2018 in review

Rides for 2018

The highlight of 2018 has to be reaching the southern start of the Dalton Highway on the morning of my 60th birthday.

My most remote solo ride to date, the 6,000 mile, 23-day Ride to the Dalton took me beyond the borders of the continental US to explore more desolate parts of North America. I traveled the Canadian Rockies and the entire Alaskan Highway.  Fairbanks was next. Then north to the Dalton. After that, I turned south to Denali National Park, Anchorage and the Gulf of Alaska at Seward. I returned along the remote and beautiful Cassiar-Stewart Highway.

Six weeks before visiting Alaska, I rode through ten western states on my Western Vistas Tour. I visited California’s Lost Coast, Death Valley, the Devil’s Highway in Arizona, the Million Dollar Highway in Colorado, and scenic byways of Utah and Idaho.

And two months after Alaska, I visited Beartooth Pass. The Beartooth is one of the top 5 favorite motorcycle rides in the US. It was easy to understand why.

2018 was a great year for checking off items on the bucket list!

Off the Bike

In my Aug 1st post, 72,000 miles and going strong, I mentioned that I wanted to get and stay in better shape.

To that end, I contacted a personal trainer recommended by Carson shortly after returning from Beartooth. Lyam and I have been working together on core, balance and reactive training twice a week for more than three months now. I plan to continue throughout next year, as well.

I’m confident now that I am physically able to trail ride enjoyably. I’ll be ready if I head in that direction in the near future  🙂

Planning for 2019

With this year’s intense forest fire season from Southern California to British Columbia, I was glad to get my two bigger trips completed before the end of June. I will continue to plan rides to avoid both the high tourist season and overlapping but longer fire seasons we’ve been experiencing. Stay tuned for more on my 2019 plans.

Happy New Year, everyone!