Crash Report, 10 days without shower, roadside wild life, and so much more

10,269.7 Miles

It’s already August and I am almost finished with my 7th week on the road. Writing on the road have proof to be a challenge, mainly due to time rather than anything else. I’m trying to get to Central and South America before September, as I want to spend as much time down there as I can. I have many things I want to write about, but even when I have a few days at a friends place or couchsurfing, I find myself socializing and exploring the local festive rather than staying in to write. Perhaps when I stay in places much longer when I’m south of the border, this would not be such a hurdle.

I have since road the Alaskan Highway all the way to Alaska, wild camping along the entire length since I left Dawson Creek - my hosts at Dawson Creek was amazing, and my first buffalo I saw was dinner, hehehe. In fact I had it twice in the two days I spent there. I hope I can visit them in two years when I go back up with Lee to Tuk and other places.

In my multiple experiences of wild camping, I have stayed in multiple places that are yards away from wildlife such as bears and buffalo. I pulled out one morning when it was still very foggy out, and no more than 100 yards I see a brown bear right on the side of the road mauling on something. It was a bit of a delay “brown moment” lol.

I camped 3 days straight into Alaska first at fort nelson, then liard river, and then at the most amazing campsite at quill creek. I got into fairbanks rather early. I thought, it’s a great day for me to get a shower after so many days on the road. Incidentally, Phillip had no shower either. To top it off, my couchsurfer has only an outhouse for bathroom. And no running water. IT was the way of life out from the central hub of Fairbanks, which is maybe 15 square miles or less. I only stayed there for one night and decided, I would head up to the dalton highway. Next I camp at Yukon river camp, then Cold Foot on the way back, and then back to Philips friend  who helped me fixed my frame, who also had only outhouse and no running water. Back to Philips, then the Denali Highway. Where me and Lee helped this old couple with thier spare tire that wouldn’t come off their truck. They bought us dinner and two drinks! But alas, still camping with no shower. Then finally Valdez glacier campsite. Lee and I originally thought the Valdez campground had no shower either, until the next morning, we saw people walking towards a bathroom area with towels. So on the 11th day, I took the longest hot shower in my life. Okay exaggeration, but I did take a good long time. I washed my hair three times, by that time it was very crusty.

After that I travel with Grizz-lee for 5 more days for a total of 7, and we had access to showers in many of the campsite he chose and he graciously paid for them because he choose the site and wanted the amenities. Which is very nice of him, but also I think the courtesy is proper, as I was wanting wild campsite and he wanted more amenities. I found the best sites are the wild sites, versus the RV campgrounds, but we travel at length together, and he was very verse of the area, so I stayed with him for a couple days. In reality, we paid for 3 campsites out of the 7 days we rode, some were free and some there wasn't anyone there to collect.  

Over the years I have had lots of crashes on my motorcycle. Some I sustain injury (albeit minor), and others I roll over and get up and not a scratch on me. I road up to Prudhoe Bay in one day, and rode back down the same day. We actually pull into camp in 4 am and it was still sun out. The sun as you know never went down in the summer in Alaska, and it really messes with your circadian rhythm. I road over 600 miles that day. As with all things, it seems ridiculous at first to put that much mile on an uncomfortable dual sport, but over time, it just doesn't seem that big of a deal. 300 - 400 mile days are normal, 200-250 miles is super easy day. I think mainly I was adapting to the vast expanse that is of Canada, you just can't get anywhere at 250 miles a day. I am now comfortable at 120 miles in the saddle before break. Two breaks and a gas up and I’m off again.

I admit I was bombing through the Dalton Highway at 50 miles an hour the entire way, I was feeling the rhythm and the ride. My riding buddy at the time on a honda shadow never made the final 200 miles. Ironically, after I made it, I felt like it was very anti climatic, and as Lee tells me, I’ve been up there, I just turn around at the mountain pass, because there is nothing after it. He was right. But it is something to experience yourself, especially if it is your first time. Now I know, if I ever ride up there again, I would never go to the end, I would turn around at the pass too. Lol.

The morning after we camp at 4 am and got up at 9 am, me and Nate (I switched riding buddy when I came back), we rode the remainder 250 miles back into Fairbanks. Perhaps I was too tire, or going too fast, or just being careless. Either way, I came up on a right corner down hill turn with fresh gravel, and I started sliding. I kept on the rear brakes and it just kept sliding 1.) because I was going fast but also 2.) because my tires are pretty bald by now, the knobbies that hooked into the loose stuff is shallow and flat, so I kept sliding. As I inch closer to the edge, I chop the front brake and lay the bike down and I took dive. I don’t know if I was just really well train at martial arts falls or I just dump the bike so many times, but I didn’t have a scratch on me, not even on the jacket or pants. No injury or nothing, but the bike… that’s a whole other story.

The pannier case cracked open, (happy trails yours panniers sucks, single welded only on one side, split on the seams. Should never split on welded seams that easily, bent out of shape sure, but split on the seam like that is ridiculous), the rear subframe shifted as well as I realize the exhaust bracket is now rubbing it. It was pretty bad, and Nate had a bag we threw my yard sale item in (term for all your stuff all over the road), and we rode back into town.

I called up Phillip my couchsurfer extraordinaire who pointed me to his friend who can help me out, who is at a junkyard. Jon is his name, and he was amazing. We worked on it till 11:30 pm, and realize it was still sunny out. We hooked it up to a old dump truck and some ratcheting straps. I ended up crashing there for the night. Jon went to work the next morning, leaving me to my own accord. I ended up straightening everything. Then I went to another Jon, also recommended by my couch surfer. This Jon was an actual machinist with a full shop.

He waited for me as his last customer, and within 15 minutes, he has squared off all the dents in my pannier and in another 20 it was back in one piece welded and fitted back on the bike. It was quite the sight to see. I now understand why people say hard cases are easier to fix than soft bags. Its true, perhaps it may have fair better with soft bags, but rustling through the gravel I fear that it may have torn the bags and no one would be able to fix it easily. It’s impossible to tell. One thing is for sure, I’m uninjured and that’s all that matters and the bike is fixed and the show will go on.

If anything, that learning lesson on how Jon was able to repair my pannier was well worth it itself. To top it off he only charge me very little sum of money. Very generous guy and very nice guy. He even helped me with my wild shield repair. He showed me how to do it, and gave me some wire. So my 6 peice windshield was fixed the next day.

