Nothing new or terribly exciting to pass on - just a brief up date on what's happening.
First, although Rosi is able to temper it quite well, I'm REALLY freak'n excited about our upcoming trip! I've now bought all the gadgets and gizmo's that Rosi will allow so the prep is all done. We leave on the 10th for Phoenix where I'll pull the bike from storage and get a service done and install all the gear that's been shipped and waiting for me at Dad's. The plan is to be on the bike and rolling by 7:00am on the 12th because it's like last year. There's not a lot to see in Northern Mexico so we'll have three fairly long days in the saddle before we make out first major stop in Saltillo, just outside of Monterrey.
The last few weeks have been a real whirlwind of activity. I was away for a week in Kamloops conducting an audit, got home on Friday night and by noon Saturday we were heading to Vancouver to attend David's fiftieth birthday party. It was a great time and we're glad we could be part of it. On Sunday Tami and Rosi drove back together and I caught an early flight to Winnipeg where I was for three days teaching a course. And just for the record, I'll NEVER complain about the weather here in Summerland EVER again. Not now that I've experienced 20 below with 80kph winds and a windchill of minus 30! Thanks, but not for me!
I'm back home again for a few days and on Monday I leave again for another week to conduct an audit in Clearwater. So far it's been great. I'm busy and having a ball!
Rosi is well and holding down the fort and has her game face on for the trip. It was scary for a brief time because the weather in the area we're going to was unseasonably cold - but it's great again and we're looking forward to some hot hot days. And more important - it'll be great to see the sun again. The Okanagan may be mild in the winter but sunny it's not.
Anyway, that's it for now
Cheers
Friday, January 29, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Busy Times Indeed
Just a quick update to let friends and family know we're alive and well. Not much new to report I'm afraid - just same ol, same ol.
In the past few weeks we've concentrated on getting things back to normal after Christmas and I've continued on my prep for the trip. Nothing too exciting there either. I don't want to say it's old hat, because that implies we're not excited, but it is a lot easier now that we've done it a few times. I've ordered a few more things for delivery to AJ (thanks Dad!) and there'll be a flurry of activity just before we leave but at this point the prep it's pretty much done.
The next few weeks will just fly by because we're really going to be busy. I'm leaving this Monday for a week in Kamloops to conduct an audit. When I get back I have two more assignments out of town and then we leave on our trip. And between business trips we're making a quick trip down to Vancouver to attend David's 50th birthday party. Wow - who would have thought, 50? Yikes, that means I'm not far behind!
Business wise things are really cooking. The three assignments I have this month are all repeated to some degree every month we get back until the end of June. July and Aug are always slow for training and audit and then it'll all start back up in the second half of the year. When we're on the trip I'll be working most evenings. (What can I say? Work is the necessary evil that pays for the trip so I guess it's a fair trade) I signed up as a mentor for an on-line cohort for two different credit union courses which take about 10 hours/week each and I'm working with a marketing consultant and a website developer to rebrand my business. Very soon Dexco Training Consultants will officially be Dexco Consulting to better reflect the other things I'm doing besides training. I'll be dealing with this during the trip too so that I can launch my new website as soon as I'm back. I guess it's true, there really is no rest for the wicked :-)
That's it for now
Cheers
In the past few weeks we've concentrated on getting things back to normal after Christmas and I've continued on my prep for the trip. Nothing too exciting there either. I don't want to say it's old hat, because that implies we're not excited, but it is a lot easier now that we've done it a few times. I've ordered a few more things for delivery to AJ (thanks Dad!) and there'll be a flurry of activity just before we leave but at this point the prep it's pretty much done.
The next few weeks will just fly by because we're really going to be busy. I'm leaving this Monday for a week in Kamloops to conduct an audit. When I get back I have two more assignments out of town and then we leave on our trip. And between business trips we're making a quick trip down to Vancouver to attend David's 50th birthday party. Wow - who would have thought, 50? Yikes, that means I'm not far behind!
Business wise things are really cooking. The three assignments I have this month are all repeated to some degree every month we get back until the end of June. July and Aug are always slow for training and audit and then it'll all start back up in the second half of the year. When we're on the trip I'll be working most evenings. (What can I say? Work is the necessary evil that pays for the trip so I guess it's a fair trade) I signed up as a mentor for an on-line cohort for two different credit union courses which take about 10 hours/week each and I'm working with a marketing consultant and a website developer to rebrand my business. Very soon Dexco Training Consultants will officially be Dexco Consulting to better reflect the other things I'm doing besides training. I'll be dealing with this during the trip too so that I can launch my new website as soon as I'm back. I guess it's true, there really is no rest for the wicked :-)
That's it for now
Cheers
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
All over but the crying!
Well, Christmas is now over and it's on to other things.
We had a wonderful Christmas, with lots of great food and good times. Brad flew in from Victoria and Pam and the kids and Anne joined us for Christmas eve and Christmas dinner.
Here's wishing all our friends and family a healthy and prosperous 2010!
But.............NOW, we can turn our minds to more important things, motorcycling!!
