We are on a mission, and with a little luck and God we will finish on time. 5 days out and tonight in Lloydminister, Alberta.

I know this is short but I'm falling asleep here....

Keep reading the blogs spread the word so everyone is aware and go to www.scottsride.com

Day 5 - Meridian Alberta - James L.

Today we crossed Saskatchewan, which may not sound like much except we took nearly the shortest route, and it still took 470 miles and several (that is, about 10) hours. We hit a couple of construction zones (including the one where a rock kicked up from the road and cracked my gopro lens- bummer!), and passed two HUGE cylindrical things on trucks. By huge, I mean the truck was straddling the edge of the road, and we still had to move all the way to the left to get around them.

I also learned today about canola. We saw canola fields yesterday in North Dakota, but I didn't know what they were. The fields are brilliant yellow - like, brighter than a yellow crayon - and huge. Today, some of the fields stretched from one horizon to the other. I took a bunch of photos, but they just don't do the color justice. Canola is a fast-growing crop that works well in the short growing season they have up here, and because it's "heart-healthy," the oil is very popular in the food-service industry. It boggles my mind to realize how many thousands of bushels we've ridden by, and there is still more demand than supply for the oil.

Yes, that's the kind of thing that I think about when I'm riding through the no-data zone (and have no music because no data = no Spotify).

I also thought a lot about how I got started with the Ride - an anonymous ride-along on the trip in from Macon, riding out to Montgomery one year, then chatting with Scott about whether I could go. Scott's a pretty amazing guy: there are several of us on the Ride who he didn't know at all before we joined the cause. And now, because of a shared passion for kids and motorcycles, we're a family (as cliche as that sounds). 

I heard tonight about Ronnie's first trip. You'd never know it now, but I'm told Ronnie was a very timid rider, especially in the corners. Now, he's one of the leaders (from the back of the pack), and shares his earned wisdom freely with us whenever the need arises. 

It's just one more way we improve with every ride ...

James

ps: I learned yesterday not to announce to this crowd when my boss is watching (and listening to) the live feed at lunch. As far as I know, I still have a job, but lesson learned.