Photo by Doug Adams (Doug Adams Studio)
I try to get out on the road for an extended period of time at least once a year.
Ever since my wife surprised me by saying it was cool that I had not ridden while the babies were grown, she was fine with me getting a motorcycle again “as long as you don’t get crazy on it.”
I promised I wouldn’t and she helped me pick out my Kawasaki Nomad 1600 with hard bags and a trunk for cameras.
I tried to go to Alaska twice… once was ended with a serious back and leg issue, and the second time (2 years ago) ended with the smoke of the western wildfires filling the skies for as far as you could see.
Which wasn’t very far.
This year’s itinerary is to finish off the last of Highway 89 still left to ride on my motorcycle as well as see Glacier National Park, Beartooth Pass, Rocky Mountain National Park, Independance Pass, Ouray and a lot of Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado…. with just a dash of New Mexico at the end.
13 days and 12 nights.
I ride solo – no one to slow me down or speed me up. I stop when I want. I hike when I want.
And I meet people along the way.
Wonderful people. Western people, people visiting the west, tourists, trail guides, and everyone who will talk to me.
I am also packin’… we westerners do that, you know.
I am packing a Nikon F4 film camera, and a Nikon Df digital camera.
Between them they share 5 prime lenses and one zoom.
[EDIT: I have decided on taking only the 24-120 MM zoom and the 35 MM f2 lens.]
[EDiT 2: I have decided to go ahead and take the primes as well since they fit nicely in the bike trunk and oh what the hell.]
Oh, and I carry my iPhone for quick grabs, video, FB Live, and email etc… Also along for video, a Lumix DMC LS60.
Two pairs of jeans – one pair of motorcycle jeans with Kevlar protection and one pair to wear when I am washing the motorcycle jeans. Three shirts, three pair of socks, three pair of undies, a sweater, light riding jacket, heavy riding jacket, and toiletries. Also a set of rain gear, boot covers, and three different levels of sunglasses.
Stylin’ sunglasses.
I am not camping on this trip, I am doing cool lilttle Air BNB’s like a cabin on a lake, a camper truck, and a room in the former Governors mansion of Idaho.
This saves me a ton of room on the motorcycle and gives me a much easier evening without tearing down 65 pounds of gear.
Some of this trip I have seen before – well sorta seen it with smoke and 1 mile visibility – but most of it I will be seeing for the first time.
You can see my dailies here.
Just click on the days on the right to see what I did, where I was, and some of the photographs I did along the way.
Shiny side up; ride hard, ride strong, and live a great life.
