On the road to Maui # 5




Well when I last wrote 2 days ago or is it 3...things have been happening so fast it all seems a blur.


We had spent the night at the Holiday Inn Express 120 miles south of Sacramento had a great nights sleep and well needed rest,so we decided not to get up until 8:30am late for me . Today was the day I was looking forward too......Ride through the Mohave dessert day...I love desserts they have a huge attraction for me.
They can be Hot, silent,still, mysterious, beautiful ever changing in color and then in a flash can produce thunder storms,flash floods and drop below freezing. I never tire of riding through them and most times I do it alone,great place to let yourself loose or just be !!!!


We left the Hotel around 10am and the blacktop parking lot was already melting as the temperature rose like a rocket. Any sane traveler would have departed at 4 am but we wanted to see the dessert in all its mid-day glory.
By the time we reached Bakersfield our Gateway to the Mohave the temp was already in the low hundreds 102 to 105. We fueled up and I soaked my leathers and inside of helmet too with the aid of friendly store/ restaurant owner called PJ from India who happened to be hosing down the deck outside his restaurant as I rode up. We took some time out to chat and PJ showed us a short cut through the Almond farm district his family owned.


I thought I had left the 100 + MPH crazy Ca drivers back on the I-5 but no they all had a lets get the Irish,Argentinian meeting and came in low on the Deck of the dessert to try and take us out ,wish I had access to a drone!!!
They come up on you so fast, pass either side and I mean on the hard shoulder where you least expect them. Earlier that morning two who passed me on the inside together and nearly sent me to heaven early. The scary part was the guy behind me who decided to pass on the inside at around 95 (I was cruising at 75) was passed on the hard shoulder by a guy who had to be going at least 120 plus. Oh, Yes! forgot to mention I was about 30 yards from passing a Semi. By some crazy miracle they both made it through that small space missing Cynthia by a hair. It shook me up thinking I could have been taken out by Dummer and Dummer America`s answer to the WW2 German V1 rockets.

Desert Idiots aside the ride through the Mohave was so worth it ,yes it was hot ,but then thats part of the challenge of motorcycle riding. My hat goes of to cyclists who make that trip. We stopped near Edwards Air-force base and saw a couple of jet fighters going though maneuvers.


The road through the dessert is fairly straight but has lots of rolling hills that seem to go on forever into the far horizon the perfect road for any motorcyclist, if it was up to me I would love to live out there someday,don’t think I would get to many visitors which is a plus for this Irish hermit as Cynthia says I would be very alone Hahaha.


Then all of a sudden we were at the I-15 and it was over and we headed south to Corona for the night. The I -15 is another rat Race and was passed by a guy in a Mercedes coup on the inside as he went to Join Meatloaf on the Highway to Hell...


Ok I,m off to bed ….God be with you all and thanks for reading





Michael and Cynthia :0)

On The Road to Maui # 4




Ok, Today is wednesday sept 11 2013 10:53 AM we made it as far as Corona last evening by 6:30.
When I last wrote we were in a Motel 6 in weed Ca. We left weed at 6:30 am in search of a good cup of coffee in Mount Shasta 6 miles down the road. Last trip out here we had discovered a really good Mac Donald’s that served amazing coffee. Yes! I know Mac Donald’s aren’t you guys health nuts. Cynthia will search the four corners of the Globe to find good coffee!!


Hey who came up with the four corner thingy ? I mean first some religious Gargoyles told us it was flat, then old Columbus went nananananana its round and now its square...hey just saying thats all


Well 1 hour later no coffee we searched high and low, of course it had nothing to do with the fact that we were totally exhausted after recent events and of course the most important factor the brown bean was not coursing through our veins sinking our coffee radar. Think I just solved the Area 51 myth all those long haired freaks from Venice beach forgot their coffee and had illusions of Juan Valdez coming on a UFO bringing the answer to life.


Honestly cannot remember where, but I believe it was an Jack-in the Box 50 miles down the road in Redding??? that the brown liquid flowed through Cynthia Panama canal bring Argentina back into focus. It was a weak picture as the coffee was way below her standard, but alas it was coffee. So we played the positive thinking game telling ourselves this is really good coffee after 2 cups. It was then we noticed the Mall next door with Starbucks.....HELLLLLOOOOOOO!!!!!!!


All this to say early morning 95 Degree heat and no coffee makes you see 51 imaginary thoughts!!


The rest of that day saw us driving the I-5 past Sacramento playing with California Traffic. The I-5 past Stockton was all torn up and I felt as though I was in a motocross race. The road was full of potholes, bumps and long curves, the speed limit was posted 55 but the locals were hitting 75 to 85 if I obeyed the legal limit I would be writing this from the great beyond. My years of motorcycle Dispatch riding in London England paid of!!!! and then just as I thought can this get any faster,hotter102degress, longer it was 2:30 in the afternoon and Cynthia who was leading in the Nissan Altima pulled of in some unknown town booking us into a Holiday Inn Express a fitting end to race day on the NASCAR I-5.


