Hey Rocky, heres a couple ideas for you, some you likely know about already. When you are near Amarillo, about half hour south east is Palo Duro Canyon, worth checking out if you've never been. Second biggest canyon in the US. Also has a nice little campground down in the bottom if so inclined. Also Cadillac Ranch is just a few minutes west of Amarillo on I40 if you haven't been, but you probably have. Just east of Las Cruces, NM about 10 minutes is another cool campground kind of on the hill side with views out over White Sands. Also has some hiking trails with great views if so inclined. I see your going to go by Williams AZ after standing on the corner in Winslow Arizona, if the timing is right, stay the night. Cool town, lots of Route 66 theme going on. It was the last town to be by passed by the I40. Something else I would suggest hitting is Grand Canyon Caverns, it takes you a bit out of your way, you'd need to go west from Williams about an hour then back track after(but half of that is on Route 66 so thats cool). The caverns are very cool, you go 20 stories under ground, and the 45min tour is fantastic. Its near Peach Springs on Route 66. Moab is one of my favorite places to go in the States, never been on a bike though, always with a heavily modded Jeep. Back country is incredible there, you can even get to some spectacular spots in a mildly modified rental. If you have time its worth it. You've got a great route planned out, will be an awesome journey. Can't wait to follow along.
...... For those I have not told, my youngest daughter, Adrienne, has a very significant case of Fybromialgia. When I was in Vancouver two years ago mid-trip on my Alaska run, she was still able to live alone and get around. But by then she was no longer working. Most days now it is a struggle to get out of bed and just take care of her basic things. She has someone living with her, but that person is also sick.
I am selling both bikes. They are at the dealership now (it is pretty hard to see them and even today when I went in to talk to Chuck about selling them, I did not even look at them... I need to separate myself from them).... and hopefully they will be gone in the next few months now that the riding season is upon us. I wont be riding this year, and more than likely I will be moving to Vancouver in a year or so to help with her care. I am putting the company into shape to be able to run itself mostly. The plan is to be in Vancouver living full time so I can be close to help out as I can, and travelling back and forth to Cranbrook to care for the company and my staff.
I am not giving up on riding, but the bikes do not make sense right now, as I wont have the time to ride this year and next year they wont make any sense in Vancouver. I will get a city bike that I can ride around town and take on short trips. But that is for next year to sort out. If it is a Harley, which I want, then "Journeys" will continue at that time as I wonder about.
Once the bikes are gone, I wont be in HDF anymore on a regular basis. I spend a lot of time in OT, and I really enjoy it but this is a Harley forum, and I wont have one, and I don't want to be "one of those guys". I will also be giving up my ModJob. I have already informed the Powers That Be that I am making these changes. Of course, they have been hugely supportive, and I thank them for that.
I head to the Coast tomorrow to visit her and help out. I get to see the puppies and get some serious lap time with Atlas. Walk the ocean front with both the dogs, and hopefully Adrienne if she is up to it.
Family is first, and always most important. HDF is also family to me. The 260,000+ reads of "Journeys" shows that. It started as a lark, but you, the readers, drove me on to more roads, better photographs and better stories and I will be forever grateful for that .... I certainly have enjoyed the three years I have been running the thread, and maybe if it turns out, then I will get back to it.... there are still so many roads I have not traveled, so many good people I have not met..... but for the next while, my eye is firmly fixed on my daughter and her needs.
Hey Rocky,
Say it ain’t so. Can’t you put them in storage for a year or two? I know, it’s not as simple as it seems.
Good luck with everything, hope to read more of your travels in the future.
02-03-2019, 07:42 PM
