The Master Gift Giver.

Gift giving is not my speciality. To give the best gift, in my humble opinion, it must be bought online, shipped to your door, and (as a bonus) be already wrapped; and yes, a cardboard box can be considered 'wrapping'. I'm one of those dads who on Christmas morning is just as surprised as the kids when they open their gifts. Although I will admit that about five years ago I resolved to be more personal, thoughtful, and generous in my gift giving; I failed both times.

So it is a little surprising (or maybe not...) that my daughter is the Master Gift Giver. She doesn't just give a gift, she gives a little bit of her heart in every present. Her gifts are unique, fitting to the personality they are meant for, and filled with character. Years ago I recognized she had this trait and, good parent that I am, actively encouraged her - for purely unselfish reasons of course!

I still have many of the gifts she has given me over the years.

The Christmas of 2012 was no exception. Kaybi, combined with two of her brothers, Will, and Fenton (and spouses) went in together on a wonderful gift for me. They split the cost, but Kaybi did the work (smart brothers that they are..) and it was a LOT of work. (I should mention that while she was making this present her husband was completing a yearlong tour in Afghanistan, she was working an at home job, and additionally working as a mother of two active children 6 and 3 years old.)

And here are the fruits of her labor;
Tombstone's Travels Blog book.

And some pics of the pages.

The famous (infamous?) Christmas tree.

Even though I know how this book ends, I've read through it several times....

Grandson's signature.

Some other gifts over the years;

A couple from many years ago.

If you ever visit, the blog book will be in here.

Thanks for reading!
And thanks Kaybi and Mike, Will and Debbie, and Fenton and Laurie for the great gift!

Cheap Cycle parts.com

Warning, Rant follows;
I crashed my bike on December 22, the worst injury is that I had to cancel a trip into Baja scheduled to leave on the next Saturday.

I wanted to get my bike back into riding condition ASAP so I searched for venders who could supply me with the needed parts.
I must say that I've had a lot of positive experiences with many vendors, but my last purchase was anything but happy, here is my story;

I need a right hand foot peg bracket and two other parts for my bike. Cheap cycle parts com http://www.cheapcycleparts.com/
had the lowest price by about 2 bucks.

I go to the DL1000 blow up diagrams and order the three parts after carefully comparing the drawings to the parts on my bike. I was especially careful with the foot peg bracket, checking three times by going from computer to the garage to make certain it was the correct part.

Ok, got the parts ordered, and the Cheap Cycle page confirmation says my shipment will arrive in 7 days or less.

13 days later my package arrives, two of the parts are correct, but the foot peg bracket is wrong. I found out it is wrong by taking it out of the sealed bag and comparing it to the one on my bike. It’s wrong; a little checking reveals it is for the DL650. I then searched the (incorrect) part number on their site and box pops up that tells me “this part also fits the DL1000”. Their system screwed up.

The next morning I call Cheap cycle and get a snotty person on the other end. She refuses to even discuss this problem telling me I need to go to their online return page and handle it that way. Which I do, I tell them I received the wrong part and would like to get the correct one. When I click the send button and another pop up tells me I’ll have a reply in 3 days. 2 days later I get a short and very terse reply to the effect that;

I can return the part, but shipping fees will be at my expense.

They will charge a restocking fee.

If they find the part is undamaged, and in its original package they will refund my money minus the above expenses. (see above where I had to remove the part from the sealed bag to compare with the part on the bike.)

In other words I’m SOL

To recap;

It took 13 days to get the incorrect part

I can ship it back at my expense

I will be charged a restocking fee

I [I]might[/I] get my money back

I won't be using Cheap Cycle parts.com again.

I hope you are having a Great Day!

The V-Strom Cache has been resurrected see here for details;

http://www.stromtrooper.com/north-america/80476-strom-cachers-usa-canada-revived.html

In a nutshell the Strom Cache is just a excuse to ride and meet other riders. It is a small box with a 'token' and notebook that is handed off from rider to rider.

The first version of the Strom Cache was started by a guy on the east coast nick-named Po-Sloke. I picked it up in Georgia and brought it across 10 states to Utah, from there it went all across the North, Central, and South America, from Deadhorse Alaska to Terra Del Fuego. An Aussie named Traveling Strom, aka Richard carried it the farthest distance.  

Then it got handed to a rider that.......lost it. It was sad to see it die.

