Depending on what style adventure riding you do, maintaining your bike is a necessary chore, even if you’re only doing ‘gentle’ road miles. When you start adding a little dirt or gravel in the mix, that maintenance becomes even more important.

Imagine taking that scenic route through the mountains, kicking up some dust and enjoying the solitude, only for your bike to break down and leave you regretting that solitude; what are you going to do to get yourself back to civilization?

Sure, we all know the basic hacks to fix simple problems (like stuffing your tyre full of grass to get you home – who hasn’t done that!), but what if it’s more serious?

Performing regular maintenance won’t stop you having a terminal breakdown, but hopefully, it will minimize it.

My riding tends to cover everything from fast road riding through to adventure and off-roading. Each of my bikes has different needs, but there are some simple tasks that’s common between all of them.

My philosophy is simple; do the maintenance after the ride and that way, the bikes always ready to go, even if I’m not.

The Basics

Spares

Truthfully, we would need an article for each style of bike to cover everything, but there are a few things that make sense for all riders.

When I’m going off-roading, I take as many spares as I can realistically manage; brake and clutch levers, tubes for tyres (even with an anti-puncture solution already in the tyre), electrical connectors, spark plug, water dispersant, Vaseline (super important for chafing and water-proofing), bulbs, duct tape (a million uses!) and whatever else I can fit in, and then of course we need tools!

This sounds like a lot, but nearly every time I’ve been riding with a group, I’ve been able to ‘fix’ a bike that otherwise would have been stranded, or at the very least, difficult to get home.

I always make sure that any spares are replaced as soon as I’m back after the ride – otherwise they’ll get forgotten.

Clean and Inspect

Cleaning your bike after a ride is a great way of inspecting for damage or wear – a properly fast road bike can run through a tyre in around 2,000 miles when ridden hard (even with the multi-compounds) and you need to know if it needs replacing before your next adventure.

Checking for tyre wear is easy – a simple visual inspection usually gives you all the information you need, but look closer and you’ll see wear markers moulded between the tread, if you’re wearing these markers, you’ll need a new tyre.

If you’ve owned your bike for a while, you’ll know whether it uses oil or not, but it’s worth checking it – for the sake of 30 seconds work, you could head-off a potential disaster.

Equally, a number of riders use an automatic chain lubricant, make sure there’s oil in the reservoir, and while you’re there, clean, inspect and adjust the chain.

Grease Up

Depending on what you ride, a good number of bikes have grease points, usually on the suspension linkage. It takes five minutes to make sure that fresh grease is in there, and while having dry or contaminated grease in the linkage most likely won’t lead to a terminal failure, it will wear out the linkage in short-time, leading to further and bigger mechanical issues.

Spanner Check

If you regularly maintain your bike, this isn’t quite as important – you’ll know what does or doesn’t need checking. But think of this; carrying a spare tube for a tyre is one thing, but if you can’t release the wheel-spindle to remove the wheel, then it’s all for nought – it’s not like you can take an impact gun to remove any stubborn fasteners.

Tyre Pressures

Most of us drop the tyre pressures when riding off-road, it gives better traction thanks to the wider surface area and compliance, but always make sure you run them at standard pressures when returning to the road; a low pressure could lead to overheating of the carcass, and no-one wants a tyre blowing out when riding at road speeds. It hurts!

Another handy tip: If you’re going to be storing your bike’s tyres for a while, make sure that the pressures are correct and be sure to rotate your wheel every couple of weeks to avoid any damage to the carcass.

Road VS Adventure

Whether you choose to ride on road or go deep off-road, your bike is all that stands between you (at the very least) enjoying your adventure or having a tale to tell around the campfire as you wait to be rescued.

In all honesty, there is very little that can’t be fixed by the roadside, depending on how well prepared you are (I have pictures of a friend splitting a crankcase from an old classic BSA on the side of a mountain, using the most primitive tools imaginable).

Of course, you can never account for every type of mechanical issue that you could face while out on your travels, but at least with some forethought, you stand a chance of being able to do something about it, and the better maintained your bike is, the less chance there is of it breaking down.

It’s worth understanding just what stresses the type of riding you do has on your bike – dusty roads can eat through badly maintained chains in no time, whereas pushing 170+ horsepower through it will mean regular tensioning, and of course, once the chain has stretched and is running loose, your chain sprockets won’t be lasting for long.

Professional Advice

Most of these tasks here are fairly easy to carry out, but if you just about know where to put the gas and not much else, try and get a friend to help or show you how to do the basic motorbike checks.

Should all else fail, getting professional advice on what needs to be done is a must – simple things failing can lead to catastrophic results when it comes to a bike; at best you can be stranded, at worse, you could sustain a serious injury. Ever seen a drive-chain split at 80 MPH? It makes a mess.

Written by Giles Kirkland, Yorkshire, UK

This has been a fun article to write. As a guy with an entrepreneurial streak I am always interested to learn how people fund their travels long term. It also gave me an opportunity to learn from some travelers I have a lot of respect for. Often we look for some magic bullet or idea that makes a ton of easy money, but the solutions offered in this article are all based in good ole' fashioned hard work. Everybody in this world has something to offer and that something can be bartered for food, lodging, money, or anything you need to keep you rolling to your next adventure.

Before we get into the ideas, I wanted to share some thoughts from Sam Manicom, an author and world motorcycle traveler. He pointed out that finding odd jobs while traveling is more than just earning money. Its an opportunity to "get under the skin of a country. Work there with locals and cut beneath the surface. It's also a chance to give something back by sharing the things and the places you have traveled to that point with the people you are working with." Working while traveling doesn't have to be a burden, it will enhance your experience. 

Here's some ideas for you to consider on your own travels.

Freelancing

You can sign up with a site like MoonLighting.com and start finding work for pretty much any skill you have. Don't underestimate yourself. There are things you are good at that many other people could use, and they are willing to pay for it. How does working from a beach view or a mountain lodge sound? As long as you can get a decent internet connection, you can make some travel money.

Content Creation and Art

I mentioned Sam Manicom earlier, he has earned money braiding hair at markets and hostels, painting t-shirts, and he has written several motorcycle travel books.

Simon and Lisa Thomas of 2RideTheWorld.com use their talents to produce great content for their website, but they also generate income by selling their photography, calendars, and they even have a 'Dirty Dining' cookbook in the works.

Another successful traveler, Meg Jerrard, started a great travel blog called Mapping Megan. It takes time and a lot of effort to build an audience and create income from a blog, but Meg has a great article on her site with some unique ideas to earn while traveling. Instead of repeating what she said, make sure to read her article HERE.

Services

No matter what part of the world you are in, personal services will always be needed, and with some fore thought you may be able to learn a new skill before you start traveling. Think of services like:

• cutting hair
• massage
• manicures
• teaching English
• shadetree mechanic
• fixing computers
• waiting tables
• unloading trucks
• be a DJ and get the party started!
• mow lawns
• handyman work

Sam told me, "The key is not to be shy. Ask and you'll find someone you can help." 

For services, its a good idea to get one of the best credit card swipers you can afford or a wireless credit card reader. Depending on where you are traveling, cash is becoming less common, so being able to accept cards will make it easier to do business. Another solution for merchant accounts is an online portal. That would eliminate the need for any hardware.

If you would rather not deal with credit cards you also have bartering options. It may be just as easy to work for room and board, meals, fuel, or any necessities.

Sell your story

If you are good at writing and photography you can create package stories for magazines such as ADVMoto Magazine. 

Paid presentations are also an option. If you are traveling, chances are you have some great advice to offer others and stories that make them interesting. Companies that work in the travel and adventure market often hire presenters to bring in customers. Events like Overland Expo also pay experienced travelers for presentations and teaching classes on specific subjects such as navigation, first aid, vehicle recovery, etc.

Conclusion

Its not my goal to create an exhaustive list of every possible way to make money to prolong travels. Hopefully, this will get you thinking creatively and noticing all the possibilities to keep you roaming and have a richer experience while doing it.

If you have some ideas of your own we would love to hear them in the comments section.

Extreme weather shouldn't mean extreme boredom. Whether it is hot or cold, wet or dry, you can stay active as long as you're able to plan for the weather. 

Moto Camping

Whether you're hitting the open tarmac or the back roads to the North Georgia Mountains on your dualsport, you want to know what the weather conditions are going to be like. You need to know what to wear, how to pack, & what route to take. The WeatherBug App can get you dialed with all these & more! With features like live doppler radar, real time traffic, local pollen counts, detailed hourly & 10 day forecast, the WeatherBug App has got you covered. Check the forecast hourly through out the day during your ride to avoid inclement weather. Don't get stuck in traffic on a rainy day without rain gear when you could've been prepared. There are so many good features to keep you up to date in real time with this app that it should be apart of every ADV riders setup.

Surfing

When the weather heats up, heading to the beach is a great way to catch some sun. If you are lucky, you will also be catching some extreme waves- something that you can check up on with your “weather radar for my location” function on your iPhone or android weather app. The beachfront is always cooler than the city, and you have the added benefit of relaxing in the sun, enjoying some great seafood, and catching some noteworthy waves.

Snowboarding

Dropping temperatures are the perfect excuse to escape to a mountain resort for some snowboarding. Depending on your experience, you can learn the basics or perfect your skills and enjoy the cold. Regardless of your level, you can use your “weather radar for my location” app to track the weather the local radar weather, so that you can be one of the first to catch fresh powder. Having your app handy will also help you avoid encountering unpleasant blizzards and hazardous conditions.

MMA: If the beach or the mountains are out of the question, and the weather has you locked in at home, check out some mixed martial arts fights. You can relax by your television, or you can learn some moves with a variety of instructional material. Learning some basic martial arts can boost confidence and may even be lifesaving in a life threatening situation. If you want to plan a gathering for an MMA fight, be sure to check your weather app for incoming inclement weather.

