The long drive home is never as exciting as the initial drive to your destination, or at least I thought. Albeit a sleepy adventure from my various vodka induced Minneapolis musings, I was ready to take on the road and head out to visit Chicago. The road however had a different plan for me that lead me away from my initial destination only to return a day later on the back of a tow truck.

(more…)

While exploring Iowa City was exciting in a drunken stupor kind of way that only a college town can provide, I wanted to continue my travels the problem was after Iowa my plans ran out. This was that wing it point where I figured I’d stumble upon or just ride out and find my way along somewhere. I found myself going back and forth from Denver to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul but unsure where I wanted my journey to extend. If I headed out west the trip would have to be well calculated so that I made it back home by the end of June and while Minnesota was north I could circle back around and just make this a mid-west motorcycle trip and make it home in time to work a local festival putting some money back in my wallet.

(more…)

As I pack up for the next leg of my motorcycle journey I can’t help but think of the fun times and experiences I’ve already enjoyed. I started out by getting the bike from my pops because mine broke down, and my luck didn’t stop there. I came across family and friends of family who helped me out with various items: a tent, small flannel sleeping back, dry bags and a rain suit. The last two would prove itself most needed already in my short journey thus far.

I started my trip heading from the greater Cleveland area towards Toledo, here I got held up for a few days as I soon realized that the 2010 sticker wasn’t on the license plate. After a waiting a few days through the snail mail I finally got my sticker, and I was ready to go. They really need to find a way to email things like that, but I digress. I thought I was ready to go but the rain that morning had other plans. Once I saw some sunlight shining through I took my chance and headed out. I drove maybe 25 miles until the rain started up again so I pulled off and put a bandanna around my face and the rain jacket on. I thought that bugs smacking your face at 70 mph hurt- but rain- that is a different story. After getting back on the road I caught back up with the rain storm. Should have figured that one out myself, so I had to pull off again to put on the rain pants because my furry behind was getting wet. Trust me when I say that the ‘wet dog’ smell goes across all types of animals and it’s not a pretty thing.

(more…)

DryIcons, "Movie Countdown", via Flickr, July 5 2008, Creative Commons License

If you have been following through with my mishap adventures you probably realize I’m moving out of my place and want to take an extensive motorcycle road trip somewhere in an effort to complete one of my resolutions and check one more thing off my Bucket List.  I bet you are wondering how far along I am to see if I’ve made any progress or if I’ve just sat in my hammock enjoying the nice weather and being a bum. Well the answer to that my friend is, yes.

I know, it’s an either or question but the answer is still, yes.

(more…)

So here’s my story, of how I had plans that were thought out plans but no longer can be plans because things, as they often do, change. When getting ready to visit Peru this last holiday season, my partner in crime Bouncy McTigger and I volunteered to get bumped off our flight. They were dangling a $500 flight voucher each, provide hotel accommodations and fly us first class the next day, the catch – our flight left from Newark, NJ and we were in Houston, TX plus the whole leave a day late which we were perfectly cool with because well $500 and first class is pretty cool.  Well we have been plotting and planning to go use these flight vouchers for Tokyo this holiday but then the prices went up and we got to thinking – I have the month of June off she has a house in Peru why not bounce and swing our happy furry butts back to Peru and see all the sights we missed out on? Well we hit a road block.

(more…)