We leave for Veracruz in just over six weeks and things are starting to fall into place. Through the marvel of modern technology and the magic of the Internet I was able to buy my Mexican motorcycle insurance and out-of-country medical insurance all online, all from the comfort of home. Likewise, even the Mexican Govt has jumped on the Internet bandwagon. You have to understand; crossing personally into Mexico is easy, whether by plane or bus. All you need is a quick stamp in your passport and a simple tourist visa and you're on your way. But.......taking a vehicle into Mexico is another matter. Now it's not immigration you're dealing with, it's Customs. It's still relatively easy but certainly not painless. There's LOT's of paperwork, stamps, fees and a LONG lineup at the border if it's a busy time. Or........you can just log onto the new Mexican Govt website and fill out everything online, pay with your visa and wham, bam, thank you ma'am, you're on your way! FedEx delivers all your import documents directly to your door ten days later - you scan your drivers license, passport and vehicle registration along with a letter promising to ensure your vehicle leaves the country within a specified time period and you're done. When you show up at the border you still have to get your visa and passport stamped but it's in a separate (MUCH faster) line and you just drive on through. Gotta love it!
And of course, no Mexico motorcycle trip would be complete without some new kit. I was well behaved at the Seattle motorcycle show so I don't feel too guilty;
http://www.cycleluggage.com/shad-sh46-top-case.html
http://www.bestrestproducts.com/c-98-beadbrakr.aspx
And of course my poor Dad in Apache Junction now has to play the part of shipping receiver and accept delivery of all my spur of the moment purchases. Every time I order something I promise him it's the last time......and then inevitably I follow up with something else....thanks Dad!
Well that's it for now - lots of planning still to do. It'll be close to 6,000 klm return and this time we're determined that Rosi will have a better time than last year!
Cheers
We had a wonderful Christmas, with lots of great food and good times. Brad flew in from Victoria and Pam and the kids and Anne joined us for Christmas eve and Christmas dinner.
Here's wishing all our friends and family a healthy and prosperous 2010!
But.............NOW, we can turn our minds to more important things, motorcycling!!
We leave for Veracruz in just over six weeks and things are starting to fall into place. Through the marvel of modern technology and the magic of the Internet I was able to buy my Mexican motorcycle insurance and out-of-country medical insurance all online, all from the comfort of home. Likewise, even the Mexican Govt has jumped on the Internet bandwagon. You have to understand; crossing personally into Mexico is easy, whether by plane or bus. All you need is a quick stamp in your passport and a simple tourist visa and you're on your way. But.......taking a vehicle into Mexico is another matter. Now it's not immigration you're dealing with, it's Customs. It's still relatively easy but certainly not painless. There's LOT's of paperwork, stamps, fees and a LONG lineup at the border if it's a busy time. Or........you can just log onto the new Mexican Govt website and fill out everything online, pay with your visa and wham, bam, thank you ma'am, you're on your way! FedEx delivers all your import documents directly to your door ten days later - you scan your drivers license, passport and vehicle registration along with a letter promising to ensure your vehicle leaves the country within a specified time period and you're done. When you show up at the border you still have to get your visa and passport stamped but it's in a separate (MUCH faster) line and you just drive on through. Gotta love it!
And of course, no Mexico motorcycle trip would be complete without some new kit. I was well behaved at the Seattle motorcycle show so I don't feel too guilty;
http://www.cycleluggage.com/shad-sh46-top-case.html
http://www.bestrestproducts.com/c-98-beadbrakr.aspx
And of course my poor Dad in Apache Junction now has to play the part of shipping receiver and accept delivery of all my spur of the moment purchases. Every time I order something I promise him it's the last time......and then inevitably I follow up with something else....thanks Dad!
Well that's it for now - lots of planning still to do. It'll be close to 6,000 klm return and this time we're determined that Rosi will have a better time than last year!
Cheers
Monday, December 14, 2009
Seattle Motorcycle Show
We drove down to Seattle on the weekend to attend the motorcycle show. Some great bikes to try on for size and some good deals on accessories!
And Priceline came through once again! We received a screaming good deal on our hotel in Seattle, and an even better deal at the Marriot in Vancouver the next night. I highly recommend Priceline the next time you're trying to book a hotel.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Find Me Spot!
Hi All
Not much new to report - pretty much same ol, same ol.
I completed my assignment in Lillooet and did a quick turnaround and headed right back out to Ashcroft. I was there for a week conducting another audit and then back home to catch up on paperwork, complete a project and present a webinar on-line to approx 20 participants.
Tomorrow Rosi and I are heading down to Seattle to go to their big motorcycle show. Brad is joining us and from there we'll head up to David's and Terry's for their annual Christmas party. A good time is sure to be had by all - and my credit card will undoubtedly get a good work out at the show. Rosi and I both need new helmets ( OK she needs one and I just want one - but hey, a want is pretty close to a need, right?) and I'm always looking for new gadgets for the bike. It should be fun.
