The Great 2026 Road Trip part 1

Furthur all tucked away, rainy season coming, time to ride! After 3 years of great motorcycle adventures, we decided on two things: we like it and we don’t want to sleep in a tent any more. The commitment to this lifestyle took us to buying a motorhome. As I have discovered, buying things from afar is a challenge. After a few false starts I settled on a nice 4-year-old motorhome at a dealer in Portland. I also arranged for a trailer in Yakima, near where the Harley lives, and a really nice  red Yamaha 1300 for Donna in Omak, 3 hours north of  Yakima the new Maliit Pula!

I flew the short hop to Hong Kong, did a one-day side trip to the Selene yard. I inspected my project, 54-120 and a couple other boats. Worked with the design team, a nice visit with Howar Chen and back to HK.

 Off to Portland Or, via Vancouver. This gave me 5 countries and two states in three days. Landed in Portland, Uber to the dealer, quick go through and off I go. So began my tour accumulating all the toys for our road trip.

I had booked a space in an RV park in Yakima, where I procured the trailer and the Harley. I had piles of Amazon boxes waiting for me there, starting from scratch for our new  home. Loading everything from BBQs, propane fire pit to galley ware and rv toilet paper our new home started to take shape.

After getting all this done and seeing some old friends, I headed north to the small rural town of Omak. This place is famous for the Omak Stampede and Suicide race. When I pulled into the almost empty RV park and looked up I could see the very hill that the yearly herd of fifty flying horses and riders crash down and into the river.

At Omak I met Robert, the Yamaha owner. Again, buying remotely was challenging but he turned out to be a real gem. He had the bike inspected and ready for me. He took me for a spectacular ride the next day up the legendary Methow valley. I got a nice bike and a new friend.  I love Eastern Washington, so much to see, biker’s paradise.

While in this lovely town, I got some riding in and took in the local community theater production of Annie. I remarked I had a passion for community theater, real local folks doing shows. I liken it to watching high school football vs the Seahawks. You get real heart, bumps and all.

Given the chaos of ICE, we didn’t even try for US visas for Donna and Priam this year, maybe next year. So, we will enjoy British Columbia and Alberta ala motorhome and bikes again. The plan is the center the motorhome in several places and do day rides for a week or so in each one. The best of both worlds, epic riding and sleeping in our own bed.

As I did last year, I attended Trawlerfest, worked with the US Selene Dealer and gave a presentation on my adventures, what I did, how you can too. I preached my mantra, Make Your Dream Your Story, to a small but eager group of future adventures.  Typical of Pacific Northwest weather, again Trawlerfest was plagued with cold rain and wind after the preceding days of warm sun. I gave my talk, enjoyed seeing old friends and some new ones. This is the 30^th year of this great event. I attended the first one and many more after that. As with many events it has fallen on hard times and now hopefully rebuilding.

 This will take me to Anacortes and then eventually up to Vancouver where I will joyfully pic-up Donna and Priam.  We have been doing our traditional video chats at the beginning of her day I am headed for bed and visa versa. A new addition this year as I “chat” with my cat, who seems to recognize my voice, or so I imagine. This has been our longest separation in eleven years, so I am chomping at the bit to reunite with my family and head off for our next adventure.