The rest is history, I rode over 5000 miles on the bike and it’s been performing flawlessly, like nothing ever happened. The pannier went through some rain and it has held up waterproof test as well. But what concerns me the most, is the physical reaction I have when I crashed. In the past, I have reacted as most people would have, adrenaline rush, heart pupitation, shock and shooken. Incidentally in the last 4 years or 5, any crash of any kind, regardless if I’m injured or not, I feel nothing. Absolutely nothing. No change in breathing, no change in heart rate. Even much later I don’t recount the incident in my head nor do I feel any sort of way about it. It is bizarre even for me. I don’t react to needing to fix the bike, I don’t get frustrated nor do I get motivated. Just flat affect all around. It’s something to be done, I do it. I crash, I get up and keep going. I dont even stress about the little things on the bike, like things broken or things not working. In fact the turn signal relay went bad in the crash and I rode without one for 5000 miles and I didnt even think twice about fixing it until I got to Lee’s place in seattle. I can say for certain it is not just crashing my bike. I simply don’t react to much of anything. Nate joked “you should tell them at your next physical”. Lol.

I’m not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but I do know it is kind of odd and not particularly normal response. Time will tell, and I will continue to explore this dynamic. Hopefully not crashing to my death or other dangerous activities that I’m usually fond of.

I did a few hikes along the way, one is the Valdez Glacier, and the other is the Columbia Glacier very nice. I even checked out the hatchery at Valdez that was very cool, and made me very very hungry to see all these Salmon… salmon is my favorite fish…. To eat. Lol.

I met a few contacts on the Dalton, and some I may meet up in South America. One is Felipe Daza from Argentina, he also got me in contact with the central and south american “couchsurfing” for motorcyclist specific group on a group chat, with hundreds of people. So I will definitely be using that as I cross both central and south america. There is a Brazilian couple I will also try to link up on my way down, from a motorcycle group. They look like they may be gang members, Even Better!

I only spent a 1 day fixing my pannier and I was already on my way riding around Alaska. I cross path with Lee again on the Denali Highway. He was so shocked to see my bike back, straighten and my pannier boxes welded and squared up. 24 hours ago, they saw me with all my stuff in a plastic bag. Philip (my couchsurfer) really was an amazing host and contact. I rode with Lee for over a week, coming down the cassiar and even stopping in at Tok, eagle claw motorcycle campground. The steam shower was the most wonderful experience. Gave me so much to think about and so many ideas.  

Next challenge came on the road, as my rear tire was getting very bald. When I got to whitehorse the chip seal they throw down on the ground has done its number on my tire. But then again I got a lot of good miles out of them fighting the wind. 8000 miles on the motoz gps and I was very happy with them. Mostly for their road prowess, they hug corners like you are on street tires, and do the gravel and rough stuff pretty darn well on the Dalton. Thanks to rtwpauls review on the motoz, I will run them again as I cross over to South America. But it is bald, so I went to the yamaha dealership in whitehorse to get a tire. Only to find, that the only Kenda k270… you can get for 60 bucks, a rear 5.10 by 17, in the states they wanted 130 CAD for it. Which comes to just over 100 dollars. Holy cow! And apparently everything in Canada is expensive. Gas is consistently 5 dollars and sometimes 6  dollars inch-ing to 7 dollars per gallon in remote places. Locals tell me they raise the gas prices in the summer for tourist by nearly 20% and the regular high prices are taxes for all the social programs… well that really sucks if you are a motorsport enthusiasts. Its okay if you aren’t using any gasoline power stuff, but then again the tire prices will still get you.

So many people tell me they come to the states to get the tires, because its too ridiculously pricey there, the same clamour the wonderful social program of Canada… oh the hypocrisy lol. My problem still is no tires, and too expensive for a crappy tire. So I push the tire another 1000 miles down to Prince George. There, I was welcomed by advrider and forum member Kelly. Kelly took me around to every single tire shop in the area and haggled for me to get the best price I can. He is apparently a Canadian equivalent of a MSF instructor. For those that are unaware MSF is the USA version of the motorcycle training course to get your license. So he is very well known around the stores and he knows people. By some black magic, I was able to get a Mitas e09 rear tire, super knobby enduro tire, for 102 USD… which is magically cheaper than the 126 dollar that is selling at revzilla in the USA. Count me in. It wasnt gonna last more than 3-4000 miles, but it looks hardcore lol. It was also one hell of a stiff sidewall to spoon on. Luckily, it was a super hot day. I just let it soak in the sun until its soft, it was still a PITA but it went on okay.

Oh did I mention I got stung by yellow jacket on the bike? So I did, and it flew into my collar at speed, stung me on the neck and I slap it and fell into my back and stung me again. Ofcourse if you recall my rant before, I had one 3 years ago on my forearm also while riding, and it swell to a size of a baseball and then went down a bit and then 2 weeks later swell again and my whole body broke out in hives. I had to get steroids for 2 weeks to suppress the problem. So I was a bit proaction this time, I read that baking soda had canceling properties, so I made a concoction and rubbed it into the bite. I definitely overdid it, and burned my skin pretty badly on the site of the bite, but… the swelling completely went away after a day. So it looks like that is my solution. I may not be able to bring the baking soda with me over the border, as it looks like cocaine, but I’ll just buy some there when I cross the border. Baking Soda… not cocaine… okay we will see. lol.

Also discover the rear hub bearing is bad and Kelly called to a local shop and order it for me. I picked it up on the way out, since the tire is straight and tight and rode it as it to Lees, the bearing is definitely going out and it was definitely not "that bad"

Then went through banff, it really lives up to the hype. Fantastic scenery and tons of road side wild life. 

Next I get to Seattle after a pit stop at Idaho to see some old friends from italy trip. As well as my 5 year ago cross country trip broke down location.

When I got to Seattle I stayed with Ben one of our e30 car groupie that is working in Seattle. First we met up with my middle school tennis buddy Sid and went to a British Car show.

Ben was a great host and we went to leavenworth (literally german town), and I got to drive his e30 convertible, just like mine I owned for 10 plus years. It was good times. Sid also came out and we all met up again!

Then I went to Lee’s to do all the service for my bike. All the stuff has arrived from last week. This preplan and shipping is quite exciting. Now I know how simon felt when all the stuff show up at my house weeks before he arrived. It’s like a refueling hub for everything else but the fuel. Riveted my first chain, replace all the worn pieces and got the bike up to snuff. Replace the rear wheel hub bearing that was going bad. Now the bike runs even better. The chain only had 10k or so on it, but with the calcium and crap on the dalton it got so gummed up. I tried to clean it so many times, and it really didn’t unkinked it. Then I went on a ride with Lee for a shake down ride.

Met up with my dads old colleague and had real food for the first time! Boy was I tire of burgers and fries

In the time I spent on the road, one thing I discovered. I should say “rediscovered”. As I couchsurf and found all the people that helped me along the way, whether is providing me a place to stay, cooking me a good meal, to driving me around the entire city looking for a tire. They all have one thing in common. They are very generous. As I looked back at all my friends, the closeness of friendship was never predicated on time I knew them but rather the generosity of the people I share my time with. I have met people I barely know and felt close to them, and there are those I known for nearly a decade that I will never be close with. Whether its with my time I spend helping them out without “needing to go” or buying gifts to show appreciation to buying them dinner or cooking them dinner to show appreciation. The courtesy is always reciprocated the right kind of kindred spirits.

