It was the day that I was due to leave on this summer’s foray towards the west coast and I had yet to choose a route. I ended up letting my stomach decide for me. Continue reading Going with Your Gut (literally)
Category Archives: Road Tales
In a fast-paced world where most long journeys are viewed from 20,000+ feet in a jet airliner, we miss out on the detail afforded by the low viewing angle of a motorcycle saddle. In this category I have stored a collection of interesting experiences gleaned from years of motorcycle touring. Each tale may describe a multi-week trip, a single day, or one sublime instant. Some tales even have photographic evidence. While I post these tales largely for my own amusement, I have been told they have inspired some to try motorcycle touring. If so, then that seems like a useful purpose. May they help you realize that the universe still holds many thoughts to consider, humor to be enjoyed, and wonders to behold.
Adventures in Tire Plugging
In preparation for our recent trip down to North Carolina on the Nightowl, I install a new rear tire. Naturally, that same tire picked up a nail two days later, which led to some strategizing on how to get home. Continue reading Adventures in Tire Plugging
A Cold Escape
As mentioned in my previous post, Mother Nature was doing her very best to keep me and the Nightowl housebound in Michigan instead of riding down to Daytona Bike Week.
She failed. Continue reading A Cold Escape
Daytona 2016 Preview
The annual Daytona Bike Week has historically been held the first full week of March. This may be a nice time of the year for Floridians and those who live along the Gulf Coast, but in the northern states, it’s still winter. Continue reading Daytona 2016 Preview
Bike Buy Journey: Bringing the Nightowl Home
Since I ended up buying the Nightowl, my new 2015 BMW K1600GTL, from a dealer in another state, there were a few additional challenges when it came time to close the deal and bring the Bike home: Continue reading Bike Buy Journey: Bringing the Nightowl Home
Gallery for the 2015 Par-Tay Trip
I rode out west to attend the Dutchman’s Par-Tay on the island. I used the opportunity to visit with a few friends and revisit a few familiar haunts in the Canadian Rockies. Continue reading Gallery for the 2015 Par-Tay Trip
An Eventful Day in Idaho
The plan was simple: get a 9-10am start and ride the remote ID28 route up to Salmon, ID and up US93 to Lolo and then west on US12 through Lolo Pass and on to Orofino, ID. If I had known everything that was going to happen today, I may have stayed in bed. Continue reading An Eventful Day in Idaho
Crossing Wyoming and Airmail History
I awoke after a good night’s sleep at the Round Up Motel in Cheyenne, WY to find that everything that had been soaked during the previous evening’s thunderstorm had dried. I went about the business of pulling myself together for a crossing of Wyoming to visit friends in Blackfoot, ID. This day wouldn’t need to be the 798mi (1284 km) marathon that I rode yesterday but rather a relatively full 500+ mile (800+ km) day. Continue reading Crossing Wyoming and Airmail History
A long day with a underused rainsuit
I woke up fairly well rested and with no vestiges of the sinus headache that had plagued me the previous day. This was a good thing because I had 1300 miles (2092 km) to ride over the next two days. I also didn’t want to ride too late the night of the second day since I was going to be staying with friends and wanted to arrive early enough to be social. Continue reading A long day with a underused rainsuit
Home from one party and out for another
As is so often the case Karen and I were faced with multiple parties on consecutive weekends on opposite side of the country. Continue reading Home from one party and out for another