Welcome to Riding For Smiles Video Blog

Epilogue

2008-09-08T20:02:00.000-07:00

This will be the final chapter, our ride complete.
It was one of the greatest journeys and adventures
I have had. So many people to thank. We together
have shown some light on this world and saved
countless lives, for this Shannon and I are truly
grateful for each one of you that have followed along
and donated to our cause to save children's lives
through UNICEF

I am in the process of making a complete DVD of the ride
more enhanced than the blogs. If you would like to be notified
upon the completion then...

Send me an email through this website so I can notify
you when it is completed. It will take me between
6-12 months to complete. I am leaving the website up
for (1) year as you can always make an additional donation
if you would like. Think about a year end donation for your
tax purposes.

Thank you all

Ken and Shannon

PS. I wish it didn't have to end

Glacier National Park Ride

2008-09-07T14:08:00.000-07:00

Well I'm finally rested after 3 long days of riding in
the rain to get home. It was a great trip and we were
able to raise quite a sum of money for UNICEF.

Here is our trip to Glacier National Park. Hope
you enjoy it. It was a fantastic ride to the top of
Logan Pass. About 2-3 miles on a dirt road which
was a little nerve racking in places because it was wet
and slippery.

Enjoy

Ken

Ride Photo Gallery 2

2008-09-01T14:35:00.001-07:00

Here are a few more photos I took for you to enjoy, Shannon had her bucket day today as she always wanted to ride across North Dakota in a rain storm. 250 miles with visibility around 200 feet. I of course loved every minute of it. It's always good to be on a bike and weather is just part of riding.

Ken

Ride Photo Gallery 1

2008-08-31T14:42:00.000-07:00

Here are a few photos I have been taking along the way. I'm just enjoying the rest of the ride home and replaying in my head all of the fond memories that I have accumulated along the way. I will begin work on the Glacier Park and final ride home videos when I get home. We are looking forward to our escorted ride to White Bear Lake by my Star Touring and Riding Chapter 444 as well as other chapters. My church riding buddies are also sure to show up.

Ken

I want to thank everybody that prayed for my trip home to see my Dad and Mom. All the prayers sure worked and I was able to rejoin Ken quickly to finish our ride. This has been a trip of a lifetime, I have seen such beautiful sights and met so many friendly people I almost hate to see it end, but I look forward to seeing all my friends and family. I want to thank everyone for supporting Riding For Smiles on this ride for UNICEF, with your help and donations many kids around the world have been given a chance in live.

Shannon

Grand Coulee Dam #2

2008-08-30T19:54:00.000-07:00

Here is part 2. We really enjoyed all of the
riders that came along and it was great seeing
the laser show at the dam.

Enjoy

Ken

Grand Coulee Ride #1

2008-08-29T20:29:00.000-07:00

We met many new Star Touring and Riding
friends on our motorcycle journey to the
Grand Coulee dam. Breathtaking and wonderful
roads for biking. So much to tell and show
I have decided to make this into 2 parts.

Enjoy

Ken

Washington Chronicles #4

2008-08-27T19:19:00.000-07:00

Shannon got back from Minnesota and was able
to have a very nice day in Seattle with our friends
Jack and Lyn and Lenny and Colleen. We went
down to the farmers market and also saw the
Space Needle. We don't want to leave. Seattle is
just the greatest place to visit. I know we'll be back
for an extended stay.

Enjoy

Ken

Washington Chronicles #3

2008-08-27T07:16:00.000-07:00

I was able to cross off one of my bucket list items
by riding around Mt. Rainier. 12 hours
on the bike, 330 miles, rain for 10 hours and it
was amazing. I can't thank my fellow riders enough,
it was a great day with friends.

Enjoy and remember to Donate with your hearts
to save children. Use our Riding For Smiles link
to UNICEF in order to donate today.

Ken

Washington Chronicles #2

2008-08-24T20:59:00.000-07:00

Washington Chronicles Part 2

Great riding, great people and a really great
time. Hope all of you riders can eventually make
it out to Washington, as it is motorcycle riding
nirvana.

Enjoy

Ken

Washington Chronicles #1

2008-08-22T20:01:00.000-07:00

The next few videos will be called the
Washington Chronicles as they are really one
big video broken up into 4 or 5 segments, in order
to get the whole effect of our stay in Washington
and the Seattle area.

Now please sit back and enjoy
Washington Chronicle #1

Ken

The Trip Is Still On Schedule

2008-08-22T07:39:00.000-07:00

Shannon and I would like to thank everyone for their support and prayers during Jim Carlin's hospital stay. At this time he is out of the ICU after a six hour surgery which took place on Tuesday. He is described as a walking miracle by the hospital staff. Shannon waited until yesterday to make sure that things were going in the right direction and then jumped on an airplane to Seattle. She arrived last night ready to continue our journey together. We are still on track as per our itinerary and plan on leaving Saturday.

While she was gone I just want to personally thank Al and Lynn Brown, Jack and Lyn Muegge for putting me up at their houses and showing me lots of support while I was here.

I would also like to express my gratitude to Ron, Bobby, Denny, Sandy, Rich, Doug, Marcy, Tony (Grumpy), Larry and Dave who are all members of the Star Touring and Riding Association. These men and women really went above and beyond the call of duty to show me incredible riding and friendship while here in the Washington Seattle area. Yesterday I even checked off a long BUCKET list item. I rode around and up to Mt. Rainier - that video will be coming - 12 hours on the bike to make that happen and every mile was the most exhilarating I have ever ridden. One always hopes that a bucket list item will be every bit of what you imagined it to be

I also want to thank Lenny Balter and Colleen Casey for traveling up from California to support us on our adventure, now that Shannon is back we can all have one nice day together. It is our 33rd anniversary today so we are going into Seattle to explore before leaving tomorrow.

