A Two-Wheeled Journey of Exploration and Adventure
Our two-wheeled adventures began in 2012 when my husband, Brent, bought a Harley Davidson Ultra Classic motorcycle. It was something he wanted to check off his bucket list. We began by taking some day trips around the Kansas City area and then branched out to Weston and Lexington in Missouri or to Paola, Kansas with our friends, Toni and Scott. On these day trips, we like to search for a good place to eat lunch where we have not been before.
Soon, we began to embark on weekend trips to Eldon, Hannibal and Potosi with the Missouri Chapter of the Valkyrie Riders Cruisers Club (which we joined despite having a Harley). When we go on rides, we try to find curvy and hilly two-lane roads to make for a more exciting journey. These roads have since led us far beyond Missouri and Kansas. We began our tour of America in 2016 when we attended a Valkyrie Rally in Morgantown, West Virginia. It took three days to get to Morgantown via the scenic route and we stayed in a quaint motor inn in Maggie Valley, North Carolina. This has since become one of our favorite places because of the amazing view of the Smoky Mountains right outside the room. I always try to find a new local brewery for us to stop at in each destination, too. We now have quite a collection of brewery stickers.
We have since been to many places including Billings, Montana, Roanoke, Virginia, Taos, New Mexico and Harrison, Arizona. I think my all-time favorite trip was when we went to the northwest region of the United States, logging more than 5,500 miles in 13 days. Our trips take us through many small towns as we try to stay on two lane roads, avoiding highways when possible. On one of our most memorable day trips from Morgantown, we encountered the “goat trail” which was narrower than a one lane road with old loose asphalt - it was quite the adventure! Once we took a wrong turn, which ended up being the “right” turn because it led to some amazing waterfalls. (This might just be a good metaphor for life itself!)
We often try to stop at scenic overlooks and have been through some historical places. In South Dakota, we stopped at Mount Rushmore, visited Spearfish Canyon and rode the famous Needles and Iron Mountain highways. The 360-degree views from the motorcycle were breathtaking. Having a National Parks Pass really helps our budget as well, allowing us to visit iconic landmarks like Yellowstone National Park. It was quite a sight to see the remains of the forest fires that had occurred earlier that year and we even watched Old Faithful erupt! We also saw the Grand Canyon after a trip to see my aunt and uncle in Arizona. It was beautiful!
In Montana, we rode Chief Joseph’s Highway where, as we looked at the mountains along the highway, we saw the outline of Chief Joseph sleeping. This highway led us to Beartooth Pass, which is a winding road up to the top of the mountain and back down. Our day started out “sunny and 75” at the bottom but, as we started climbing in altitude on our bike, it started to rain. We wanted to keep going, so we found a place to pull over and put on our rain gear. As we continued to move up the mountain, the rain turned into sleet and then into snow. At that point, we had no choice but to keep going as the roadside pull-offs were gravel and occupied by cars and RVs. The sides of the road were still piled high with snowbanks so close to the road, I could reach out to touch them! When we finally got back to the bottom, everyone finally took a deep breath. Despite the weather we encountered, the scenery was beautiful. Three years later, we went back to Beartooth Pass, and on that day the weather was perfect! We saw the mountain glaciers and took in just how beautiful the mountain really is.
Our adventures have led to many other unique places. It is funny how some of these roads are named, often in reference to dragons and other creatures. In Tennessee, there is a famous road called the Tail of the Dragon. It has 318 turns over the course of 11 miles, which we rode both ways. In Virginia, we conquered the Back of the Dragon and the Claw of the Dragon. A huge benefit of these trips has also been interacting with the people we meet along the way. We once came across a man from the east coast who was on a full cross-country adventure. He was on day 30 of being on the road - I am not sure my bum could handle that much seat time at one time!
Some people who hear about my travels have asked if we have microphones to talk to each other. The answer is no. I just sit back and relax on the bike but can talk to my husband by leaning forward when needed. I do a lot of thinking while riding, in between taking pictures with my GoPro. These motorcycle adventures help me take my mind off school and the many things that have to get done daily. I can truly focus on what is happening in the moment and enjoy the spectacular view.
We have currently logged over 13,000 miles in 24 states on the motorcycle and I am sure we will log a lot more. We live in a beautiful country – so, get out there and see it however you can!
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