Wildman Rides the World 2013 Edition; USA, Ukraine/Moldova/Belarus, Iceland & Malta

[Wildman]

So if everything goes to plan, 2013 should see me cover off another six percent of my target to ride every county of England, every country of Europe and every (part of every inhabited) continent of the Earth. I’m planning to be in Chernivsti, Ukraine, for the Ukrainian Sidecar Motocross Grand Prix on May 19, covering off Moldova and Belarus on the way there and back. August will hopefully see me spending a week in Iceland and then to Malta in October after the Sidecar Motocross des Nations in Cingoli, Italy, on October 13. I’ve already got an early start to the year by squeezing in a quick trip Las Vegas, to ride out to Death Valley.

Whenever I rent, I like to get a bike I've not ridden before so this time, it was an opportunity to try out the BMW G650GS:



It was a long, 11 hour flight before picking up the bike from Las Vegas BMW (very efficient and welcoming) before a two and a half hour ride out to Furnace Creek, arriving after dark. Fortunately, Putts and his buddy Paul, CAStu, HD and Mike54 where already there waiting for me. I set up the tent and Paul and Tyll invited me to share their steak dinner which I gratefully accepted in return for a little bottle of single malt I'd brought along.

Next morning ...



... I also got invited to breakfast.



HD, Mike and Stu were leaving that morning but left us with a plan to ride out to Rhyolite and back via Titus Canyon.

[Wildman]

Rhyolite was fun ...



... but I was, I confess, a little apprehensive about Titus Canyon. There was no need. The street tyres and suspension of the G650GS were not best-suited to the washboard of the long ride in to the canyon ...







... but once in to the canyon proper, it was great fun.



Much as it's a long ride in to the canyon, it spits you out at the western end pretty suddenly.



I slowed Tyll and Paul down through the canyon but I thoroughly enjoyed the ride despite forgetting turn off the ABS!

[GB]

Great adventures ahead!! Safe ride..

[Wildman]

With Tyll and Paul gone to Vegas for the CES, I checked in to the Furnace Creek Ranch for the last couple of nights...



... and spent a couple of days exploring Zabriskie Point ...





... Twenty Mule Team Canyon ...







... and up to Dante's View for a great vista across Death Valley.





Great way to start the year. Met, albeit very briefly, some long-time internet buddies like Tyll, HD ...



.. and CAStu.



Got to ride some fantastic trails, although I wish I'd had a better tool for the job and timed it perfectly for four beautiful days weather-wise.

So, 80% down, 20% to go. The counties of England are done. Just Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Iceland, Malta and Russia left to ride in Europe then it's Central America and South Asia (both planned for 2014), Eurasia, Central Asia, China, Siberia and Mongolia (2015), East, Central and South Africa (2016), Australia and New Zealand (2017) and hopefully West Africa (2018). I've no plan for Japan as yet but am hoping I might get a work trip there at some stage so I can take a week, rent and ride. We'll see.

Catch y'all in May on the Ukraine trip.