In May of this year, I will be embarking on a momentous motorcycle journey. In a period of six months, I hope to reach all 49 US States on two wheels.In May of this year, I will be embarking on a momentous motorcycle journey. In a period of six months, I hope to reach all 49 US States on two wheels. My story up to this point in my life, approaching the 33-year mark, (a magic number for drinkers of Rolling Rock I hear) is not especially exciting. I have moved around quite a bit looking for the perfect job or place to live and always searching for a little more meaning to my life. I have worked in acoustics most of my career with some pretty interesting projects and pursue a part time professional music career playing bass guitar and string bass. But it always happens; I stagnate, and dread the thought each day of showing up to the same place and performing the same repetitious tasks. I am also becoming less and less in tune with the entire corporate mentality and more and more alienated by the technology in which I used to happily immerse myself.

Even before my recent motorcycle purchase I started conjuring up this seemingly irrational plan. Inspired by the writings of others who have felt similarly about the therapeutic nature of long distance motorcycle touring (i.e. Pederson, Bealy, Peart, etc.), I came up with the idea of doing all 49 states. The six-month time limit is due to budgetary concerns, as is the idea to stay mainly in the US. I plan to visit as many National Parks as possible - taking a tent as my only shelter as I try to infuse myself in Nature, something that has been deeply missed in my corporate/urban way of life.

My love for this sport is still in its nascent stages, but growing stronger with each ride. Like many, I had a mini-bike as a child and used to be a very willing rider on my older brother’s many bikes (He is a Triumph kind of guy). A brief affair with a roommate’s older Honda CBR was is close as I came to ownership. One of those deals “I’ll give $100 a month for X months…” I think I made two payments until I was moving around the country again. But now, I am the proud owner of a 1999 BMW R1100GS, my companion for this life-affirming journey.

For approximately the last eight months I have been selling most of my personal belongings and researching and acquiring the necessary gear for the trip. For those interested, I plan to detail some of my research in later entries. The preparation has felt like a full time job, but I feel as ready as anyone could be to take this journey on. As I write this today (April 9, 2003) I have about three weeks until departure.