I hosted surfers for a whole year before I headed on my trip. Mainly because I want to be part of the community and not just mooch off of people for accommodations. That and I love hosting random people that need a place to stay and cooking for them. They too are always generous. I have learned many things for my trip, especially from my friend Simon from Australia. I plan to host more people when I returned. I will talk about my couchsurfing experience another time.  

Almost all the couchsurfer I have stayed with for over a day I have done something for them. Take them out to dinner, or cook for them. I like to say stinginess is a childish behavior, but the truth is even my former students that went to Italy with me was gracious and generous to me. The truth is, that the only meaningful friendship are build on generosity, the rest are just people you know.

Over the years I have lax on this philosophy that I always practiced, and in many way I began to get influenced to behaving selfishly. Over the last couple years, I have vacillated back and forth between my upbringing to my poor habit I picked up from peers. I have, without noises of others, return to my nature of my upbringing.  

“Traveling solo is the only way to travel” as Dr. Whitlow told me in our many conversations. “The only person” he said “you can take travel advice from, is someone you are sleeping with”. Funny guy, but it is true in many ways. As I was leaving, my father told me, make sure when you go socialize with people, no matter who it is, always pull out your wallet and offer to pay no matter if you do or not. It is the proper courtesy and etiquette of our culture. It looks like he has quite a few lessons to reteach me after all.

Canada

4277 miles

I’ve been on the road for several weeks now, I was staying in Saskatoon, Saskechuwan for a couple days with Dr. Whitlow. It is the first time I sat down and took some time to slow my pace and reflect on my trip thus far.

While I stayed at many couchsurfers over the last two weeks, some were definitely more memorable than others. I may write more about each of them later, or maybe not. At least for now, I can say with some certainty, as Trish (my Barrie host) and I discussed that, the world isn’t a scary place as what people want you to believe. There are many interesting situations, like being chased out the trailer park by the neighbor of our couchsurfing host, to waking up with another surfer on the couch next to me.

It did made me realize that there are alot more people out there like myself who hosts and enjoys the stories and experiences of people from different walks of life. I find these people of the same heart and mind regardless of their age

I also learned alot about camping. Like how to spot a heavily mosquito populated location. Ask me how I know. My first campsite, I was eaten alive by mosquitos and I almost felt like crying and the comfort of home questioned my resolved. Yet, that feeling passed, quoting my favorite line from Dr. Whitlows beautiful novel “the winds heals our passage over find sand” (forgiverance).

We camp one night off a boat launch by the water. We saw the storm and we rushed to get set up, alas it wasn't quick enough and we were completely soaked by the time we were able to take shelter in the tents. Jeff’s hatchet was very useful as a hammer for the stakes, as the ground was hard. I may have to go with that option and send my knife back.

When we cross the border and into Canada by Niagara Falls, it took us 3 hours of traffic to get out of Toronto. That was a terrible idea to enter via Toronto, I should of enter via Quebec and cross over north. However, who knows I may have ran into the dangerous weather by Sudbury with fist size hail or nothing at all. I guess I’ll never known.

After meeting up with Jeff in Rochester, the theme of the last three years started to repeat. Jeff needed to be in control of every decision from which road to take to where to stop. When I’m on the road, I always ask the question “hey I’m a little tire, do you want to stop for a break?” sometimes he would said “no”, as if he does not understand the simple social cues that I’m being polite, other times he would deliberate how many miles we need to go before we can stop. Yet, when he wants to stop, he said “I’m stopping” in an authoritative tone as if he is giving orders. The same happens when we switch position to who leads in the front. If I’m up front, I would always say “Hey, can you lead I’m a bit tire”. If Jeff is up front he would say “you can lead now”, as if he is giving me an order of approval that he is allowing me to lead. 

If I said, rain is coming and show him the radar, he will pull out his phone and look at his weather app and then after looking he would say “oh yea, it looks right”, or “no you are wrong, my app is more accurate”. If I said lets go to this campsite he would take out all his electronics and confirmed it and then make comments about going elsewhere and then decide to “allow” me to make the decision or “allow” me to lead (setting me up for failure, if the outcome isn't perfect, this gives him the logic that he can be the one to make all the decisions again.)

When we are riding one of us would pose a question like “why is the road is so bad”, a share experience comment that everyone can agree. Jeff would give a history lesson to everyone on why the road is the way it is. Josh, Chris, Rob and anyone we ever ridden with together, experience the same, and we always look at each other in confusion as he tries to explain everyone’s questions as if they are asking him for his professional advice. There is no commardarie of shared experiences when we are riding, it's always a history lesson, and majority of the time he doesn't even know what he is talking about, or just flat out wrong. But no one corrects him, neither do I, cause it’s not even that serious, it's just small talk.   

But he is trying, albeit when we are doing stuff that is not his choice he doesn't seem to know how to enjoy himself. He would be expressing frustration and anxiousness when he isn't the one making all the decisions. Whether we rode down a trail he doesn't want to go down or setup camp where he didn’t decide. He would be extremely stressed out and show his frustration openly and would dictate as early as possible the next 5-10 decisions to make sure it's his way.

I’ve always just went along with everything, and maybe he mistaken my politely for weakness and fuel his believe that traveling is easy as long as it's always his way. When I told him what route I wanted to take Alaska, his response was “no” and then he proceed to tell me where we are going. Again don’t know why he think he is in charge.

I know he is frustrated at me for doing what I want to do. We have been riding separately for almost a week now, he is about a day behind me. He is frustrated that I’m not catering to him, but his frustration stems from the fact that I have always gone along with whatever he wanted to do. There is no middle ground with him, even when he tries, its his way or he is acting unhappy until he gets his way.

If one is inflexible, then one can not expect someone else to be flexible. If one is rude and condescending, then they cannot expect someone else to allow that to continue. If one rolls their eyes and act haughty, they can not expect the other person to allow that interaction to keep going.

So there is a very simple solution, if he can not be polite and respectful and he needs to have it his way, then he will do it his way, but I will not. If he can not enjoy himself unless it's his way, then I’m not hanging out in that environment. No argument, no negativity.

As I stayed two days with Larry, we talked philosophy, life, and many games of chess. I think of all the luxuries I missed away from home. Interestingly enough, the one thing that's always on my mind is cooking.

