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

I "freed" myself by getting out of the corporate world and starting my own company. Of course my problem now is that I work all the time and rarely have much time to really ride. But someday, I'll sell and have the time to do what I want.

In the meantime, I applaud those of you, such as AH, who find a way to have an adventure and provide us with the enjoyment of going along for the ride!

(Don't get me started on taxes, regulations and government interference. We are no longer the land of liberty.)


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I reckon we should start another thread on this topic alone... I fear if I reply further, of hijacking AH's RR with what could very, very easily turn into pages of further extrapolation! Suffice to say, I work through my own company, hire out an employee, and work currently in a contracting capacity, living simultaneously in employee-dom and director-dom and yeah, not much time left at the end of the day. It's not like you can really take sick days, either; if you're exhausted to the point of delirium you just have to get through the list before you can load up on sleeping pills and sleep the sleep of oblivion.

Let me be a little more 'specific' on what I wrote: In my life, I've had people try to influence what I wanted to do/experience and feel, due to it not being 'what you should be doing at this time in life'. It didn't matter that I had a career and was building a 'dream house' for my wife and I. It was simply that I shouldn't be pushing the envelope. I should back off and 'conform' to what 'they' were doing. Kind'a like 'keeping up with the Jone's', but not in the materialistic way. There were many people that understood, as they had passions that they were involved in. Some were into gardening, others tuna fishing....thing is, these people NEVER found fault with the path I wanted to follow.

The people that DID find fault, were always those that never push themselves to attain anything, accomplish anything, other then buying the newest car, toy, clothes, etc. They did not want me accomplishing something that would make them look 'inferior'. These poor souls were afflicted with a disease that I termed 'LWC'.....Little Weanie Complex!!! Nothing more dangerous then an insecure ego! They always found fault with those that pushed themselves passed what 'they' were comfortable with, and, in fact, did everything they could to undermine my accomplishments. Didn't matter that I was only pushing myself for myself. All that matter was that my attaining certain goals made them look bad.

Now, don't get me wrong. I didn't really give a shit what these folks thought until it started affecting my career. Then I DID care! These folks did finally accomplished their goal, as I retired early, turned down a promotions and LEFT! LEFT to enjoy life and follow a path that I wanted. And I never looked back. Did I miss my job? About 2% of it.

Of course, a few months after I retired, a piece of space junk hit me in the back, taking my heart and soul with it. Never saw THAT coming, but it pushed me onto another path....but that's another story.

Now I am interested in the other story! DAM YOU! LOL

ditto.

I know how influential this trip (and the camaraderie on ADV) has been on me. I'm extremely grateful that it's had such a positive impact on more than just myself.

I Xerox that. Space junk?

On another note.......I, like many reading this RR, appreciate 'hero expounding on life, his journey, and keeping us up to date on his travel's. Interested to see where he's headed. THANKS!

Space Junk: possibly post on this topic (many, Many sub-variables on this) during a ride I'm planning the middle of the year. Oregon/Idaho/Montana/Wyoming/Colorado/Utah/Neveda/Sierra's and home. And yes, I'm on a Ducati, but due to injuries....a MultiStrada!

Getting close to the last of DV.

Chernobyl Hospital--I mean Amargosa Opera House--Bathroom:

There are lots of mines. These kind of signs seem to have the reverse impact on me that they're intended.





The 20 Mule Team Canyon (where the pictures below were taken) was named after the 20 Mule Teams (Actually 18 Mules and 2 Horses) that hauled borax out of the mines in Death Valley to Mojave (the closes railroad pickup point).





Unlike the hard work the borax miners (and mules) endured to bring soap to the masses, I was just there to play around.

Oh man, the first picture of the Panigale's tail against the landscape with the sun setting... so much beauty in one picture. And do I spot a dust trail in the distance?

I love how you take your - let's be honest - very expensive motorcycle "out in the wild" and have fun on dirt roads, while many bike owners really baby their bike and whine about the slightest scratch. What you are doing seems to be the right thing to do in areas like the DV or the Southwest in general!

As always, looking forward to seeing more pictures, and keep the (really really shiny how do you do that) side up!

Epic.

Wow! Comparing that bathroom to one at Chernobyl isn't fair to Chernobyl!! Horrific! And in marked contrast to the stunning shots of the Duc!

Getting up that thing was the easy part. Getting down was the precarious part. The earth just crumbled away and I kind of slid off the side near the bottom (the top was unpassable). No risk, no reward! And yep--that was a dust trail alright. An SUV followed me onto the trail and passed when I pulled over for pics. The looks on their faces when they went by was priceless. It's a one-way road, so there's no safe way to turn back once you're on it.

Any new bike brings out a little OCD in its owner. And the more beautiful it is the more intense the obsessiveness (hence the reason why Ducati owners tend to end up more meticulous). I've battled OCD before, so the 1199's beauty was no match. In the end, I'd rather reflect on all the experiences I had on a motorbike than reflect on my reflection off a side panel!

Other than hosing her off with a high pressure hose at random self-car-wash stations, detailing (with the exception of Dr. J's garage) involves a squeegee and blue paper towels at the gas station.

First shots of a Ducati on Mars?





I could have used some Borax when it was all over!

Exactly! When you are going to think back in ten years and ponder about all the stuff that happened during your epic ride, I suppose it's stories like these (apart from the awesome and interesting people you met) which will be freshest in memory, as they were truly special and one-of-a-kind. Also, do you think there is any other Panigale owner out there who has taken his Duc into the dirt and mud? I doubt it.

The additional post has some awesome photos in it, again. I think when I was there I saw these golden mountains made of parallel ridges from a higher vantage point, I think it was Zabriskie Point. Did your trail get you near there, but from the bottom end?

A serious knack for understatement, you have obi wan....

Hey, if you get into salt lake to hit the dealer, drop a line and I'll hook you up with some cold brew and a place to take a hot shower WITHOUT giant, fucking scaryass bugs and possible radiation poisoning!

And by the way, those shots of the Panigale in the desert, with the contrasting colors are just off the hook man. Absolutely incredible imagery.

I only hope that in 10 years I have many other rides to look back on, too! And I have this R/R memorializing all of it. Perhaps I just need to set a goal that ever time Ducati releases a superbike I have to go offroading with it. :)

Zabriske is a few minutes north of Twenty Mule Team Canyon....basically all along the same geological formation. I've never actually gone up to Zabriske, though. (There's always a bunch of people!)

I'll hit you up KCM1 if I ever make it back to Salt Lake.

And crazy coincidence. I subscribe to Vice for their exceptional and gritty journalism--and what video did they just release? One on the Black Hoof in Toronto--the place I ate the raw horse! So cool!

No clue why it won't embed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PssJdcu5sL0

After seeing your posts from Minnesota way back in the thread, I decided to try a gin and tonic with bitters. Having never tried gin before, most people had told me they hated it due to some horror story from when they were 14 and got wasted on it. I picked up some Beefeater, Schweppes, and Angustora the other day, and WOW. So good!

Damn, Anti, now you're driving the inmates to drink!

Still following along!

Mike

That road looks like a prime canadiate for some fun times in the Subaru. As much as I like motorcycles, it's a lot easier to slide a car around in the dirt than a motorcycle, and less painful if you screw it up. It's threads like these that make me want be irresponsible and disappear on some grand adventure. I've always been an all or nothing kind of person. I guess the thing to remember is maybe these grand adventures need to come a week at a time while balancing things like work and school, you know, all that adult crap.