Day 3 was the Mohave to Corona....write about that shortly...heading for lunch...later


Michael and Cynthia :0)

The Road to Maui # 3

Road to Maui # 3


What day is today...honestly I don’t know...I,m sitting in a motel 6 bathroom in Weed California and I forgot to bring my medical card (hahaha just kidding).
Cynthia is fast asleep..Oh I just looked at the time on my laptop its 4:21am Monday now whats the date...click its the 9 sept. Man I,m tired its been a long last ten days ?


Yesterday began not at 4 am as planned but around 6 am I think. I was a wakened not by the cell alarm but the knots in my stomach. I decided to untie them by changing my thought pattern. So I began to thank God for this present moment and decided to live it as though it was my last. I began to look forward to seeing Cynthia`s form rise out of the bed above ( I was on the floor, no not the Dog house or sofa, just could not sleep and did not want to keep Cynthia awake all night)


I began to start laughing inside , laughter is such healing medicine. I propped myself up on my elbows waiting for sight of Cynthia`s head over the edge of the bed. Moments Later she stirred when you are connected to someone so deeply you know when the other person is awake, because they can hear you moving around!!!


She looked down at me and said


“ are you crying”
“no I,m Laughing are you ready for our amazing adventure”


We both began to laugh hard..what a way to start a day...the only thing planned so far are airline tickets and passage for the Car / Bike on Pasha shipping. We do not have any accommodation etc booked on Maui.


30 mins later coffee in hand we finish loading the car, then Cynthia receives a call from Kelly Drake wondering if we are up yet. Bob and Kelly had arranged to meet us at The Pac Pride by Enchanted forrest to say good Bye.


10 mins later we are off Cynthia leading in the Car and Moi on the Beast . We have bags, a cooler full of snacks. At Aurora we Meet Dawn the fueler at Shell who loves her job because of Early morning sun rises.


At Woodburn stop text Bob and Kelly and 15 minutes later pull into Pac-Pride. Bob and Kelly were wearing their Maui Tea shirts. I have know them close to 15 years now. Last Time I saw kelly was on Maui last March. It was their first time meeting the Mythical Cynthia. They are Great friends . It was a great send of!!! Thanks Bob and Kelly.

The rest of the day was filled with great tired riding, met AL the Fueler who owns a Harley, Gerardo the ladies man who runs a spiffy gas station outside medford and then Gilbert fellow biker and Brian at Motel 6 weed cali.

We were exhausted mentally and Physically the heat was in the Nineties and will climb further as we head south today... The Mohave will be interesting.....


Ok thats it from this tired boy...now where are my bike leathers...mmmmm...Later Love you all

Michael and Cynthia ;0)

The Road to Maui :0)  # 2


I was checking out at the Cashiers desk at fred Meyers Beaverton yesterday, Cynthia was busy chatting to her nephew Leandro on the cell and I got chatting with David the cashier.


David asked


“ Any plans for the weekend”


I replied


“ Riding my motorcycle to Sandeigo with my wife driving the car , then loading both vehicles on to a ship for Maui and not coming back”


He looked at me in stunned silence and I said


“ can you beat that one”


He was genuinely surprised!


We then continued to have a short fun warm conversion after which we shook hands as if we had been old friends. David gave me a short bow as I left wishing us both a happy life, we had made his day and he mine.


I love moments like that when we really connect with our fellow primates hahahaha after all thats why we were put here on Gods amazing earth :0)


We drove back to Cynthia family home ,it had been a day of last minute errands and was not over yet.


Cynthia went upstairs to freshen up while I replaced my handle bar grips on the motorcycle with comfy new ones for the 1100 mile road trip.


Thirty mins later we headed out for the night to spend an evening with JAQ our son!!!
Jaq is going to collage in Portland ,he recently spent 3 years in the Army and is also a stand up comedian cant imagine where he gets that from. Actually both he and Casey have great senses of humor. Casey is attending Collage back in Michigan ,boy time fly’s.


We were all exhausted when we met up , Jaq took us to his local hang out. For the occasion he wore his 'Jesse Pinkman' Breaking Bad tee shirt. He turned us on to that show recently. Its one of the most intense and realistic shows about the illegal meth trade ,not for the faint of heart. Remember the Timid weak willed Dad in Malcolm in the middle?
He plays the top dog 5 star Meth Cook if you have not seen it,take a trip in that direction on Netflix and bring a friend along for the wild ride!