TAT Gear Test (Day 1,2,3 and 4) - 909 miles

The first section of the ride we started after work. We rode to Wolf Gap camp ground in VA, just over Interstate 81. Then we proceed to follow the GPS Kevin route of the Trans American Trail section 6 ~ 10. We never actually road section 10, as the time we spent on the other road was taking too long. So we only did 1-9. I was fully loaded down, with everything I needed for the road for the rtw trip. The windshield was a drag on the freeway, consistently peeling back every 5 minutes. The dromedary bag worked like magic though. I tried to fit the Lone Rider tent in the 22 liter dryspec double end bag. It is "JUST" big enough. Which means its a very tight squeeze. I ended up with the poles and the others misc stuff in the top box. Not sure if I like the set up. 

Went through this heard, this cow stood there for a good while. I waited for it to go away before I rode across, I didn't want to be tipped over by a cow. The roads on the TAT route is ever changing. Gravel to dirt, to forest road. The changing visual is quite spectacular. 

There are a lot of stuff on the road, hurdles to run around. We also followed to a dead end that was on the track. It seem the prior road is now private and gated. It really isn't very far, we could see the road we are suppose to be on just over the tree lines, but we didn't want to be shot at, so we turned around and went for a different route. 

The landscape changed again, then we went back in a forest and found this huge rattle snack in the middle of the road. I can definitely feel the weight of the bike fully loaded on the trail. I found that I'm loosing space in my giant loop diablo tank bag. Its the perfect size bag, its just too small to fit everything I want to fit, so I think I will end up getting the pannier pockets from them as well. I have my spare sena charging up front, sun glasses, and misc paperwork as well as ear plugs and tire gauge. With the phone charging on it as well, the space is pretty tight. I need space for locks and other security items I want to carry. 

The elevation climbed pretty high, and I began to wonder if I worn enough. It was getting rather chilly. I definitely need a new jacket and outfit for the trip. The windshield is really bothering me now. It was rather rainy the second day the lone rider tent was a total pain to put in the 22 liter bag. Like it hurt my fingers trying to stuff it in. I'm really reconsidering using that bag. 

The windshield finally bothered me enough. I should have never tried to make it myself. Not that I couldn't have done it, it just a waste of time and too much trouble shooting. A lot of modification are better off just purchased, because unless you intend to sell a bundle after your r&d, the time consumed and the failure of prototype easily surpasses the amount of just purchasing something already done and made. I ended up spending nearly 30 bucks on the shield and a good 2 - 3 hours playing around with it. I would have saved a total of 50 bucks if it worked perfect, but it turned out I just threw 30 bucks in the trash. Or I try again and spend another 30 dollars... I decided to cut my loses. I decided to get the parabellum shield. 

We saw the rain coming and stayed at the top of a mountains for a bit to wait out the heavy part of the storm. Finally, we rode on the track, there was a great photo moment. While I hate inclement weather as much as the next motorcyclist, I have to say it makes the best of the photos. Just like when I was going up mount evans road, it was so much more impressive when the storm was rolling in. We had to clean some debris off the road to keep going. There was a tree in the middle that just fell. 

We turned around on section 9, instead of keep going on to section 10. We rode the hungry mother state park, in VA or otherwise know as back of the dragon. This was where I crashed the BMW years ago. It seems so much less exciting than the first time I was here. As they say, adventure is like a drug, eventually you get used to seeing everything, and you need to take it up a notch. Maybe that's why I am going RTW, or maybe there is some other reason. 

We finally got to camp at an old campsite we had once used. They have a music jamboree there, We also road our bikes in a maze that we weren't suppose to. They were really cool about it, and laughed at us, instead of scolding us. It was a good group. I'm convinced I cant carry my tent in the 22 liter bag. I'll just have to use the bag for something else. It was simply too tight of a fit and even if I did manage to do it properly, I'll eventually rip the tent putting it away. I'll just use my 40 liter bag and depress it when its done. It will collapse down to the same size, but it'll be much easier to pack. 

Final shots. Lots to think about ,in terms of gear and tools. Pretty content with the setup, but I think there are a few touch ups I need to finesse such as the warp 9 starter cap, the windshield, 8 mm long socket for a 3/8 drive, tent bag, and that's all I remember for now. 

Pine Barren 2017 (Day 1 and 2) - 493 miles

We took the free way and head out to the Pine Barrens. This trip was with me, Chris and Jeff. The ride there wasn't very exciting, its simply a free way slab. When we got to the Pine Barrens, Chris wanted to do some wild camping. Jeff was too worry about getting fined. We ended up doing a campsite and paying 20 a night for the site, and I wasn't too bothered by it, because it was also the first time I was going to setup my Lone Rider tent. I didn't want to contend with other variables. 

Next morning, Jeff's tire was flat. He had flat he patched before and it someone spun another leak and it was super flat. We finessed it on the spot. It took a lot of the time in the morning, but this was exactly the type of trip we need, to do stuff on the side of the road with the tools we have. It was gear test trip after all. Well mainly for me, since Jeff really have nothing for the trip yet. But he used my bead breaker and we were able to get the tire up and running. 

The pine barren was very interesting. You literally driving on the road, and trails are just on the side of you, you can turn in any where anytime. We took quite a few route. With the bike fully loaded minus only the tent , The bike was a bit of struggle to work with. Our homemade windshield worked okay on the way up, and I was contemplating on fashioning some kind of support as the sticky comes off semi frequently over 65 mph. I rode into a puddle and it literally just got stuck. I stood up and walked off the bike and took a picture. It took all three of us to pull it out. Lesson 1 - don't ride into a mud ditch, its not a jeep. A lesson I had to learn again. Second thing I noticed was that I needed a quick access side stand plate. I made one homemade, but honestly it just sucks. Two can be had on ebay for less than 6 dollars, so I bought one later on. On this occasion on the sad, I used one of my mirrors to make sure the bike doesn't sink, but it was a totally pain to stand the bike up and then get on while balancing it. 

Later on, I was being the hero and rode through a thin mud strip and I slid over 40 ft. No injury, but the box was tweaked. We were able to bend it back. I added a few more tools to my tool bag list, after finding out what tools I needed for the fix. All it all, it was definitely worth the experience. I'm also sold on the hard case, because of the case, my leg did not even hit the ground or have any injuries. 

Deals Gap 2015 (Day 4) - 413 miles

We took our way up to Interstate 81, slab back as fast as we could. Then I was over confident of my Ducati, and ran out of gas. When we got back too early, we decided to take 211 up the mountain pass, through Luray. The Ducati fired up no issue the second gas was in, it didnt skip a beat. 

Here are some pro-shots at the Dragon. 

Deals Gap 2015 (Day 3) - 363 miles

We rode interstate 40 to Deals Gap skipping the rest of the blue ridge parkway for the return. We made one pass to the gap and took our photo and slab back and headed back on the blue ridge up towards Boone, where we ended the night. 