No matter which sport you choose, it is always wise to have a weather app handy in case the weather changes unexpectedly. Sometimes, the random weather changes can even make for better sporting conditions, but only if you are prepare accordingly. . .

Travelling the country is a desire many of us have. Exploring the gorgeous scenery of our planet while also experiencing all the  unique cultures and adventures it has to offer is one of the most exciting things you can do.

For these and many other reasons, some people take to the road full-time. The first step is to find transportation. Some opt for hitting the road in an RV, it’s the American dream after all. For most people, retirement is the only time they can actually pack their belongings in an RV and hit the road. But what if you are someone who wants to travel without a retirement fund? Is there a way you can make money while you spend all of your time on the road traveling? How can you pay for RV parts and RV accessories you’ll need during your time on the road?

In this article we’ll take a closer look at a few ways that RV travelers have earned a steady income while travelling and how you can too.

Method 1). Become a Travel Blogger

Most people dream of being able to hit the road with their family, and you’re making that dream come true for yourself. Travelling the country in your RV means you’ll get to experience local food, culture, art and so much more. You can take what you’re learning from these experiences and write them in a travel blog to share with the world. Your blog can be niche specific, focusing on good eats in southern cities, best campgrounds to stay at, or how to keep your kids happy while traveling.

Travel blogging is becoming increasingly popular, and with the right idea and a bit of talent you can establish yourself and create quite the following. The greater your following the more income you generate.

Method 2). Buying and Selling Items

You’ll likely find yourself at one or two flea markets along your travels, so why not grab a few items for resale? One camper reportedly made about $4,000 per month buying and selling stuffed teddy bears while he traveled, earning more than enough to stay on the road. Even when unexpected breakdowns occurred, he had the cash he needed for rv parts and accessories, and so can you. There are many full time RV-ers making a living by selling items on eBay.

Method 3). Expand on your Professional Skills

If buying and selling isn’t your thing, why not consider expanding on your current skill-sets? For example, some lawyers have taken their job with them and on to the road by opening up practices out of their RV. Offering consultations is another way to capitalize on your current skills. Even if you are part of the medical community you can look into contract nursing. You don’t have to be fooled into believing that you have to stay where you are to earn money. These days, many business opportunities exist with a mere internet connection and a laptop.

Method 4). Offer RV Repairs

Taking a different turn, if you’re particularly handy with vehicles, why not offer RV repairs to your fellow campers? You know there is a need for qualified repair men/women, so why not offer your skills to those you’re traveling with? Look for places offering affordable RV parts and accessories to save on overhead costs, and then provide reasonably priced repairs. Your fellow travelers will be thankful you’re available to help and you can earn thousands a month doing the job.

Method 5). Internet Marketing

Hundreds of thousands of individuals now make their living through internet marketing, and so can you. While having a firm understanding of how to make money online is important, the learning curve isn’t all that steep. Additionally, you won’t have to worry about any equipment setup or expensive initial investments. All you need is a laptop and basic understanding of how to properly market your services or products.

These are just a few simple ways you can earn steady cash while traveling the country. Have other suggestions? Let us know in the comment section below. 

Survival experts have long known about an idea called the Rule of Threes. It says that humans will die after 3 minutes with no air, 3 days without water, or 3 weeks of going without food. At least, those are the most commonly known rules. Many people forget that you can die in three hours without shelter, as long as the environment is harsh enough.
You may not think the weather in your area is harsh enough to kill you but you might be surprised. During a 1964 race in England, three competitors were cut down by the cold even though it never dropped to freezing temperatures. Even without the threat of imminent death, you can still face numerous health risks if you spend an extended period of time exposed to the elements. Heat, UV rays, cold, rain, snow, all these and more can shorten your lifespan if you are continually exposed to them without a proper shelter to shield yourself.
 In this world of uncertainty, there’s always value in being prepared. Knowing what to do in a survival situation could literally mean the difference between life or death. If you know how to create survival shelters in the wild you could survive a situation you would have died in otherwise. That’s why we are sharing our top 6 ideas to creating survival shelters in the wild.

 1. Lean-To

 Lean-to is probably the most well-known option for creating a survival shelter. You need to find two trees that are close together and a thick stick that can be wedged between the trees. If you can’t find trees and sticks of the right size, you can hammer two sticks into the ground and secure a third between them. If possible you should then tie the main pole to the supports to prevent a collapse. From there you simply lean a large number of sticks against the pole to create something that looks like half of a roof. Sticks are essential but they aren’t enough, you’ll need to fill in the open spaces between the sticks with moss, leaves, twigs, and other flora to act as a sort of insulation. Of course, since the lean-to is open on one side the heat that can be kept in is minimal, the lean-to is mainly for achieving a basic level of protection. 

 2. Quinzhee 

 Getting trapped on a mountain with nothing but snow in sight is in many ways a worst case scenario, but that doesn’t mean it’s hopeless. Survival structures can be constructed using snow. You’ve probably heard of igloos, and the idea here is similar. It’s just that in our idea you don’t need to have the expertise used by Northern natives to create homes from packed snow. You can create what is known as a Quinzhee must faster. You begin by piling up your supplies over an area that is larger than your body. You then pile snow up around your supplies and pack it down until it’s about 30 inches thick all the way around. Try to keep the snow packed smoothly and evenly to prevent collapse. You then dig your way through the side and to your supplies, remove said supplies carefully, and take shelter in the cave you’ve created. Just make sure to poke a small hole in the top for air to come in or else you might be trading exposure for suffocation.

 3. Basic Teepee

 For this famous shelter, you need to start by either finding a thin but sturdy tree or a long pole that you can secure down in the ground. From there you will want to find as many long, straight branches as you can and circle the pole with them, leaning them up against it until you have a completely closed cone of empty space in the middle. You should then somehow secure the pieces of wood together, tying them at the top with rope or fashioning a sort of cord from materials you find in the woods. Finally, you need to add the insulation, packing on anything you can to contain the heat without leading a collapse.

 4. Debris Hut

 The debris hut requires two sticks that stretch a bit beyond the length of your shoulders and one long stick that is larger than your height. You begin by sticking the two short sticks into the ground and leaning against each other so that they form a triangle. You then place one end of the long stick on top of the triangle sticks and the other on the ground around 6 feet away. You then find as many sticks as you can and lean them up against the one long stick to form a sort of wooden pyramid that leaves just enough room for your body in the space left open. Small debris huts may feel claustrophobic, but that can actually be a good thing. A small shelter may feel cramped at first but it actually seals in your body heat more effectively. And on the topic of body heat, don’t forget to insulate it, the debris in debris hut refers to the sticks used for the skeleton of the structure and the leaves and grass used for insulation.

 5. Tarp Tent

 One of the most helpful things you can have in a survival situation is a tarp. It makes shelter construction so much more simple, all you need to do is find a way to prop it over yourself and secure it down so that it will cover you safely through the night. The second most helpful thing to carry is probably some sort of rope. If you can tie a rope between two trees and toss your tarp over the rope, you’ll have a tent ready. If you don’t have a rope, then you can wedge a sturdy stick between two trees to create the necessary support. 
You can actually make just about any of the structures we’ve listed using a tarp, you simply have to put the tarp on top of the basic support instead of leaves, grass, and other natural types of insulation. Just make sure to secure the tarp with heavy rocks or logs to keep it from being blown away by winds. To help you with research, we put together a guide on best tents for outdoor survival. 

 6. Find Natural Shelter 

 The final of our top 6 ideas to creating survival shelters in the wild offers something to think about in all the previous five scenarios. When creating survival shelters you don’t have to do everything yourself, and in most cases the less you can get away with doing the better off you will be. Time and energy are everything when it comes to survival, you don’t want to waste time getting fancy with your construction ideas in a survival situation. That’s why it helps to start out with an existing foundation you can build on. If you can find a cave, cliff wall, large leaning tree, or some other sort of natural wall or enclosure then half of the job will be done for you. 
 The average entirely self-built structure might last a night but if you could be stranded for a longer period of time then finding something solid and natural to build around will save you time and effort in the long run. Though at that point, you also need to consider things like access to freshwater and sources of nutrition when choosing where to set up your survival basecamp. Survival is about planning ahead so life doesn’t catch you off guard.

For additional info check out our friends at DeerHuntingField.com

Safety in the Wild: The Ultimate Survival Shelter Guide

Summer vacation offered a rare opportunity for some motorcycle exploration. My wife and I packed up the kids and flew away from the sweltering heat of South Carolina and landed in the much more temperate Nova Scotia. Originally, Shannon and I were going to rent a bike and ride the Cabot Trail, but the ride was going to be more than she cared to do, so I got to turn it into a two day ride and see a lot more than a TransCanada blast to Cabot Trail and back.

I lined up a new Kawasaki Versys from Brookspeed Motorcycle Rentals and left out early on a Monday morning. At home, all my bikes are setup for touring, but I had to do a few things to get ready on the Versys. The factory saddlebags carried all my normal riding gear, tools, clothes, etc. The Versys has some plastic on the side of the tank so my Cortech Tank Bag would not work there. Luckily, I had my GCAG Mondo Straps and some ADV Sushi to rig it up as a tail bag. Then I ran a USB cable from my Antigravity XP-10 battery pack to keep my phone charged. I had my GPX files loaded up in Osmand for the whole trip so a charged phone was necessary.

This setup worked great for the whole trip. I fashioned a nice DSLR compartment with some padded Velcro inserts from Watershed and I was able to keep my camera safe and accessible.

My trip was two full days and just under 1000 miles, or since I was in Canada, perhaps I should say around 1600km.

