Coast to Coast (and back?) with an Italian Supermodel

What an awesome and profoundly enjoyable RR this was. Thank you so much for sharing it

I just saw an article on Hellforleather about your adventure.

From all the ride reports on this page, this has been the one that I have tuned in constantly. I actually left it on the browser and when I got home from work, I'd check for updates. Also have followed you on Twitter (Nickname TjAnttola). This has been such an awesome ride report that its given me inspiration too. Waiting eagerly for your next trip! Have you considered doing an european tour?

The Panigale is a mighty nice bike but I do love my Multistrada. It's even got room for a hammock!

This was from a trip I took up to the North Shore about the time AntiHero was in Minneapolis.

I wont put words in Antiheros mouth but I believe he said his next adventure would be a Euro one.

I was introduced to your journey a few states in by the hellforleather forum and have just seen your article on the panigale, i just wanted to say well done and more importantly thank you for sharing your experience. I, like many others, feel inspired and awestruck by your adventure. I definitely feel even more inclined to take my road trip to Italy in the summer. I Can't wait for the next trip of yours and cant wait to start going on my own.

Kill one dream and the next begins. Yes. Europe is next. I'd love to do Asia, too, but Europe is next. Don't have the means or the plans at this point, but I'll figure it out.

The Hell for Leather rumors are true! A summary of this report made their home page:
http://hellforleathermagazine.com/2013/01/rideapart-review-ducati-1199-panigale-s/

Slide show (you guys have seen it all before):
http://hellforleathermagazine.com/2013/01/rideapart-review-ducati-1199-panigale-s/?gal=1#/4

So I got back to LA and, well, I'll call it like it is. Like I said in the Hell for Leather interview, when you're on the road there are no yesterdays. Time is a series of nows and maybe a tomorrow or two. On the back of an 1199 cities and scenery and people and treacherous conditions fire in your direction at 200 rounds a second. Stopping? Fuck. Fuck what a bad idea. Uncertainty and the perplexity of constantly trying to figure out where to hide for the night is positively reassuring compared to what happens when you stop. Whenever I thought about finding a place to 'live' I imagined a chic, sterile apartment, one with stainless appliances, exposed pipes and polished concrete floors covered in a half-inch of water. Water? Why water? Because the only furniture is an electric chair in the center (no, not quite the center) of the room. And I imagined after signing a lease I'd be strapped to that chair, with one sock on and one sock off (because it's more humiliating that way). A blindfold would be next. Then a bowl of potpourri would be placed on my lap (WTF?). And as I prepared for the worst all the electricity in the building would be routed not to the chair, but to a CD player loaded with Celine Dion's greatest hits. Stopping, returning to normalcy, would not be a quick death. Stopping would be long and drawn out: death by irritation and immobility and boredom.

So I turned the key and hit ignite.

(And found a better half inch of water.)

Great ride report. I enjoyed following your travels this past six months. The RideApart article is a superbly written summary.

Fair winds and following seas...

jak

Awesome! If you make it to Switzerland - it's a must because of all the mountain passes! - let me know!

If your passing Stockholm (Sweden) on your euro trip and need a bed your welcome here.

When most people who haven't been to LA imagine it I think what they have in mind is this:











Only it's not LA. It's La Jolla, down by San Diego. After my 'freak out' moment and fear of committing to living in one place I ended up here. And as I was taking in the scenery I saw this guy:



Think about it--while most of America is responsibly working hard, bundled up in 20 degree weather, this homeless guy is sleeping in paradise.

As madmen believe they are god, we think we are mortal!

Which is why so many homeless end up in Florida.

"Stopping, returning to normalcy, would not be a quick death. Stopping would be long and drawn out: death by irritation and immobility and boredom." Amen brother, you just described my current existance with three words. You've been alive for the last six months and I've decided it's time for me to get busy living.

I thought they ended up in seattle.

I've read this entire thread over the course of your journey. During my normal life I missed a few weeks and realized that was when you were in Minneapolis! I see you met up with my fellow DOOM members and had quite the party! :) Maybe during one of our future ride adventures we will cross paths!

I plan on taking a smaller and shorter journey this spring when the weather clears up a bit! It's been a blast to read this entire thread and many of your posts have struck the right chords and inspired me to plan a trip with my lovely Italian mistress as well!

The clock was ticking, making sleeping in San Diego difficult. So I ended up in Los Angeles again. Downtown, Sugarfish. No sushi like it that I've had. And just as I'd remembered it. Though it's 'traditional' (which can be both boring and expensive) the flavors are far more extraordinary than you'd get with any crazy rolls splattered with sauces and deep fried in duck fat. And it's extremely reasonable. Sugarfish sashimi is so delicate and luxurious you may have the urge to caress the back of your neck with it....resist that urge!!! It's meant to be eaten.









And though the hand rolls look a little on the pathetic side in this pic, they're anything but.



Good enough to be a last meal on earth.

Great RR AntiHero!
I have been following you silently, enjoying the pictures and appreciating your comments on your adventures.
Thank you.

About Europe: If in Italy ... drop me a line and I will be honored to host you in Trento.

Ciao,