Deals Gap 2015 (Day 2) - 486 miles

We did many miles today. I got over 190 miles on third tank on the Hyperstrada. We took the blue ridge parkway all the way down. If we were on 81, it might not have been a lot of miles, but on the blue ridge parkway 486 miles is a lot of miles for one day. At the end of the days ride, things were even more complicated by the rain. We put on our rain gear, and it cleared up, we took it off and it rained again. By the time we were closing down the day, it was constant rain, and the sky has darken. It was not a very exciting ride and the going was slow as visibility was poor. We finally ended in Asheville, in a Days Inn just off of interstate 40.  

Deals Gap 2015 (Day 1) - 115 miles

Two weeks before I was slated to take a student tour group to Europe for 21 days. I bought a new Ducati. I wouldn't say I was addicted to the motor, but I definitely yearn for the way the Ducati twin road after I sold my Monster 800 to Jeff. I have always wanted to buy another Ducati, and when Josh told me he could hook me up with the dealership at him house, I couldn't pass up the deal. It was a 2014 model, and we are mid way through the year. The bike was sold to me as the salesmen state "we didn't make a penny off this sale". 

I rode off, what must be the deal of the century for a new bike. It was still in the crate, and they had to assemble it. I waited a bit and went home on my brand new Ducati. 

Just a week before I left for my trip, I decided that I would take a super quick trick down to Deals Gap, because my summer student tour was going to take 21 days and therefore I wouldn't have any days left for me to take another trip when I return. I rode with to Jeff's house, then we went down to Lake Anna and stayed at Josh's lake house. Josh's place was very convenient, its the only place we can ride to after work and still shave over 100 + miles of the trip with a great lodging with all the creature comforts. 

Spring Break 2017 - Spain

Time seem to past faster and faster each year. I've taken a second group of student on a trip during spring break, this time to Spain. It marked the last and final time I will be working with EF tours. While others have envied my free trips abroad, each time I attend these excursions I become less and less enamored, even if I was visiting different places. The endless tourist traps and cliche photo opps all blur and become the same.

One thing I did notice, is that regardless how much people claim to be city folks and how much they enjoy the luxury, everyone have always found the excursions to a less touristy and less well known place, to be the highlight of their trip. Namely Toledo, Spain and Assisi, Italy. As for me and all my European travels, my most memorable moments of the 21 day trip was left on the mountains of Austria, between the alpine slide and the 2 mile hike to the top of mount Gole.

Phaedon once said to me that traveling makes more friends, but less deeper friendships. At the time, I said to him with confidence and a shrug of my shoulder, "who cares". As I look back at all the people I have met on all my trips, the ones I kept in touch and the ones I wish I had known better but never did, I am left to wonder, "do I care?". I'm not sure I can answer that question with such confidence now.

Ever since I have finished my novel, I grew more and more verse at disconnecting with people, that it shocks even me. I am surprise how easily I can feel a strong connections to places and people in the moment and completely lose them the next second without nostalgia or a yearning to reclaim my loss. It is as if the loss itself is not of my own and the experience is seen through the lens of someone else, and only for a fleeting moment. To quote what new generation would have say, I am able to not "catch them feelings". My thing is, this social response has become automatic. I disassociate with people and things as quickly as I connect with them, I never turn it off, and I never linger. Perhaps, even in the new age of digital connection the old adage that Phaedon quoted still have its values. Or more likely, I'm just shutting people out to avoid them from disappointing me.

Recently, I just finished Outdoor Ed for WOMS. This marked the 6th consecutive year I have participated in ODE program ever since I started being a counselor for MCPS. Even though, we are only 15 minutes away from home and 5 minutes away from civilization (okay 1 min away), it still constitutes as traveling. And in each travel with a group, we create a self sustaining eco system. The longer the travel the stronger the eco system. People depend on each other, people that seldom hangout or perhaps will never hang out, learn to become friends and enjoy each others company.

Perhaps the most gratifying moment for me in any travel, is when social barriers are erased. Age, Race, Gender, Religion, and all that divide us seem to lessen its relevance (for most of us anyways, there is always someone who is rigid and nonconforming). This magic that surface with each travel is the most powerful feeling that I have ever since known. It is truly as Mark Twain wrote, "

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness". 

Yet, after each trip, there are always plans to hang out afterwards. The 21 day trip to Europe 3 years ago, with students that we swore would catch up, we never did. The 5 students I went to Italy 2 years ago with, that we agree that we would catch a bite to eat sometime we never did. The trip this past year, I promise that I would meet their parents for Happy Hour, to discuss the trip. I never did, nor did they follow through. It is not for a lack of trying or a lack of sincerity, but as always when we return to our lives, we go back to the conundrum of the rat race. All the social barriers return to us. Race, Religion, Gender, Age, and perhaps ever more relevant for most people, is our social circle (that we don't change. The magic of the travel ends, and lives return to as we have left it.

The longer the trip, the longer the nostalgia, and we hang on to the feeling a little longer. But, so much of our lives is driven by media and social conditioning. I have spent the better part of my life in the last three years, learning and fighting these social conditioning. It has made me very frustrated at how easily people are influence and brainwashed by media. Our perception of what is cool and what is good is high dependent on what is available via media for us to consume.

We are conditioned to believe what is fun. One of the main reason why everyone is going to clubs, getting drunk, or getting high. We are condition to believe what is consider moral by a skewed social standard. Which determines what we can enjoy and what we can not at any given age or gender or race. We digest one bad tv show and movie one after another, no matter how bad it is, as long as they are selling sex appeal white women and white men. We consume these as if we are junkies looking for our next fix, we be are program to believe that white people are the baseline for beauty and masculinity. That being American, or rather White American is the standard we must live up to. This mentality is beyond just our own conditioning, but a conditioning that allows others to be racist and for us to accept those racism as a cultural norm.

My last serious relationship was 3 years ago with an Ecuadorian girl. That relationship lasted 4 years. Long story short, she cheated on me with someone at work. I kicked her out the next day or rather I suspected, and just packed all her stuff. I call her to come by and loaded her car and told her I was done. Since that day, she has religiously contacted me every couple month. Making up silly excuses to email me about nonsense.

