45 Days
33 - 35 States
7 - 12 National Parks
Around 10,000 miles
DAY 12:
Jacksonville, FL (2,119 miles completed)
Hello everyone. This is my last post. Sorry I’m a little late on it, but things have been a little hectic for me. I made it back to Jacksonville. My injuries are relatively minor and I'm pretty stiff and bruised. I'm thankful for all my safety gear doing it's job and keeping me safe.
I’d like to thank DeWayne and Gabby for putting me up after the crash. They picked me up from the hospital, gave me a place to sleep, and then got me to the airport. They are amazing people and wonderful friends. DeWayne, you are my brother!
I’d like to thank everyone that gave me well wishes, texts, calls, love, and support. I can not thank you enough! It's gotten me through a rough time.
The bike is with the assessor in Arizona. I am hoping that it can be fixed. It will probably be a few weeks before I know anything, but I am hopeful. It's hard getting an insurance company to work on an older bike, even though it was in pristine condition. I'm hoping someone will take it on, even if I have to haul it back to Jacksonville to get some local HD mechanics to show it some love.
Thanks to everyone who followed me on this adventure, it won’t be my last.
This is Nick, signing off...
DAY 9:
Scottsdale AZ (miles)
Hello everyone. I am sad to announce that my trip is over. I am ok, but I was in a bad crash earlier today just outside of Scottsdale, AZ. I was just released from the hospital. My injuries are bruised legs, swelling knee, a stiff neck, and very sore muscles. I was wearing a LS2 helmet that did an amazing job as well as protective riding leathers and gloves.
My wonderful motorcycle is in bad shape and this really makes me really sad. I loved that motorcycle and had no intention or interest of upgrading that bike, even with it being 14 years old. The accident was my mistake, and I only have myself to blame. Luckily, I was the only person injured.
The local Police and AZ Troopers were outstanding. EMS and Fire services were wonderful, as was an off duty EMT and doctor.
As of now, I am leaving my bike in Scottsdale and will be flying back home tomorrow. I want to thank everyone who followed the trip. I’m so sorry for putting everyone through the worry of this ordeal. My last post will be when I am back in Jacksonville.
DAY 8:
Tempe AZ (0 miles)
Last night I arrived in Tempe, AZ to see my long lost friend DeWayne. We watched a flag football game and then walked to an “all request” dueling piano bar called LOWKEY. The musicians were amazing… even if they couldn’t play a Rush song.
Today… I slept in. Then DeWayne and I hiked a mountain trail on the ASU campus. From the summit we could clearly see Phoenix, Tempe and Scottsdale. Later we hopped in the tunnel at iFLY Scottsdale. It was so much fun flying with DeWayne. Tomorrow, I hit the road for California, but tonight we are gonna eat some tacos and hang out a bit.
Flag football
Lowkey Dueling Piano Bar & ASU hiking trail
iFLY Scottsdale
DAY 7:
Tombstone, AZ to Tempe AZ (miles)
Last night I sat in Big Nose Kate’s having a pretzel and beer while watching the movie Tombstone, while in Tombstone.
This morning I was able to grab a photo of my loaded down iron horse on Allen Street and Fremont at the OK Corral before the crowds.
I rode an hour west to The Titan Missile Museum where I learned about the Cold War. The same Titan II rocket and that was part of the Gemini program was loaded with a 9 megaton nuclear weapon and kept underground. Once the decision to launch was made and authentication was complete, the keys were turned and 58 seconds later it would launch. Once launched, it could not be aborted nor course changed. That’s why these were nuclear deterrents against Russia. If they fired, we would fire, and it couldn’t be stopped.
We conducted a launch simulation and I was “lucky” enough to turn one of the keys. The computers ran through their sequence and about 58 seconds later, sirens and flashing lights signaled the launch. The guide was great, it was very educational and I highly recommend it. If you have concerns about how easy an attack may be, it’s a good tour to educate yourself. This is the only of the 54 Titan silos with a rocket and is set up as an educational museum.
Had to stop at my first big cactus and do my best cactus imitation!
The Titan Missile Museum
The Titan Missile Museum
The Titan Missile Museum
DAY 6:
Hueco Tanks, TX to Tombstone, AZ (326 miles)
Woke to a beautiful sunrise and then I hit the road. I had my first stretch of twisty road on the Transmountain Highway, just north of El Paso.
Finally out of Texas and into New Mexico. I want to thank Mike and Carla Brey for their help. Today’s travels are all thanks to y’all. I’m even sporting a B&Z Builders shirt today.
