Good evening from Walla Walla in Washington State.

I should have arrived here by 16h00 this afternoon, all going to plan.

But as you are all aware, plans are there only to make the planner feel good. Like a budget they go out the door when the first shots are fired. So it was with me today. Bonnie just wasn’t with the program. From the start of the day she was like a lover who had been hit over the head and was with me in body only, not in soul.

No matter what I did I could not get her to perform properly. Eventually I thought it was me. A poor rider always blames his mount. I had not slept well and maybe my timing and tempo was out.

I visually checked the tires. All seemed well. My tire pressure gauge was not readily handy and unlike my two other bikes, Jayne in the UK and Spot in SA, this bike, Bonnie, does not have the tire pressure monitoring system on it. I was concerned about the state of my rear tire, as with only just over 4000 miles on it, it looked like I was going to have it replaced in either Oregon or Vancouver. It would definitely not be up an Alaskan Highway trip.

I was also loathe to have to do a repair on the rear tire if there was a slow puncture as this would mean unloading the whole bike, panniers and all, before removing the wheel. She was rideable, but only just. Like a lover whose time is over and both of you are just going through the motions. A Sunday after noon mercy pomp.

This blog will be expanded over the next few days with more details about the route, which was fantastic, once again. However so that I can get some desperately needed sleep this evening, it will be short.

After about 200 miles I stopped for a drink in a very small town named Dusty. Yes Dusty. A local farmer pulled up next to me in his truck, on the back of which was big air compressor. This was a good time to check my rear tire, because I only carry a small pump and he had a cannon by comparison. Found the gauge and sure enough the pressure was sub 1 Bar. It should be about 2.9 Bar. These tires don’ t leak unless something has gone through them. A brief inspection revealed a small screw in the main section of the tire.

We used his compressor and inflated the tire to 3.5 bar which  I figured would keep me going to Walla Walla, 70 miles away and my night stop. It was not to be. Withing 20 miles Bonnie was once again behaving as if she had had a punch in the broeks. I now knew her tire had to be fixed and soon, or else I would not make the hotel or anywhere for that matter tonight.

So I pulled in at the  first farm house as I needed a flat hard surface to work on and did not want to be unloading and working on the limited side shoulder of the road. I also saw a UPS truck pull out of the farm so it was likely that the inhabitants were there.

So in I went and parked on some concrete outside the garage. Knocked on the front door. No one. Carefully to back door as I did not want to get shot at. No one, so I set about off unloading and repairing the tire. Just then a very friendly black Labrador arrived followed by a young guy and a girl. Garrett and his Girl friend Nicole. They could not have been more friendly or helpful. Thank you guys.

They were amazed at this mad South African and all his kit going to Alaska! The dogs wanted to lick everything better. Incidentally the Lab was recovering from a Rattle Snake bite! And Porcupine quills everywhere. That is one thing the dogs never learn about.

So about an hour and a half later the tire had been removed, the screw taken out and the hole plugged.  Garrett also had a real pump on his truck and re-inflated it within seconds. Back on. Panniers on, Bags on, photos taken for their records and off I went.

All in all four hours lost and a lot learnt. Will stand me in very good stead for the hard part of trip to come. But some interesting twists to the whole story as I will elaborate over the weekend as the delays allowed me to meet some very interesting people at my hotel.

Also my tool kit is lacking and this was sorted out thanks to Garrett. I will rectify mine on the weekend with a torx socket and wrench of the correct size for the wheel bolts. My tool kit only as an allen key torx with which to do the job!

Challenges are what make adventures with these girls so exciting. Treat them properly and you are in for the ride of your life. However if the rubber runs its course, trouble is on the way.

Bonnie and Nicole