I Decided It Was Time to Live the Dream
In 2020, when COVID changed life for so many people, I started thinking seriously about something I had dreamed about for a long time. I wanted to ride a motorcycle across America. Not someday. Not when I retired. Not when everything was perfect. I wanted to do it.
So I started preparing. It took several months to get everything ready, but in June 2021, I finally loaded my motorcycle, left home, and hit the road. That decision changed the way I look at travel, motorcycles, and life.
My First Adventure
My first journey would eventually take me across a huge part of the United States and last several months. I started by exploring the Southeast. I rode through Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, including a trip all the way to Key West. I didn’t want to simply pass through these places. I wanted to stay for a while, explore the surrounding areas, and experience what each place had to offer.
Eventually, I made my way to Charleston, South Carolina. From there, I began the cross-country portion of my adventure. My destination was San Diego, California. But even then, the destination wasn’t really the point. The road was.
My Partner on the Road
For this adventure, I chose a Suzuki V-Strom 650XT. It’s not the biggest adventure motorcycle. It’s not the most powerful. And it doesn’t have every electronic gadget available on a modern motorcycle. That’s exactly why I chose it. I wanted a motorcycle that was comfortable enough to ride long distances on the highway, but light and manageable enough to take onto dirt and gravel roads. And I wanted something I could actually maintain myself. The V-Strom turned out to be exactly what I needed.
Why the V-Strom 650XT?
During my journey, I rode both pavement and dirt. Sometimes the road was smooth. Sometimes it wasn’t a road at all. And that’s where having a relatively manageable motorcycle really mattered. Anyone who rides off-road knows something important: It’s not a question of whether you’re going to drop the bike. It’s when. And yes… I dropped mine. A few times. Picking up a fully loaded motorcycle by yourself is a workout. Doing it on a trail, in the middle of nowhere, makes you appreciate having a motorcycle that isn’t unnecessarily heavy. That’s one of the reasons I’m glad I chose the V-Strom 650XT.
Simple Is Good
The 650cc V-Twin engine might sound small compared with some of today’s huge adventure motorcycles, but it had more than enough power for my journey. It could comfortably cruise on the highway and still had plenty of power when I needed to pass. But what I really appreciated was its simplicity. My bike has ABS and traction control, but it doesn’t have a mountain of complicated electronics. That matters when you’re traveling thousands of miles away from home. If something goes wrong on the road, simplicity can be your friend. I was able to perform most of the routine maintenance myself while traveling. And throughout the entire journey, the motorcycle was remarkably reliable. In fact, I completed the journey without even getting a flat tire.
My V-Strom Was More Than a Motorcycle
After riding thousands of miles together, I have a hard time thinking of the V-Strom as just a motorcycle. She was my partner on the journey. She carried my gear. She took me through cities, highways, back roads, gravel roads, and trails. She got dropped. She got picked up. She kept going. And she never let me down. I love this motorcycle because it is simple, affordable, comfortable, reliable, easy to ride, and easy to maintain. It’s not perfect. But it doesn’t need to be. It is capable of taking you to places that most people will never see. And for me, that’s what an adventure motorcycle should be.
What I’m Doing Now
The first journey is over. But I’m still riding. Today, I spend much of my riding time exploring the Ozarks and the south-central United States, including parts of Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas. I’m particularly interested in the roads and trails that take you away from the major highways and into places that most travelers never see. I’ve been creating and organizing off-road routes and sharing some of those adventures with other riders. And that has led to another project: Ozark ADV Rides. It’s a place where I’m building routes and resources for riders who want to explore the Ozarks and surrounding areas by motorcycle.
But I’m Not Done
If my first journey taught me anything, it’s that there is always another road waiting. And I have plenty of roads left to ride. I’m preparing for another journey around the United States. I’m also dreaming about a motorcycle adventure through South America. And one day, I want to take a long motorcycle journey across Europe. There are still countries I haven’t seen. Roads I haven’t ridden. People I haven’t met. And stories I haven’t heard. So the journey continues.
Why Adventures Worth Living?
I created Adventures Worth Living because I believe we should actually live the lives we dream about. You don’t have to cross America on a motorcycle. You don’t have to travel to another continent. You don’t even have to leave your home state. Adventure can be something as simple as taking a road you’ve never traveled, visiting a place you’ve always wondered about, spending a night under the stars, or saying yes to something you’ve never done before.
The important thing is to get out there. Experience something. Meet people. Explore. Take a chance. Make some memories. Because one day, when you look back, I don’t think you’ll wish you had spent more time waiting for the perfect moment. You’ll remember the moments when you went.
That’s what Adventures Worth Living is about. The journey isn’t over. There are still roads ahead. And I’m going to ride them.