Recap

Kim’s Recap:

I loved the trip! Everyday, actually sometimes every hour, was something new. Seeing the country on the back of a motorcycle really lets you see it, let’s you be part of it. There’s no roof over your head to block your view, and since you can’t move around much, you’re just concentrating on the landscape, and are able to drift away in your thoughts. My dreams the first few days of the trip were so detailed and long; my mind must have been at ease. On the second to last day when we got the truck and we went into the first restaurant to eat, I realized that I missed not having all of my gear on. Usually, we would walk in somewhere and people would be curious...where were we coming from, where were we going, you must be tired, is it cold out there, be careful, wow that’s far, go this way, oh you gotta see this, etc. Lots of people came up to us and chatted and all were so interested in our story. That was pretty fun. Another interesting thing was just how much could change so quickly. The elevation really changes the landscape and the weather - we would go through deserts, forest, hot, cold, you name it, in a day. If there was something I wanted to snap a picture of, I could never hesitate, because within a few minutes, the landscape could change, which just made observing that much more interesting. If I had to pick a favorite part of the trip, for me, it would be Monument Valley, UT. We were approaching it for awhile, and then we turned down another highway to go right through the heart of it, and I just thought it was so beautiful. The huge red rock formations, in their various shapes and sizes, rising up out of the desert, just wonderful. Of course, Kevin did such an awesome job planning the entire trip, making sure we had every last thing we would ever need to be safe and comfortable, and did a spectacular job riding us across the country and back. Thanks Kevin! Did I mention that we’re already talking about the next trip? Yeah, we liked it that much!

Kevin's Recap:

I am so glad everything went so great! I could be down about trucking the bike home but given the time of year, we’re lucky to have had such amazing, perfect weather when it counted. The trip was amazing! I have been through the Rocky Mountains many times on my way to Moab UT, off-roading with the Land Rover. Doing the trip out west on the bike is a completely different experience and so much more fulfilling. You really feel so much more a part of it, than in a vehicle. I remember seeing guys on BMW GS’s out there and being very envious. No more, except for the ones that live there and can do that ride everyday. Having Kim with me was perfect. Most of our amazing pictures could never have been without her on back. We were able to get so far on the trip because we didn’t have to stop at every lookout or scenic stop. Being on the bike it was unnecessary and her shooting along the way documented it in a way that could not be done in a vehicle. I’m lucky to have a wife who’ll trust me, share excitement about, and go along on trips like this which otherwise might seem too dangerous. I liked AZ and Monument Valley but CO is ‘my place’. The mountains, forests and curvy roads were exactly what I dreamed about riding. I have definitely gained a lot of riding experience on this trip. Manitou Springs had a lot of steep city roads which I was forced to ride to get around. No falls or problems. Good time. My favorite, which may get me in trouble was the little bit of off-road driving in Monument Valley. Doing it with a passenger, gear, and bike weighing probably near 900 lbs was not ideal but wasn’t as bad as I thought. Had a close call in some deep soft red sand (powder). Riding off-road without passenger and with knobby tires aired down is my next move. Thanks to everyone for the posts and feedback. We always looked forward to logging on, reading them, and seeing if everyone liked the pics. It kept us posting everynight, almost. Hope to see everyone soon!