On Sunday 10th October 1982 a Jumbo Jet left Heathrow Airport for Los Angeles, California with me on board. The flight took eleven hours even though my ticket stated my departure time as 11 am and my arrival as 2 pm. that same day. Unaccustomed as I was to such journeys, and because of the excitement of the trip ahead, I got no sleep during the flight. When the plane landed I battled my way through customs and the crowded departure lounge with my heavy baggage to the pavement outside. There I stood in the blazing hot sun amongst my cases and waited to be mugged or, failing that, the man who was going to rent me the motorcycle. As I waited I was amazed at the multitude that swarmed by, both as pedestrians and in their large flashy motorcars, and this was still Sunday, or so my airline ticket stated. Most of the throng seemed to be of Chinese or Spanish origin. Eventually a voice said, "You Keith?" I turned and beheld a man in his mid-forties. He had long blond hair and a drooping moustache and was dressed in faded blue tee-shirt and jeans. "I'm Lynn Swann, " he said. This was the Lynn J Swann, who's advertisement in a motorcycling magazine I had answered and who I was hoping to rent the motorcycle from. He had picked me out in the throng as I was the only one to be carrying a bulky leather jacket in all that heat. He led me to his car and I was introduced to Dad. Dad was a short rotund man in his late sixties or early seventies. He also wore blue jeans but with a checked shirt and spoke exactly like John Wayne. We climbed in the car, a Honda, with Lynn in the driving seat, me beside him and Dad in the back. After we had pulled out into the busy stream of traffic and joined the freeway, Lynn suggested that, as it was only just after two, I might like to take in a drive round Hollywood. I readily agreed and we took in Beverly Hills and the San Fernando Valley. Part of the arrangement was that I was to spend the night at his home but as we still had a lot of time in hand, Lynn suggested that I might like also to take in a trip around Universal Studios. Again I agreed and we took in a guided tour which took the three of us through film sets and special effects studios. Every now and then the guide would asked for volunteers to act out various special effects such as those used in the Superman films and I was amazed at the way the Americans clamoured to take part. The whole trip took about four hours. When it was over Lynne and Dad took me to a restaurant for a meal. Lynn explained that the day before his son had got married and that, as he had taken time off from his main job, he had to leave for work early the next morning. He would have no time to go over the bike with me so everything had to be sorted out that evening. We finally got to his house about 11 pm that night. By this time I was pretty tired. I had given up trying to work out how many hours I had gone without sleep. All I knew was that I had got up about 7 am England time and could not remember closing my eyes for one moment since then. Lynn apologised again and said that he also needed to see if I could ride the motorbike. The bike was a 750cc four cylinder Honda. However, it differed from English models in that the handle bars were more curved and the saddle and riding position more upright. Also there was an additional forward pair of footrests so that the rider could lean back and put his feat up while cruising the freeway. The Swanns lived in a quiet suburb of LA. and the house was situated along a dirt track off the main road. Thus it was nearly midnight and pitch dark when I climbed aboard the alien machine and set off up the track. I was very tired and determined not to go very far. But, of course, I got lost when I left the track for the road. At one point I mistook some one's driveway for the dirt track and was confronted by a swimming pool and a very large man in a dressing gown. At first I thought I should apologise but discretion took the better part of valour and I turned the motorcycle round and headed back the way I came. I did eventually manage to find my way back to the Swann house and, in the early hours of Monday morning, I climbed gratefully into bed. Much to my surprise, I awoke the next morning at about seven o'clock and was immediately wide awake. Thus I was able to see Lynne briefly before he left for work and begin loading my baggage aboard the motorcycle. Then at about nine o'clock I set out on the first stage of my voyage. I had resolved to leave Los Angeles as soon as possible and so, by following the road map Lynn had provided, I made my way to the nearest freeway heading south-west towards the coast. I did not wish to travel very far on my first day, particularly because of the exhausting time I had had the day before., so when I reached the coast I turned south and, with the Pacific Ocean on my right, began looking for somewhere to stay. Amongst the luggage I had brought from England was a small tent and a sleeping bag. Thus, when after several miles I found a state campsite by the sea, I stopped and pitched my tent. I spent the next two days sunning myself on the beach and watching the surfing. I also saw some of the most beautiful sunsets I had ever seen in my life. After the sun went down over the sea, the sky reddened so much so that it seemed it was on fire. Later I move further down the coast and found another campsite nearer San Diego. From there I visited Marine Land, which is in San Diego's Mission Park, a large recreational area. I spent an enjoyable day watching performing dolphins and killer whales, although I did not wholly approve of the "showbiz" techniques of their trainers. The next day I packed up my tent and headed further south passing through San Diego. Then I turned left and rode east across the desert towards Arizona and the Wild West.