Two years later that repetition became more frequent to weekly. I agree to meet with her, to hear her out. To my surprise, she wanted me back in her life, while she kept the other guy she cheated on me with, in her life as well. She was not only matter of fact about the fact that she can have her cake and eat it too, but unapologetic with this unbelievably entitlement and arrogant logic. She asked me if I was "happy", clearly she wasn't. I never answered her, but honestly, I'm pretty happy without someone stressing me. After more conversation of her trying to blame things on me instead of taking any responsibility for her action, I told her to never talk to me again. Of course, that only means she contacted me again several month later. I finally wrote her a really long winded reason why I don't even want to talk to her ever again, that she couldn't even apologize for hurting me is a sign that I had no interest to even keeping her around as a friend. Naturally, I got an apology after I asked for it, which would have meant everything if she said it herself, but alas it meant nothing to me with my prompting. Several month later she contacted me again. I ignored it, but it bothered me so much that I would receive something again, that I contacted her myself, telling her not to contact me unless she has something legitimate to say to me. I finally stop hearing from her. Fingers crossed.

This idea, that people can have their cake and eat it too, is the product of social justice media double talk that has ruin so many peoples lives. A person who gets everything on the back of others has nothing because the things they have have no meaning. The value of what you have becomes meaningless if you did not give up something else to get what you really want. Choices, it is what makes us regret and despair for the wrong decision, and what ultimately makes us happy and content when we make the right ones.

When you can have everything at the expense of others, it may seem like you are omnipotent and a facade of control and false confidence will inspire you to take on politically correct rallies and social justice movements. But the fairy tale world of having it all is a solipsistic one. This solipsistic world will consistently collide with the real world, as your beauty fades, and less people are there to support this delusion of a life style. For most people this realization does not often come too late, but when it does comes it is often met with denial. More often than not, when they finally decide to accept the reality, it is indeed too late.

I started testing my gear memorial day weekend, this was at the Pine Barrens in NJ.

In a year from now, I'm embarking on my trip to circumnavigate the America's (north and south) on my motorcycle for a year. I am terrified of letting go a very plush paying job, wonderful coworkers, and a pretty high standard of living being a bachelor with no debts and all. Each day, as I prep the gears, and test out my bikes for the trip, I am full of doubt, full of fear. I don't know if I will regret going and letting go what I have, it is a revelation that will comes long after my trip has been over. I do know two things that are for certain, I will regret not going when I look back at my life at this opportunity not taken. I also known for certain, that when I'm on the road, it is the only time I truly feel my love for life rekindled and my faith in humanity restored.

2017 - You don't know, what you don't know

This past year, with the election and the increasing amount of partisan allegiance has made division among even the least political of my friends. My brother always tells the people he is dating when he takes them to meet me "oh my brother doesn't give a S%&* don't worry (as in doesn't care about your political believe, sexual orientation, etc). The truth is, I don't care. Heck we can have an debate on what you think is better and I will debate what I think is better. I can, even after such conversation, still be the best of friends. Unfortunately, what I see more and more, among people who have these so call "civil" debate, is no longer debating which policy or action is more effective in solving our problem, but rather it is about virtual signaling and moral lecturing.

When I was growing up, I was very much unaware of the "slight of hand" technic that people use in an argument to claim moral superiority by saying stuff like "come on, you cant possibly (not agree with me)". To create the perception that everyone is on board and some how I'm on my own against the world. Clearly not the case. Another way, I see often is people using social manipulation is to speak on things through a self indoctrinated morality lens, as if  there is an universal define list of morality standards. By claiming moral superiority in argument is essentially saying "I'm a better human being than you, and you are going to hell for thinking the way you think". 

Political correctness and hypersensitivity is the new religion of intolerance. 

first time running the Jefferson Forest Road

Imagine back in the era of religious wars, where people are damning each other, and some still do, for not being part of their religion. Different rules arise from different conflicts in the religions people practice, from gay being vilified to individuals having different customs that somehow offends those who are not the same ideal as you. They operate on the same moral high ground and virtue signaling to create group bullying environment. 

first run of my dual sport 2015

Fast forward to 2017, we have came a long way to the new world. The reborn religion are all becoming much more accepting, whether due to social or economic pressure or the greater capacity of human love; we have grew. Yet, I digress a lot of us have just found a different religion to be intolerant of others. 

Rampart Range Road 2017 Summer

Many of the extreme ideology has become mainstream, if they are politically correct. Portraying men as bumbling fools, is main stream and politically correct. Portraying men as dispensable utility that can be use and picked off at the whim of the female partner through the 'proper victimization' narrative is consider also mainstream and okay to put on full display. Most people I see operate on a victimization platform. If they benefit from victimization they will promote it. I dare not say that they are aware of their action as biased and unjust, but I would be confident to say, they look no further than their benefits. 

jeep trail by blue ridge mountains

Ms. Fisher was having a debate with me on the Trump presidency, and how it will be the end of free speech and mass censoring. Yet, as I told her, "that hell you speak of, that you fear? that is the life that the republicans already live in, in the last 15 years". "Look at Ben Shapiro, Milo Yiaanopolis, and any other conservative movement, they have been ban off campuses, silenced by angry mobs". She was shocked, when I propose of these things that have happened already for the "other side". Now I'm not promoting these political pundits, and some of their talk is not very agreeable with me, but they have the same right to an audience without violence or verbal assault. She simply don't know what she doesn't know.  

Mount Evans Road 2017 Summer 

I'm not saying there are no racist, bigots and white supremacist. I am fully aware of these things. In fact, we live it daily. Jacque was telling me how her home town South Dakota is very open minded. But how would she know? She is a pretty white girl growing up in midwest America. Has she gone into a bar and be completely dismissed and feel invisible because you were of the wrong color? Have she got pulled over and then be asked to give them your ssn and treated like an illegal immigrant? Have she suffer the broken home and hardship of language barriers of immigrants? I'm not faulting her for it, but how can one know what they don't know? If they don't know, how can they understand? They don't. So naturally, her outlook is rainbows and butterflies.

There are alot of things I do not know in this life. In fact, there are so many customs I do not understand. One thing is for certain is that I will not understand living here in Maryland. 

As a counselor, I dedicated my life to understanding people from all walks of life. So to combine vices, I applied for a sabbatical for 1 year, where I will circumnavigate the Americas.  Initially its the world, but Jeff convince me that its too short of a time, and I need 2 years for that. He also semi committed to take this epic adventure with me starting at the summer of 2018 to summer of 2019. So we have a year and a half to plan and build up our bikes and sell everything we have. 

Reorganize my basement as a basecamp 

Too many people I have talked to are often confused about the appeal of motorcycle touring. They may ask stuff like "is my butt going to hurt?" or "that sounds like a lot of miles on a bike". Ironically both of the question's answer are yes. Yes its going to hurt, and yes its a lot of miles. But one can not truly appreciate the reward of being on the motorbike, with all your life and belonging in it. Across thousands of miles away. The feeling of renewal and the feeling of hope is beyond the perspective of a spectator.

First run on my Hyperstrada 821, yes your butt will hurt. 