I have done a lot of motorcycle touring so I knew I could do the miles, but it was an ambitious trip. I wanted to make sure I took time to enjoy it, get good pictures, and eat good food. The roads were a mix of dirt, gravel, busted pavement, and newly paved roads. The ironic thing is a good bit of the pavement is worse than the dirt.

Leaving from Stewiacke, NS I headed to the eastern shore. It wasn’t long before I hit my first gravel road. As I made my way over to the coast the temperature dropped slightly and it was perfect, I mean matching what you set your house thermostat to perfect. Most of Nova Scotia is rural and the towns you pass through are spread out and small. With the exception of passing through towns, I rarely saw anyone else for most of the first day.

The main road along the Eastern Shore is called Marine Dr. and it has a very appropriate name. You are almost always within eyesight of water and often the shoulder of the road is mere feet (or meters) from the water.

If I had to choose one thing that stuck out to me about the Eastern Shore it would be the colors. I don’t know what it was, but it was like nature had been photoshopped and the color saturation was turned up. Look at this picture, it has not been touched up in any way. It’s so vivid!

As I made my way north heading towards Cape Breton Island I got to do my first moto ferry ride. Before I left, my ma-in-law gave me a good tip about a new brewery restaurant that opened in Guysborough. It was later in the afternoon when I got there. Fuel was low for me and the bike. I stopped at this visitor center to look at a map to see if I could find the brewery. I didn’t have a name to look for, just a tip that it was there. Guysborough was a bit bigger than the rest of the towns I had passed through, but looking at the map I realized that the town basically existed along the road that followed the water. I decided to wing it and sure enough, I found “The Rare Bird Pub”. I sat on the back deck looking over the water while I had the best fish and chips of the entire trip and a Maple Ale. How could a beer not have maple in it in Canada? Everything has gratuitous maple leafs, why not maple in the beer too.

From Guysborough I headed to Port Hawkesbury where you cross an awesome bridge to Cape Breton island. I even rode the bridge twice to get some video. The terrain is more mountainous on Cape Breton. In fact, the road leading to Port Hawkesbury has a beautiful decent to the bridge. Since all vehicles going to and from Cape Breton have to cross here the traffic was heavy. The roads are now a bit more familiar to me. Like riding at home, I had elevation changes, more twisty curves, and unfortunately very slow cars.

As I made my way to the coast there was a lot less traffic. I enjoyed the ride to my next stop of Louisburg Fortress. Unfortunately, I didn’t get there until about 5:30 PM and they were closed to visitors. I snagged a couple of zoom pics and headed out for Sydney.

After I checked into the hotel and took a break I headed out to find some dinner. When I walked out I got a pic of the bike parked and a guy across the street asked if that was my bike. As I turned to answer him he started walking across the street. He had no shirt on and was covered in tattoos. I’ll admit, I thought he was going to hit me up with a story about how he needed gas money to get home. To my surprise he was a pretty cool guy. He rode motorcycles and toured all over Canada. Imagine a motorcycle as your only mode of transportation in Canada…in the winter. To wrap up the evening I went to “Governor’s Pub” and had some salmon and a couple of local brews. A cool crispness was in the air and I sat out on the patio watching the boats in the bay and quietly savoring my adventure as the sun dropped below the horizon.

Spirit Strike:

John 7:14 “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”

When I stepped out of my hotel and was approached by the shirtless tattooed guy my first thought was to pretend I didn’t hear him and keep walking. After all, we were on opposite sides of a busy street. It would have been easy to do that and not seem rude. I decided to push those thoughts aside and ended up having a great conversation with a total stranger for about 45 minutes. Here I am now making it a point to write about it. For me, one of the most valuable aspects of adventure in life is learning from it and becoming a better person from your experiences. This was a good reminder to reserve judgement.

Have you ever had a similar situation? Has there ever been an interaction with another person that you almost avoided? I would love to hear your story.

One of the best things about riding a motorcycle is the undoubted sense of freedom that it gives you. This freedom also appears to transcend to different types of motorcycle races. You see, with cars there are just so many restrictions, but as you will see from this short list, if you can ride on it, then you can race on it. 

The Enduropale Le Touquet – France 

This race is actually the biggest beach bike race in the world with over 1000 competitors taking part and upwards of 300,000 people watching on. The race is based on the Opal Coast in France and the course is 14km long over beach and sand dunes, which is going to really push your motorcycle to its limit. The cool part is that both professional riders and amateurs alike can enter and it is not unusual to have people that have taken part in the world-famous Dakar Rally actually struggle with the course, which says a lot. 

Dirt Quake – England 

This race is relatively new since it only started in 2012, but it has already managed to really make its mark in the world of motorcycle racing. The premise is simple: You bring along any motorcycle you want from a serious road bike down to a small scooter and you race on an oval track that is in the dirt. Of course, that just sounds like chaos and when you throw in the fact that people wear fancy dress costumes, then it gets even worse. 

Serres Rally – Greece 

The Serres Rally takes place over a course that covers 1700km through the Serres region and it basically takes seven days to complete. It is certainly not as serious as the Dakar rally and indeed they openly encourage amateur riders to take part and have even been known to provide motorcycles for those people that can physically get there, but not afford to bring their motorcycle. This rally is certainly one for people that love a friendly atmosphere as it is seen as being more of a party rather than anything else and has a motorcycle ride thrown in for good measure. 

The Poker Run 

Now, how cool is this? A motorcycle race that also combines poker? At first, you might wonder just how exactly this is possible, so a bit of explaining will not go amiss. Basically, the race involves getting to either five or seven checkpoints and at each checkpoint you are given a playing card. The winner of the race is then the person that has the highest ranking hand at the end, so it is not down to who is the fastest, but who has the best cards.

The event itself does have a time limit, but then people are not actually timed themselves making it a seriously fun event. Hundreds of people are now entering these events and they are held in a number of locations. 

The Isle Of Man TT 

When it comes to famous motorcycle events and races, is there one that is more famous than the Isle of Man TT? The idea of racing on public roads (which are of course closed for the race) and around an island is pretty cool, and the speeds that people get up to are insane. Its dangerous, but if you love motorcycles, just visiting the island to witness this race should be on your to do list. 

Sturgis 

Sturgis deserves a mention here not because of it being strange in any way, shape, or form, but because of the sheer size of the event that marks it out as being different from the rest. In the second week of August, the town of Sturgis is transformed with more than half a million motorcycle enthusiasts descending on it as chaos ensues. We are talking about full on mayhem and you will see motorcycles of every description there if you can pick them out among the crowds. 

The Poags Hole Hillclimb 

If you want to experience something completely different that involves motorcycles, then we can only recommend the Poags Hole Hillclimb in New York. Obviously, the name gives away what the event is all about, but when you see how steep the hill is you are left wondering how any motorcycle could ever hope to get up there. The tension in the air is unreal when you think that somebody has made it only to fail at the last moment, and the crowds are just willing everybody on in the hope that somebody achieves what most think has to be impossible. 

Red Bull Alpenbrevet – Switzerland 

Red Bull has certainly become famous for associating themselves with events that are either extreme or very different, and that is certainly the case with the Red Bull Alpenbrevet in Switzerland. The course only covers 140km, but it takes you through the Swiss Alps on normal roads. You are probably thinking this is not that difficult. 

However, the twist is that you are not allowed to use anything with a bigger engine than 50cc, so you are basically stuck to a moped and that does make life very, very different. People have a tendency to dress up for the occasion and you would be amazed at how ultra-competitive it is with people desperate to win even though they have probably never raced a bike with such a small engine before in their lives.

As you can see, when it comes to motorcycle events and races there are certainly a number of different options that you can check out. The one thing that does tend to come across in the vast majority of these events is that the main thing is having fun and that the actual race itself almost comes secondary in nature. We would strongly recommend that you give some thought to trying out at least one of them in your lifetime. What do you have to lose? 

 Every year, usually on the first weekend in June there is a dual sport ride held in Eureka, KS. Its free to ride, free to camp, and this year there was even a free breakfast the morning of the ride. The ride is organized by the Backroads Touring Kansas organization and has grown to one of Kansas’ largest dual sport rides. They call it the “Flint Hills Stampede”

I missed the 2013 Stampede so I wasn’t going to miss it this year, especially since Eureka Kansas is only 120 miles away. The weekend was planned, waivers filled out, tires checked and bags packed. I was even able to convince my father-in-law Chris to join me. Friday morning Chris and I, both on KLR650's and Doug on his Triumph Tiger headed north towards Eureka.

We all had reservations at the hotel so our first stop was to drop off gear. I was using my Iphone in my new Ram Xgrip (review here) so navigation was simple.  After a short break we rode to the campground north of Eureka. At the campground we met up with about a dozen other riders who had chosen to rough it. Set on the north edge of the Eureka city lake the campground is large and open with plenty of room between campsites.  

Chris and I returned to the hotel just in time for another group to invite us out to eat. Hanging out at a really cool bar and grill we were able to meet some of the local riders. They helped us to make the decision on what ride leader we wanted to be with and pointed us in the direction of the nearest liquor store.

Friday night was a social event both at the campground and in the hotel parking lot. Lots of standing around in the parking lot and comparing bikes, battle scars and talking about what the next day had in store.

Saturday morning was busy at the hotel. Bikes started firing up in the parking lot and heading over to the campground around daylight. You don’t want to be late to the ride, especially because the Christian Motorcyclists Association cooks a great free breakfast.

There was a rider meeting, then a prayer. Then about 60 riders split up between ride leaders based on one of three skill levels; scenic, intermediate and advanced. This year Chris and I chose the scenic ride hoping to have a chance to take some pictures. Doug was needing to be home by Saturday evening so he chose an intermediate group that had a ride planned to go south. Doug’s plan was to ride with them south then break off and head back home. 

