Diary & Travel Reports by Simon Milward

Mon, 22 Aug 2001 09:24:56 +0100
From: simon @ millennium-ride.com
To: sponsors @ millennium-ride.com

Hi Everyone,

I've been incredibly busy over the last month, mainly fundraising and associated stuff.

My engine quit last Saturday as I was distributing leaflets for Sunday's fundraiser. It always amazes me how things work out, I had met Mike and Carrie of Dual-Star.com in Anchorage who told me of a famous Rotax engine expert called Paul Pieroli here in Seattle, of Motorcycle Works of Renton. He fettles flat track race engines and rebuilds engines like mine as an evening project. He did one last night. We'll do mine later today when the parts (over $1,000 worth supplied free by Rotax) have arrived from Ron Wood Racing in Los Angeles. We are replacing every part which shows signs of wear. The seizure was not caused by my attempts to combust water, but probably by needle bearings swimming around in my oil, I had not managed to clean them all out in Vladivostok. This seizure could have happened on the Road of Bones! The main bearings were blown but the big and small ends are fine as is the piston and bore.

Seattle is in Washington State USA, the most North Westerly of the US States. I rode down from Alaska and through Canada's Yukon and British Columbia, about 5,000km. It's raining here (Seattlites will love me for that, they want the world to know it rains all the time here, tourists go home!) Seattle is famous too for its political activism. It was here that the first world-headline demo against the WTO took place. The 10th annual HempFest last weekend was more like a political rally against the government's war on harmless herbs. Hemp has so many uses (medicinal, textiles, car fuel) and could solve many of the world's problems. It all comes down to money of course, and the population shovels down their throats great loads of real drugs prescribed by doctors. Who are the real junkies and who are the real pushers, who is raking in phenomenal profits?

The ride South

Fast food joints, massive surfaced highways, road signs treating me like an idiot, mountains, great numbers of king salmon and their fishers, the Klondike gold rush, paddle steamers, Northern Lights folklore, First Nations communities, and trees trees trees, plus a beautiful ferry ride to save 1000km on my crank through BC's 'inside passage'.

I was baptised last week by biker pastor Tim Shea in the river at Wenatchee. I feel more complete now. God made my engine last until that point obviously! What a lovely ride through the Cascade Mountains burning with wildfires creating a soft orange light.

Fundraising

We've raised over $5000 on this continent so far. ABATE Alaska came in with $500 from the Kenai Chapter, $1,000 from Anchorage Chapter and $113 from Tanana Valley. With a local Goldwing club chipping in $100 and many individual donations the Alaska total was just shy of $3000.

Besides that Scott Hamman, Alaska's own giant in more ways than one and the State's best welder at Metal Magic, made me new aluminium boxes and welded the frame for what I hope will be the last time. Boyd in Anchorage bought me a new rear tyre, and in Fairbanks the local Harley dealer donated a chain tensioner roller unit whilst Besco came in with a new drive chain. We did some work at Midnight Sun motorcycles who also donated a new pair of gloves.

Although Anchorage Chapter claims the supreme accolade of being the first to donate $1,000 for a Yamaha to be used to save lives in Flores, we shall award ABATE of Alaska three such Yamahas. Their name will be painted on three since it was a wonderful welcome and great start to North America. Get yours before all twelve are claimed!

Fundraising picture shows took place at Whitehorse Yukon (thanks Jaime), Terrace in BC (thanks Ron), the Bee Cee Beemers rally in Kelowna (thanks Craig and Bill & co.), the Flying Swan Coffeehouse in Vancouver (thanks Bog & Julie) and the Pyramid Alehouse in Seattle. ABATE Bellingham donated $200 and challenged the other State ABATE groups to do likewise. ABATE Oregon came in with $400 even before I get there.

We've had some trouble with my CD with the powerpoint presentation on, showing pictures of the civil wars, marriage proposal, Dalai Lama, jungle madness and Road of Bones dunkings. Successive efforts culminated in us burning a new CD at Don and Susan's place in Vancouver. Don is a genius and got my tracker working too.

Yes the TRACKER IS WORKING, you can take a look at http://www3.integra.fr/cls/default.asp?user=simons%20trip&pass=sponsor

Just to make it clear, this Ride is raising money for the Dutch office of Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) and Health for All. The latter deals with medicines delivery by economical motorcycle. This idea was pioneered successfully by Riders for Health who work in many African countries, and who recently received a British award for best run charity. I had started to raise money for RfH, but since found there was also a great need in Asia. So with all current sponsors agreement, and the blessing of Riders for Health, we directed our efforts to a new pilot project in Flores Indonesia. So donators are now choosing between Medecins sans Frontieres and Health for All.

I always felt lucky after an accident when an ambulance would come along, scrape me up, cart me off to hospital, mend my bones, and send me out again. At those times I thought of fellow human beings in countries where no healthcare exists. That is why I am raising money for medical causes.

www.bikeland.org brought my ride to the attention of bikers around the US which has resulted in a number of fundraising events being planned. Various State ABATE groups are also organising things.

If you know of any clubs or groups (non-riders included) in the US who may be interested in seeing my 'interesting inspirational' fundraising picture show, email me and ask for the Description. As for when, sometime before December!

Take care eh?

Simon