We retired early last night as we have to finish packing for the trip.
I feel we have been packing and preparing for the trip since my return from Maui last May.
You know Robinson Crusoe had it easy he was ship wrecked,washed ashore with just the shirt on his back ,no TSA , Shipping company or savings to worry about,just a cold sharp shock with a man friday meeting in the works,what an adventure.

This is my early morning attempt at a blog, my second, getting back into the swing of things.
This last week saw the selling of our RV to Tracy Bean a very close friend! and my business effects to the craigslist community. I spent most of the week at Ron and Mary Rosgen`s my Oregon family for life. We go back a long way and hopefully in the near future will find then a spot on the beach in our new tropical home.


Right then I,m of back to bed and hopefully when I next tap out a message on these keys it will be from somewhere south of the Oregon boarder sharing a cold one with Cynthia by a 5 star pool at Motel 6...cheers God Bless you all


Michael and Cynthia :0)

ON THE ROAD TO MAUI ?

Boy I have not written a blog in about emmmm let me see,ok a long time. Its 6:51 Sunday morning which back in the day in Green old Ireland would be called the morning after whatever mischief we got up to in the pub the night before. Thankfully this particular morning my head is not wearing an internal Balaclava ( Full covered ski mask over here) boy don’t miss waking up like that anymore .


I,m sitting in a comfortable leather reading chair in the beautiful new home of my  brother and sister in-law Abe and Sandy Barrientios
 (Thanks Abe and Sandy for your wonderful hospitilty!)
Cynthia is upstairs in dreamland. It is the morning after vacating our old apartment took many weeks to sell of and give away many years worth of effects and everything pretty much is gone save a few boxes in the garage here that we will sort out this week.


Truth be told I don’t miss any of our stuff,for sure I thought I would miss our King size comfortable bed and Big screen Netflix 47'' Lcd Movie viewer,don’t know what to call TV`s any more they have changed so much but no I don’t miss it,its like we never lived there, when its time to move on its time to move on.
After all its just stuff , when we pass on someday its not taking the ride with us. Bet there are a lot of Flat broke naked Egyptian Pharaohs walking around in circles with the wrong plane ticket in iceland watching a another bunch of guys looking for 72 virgins, maybe Richard Branson can help them ?


Thanks for reading this far I have no idea whats coming next,just getting back into practice before we hit the island and become lost again. I,m so looking forward to what God has planned for Cynthia this move. She so deserves a new life on Maui. Cynthia has worked so hard most of her life for others and now its her turn to eat a big chunk of pie , use her God given talents to infinity and beyond to borrow Buzz`s last words as he was catapulted out of “ The Hole In The Wall Pub” in Dublin last week.


She is a great business woman who has greatly organized this Irishman’s life.
Hey if it was not for her efforts we would never have gone to Maui in the first place. Seems like such a long time ago since we embarked from Hawaiian Air 236 into the first warm Pacific breeze and heard the rustling of the tall Palm Trees. I never wanted to go to Hawaii ,just figured it was full of noisy tourists, my Idea of a vacation is either riding into the sunset or sitting on a beach some where lost in the moment of dreamland. Boy was I wrong hahaha and shortly we will board a plane and head Home to the Island.


We have no Idea where we are going to live yet, its all part of the adventure of this great and wonderful life God has blessed us with, when you decide to let go and trust God anything can happen. Hey look at JOB ! You know guy in the old testament who`s fortune and family got whacked and spent his days lansing boils and God loved him deeply?.. yes! that was a blessing or an Irish Curse Hahahaha...like I said anything can happen our lives are not our own when we surrender them into his hands.


So In Few Days We will leave Oregon for Sandeigo to ship the vehicles, Cynthia Driving the Car and I riding the bike with some luggage and a Ukelele My friend and Maui lover Tim Malenosky gifted me last week, Mahalo TIM :0)
Cant you just see sitting me on the beach playing , singing a love song to Cynthia as the sun goes down.....Aloha everyone will write again soon!!!


MICHAEL AND CYNTHIA :0)

Well truth be told its a royal pain the Irish Derry-Aire being back.

I have the hardest time motivating myself to crawl out the front door when the first thing I see are cars in a parking lot and 200 yards beyond the I-5 with other cars making mating calls to the cars in my parking lot, wow modern civilization is so much fun,yup I have lost it !!.

Today I will look at all our belongings take pictures with the goal of selling on craigslist and Ebay it will keep me out of trouble and focused.

I will also be writing 3 blogs daily, going on long walks on the Wilsonville trails which are great by the way .

Boy I miss the  Maui beaches with warm white massaging sand under my bare feet , the pacific Breeze nothing better followed by the wind rustling the tall Palm tree`s.

Ok Back to reality...Some guy once wrote I came ,I saw, I conquered

Well I went ,I saw, I came back to pack. And now I,m of to do that...here is a true Ghost story that happened to me me when I was 19...enjoy

A visitor from the past?

