July 2: A Big State with an Even Bigger Heart

I am blown away by the kindness and generosity of motorcyclists in Alaska. The last two days I have had the honor and privilege of sharing lunch with officers of the local HOG chapter, signing books for bikers at the Harley Dealership, and recording a podcast with Mike and Traci Glidden of Alaska Motorsports Podcasts.

After getting back from Prudhoe Bay I wanted to have a day to switch out bikes, replace and organize gear, and meet with some of the local HOG members. Yesterday, Darlene Cullor, who heads up Ladies of Harley, invited me to eat lunch with her and several other officers and friends across the street from the dealership. They were so welcoming and immediately made me feel at home, taking the time share their stories of motorcycle adventure and ask me about mine.

Robin Brandt-Lebiedz, the HOG membership officer, offered to put out a “blast” to HOG members, encouraging them to come to the book signing today. She took the time to pull together pictures of me and the book as well as copy from my blog and made it an official HOG event so that bikers would get points for attending.

Thanks to her efforts as well as the beautiful flyer put together by Dia Matteson, there was a fantastic turnout today even though it was a holiday weekend and a great riding day. I so much enjoyed meeting motorcyclists and sharing bits and pieces of my inspiring message with them. Dia also purchased several books from me so she could make them available at the dealership later.

One act of kindness that was particularly touching to me was Robin taking my damaged hoodie to a tailor while I was signing books so that I would have it to wear when riding tomorrow. The left arm of the hoodie was almost completely sheared off because it fell through a hole in my bags on the way up to Deadhorse and was ripped by the tire. I had originally thought to replace it but couldn’t find any other hoodies that fit under my jacket well and allowed me to wear all my layers. I am so very pleased to have the hoodie back in one piece!

After the book signing, I went upstairs to record a podcast with Mike and Traci Glidden of Alaska Motorsports Podcasts. They were so positive and affirming and easy to speak with. I was especially touched when Mike told me he was inspired by my story of transformation. It was an honor to spend time with them and I’m looking forward to hearing the podcast.

After the activities at the dealership, I headed over to the Rustic Goat for dinner the second night in a row. Last night I enjoyed savoring the Cacio e pepe pizza with burrata, pecorino, and parmesan cheese along with garlic oil. I added andouille sausage and capo salami for the extra protein and polished off every bite. Tonight, I tried the fresh Alaskan Coho Salmon served with wild mushroom risotto, roasted tomato beurre bland, and tomato salad. The fish was so good I even ate the skin. The risotto was thick and creamy and complemented the fish perfectly. If I don’t get back from riding too late tomorrow, I intend to eat there again.

After dinner I took a short drive on Northern Lights Boulevard to the Point Woronzof Overlook to get a great view of the skyline of Anchorage and the Chugach Mountains towering above the city. What a wonderful day!