The next road trip will be a little bit lonely

***This is David writing, under my own profile now.***


I'm going on the road again.
My mother's birthday is next weekend, and I'm off to Toronto to visit.

I don't have a blog myself, but feel it fitting to post my stories here, as it was Richard who brought the love of the road, into my life.

I have a new car and want to test its mettle by giving it a good drive.
Richard had seen this car in the summer, and approved, so it's fitting I initially write about it here.

It's just too bad he couldn't come with me this time - but I have a piece of him along for the ride... no, not an actual PIECE of him, but one of his annual ALS Walk (in Alberta, it's Betty's Run) participation medals.  It's too big for the rear-view mirror, but it's hanging on the back of the driver's seat.  So at least in some way, the big oaf is along for the ride.


I scouted the trip as the next trip Richard & I were planning to take - through the northern states (we called it 'the Dakota Trip') to Montana, Wyoming, the Dakotas & areas nearby.
I thought I would extend it to Chicago & around the lake to Toronto.

However, many of the sites-worth-seeing along the way, are closed during the winter months, so it would be basically 3,600km (2,250 miles) of straight-through - not even Richard, who loved the road, would likely be ready for a bare-bones drive like that with nothing planned to see or do along the way.

So I scouted possible locations a few days' drive from Calgary (in all directions!) and what airfare to Toronto was like from those areas.  For this month, Salt Lake City won out as the place to visit, with Boise, Idaho as the airport of choice.

I'll drive 2-3 days to Salt Lake City, spend a few days there, zip up to Boise & fly out to see Mom for 3 days, then return & finish the road trip back home.

Much of this trip will be repetitive - Richard & I have covered the first 3 days' drive, and most of that distance we've done twice(!).

But this time, I'll do some of the things we didn't do before - either because he had zero interest in somewhere that I wanted to go, or because time didn't allow for the detour.


Richard didn't get much into taking photos; he wanted the memories and the experience.  But with the ALS giving him an expiry date, I made it a point to get LOTS of photos of him, so his family & friends could remember his experiences even if they weren't there with him,

I'll share some of my photos here - specifically those where I know Richard would have enjoyed something - and hope you will laugh along...

New Year, New Writings

***This is David writing again***

I wasn't sure how or if we should continue working with this blog; most of Richard's friends & family are on board with occasional posts, to remember him by and to laugh about the good times.

His family held a memorial service in November in White Rock, BC, where friends & family gathered to share stories, tell tales & raise a glass to him - it was a good afternoon.

Memories are made to be cherished, and many of those also to be shared.

Richard would want his memory both cherished and shared... and this is the perfect way to do it.

I cannot speak as a PALS, of course; the subject matter of any future posts would be of some other nature - Richard-related mostly - so I hope that those who have read his writings in the past, and who know some of the names of future writers - myself, his kids - will enjoy our posts like you enjoyed his.

So we will keep on keeping on, and post occasional musings, thoughts, and for my own part, road trip stories, remembering him as we go.

It won't be regular, but hopefully it will be worth checking in on once in a while.


-David