The Return Trip

Cook Inlet

It has been three weeks since my return from Alaska and I still haven't completed my account of the return trip; and so, belated as it is, here goes.

The return trip from Seward, Alaska back to Michigan was (as I said before) not the way I like to travel; but - "A bad day of traveling on a motorcycle is still better than a good day at the office!"

The weather throughout Alaska continued to be mostly overcast with intermittent light rain.  Just enough to require rain gear (rain gear that actually felt good in the high 50 degree temperatures).

The dim side of my headlight had burned out, making it necessary to stop at one of only two Harley Davidson dealerships in all of Alaska, "House of Harley-Davidson and Buell," in Anchorage (and of course I couldn't leave there without buying a long sleeve T-shirt).

Even though the weather was still not very obliging, it didn't stop me from making one final attempt to capture the rugged beauty of the Cook Inlet.

House of Harley-Davidson and Buell in Anchorage

It was hard to motorcycle past the Matanuska Glacier without stopping and to walk on the surface of the massive glacier (the Matanuska is one, perhaps the only one, of the glaciers which one can freely walk on the surface of the glacier without fear of being punished for doing so).  I knew, however, that if I continued to stop at every site along the way the trip would be extended for days; instead, I opted for a couple of photos and somewhat begrudgingly continued on my way.

I had hoped to travel from Tok, Alaska northwest along the Taylor Highway to the "Top of the World Highway" (the same Top of the World Highway that I had missed back in March, when the MichCanSka snowmobile riders trekked to Tok).  It was no longer a reasonable option.  Record rains had raised havoc and now the Taylor Highway was only open for twice a day trips led by a "pace vehicle" which guided a caravan of vehicles along the one-way road.  Once again, given my sense of urgency, I didn't have time for that kind of slow travel and therefore chose to repeat my previous route of travel through Beaver Creek, Yukon Territory.

Four days after leaving Seward I arrived in Watson Lake and was surprised to hear people complaining about the heat. I, of course, was aware of the warmer temperatures, but was surprised to discover that the temperature had in fact risen to 90 degrees Fahrenheit; for me it was PERFECT!

For the first time since leaving New Orleans back in April (some 17,000 miles ago) my motorcycle was a "concern".  It was mysteriously shutting down on me for no apparent reason.  Thus far, each time the engine had quit it restarted without incident - but, what if it suddenly chose another option and stranded me in the middle of nowhere?

Matanuska Glacier

The motorcycle problem had first started in Watson Lake, but it was still a concern as I rode, now miles to the south, in Fort Saint John British Columbia.  Clearly, it had to be checked out.  

Safely making my way to Grande Prairie (where I had been advised that there was a thriving Harley-Davidson dealership), I was greeted "royally"; stopped adjacent to a busy Grande Prairie intersection by the Grande Prairie Police.  After thousands of road miles without incident, I was pulled over because my license plate was hidden by my "luggage".

I advised the officer that I had traveled through 26 states and 5 territories and that - "This was the first time I had been stopped."  He, of course, could hardly care less, and most likely considered that fact a compliment; but, fortunately he let me go and only advised that when I load my gear on tomorrow - "find a way to strap your things in place in such a way that will allow your license plate to be visible."


I appreciated being given a break, but nonetheless can't help thinking that he knew that his advise would be shamefully ignored; after all, it had not been a problem for all these miles, and it was not a safety hazard.


The Harley dealership in Grande Prairie disposed me of $190 and advised me that there was a computer related electrical problem that was advising the onboard computer system that the engine was overheating and therefore needed to shut down.  I was told that it was likely a loose or abraded wire that was causing the problem, but the "guilty" wire could not in fact be found without further research and (obviously) further dollars.

I decided to put wallet back in my pocket and depart - POST HASTE!

All is Well in the Land of OZ

Relax - Everything is Going to be Alright.  All is well in the Land of Oz.  On Tuesday (after Labor Day) when I went to the bank it do was revealed that the impending foreclosure was indeed stopped in time.

As best as we could figure the transaction crossed in the mail or perhaps even in cyberspace (is that even possible?)

I have a lot of work to do to catch back up on the "Wayward Blog" and to clean and repair things around the house, but for the time being at least - the house is secure.

We still have a few weeks of moderate motorcycling weather before the snow hits, and even though it is true that my wings have been clipped (as a friend of mine would say) "I'm endeavoring to persevere."  If I can't fly, perhaps I can "flutter" enough to do some exploring around Michigan, the neighboring states or even Canada.

It would not be a motorcycle trip, but perhaps, I could manage a short trip in October to see the polar bear in Churchill, Manitoba and take some wildlife pictures (something that I have wanted to do for years).

