Hi all.

My apologies as I believe that the original post did not upload. So here it is updated from Starbucks in Tillamouk on the Oregon coast. I am now on the Pacific and all the way across America.

So here we were, on Friday evening,  sitting on the veranda of the Norris’s home in Redmond watching the sun go down on the Deschutes River which runs through the canyon about 300’ below. The snow glistening on the four mountains in the distance and Randy, Lynn and I discussing what it is that makes the Bend/Redmond area consistently rank as one of the 10 best areas in which to live in the USA, when a magnificent Gulfstream G55o flew in front of us, gear and flaps down, as it prepared to land at Redmond/Bend regional airport nearby.

“Phil Knight commuting from Portland to his nearby ranch” Randy informed me. So Phil Knight is the founder of Nike, which is based out of a suburb of Portland. The commute is about 100 miles as the crow flies. About 15 minutes in a G550. If you have it, enjoy it.

Randy then told me a great story about Phil Knight. Apparently he wanted to write a book. He is an MBA graduate from Stanford and has donated Hundreds of Millions of Dollars to his two Alumni, Stanford and the University of Oregon. He consulted the various universities about the best courses to do to help him in his quest to become a better writer, as he did not want a shadow author. Eventually he decided to take a one year Creative Writing 101 course at Stanford.

So he enrolled and attended class twice a week keeping very low key throughout. At the end of the course the students were asked for their feedback and comments. A number of them commented that there was this interesting older guy who attended. When he spoke of gave a presentation he clearly had a presence. More interestingly a number of them said he was very cool, because after late afternoon classes he would invite a few of them out for a pizza. He would never let them pay and always asked lots of questions as to what shoes and things they liked. But even more interestingly, he told them that he lived in Portland and would fly home in the evening. What they found the strangest was that he never seemed to worry as to what time his flight was. It never occurred to any of them that he had a G550 waiting at a nearby airport, to take him back whenever he was ready.

The area is so highly rated because in one day you can

• Ski in the morning
• Play 18 holes of golf in the afternoon
• Trout fish in the early evening

In addition it has a great climate and nice people.

My time with the Norris’s was just what the Doctor ordered. I needed a rest. Close on 3000 miles under the saddle, I was knackered. Throughout the first ten days I had been nursing some bug. Like a cold. I arrived on the Friday. Sorted myself out. We had a simple but great dinner and I passed out.

On the Saturday morning, with my experiences of the past two weeks fresh in my mind, I went shopping. Out went the discount tent. Out went the lightweight sleeping bag. Out went the big camping cooker. All replaced with more appropriate kit. I was in bed early and out for the count. Woke at 3 am in sweat. The bug had arrived in full force. Aspirin and water and back to sleep.

Around 04h30 my cellphone goes off. No one calls me on that phone and never at that time of the morning. I stagger out of bed. Blake UK it says. Worried I answer. “Dad your son and his crew have just won the Thames Cup rowing at Henley!” As bombed as I am, I cannot help but being delighted for him. This is the most prestigious prize in club rowing and the hard work and effort of the past two years is starting to pay off for him. Well-done Blake! A great achievement.

So Sunday disappeared in a fog of much needed sleep. By Monday I was feeling much better and by Tuesday well enough to take Randy’s money in a golf game. This is only the second time I have played since Harold and I were ripped off by the scam doctors in Somerset West last December. Borrowed clubs and I played really well. Getting ready for Hoffman and De Villiers I am!.

On Monday evening we had dinner with the Norris’s neighbours, Bill and Penelope Valentine. Interesting people. Bill is a PhD in Psychology with a passion for endurance sports. From what I can gather he has, over the past few years, walked the entire west coast of the US in stages and he is an avid cyclist.

Penelope is extremely astute. We were discussing my trip and my blog. Randy commented that it was full of sexual innuendo. Her retort was instant, “what do you expect when you have a big thing vibrating between your legs for most for the day”! My type of gal!!

The Valentines are also dog people. Three dogs, one of which is a German Wire Head Pointer named Fritz. In December Bill and the dogs went out of town where Bill was going to cut down a Christmas tree. While he was doing this the dogs were running around. Time to go and no Fritz. After an extensive search, still no Fritz. Back the house and Bill prepared a “dog lost poster” with pictures of Fritz and contact numbers etc. SPCA and all eventualities lead to nil.

About four weeks later Bill receives a phone call from a farmer who says he thinks he has seen Fritz, but on approaching the dog, it ran away. Bill visits the area, but no luck. Then two weeks on, now five weeks from the loss, the farmer phones again and says he is sure that Fritz is hiding nearby, but does not want to frighten him again. Bill is back. Stops his truck, gets out and calls Fritz. Like a bolt of lightening Fritz is out of hiding and into the vehicle. He had lost over 50 % of his body weight, down from 80 pounds to 40 pounds. A foot injured in a snare, but otherwise alive and very, very happy to see Bill and Bill happy to see him. Great story. Apparently Fritz has not learnt much and still chases scents everywhere.

For people into more extreme pursuits and more thrills, there are also the Smith Rocks. These rate second only to El Capitan in New Mexico as the most difficult extreme cliff climbing faces. They are magnificent and tower vertically for over 700 feet of sheer rock face that are scaled using no ropes of belays.

So today is 4 July and I am now in Portland at Randy’s Portland home. He has meetings in the morning and then leaves on Friday for SA and meetings with CI. We have both been tap dancing around some issues for the past four days. I do not want to stand on Sean’s toes and Randy wants to get me involved.

The ride from Redmond to Portland was relatively short, 183 miles. West out of Redmond to Sisters. Named after the three mountains nearby. Nothing like our Three Sisters near Beaufort West. These are permanently covered in snow. Then into motorcycling Nirvana. A motorcycling G Spot!.

Three Sisters Oregon Style

From Sisters to Detroit! Yes Detroit, but in Oregon not Michigan. My 3000 miles from home went past in Detroit OR! A quick lunch in the Korner Post Restaurant, which has the logo “motorcycles spoken here” and then on a back road to Estacada.

Korner Post Detroit OR. My new lunch dive

More Paraphenalia

Korner Post Detroit Oregon. Motorcycle Mad

This is probably, along with the Glacier National Park, the motorcycling highlight of my trip. I will have my GoPro movie ready later tonight or tomorrow and will send the link. It is difficult to describe the spectacular beauty of this road. Towering pines, all the way down to the road, creating a Pine Corridor. The Clackamas River running next to the road for over 40 miles. People camping on the river, canoeing, fishing and rafting.

This is a road to which all my girls should be brought for a ride. This is it to date. It hits every spot. I was delighted to be back on Bonnie in this environment. Both of us flexing our muscles and virility in a perfect playground.

Estacada. Christmas Tree Capital of America

It was over too soon and I was near the urban sprawl of Portland.