"The Many (Mis) Adventures of DR N": The pressure is on!

Coal... a sometimes visitor in Glendale.

I understand the attraction to ocean beaches like those you'd find on the Med... but I like my travel and beaches uncluttered. For 7$ a night... I'd sometimes stayed for 6 weeks or more!

Of course, now I live on PEI Canada and my home is virtually all beach!

My last trip to Baja was with then g/f Barb in 2007, getting home into the snow bound North.

This is the Cortez, or the gulf of California depending which side of the border you're on.

IN the past, while living in Calgary Alberta, I would arrange my schedule to give me some extended time, get in the Blazer or F 150 with a kayak up top and towing which ever trailer I had at the time, south on I 15. Once I'd hit Montana and with a left at Vegas, I did many a road trip, sometimes (sleep accounted for) through into once sleepy but now bustling Tecate, Baja Mexico. My destination was 1000 km south to Conception Bay.

Look familiar? Taken virtually in the same spot but 4 years apart. And... touring is a state of mind. I mean, if you can do this on a DT 50 right?

A Baja sunrise.

Depending on time, I'd camp out on an amazing beach, pedal, visit, eat... drink some ice cold 60c cerveza's at Berthe's right around the corner from Las Coco's. If you like getaway holidays, you can't get any better than Baja. On occasions I rode my DT 50, Serow 225, XT 600 and even my C 70 Passport I'd bought via E Bay in PHX (long before I lived there).
In 2009 I bought a home in Glendale AZ, went to ride Europe for 5 months and came back, bought furniture and grub and moved right in.

In the decade since, I always wanted to do Baja on last time. but some how never could seem to find the time. I did of course ride the US desert and mountain country extensively. My XT 350 Yamaha once sorted out, was a very good choice, only let me down once in the back country as a result of a rear tire flat. Luckily a passing Motorcyclist had a can of Slime and an air pump to boot. That got to the eastern suburbs of the giant city known collectively as Phoenix.

10 years riding the Superstitions, and the White and Bradshaw mountains and it was time to lock the doors one last time.

Fast forward...

I was heading down with my FORD for the last time... I would try selling my three Phx bikes but if not, I could import the Ascot 500 or XT 350. Not my best option, importing bikes has gotten complicated and costly. That's why you see my bumper hitch rack in some photos.

With all the problems I had with the truck, some of it caused by the poor repairs in Gallup by Firestone, as I've indicated it was turning into a huge chore.

Having only about 10 days on the ground at my Phx home, I had to hustle and compromise more than I wanted to. Such is life right!

When it was all said and done, and having paid my last mechanical fix at Wilhelm Automotive in Peoria next door to me in Glendale, I took to the road with new found confidence and fingers crossed with some trepidation.

On the southern trip, I was able to sleep in the sleeper in the extra cab, needing motels only on occasion. With the Ford getting 19-20 miles per gallon, at a steady 100 kph, and with some trepidation giving the lateness of the year and the potential of snow or worse as I traversed the mid west... I landed late October, dead tired and sick to boot!

I'm traveling around 60 mph... passed by extra wide wind turbine blade in Texas

My odometer of the 1996 truck, passed through 150,000 km out bound and 161,000 km by the time I reached home without any major mishap. Of course that didn't mention the tire imbalance on the entire 5,500 km caused by again shoddy work mounting the tires on the Ford at Wal Mart Glendale. I bought raised white letter Wrangler's and the bone heads even though we'd discussed several time, mounted them with the white lettering, on the inside!!

Shorty... after 5 hours at WM, my serpentine belt went south again... resulting in the Wilhelm repair. Seems the tensioner bolt was over tightened stripping the bolt but as Wilhelm's found... the bolt wasn't over tightened but not tightened at all!

Only 2-3 threads were holding the entire thing together.

Other than an annoying vibration coming from the improperly balanced tires, I had an uneventful trip driving through 14 (15?) states and including New Brunswick .

Maine

New Hampshire

Vermont

New York

Pennsylvania

Ohio

Indiana

Missouri

New Mexico
and
finally... Arizona!

There was some incredible scenic driving even if it was mostly Interstate. Like freezing temperature passing through Flagstaff, fall foliage colors in the N.E. and fog lasting till noon outside CUBA!

No not that Cuba!

Leaving Cuba

Arkansas

Kansas

Oklahoma

Texas

In the coming months I'll refer back to some highlights of this grueling but invigorating drive.

My favorite... ?

Gotta be New England. Forest, the Appalachians mountains, oldest range on the planet, forests, lakes and rivers and trout... cheap motels and extraordinary motorcycling roads.

Doesn't hurt that they are a short days ride from Lisa's home in St John N.B.

I'd sleep mostly in McDonalds parking lots having both dinner and breakfast.

Good old reliable McD's

Even if I no longer have a dedicated Touring bike... considering I am so close to some amazing riding places in my back yard... I can put my XT 600, Citicom 300 I, a swift CBR 300 R and even a longer distance mule... Piaggio MP3... to use!