April 29, 2013

April 29, 2013

Here we sit all nervous and excited in the Billings, Montana airport, 2 full hours before our flight.  Bags are checked, bodies are scanned, and Jonnie got the extra personal pat down.  We fly from here to Salt Lake City to Los Angeles and finally arriving in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia on May 1, 2013 @ 0700. One 650 Vstrom and one 1000 Vstrom wait for us there. Our good friend Dan drove us here so we do not have to leave the vehicle for 3 months.   Carl just got off the phone with Mark Reis. Got to check in with our electronics guru before we leave.

While it is customary to give a thank you to everyone that has helped or aided you at the end of an adventure, we feel it is important to thank everyone that has made the journey possible, at the beginning. 

Dan and Melody Bircher for watching over our business, doing the mail and keeping the “empire” running.

Aaron Ashear is housesitting and mowing the lawn for us these next 3 months.

Cameron and Kath Neilsen in Brisbane, sold us one motorcycle, found us the other one, stored both bikes at their house for the past month or more.  They will pick us up at the airport, take us to their home, help us get the bikes registered and insured and they are planning a group ride for us so that we can get used to riding on the wrong side of the road.  Cam insists that they drive on the right side of the road but in reality we ride on the right, they ride on the left! He retorts that it is the “correct” side of the road.   On top of all of this he had spent time on the phone checking into insurance for us, finding someone to do a short term policy and passing on to us what information we need to bring with us and he serviced the bikes.

Cliff Clevenger all around handy man that can fix or repair anything that goes wrong at the home front while we are gone.

The IBA and LDRider for their collective knowledge and encouragement.  

Far Riders, what a great bunch of people. The bikes we will be riding, offers of accommodations were all possible through the connections we made through their forum.