One interesting thing I just bought though, is the SPOT GPS tracker. It's VERY cool!
http://www.findmespot.ca/en/
We originally saw one of these at the Horizon's rally in Nakusp and I've wanted one ever since. It's basically a one-way GPS communications device. You sign up for their annual service and then you can pre-program up to ten separate e-mail addresses into your account. Every time you press the button it sends a pre-formatted e-mail to your contact list letting them know you're alive and well, plus it gives your GPS co-ordinates and links them to an embedded Google map that plots your course as you travel. Rosi and I will be on the Road in Mexico pretty soon when we go to Veracruz and this will allow friends to follow along. It also has another cool feature - if you press the SOS button it sends a signal to a monitoring centre in Houston. They then can get in touch with the authorities in over 200 countries and dispatch help directly to your GPS co-ordinates. And if they don't have access to the authorities in the particular country you're in they'll immediately get in touch with your Consulate or Embassy to solicit their assistance. If Search and Rescue is necessary they'll pay up to $100,000 to cover this expense as part of their insurance program.
It's probably overkill for just Mexico but I'll be on some pretty remote roads this summer because I'm riding to Colorado and I'm still planning on a South American trip in the near future and this will give Rosi a degree of comfort while I'm away on the road.
Well that's it for now
Cheers
Not much new to report - pretty much same ol, same ol.
I completed my assignment in Lillooet and did a quick turnaround and headed right back out to Ashcroft. I was there for a week conducting another audit and then back home to catch up on paperwork, complete a project and present a webinar on-line to approx 20 participants.
Tomorrow Rosi and I are heading down to Seattle to go to their big motorcycle show. Brad is joining us and from there we'll head up to David's and Terry's for their annual Christmas party. A good time is sure to be had by all - and my credit card will undoubtedly get a good work out at the show. Rosi and I both need new helmets ( OK she needs one and I just want one - but hey, a want is pretty close to a need, right?) and I'm always looking for new gadgets for the bike. It should be fun.
One interesting thing I just bought though, is the SPOT GPS tracker. It's VERY cool!
http://www.findmespot.ca/en/
We originally saw one of these at the Horizon's rally in Nakusp and I've wanted one ever since. It's basically a one-way GPS communications device. You sign up for their annual service and then you can pre-program up to ten separate e-mail addresses into your account. Every time you press the button it sends a pre-formatted e-mail to your contact list letting them know you're alive and well, plus it gives your GPS co-ordinates and links them to an embedded Google map that plots your course as you travel. Rosi and I will be on the Road in Mexico pretty soon when we go to Veracruz and this will allow friends to follow along. It also has another cool feature - if you press the SOS button it sends a signal to a monitoring centre in Houston. They then can get in touch with the authorities in over 200 countries and dispatch help directly to your GPS co-ordinates. And if they don't have access to the authorities in the particular country you're in they'll immediately get in touch with your Consulate or Embassy to solicit their assistance. If Search and Rescue is necessary they'll pay up to $100,000 to cover this expense as part of their insurance program.
It's probably overkill for just Mexico but I'll be on some pretty remote roads this summer because I'm riding to Colorado and I'm still planning on a South American trip in the near future and this will give Rosi a degree of comfort while I'm away on the road.
Well that's it for now
Cheers
Monday, November 23, 2009
Greetings from Lillooet
Greetings from Lillooet.
I'm over here for the full week conducting an audit. The drive over was absolutely beautiful. It's been years and years since I came down on the No 1 through the Fraser Canyon, and I forgot how scenic it is. The last time I came this way was probably back in the early eighties when we lived in Salmon Arm the first time - and even that probably stopped in '86 after they opened the first stretch of the Coquihalla.
Anyway, it's a pretty little town but no pictures I'm afraid, because I didn't bring a camera.
I'll be working during the day conducting an audit and each evening I'll have to spend a few hours marking some assignments and logging into the net because I'm an online tutor for a group of 21 adult learners taking a credit course from various locations across the country.
Apparently it's true, there's no rest for the wicked.
I'm over here for the full week conducting an audit. The drive over was absolutely beautiful. It's been years and years since I came down on the No 1 through the Fraser Canyon, and I forgot how scenic it is. The last time I came this way was probably back in the early eighties when we lived in Salmon Arm the first time - and even that probably stopped in '86 after they opened the first stretch of the Coquihalla.
Anyway, it's a pretty little town but no pictures I'm afraid, because I didn't bring a camera.
I'll be working during the day conducting an audit and each evening I'll have to spend a few hours marking some assignments and logging into the net because I'm an online tutor for a group of 21 adult learners taking a credit course from various locations across the country.
Apparently it's true, there's no rest for the wicked.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Quick trip south
This is after the fact but earlier this month I did a quick four-day run down to Apache Junction to put my bike in storage down there. Brad and I left here on a Friday morning and rode approx 2,800 klm via Death Valley and the Grand Canyon before arriving at my dads place in AJ. It was an interesting trip but exhausting. We did long miles during the day and I had to do quite a bit of work each evening online because I have several projects on the go. The scenery in Death Valley and the GC were well worth it though. I've attached a slide show of my Picassa Album into my blog. Just click on the small picture and it'll take you to the album. Brad and I both took hundreds of pictures but I took pity on Picassa and only downloaded a few as a sample.
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