Jolly Hockey Sticks!

What better way to spend your birthday than trying on some new clothes and taking drugs? After a short taxi ride to St Pauls, I was given my own room, a comfy bed and a lovely blue gown.  I was told it's all the rage to have a big gap down the back of your dress and as everyone else seemed to be going for it,  I thought 'why not? In for a penny, in for a .....dollar?'.  I love to experience new cultures and if this is what the Canadians do - being part Canadian myself - I felt it was only right to try it once! I got changed whilst wishing I'd done a better job of shaving my legs and had put bigger knickers on. I kept my socks on for a bit of colour and individuality and hopped on to the bed. I was just starting to feel good when the pain came back.

2 years already?

2 years today I left the Ace Cafe in London. Celebrating with a short ride around Vancouver with a good friend of mine -...
Posted by Steph Jeavons on Wednesday, March 23, 2016

New Look Rhonda Revealed!

After so many faithful miles on the road I decided it was time to give Rhonda a make-over! I felt she deserved a bit of a spruce-up. There were also a couple of things I wanted to address. The external framework put on in Sumatra was now rusting and cracked. It was no longer giving any support. Since our crash in Colombia, my side bags had holes in them and were no longer waterproof. With my continued shoulder concerns and the wilderness of Alaska to face soon, I wanted to make her as lightweight as possible and to distribute  the remaining weight around the rest of the bike, putting less pressure on the tail. This would make manoeuvring and handling smoother. It will also give me a slim chance of being able to pick her up with just one good arm (hmmm!). It would take pressure off the subframe and of course give us a sexy new look for our next leg! With a bad shoulder and damaged cartilage in my hip, it was also time to address the positioning on the bike to see if we could reduce my reach and increase the seat support!

Medical and Mechanical Make-overs!

Presentation in Bend

By the time I had made it to Corvallis I was experiencing a great deal of discomfort. My shoulder problem had been getting steadily worse to the point of constant and worsening pain. I could no longer raise my arm above shoulder height (in fact way below shoulder height) and if I accidentally moved it backwards or in 'the wrong way', I would find myself on the floor and screaming in agony. Sleep was difficult and broken. Riding was becoming more and more uncomfortable and the rest of my body complained as it tried to compensate and protect the damaged area. Slowing down or stopping was not an option as I had to make my presentations. Money had run out and my only chance of continuing was to keep to these events. It was put-up or go home time! Luckily my last two events (for now) were fairly close together (Bend and Hillsboro).They went very well and were good fun thanks to the people who organised them.

Forests, Fundraisers and Firearms!

The Nimble Collective

It has been an incredibly busy week and yet I have still had time to stop and smell the flowers - or in this case - look at the trees! One of the striking things about parts of California and Oregon is the abundance of trees! The Spanish Moss in parts is delightful to see. The silvery grey strands that dangle from each branch create a wonderfully spooky appeal. The only other place I have seen this is heading towards Ushuaia - the windswept and Southernmost tip of the Americas. The Redwood, of course, cannot be ignored. You must not miss the Avenue Of The Giants if you ever find yourself riding between Lakeport and Eureka. Get off the 101 and take the 254 around Myers Hill, rain or shine and...well.....enjoy the ride! The famous coastline is wonderful, but it's not the only treat in store for you if you choose to ride this part of the world.