In From The Storm

...17 days and 4002 sMiles later I've returned to the northwest

What a great journey it has been!  The last 450 miles completed today were some of the worst conditions once entering OR and continuing into WA.  I got a full day of low temperatures; sunbreaks that were separated by snow in the morning and then hail in the mountain passes followed by plenty of rain for most of the ride.  The sunbreaks were awesome - looking at a mean dark cloud overhead break open while seeing a few miles away blue sky was inspiring to ride faster.  I saw plenty of rainbows everywhere during the sunbreaks and even had some zero visibility behind a few 5 axle rigs.  It would figure I would get that kind of test so close to home!

When I first seriously thought about doing this trip I was thinking about riding the whole Pacific coast.  After riding the Big Sur section and getting stuck in a line of traffic for 20 minutes waiting on road work I decided to change that and just slab it back north and ride for time and distance.  I mostly jammed on I-5 once out of the Bay Area and thoroughly enjoyed the Uly power passing everything in site.  I don't typically ride very fast, but in this case I really just wanted to pass everything in front of me - and it was so fun watching traffic open up and riding to space and making clean passes.  I can't say it enough times how comfortable, powerful and smooth the Uly is to ride in all conditions.  I think it sounds way better now than when I started this trip - Major props to Buell for making such a great bike - a super cleaning and polish is due the steel steed :D

After all the miles, time, places and people of this trip a few people have asked me why did I do this and some people even think I'm 'looking for myself.'  If you have to ask why someone would travel cross country on a moto in all sorts of weather with no plan I will answer because I can.  If you think I was out looking to find myself I would say that a journey like this is a good way to lose yourself and never come back as I was presented with more options the more people I met.  To really answer the question for non-judgmental people I will say that I have always wanted to experience long distance travel on a moto.  There is more to it than just riding 100 miles and returning home - it requires a great deal of endurance along with focus and the right mindset to accomplish successfully.  I also don't intend for this to be the last moto-adventure-journey; this is only my first test of myself, gear and machine for future adventures :)

Some other people have asked me what have I learned during this trip.  That's a great question because I learned more things that I would have never imagined about everything.  Being alone for most of the trip I thought I would have needed my Ipod, laptop and a bunch of other stuff, but really didn't.  The travel itself provided plenty of stimuli and made me think of how much other stuff I have in my life that is there in case I think I need it, but really don't.  Moto travel is all about simple things - things that take up too much space are useless - cheaply made stuff will get broken - electronic stuff will get wet and fail when you need it.  Although it will sound ironic after all my talk about how fast the Uly likes to go and passing vehicles, I think I learned most how to slow down and really live the experience and not think about the next minute, day or week.  Some of the best moments I will cherish are the times when I had no concept of anything except what I was doing and it seemed like time was standing still while I was totally absorbed in the moment - I don't think this makes me a Zen master but I think I have a better idea of more and realize I really don't know much and still want to learn more.

Thanks to everyone that has read this blog, given me feedback, support or just enjoyed hearing a story of one person going out for a moto ride.  Thanks also to the sarcastic and cynical creatures that would prefer to sit back and think about me as potential roadkill or all the bad things that could happen to me and call me CRAZY.  Energy derives from both the plus and negative everywhere.  I hope everyone has a chance to experience their on secret journey in some way and be able to share all the respect, harmony and love with everyone they touch along the way.

all the best in life,love&laughs

tdw

"I know, I know you probably scream and cry
That your little world won't let you go
But who in your measly little world
Are you trying to prove that
You're made out of gold and, eh, can't be sold

So, are you experienced?
Have you ever been experienced?
Well, I have

Let me prove it to you.."

Friends

Monday night I found myself in the Bay Area crashing with my friends Pete and Meghan at their pad close to Berkeley.  Pretty much this trip I've just been riding a direction and when I'm close to some friends just giving them a call to see if they are around - what better way to visit people when touring around on a moto?

Pete and Meghan use to live in Alaska and have visited Seattle a few times- always a great time and I was really stoked to return a visit even just for the night.  After a weekend of great wines in Thousand Oaks I was pleasantly surprised that after a Manhattan with Pete we all went out for some great deep dish pizza and wine.  After the pizza and wine we returned back to their pad and another bottle of wine was opened - my apologies to Pete and Meghan for passing out; I really enjoyed the wine and food - and thank you so much for the bed to crash in :)

Leaving their house it was raining lightly, but as soon as I got on the freeway and stuck in the Bay Area morning commute traffic it began to downpour - pretty typical for me riding in Seattle.  As soon as I got out of the Bay Area the rain stopped, but then the crazy winds began.  It was a serious effort to go straight with these winds - those signs warning about extreme winds were quite accurate this time - I should have stopped to take a few pics of the all the windmills on these surreal looking green hills, but I seriously thought I would be blown over if I wasn't moving - and I was moving pretty fast to get out of this windy area!

