2017 was the first year of my Ride Across America– all 10 days of it!  I rode with Thad Buchanan, a long time friend and riding partner from Powell Butte, Oregon.  We rode with about 100 other wagon drivers and riders from the John Wayne Pioneer Wagons and Riders Association on their annual ride across Washington State.  It was a great ride– perfect weather, good trail conditions, good food, and we met a bunch of wonderful people on the ride, including Olympia Granger, Brenda Birrell, Rusty DeSherlia, Pam Fairgrove, Gaylord Perkins, Byron Scott, Tom Short, JudyAnn Madden Combs, Judy Westall and many others!

The 2017 John Wayne Ride confirmed my desire to ride across our great country.  But due to work commitments, I only had two weeks to ride, so that’s what I did.  I spent the next few months planning the rest of my Ride Across America, which re-commenced in May of 2018.