The 2014 ride was going to be different than previous years. There was a huge bicycle race scheduled for the same weekend in the area that the Stampede usually rides in. Due to safety, the ride routes were changed to go farther southeast of Eureka. The route change eliminated a few of the more remote areas I was looking forward to.

Our ride was led by an expert who had planned a ride going to a few of the local attractions. Our first rest stop was at the top of a large hill in the middle of cattle country. There were rolling hills with scattered boulders and it felt like you could see forever. It was then we discovered we had lost a few riders. The area we had just gone through wasn’t deep mud, but it was slick and most of it was uphill. A rider on a Suzuki V-strom had gone down when his front tire locked up with mud caked between the fender and tire. He was not injured, and the easiest thing to do was to remove the fender. When he got back to the group the fender was reattached and never caused a problem. Peter (pictured kneeling on the left) helped him get sorted out and back on the trail while I stood around taking pictures.

The Flint Hills area of Kansas is wide open with rolling hills. It was nice to have a ride leader from the area lead us around from one interesting place to another. The ride was mostly gravel and dirt roads with some grown over and reclaimed by cattle. There were quite a few water crossings, however none were more than a few inches deep. Recent rains help to keep the dust down and there was only a few areas where the mud was troublesome.

At the end of the day our group totaled 180 miles, had one flat, and only one time where the group separated. We were able to experience everything the Flint hills had to offer from good food, good riding and some beautiful scenery. The ride leader set a brisk pace and everyone returned tired and dirty.  There were a few drops, and one significant wreck. A rider caught a rut and landed on his right arm causing a pretty large laceration. He ended up leaving the ride and going back to the campsite.

On Sunday, before returning to Oklahoma, Chris and I wanted to see Teter Rock. It sets high on a hill overlooking the now ghost town of Teter Kansas. Teter Rock is a tribute to James Teter who constructed a waypoint in order to direct early settlers towards the Cottonwood River. The town and original pile of rocks are now gone, but a 16' long rock monument is there. It is truly a beautiful thing to see. There was a local rider that was going there also and offered to lead us. The ride is mostly graded gravel until you reach the actual monument then it turns into a rutted two track. Reaching Teter Rock was definitely the highlight of the trip for me. It was standing on top of a large hill surrounded by a herd of wild horses!  

Its great to see a group of riders who are willing to get together and host a ride of this size. I highly suggest you attend the Flint Hills Stampede. The entire weekend has a nice atmosphere with groups going to explore different areas on both Friday and Sunday with the main ride going on Saturday. We were able to eat, ride, and drink with some interesting people who we wouldn't have met hadn't gone. More information can be found on the Backroads Touring Kansas website at http://www.backroadstouring.org

2015 Flint Hills Stampede

The planning is well underway for the 2015 Stampede and information can be found on the 2015 Stampede website. I'm sure the ride will be just as entertaining this year as it was last year. Better get your tent or reservations ready because the ride this year is on MAY 29-31 2015!

This article was written by Jacob Roby. More about Jacob can be found here: http://www.spiritstrike.com/jacob-roby/

About

On the 2014 Flint Hills Stampede i used the following gear:

• Sidi Discover Boots (review here)
• Klim Dakar Gloves (review here)
• Ram X-grip (review here)
• LS2 MX453 (review here)
• DoubleTake mirror (review here)
• Michelin T63 dual sport tires (review here)

If you have ever ridden in the western states it may seem that the states set aside large tracts of land specifically for motorcycling. There are thousands of miles of roads and trails through vast, undeveloped territory. This leads to amazing rides with breathtaking scenery. One reason there is so much open space is that most of the land which makes up the western states is federal land. Nevada for example, is 84.5%. Compare that to Connecticut, which is only 0.4% federal land. The benefit of so much federal land to motorcyclists is unfettered access with very few "no trespassing" signs.

 One such area is the Arizona Strip, which makes up the northwestern corner of Arizona. Its really a motorcycling paradise. Because of the isolation and extremely sparse population,  you may ride all day and not see another person. However, its a multiple use area with many different activities besides motorcycling. Understanding land use and management may help riders maintain good public relations and maintain access to the land.

 Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 describes how the government manages the land. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for the largest sections of land in the area. In the recent past, some residents of western states have accused the BLM of overstepping their bounds concerning land management. Supporters of Cliven Bundy, the rancher at the center of an armed standoff last April, are among those unhappy with the BLM.

 Rachel Carnahan, the BLM Public Affairs Officer of the Arizona Strip District, has not encountered anyone who is adverse to the BLM. However, she does welcome anyone to go to their local BLM district office and talk out any issues they might have.

 Carnahan, like most BLM officials, is very familiar with the land in her area. She has lived in Southern Utah since 1997, and has been with the BLM since 2007. Additionally she is involved in several outdoor activities including OHV riding. She emphasizes that the BLM officers live in the areas they serve. They are not only familiar with the land; they also fully understand the issues and attitudes of the local community. They do their job because, as Carnahan explained, “they really care about the land. They put their heart and soul into it.”

 The key focus of the BLM, including the enforcement officers who patrol the Arizona Strip, is “educating land use etiquette.” Carnahan explains. “There are a lot of different groups who use the land: mineral collectors, hunters, scientists, OHV riders… it’s a shared use area. If everyone respects the land and uses it properly, the land can remain healthy.” Motorcyclists and OHV riders do their part to preserve the land by staying on existing trails. This allows riders to enjoy the area without damaging the fragile desert ecosystem.

 Another role of the BLM is to protect archaeological sites. The Arizona Strip is rich with Native American history. Carnahan cautions, “if you find something, leave it where you found it.” This allows archaeologists to piece together vital information about the culture which otherwise could be lost forever. Federal laws, as outlined in the Archaeological Resources Protection Act, restrict removing Native American artifacts. If you do come across any artifacts, it is best to note where they are and notify the local BLM office or National Park Service office.

 An area in northern Arizona that is popular with motorcyclists and OHV riders, which is also rich in Native American history, is Little Black Mountain. This area with petroglyphs represents a history of over 6000 years of inhabitants. Many American Indians consider it a sacred location. The BLM encourages the public to visit the site to gain an appreciation for the area’s history.

One challenge for the BLM is trash in the desert. People bring all kinds of things out there, often to use as target practice, and leave it. The BLM coordinates with groups such as the Boy Scouts of America and the Tri State ATV Club that help haul away trash. Participation from volunteers is critical to keeping the land free from trash.

One young motorcyclist who was picking up trash recently was Preston Clark. He visits the Arizona Strip at least once a month to ride his Honda CRF230f. He says he is not very familiar with the BLM but he appreciates the access to the land. He likes the area “because of the trails and all the cool places to ride,” he said. Sometimes he picks up trash when he is there to make the area look nicer. “Plus,” he adds, “it helps save the wildlife.”

 The role of the BLM is to manage the land and its resources. As land users, motorcyclists and OHV riders also play a part in taking care of the land. Preserving the land and maintaining a good relationship with those who manage it will help ensure the land is accessible for many future generations.

Written by Brent Whitney

This may not be the most entertaining of article or have the greatest pictures, but it will help you to save money. Simply follow these 5 easy steps and you will have more money in your pocket, and parts on your motorcycle.

Step 1. Price Match Policy

The price match policy doesn't always have to be just on the item. Sometimes your entire shopping experience can be improved by purchasing an item from a retailer you like, but paying the price of a retailer you may not. You can dramatically decrease the price of an item by simply shopping around.

Using this method I once purchased a Drift Ghost HD Camera from an authorized retailer for about $85 less than anywhere else by having them price match a non-authorized retailer. While this may not have been the most honest way of doing this transaction it was perfectly acceptable by the retailer’s loose policy.

Step 2. Buy Generic

Companies do not produce all of the things they sell any more. Even if the item has their name on it there is a good chance it was made by someone else. If you see an item you suspect is produced by someone else then re-branded you should simply search for who produces it. I’m going to provide two examples of this.

I was able to purchase a Drift Cam Pole for half price because I found out what company was making them. I purchased it directly from iStabilizer  and saved about $15. The iStabilizer Monopod pole can be found on Amazon.

Helmets are another place where this comes in handy. The new Touratech dual sport helmet is a great example. Touratech sells their helmet for $699. This helmet is simply a re-branded Nexx XD1 available as low as $449.

Shop NEXX Helmets

Step 3. Read Reviews

Often you can find cheaper items that may be better quality by simply reading reviews or watching video reviews on YouTube. I have found that most independent reviewers are trustworthy because they have no financial tie to the manufacturer.

Step 4. Coupons

Many retailers or manufacturers will have coupons or rebates to help lower costs. I receive emails for a dozen or more parts retailers and wait until they have a large coupon or free shipping weekend to make my purchases. I also use this method for in store purchases from places like Staples. Staples for instance constantly has coupons for 15-20% off a single item, and on some occasions you can get a coupon for 15-25% off your entire purchase. In some cases you can combine a price match with a coupon and save larger amounts.

Amazon Coupons!

Step 5. Peak Sales

Retailers know how to play the game; they invented the game. Retailers will push prices down in the peak sales times like Christmas, Black Friday and Memorial Day. These are times when people are shopping for great deals. This is the time to purchase your large items. The worst time to purchase your new parts is income tax time. This time of the year is when retailers know you have money to spend and are willing to pay full price. Sometimes waiting until the next large sale can save you hundreds of dollars. My exception to this is through Amazon. Amazon uses “lightning deals” to flash sale many items way below retail. These sales come and go quickly so book mark the following link and check it often:

Amazon Lightning deals and Daily deals

I hope these tips will help save you some money. Just remember that buying quality parts, gear or tools will save you in the long run.

by CB Shaffer.

Ever have one of those days? You know, those days when your job (or jobs for some of us) just takes a toll on you. It might be physical strain or emotional stress. It might even feel like someone has attacked your soul. It’s just one of “those days.” I had one of “those days” recently. There was nothing specific that I could put my finger on – nothing to speak of that was terribly out of the ordinary. It was just one of “those days.” And by the end of it, I was ready for some relief.