As I am approaching home I really need to give a major shout and special thanks to all my friends that I've had a chance to visit and see along the way.  I am so very sincerely grateful to have such awesome friends that allowed me to crash their pads and were excited to have a meal & drinks with them and their families & friends.  I really can't say thank you enough for sharing your time with me.  My apologies for everyone I missed along the way - I really didn't plan this trip with much in mind except to ride a few places and see all that I could see along the way.

"Yeah it's fine, we'll walk down the line
Leave our rain, a cold trade for warm sunshine
You my friend - I will defend
And if we change, well I love you anyway"

Big Sur

Many thanks and much love to bro Ray and Bretney for their hospitality.  Great food, drink & partying along with a workout and some hiking made for a perfect weekend to soak up the SoCal sun.  Thousand Oaks looks like it's one of those places that always has sun and happy people.  And on the hike this time there was no rattlesnake looking to bite my ankle :)

The Uly sat in a covered spot for 3 days, but quickly fired up for our Monday departure.  After some fuel we rolled north up the 101 and as soon as we left Thousand Oaks were into a damp cloud and the temps dropped ending the happy warm time.  Fog and mist until getting up around Pismo Beach.  I don't have a problem riding in the rain or even some snow, but enjoying a sunny ride in southern CA is def preferred!

The Uly has been the rockstar on this entire trip!  Every hill, turn or move on the Uly is smooth and predictable at any speed.  I'm guessing after 3000+ miles on the bike it's getting broken in and I'm learning how to ride the bike the way it wants to be ridden.  I can't say enough about the power and cornering of the Uly - it makes it so enjoyable to have that much control of a powerful bike that does what you want it to effortlessly :D

For part of this trip the Uly & I need to ride part of the Pacific Coast Highway from around Morro Bay to Monterey and experience Big Sur.  I still don't have any words to accurately describe this - to begin with, this is where the Pacific Ocean meets the California coast and it appears this meeting was/is violent.  The cliffs and erosion are massive - there probably should not be a road here as it twists and turns anyway the rocks dictate.  Plenty of fallen rock zones and just places you would not want to slip because even if you survive the fall the waves would probably be happy to crush anything on some of the rocks and very cool bridges built in the 30's.

I still cannot describe the ride itself - the weather was perfect, the scents in the air were amazing, the Uly was HUGE fun and US 1 up to Monterey was much more than I expected and everything was in it's right place.  I stopped for pics and videos and realized this is too big to explain with a few pics and even moving pics.  I was able to catch some birds and squirrels that actually like human attention, but found it difficult to capture the ride up the coast.  Everyone really needs to enjoy some time on this road - now I know why this road is featured on Modern Marvels.

Ocean and waves on the left - sunshine above and rocks, cliffs and colors to the right was most of the US 1 ride.  Not to take anything away from Big Sur; all the roads leading to US 1 were great to ride as well.  Catching all the flowering and budding fruits made for delicious scents.  Although some nights my eyes are itchy and I'm a little stuffy from all the pollen it's so worth it.  I really want to ride this again - everything a road crawling up the Pacific coast should be and more!

"All you create
All you destroy
All that you do
All that you say.
All that you eat
And everyone you meet
All that you slight
And everyone you fight.
All that is now
All that is gone
All that's to come" 

No Beer Friday

Still hanging in sunny Thousand Oaks and trying to remove myself from this very comfortable bed after a full day that started with an Irish Cream coffee into a workout at 24hr fitness and continued with plenty of very good and tasty drinks and food - Happy Hour All Day!!!

A hang with Ray is always a great high-end party experience.  When I arrived Thursday we had lasagna (thanks Bret!) for dinner along with the best wines I've ever tasted.  I am getting an education in wines - another friend Brad stopped by for the blind tasting last night.  I probably have about 40 bottles of wine at home and do enjoy a good bottle, but Ray & Brad are on another level - they do crazy Napa tastings and are great people to hang with if you can hang!  I can taste some differences and do like the interactions of good wine and food - and during my first blind tasting with them we seemed to all agree that Bogle had the flava of the evening!

