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EAST COAST 2009 May 8, 2009 - Van Horn, TX to Dallas, TX |
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 (Thanks, Matt!!!)
...which is actually a photo I took during a winter ride on my FJR1300 motorcycle while coming
back from the
F-A-R journey. Nonetheless, since you probably understand how desolate it is out here
in west Texas by now then you'll understand my complete shock when I came upon this sign in the
middle of freakin' nowhere on I-20 East:
Approaching Abilene, TX the landscape starts to become dotted with the Texas state icon:
No way! This was the first time in two full days of riding that Mo, my Alaskan moose
passenger, had any shade! (Mo has proclaimed he's no longer going to say “Hotter than
hell” but instead say “Hotter than the desert Southwest!). You may also notice greenery
in the above photo, which starts appearing as you near Dallas. Along with the welcome
sight of green grass and trees came lower temperatures (upper 80s by late afternoon), much to
this rider's and moose's relief!
End of day GPS:
 AGirl
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I slept well in my tent in Van Horn, TX last night after sharing a restful evening with my new friend
“Matt”. He and I talked about his life as a 30 year member of the Tampa (FL) Sheriff's Dept (as
a moto cop no less) and his current plan to ride a lap around the United States. Since I have
done that exact ride (riding the four extreme corners of the US, my report:
Matt may have spent three decades chasing folks who, well, didn't prefer to have a conversation with
him, but his experiences certainly didn't seem to impact his enthusiasm for people and life. He
said he's been retired less than 3 years and that soon after his retirement he had a heart attack
despite being in superior physical condition and passing an annual medical tests with flying colors
just 5 months prior. The blocked arteries were a shock to everyone and he said he has lived
with a different perspective since getting a second chance on life. Suffice to say Matt is
definitely a “seize the journey” type a guy and is living life like there is only so much time to
do so.
It is that shared passion for living, not simply motorcycling, that is most likely the reason Matt
and I made such a connection. As I laid in my tent before going to sleep last night I thought
about how I would have missed the opportunity to meet Matt and share such a beautiful evening if I
had opted to stay inside a temperature controlled generic and sterile hotel room. Meeting him
on the first night just reinforced my commitment to alternative accommodations while on this East
Coast 2009 journey. I made sure to get a photo of Matt before we departed this morning - he heading
west, me east. I wished someone else was around to get a photo of both of us, but I still have
this one to remember my time with such a cool guy:
In case you missed yesterday's report (found:
I think because I had done such an excellent job of staying hydrated during yesterday's ride (I
chugged 260oz of water) that I awoke today feeling very rested and recovered. Good thing
too since today seemed more challenging than yesterday! If I had to sum up today's ride
in a single photo it would be this:
How much water did I drink today as I blasted through the desert Southwest inferno? Over
400 ounces – yeah, that's 3 gallons! I typically drink a gallon of water a day anyway but
even this seemed like a lot to me.
The comments I heard from people at gas stations both yesterday and today while refueling the
V-Strom or my Camelbak were amusing at first and then became rather annoying. Things like
“Oh my gosh how can you ride in this oven?!” or “Dang, you gotta be burning up in that suit in
this heat?!”. I think hearing such comments repetitively can ultimately have an impact on
you mentally. Who you surround yourself with is critical in my humble opinion; I'd rather
just avoid predictable negativity if I have the choice to do so and stay focused on my own
journey, externally and internally. At some point I realized parking alone off to the side
of the building was quite helpful in this regard.
The ride through west Texas doesn't exactly leave you riveted with excitement and when you factor
intense heat into the experience it is a place I'd rather just move through quickly. These
two conditions are not exactly conducive to photo opportunities either. Most of the ride
looks just like this...
I rode for miles trying to figure out why there would be a digital sign at all much less that it
warned of motorcycles. It's not like there is any traffic out here...heck, I only passed
two bikes in the first 300 miles today! Perhaps part of the sign was missing and it was
really supposed to say “Watch out for motorcycles doing wheelies out here in the middle of
nowhere!”. Nonetheless, I appreciate the efforts of the Texas Department of Transportation
in reminding drivers to watch for us two wheeled travelers!
A seemingly insignificant photo, huh?:
I arrived Dallas safely and I'll be spending the next two nights with a complete stranger. (
Someone distract the Matriarch from reading this section until I can explain it to her personally!
). In yesterday's report I mentioned I would be utilizing another option for accommodations
(aside from camping and hotels) during this 7 week journey to the East Coast. Well, it's
called “CouchSurfing” and it's something I've been involved with for the last few months while I've
been in Phoenix. The “official” description (from the
Some may choose to see Couch Surfing as a free place to stay, but I'd be willing to bet anyone
involved would say it's much, MUCH more than that. Connecting with people especially locals
of the area you are visiting is invaluable. My personal philosophy is WHO we meet along the
way is far more memorable than the miles (or kilometers!) we travel in this life. CouchSurfing
offers an opportunity to connect with others; you can “search” the profiles of other “Surfers” by
a multitude of parameters (like location, age, interests, philosophy, etc) in the area you are
traveling then send a request to “surf” their couch (or bed, futon, etc). The most often
asked question I hear is “How do you know it's safe?!?”, which seems obvious. However,
CouchSurfing offers a verification process for those that register as well as a “Reference”
system similar to that of eBay's “Feedback”. Suffice to say any bad apple would be quickly
weeded out. (
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