You and I know that people find relief from the stressors of life differently. For some, it might involve one bourbon, one scotch, and one beer (thanks George Thorogood). Others might opt for a romp-in-the-hay with their favorite squeeze. There are literally hundreds of options and some are very effective. Based on my experience, there is one surefire way to melt the stress from our lives or revive a fatigued soul – a motorcycle ride! Come on, admit it. Throwing a leg over a motorcycle (any motorcycle) is truly therapeutic – especially when it comes to handling tension and/or weariness. Get on a motorcycle and ride and things just seem better.

On this particular day, I decided to do just that – go for a ride. I could hardly wait. I was counting the minutes until the ‘thump, thump, thump’ of my XR650L was ringing in my ears. I pulled into the driveway and parked the truck – jumped out and ran (seriously) to the house to get my gear and key. I called the wife to give her a heads-up (this is an absolute must if you plan on staying married for very long) and headed to the garage. I open the garage door and roll the “old girl” (not to be confused with the wife) out and proceed with a rapid check of the vitals: oil – check; fuel – check; tire pressure – check; quick overview for anything loose – check. All systems are a go - fuel on; choke on; key on – ignition!

I just happen to live in rural Oklahoma. Actually it’s very rural – the closest small town is 17 miles south as the crow flies. Anything bigger is at least 45 minutes away. I have access to miles and miles of county roads that are a mix of dirt and gravel. There are also several Wildlife Management Areas scattered across the region, which have proven to be great places to explore when on two wheels. One WMA is called Deep Fork and that was my intended destination. Unfortunately, there was one minor glitch in my riding plan – the days are still somewhat short here in Oklahoma at this time of year, which means darkness always sets in quicker than I hope. This day was no different.

It was about 4:30 PM when I left the house. The sun was already starting to dip toward the western horizon, so I knew that the ride would have to be somewhat short if I was expecting to get back home before dark. Truth be told, I really have no desire to be puttering around in the woods or back country after dark anyway. You never know what you're going to run into out there – coyotes, wild boar, an occasional cougar and a ton of other creatures call the surrounding woods home. There’s even been a Bigfoot sighting or two reported since I moved into the area (which verifies that I should keep my shirt on while working in the yard). I have also been warned by long-time local residents that there are some “folks” living in the more remote wooded areas that one should probably avoid if at all possible. Poachers perhaps, who knows? The local sheriff says those “folks” are just meth-heads protecting their labs. Either way, it just makes sense to me to stay out of the woods after dark. I've seen enough scary movies to know what happens in the woods after dark anyway.

I headed north for a while, then turned west, and went a couple miles before turning back north again. Eventually, I turn back west and find the turn off to the wildlife management area – approximately 10 miles out at this point. Once I entered the WMA area it was just a matter of zig-zagging around for a while until finding a trail or cut-off that looked interesting. Now, if you've ever been in or around one of these WMA areas, you probably know that they can be a bit chopped up at times due to the privately owned land that butts up to them. So, as an adventure / dual sport rider, I have to be a little careful so I don't find myself accidently trespassing onto somebody’s land, and perhaps looking down the barrel of a gun.

I've been in this particular WMA before, but I had never gone as far as I did this time. I probably ended up going an additional 5-6 miles as I shifted back and forth between a southerly and westerly direction. The whole time I was heading west it was becoming more difficult to see due to the position of the sun and the glare in my eyes. Now, you may be thinking that I should have seen this as a reminder that it would be getting dark soon and that it might be a good idea to turn around and head back to the house, but I didn’t.When it comes to riding, we (riders in general) will milk it for all it worth. Right? Right!

At this point of the ride, I started thinking it would be nice to find a north/south county road that I could follow back toward the house,but instead of finding that road, I found what looked to be an awesome cut-out that seemed to go on for miles and miles. I don’t know about you, but when I find a trail like this one, I have to venture on and see where the thing is going to lead me. In other words, when a riding opportunity knocks, I’ve got to answer the door. It is like an unwritten law.  “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead.”  I must go forth and explore!

It’s strange what happens when a rider’s brain shifts to that mode of thinking. Other things, important things, seem to get lost, they just disappear from our radar. Important reality checks are overshadowed by the now present circumstances, and if something does not jar the rider’s thinking, may be lost forever (or at least until reality sets back in). This can be a very dangerous thing, especially when the rider is getting ready to venture into an unknown area, and due to his excitement in finding a new place to ride, he forgets (or ignores the fact) that it is getting darker by the minute, which could prove to be problematic in and of itself.

At this point, I'm on this awesome trail that I have found and it’s looking promising. It could be a place I could come to on a regular basis and explore further. I ride down the trail a little ways and find a gate that has a sign on it that says something about checking the WMA rules before opening it; however, it doesn’t really say anything specific about not going through the gate. Seems to me if they wanted me to stay out it would be on the sign. I ponder for a moment whether to open the gate and go through. Then I see it, another trail that does not involve the gate at all. In fact, the other trail heads in a slightly different direction and there’s nothing to indicate a limitation of access. After following it for a little ways the trail opens up, reminding me of the cleared areas under those huge power lines that crisscross our nation, but without the power lines.

I hit the gas and followed the trail as far as I could. As usual, I get caught up in the ride and really have no idea how far I've traveled. As I get further along it becomes apparent that there is a big wash out a little ways in front of me. I get off the bike and walk around to see if there is a way across or around the washout. Then it happens, I hear banjos playing! Sorry, had to do it.

As most of the riders I know, I have a thing about taking pictures during a ride. They help capture the moment and serve as a reminder of the ride itself and the cool places I've been. After taking several photos (and a whiz for good measure) something started to bother me. Nothing huge, just a feeling that I was missing something. I spent a few more minutes walking around, checking things out and planning how I could go farther up the hill and past the washout on my next ride. Then it clicked. It was at that moment that I realize the sun was going down! I figured it would be wise to get out of the woods before I couldn't see where I was going at all. Knowing my luck, I would probably end up being attacked by zombies or something.

I jumped on the bike, fired it up, hit the gas and started heading back out the way I came in. Makes sense, right? Go out the way you came in and all should be well. Now I'm thinking, "Crap it's getting dark fast!". I've got to admit, it was making me a little nervous. Probably one too many “In the Woods” movies, I suspect. So I'm booking it down the trail and it’s starting to get a little harder to see what’s in front of me. But, as far as I can tell, I’m on course and going the right direction. I go a little farther and make a turn, but then totally freak out because nothing looks familiar. Honestly, true panic came over me. It is a very strange moment when you’re out in the woods and you look around and realize that you might be lost. It was weird! All kinds of things flooded my brain. In a matter of milliseconds all kinds of questions cross my mind. “What do I do now?” What if I try to get out of here and get even more turned around?” “No one knows where I am. How would anyone find me?” Then I thought about my wife’s reaction if I just didn’t show up. Man, would she be torqued off. Okay, probably just upset.

I ended up grabbing myself by the collar and gave myself two quick smacks to the jaw (metaphorically speaking). “Get a grip, man! Get a grip!!” Recognizing that it was going to be completely dark in a matter of moments, I quickly turned the bike around and backtracked for a while. Luckily, I found the trailhead I missed. With a huge sigh of relief, I got back on the trail I came in on and found my way back to the main road. Grateful that I was not spending the evening lost in the woods, I got back to the hacienda as fast as I could.  I don't think I have ever ridden that fast on gravel in my life! Just spitballing here, but maybe a GPS should be I my future.

Happy Trails.

It’s a new year and it’s time to look back and see how things have changed. Last year I set some goals in Reflecting Back and Looking Forward. I was actually surprised to see that I did pretty well on accomplishing what I planned on. I didn’t manage to get my first track day in so I will move that to a 2015 goal. My other missed goal was riding the COBDR with the KLR650 Owner’s Group. I knew that would be a long shot and unfortunately it just didn’t work out.

2014 Accomplished Goals

• Motocamping – I got three camping trips under my belt and I have learned a lot about packing light. I even got a 4 day trip this year and all of my camping has been primitive with no power or running water.
• New Contributor for SpiritStrike – You guys have probably already seen his articles, but Jacob Roby of OklahomaADV has started being a regular contributor and we have even started implementing some of his ideas on the site.
• Gear Reviews and News – We expanded SpiritStrike to start bringing our readers real gear reviews. Not just product overviews, but real world gear reviews. We want to provide you with feedback from the streets and trails that can help you with your purchasing decisions. The news section will grow to be a place you can find adventure related news and announcements. We just got started so give us some time to build you a great resource.
• Mancation 2014 – The 3rd annual Mancation was in jeopardy this year. Jeff broke his leg in the spring and my left shoulder had some nerve damage that put me out of riding for a while. I haven’t written the story yet, but we did manage to do a nice two day Mancation 2014 ride.
• SpiritStrike Growth – Let me start off by saying Thank You! It has been a ton of fun growing SpiritStrike and interacting with our audience. I have made a lot of online and offline friendships through this site and I look forward to meeting more of you in 2015.
  • Here’s some stats to show how SpiritStrike has grown in just one year:
    • 2013 - 72,673 pageviews 30,657 Unique Users 
    • 2014 - 172,883 pageviews 58,967 Unique Users
• IBAR - I partnered up with James Mendell to start a group called International Brotherhood of Adventure Riders (IBAR). We have managed to grow that group to over 7000 members!