After 'Ray's Bloody-Mary' lunch onto some pre dinner Beam & Cokes (PKS Wkend 2010) then the Santa Barbara sirloin - grilled with onions and portabella mushrooms and let's not forget the Polish Perogies & asparagus - while snacking shrimp, cheese & crackers discussing the blind tasting.  All the delicious food, partying & wine were AMAZING - should be against the law to consume that much goodness all at once :-p

All this great food & drink with the 75th NFL Draft going on in the background on the 58" plasma and somehow Brad threw out some stat that had us all ripping out a quick 40+ pushups...yeah all this fun hangin and partying in the perfect sunny weather and no beer all day :D

Did I mention Ray is a party master?  We have history that goes back and connects NY to FLA to CA and plenty of great musical and interesting experiences....and today is recovery day - sit around in the sun at the deck bar, take pictures of flowers and get a little "Ray-Squonk Jam" with the six-string and his Roland kit :D

"Here I'm allowed, everything all of the time
Here I'm allowed, everything all of the time"

Left Coast PKS Weekend

So far the shortest and most congested leg of the ride - the Los Angeles traffic was there and a few stops on the mighty I-5 (runs to/thru 3 different countries) and the Uly with the fresh oil and filter is smooth and purring like a kitten with tons of torque and response everywhere :D

I think I've always been talking about the comfort at speed of the Uly, but after the filter and fresh oil it seems to have a better feel at lower speeds as I figured out in the jammin' at 80 - down to STOP on the freeway.  Running much smoother and a little cooler.  I was hoping to try some lane splitting, but never really had a chance in the HOV lane - that also turned what was estimated at a 4 to 5hr trip into a 2 1/2 hr ride with time to drop onto Hollywood Blvd for a cruise.  Always a super mellow revealing experience to get off the main route and just cruise some sections wherever you go & stop for whatever ;-p

It seems the riding out here is pretty chill - with lane sharing/splitting rides seems to flow in traffic - no turn signals, but riding for open space always close to the lines and establishing a place in the traffic.  Two riders on gixxers probably saw my WA tags and shared a lane with me on both sides north of LA where traffic thinned and flowed.  I tagged them for about 6 miles easily with the Uly torque and horsepower and watched how they flowed close to the line - really chill relaxed but really aware riding - You really have to be alert when riding like that and just let go to have fun to enjoy the moto and ride :D

With the decreased ETA time I was at my destination ahead of time and used the GPS to find a Starbucks to use my card for the second time this trip for lunch and a snack.  It's been an experience sitting outside having lunch near my moto relaxing - people approach me and asked about my trip and give me the warmest most HAPPY feelings - the only thing I can do is smile and experience the moment :D

Now hangin with my bro Ray in Thousand Oaks about to start the wkend early with some wines - i'm sure there will be damage and it will be worth the fun :D

Happy Earth Day!!

"Blackened is the end winter it will send
throwing all you see into obscurity
Death of mother earth - never a rebirth
Evolution's end - never will it mend
Never!"

Goodbye Oceanside

Happy Earthday Everyday!

Last night a crazy thunderstorm rolled through with lightning and some really severe rain - Ashley was suggesting I stay another day if it rained today.  So far I see wet roads and sun - should dry up by the time I pack up and load the Uly...I totally did bring the rains!!

Today I'm crawling about 130 miles north to Thousand Oaks, which is a bit north of Malibu to visit another friend for a few days of NFL draft, wine, music and partying fun.  I'm told this 130 miles could take 4 or 5 hours as I have to pass Los Angeles, although I have friends there I want to just roll past on this trip.  The first 5 days of this trip I was alone and just drifting and heading south with really no one to see until I got to Phoenix.  That was a weird lonely feeling that had the element of surprise mixed with unknown adventure.  Now leaving the Gerbs pad and his family I am feeling really sad.  Really stoked I got to bond with his kids and hang with his wife and even have their dog happy to see me.

There are so many stories between Gerbs and I - we grew up together from the first day of college, from the same hometown and use to do all sorts of crazy not well advised things - we are brothers that have grown, changed but remained the same .  I am really happy to see him and his family doing well and it's great to see that he and Ashley have passed on the crazy adventurous genes to their kids - they will be more than a handful when they're older and crazy fun!

Thanks Kevin and Ashley for the super hospitality - Hayden and Sophie for all the playtime and laughs..and Kaya for the doggie time!!

"We are the people that rule the world. 
A force running in every boy and girl. 
All rejoicing in the world. 
Take me now - We can try."

