back in NZ and it about a week 10 days since i arrived back, Jan has sorted all the tee shirts for the kids and most of them were to big but they will grow into them. Am back at work and everything under control, Mary-Ellen my assistant manager did a great job while i was away and all i have is praise from the customers and reps and staff about how well she managed the business.
Now that i am home i have had time to reflect on the trip, the highs and the lows .
The highs would be just the traveling and seeing some of the magnificent scenery this country has to offer ( talking to local people in the states i think we have seen and traveled more of there country than they have )
Also just meeting and talking to people, their hospitality is awesome  even when lost in some city and you end up in a seedy part of town i would stop and ask directions and and people from all walks of life would help you out and ask where you were from, and if you were sitting in a bar ( and we saw the inside of a few ) people would ask where are you from and tell you about what to see and where to go. A big thank you to Phil on showing us how to read the maps and help full hints about traveling and how not to get lost,( still got lost but not as much as in 2012 )
Other highlight would be Jim Beam and Jack Danial's distillery, corvette museum, Jersey Boys show ,Laughlin,  and lots of laughs with the guys
The lows, while it was good the have the guys along i think we did to many miles per day for a start and didn't have time to look around. The other thing was and i am as guilty as the others is that when we booked into the motel all the modern gadgets came out and we were on the i pads i phones etc and grabbed a few beer and all ended up in one room where in 2012 we would unload gear hope on bikes and have a look at the local sights , now don't get me wrong i enjoyed this too. Having the car along was ok but would have been better if all on bikes as a bit boring following the car and while i enjoyed the 5 others company i preferred last time just with 3 people as easier to organize motel and where to meet etc but still the company was great. Another low bike problems but learnt a lot about bike and how to trouble shoot and fix the problem.
all up i did about 13000 km , had a good time, meet some great people, and loved the USA and would recommend this as a must visit country.
Next year plan to do a small trip with Jan some where  but bring on 2016 as plan to do the East coast of the USA, i should be able to get in 2 more road trips in before i retire.
thank you Jan for letting this old bugger live his dreams as my motto is " you are dead a long time, do what you can now as you never know what is around the corner and you have to live life to the full "
now all i have to do is get this blog edited and fix all the mistakes and try and get some photos in it

Left Vegas on Friday about 10am and thank god I was getting out before the weekend as was labour weekend here and the amount of traffic going to Vegas was unbelievable . Once on the road it only took me 20 minutes to get out of the city and into the desert and it was hot so I called into most of the towns gas station to have a drink either water or gator aid usually both and put water over my head to cool down . In some wee town they were showing they had how hot it was, 108 degree F , I found it was hotter than Death Valley last time I was here. Any way arrived in LA and was worried I wouldn't find the motel as wasn't using the GPS  just a note I had written on the bike so off at this exit checked GPS and it was around the corner wahoo who is the man . Checked in found pool ( 6.30 at this stage ) couple beers a feed in bed by 9.30 buggered.
Saturday on the bike and went and checked out Venice beach and the Santa Monica beach ,now these beaches are not like what you see in the movies or on TV with all the tanned beautiful people some looked ok some we're stunning and a lot were fat and not good to look at ,had lunch did some tee shopping and had enought by 4 so back to motel got a cab to movies ( expendable 3 ) and that was my day
Sunday just realised that kiwi shipping closed Monday and I fly out Monday night , damn and my suit case at the depot made calls e mails etc can't get a hold of any one, so not panicking will sort out Monday May have to stay an extra night and change flights . Went to a mall, 6th biggest one in the country finished shopping ( was going to Tijuana today, but bus had to get,from here 2.5 hr to San Diego 2.5 back ) any this mall was huge you needed a GPS to find your way around , saw I lot of stuff I would have liked to buy but am under orders from Jan ( you don't NEED any more clothes) then I dawned on me leave bike at motel on Monday buy a cheap suit case and they can pick up the bike on Tuesday ,and Ocker will need a bigger bag when he goes to come home.
Monday have gone to Wal mart got a cheap case , packed, emailed kiwi shipping , keys in envelope at front desk, taxi ordered for 6 ,and I am allowed to use pool till then sweet . Next blog from NZ