New Stuff:

• Family - My wife and I have a new baby boy on the way! Our house should be sufficiently turned upside down at all times with two little boys running around.
• Family - My wife and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary this year. It doesn’t seem like its been that long. I guess time flies when you are having fun.
• Travel - I added two new countries to my list this year. I spent a week in the Dominican Republic, two weeks in Houjie Zhen, China, and a weekend in Hong Kong! Those stories still need to be told and I will get them posted for you as soon as I can.
• Business - I partnered up with Ben Rainchild of New Mexico Motorcycle Adventure Tours to start a new company called Green Chile Adventure Gear. It has been a whirlwind experience to start a company, design new products, and set up a production shop. We are very proud of the luggage products we have come up with and we really appreciate the support that so many people have shown us.
• Experiences - I got to spend the day with Bill Manspeaker of Green Jellÿ. One of my best friends, Chris Pack of Nerds Raging got Bill to come to our hometown of Spartanburg, SC and do a birthday show for him. I was Bill’s transportation so I got to hang out all day and chase down a promoter who owed him money! Then that night we all got to be on stage while the band was playing. It was so cool to hang out with a childhood hero.

2015 Goals:

• Family - I do my best to be a good Husband and Father, but I want to be better for my family.
• Experiences - I still want to do my first track day.
• Business - I plan to travel to New Mexico and meet my business partner face to face for the first time.
• Family - With a new baby coming we need to create some more room so I hope we can finish our basement.
• Business - I plan to help IBAR further develop and grow.
• Business - I want to teach more riders about the benefits of packing light and finding ways to reduce the weight of an offroad bike.

Well, now I have reviewed my 2014 with you guys and shared my goals for 2015. Now its your turn! Tell us about your accomplishments and goals in the comments below. I can't wait to hear them!

The Dominican Republic was a very cool country to visit. It is a lot like Cancun 10-15 years ago. Things are building up and the popularity is growing, but it stills feels like you aren't in the USA any more. Any time I visit an island I make it a priority to go Scuba diving. 

We stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel in Punta Cana and I booked my dive trip with Dressel Divers. My trip would consist of two wreck dives and a night dive. I had a great conversation with the Dressel Divers representative about the different dive sites before booking. It was refreshing to book a trip with a person who actually dove these sites. She is normally a dive master so the info was spot on. Lucky for me, she was working the reservation desk since she was pregnant.  

She explained that Saona Island would be the best reef and wildlife dive, but that trip didn't have a night dive. I decided to trade the reef for wrecks and that way I could get a night dive in.

About mid-morning I caught a bus to the Iberostar resort where the Dressel Divers shop and docks were. Everybody got their gear together and after a briefing we boarded the boat and headed to the St. George wreck. 

It was a great dive and I got to try out my new monopole and GoPro underwater for the first time. After the first dive we came back and had lunch while the staff loaded new tanks on the boat.

Now that we have all shared a dive together the conversations are starting to flow. At our table we had a guy named John Carlo from Italy. He could speak as much English as I can speak Italian, but we actually managed to have some conversation. The dive master was living in the Dominican Republic, but she was from Columbia and went to college in the USA. There was also a family from London. This was their daughter's certification dives. It is so much fun meeting people from all over the world. You quickly come to realize that we are all basically the same no matter where we live or what language we speak.

After lunch we boarded the boat and headed to another wreck site called the Atlantic Princess. My favorite part about this wreck was swimming through the cabin. 

We returned to the dock late in the afternoon to get new tanks and eat supper. The supper crowd was the same as the lunch crowd. Just before it got dark we loaded up and headed to a nice reef for a drift dive at night. We arrived at dusk and everybody started jumping in. 

This is only my second night dive in the ocean. My first ocean night dive in Cancun I was a little nervous, but this time i was excited to explore the dark. I mounted the GoPro to my flashlight and I found out that I should have used indirect light on the subjects of my shot, so much of what I filmed was washed out in the light. I still got some cool animals for you though. As you watch, imagine yourself underwater and the only thing you can see is from a flashlight. There are times where the combined light of all the divers is plenty to see all around you, but then there are times where its just your light. Its like tunnel vision. Everywhere you look is very focused, but just outside the beam of light is a pitch black blind spot all around you! You are foreign to this environment, and you know just outside the halo of light is all the native life of this aqueous planet. The only sound is bubbles running past your ears and the crackling of the reef around you. 

Towards the end of the dive there were thousands of small animals following our lights. The tiny fish were so thick there were times you could hardly see past them, but the creepy thing to me was the worms. They were harmless, but all I could think of was one of those things going in my ear! Make sure you watch towards the end of the video and you will see what I mean.

Mike and I bought our tickets as soon as they went on sale for the Overland Expo East. I’ll be honest, Mike talked me into it, but I am glad he did. We purchased the full Overland Experience ticket so we got access to all the classes and camping.

Our original plan had us getting to the expo around 3:00 on Thursday, but life had other plans and we arrived around 5:30. The check in process was really easy and afterwards we went campsite shopping. This event was held at the Taylor Ranch in Fletcher, NC. It is a very scenic place but the hills were rolling, and I don't mean from all the overland vehicles. It took us a while to find a campsite that was level enough. When we settled down we realized that we picked a great spot. We had a view of the mountains and the port-a-potties were close enough to be convenient, but far enough away to not be bothersome.

Thursday night the camping was good, but the owners of Taylor Ranch decided that nobody could get back in after 7:00 PM. By the time we got camp setup we were out of time to go get food so Mike and I ate some beef jerky and peanuts for supper. It got us by and we figured we would just get food on Friday. 

As the sun came up we could see the clouds coming over the  mountaintops and moisture rising into the air like a steam. Rain was inevitable and it started coming down mid-morning and it continued to rain until late afternoon. Mike and I had a full day of riding classes planned and all of them got rained out.

We hung out with the Rawhyde guys most of that day and they did some really good classroom time. The expo was the first exposure I have ever had to Rawhyde other than magazine ads and I was impressed by their attitudes. Everybody was very welcoming and it didn’t matter if you were on a BMW or not. We were all just riders.

We also got to meet Brad Barker with "The Ride Of My Life". He is building an online ADV show on YouTube and he does a great job. Check out his latest "Taste of Dakar" He was very busy while we were there, but he still took the time to say hello and talk bikes for a few minutes.

After the rain stopped the land was soaked and it was getting very muddy with all the vehicle traffic so Taylor Ranch decided to shut down the roads. Our plan to get groceries on Friday just got cancelled. If we left, we would not be allowed to ride our bikes back to our tents so we ate at the food vendors all day. The food was good, but there were only two vendors so the choices were limited.

On Saturday the wind picked up and the temperatures dropped. I was worried, but our tents stayed in place!  Mike and I had a few classes scheduled and we also spent some time in the vendor area. The classes offered by Overland Expo were extensive. The packet seemed like a class catalog from a community college. We took classes like, DIY tool kit, Crafting a Narrative,  and How to Read a Topo Map.

While in the vendor area we got to meet a bunch of people. The more memorable experiences was hanging out and having a few adult beverages with the ADVMoto Magazine team and Brandon from Watershed. I have talked with these guys on the phone, but they were a lot more fun in person!

We got to meet up with a few IBAR friends from the internet too. We got to hear Tomas’ stories on riding down from Chicago and check out Artimis’ new teepee tent, which has TONS of floor space! I was blown away by how many interesting people were around this event. It was worth coming to the Overland Expo just to talk with random attendees. One of the most famous was Ted SImon, he has written many books about his adventures. Mike is a big fan and he got to talk with him one on one for a long time. He was so pumped! 

On Sunday morning there was a heavy frost on the tents and grass. It was not easy to crawl out of our sleeping bags. Mike and I had a few more classes scheduled for Sunday, but we have not had a shower in days and we have been living out of food trucks all weekend. We were both just ready to get home and have a hot shower and a meal so we decided to break camp and head home.

This was the first year of the Overland Expo East and I think it was a great success. There were certainly areas to improve, but I hope they keep coming back. I learned a lot and we had a great time making new friends and checking out all the new gear.

It was Friday and after a long hard week at work it was time to play. What do you play after work in China? Soccer of course.

To set this little trip up you need some background on me. A couple of years ago my wife and I decided to start P90X workouts and after the first day I threw up. I will play harder than I should and regret it later.

Knowing that about myself I had already decided to hold back a bit, but that afternoon I started feeling a little sick to my stomach. I wasn’t sure I would be able to play. With a weak stomach, playing soccer in tropical temperatures is no easy task, but I may never have another opportunity like this, so I went for it.

I am glad I did, all the guys were very cool. We were out there to have fun and nobody was even keeping score, although I am sure the team with me Jay probably lost from the American handicap.

We were lucky enough to be able to sub in and out with a couple of other guys so we could take breaks and not pass out from the heat and lack of oxygen. I do miss playing soccer, but not as much as riding my motorcycle. Jay managed to get a little turf rash on his knee when he was the recipient of a slide tackle and I found out that running shoes are not a good choice for soccer.  

After soccer everyone went out for a traditional “Wheel of Death” dinner. It is served family style on a big round table with a 4 foot lazy susan. It takes about 20 minutes to order and then the food starts rolling out. There was a large variety on the table and a lot of new flavors for me to try. I am a picky eater, but I do try to force myself to try some things when out of the country.

Some of the more interesting things were the Szechuan soup that actually made your mouth go numb. Not from heat, just numb. It tasted good, but kind of weird that it numbed your mouth. Another new animal protein for me was the frog. It was a very soft mild meat with a little fishy taste. It reminded me of small scallops, but it was actually pretty tasty. Last, but not least was the sesame shrimp. The sesame had a great taste, but the shrimp was surprisingly crunchy. Jay informed me that the crunch was the shrimp shell that was still intact. I gotta say, that shrimp shell was tasty, but I wouldn’t choose to eat shells on a regular basis.

The next new thing was the Chinese equivalent of shot gunning a beer. The waitress brought in bowls for everyone and the Budweiser tall boys were dumped in. Everybody toasted and down the hatch they went. Then another round, and another. You drink each one until it is gone. One of our co-workers, HB explained that the Chinese use big bowls because that is how they do it in Texas and it will make you big and strong. Jay and I got a kick out of that.

