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

[Colorado S14]

Thank you very much Anti for allowing us to share, in some small way, with you in your adventure. It has been a pleasure.

Originally Posted by mrbreeze

holy cow! 95 pages! I'm only on page 11! I'm thinking about buying a Ducati and moving to Colorado...

Live in Colorado, I get my Ducati fix vicariously through my buddies Panigale.....

[Drewha]

Thank you AntiHero for an inspiring journey and taking us along with you. Truly amazing.

[NCGS]

Whew!.. finally.. after three days of reading every word and digesting every photograph, all the while with laundry and dishes piling up, and mail left unopened on the kitchen counter, I have finally caught up.

Your RR took me back to the mid-late 70s, when I read a book by a fella by the name of "Moon" (I think, it's been a while) titled "Blue Highways". Your adventure somewhat mirrors the authors, beginning with a relationship going kaput, followed by a journey through this great land we call home.

Although it's been 35 years since I read that book, it's affect on my life has been a lasting one. I have a terminal case of wanderlust.. there's little I enjoy more than throwing a leg over the trusty steed in the garage and heading our for a long one. My desire is to retire (I've never not had a paying job since I was 13 in 1963), throw some clothes (and cold wx gear and a good rainsuit) in my luggage and head out.. without any pre-planned route, is what I find I enjoy most in my senior years.

Your style of writing is prolific. I'm not an educated man, but I found reading your prose most enjoyable.. it's as if I was the guy riding the Duc.. seeing America through your eyes.

It's been a great trip.. thanks for the journey.

Stay safe.. and don't forget that supermodel in the storage locker..

[panzerrocket]

Thank you for a most excellent ride report
It is very high on my list to follow your tracks, so reading your rr was very interesting.

[AntiHero]

Thanks for all the encouraging comments. One of the most unexpected and rewarding parts of this trip has been all the feedback, which has motivated some very real changes in my life, too. :)

I'll be adding a few footnotes soon, but here's a condensation of all my geotagged photos. The map reminds me of a board game where sometimes I rolled 12 and covered great distances and sometimes I rolled snake eyes. (Hint: the higher the condensation of pins mark areas of the country that might be more visually interesting.)



While on the topic of interesting states--If I may quote Demetri Martin: "I learned something while on the road. State Shapes: The easier a state is to draw, the more boring it is to live in. Culture is attracted to squiggles!"

[mario33]

Well, thats an interesting visual epilogue to your journey, Dennis. But, knowing you just a bit now, I think next one is on the cards already :) Alaska first and Europe later, right ? :)

[rico2072]

SOOOooooooo........that's what 15K + miles looks like. LOL

Great map, it puts it in perspective.

[jadedillusion]

Inspirational. Truly truly inspirational. My husband and I talk frequently of packing it all away and living on the road.. I honestly believe that someday we will. Until then, we rotate between two wheels and four (KTM 990 and a Rubicon) and explore as much as we can.

I'm looking forward to your future adventures.

[mario33]

Originally Posted by jadedillusion

My husband and I talk frequently of packing it all away and living on the road.. I honestly believe that someday we will.

I think this is even harder 2 up than alone... I've seen this pair do it (dump their jobs and live on the road for ~1350 days and 160 kkm):

http://www.singapore2poland.com/eng/index.php

[Casey.]

Originally Posted by rico2072

SOOOooooooo........that's what 15K + miles looks like. LOL

Great map, it puts it in perspective.

And to think... most people put that much on their cars every year, but it would be an indistinguishable back and forth squiggle over the same strip of road day after day.
The 'loop around the US' is a far superior way to travel that distance

[RhinoVonHawkrider]

Originally Posted by AntiHero

While on the topic of interesting states--If I may quote Demetri Martin: "I learned something while on the road. State Shapes: The easier a state is to draw, the more boring it is to live in. Culture is attracted to squiggles!"

Hmmm, Not

While I've mostly lived on the Right coast, I was a ski bum in Colo. And that state is probably 1 of the easiest to draw, so Demetri's logic doesn't hold...

[danham]

Originally Posted by AntiHero

Thanks for all the encouraging comments. One of the most unexpected and rewarding parts of this trip has been all the feedback, which has motivated some very real changes in my life, too. :)

I'll be adding a few footnotes soon, but here's a condensation of all my geotagged photos. The map reminds me of a board game where sometimes I rolled 12 and covered great distances and sometimes I rolled snake eyes. (Hint: the higher the condensation of pins mark areas of the country that might be more visually interesting.)

While on the topic of interesting states--If I may quote Demetri Martin: "I learned something while on the road. State Shapes: The easier a state is to draw, the more boring it is to live in. Culture is attracted to squiggles!"

Nice bit of map-u-puncture and the easy to draw rule of thumb is great, but ...

Check this out for a big exception. The history of square grids on the prairie, written by the guru of blue highways himself, William Least Heat-Moon. An amazing book:

http://preview.tinyurl.com/a9r4uyq

-dan

[rico2072]

Originally Posted by RhinoVonHawkrider

Hmmm, Not

While I've mostly lived on the Right coast, I was a ski bum in Colo. And that state is probably 1 of the easiest to draw, so Demetri's logic doesn't hold...

Completely agree, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah....Nevada to. I bet I can draw them in my sleep, but they are my favorites. Plus AH, that would probably make Florida a Super State to visit.....but it's just okay. Then again I've been here most of my life. LOL

[ewaugh]

So I'm thinking about selling my Supersport 800 and buying a Vstrom. I really don't know how you did it AH, you don't look short. My knees and hip are sore enough that walking hurts for a minute after about 3 hours on mine. I'm 6'2", and most bikes I sit on seem like they're made for someone with much shorter legs. But alas, I can't afford a multi and my knees won't let me take the Italian out AH style.So anyway, need to do some wandering...

[AntiHero]

I know Colorado is lovely and other states that are squiggly are boring, but it's just a joke guys, not a dissertation.

See 4:25.

http://FunnyOrDie.com/m/n0v



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