Ever since leaving El Paso, I saw billboard after billboard for The Thing... only to find out it was a museum. You know I had to stop and put down my $5 to have a look-see. The mystery of the desert was a “What if?” version of history where aliens train dinosaurs like horses. Yep, you read that right!?! The dinosaurs eventually revolted and a war between aliens and dinosaurs began. To end the war, the aliens threw a meteor into earth, starting the ice age and killed the dinosaurs. Then some classic cars, and then finally, The Thing, which is a mummified human and infant to which they don’t explain the real origin (shocker!). It was a wonderful was waste of $5 if you ever find yourself in southern Arizona.
I arrived in Tombstone, AZ and scored an AMAZING campsite. Walked about 3 blocks to Allen Street and saw all the history of the town. OK Corral was an interesting place to consider a gunfight. A bit more open once you are standing in it. Too many thoughts to write about.
I had dinner at the Crystal Palace and visited The Oriental, Campbell and Hatch Billiard Parlor, Big Nose Kate’s and more. GREAT, GREAT DAY!!!
Sunrise
What a view!
I love passing over the state lines
The Thing museum
The Thing museum
O.K. Corral Gunfight Site
Big Nose Kates Saloon & The Crystal Palace
Allen Street
Day 6 Progress. Tonight's campsite has a bit of front yard space.
DAY 5:
Sanora, TX to Hueco Tanks, TX (420 miles)
Today started overcast with strong winds. I had to drive slower and take more stops on account of the gusts. I ended up sitting in a gas station, which have been few and far between, while waiting for a storm to move on. After that, I was back on my way. The scenery is slowly changing from hills to plains, then out of nowhere, large rocks will show up.
I’ve been getting texts messages from so many people. Thank you! It’s really nice to get a message on a long day of riding and makes me feel not so far away. In some of these areas, I don’t have cell service. I can send my words out via satellite phone, but not pictures or videos. If you are following the site closely, check the previous day's post to see the pics added when I'm back in cell service.
After a long and windy ride, I arrived at Hueco Tanks Mountain. A hueco is a cupped depression in a rock. Hueco Tanks gets its name because the huecos are so big that once they fill with rain water that act as tanks. The moisture can then feed surrounding vegetation and animals. This place is an actual oasis in the middle of a dessert.
Hueco Tanks is also a world class climbing area. While scouting it out, I decided that formal climbing was out of the question without a partner and some gear. I still managed to scramble and play on the rocks all the way to the summit. My campsite for the evening was the historic Hueco Mountain Hut climbing shop parking lot. Many a climber has camped in this lot. Only 1 mile from the rock and $3 per person to camp.
Hueco Tanks is also a world class climbing area. While scouting it out, I decided that formal climbing was out of the question without a partner and some gear. I still managed to scramble and play on the rocks all the way to the summit. My campsite for the evening was the historic Hueco Mountain Hut climbing shop parking lot. Many a climber has camped in this lot. Only 1 mile from the rock and $3 per person to camp.
Rode through some pretty rough winds today.
I can see for miles.
Hueco Tanks
Hueco Tanks
Hueco Tanks
Day 5 Progress
DAY 4:
San Antonio, TX to Sanora, TX (185 miles)
Oooooooooooo what a pleasant surprise today was! The weather cooled off this morning and the riding was scenic with open country and rolling hills. TODAY, is what I expected from Texas.
Everything east of San Antonio is heavily populated and has so much industry in the way of oil and chemical plants. It seemed like the PPG plant went on for five miles! With eastern Texas being covered with steel and concrete, you don’t get a real chance to see the vegetation change. You just pop out on the west side with small shrub trees and cacti. The further west I go, the clumps of grass have turned into clumps of rock, and there is nothing to really block the wind.
Tonight’s campsite is at the Caverns of Sanora. I pitched my tent and then took the hour long tour. It was a 2 mile hike that went 150 feet underground. In all my years, I have explored a few dry caves and dove in dozens of the Florida cave systems. This was without question, my favorite of all time. The cave is in all three stages of a cave’s life, inactive=dry, semi-active=damp, and active= filtering water.
The cave system was huge, with some rooms having heights of 60 feet. The formations were gorgeous. The photos don’t do justice to the beauty and depth of the structures. After exploring the caves, I sat on a wrap around porch that has about 50 swallows nesting as well as a friendly peacock. So relaxing.
First hills since leaving Florida.
Caverns of Sanora
Caverns of Sanora
Caverns of Sanora
Caverns of Sanora
Day 4 Progress
DAY 3:
Nederland, TX to San Antonio, TX (323 miles)
Last night I had the privilege to stay at the home of Heidi, who goes by the handle Blue. She is the co-founder of a non-profit, Wheelchairs for Warriors. It helps soldiers and first responders who have been hurt on duty get better mobility options. She is currently in the planning stages of adding several small cottages to her property to be able to provide full accommodations to multiple bikers and traveling nurses. wheelchairsforwarriors.org She has a 2017 HD soft-tail custom with just under 100,000 miles. She rides WAY MORE than me.
Got some time in at iFLY Huston. Fun times flying with their Lead, Rory.
