Now we are but Tourists

Day 52  Monday,  23^rd May 2011

Woke up early as we actually had something to do today. The bikes were due into SEAPAC container warehouse at 10.30am and we were also meeting Bob Erion from Radiant Logistics who had organised the shipping with his colleague James Pedersen. Final checks revealed that everything needed on the bike was stowed and we set off on our 27 mile journey to Harbor Island where SEAPAC are based.

The morning rush hour had abated by the time we left the motel and the tripometer was showing that we had already travelled nearly 150 miles on our tank of fuel so it looked likely that we would deliver the bikes with very little left in them. This prophecy came true when a couple of miles away from the container warehouse my fuel light came on giving me a 42 mile countdown to refuel.

The entrance to SEAPAC was blocked by a stationary train loaded with containers and it was ba good twenty minutes or so before it decided to move on and it was, fortuitously, just at this moment that Bob arrived and introduced himself. We rode the bikes into the designated warehouse and then strapped our helmets, jackets and boots to the bike and then disconnected the batteries to avoid any hazard whilst in transit. We left our mounts stabled but disabled in the capable hands of SEAPAC giving them a silent wave as we went to the office to complete some paperwork. We will not see the bikes again until after 20^th June in Vladivostok.

Mark with Bob Erion and a guy from SEAPAC warehouse

Disconnecting the battery

Bob very kindly agreed to drop us back at the motel but we had a coffee at the Poodle Dog diner, a genuine 1950’s diner, which is a few hundred yards away from our room on the other side of the freeway. I plumped for an omelette which for some reason came with pancakes and maple syrup – all enjoyable but filling. We said our goodbyes to Bob who we hope to see in a few days time at our new motel at Sea-Tac airport when he brings us back our original bike registration documents which SEAPAC needed for the US customs clearance.

Poodle Dog Diner

Now we are but simple tourists until we get to Vladivostok and become bikers again but that is almost a month away !  We feel like nomads, lost wandering souls. Our next task to whittle away the hours is to find our way through the Seattle bus timetables to get ourselves to the airport without taking a hugely expensive taxi ride. Come back bike, all is forgiven........