When I first crest over the peak of blue ridge parkway, at 6000 some sq feet above sea level. I felt I was on top of the world. The first time, I rode through the 318 curve in the dragon, my heart was pumping so fast I had to stop mid way to take a break, because I was shaking so much from the adrenaline. The first corner i touched down the peg, and scrapped hard parts and held on the bike through the corner with my body a few feet away from the concrete at 40 miles per hour. I thought I was going to die. 

First time on the Dragon on my yellow beamer

For a year, I thought, it couldn't get more majestic than that, I felt renew in every way I can imagine. The year after I took on crossing country. Yermo tells me as we departed, "when you get out west, the mountains you see here will be like little hills". Sure enough, pikes peak, and mount evans road took my breath away. A few years later, Jeff and I went to Colorado again in our dr650, and went over Ophir pass, Animas Forks, and even hells revenge in Moab.  

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Moab 2017 summer

When I first started motorcycling, I always wanted a sports bike (admittedly like everyone else who gets into motorcycles its harley or sport bike for the image of chill biker or the edgy sporty dude). I told myself, there is no way I'm going to be on that dual sport funny looking bike. That looks so dumb. Fast forward to 2017, I now have two dual sport and one ducati hyperstrada, that is a road bike, but looks like a dual sport. I plan to sell the ducati this year.  

Ophir Pass 2017 summer

Alot of people I talked to, who claims to have "ridden motorcycle", never left more than 100 miles away from home. Like Jonathan, whom got into riding a few years ago, but never took any rides with me that exceeded 100 miles. He was down right terrified to leave that far from home with only a motorcycle. I understand how he feels, my first 300 miles mark to the dragon was a significant emotional burden that I had to overcome. But if I never pass that peak, I would have never knew this life was possible. 

I always tell people who talks about riding as "dangerous", "dont get it", "doesnt sound like fun"....

"You dont know, what you dont know". 

2016 Road Reflections, Todays Parenting and Social Media

Each year, I put anywhere from 11,000 miles to 15,000 miles on my bike/bikes. Most of these trips I have done them with a friend or two. Having two people is a safety net. If your bike breaks down, or if you fall (a recent development in off-roading made this a relatively common occurrence), someone can help you pick up your bike. However, sometime on the road, even with someone there you drift off into your own world.

*a year ago we started with wrong gear, low experience, and unprepared bike. We went 6 miles and took 2 hours. We did it again this time, we took three breaks that were not necessary and rode out of there in less than 50 min. Neither of us dropped out bike, I did stall it on the first hill, as I wasn't prepare properly. Then no more hick ups after that. We definitely improved greatly.

The road, whether it be paved or unpaved, has always held its mystic for me. As I visited some of the places, that I stood not more than 3 year ago, a feeling of familiarity comes over me. Where was I three years ago? what bike am I riding? Who was I speaking to? who was in my life? What was I doing at the time? who was I riding with?

A odd sense of dejavu, came over me. I was expecting it. Its natural to see the parallel three year prior, when all the present seem familiar and only the past had differed.

Sometimes when I'm on the road I question myself. Why? why keep riding? What is the end to this? What is its purpose? Most of the time, its a fleeting feeling, and I'm back on the road, but sometimes just sometimes it lingers. It is these times of uncertainty that makes me doubt my life choices. I question everything I've done and the regrets from the most recent to the ones I had thought had long since faded with time.

With infinite of miles ahead, and the thousands of miles left behind, I get lost in my sense of time. I'm not talking about the day of the week or the time of the day. Anyone on vacation can experience such phenomenon. I'm talking about the feeling that time of the past and future is fluid. The feelings of the past becomes my current reality.

As Mr. Casey tells me that he saw on some documentary that, adrenaline junkies live in the "now". He claims to understand where I am coming from, I nodded in agreement, since I enjoy letting people believe what they want of me, especially if it is not true. I don't think I can qualify myself as an adrenaline junkie, that is too crass and over simplified. Not to mention the road always takes me back, from the now to the past. That in itself already negates this adrenaline junkie theory.

In the last few years I have grown detached in ways that surprised even myself. As Dani joked at me on multiple occasions, "okay Chuck Bass", I'm uncertain if I was more amused that she compare me to a character in a TV show or the fact that I actually watched the show in its entirety and understood the reference. But I have to admit, my detachment had me question some of the feelings I thought I should have but I do not.

Over the last three years, many different friends have come and gone in my life. I have made new friends, and let others go. As we make different choices, I find the separation inevitable. Even though we may have spent a lot of time together, I am emotionally unaffected by their parting. I do not feel more alone or less alone with or without their presence. I don't seem to miss them nor do I have the urge to rekindle the old times.

Perhaps I've become jaded, or perhaps I am that well adjusted. Maybe I simply do not try to control anything in my life. However, if majority of the people are trying to control other people and their environment, does that make me the maladjusted one,? Because I don't follow the general behavior. If we are to identify this pattern base on normative behavior as "normal", then yes, one would have to conclude I am emotionally stunted, simply because I do not follow the norm.

our department meeting on Friday at the Mayorgas

Working in schools you learn more about the parent's psych than we learn about the students. I'm not saying that students are all the same, but their behaviors are always learn behaviors from what they have seen and mimicked. If you get a rude student, almost indefinitely you have a rude parent, or absentee one, and the child is hanging out with other children who also have no boundaries. If you get a child who doesn't come to school, you will almost indefinitely find a mom who is too emotional weak when the child howls in pain about not going to school. If you see a child who cries way too often at middle school age, you will know that their parents are too weak and gives in when their child is crying.

I never understood why todays youth complain so much. From adults complaining about students being overworked to students complaining about their ability to handle the work load. When I was growing up there was no free time. Before school, my brother and I would copy newspaper during breakfast. We then attended school, then after school we play a sport. For my brother and I that was tennis. After that we attend Kumon to improve our mathematics. We get home, eat dinner, do homework, and then practice our Chinese. Then we go to bed, and wake up and do it all over again. On Saturday, we attended tutoring in the morning. And when our English was good enough we became the tutor every Saturday morning to noon. Friday and Sat night is Chinese Opera. Sunday is Chinese School. The time in between a few hours here and there we are allow to have the time to play video games.

Every immigrant that follow that protocol of immersion know the fruit of the benefits of such practice. Back in my old school, I had two students one Asian and one Hispanic that both are new to the country. Both started in ESOL 1. Both parent ask me about how to work with their kids. I told both parents the success in these situation is highly dependent on their expectation for their kids. 1.) do not allow the to speak their native tongue around their peers that spoke their language 2.) make sure they read everything they can get their hands on, and don't let them not read or not do anything when they get home. 3.) tell them that they need to be out of ESOL in 1 year. Both mom had concerns about their kids being unhappy. I told both that it is a small price to pay, and they will be happier and better off if they push them. One year later, in 7th grade, the Hispanic parent did not take my suggestion and cater to the child. The girl is in ESOL 2 with Ds Es and Cs all the alphabet. The Asian mom, I told in Chinese, "you make it happen, I don't care what", the child is out of ESOL. Straight A top of her class.