OK, I’m 19 and with some friends have decided to visit a town called “Kinsale” ( Built By the Spanish) in the south of Ireland for the weekend with some friends...ZZZZZIIIIPPPPP…. we get there ,check into a youth hostel on the outskirts of the town not far from a great Irish Pub Called “The Spaniard”. The youth hostel is about 200 yards from an old “English fort” built by the British around the 1700 hundreds sitting high atop a cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and in years gone by the scene of many famous Irish/ Spanish battles with the British.

Well we spent Saturday exploring the fort. The fort is supposed to be haunted by the specter of “a White Lady” Dressed in her wedding Gown who threw herself from the wall of the fort on the night of her union upon hearing of the news of the accidental and tragic death of her husband, but that’s another story and is supposed to be seen walking the ramparts looking for her lost lover.

So Saturday night after drinking some “Dutch courage “at “The Spaniard “we bravely breached the Fort wall around midnight to visit said white lady, well it must have been her night off, so disappointed plus slightly relieved we went back to the hostel around 1.30 am, retired to the men's dorm and I to the top bunk for a good night’s rest..

Sometime around 3am I woke up and sensed something in the dorm. I rubbed my eyes and there standing next to my bunk on my left side was a figure dressed in a British army officer’s uniform. He looked like he was from the WW1 era. He had dirty white blood stained bandage over his left eye. My heart broke the sound barrier, I froze, he did not move, just stood there staring right through me like I was a nonevent. Then I did the only thing a brave Irishman could do, stuck my head under the pillow and promised God I would become a priest if he would take care of my current predicament. I remained in the fetal position until welcome day light.

As I was helping to cook breakfast that morning I asked the Hostel warden if she had ever seen anything unusual in the dorms… “Ah you have seen our Ghost” She replied and informed me that she and many others had seen the British army officer complete with bandaged eye. She informed me that the hostel used to be belong to "Charles Fort” and was used to billet officers. For the life of me now I can`t remember if she told me how he died only that we had both seen the same image....

Well there you have it...I thought I was going to see the Ghost of the white lady at “Charles Fort" but instead had my own personal visitation, I did not forget that in a hurry. I guess you could say it was a Historical weekend to remember and No I’m not a priest :0)

Ok Time to tell the latest...emmm how do I start...well lets start with the perfect present.

Right now I,m sitting in a saloon having a pedicure. Yes, I a man am having the old nails cleaned. Actually it feels like heaven.

Sitting by my side is Cynthia having a similar treatment.

I have returned home to pickup my bride ,pack the apartment sell of lots of stuff and then ship Cynthia’s Car over after a trip to California.

Truth be told its very hard to be back. I feel very much the outsider, like a man without a home in a strange land. On the plus side its sunny, I brought it back to y’all as a gift.

I,m so darn relaxed, laid back that I do not care to get caught up in the fast pace of the mainland again. I have closed my carpet biz after 14 years and will opt for the Beach bum writer on the sands of our new home Maui.

We have no idea what the future holds that is in Gods as we continue to trust him with the manna of the day.

I found myself again on Maui, not that Maui is the answer but it sure helps hahahaha

Now more than ever, I truly see the world system for what it truly is..broken and until we all cry stop the bus we want to get off , be still to smell the roses its going to continue on its down ward spiral until a major pradime shift occurs and we start all over again.

Hawaiians are all about people and family- money comes after , they are happy first like our northern neighbors the canadians who are happy for no reason

Kehei has some of the best beach’s on Maui and is a popular vacation spot for Canadians. They swarm those beach’s like the allies on Normandy. You can spot them easily as they gather in groups as if they were meeting in the village square and they don’t all know each other .

I have talked with many of them and on average our conversations last from 10 to 45 minute’s one day Cynthia and I threaded water with 3 of them for about 2 hours.

Now some will say they are just happy to be out of the frozen north and yes I can agree with that to a warm degree :0)

But they naturally love to talk and show a genuine interest in others. For example in most case`s they would initiate First contact.

“ Hey neighbor welcome to paradise, where you from”

They remind me so much of my old homeland Ireland, actually they are very similar. Back home even though our homes were surrounded by hedges , walls we all knew each other. We looked out for our neighbors and I,m told it is the same today even though I have been gone 30 odd years.

I think its very interesting that both Canada and Ireland along with most of the European community are socialized country’s. No, Not communist as some very uneducated or grossly miss informed people are.

While I don’t not follow any particular political ideal I do think its interesting to observe that people who live in socialized nations generally tend to have a better grasp of human relations and problem solving among themselves and rarely need the help of legalized personal to drain each others bank accounts .

If Money could buy you happiness then the vast vast majority of people who have it, should be happy , right ?

I don’t think so :0)

Ok Thats all for the mo..back to my pedicure Aloha :0)