Dash4Dosh – Gregg Eldred

Dash4Dosh 2014: Let’s All Laugh

For your enjoyment, some random pictures from Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.

First up, Chris pitching his tent. Yes, the photo looks grainy, but that isn’t the fault of the photographer, it was raining. In an epic fashion. Doesn’t he look happy that he will be “sleeping” in a tent?

I found Paul’s toilet in a Statoil station:

And Paul’s bike:

The Arctic Circle, Sweden:

Chris, in his natural pose, taking photos (at the Sweden/Norway border):

And photographing Paul’s bike at the Arctic Circle Center in Norway:

Freshening Paul’s bike:

Which lead to a bit of freshening of my bike (paybacks are a bitch):

A Chris Harris inspired selfie:

A beautiful view spoiled by freshly washed undergarments:

Paul discovers that boots with holes in them make for poor waterproofing:

Who would’ve known that there was no pooping in the shower?

Chris, enough said:

Chris, showing me that I am “Number One:”

The bike that Chris thought he bought, but didn’t:

Dash4Dosh 2014: A Quick Overview

There will probably be a few blog posts concerning this adventure over the coming weeks. This post is simply a quick overview.

Stuff I brought but didn’t need:

Flashlights. I brought three little LED flashlights but didn’t use any of them. Thankfully, they didn’t take up hardly any room at all.
Ben’s Wipes. Brought two packages of these excellent tick and insect repellent wipes but only used two wipes. Total.
Leatherman. While I didn’t use it, there is no way I would travel without it.

Stuff I should have brought:

USB 1TB hard drive. It was selfish of me to think that others would have the space to copy all of my GoPro movies to their computers. I owe Paul a debt of gratitude for copying my movies to his Mac. It won’t happen again.
More dark t-shirts. Wearing a white t-shirt is ridiculous when you are wearing it for more than one day. Because of the technology in the undergarments I was wearing, I could wear the same outerwear for more than one day. White is very bad choice of colors. For obvious reasons.
One more Smartwool Icebreaker t-shirt. This shirt is made to be worn several days in a row without smelling while providing excellent wicking properties. To wash it, simply put it in a sink with a little soap and water, wring it out, and it will be dry by morning.
A one man tent. However, as I rented a bike, there really wasn’t any room on the bike for a tent. I will know for next time.

5742.9km (3568 miles). It was a lot of fun, though it wasn’t easy. Especially on a rental bike. However, I would, in a minute, join Chris, Paul, Vladimir, Roy and Arvid on another trek. Wherever it may be. They are exceptional riders and a lot of fun.

I’m already hoping that we embark on another adventure next year. Route 66 in the US? Another European adventure? Scotland and Ireland? Whatever it is, I will be there.

Dash4Dosh 2014: An Update

We are less than a month away from riding motorcycles to the Arctic Circle, via Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Norway. And camping. God, are we REALLY camping? We must be, I have a sleeping bag, a camping pad, and a spork. Paul Mooney bought a tent! (let that sink in for a minute).

Never before have I asked for donations to any sort of cause. Yes, I support those that ask, but fundraising just isn’t my thing. When Paul setup the Dash4Dosh 2014 JustGiving page, and I saw the £4,000 goal, I thought “We’ll never make that number.”

Today, I am totally crushed by the outpouring of support for our cause.

“Thank you,” while appropriate, doesn’t adequately convey how truly humbled/amazed/chuffed I am with the support we’ve received. Well, it’s either that, or you’re hoping that with adequate support, you can gleefully wait for some “interesting” posts/photos on our Facebook page which will come back to haunt us for . . . decades. If that’s what it takes, so be it.

Our calls over Skype have increased in number, as we head into the final weeks of preparation. What seemed like a great idea has turned into impending reality. Yes, I have purchased a sleeping bag, camp pad, spork, proper riding boots, survival suit, and a new helmet. But now starts the race to Denmark, when I have to make sure that I have everything I will need for this adventure. I have a list, now it’s time to work through it.

Oh, and there’s a small detail about hiring a bike. It seems that the business where I was to get my bike is now bankrupt. Others offered me their bikes, but what they meant was “bicycle,” not “motorcycle.” Everyone’s a comedian.

What will we see in Norway? Here are few pictures to give you an idea of what we will be living.

Atlantic Road

Lysbotn Road – This is heaven for riders.

A fjord we will see

Thank you, again, for your support.