We don't need education overhaul, we need to demand more from our children. We need to have higher expectation and stop worrying more about "feelings". Instead we need to push them to realize their maximum potentials. The education system is so far to the left, that we are now worrying about every single little slight. Everyone is marginalize group. Everyone is a victim, and everyone is demanding for retribution from the all mighty invisible oppressor. A mentality that will inevitably fail every child and the next generations to come.

I have decided to go off social media for over two month now. Deactivated Facebook for two main reason.

1.) too many people posting political stuff that are propaganda. I am policy conservative, but socially moderate liberal. I stand in the middle of the fence. I know that both sides are ridiculous, and I know both candidate are ridiculous. But there are too many of my friends who have blind allegiance towards their party.  Since Facebook and media in general is very liberally biased in an extreme extent I find myself correcting people who are very single tracked minded that only want to hear the "facts" from their side of the camp. Frustrating, and surprise how many people I know prescribe to the philosophy of "if you are not part of SJW group (BLM, feminism, or the rainbow), you are automatically deem a racist, bigot, KKK supporter. Too many of these people that belong in these groups are join me or against me mentality. While most adults I know will tout the they are very moderate, and see both sides of the coin, yet somehow when it comes to politics there seem to be one side. Facebook has just becomes a sounding board for fanatical victimizers who is hunting for the faceless oppressor, virtue signaling to their peers that "they are a saint", and anyone who disagree with them is "going to hell or is the devil".

2.) my friends wife saw a comment I post on an anti feminist group post. I agreed with some of the things that said on the post. So I said "this is so true". On someone else's page no less, I didn't even share it, I just made a comment. She message me and attacked me. Like really, who does that? if you didn't like what I posted, that's fine. You might even said, "hey I know you are good guy, you been good to my family and we have been great friends, that post could be offensive to others who don't know you well". I would have gladly took that to heart and took it down and even possibly even cleaned up my facebook just out of sheer respect for such cordial response. You know... that normal reaction that friends do. Nope. This was a gross over reaction that basically said we cant be friends anymore because you commented on something I don't agree on, on someone else's post that offended me. Underlying prejudice and racism? Maybe. But a gross over reaction no less.

I even took the liberty of deleting snapchat, Instagram, and anything else that was on the phone that wasn't direct interaction.

It is surprising how highly these apps impact my frequency I reach for my phone. Once these apps are deleted. 1.) found my battery life on my phone greatly extended 2.) I almost never reach for my phone 3.) my data usage dropped significantly.

What's even more surprising is that I don't for a second feel less connected. The people that I talked to still talks to me. The people that I never talk to, I still don't talk to them. I don't miss my internet friend who frequently likes my post or comments on my post. I text people more that I may have in the past wouldn't contact simply because we already have had internet "interaction" that suffice as real interaction.

I told everyone that I'm not coming on until after the Election. Everyone was dubious of me making it that long. And yet, I have no desire to return, and I'm almost even considering never returning to the facebook, snapchat and many other time wasters.

However, I do have a plan. That if I do comeback, all my social medias will and must have a theme. It was a means to an end and it shall be again, for marketing my travels and rides to share with people of my adventures and like minds alike. Nothing more. No more Anti any group, no more friends who are in any SJW or Anti any group. Only travel people. Block everyone's feeds so I get no updates, never reach for my phone other than posting my travel logs etc. I will only keep people I speak to, and no one I never talk to. That means deleting everyone on my friends list that I don't talk to.

It all seems like a big deal before, but honestly it isn't. Not after being disconnected for so long.

This past week another child died in the local high school. They are going to inevitably string all these kids together as a social justice initiative about the over working of children. Then, we will have all these suicide program, where the focus is not gender focus and mostly will be attended by girls. Never mind that men across the world suicide at 3 times the rate of women. Never mind that all the students that died this year at the high school are all boys. Two whites and an Asian. None of them the right color for SJW to make a point about minorities marginalization, or feminist to claim marginalization. OR BLM to walk in support of BLM. This will inevitably be about suicide with no gender focus attached, because men that are not the right color are simply are not the socially acceptable victims. And that is just wrong on every level.

I took a ride by myself yesterday out to route 48. I haven't ridden any distance on my own for a while now. I have to say, it reminded me how awesome riding with no voice and sound was. I had a lot of time in my own thoughts, and a lot of things cleared up in my mind as if I was meditating. A sense of feeling I have had not felt in a long time. Perhaps riding solo is something I need to continue to do more often.

In the last year and a half, my fathers health has decreased steadily. His affect also decreased. While I hope the next surgery next week provide him some better mobility. If he has mobility, I can see him becoming much happier and active. Which also means his quality of life will greatly improve, and my mothers life will greatly improve from not having to take care of him 24/7.

I am still contemplating my riding around the world trip before 40. Perhaps I need to start seriously planning it soon. Think about cost, locations to stop in, where to stop for parts if need be. Permits, crossings and the whole 9 yards. It needs to happen this life time, not the next. Let the planning begin.

Colorado and Utah Summer 2016 Go Pro Highlight Reel

Total Mileage 4803

Truck Mileage 3455

Dr650se Mileage 1348

Day 1 

Mount Evans Road

Rampart Range Road

Day 2

Pikes Peak

Day 3

Animas Fork

Ophir Pass

Day 4

Geyser Pass

Arches National Park

Day 5

Moab

Day 6

Dolores Triangle Safari Route

Colorado and Utah Summer 2016 Day 6 - 182 miles

We unloaded our bikes and took on Hells Revenge

Colorado and Utah Summer 2016 Day 5 - 196 miles

196 easy miles going over Geyser Pass. Utah was pretty quick to come up. A little bit of slab and we arrive without any drama

Geyser pass starts with lots of wild life. No fence. We saw deer and cows either crossing the road of on the road. This random lake that infested with swarms of flies or mosquito. We didn't stay long enough to find out. Very mild but fun off-road

We come into Utah, into Spanish valley

Arches National Park.  We rode in Arches until the sun is down around 9 pm.

The go pro didn't capture the night footage very well. Some what disappointed. We went down a gravel road at the end of arches. It was a short 4x4 trail but it was pretty fun. We went total hooligan style with minimal protective gear. Lol. Disturbingly it didn't bother me at all. The heat will be crazy tmr, when we are hitting the trails on Moab. Until then, our days are shorter and I'm too excited of the next day to really have any time to reflect. For now, it'll be picture story.

Go pro picture will be sift through, but right now there are like 5 mil of them, and unless I get back really early I can't get through them all.