Driving through the heavens!

Front Royal, Va to Roanoke, Va - 221 miles.
Set out as the sun rose about 6.30 and so glad I did to see everything else wake up enroute. Grabbed what I can only say is a jaw dropping incredible Skyline Drive within the Shenandoah National Park 112 miles of the most windy slopping inclining roads ever - not for the faint hearted and couldn't do much more than 30mph max! But the most amazing smooth Tarmac ever!
Deer, rabbits, squirrels all crossing the road so extra caution but honestly I only saw 1 other vehicle on the whole route! Yes, that's what I thought impossible anywhere in Europe. Mist rose from the hills and the skies were blue but got colder as I climbed in altitude.
At 10.30 approx after 4 hours immediately entered The Blue Park Ridgeway - yes amazing with similar scenery but although more famous the roads were not so good - as they say in London 'a lot of pot holes!'
A tiny bit more traffic like half a dozen vehicles the whole way - felt like royalty that they'd opened it all up just for me.
Also tested the GoPro - we'll see about that later.
After 8 hours of sublime but testy driving arrived in the bigger than expected Roanoke.
Almost have a heart attack as I thought I'd been conned in paying for room in advance - arrive at address and nothing there! It's just a ice cream parlour! Help well call the number and stupidly is same number but on south of street! Why god knows!
The inn on Campbell - beautiful and a feel already of Southern style and comfort.
Ok time to hit town and get some good food.

Boston, Ma to Front Royal,Va - 520 miles

Before the trip started met up with amazing @mvelazquez57 my twitter buddie who is planning her own trip on a Bonnie to Central America the week after - fab.
Day 1 - oh boy if I knew what was coming I may have delayed by a day - left Waltham, Ma around 6.30am and quickly made time along the Mass Turnpike, south down rte 395 to catch rte 95 along the east coast. Reached Manhattan n George Washington bridge with glorious views over the Hudson on this scary double decker bridge. Then I get into NJ and the heavens open up ... For more than 100 miles I'm having to ride thru the heaviest rain ever with the American mega trucks coming down on me - not good!
Amazing but for that whole 330 miles to Williamsburg only saw about 3 other bikers! Where are they? Finally soaked and exhausted after 8 hrs which should have taken 6 due to stopping to shelter arrived at the Sheraton and guess what? No not a cocktail but in the laundry room washing all my clothes! Everyone really kind, friendly n helpful and everyone with a story to tell. I crashed thinking I dealt with the most difficult day - ha ha!
Day 2 - another early start but wonder of wonders I open the curtains n bright blue skies. The storm has passed thank god. Pack and say bye to Wilmington a busy apparently fairly dangerous place which at least gave me comfort during the storm. Immediately the roads seem less congested and the first half is really nice riding in the sun and stopping for a good coffee in Chesapeake Bay.... And on I go approaching Washington DC but not realising how complex the road system is ... Finally by pure chance met 2 police in their car - had a long chat about this and that and their written directions were crucial in finding Rte 66 - no not that Rte 66! to Virginia and Front Royal - great the roads got smaller and smaller untilI rolled up to a nice little Quality Inn spending the rest of the day walking down the 1 street of the place which is pretty quirky and lazing by the pool. Life is funny - talked to guys doing a 6 month hike along The Appalachians which sounds amazing but they were jealous about hearing my story! All relative I guess. Already done over 500 miles so better sort oiling the chain a bit tonight with maybe a drink with the hikers in a Blues live music bar we'll see as may just crash.

Just 1 week before I hit US Tarmac

Yes, time is out of control - spending Queens wonderful Jubilee weekend packing and re-packing to get just the bare essentials into my small bag I'll tie down behind me ... Good thing its cold and rainy and not tempted to be out biking

Official count down starts today - 2 weeks until wheels hit tarmac!

It's official, time is running away from me and it will be just a week on Saturday that I fly out to Boston to start the trip and 2 days later on the 12th that I hit the road.  I remember 2 years ago planning the initial stages - that seems like no time either! 

So last weekend,  I met up with kind and patient Stu at Jack Lilleys Triumph to go through some prepatory stuff to basically put my mind to rest and not waste time or worries over in America.

The chain which I was paranoid about, I think I'm OK with now - taking the right spanners and practice with Seb. Next was to make sure I knew my way around the new T100 I'll be riding to check about fitting the luggage with appropriate straps tied under the seat or side bars - don't want that Armani dress flying away in the wind!  Taking my own chain oil and engine oil so self sufficient not needing to find any on the way. Apparently I'll need to lub the chain every c.300 miles so probably every day and keep an eye on the oil - a 1 litre bottle should do the +4 000 miles. 

The house is also now looking like a Tsunami has just hit it with all the bits and pieces I'll be taking over the place -  and the serious packing and unpacking to make sure it all fits into just one small bag will start this weekend.

I've decided that the side bags I've been promised I'll get will be used for the tools and bike stuff on one side and the other for stuff I immediately need to grab like glasses, suntan lotion (yes I am allowed to say I'm having a holiday and will try and get a bronze tan - at least on part of the unhelmeted face and gloved arms!) and the whole array of maps I've bought - I'm still pretty adamant that I dont want satnav - everyone says it creates more of a problem and hey, I want to do a bit of work and the routes probably won't be direct anyway.

....
y he visto hoy que aqui en mi blog tengo muchos amigos de Espana - hola !

Really just a small world

Been getting to grips with twittering since last weekend and just can't believe how many similar minded people are out there trying to have the adventure and do their little bit back to society - thought the idea of creating some cards for the Bonneville and Amazon Fund to take with me and give out before I leave would be a good idea.

http://www.avaaz.org/en/veto_dilma_global/?copy

Amazin Amazon "Go or Bust" Fund

Thought long and hard about setting up a special charity fund for contributions while I'm on the road, to push me to finish and to promote what I strongly believe in - conserving the Amazon Rainforest.

The Nature Conservancy "Protecting nature. Preserving life"

After a lot of research, this seems like the perfect charity.  Click on the jaguar opposite.

It tells my story about my time and adventure spent in the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest and what I saw to make me strongly believe we need to do something to save it.  Or click on ...

http://support.nature.org/goto/amazon.go-or-bust.fund

All contributions and messages in the guest book greatly appreciated.

And by pure coincidence, there's an even stronger link, I'll be meeting the person who helps run it on the last leg of my trip - more to follow!

p.s. and now just 1 month to go !  Touch down in the US of A on the 8th June!

Saw the Bob Marley film yesterday .... a truly amazing life journey ...

"Life is one big road with lots of signs.

So when you riding through the ruts, don't complicate your mind.
Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy.
Don't bury your thoughts, put your vision to reality .

Wake Up and Live!"