I kept opening my eyes and expecting to see the sun come out but had to give up after 3 hours. Gray skies and a wet tent were not exactly what I was hoping for, but it strengthened my lifelong suspicion that when it comes down to predicting the weather, a monkey does a better job than a meteorologist.

I packed up the tent and took a shower in the Commons House and started packing my stuff. I think now that I have less stuff with me, it takes longer to pack the bike. Hope I get better at this soon or I’ll have to wake up 2 hours earlier just to get ready.

Around noon, two of Pam’s friends came over and we talked for a good while, had a bowl of chili, said my goodbyes to everyone and headed toward town. I stopped at the Whitefish Pilot, the local newspaper, and had an interview that will be published next Thursday.

I headed toward Colombia Falls and mailed some unwanted documents back home, then searched the whole town for ear pieces for my MP3 player but no luck. I called up Joe and asked him to buy me a set and send it out with Kyle as there is no big town between Colombia falls and Canada.

I started looking for a camping spot and decided to go to Hungry Horse. Hungry Horse is Montana’s highest and the eleventh largest concrete dam in the U.S. It is built on the south fork of the Flathead River and is the gateway to Flathead National Forest. Water is crystal clear and the dam filled up a gigantic canyon with walls over 1000 feet high. It’s a very scenic drive so I took lots of pictures and finally found a turnout in the road for what seemed to be a perfect camping spot.

The dirt road took me to a beautiful river front spot and before I knew it, I was too close and my front wheel started to sink deeper and deeper. No matter how hard I tried I could not steer the bike out of soft ground and had to stop 2 inches from the water. With not a sole around and no way of getting out, I started walking back the mile or so to the road to get some help. After standing for what seemed to be an eternity, a white SUV came around the curve and I literally threw myself in the middle of road to stop it. The truck came to a stop and they followed me back to the crime scene but they never offered me a ride. I suppose if you’re stupid enough to get that close to the water, you deserve the walk of shame. Lots of pulling and shoving from my two helpers got the heavy beast moving again and I parked it on a high ground this time and in the direction of the road.

After pitching the tent and gathering some wet driftwood, I now have a fire going with a meat stew cooking on the coals as I’m writing this blurb. A little bit of fishing later and a cup of tea should cap off this gray and still wet day. Looking forward to seeing the sun one of these days…

Many doubts rushed through my mind when I watched Bill Ryder ride away. I asked myself this question as I rode off in the opposite direction toward Whitefish, MT: “What the hell am I doing?” My doubts were not of my own abilities, they were of the uncertainty of following years. Going around the world on a motorcycle is not a walk in a park, let alone taking on a global issue such as World Hunger.

The night before the expedition started, the bike broke down yet again. This time the voltage regulator/rectifier went bad as they are prone to do and at the most inconvenient time. I called up Bill Ryder and he rode his Kawasaki from the other side of the town in rain to come to my rescue with a unit off of a Honda. Tom Blankenship offered his garage and we worked on it until it was running again. I went back home and started gathering my stuff till I passed out. At 7 am the alarm went off and I kept on packing but it was a race against the clock. I had to be at the capitol building for the send off at 10 am and had no time to actually fit everything in the boxes so I shoved it all in as best I could and headed to the capitol.

It was an emotional time to see all the people I cared for standing and waiting to see me off. If there is one thing that I hate the most, it has to be saying goodbye. Hugging everyone, kissing the good looking ones, and off I went with 4 motorcycles in tow. We rode out of town towards McDonald Pass and I cursed the wind every second. It blew at 40 mph constantly, and my motorcycle having the aerodynamics of a brick, was thrashed about with every gust and I held for dear life. I said my goodbyes to Lonnie and the rest of the Harley gang and headed west toward Avon with Bill Ryder for lunch. The cafe at Avon was the last familiar place and Bill’s the last familiar face.

I have to admit, I do not like riding in rain. High winds and wet roads are also nerve wracking to say the least, but I had to press on towards Whitefish to meet up with Pam Gerwe to visit her farm. I got rained on every mile of the way, but my rain gear held up. I stopped a few times to clean my goggles, but it went smoothly the rest of the way. With all the gear, I am still getting around 43 mpg which is pretty good considering the wind and mountain passes. At 6 pm I arrived in Kalispell and went to a coffee shop to check my emails and get Pam’s phone number out of my laptop. I called Pam and arrived at her farm, the “Purple Frog Gardens” at 6:30pm.