Biggs HD San Marcos

Today I took the Uly for a ride to San Marcos to have a ride in the So-Cal weather and more importantly get an oil change.  I did a Google search to find a dealer and made a call this morning to see if I needed to schedule an appointment at Biggs Harley Davidson-Buell http://www.biggsh-d.com/default.asp they said just drop by anytime.  Really easy to deal with and 17 miles later I was at their service dept dropping off the Uly.  A dude came in to grab my keys and take the Uly into the shop for the service - he came back in after looking at my WA plates and how dirty my moto was and asked if I rode all the way here from WA.  I told him I did and he said "you're my kind of person!"  We talked about his bagger and I told him my next moto would probably be a RoadKing.

It was early and I needed to find some breakfast grub so I took a walk around the corner, past a Costco and then past a Guitar Center...did someone make this mall area just for me?  A Guitar Center right in front of a HD dealership?  Way too good to be true - Nordahl Rd you rule!!  Not to mention the BK breakfast bowl I found, Starbucks (first coffee of the whole trip) and WalMart in this mall area.  I had time to enjoy a walk back to the HD dealership and as I got there the down pouring of rain started - oh yeah I did bring the rain to So-Cal!!

After a call to the folks (have to let them know I've been keeping the sticky side down) I wandered around the HD showroom and saw a few bikes that could someday be part of my collection - then saw some vintage mounts that are part of a nice private collection - really sweet looking rides from 1967 to the 90's - even saw a subtle Grateful Dead HD and an old Buell.  The Buell was the only Buell thing they had in the dealership - I asked if they a Buell shirt & they tried to find me a key chain or anything with Buell on it, but no dice.  Took a few pics and headed to pick up my freshly lubed Uly.  Everyone was so cool in the service dept and whole dealership - they had a pitbull in the service dept that I had to play with and before I left a dude even wiped my windscreen of all the bug colors.  I don't care what people say about Harleys being overpriced or lame - I got great service and enjoyed my time in their dealership a thousand miles from home - that's part of what you pay for when you buy a Harley or Buell!

The ride back to the Gerbs pad was great as the sun came back to shine and the Uly was sounding sweeter and riding alot smoother.  Some of these So-Cal drivers really shouldn't be on the roads - on the way east I saw a bumper and parts of a quarter panel from what appeared to be a very recent accident in the left lane that was being avoided.  Heading back west some cager probably on a cellphone and/or smoking didn't see these things and hit them both - this sent a bunch of parts and debris flying across the highway into the opposing traffic - the explosion of parts looked cool from where I saw it, safely past it and out of the way, but I'm sure this caused some damage to the other cagers that were around it :(

...just past lunch time and I have the Gerb's Estates to myself - a shower, beer, So-Cal sunshine and some guitar to chill with Kaya the Australian Shepard :D

"Let my inspiration flow in token rhyme suggesting rhythm
That will not forsake you, till my tale is told and done
While the firelights aglow, strange shadows from the flames will grow
Till things we've never seen will seem familiar."

Rain in Southern CA?

"These are the seasons of emotion and like the winds they rise and fall
This is the wonder of devotion - I see the torch we all must hold.
This is the mystery of the quotient - Upon us all a little rain must fall."


I'll take blame for the rain here in southern CA - just spreading the love from Seattle; it seems it has followed me everywhere I've traveled :o


The only riding that has taken place has been in the Ford Edge to pick up a table - probably a good idea as Gerbs' awesome wife Ashley has made sure to keep a full beer in my hand and packed me full of steak and delicious grub :)


The Uly has been getting all sorts of attention sitting in the garage - Hayden & Sophie (4 & 3yrs) love to climb all over the bike and pretend they are riding it or stretch out and try to sleep on it.  It was really funny when I pulled up Monday night the Uly totally scared Sophie - the v2 rumble had her running from the garage and she wouldn't even go near it or look at it - now I can't keep them off it!  Hayden just learned how to ride a bike the past weekend I'm told...I see a few motorcycles in the future for these energetic kids :D


After talking to Ashley about my two motos (she didn't know I had a second mount at home) she gave the approval for Gerbs to come visit Seattle just to go riding with me!  Gerbs use to have a street bike before they had kids, but still has his endorsement.  So note to all you married dudes (or ladies) that want a motorcycle - just have me stop-by on the Uly if you need to convince someone - every boy & girl should have a cool moto!


"We are the people that rule the world
A force running in every boy and girl
All rejoicing in the world
Take me now...we can try"

Oceanside

Happy 420 to everyone :D

First I need to revise my mileage numbers I've been quoting...I guess with all the excitement of riding with an odometer that has 3 different readings I was being conservative estimating how far I've ridden....so now that I'm in the sunny perfect weather of Oceanside I have traveled over 2300 miles on the Uly.  This is the apex of the trip for me as now I will only be riding north from here to return.