After a great game of soccer we had a blast hanging out with everybody and watching them get drunk. The “I Love You  Man” started coming out by the time we were ready to go. We are all the same around the world, even when it comes to getting drunk and telling our bros we love them. Its cool knowing that I will have drinking buddies in China if I ever make it back over there.

Plenty of preparation went into this trip to China. I am traveling for work so I had to get a Chinese work visa and line up all the requirements needed for the job. There are 6 of us travelling together. I know these guys, but at a co-worker level. I think it will be fun getting it know everyone better.

The first leg of our trip began as we left our home airport and headed to Chicago. We had lunch at Chili's and afterwards, we boarded our flight for Hong Kong! It was the biggest plane I have ever been on. It was nine seats across with nice wide aisles. I was stuck in the middle seat, but at least I was between two of my travel companions. All the seat backs had TVs in them that would stream movies and music. We settled in and after about 30 minutes the plane was still on the ground. I knew where this was going, airlines are terrible these days and if they don’t get off the ground on time it doesn't look good.

This experience was no different, the Captain came on the intercom and said they have a valve problem with the air conditioner and we had to wait for maintenance to fix it. After almost two hours on that plane they cancelled the flight and we all had to deplane and get rebooked. The usual airline confusion ensues, nobody knows where we are supposed to go and then the angry passengers start piping up. After 6 line changes we found one that could get us rescheduled. At this point we are all tired, mad, and disappointed. We will have to spend the night in Chicago and fly out early in the morning.

I often refer to “road characters”, these are people you run across in your travels that add a little something to the story or enhance the experience somehow. In our rebooking line we got our first road character. He was a big guy with a voice that carries. In spite of all the crowds and noise, this guy is heard by everyone and he is letting the profanity fly! (If only our plane flew as easily as his mouth.) He is towering over me with a beer in his hand, and I don't think its his first beer.

You know how drunk strangers will get up in your personal space? Yeah, he was all up in our personal space. I had my backpack sitting in the floor near me with my neck pillow attached. I kept watching that beer tip over further and further, finally he spilled some and I watched it drop in what seemed like slow motion. It barely missed my pillow! We had to deal with this guy for about three hours until we could get through the line.

After rebooking it was supper time. Where did we go? Back to Chili’s of course. After supper we were in for our next surprise. Our planned destination was Hong Kong and tropical weather. Chicago is far from tropical and did I mention that the airline was not giving our luggage back? When we exited the airport we were welcomed to Chicago with rain and temperatures in the mid-40’s and we were dressed for temperatures in the low 90’s and high humidity. It got uncomfortable and cold in a matter of minutes. To add to our travel struggles the hotel was about 30 minutes from the airport and the shuttle took two hours to arrive.

We stayed at a Howard Johnson and that place was a dive. The rooms were surprisingly clean, but this hotel would not be winning any awards. The best thing about this hotel was its elevator. It was gloriously tacky with layers of mirror on the walls and that dark green faux marble. Looking back, it may not have been an elevator at all; maybe its true purpose was a time machine back to 1970.

Our flight leaves at 8:00 AM and we had to take the 5:00 AM shuttle so it was a very short night before we were packing 13 people in a 10 passenger van and heading back. We got through security quickly and now it was time for breakfast. Can you guess where? Yep, Chili’s! Three meals in a row at the airport Chili's.

This time the plane was ready to go and we left on time. We had a 16 hour plane flight in front of us and I was not looking forward to it after such a long day of travel the day before. I took two hydrocodones, slept a few hours, watched 6 movies, and a few games of Plants vs Zombies and we were landing in Hong Kong! I am literally as far away from home as I can get.

The airport experience was really smooth in Hong Kong and we made our way to the GoGo Bus. Luckily, we had enough people to fill up a GoGo Bus so we just packed in and headed for Houjie in the Guangdong province. The ride to Houjie was great. The weather was nice and it was almost like island hopping in a car. The first thing you notice is how many skyscrapers there are. China seems like one big sprawling city and the population density is truly something to see.

30 minutes later we reached the Hong Kong border. The first step is going through customs to exit Hong Kong. The next stop a few yards away was customs to enter the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

As we finished our drive to Houjie I happened to notice that there were a lot of very tall buildings with bars over the windows. That got me thinking, why have bars that high on a building that would be very challenging to climb even if you wanted to. I think I know why, it’s to keep the ninjas out. Ninja deterrent is the only explanation that makes sense. If you know anything about ninjas, you know that you never see them coming. Now imagine, you live high up in a ninja proof building. Late one night you decide you want to see the city lights and maybe even try to spot a few careless ninjas. You open your curtains and BAM! There’s a ninja hanging on your window bars! Obviously, you could only see his eyes, but I bet they would be as big as throwing stars! I wonder who would be more surprised, you or the ninja.

We finally arrived in Houjie, but not at our hotel. It was the weirdest thing, the GoGo bus dropped us off at the Hyatt, but they wouldn’t go to the Sheraton. We were about to walk a couple of blocks to the Sheraton when a Hyatt employee offered us a welcomed ride. It was a very long trip but we made it!

Keep checking back and I’ll tell you some more about my trek to China.

Many of the most common motorcycle problems directly relate to how motorcycles are stored, how often they are started, and ensuring that you provide maintenance as soon as the early signs of an issue arise. Being a motorcycle rider is fun, but there is work that needs to be performed to ensure that your motorcycle is maintained properly so it will provide you with consistent function. The three most common motorcycle problems include fuel contamination, dead batteries, and poorly lubricated chains.

 Fuel Contamination

 Fuel contamination is common when the bike is not ridden or used often. When you set your bike aside for the winter, you need to make sure that the gas inside does not go stale and clog the fuel system. There are many ways to avoid this issue, such as ensuring that you never leave gas in the tank when it will not be used for an extended period of time or adding fuel stabilizing additives that help stave off the effects of fuel contamination. 

Dead Batteries

 Dead batteries are one problem that is consistent with many motorcycle riders. There are a few different reasons why batteries often die in motorcycles. The best possible remedy for this situation is to regularly ride your motorcycle, even during the winter months. If you prefer warm weather riding, stock up on winter motorcycle gear to stay comfortable. Taking your bike out even once a month for a short 10-minute ride can help to keep the battery from dying after periods of not being used. This is the best remedy but is not always viable, especially in colder areas. You can hook your batteries up to a charger occasionally or use a Battery Tender to maintain your battery. You can also upgrade to a Lithium battery, it will hold an idle charge longer than traditional batteries.

Poorly Lubricated Chains

 Many underestimate how important their chain is for the overall performance of their bike. A poorly lubricated chain can cause a number of problems, and if it breaks, it can damage the bike or cause serious injury to the rider. If you seldom use your motorcycle, it is still important that you keep your chain lubricated to prevent breakage and extend the service life of your chain.

There are many common motorcycle problems. Carrying key tools in motorcycle backpacks or saddlebags will help you fix issues as they arise, but you can avoid some of the common pitfalls by doing proper maintenance. Next time you are faced with one of these problems keep these remedies in mind.

 About the Author:

Dewayne Jasper has been riding for over 6 years and currently rides a Kawasaki Ninja ZX6R; you can also follow him on twitter and know about his riding.

Jeff is back in the saddle! I have written a bunch of stories with Jeff in them, but he has been healing from his lowside that I wrote about in I’m Down, I’m DOWN, I’M DOWN!. Then his bike was stolen and the thief killed himself by wrapping it around a wooden fence and totaling Jeff’s wee strom.

Jeff has replaced his wee strom with a new to him 2007 Yamaha FJR1300 and we finally got to go ride again! Here’s the route we planned:

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This was going to be a long ride for Jeff since he is just getting his riding chops built back up so we decided to start the day off with a less than healthy, but big breakfast at the Waffle House. We started eating around 10:00 and we were on the road about 10:45. Jeff was leading so he could set the pace, but one thing that I really like about Jeff’s new bike is that Holeshot header. Oh my gosh! That thing sounds fantastic on the FJR. It’s not loud and obnoxious like you might be thinking. It sounds deep and throaty with a touch drag racing! I know that may not make much sense, but it is a sound that stirs the male soul and I know you guys know what I'm talking about. At least riding behind Jeff I got to hear the songs of our people all day.

As we worked our way out of town we noticed a lot of gravel on the roads. Over the previous couple of days the rain has been coming down hard and washing it out. That situation only got worse as we started to get into the hills. It was mostly small amounts of gravel, but occasionally there were deep patches and some areas went across the entire lane.  The gravel conditions had us riding slower than we probably would have, but the other evil force plotting against us and our pace was the cagers. I don't know what was going on that had so many cars in the hills, but they were everywhere! These roads are normally clear of cars, but any time we got out from behind traffic we found more in the next set of twisties.

I know it’s nice to be out riding and I did enjoy it, but that many cars frustrate me. The part of riding that helps me clear my head and become refreshed comes from being in the “zone”. When you are trapped behind slow traffic in the twisties you cannot enter the “zone” and having to go slow behind a cager or a group of pirates leaves me unsatisfied. It may sound like I am complaining. I am not complaining about getting to ride, but there is etiquette that should be followed on mountain roads. Just like you are not supposed to ride in the left hand lane, if you have traffic piling up behind you it is proper etiquette to use one of the many gravel pullovers to let faster traffic by. If you find yourself in this situation PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, let the faster traffic by. The pirates on the road were taking their time through the twisties, but I have to hand it to them, they did let traffic by and displayed proper road etiquette. Well done pirates, well done.

