June 19 - First book signing followed by ride around Fern Ridge Lake

What a perfect day! My first book signing and an epic ride with some fantastic people. The big highlight for me today was to see the abundant kindness of others. Several people drove out of their way to come to the dealership and purchase a book. Almost everyone had something meaningful to share about their lives – another cancer survival story, biking adventure, or a desire to encourage another rider. One customer bought a book to encourage his mother and another to inspire his girlfriend to ride. I was also honored and delighted to spend time with the Eugene chapter of Litas, an incredibly welcoming and friendly group of lady riders who meet to support and encourage each other.

Many thanks go to Willamette Harley Davidson for sponsoring today’s event and for making us feel so welcome. The Eugene Litas and I joined forces at the dealership today with side-by-side tables to promote ourselves. There was a steady stream of traffic at our tables and lots of good conversations. At 1pm we wrapped up inside the dealership and headed outside for our ride. I was honored and delighted that 11 other riders joined me on a back roads ride to the Creswell Bakery and then up and around Fern Ridge Lake.

From the dealership we took highway 99 south to the Bakery for some savory snacks and deserts. I enjoyed a homemade meat pie with a buttery, flaky crust and a rich, perfectly spiced meat, potato, and cheddar cheese filling as well as a crisp, fresh strawberry tart with almond paste for dessert. The bakery has ample outdoor seating and all 12 of us were able to eat together.

From the bakery we took Camas Swale Road West to Territorial Highway. That section of the ride has some nice twists and turns through forested area as well as farmland and meadows. Once on Territorial we continued north past Veneta and up to Clear Lake Road. At that point we headed east, with some wonderful views of Fern Ridge Reservoir, the largest lake in the Willamette Valley. Once past the Lake we headed south on Green Hill Road back to Territorial Highway. The ride was particularly delightful as it was almost devoid of traffic lights and had little traffic.

A special thanks to Grant Myers for carrying the books on his bike down to Eugene and acting as my sweep during the ride from the dealership. A big thanks also to Laurie and Don Kaylor who came down from Portland to join in on the ride and take some great pictures. My Facebook author page and personal Facebook page have a video of the ride that Don produced