Yep, wasn’t fucking around about a big summer ride.

Launch date is June 23/4 with a tentative return date of 24/5 August for a memorial on the Oregon coast. 2 solid months on the road with the mighty KLR from Bend to East back to Bend via Canada. Possible longer depending on variables.

Being a West-side lifer, I consider anything east of the Rockies as ‘back east’. This perturbs the fine folk of the Mid West, but they call it flyover country for a reason. I’m hoping to see some sweet sights and meet folks that can alter that view. This will be a new terrain heavy trip and the potential for finding cool new sights/places is one of the prime motivators for the trip. Spent a lot of my younger years covering similar ground.

Today’s fun involved cleaning, reassembling and installing the carb back into Thumper. Got it out, disassembled and soaking in Pine Sol yesterday and can now add total carb tear-down and rebuild to the skills list. The best part being the bike running much better after the install and no extra parts. Never want extra parts.

This is going to be a little scattered, by the way. If you hadn’t noticed.

One of the main benefits of riding a bike around is the people you get to meet. Spent an hour and a half total in 3 separate conversations started solely because of the bike. If you’re in Bend, or plan to visit, hit up a new and cool little coffee stand behind The Gear Peddler  at 2nd and Greenwood. The owner saw the bike and we ended up chatting for an hour, he’s a damn nice guy, uses coffee from Strictly Organic, a local roaster owned by friends of mine and is just getting going so sling the guy some cash for sweet assed coffee.

Another gent who had just picked up a 2001 KLR was at Giant Loop checking out luggage options when I rolled by and had plenty questions about how to get the most out of the beast.

Preparations for the trip go well: got the carb and front brake caliper rebuilt, new coolant, tightened up all the loose shit, new plug, rejiggered the tool kit so it doesn’t weigh so much, got the luggage all figured and a loose itinerary set. Looks like I picked the perfect time to visit friends in Revelstoke as we’ll be going skydiving July 1, Canada Day. Basically 4th of July for Canada. Never done it, have always wanted to and the scenery is going to be the shit.

Goddamn, this is going to be so much fun. The common refrain I hear upon telling folks my plans is “Wish I could take a bunch of time off to do something like that, BUT………”. Fuck but in the butt. You are worm food in the end, figure a way to get the fuck out of Dodge and fulfill some of those, “Gee, wouldn’t it be cool to………..” things. Security is nice and all, but it demands a lot in exchange. A piece of your soul for starters. Some give off and attitude of serving a higher purpose due to having kids and such to sacrifice such adventures for. Your kid will get more out of seeing you provide for them and incorporate following your desires over whining about having to give it all up to be a “responsible” parent.

It’s been a struggle of sorts since leaving wildland fire after so long to find something to fill the role held for so long by that occupation. The friends made and challenges faced are hard to find in this Nerfed world, but the moto world is a decent substitute. Cool eclectic folks, fear of dying, exploring little tread lands – all similar. Not having to shit in Porta Potties all summer is a bonus, too.

Well, time to wrap this scattershot blob of words up. Going to see Tool in Boise this Sunday which is gonna fucking rock, then 3 days to finalize trip efforts.

Please feel free to shout out if you wanna meet up while I’m on the road or even ride along while on your own adventure for a bit. I’ll be out there for at least 2 months so plenty time to sip coffee and BS.

See ya.