But I am getting ahead of myself....yesterday's ride was simply AMAZING!!  I will give credit to the great Gingles-Time in Phoenix, meeting all his MMI friends, the AZ Bike Week and the route selected for the ride from Phoenix to Oceanside.  The whole ride it seemed time stood still - like I was moving in slow motion, but easily passing traffic and just flowing with the roads - it was a great feeling.

Mapping out the route I had 3 options - route 8, route 10 or a combination of route 10 & 78.  Route 10 looked to be the quickest easiest route, but I was warned of high crosswinds and a pretty straight ride with lots of traffic - route 8 was advised as the best way for riding, but that was also the longest route to my destination - so it was the route 10 to 78 combo that happened.  Indeed route 10 was boring - straight lots of traffic and kind of numbing.

After jumping off 10 in Blythe (there is a Blythe story during this trip, but you'll have to ask me about that..let's just say Blythe is also the name of a former American Gladiator) I stopped for a standing lunch break at a Chevron.  As I was eating at the bike an older woman looked at me from a large truck and smiled while she was eating.  A few minutes later she comes over and says "it looks like you've been on the road for quite some time" I tell her I started off 8 days ago in WA & then tell her of the 6 states I've visited - she seemed really excited for me and wishes me a safe ride on my journey.  It has made this trip so worth the journey when complete strangers in small towns approach me and give their well wishes - makes one realize the universe is a great place that will show you respect if you only approach it with good intentions and a smile :)

Crossing into California and getting a quick look over from border patrol - not at all sure what would get someone pulled over - I was jamming on miles of straight roads through what looked like farm country.  Two-laned roads where I was going about 80mph when there was no posted speed and it was plenty straight.  The scenery and smells where awesome - miles of farm country where it was just fresh and clean country roads.  Then these signs that say "Dips next 5 miles" start appearing - WOW!!  I was on a roller-coaster that was going straight and feeling all the G's going up and down - felt so fun on the Uly.  The suspension compressing and feeling the forces push everything down - then the decompression and getting that light feeling in my stomach - I had a perma-grin from this at 80mph :D

Still jamming on 78 I start to see sand dunes everywhere - windblown shapes and just the colors of sun reflected sand everywhere.  There were only a  few trucks that needed to be passed on this stretch and the Uly was more than happy to do so.  Trucks coming the opposite direction were not as fun - all that sand coming off the road was interesting - felt it slap anywhere my skin was exposed with pinch every time.  I stopped for pics and video at this one really cool sand dune lookout - this part of CA looked so very cool as it went from farm country to desert.

As I got about 100 miles from Oceanside all the roller-coaster hills and sand dunes were replaced by serious mountains and cliffs.  I was getting into the Ariza-Borrego Desert State Wilderness area - there were no straight roads on this piece of riding.  Signs read things like "Dangerous Curves next 9 miles", "Danger Fallen Rock Zone" and posted speeds went from 25 to 40mph with those arrows that are just a squiggly line on a yellow sign. This part of the trip was the most intense of the trip so far!  From Banner to Julian was no joke at all - these roads are intense and dangerous!  Serious leaning to negotiate the turns, down shiftng, upshifting, short shifting and flipping the Uly aggressively from one side to the other.  This was a Zen moment with myself, bike and road after a few scary sections (i crossed the yellow line twice, lucky there was no traffic) - it required full attention.  I was riding on/thru a mountain and the temps dropped - the sun was in and out of vision and there was sometimes a rock or two in the apex along with dirt/sand.  So happy the one purchase I made at the Bike Week show were transitional sunglasses - for a few miles it would be cold and dark, the next few miles would be direct sun in my eyes.  I recommend everyone at some point ride or drive this section of road. Being 100% engaged in negotiating this road I was blown away by the beauty that was all around me during this - yeah the cliffs were steep, the rocks were hanging over head, but it seemed like everything was standing still and I was just witness to all this danger and beauty all at once.

My ETA was pushed back riding this road but so worth getting to the Gerbs pad around 8pm in the dark.  After riding those intense roads blasting 95mph (traffic moves fast around San Diego & Oceanside) was nothing - I was so relaxed and aware of the cagers making their random lane changes.

Of course the best part of the trip was arriving at my destination and seeing the Gerbs and his family - it's only been 4+ years - way too long to see one of my best buddies :D

Here's to Gerbs, his family and sunny southern California!!!