“All the happiness in the world is between your own two ears.” -John Lennon
As I write this Silver is outside glistening in the morning sun after a solid wash and wax, waiting patiently to begin our annual journey together west to British Columbia. This is by far the most exciting time of my year for the past 6 summers, I even find it difficult to write this because it is delaying our departure.
Those of you who follow our travel journals on these tours may recall that I announced last summer that I would not be touring this year. I changed my mind. I am definitely heading West in 2011.
I can safely say (and have) that 2010 was the worst year of my life, beginning at the stroke of midnite and ending at that same stroke a year later.  Entering politics was clearly a huge mistake.  What made it all the more difficult was that I needed to put on a brave face. I did a good job of hiding the negativity…the “Public Ryan” most people saw was very different than the “Private Ryan” at home.

This tour is about escaping all of that.  My annual motorcycle tours are precious to me. I look forward to them all year. To have agreed to give them up last year was like giving up a part of myself. Life is too short to compromise one’s happiness.

In other words, this year’s tour is all about doing something I love…and doing it for the right reason…because it makes me happy. It’s all about Saving Private Ryan.
Here’s a recap of previous tours and a synopsis of this year’s adventure:

Easy Rider Tour 2006: a 12 day journey to the Okanagan wine country, a quick trip to Vancouver, then home.

Ryan & Silver’s Excellent Adventure 2007: A 19 day journey to the Okanagan via the Kootenays, a weekend on a houseboat in the Shuswaps, back to the wine country, then a return home

Magical Mystery Tour 2008: A 22 day journey to Tofino on Vancouver Island, back to the Okanagan wine country, and then a return home via the Kootenays

Little Miss Sunshine Tour 2009: A 20 day journey to Vancouver, a ride over to the Kootenays, back to the Okanagan wine country, and then a return home.

That Thing You Do Tour 2010: A 13 day journey south through the Kootenays to the Okanagan wine country, over to Vancouver, and then return home.
And now…the Saving Private Ryan Tour 2011: A very short and quick journey very similar to the 2010 tour…and an exact opposite of the Easy Rider Tour 2006…south through the Kootenays, into the south Okanagan, over to Vancouver, back to the north Okanagan, and then home on a northerly route.