Back at home in Portland, Oregon again …….. Temporarily!
Feels good to be back home, staying with friends as my house is leased out. Stopped at home briefly to get some cloths out of storage and the R1150 GS Started right up 
Today I am volunteering at the Alzheimer’s Association McGinty Caregiver Conference. Will be great to see familiar faces and listen to Lisa Genova (author of the book Still Alice) give here noontime address. So many families and professional health professionals need training and places to connect as they Care for loved ones, patients and people with Dementia of all kinds. This is an annual event which provides this. Honored to be apart of helping others who are faced with Alzheimer’s Disease.
On a totally different note. Young James contacted me via FB while I was at the airport leaving Quito. He had bad news about another rider whom he and Sherri Jo had ridden with through Mexico, had been in a bad accident and not survived. 
I met Kevin in Granada, Nicaragua briefly over some beers. Then again in Medellin, Colombia and in Quito Ecuador. Like other moto travelers riding in south America we shared lots of stories, talked about life, travel and experiences on the road. He was from Whistler, Canada and was a really good guy! I had been messaging with him about Galapagos, Border crossing to Peru, His time in Lima as he had bike problems.
Had dinner with Kevin, Sherri Jo, and Young James. It was an amazing evening and we were on a rooftop restaurant overlooking Quito. I stood to get photos of the view.
It is a shock, as we all ride with the knowledge of the risks of riding a motorcycle especially outside your home country. But I know that I do not expect the worst to actually happen.
At first I was numb when James sent me the information, then have been processing this information as if feels so unreal. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones. Having seen death up close with my wife, I know how painful this kind of loss is.
May Kevin Irving Rest in Peace. And his family and friends be comforted by Love and knowledge that he was living his dream. 
His sister (i think) posted an article from the local paper. Translated it in Google translate.
Canadiense muere en accidente de tránsito en Uyuni
“The foreigner, identified as Kevin John Irvin, 45, was scheduled to arrive in the city of La Paz on his motorcycle from the resort town of Uyuni, in the department of Potosí, as reported by the ANF.
The Canadian citizen was driving his motorcycle along this road in the Potosi department. At the height of cross sector Rosario, about 20 kilometers from the city of Potosi, suffered a fatal collision with a truck, as announced yesterday ERBOL network.
Kevin Irvin John was killed by the strong impact he suffered in the collision, according to the commander announced Desiderio Montes, departmental director of Transit Operating Agency, the report released by the radio network Aclo ERBOL.
Unfortunately, the foreign citizen’s vehicle collided with a dump truck, which came from the mining district of Porco and at the time of the collision was carrying minerals, the agency said ANF.
“When the first investigations carried out to establish the direct and indirect causes which have caused the fatal incident,” the police authority.
“The demise of Canada and is known by the prosecution and in the coming hours we will have the preliminary report,” said Montes ERBOL network.
Apparently, the tourist was traveling to Uyuni and now his lifeless body is found in the Daniel Bracamonte Hospital morgue in the city of Potosi. The authorities are waiting for representatives of the Canadian Embassy in Bolivia or their relatives removed the body.
“It was a collision between a motorcycle and a dump truck, unfortunately we have to report the death of the motorcycle driver, Kevin John Irvin,” the commander departmental PAT Transit network.
“The deceased was alone on the bike, we are researching the date and place of entry into the country, why was circulating intermediate cities, also already informed the embassy, was called to the Foreign Ministry for its nationals removed the body, “said authority.
According to the police chief, and are made to achieve early research to establish the causes of this fact that claimed a life.”
Felt the need to share this sad news. No words can describe the loss that they family and friends are feeling around the world. As motorcycle riders and travelers we form a quick bond when we meet and share our lives while on the road. Mine was a set of brief meetings out on the road, but me heart aches for his family and for Sherri Jo and Young James as they had spent lots of time with Kevin over the past 6 months.
