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I feel like someone in my life has died. I sold the old girl on short notice for 1900 bucks. Needed the money.

A wise man once said that you should never sell your only motorcycle. It's a sickening feeling watching someone else ride away on your bike.

But the bike and I had one last hurrah. 24 days, 11 thousand miles, from Pennsylvania to Florida to California to Texas and home again. I won't really go into it because I've got to get ready for my next adventure (plane leaves for Thailand day after tomorrow and I'm not remotely ready for six weeks overseas). I'll let some pics tell the story.

Due to cold, horrid weather in the first week of October, I rode from my home in Pennsylvania to Tampa Bay, Florida, to Morgan City, Louisiana in just four days (32 hours straight in one stretch from NC to LA), so no pictures until Texas, and no pictures afterward because by that point I was out of time and money.

The South West was where all of my fun was.

Scorpions in the shower in Texas



The Continental Divide in Colorado



Crossing from Nevada into Northern California



A mysterious, unmarked short-cut through the mountains to the Coast



My tiny bike dwarfed in the Avenue of the Giants



Camping in the Valley of Fire, Nevada.



The Grand Canyon South Rim near sunset. There was a forest fire nearby making that smoke.



Big Bend National Park. Hanging-out near the border on my last day before the long, torturous slog home.

Mate. Did i read right? DId you say you did 32 hours of riding in one hit? Sir. My hat goes off to you! A mate and i did 1000km's in a 14 hour day through the snowy's in February this year... Went from Wagga Wagga, over the Snowy Mtns Hwy to Jindabyne and up the coast to Woolongong all in one hit. I got to my mates place where we were sleeping, had 1 and a half beers and was out like a light! So again, to triple my exhausting effort where i was at the point where i almost fell asleep on my fuel tank at a servo, that is one hell of a gutsy effort! That 4th picture of your bike on the twisty road is awesome too! Excellent ride by the looks of it though!

And whats the story when you get back from overseals?? Upgrading to another bike? Or going to get on a newer F? You gotta keep checking in here from time to time...

Riding for that long was stupid and dangerous and not something I'll do again. I rode south from Jamesburg, Virginia, to Tampa, FL, then west to Morgan City, Louisiana. I got my second wind when the sun came up near Mobil, Alabama, but at night I was freezing cold and constantly fighting to stay awake.

My second longest ride was 16 hours from Memphis, Tennessee, to my home in Central Pennsylvania. Aside from the cold, I was going as fast as I could around truck traffic and did okay as far as fatigue goes. Even made it to the bar afterward in time for last call.

I don't know when I'll be back. The longer I'm gone, the better the financial situation I'll be in. I'm hoping Eric Buell Racing or Motus have sport-touring bikes at an affordable price by then. If not, who knows?

Miss my damn bike, though.

Very moving, and very vivid you pictures. Would make a front page of any motorcycle mag.

Thanks, amigo. The damndest thing is, my camera is 15 year old hand-me-down. It only has four megapixel resolution.

I think one word sums this up for all riders .................WOW

Yeah dude, holy crap! Do you do this sort of thing regularly?

I didn't, not before. But this was the beginning of my journey, my maiden voyage. I'm in Bangkok now.

In a fit of boredom and dissatisfaction, I've given myself up to adventure. Giving up my bike sucked, but, so far, no regrets

Good one mate ,nice trip and have fun on your new trip.

U R Da Man!!!
That was super awesome dude. Seriously you made all those Harley riders jealous.
Did you register at Iron Butt Association?
Man, that is one heck of a trip. I would like to do that someday but in a little more relaxing way.
The longest trip I ever done was 750Mi (1200KM) in a weekend.
What kind of saddle bags and seat you got?
You know you need to provide more detailed version of this story (probably day by day) when you get time.

Thank you for the kind words. It's a Sargent saddle and Ortlieb saddlebags and Ortlieb dufflebag on top.