Discovering Life After Alzheimer's: The 26,000 Mile Ride

"80 Year Old Iron Butt Challenge Rider - 1000 miles in 24 Hours" This sign put a smile on the face of thousands of people during my 4 year, 88,000 mile odyssey through 50 states, Canada and the Alaskan Highway. This epic adventure ride by an octogenarian biker began with the ending of a journey of a different sort. My family journeyed with me as Alzheimer's Disease slowly stole away 60 years of memories Lois and I had shared together. She no longer knew me, but I still knew her as the beautiful 19 year old girl she was when we met. My six children and I cared for Lois at home through the entire journey. When the kids asked, "What will you do now Dad?" I said, "I think I'll go for a little ride." 26,000 miles and 12 months later I rode the motorcycle Sidecar rig back into the driveway. We discovered there is indeed life after Alzheimer's and Lois would have wanted us to live it fully. This we have tried to do and the stories of the motorcycle ride and the journey through Alzheimer's Disease are told in this book. From skidding out of control at 70 MPH on the interstate, to inching my way up a coastal mountain range in dense fog at 10 MPH, this was an epic adventure. Sharing the adventure with the children and grandchildren was as important as the ride itself. As they had shared in our family journey through the abyss of Alzheimer's Disease, so they now discovered with me, there is Life After Alzheimer's and that we should live it fully and well. The four year long motorcycle trek across North America was a great adventure for an 80 year old biker. To the thousands of people who saw the sign that read: "80 Year Old Iron Butt Challenge Rider - 1000 miles in 24 Hours" and gave me a smile, a wave and a thumbs up, I say Thanks for sharing the ride with me. The sidecar that rode beside me and the Mini Mate tent trailer I pulled behind the rig brought questions and interest wherever I rode and whenever I stopped for gas or to set up the camping unit. The Iron Butt Association is the sanctioning body for long distance riders. They have many great rides listed on their web site www.IronButt.com. The qualifying ride for membership in this elite riders group is one thousand miles in 24 hours, with no speeding allowed. I did this ride six times in the four years. The 50cc Quest is a fifty hour, 2,373 mile ride from coast to coast I started the ride on the beach at San Diego, CA with the help of every riders friend Shareef AsSadiq USN Retired. Some riders complete this ride in as little as 45 hours. It took me 49 hours and 49 minutes. One young rider said, "Well, he may not be fast but he IS OLD!" Right he was. This is an epic adventure story of a man in his 80's who took his memories on an 88,000 mile ride through mountains, prarries, swamps, forests and hundreds of nights camping at rest areas, camp grounds and state parks. Now it's your turn. May your ride be and long, and may your Love Song Never End. Del Lonnquist