The Alamo was one of the things I was really excited to visit. While the history was really amazing, I found the visit quite sad. A great deal of the fort has been destroyed over the years to make room for hotels and shops. Now, only the chapel and Long Barracks remain. The memorial for the soldiers who died and their bodies destroyed was beautiful. I wish there wasn’t a Ripley’s Haunted Experience, 3D theatre and Margarita stand within 20 feet of it.
San Antonio was also my first bit of riding in the rain. Had to suit up for about 20 miles or so.
wheelchairsforwarriors.org
iFLY Huston
Fun times flying with their Lead, Rory.
The Alamo
The Alamo
The Alamo
Day 3 Progress
DAY 2:
Crestview, FL to Nederland, TX (508 miles)
Left the family farm pretty early this morning. Weather was just the right kind of cool with blue skies and nice riding.
Last night I adjusted my toe shifter a little higher so I can fit my foot under it. The mechanic reset it a little lower during my service, but it is a lot more comfortable now.
Nothing says MERICA’ like listening to Lynyrd Skynyrd at the USS Alabama! Saw the USS Drum, SR 71, Tomcats and tanks, oh my!
The weather held out the rest of the day. I got some wind and sprinkling rain, but nothing that made me suit up.
Louisiana, what can be said… The names of the towns and streets look like someone threw Scrabble pieces on the ground and just wrote what landed. I had no idea how to say any of the places I was except Baton Rouge. After having jambalaya for lunch and hitting the road I can across a biker broken down on the side of the road. He was a crazy Cajun character with a sword mounted on his Harley. His name was Dominick, not the Vin Diesel type, and he was outta gas. My handy homemade fuel rack provided the petroleum and off we went.
In Texas, I found the nation’s largest fire hydrant in Beaumont and a really nice park to memorialize fallen firefighters.
Send Off
State Line
USS Drum, USS Alabama, SR 71, Tomcats and tanks
USS Drum, USS Alabama, SR 71, Tomcats and tanks
The nation’s largest fire hydrant
Texas Memorial to fallen firefighters
Day 2 progress
DAY 1:
Jacksonville, FL to Crestview, FL (342 miles)
Today was a great start. The weather was beautiful and traffic was light.
I have to say, the first mile was the hardest. There was a constant feeling of forgetting something. Eventually I just said bye to the cats and left. I stopped by iFLY to tell Kimberly and my friends bye and then headed west. I got onto Interstate 10 at the eastern most point and just cruised.
I tested my ZOLEO gps breadcrumbs with success and then made some adjustments to my bike and helmet fitment at my grandmother’s house.
I got to visit with my sister, parents and grandmother. We had some good BBQ and conversation.
The Plan:
The trip will be done solo. Just me, my thoughts, and my bike. I didn’t want to travel with anyone or have to make compromises along the way. If the world’s biggest ball of yarn interests me, I’ll stop to see it.
I have multiple routes planned that are rough guidelines to make decisions based on weather, fatigue, or happy accidents. For this reason, no campsites are booked. I plan to average around 350 miles on every travel day. I only have 4 places that I won’t plan on camping, which are homes of friends and family that are spread around the country.
I’ll be sleeping in National Forests, National Parks, BLM land, paid campsites, and Bunk-a-Biker land, which is private property owned by bikers that will let motorcycle travelers camp on their property.
I took 45 days off of work for this adventure and will send updates and pictures back to Kimberly as frequently as possible for her to update the website daily.
The Background:
I watched Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman in Long Way Round & Long Way Down and thought... I could do that. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that it would be a perfect retirement trip. Around 2016, I slowly started converting my 2008 Street Glide into something more like an Ultra Classic. As anyone with a Harley-Davidson knows, the process of changing out components is expensive, so this was a slow process.
When I retired in April of 2019, I wasn’t ready for the trip. The bike wasn’t exactly what I wanted and I wasn’t physically or mentally prepared. I worked for Harley-Davidson for a bit, which really helped with the cost of the bike prep. When I left Harley to work at iFLY, the bike was in good shape, but I really wasn’t. I started working at iFLY as an instructor and got stronger in mind and body.
Then Covid hit and I was out of work. I got to thinking about my trip as I watched the third installment of the McGregor and Boorman motorbike adventures, Long Way Up. They inspired me again. I went down the research rabbit hole pretty hardcore this time around and I pulled the trigger to start acquiring all the kit I needed. It’s been a long road here for me and now it's time to start the trip. Some days I feel ready, other days I don’t. Regardless, I’m starting the biggest trip of my life and it is sure to be a memorable one.
Prep & Kit Pics:
Mini-trips to test my gear setup.
Packed and ready!
My handlebar setup.
ALL of my gear together!
Camping Gear
Clothing & Protective Gear
Thanks to all my friends well-wishes, offers of help, and gifted guardian bells for my bike!