As we neared the northern part of our route, traffic was finally thinning out and I remembered this switchback road that I wanted to take Jeff to. We have never been up there because it turns to gravel at the top and we have avoided that on street bikes. I don't know why that road popped in my head, but as I was telling Jeff about the road it dawned on me that we were on that road. How weird is that? I have no sense of direction, but it’s like my subconscious knew where I was and it triggered a memory of the road. If I could just learn to use that on demand I would be so much better off. It was good that I remembered the gravel because it stops kind of suddenly at the top and we were able to get slowed down before hitting the gravel.

We took a break and headed back down the mountain. By the time we got back to Lake Tahoma I think the heat had wiped us out. The pace had been slow all day and that kept the wind down and the heat up. If you were stopped or standing in the sun it was just oppressive. After Lake Tahoma we took a break and ate some ice cream before we headed back home.

What I Learned:

• The Holeshot header sounds amazing on the FJR1300.
• Sometimes your subconscious mind is trying to tell you something.

Spirit Strike:

Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

After Jeff crashed and broke his ankle he could have easily decided to quit riding. He could have let fear of getting hurt again rob him of something he loves. Nobody would have given him a hard time about it either, but we are not meant to live in fear. I am glad Jeff got back in the saddle and I look forward to many years of riding with him. Look out for each other out there and when you are challenged, be strong and courageous.

Have you ever had an experience where you were hurt or faced so much adversity you nearly gave up? Have you ever given anything up because of fear or extreme adversity? Post your stories in the comments. I would love to hear them.

Well, some of you guys probably saw the story about going motocamping with a guy I met on the Internet. If you saw that story you know it went well and this story is about our second ride together.

The weather was looking like a 50/50 chance between sunny and rainy, but we decided to give it a shot anyway. Mike told me about one of his favorite rides through the Pisgah National Forest on Yellow Gap Road so we decided to ride this route:

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We figured this route would keep us near home in case the weather went horribly wrong and since it was wet from days of summer rain we decided to stay on decent gravel roads. As we made our way into the Pisgah Forest there was a lot of roadside tents and people everywhere. It had me a little disappointed at first, because one of my favorite aspects of dual sport riding is rarely seeing a cager, or for that matter anybody else other than the people I am riding with.

As we got deeper into the forest the crowds started to thin out into that blissful loneliness where it’s just your bike and your buddies out exploring. When you don't have to watch out for a cager flying around a blind corner you can start to notice the things around you. Throughout the day there was a perfume in the air from all the blooming mountain laurel. The forest was also in rare form. Since everything was wet from days of rain all the trees had a nice contrast between the dark brown wet bark and the electric green leaves. The air was clean and the moisture kept the dust down so not only did you get to see it all in rare form we also got smell it all and get refreshed.

A little ways into the forest we came across a horse camping area. Mike has a couple of horses so he wanted to check it out while we were there. We kept our sweet exhaust roar down to a minimum as we pulled through and we stopped for our first break. We noticed some restroom facilities. (I use facilities very loosely.) It was a nice brick building with two tall black posts on the corner. When it was my turn, I walked in there and I instantly knew those were not posts, they were large vent pipes. This building was basically built on a large septic tank and they mounted some plastic toilets over the holes. With the summer heat it wreaked of things I would rather not think about breathing in. I quickly did what I had to do and got the heck out!

We mounted back up and came out on 276 above Brevard. It was afternoon at this point and since we were heading to Brevard I knew exactly where to eat, Hawg Wild BBQ! After lunch we nearly had a show stopper. I walked out to my bike and went to put the key in the ignition and realized that I was no longer in possession of my key. I checked every pocket at least 30 times and finally I walked back in to find that the cashier had my key. Thank the Lord! Now we can ride on over to Cascade Lake.

When we left Hawg Wild we did not put our rain gear back on, but about 1 mile up the road we pulled over to put it on. A couple of seconds after we pulled over under a gas station covering the bottom dropped out! It was the kind of torrential rain that makes inches of water stand on the road. We briefly considered turning back, but Hey!, we are adventure riders and that is exactly what we had on this ride. It rained so hard all the way to Cascade Lake Road there was no hope of running anywhere close to the speed limit, but after we got there things got better. The rain slowed down and we had a nice ride down a very scenic gravel road. The coolest feature of this road is the dam. This was the first time I ever hiked down to the dam, but it was very cool and the hike down was easily done in motocross boots. The pics will show you better than I can describe.

After our hike we headed back towards Hendersonville where we split up and went our separate ways. The weather was not great, but honestly it added to the adventure. We were less than two hours away from home, but with the rain and forest roads it felt like we were a world away. If you have never tried dual sport riding, rent a bike and take it down some gravel roads. It’s fantastic!

What I Learned:

• If your collar is rolled down on your rain jacket, you will get wet.
• Military GoreTex pants are cheap and work pretty well as motorcycle rain gear.

Spirit Strike:

2 Timothy 1:7 NIV “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. “

I definitely think Mike and I have the Spirit mentioned in this verse. We were certainly not timid as we pushed on through the elements. I look back and see the situations I have been in over the years, not just while riding, and I can see how much personal growth I have experienced. In fact, when I started noticing how much growth I was gaining through adventures, it inspired SpiritStrike.com. I wanted to have a place to share what I have learned and hopefully inspire others to get out there and learn their own lessons and create their own personal growth through experiences.  

How has your life experiences forced you to grow? Do you actively seek out these opportunities? I would love to hear what you have to say in the comments below.

So, there was a guy named Mike that saw some of my stories and decided to message me to see if I wanted to ride. Going motocamping with a guy you met on the internet…what could go wrong?

We spoke on the phone and we got a motocamping trip set up for the weekend. Our plan consisted mostly of a meeting point and time. We didn’t have a route or even an idea of where we were going to go. All we knew is we would be riding all day Saturday, sleeping somewhere in our tents, and heading back Sunday morning. How’s that for adventure?

We met at Mike’s office in Hendersonville, NC and discussed a few ideas. Ultimately, we decided to ride around some of the area he was reading about in my ride reports. Normally, if I am tasked with leading, I have a route planned out in my GPS. I do that because I have absolutely NO sense of direction. I really can get lost in a mall parking lot. We pulled up a couple of my maps on Spirit Strike and headed out. This is the route we ended up taking, but we were figuring it out as we went.

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We used as much gravel as possible to get around and our first true landmark was the rock overlook on Wolf Mountain Road.

On our way there we took some gravel roads and off of Diamond Creek Road we found another rough gravel road to try out. Mike is just getting used to riding his wee strom offroad so we didn't want to get into anything too hairy. Well, this road was loose and had a few ruts and rocks. Mike got most of the way up the hill before he put his front wheel into the dirt bank! He got it out of the bank with some heaving and we took a break at the top of the hill. After the break we turned around and headed back down. It got a little rougher than he was willing to bite off with a fully loaded bike.

We got back on track to Wolf Mountain Road and when we got to the overlook we found some people hanging out. There were two Harleys and a Toyota truck on the rock face. We had a brief conversation with them and inquired about some cool camping spots and we all left about the same time. They took the smoother better maintained half out and we went in the muddy more challenging direction. At the end of Wolf Mountain Road we needed to try and start heading towards a camp site.

I knew of a very cool place I wrote about in Leaf Peeping Adventure Style so we took a lucky guess and worked our way in that direction. The campsite I had in mind was at the dead end of an old logging road. We camped right beside a waterfall and we got to listen to that running water all night. Talk about some good sleep!

We got to the campsite late in the afternoon so we took a break and then started setting up camp. After the tents were pitched and the bikes were unloaded we started looking for firewood. Everything was wet from days of summer storms and the trees kept it shady so nothing could dry out. We finally got up enough sticks and small limbs to make an attempt at a fire. Thank goodness Mike had a full fire starter log. Without that, we would have been struggling.

With a small fire going and after building an appetite from an all day ride it was time to eat. I tried my hand at making my very first freeze dried meal as Mike unloaded a small grocery store of canned food. I’ll admit, I was a bit apprehensive about taking a camping trip with a guy I had never met before. I was hoping we would get along and well, we did. Actually, it never felt awkward at all, and since we didn't know each other yet we got to tell a ton of stories that I am sure we have told others too many times. After supper we pretty much just sat around the fire having some good conversation. There was no cell signal so even checking your phone was pointless.

As it got dark our campsite was pitch black! The tree canopy was so thick we didn't get any moonlight. It worked out well though. The fireflies came out and they were lighting up all along the waterfall and creek. It was like something out of a fairytale. I know we have all seen fireflies, but this was like nothing I have seen before in my life. It was beautiful!

We got some sleep and the next morning we took our time with breakfast and packing. I actually need to get faster at setting up and breaking camp. I just need some more practice. We thought about adding a little more exploring to our ride home, but since it was Father’s Day we decided to head home to spend time with family.

We had a great time and we got a new friendship going. We got to spend a lot of time in the awesome Appalachian Mountains and it was all thanks to motorcycles and meeting a random guy on the internet!

What I Learned:

• Freeze dried food isn't gourmet, but it’s easy to carry and still tastes pretty good.
• This was my first camping trip with my Green Chile gear. I may be partial, but it worked really well!

Spirit Strike:

Psalm 19:1 NIV "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands."

Sitting at that campsite and being immersed in creation is something I don't think we get to do enough of. Listening to the turkeys up on the ridge scratch around, seeing the hawks and deer passing by, and watching the fireflies light up in waves down that creek just reminded me how much wonder is in the natural world. We often forget to appreciate the nature around us. We get trapped in our fluorescent lighting and cube farms and if we aren't careful we will miss out on the best parts our short lives have to offer.

Have you ever had to step back and make adjustments in life to keep from spending your entire existence chasing a dollar? Have you ever been in danger of being swallowed up by “stuff”? If so, I would love to hear your story and what changes you made in order to maintain balance and keep focus on what’s important in life.