So... another rider named Andreas aka Andreas, (here in Utah) has started a new Strom Cache. Andreas handed it to Satch, and Satch handed it to me in Jordan, Utah.

I'll take it to St. George, Utah to give it to Med-Plt.

Satch, Me, Andreas.

 On my way.

I pass the Thistle Mud Slide.

In April 1983 this mudslide dammed up the Spanish Fork River and resulted in the flooding of the town Thistle. State and  Fed agencies claim this was the most expensive mudslide in US history.

 The Manti Temple

 Used car lot.

 And the hand off in St George. Med-Plt, and I meet at the Golden Arches and make the exchange.

 The Cache departs for Las Vegas, Nevada.

 I depart to my lodging for the night, and a relaxing (and warming) soak in the hot tub. Very nice after a cold day of riding!

 Friday, on my way home. I go through Zion National Park.

 Going up Cleavage Canyon.

 And now in Zion Canyon.

 I hike up to Weeping Rock.

Not a very good picture of Weeping Rock, sorry.

On my way again up Zion Canyon. 

Back on the main road through Zion NP.

 

 And then the rain started so I put the camera away.

Nice ride, very nice to get the Cache going again, Good Job Andreas!!

740 mile ride in cold and rain...not the best conditions, but better than no ride at all!

SSSSSSSSmoking! 1

On my last ride, "Trust me" I had heard about two places that I put on my 'have to see' list.

Tom told me about Joseph, Oregon, where there are bronze statues all over the town....I put it on my list.

Two KTM riders we ran into tell us about Yellow Pine, Idaho which they tell us has a Harmonica Festival every year. The thing about Yellow Pine is you have to ride dirt roads to get there....on the list it goes.

Then as luck would have it, I have the next week free and available, hmmm, what should I do?

So I leave for Boise; the western states are on fire, and smoke is heavy. I see mile after mile of burned stubble along the freeway on the way to Boise.

I'm in need of gas, I'm on my last gallon and there aren't many choices in this sparsly populated area. So I stop here; I'll never do that again! It took me three trips into the store and had to move my bike to two different pumps before I was finally able to fuel. The guy on the other side of the pumps was cussing them worse than I was. Everyone I saw fueling seemed to be having the same problem and was angry about the same thing.

Happy to be fueled (finally!) and on my way again I take this picture in Cambridge Idaho. Cambridge is where the Hell's Canyon Recreation Area road begins.

If you're a biker this curvy road should be on your bucket list!

Just before the dam.

After the dam on my way to Joseph, Oregon.

Fawn....moma was nearby.

And...Joseph, Oregon. What a neat town! There are indeed numerous statues around the town, but it is late and I need to find a place to throw out my tent.

After a couple of phone calls and leaving messages, Scott, the owner of the Mountain View RV and cabin park, returns my call and "hooks me up" with this site. Scott is very motorcycle friendly, and it was a nice place to stay. The only complaint is the limited shower/bathrooms. But if I go to Joseph again I'll likely stay at the same place.

Next morning leaving Joseph and on my way via Clarkston, Washington Kooskia, Idaho then stopping just before McCall at the Payette National Forest  Last Chance campground.

A few miles after I ride through Enterprise, Oregon I'm on a very quiet, very unpopulated road (SR3). I see something in the distance which turns out to be a woman pushing a bicycle along the side of the road, actually she is off the road and walking in the weeds. I stop alongside her to ask if she needs assistance. She is quite thin and has gray hair. It only takes a moment to realize that she has difficulty communicating and seems to be somewhat handicapped.

In our conversation she assures me that she is safe and walking to her home, which is 'over there' (a vague hand wave).

The situation is untenable,  I don't feel comfortable leaving her all alone, but I can't insist that she allow me to help her either.

So, I ride off, deciding if I don't see a house in a mile I will dial 911. Over a mile later there are still no houses in sight. I stop and make the call and after giving my location and a description of the woman, the dispatcher tells me they know her and it is not unsual for her to walk along that road. Everythings ok, my mind is eased, I ride on.

Oregon (Lewiston Highway, SR 3) just a few miles before the Washington state line.

Anatone, Washington.

Looking back down at Boggans Oasis.

Church in White Bird, Idaho.

The bridge just before Riggins, Idaho.

The Last Chance campground.

Home for a night.

Tomorrow I'll ride through McCall to Cascade, Idaho and stay at the Arrowhead RV park.