J - OR Show 07

We have come to a great pilgrimage of outdoor gear freaks. For 4 days the world's outdoor industry congregates at this show showcasing everything from superlight titanium mountaineering gear to portable 'adventure' grills. It spans 3 blocks and in Salt Lake City a block is a big thing. While Merewyn works her arse off I wander the aisles trying to get free booty. It's generally the land of milk and honey as far as gear goes. Pro deals seem to be handed out like candy and beer is free after 4pm. But it gets tiring after 3 days. Luckily we are going climbing this evening on some local granite crags. I would post some pics but cameras are banned. Arriving in NZ on the 18th!

J - Still going

Well since the 'End of the Road' we have gone a long way. Climbing in the Gunks was hot and sticky and rainy, but good fun. We got do do some classic climbs and saw a copper head snake. Thanks to our friend Ben who was so kind to let us stay in their weekend house and lend us gear. We taxied and bussed through Manhattan which was an experience. The last few weeks have been relaxing in Sante Fe, NM with Merewyns brother and family. We are on our way again to Salt Lake City to the OR show where Merewyn is working in Integral Designs stall and I will be wandering the Mormon capital hoping not be converted. Though speed week in Bonneville Salt Flats will be exiting if I can get there. For a few days we are in Denver, CO staying with my brother. We are hoping to climb Longs Peak if the thunderstorms allow. 14,000 ft (5000m) will be exciting for us even though there is a trail to the top it would be nice if we can make it.

Selling the bikes turned out to be more difficult than we thought it was going to be difficult. Due to some poor communication on the part of the CA DMV it is going to take 6-8 weeks to get the title instead of 1. Luckily our buyer isn't too unhappy about it however the bike may run out of registration by then... DMV's must be the most backward, slow moving, beaurocratic insitutions known to man. And there are 50 different ones!

Never mind we are now the embarrassed drivers of a 4 litre rental Jeep. No longer can we wave at motorcyclists, because they give us dirty looks! Trying hard to resist the urge to buy lots of cheap things before we go back to NZ.

Some trip Stats...

Total distance travelled: 21,137 miles or 34,016 kms or Wellington to Auckland 56 times, $2400 in gas!
No. of tires used: 7
No. of punctures: None!
No. of Chains: 4
No. of Oil changes: 4
No. of Tolls Paid: 1 until we got to Chicago but then we lost count within half an hour
No. of times stopped by police: None!
No. of bribes paid: Well... this is the USA!
No. of nights camping: 150
No. of tents sent back to MSR: 2 (they were very good about it though)
No. of photos taken: 3042

Don't even ask how many bugs we killed...

Right now we are in the 'Gunks another world famous climbing area. Many thanks to Ben who we met in Nordegg (remember the bikini ice climbing photos?) we are now in a great little house only meters from the rock with climbing books and magazines for Africa, and Family Guy and Simpsons DVD's to entertain all of Asia....

M - The end of the Road

It has happened sooner than anyone expected, we are officially finished the motorbike tour.

Much has been happening, since the last proper post we visited Montreal staying with Josh's uni friend Phil. We had a great time there, caught a little of the Jazz festival, had dinner at Shwartz's, breakfast at Beauty's and tried to speak french when we really have no idea. All the proper Montreal activities.

Then we tried to travel around Quebec a bit and Atlantic Canada but were plagued with rain everywhere we went. My speedo going over to 44,444.4 was a major highlight in this bleak rainy time, so I took a photo:


And you can all see Splat, a little alien who joined us in Ottawa. He rode along on my radio, bobbing his head agreeing with what ever I have to say. He holds on to those little strips of duct tape you see there, and at night he crawls down and eats all the squashed bugs off the front of my bike, hence the name.

This is the confederation bridge, 13 kms long it links PEI to the mainland. It was only built a year ago and has led to a tourist explosion which the island seems to be rather enjoying.


Big tides at the Bay of Fundy.

Our last morning in the tent, we are a little bit sad, but excited to be returning to NZ.


Washing the bikes for sale outside Uncle Peter's house. We mostly just transferred the dirt from the bikes onto ourselves!

And we thought it might be a little difficult to sell my bike, but the second person to come and see it took it for a ride, and dropped it, cracking the fairing (more) and busting the windscreen. Guess what buddy - you just bought yourself a motorcycle!

Josh's bike is also sold, but is still here as we are waiting for the California DMV to send us a copy of the title before we can transfer ownership to the guy who wants it. Red tape banana.

So the plan from here is a few days rock climbing in the Gunks near NYC, and then visit my brother & family in Sante Fe before we fly home.

See you all soon!!!!

M - Quick Update

After driving over a totally mad bridge, we are in P.E.I. having got about in Montreal, other parts of Quebec and New Brunswick. Proper update later, hopefully with photos when you also hear about our new traveling companion... and about how my odometer clocked over to 44444.4 miles!

Oh, and the tent floor has failed again. Soggy.