2012 has been an interesting year...Leslie got a new job and is now working for BC Transplant as an Organ Donation Coordinator and Organ Donation Specialist.
Cheryl continues to do well in her police career and we got engaged. Wedding will be next August 2013. More info please read below.
Cheryl and I met in 1997 in Bellingham, Washington. We kept in touch over the year via the internet plus flying back and forth. Before we both knew it I moved all the way across the country to a new country no less in march 1998 and been here ever since. I, meaning Leslie grew up in New York on Long Island where her family still remains except my brother.
Went to College in upstate NY and grad school back on Long Island where I got my Masters Degree in Social Work. In 1999 I started working as an Intensive Care Unit Social Worker at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver, BC and loved my job after all those years.
Cheryl grew up in the lower mainland of BC and many of her family members are here as well. Beautiful place to grow up and go to school. Throughout Cheryl's teenage years and adulthood she worked for her mother's family business. However, at the ripe old age of 35 she decided to embark upon a career in law enforcement which she has been enjoying for over 5 years. Cheryl has found a passion within the Police force working with kids in schools.
We have been together as partner's for 15 years and after Cheryl graduated Depot (Police Training) we both got motorcycles and our licenses. I grew up on bikes and Cheryl always wanted to learn to ride. Learning was easy for Cheryl and getting back on a bike for me just made sense. Cheryl thinks I am obsessed with bikes but to be honest once she is on the road I can't stop her.
Cheryl loves video games, I love wild life, Cheryl dreams about white sandy tropical beaches, I dream about seeing the polar bears in Hudson Bay, Manitoba.
Opposites attract and we both share a passion for adventure motorcycle touring. We learned this after buying our first 2010 BMW F650GS bikes. We travel well together making sure we are both taking care of ourselves. Cheryl is the brains, mechanic, navigator and packer, I am the organizer/planner.
Cheryl is the quiet one, I am the loud New Yorker. Cheryl loves video games, I love live web cams featuring Bald Eagles, Falcons, osprey's and Owls. In the end it seems to work.
This guy had an amazing adventure fore sure and lucky to be still alive as like he said its not always how the media make it look to be. I was lucky to be able to see some of the world before I was twenty years old sailed completely round the world lived in Australia for two years, I wished I could go and do some of it on a motor cycle like he did to see how its changed or not, but there is still a lot I have not seen in Canada so I will work o that first.
I agree he is one lucky guy for sure and i also agree Canada and North America has so much to offer and riding to do!
Amazing! I’ve read just about every book that I can get my hands on about overland travelers. Emilio Scotto, Long Way Round and Long Way Down, Mondo Enduro, Greg Frazier and have meet Grant and Susan Johnson of Horizons Unlimited and heard them tell their story. This is a story that I’ve not heard before. I’m going to see if our local BMW dealer will have him over for a night to tell his story. Thank you for turning me onto another amazing and brave motorcyclist.
you are welcome!
I remember following Glen Heggstad’s journey on AdvRider, often wondering how he was going to get through the more adventurous days, such as that shredded tire in Africa, passing kidney stones, every day an adventure.
He told the story with wit and charm and respect for the people he met. I bought his books and passed them on to the public library; this video brought back a lot of memories.
Thanks!
never really heard of him until Gary from AK sent me his link…been reading his ride report..amazing what some endure and then to carry on?? Impressive and admirable.