Ken

Joseph Oregon Touring and Gondola Ride

2008-08-19T08:49:00.000-07:00

We really enjoyed the day taking the gondola to

the top of Mt. Henry in Joseph Oregon. I posted

two blogs today as it might be a while before

the next one. No word on Jim Carlin yet as he is

now in surgery. I will keep everyone informed

as to our change of plans as things happen.

Thanks

Ken

Hells Canyon Ride

2008-08-19T08:23:00.000-07:00

Get this road on your bucket list.

When I saw this road, I knew being out in front

was the place for me, A must to ride if you

own a sport bike. Lots of fun!!

Enjoy

Ken

Important News

2008-08-18T13:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday in Winthrop Washington we found out that Shannon's dad (Jim Carlin) he is shown in the second video saying he supports Riding For Smiles was admitted to the hospital and was not supposed to live the night. Shannon is now on a plane for home and will arrive at 11:00 PM hopefully to see her father while he is still alive. I apologize for the delay in the last (2) videos as we did not have internet or phone service. I am now uploading two videos while I await word as to what will now happen. I will stay in Seattle for at least the next one to two days as we have many commitments here. Jim called us before he was put into an induced coma and said that he loved us and that his only wish was that we not stop, but continue this journey. He did not want us to know the difficulty he was in. Apparently this was going on for the last week. This trip now is up in the air with these circumstances but we will finish this journey. It just might have to be rescheduled by a few weeks. I will keep all of you informed as to what is going on over the next couple of days. Please pray for Shannon and her entire family. I have known Jim my entire life and could not have known a finer man and father-in-law.

Salmon River White Water Rafting

2008-08-15T05:53:00.000-07:00

Our guide (Skinny) took us on an amazing ride
down the Salmon River in Riggins Idaho. It was
a real adventure, as if a motorcycle ride
to the Pacific Ocean doesn't count as one. We had
a lovely day off. I really needed it to get recharged
for the next leg of our journey into Hell's Canyon
(100 degrees) hair pin turns in order to get to
Joseph OR.

Enjoy

Ken

Idaho ride with friends

2008-08-14T05:18:00.000-07:00

It was an incredible 3 days of riding, again no
rain, lots of laughs and some hard riding. I'm
going to need a vacation after these guys leave
Ha Ha

Enjoy

Ken

Grand Tetons / Jackson Hole Ride

2008-08-11T22:28:00.000-07:00

Incredible, the Grand Tetons are just the most
beautiful site that you can imagine. The riding
was legendary and so fulfilling that you almost
did not want to ride the next day, just to savor
the moment.

Some of my riding buddies showed up in Idaho
and just when I thought the riding could not get
any better it did.

Enjoy

Ken

PS. Don't forget to donate to UNICEF

Yellowstone ( Part 3) ------ Old Faithful

2008-08-10T15:13:00.000-07:00

You won't believe what happened to me at
Old Faithful. Check out this video and have
a giggle over it.

Ken

Yellowstone Buffalo Encounter

2008-08-08T21:30:00.000-07:00

What a day, The Grand Tour around Yellowstone
150 miles of motorcycle heaven. We encountered
some Buffalo that seemed very interested in
motorcycles also. Check it out it was really a fun day

Enjoy

Ken

Yellowstone the Story (Fires)

2008-08-07T05:42:00.000-07:00

Well we made it to Yellowstone National Park.
It was a pretty exciting time, to much for just (1)
video so the saga will continue over four different
blogs. Fires, Animals, Geysers, and of course
Old Faithful

Enjoy and don't forget to donate using our link
to UNICEF

Ken

Big Horn Mt to Cody Ride

2008-08-05T03:32:00.000-07:00

The ride through the Big Horn Mountains was
just spectacular, everything I thought it would
be. This ride just keeps getting better and better.
The people we meet are great and the weather
Gods have looked out after us. No rain since
we left.

Enjoy this latest video of our ride to Cody Wyoming

Ken

Lehman Trike Tour

2008-08-02T06:27:00.000-07:00

We visited the Lehman Trike Assembly Plant
located in Spearfish SD. Wonderful, clean, modern
facility - and the bikes were fantastic. Shannon
was like a kid in a candy store. we were able to
take a wonderful tour and afterwards we received
a check for $1,000 dollars for UNICEF. Remember
100% of all donations go to UNICEF.

Ken

Black Hills Riding

2008-07-31T07:02:00.000-07:00

Check out the Black Hills, this place is just great

for riding and people here are so friendly, kind of

like family. We stayed at the Newton Fork Ranch

in a cabin just north of Hill City SD. If you get a chance

try to stay here on your next visit as it was awesome.

Enjoy this latest video of the Black Hills

Ken

Wall Drug & Badlands

2008-07-28T06:30:00.000-07:00

Great day of riding through the Badlands of

South Dakota, then a wonderful time in Wall.

Check out the fun we had as well as the

Dakota Memories B&B we stayed at.

Enjoy and don't forget to donate

Ken Wilson

Day 1 Video

2008-07-26T03:05:00.000-07:00

What a great send off. Thanks for everyone that was
able to make it. This video is about our first day riding
from Stillwater, Minnesota to Brookings, South Dakota

Enjoy and Peace

P.S Remember to donate to save a child's life
we are keeping the website up for (1) year because
many people said they would like to make a monthly
commitment.

Ken

About the UNICEF ride

2008-07-01T06:17:00.000-07:00

Please join us to make our ride a success for
children in desperate need around the world.
Just goto the link on our home page and donate now.

For a $25.00 donation using our link to UNICEF
you will get a Riding For Smile Pin as well as a
professional DVD of the entire event.
(When completed) after the ride is done.

Thank you and happy riding.

Ken and Shannon