My Wings Have Been Clipped - Plus, the Horror of Horrors

Fortunately I was able to keep my home from going into foreclosure, but not without the help of my family and not without significantly draining my already marginal reserves; also, my wings have been clipped - there is no way (for the time being at least) to continue my motorcycle travels.

Not to belabor the point (well, perhaps a little), I "owe it all" to President Obama's plan - "Making Your Home Affordable" (see my previous blog).

Now my mission is to find a way to refinance my home, get approved for the Obama plan or find a similar plan to bring the monthly payments into the range of affordability.

If I fail in all of the above efforts, my only remaining option is to sell my home.  I don't want to sell, my home is my sense of security, a board to cling too in a "sea of turmoil", a comfort zone - the nest I can return too when all else goes awry.
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The above was written on Saturday before I had opened my Saturday mail.  Today (Monday) I went the mail box and returned to the house to check out what Saturday's mail contained.

Horror of horrors - the blood drained from my face as I read that the checks I deposited on the 1st of September didn't clear in time and MY HOUSE HAS GONE INTO FORECLOSURE!

The money had to be deposit by the 2nd of September and although, it was in fact deposited on the 1st, the funds were not "available" in time to cover the transaction.

When I deposited the $24,000 on the September 1st, I told my banker that - "there was not any way that the funds (from the deposited checks for $24,000) would clear in time to cover the $21,711.79 required to keep my house from going into foreclosure."

My banker assured me by depositing the moneys into my account he would be able to make sure that my account would show the required funds as being available in my account and therefore guarantee that the payment would in place to cover the required $21,711.79.

Needless to say - "that didn't happen!"

Tomorrow is another day, but as it now appears I have not only lost my home (and approximately $180,000 in equity); but another $21,711.79 which was apparently - uselessly spent.

Obama's "Making Your Home Affordable" Program - May Cause Me to Lose My Home

I'm Pissed!  Months ago, after having lost my business and having gone thousands of dollars in debt in a failed effort to save the business, I bought into the "administrations" program to help struggling home owners to save their home - "Making Your Home Affordable".

Here's what happened.  Sometime around last September or October I received a packet in the mail encouraging me to apply for the "Making Your Home Affordable" plan.  Under this program, the letter explained, I was told that if accepted the plan would substantially lower my mortgage payment and allow me to keep my home.  I was, of course, eager to accept an offer to substantially lower my $1780 monthly mortgage payment, and therefore, submitted the application.

After applying, I was accepted into the initial program on a trial basis (which lowered my monthly payment from $1780 to $725 for a trial period of three months).

At this time I was led to believe that the initial approval (while not official) almost assured acceptance.  It would "take 3 months" in order receive full approval; and in addition, I was told that during the trial period the payment amount (although not official) would most likely change very little from the final approved payment plan.

My first payment under this plan was made in January of 2010 (by this time I was already two months behind on my mortgage payment (since I was told not to make any additional payments while awaiting to be approved into the trial program).

Three months later I was still waiting for approval!

The reason for the delay in my approval was that they were "backlogged" with so many applications under the plan that they had not been able to complete my application in the required three months.  I was told to, "just continue make the $725 payment."

After four months - the answer was the same!

The same scenario repeated in May - five months into the program.  All the time I believed that I would eventually receive approval and therefore the delay did not greatly concern me.  Once approved, I was told, the back payments would be tacked onto the end of the loan.

When I tried to make my June payment, they lowered the "boom".

I was told that they would not accept any payment and further added, "That I would need to reapply for the "Making Your Home Affordable" program since it has gone on for six months without my receiving approval (And whose fault is that?)
    
I reapplied and was told that in the meantime I could not make any mortgage payment, but (again) if approved, the payments would be tacked on to the end of the loan.  Seeing no reason to doubt that I would eventually be approved, I didn't care (foolish me).

On the 25 of August I called PNC Bank to find out the status of my "Making Your Home Affordable" plan and was "shocked" to hear that my application had been declined.  I was told that I had one additional form (not initially required on my original trial plan) that had not been received by the deadline date of August the 24th.

When I told them that I could send the remaining required document to them on that day (the 25th of August), they told me that it was too late!  They added, that now my home was going into foreclosure on the 3rd of September unless I could payoff the entire eleven months of past due payments - a total $19,582.53!

They told me that I had been advised about the deadline in the body of one of the letters of correspondence and I have no reason to doubt that this was a true fact.

Although they could not complete my application (that was required to be completed in three months) within the three months, or even four months - five months, even six months; because I was ONE DAY late, I am out of the program and now in danger of losing my home.    

The irony is that Barack Obama's plan to help struggling homeowners to save their home in these
difficult economic times might in cause me too, in fact -  LOSE MY HOME!