Pam Gerwe is a small organic farm owner, alternative energy activist and a very bright person. She read my article in the newspaper and emailed me and offered a tour of her farm. We all gathered up in “Commons House” with other farm workers and had a hearty dinner of vegetables from the garden. We stayed up late into the night and discussed world hunger and I immensely enjoyed our conversations. I pitched my tent in the yard and crawled into my sleeping and before I knew it, the sun was coming up.

I spent most of the next day re-organizing the boxes on the bike and had to send back some clothes and extra gear that were unnecessary. Now I can fit everything in the boxes and nicely close the lids. In the afternoon I called Progressive Insurance and got the bike insured for Canada. I am meeting some business owners in town tomorrow and possibly a newspaper interview and will head towards Glacier National Park late afternoon.

The start of this expedition was hectic and could have been more organized but it all worked out. I am more prepared after my Whitefish stop and the weather forecast is favorable. Till next time….

When I decided to take the motorcycle rider course, I was very much in denial on how it could further improve my riding skills. 15 hours later, riding a Kawasaki Super Sherpa around loops under unbelievably knowledgeable instructors Ken Conrad and Udell Sharp changed all that.

The first day started rather boring with a couple hours of classroom lecture and 2 hours of walking the motorcycle around without even firing it up. Around 1 pm we were off to lunch and upon return the real deal started. From that point on, it was probably the most fun I had practicing useful techniques and was instructed after each run on how to make it better.

The second day was the most intense and we rode for 7 hours until we completed our riding test and written exam. Those of us who passed the course were awarded with a certification of completion. I strongly recommend taking this course no matter how experienced you are. There is much to be gained and I am a living example of it.

I would like to thank the Montana Motorcycle Rider Safety Foundation for sponsoring this expedition and giving me an opportunity to take advantage of this masterful step by step instruction. I would also like to thank Ken Conrad for offering me a spot in his class and for his wonderful advice and suggestions. He is a top-notch rider and a caring teacher. Thank you, Ken.

Entry into many countries requires certain immunization and preventive measures against diseases such as Hep A, Hep B, Malaria, and Yellow Fever. International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis is a mandatory piece of documentation to have in hand for border crossing in many countries. It must be complete and accurate in detail, or the traveler may be detained at many international ports of entry.

I have never imagined that I would volunteer  myself to be stabbed with needles full of viruses, but it had to be done. Couple of days of soreness and agony later, I am now vaccinated against: Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Polio, Typhoid, Yellow Fever, HEP A and HEP B.

My medical kit contains:

 Antibiotics: Amoxicillin, Ciprofloxacin
 Diarrhea medication: Acetazolamid, Diphen/Atrop
 Motion sickness: Promethazine
 Pain medication: Hydrocodone
 Malaria medication: Mefloquine
 Acute mountain sickness: Dexamethasone (Injection)
 Allergy Medication: Benadryl

The kit also includes insect bite medication, burn ointment, fever reducers, gauze, suture, tape, Band-Aids, disinfectant solution, Quickclot, blister kit,…

It is not far from reality to claim that it all started in our back yard, under the shade of our orange tree, when the temperature soared to 110ºF. Digging a hole with a stick and exploring the depths of the garden laid the groundwork for what became the first sparks of my passion to see and learn about the world. Many years passed till I had even the slightest understanding of the struggles that go on every day on every corner of this green and blue ball we call our planet.

History is filled with epic feats and compulsive conquests, narratives of national heroes climbing hand over hand to the top of great mountains, and civilizations being destroyed by greedy conquistadors over what they hungered for: gold. Although I have climbed big mountains, traveled much and seen more, after all those years, I still have not found greater contentment than knowing the people themselves. The sheer joy of sitting down with a sunburned farmer in Mexico or sharing a bottle of wine with a French cutie in Paris is what I value most.

Was Alexander the “Not So” Great wrong to burn the Persian Empire, or Francisco Pizarro for destroying the magnificent Inca civilization? Were all the lives of indigenous Americans who died on their own land lost in vain? Perhaps.

I am in no position to pass judgment on history, nor is my goal to “save the planet”, as we have not yet learned how to take care of ourselves. Lastly, I am not pointing a finger at any group or person per se, I am merely trying to understand it, taste it, and live it.

O. Christopher Sorbi