London England-Europe-Russia-America. 26 countries, 19661 riding miles.


England, Wales, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, Russia, South Korea, Japan, North America (19 States, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virgina, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, New York) Ireland.
9882 miles (flights/ferries as the crow flies) TOTAL DISTANCE TRAVELLED 29543 Miles/47545 Kilometers

Trip Schedule

Ace Cafe, Stonebridge, London 7pm Mon 21st April-Send off with Riders Digest magazine. http://www.theridersdigest.co.uk/distribution.html
Official start-St. Teresas Hospice, Darlington, Co. Durham 11am Wed 23rd April St Georges Day.
Farleigh Hospice, Chelmsford, Essex 1pm Tues 29th April.
Dover, P&O ferry, 10am Thurs 1st May.
Europe 1 month.
Trabzon, Turkey to Sochi, Russia Tues 3rd June. 90 day visa.
Zarubino, Russia to Sok Cho Korea Mon 28th July.
Incheon, Korea to Seattle USA, via Tokyo, Japan Fri 15th Aug.
JFK New York to Gatwick UK, via Dublin, Ireland Wed 24th Sept
Official finish-Farleigh and St.Teresas Hospices dates TBA.


Many thanks to our sponsors!

I'd like to thank everyone who helped make this trip possible.


CitySprint www.citysprint.co.uk/
The Riders Digest www.theridersdigest.co.uk/

A special thankyou to Frank and Liz at http://www.triumph-online.co.uk/ for such generosity. They gave us almost all the spares and tools we needed to keep the bikes running across Russia, just because they were proud of two British guys wanting to ride two British bikes around the world.

A big thankyou to Graham at http://www.bykebitz.co.uk/ for the Airhawk seat cushion. Without a doubt the most comfortable bike seat I've ever had. Much more comfortable than a gel seat!
Thanks to David Gath at http://www.motohaus.com/ for the Ventura headlight guard. It saved my headlight on many occasions on the Amur Highway.
Thanks to http://www.wemoto.com/ for the brake pads.
Thanks to Rick and everyone at Casade Moto Classics, Beaverton, Oregon, for helping me at such short notice. http://www.cascademoto.com/

Thankyou to everyone who has given their time and effort to ensure the trip went smoothly.
It's the small companies who really make the world go round.

Thankyou Mark & Lee for ensuring we had a good send off, Roman for the tyres in Volgograd, Mikail & the Iron Tigers for the use of their shop, Phil & Dot for their friendship & inspiration, Wendy for shipping the bikes from Korea (& buying me dinner 3 nights in a row) Mike & Jo for keeping me sane in Korea, David Janos for amazing hospitality, advice, collecting my bike from Seattle & taking me sailing! Stan Hellmann for showing me the best of Oregon, Greg for air freighting the bike home & of course Geoff, for helping me realise my dream.

Thursday 28 August 2008

The lights are on and I'm far from home.


I'm going to miss Port Townsend, especially the sourdough pizzas! Judging distances here takes some getting used to, everywhere is along way away but compared to Russia, not so far! It's good to be back on the road, even if it was only back to Seattle, but I promised to visit my cousin Alycia and her family. She'd booked a hotel for me which I stumbled upon accidentally, as the name had changed. There's too much information along the roads here, it's almost impossible not to look at all the neon signs, adverts and info along the way, as well as having to follow the road signs and scribbled directions on my tank bag in busy traffic. Totally different to riding in Russia.
Only a short run to Ballard to Alycia's house in a very nice area. We sat eating a traditional American dish, pizza. She has an amazing family and I'm glad to be related to such nice people.
Unfortunately my bike wasn't happy. The engine management light (or money light, mechanics tanning booth light etc.) refused to go out. It seems to run ok so I think it's a minor problem but I have to go to a Triumph dealer to be certain before crossing the US. There's one South of here in Tacoma and another one near Portland, Oregon so if it's nothing major, I can continue. The only problem I've had with the engine so far was occasionally running on 2 cylinders instead of 3. I attributed that to the poor petrol in Russia but I did it again twice here as well. Maybe a fuel injector problem caused by all the bad fuel, which will clear eventually or maybe that's why the engine light is on. It's a common problem with Triumphs to have this light stay on and usually nothing serious. I haven't touched any electrical components, so I know it's nothing I've caused which makes it harder to locate a problem.
I haven't budgeted for expensive repairs but if the worst happens I can sell the bike to get home. Not a choice I want to make, it's all I own.
The bike got me this far so I'm sure it can manage a few thousand miles more...

1 comment:

'Blue 88' said...

Rob at Tacoma Triumph will be happy to help you. Exit i5 at exit 125 heading South. As you hit the top of the 'Ramp' turn Left then Right, .. you'll see the 'Triumph' sign.