Docs tell me I won't make it to another summer so, I want to hit as many great riding destinations as I can in my last summer. Where are the "must see" riding spots?
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Docs tell me I won't make it to another summer so, I want to hit as many great riding destinations as I can in my last summer. Where are the "must see" riding spots?
I am so sorry. Have you been to Yellowstone national park.
No, but Yellowstone and Yosemite are must sees for me. Thanks for the kind thoughts, but we all have to go and I'm not going without a fight. LOL.
Sorry to hear about your illness.
I hope this might give you some ideas.
A friend of mine just posted this on Facebook.
Any of these stops would be great it sounds like.
http://shareably.net/perfect-road-trip-map/
Doug
Sorry to hear about this. My all-time favorite ride was through the White Mountains of New Hampshire and then up through Maine.
All of Route 66? Way to have the chin up. Fight on and good luck!
My picks are Grand Canyon, and Glacier National Park. Good luck as I have gone from F6B to a Can Am Spyder which I love as my Old Fart Cart.:cheers:
The Badlands, SD
Attachment 14472
The mountains of Canada my friend.
Let's hope the docs are being pessimistic...
Thanks to all for the support. It makes a difference--it really does. The whole situation messes with your mind. Facing the end is NOT all bad tho, as strange as it sounds. I love the ideas and hope to try as many as I can, and maybe buy a brother a beer along the way.
I hope you prove the doctors wrong. Most of the ones I know are anti-motorcycle so they don't know it all. If you decide to go to Yellowstone, Beartooth Pass just north of Yellowstone is THE ride and the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway to the east of the park is great. You're on top of the world when you're riding Beartooth.
I hope you get to make all the suggestions from all these guys more than once. Good luck and have a blast!
Another vote for Glacier Nat'l Park...make sure you get there in VERY late June (or later) when the "Highway to the Sun" is open.
A trip I'll NEVER forget.
Hang in there mike! None of us are guaranteed tomorrow, today is all we have. Live and love to the fullest every minute! Rocky Mountain National Park's trail ridge road.
Crests at over 12000 ft.
What about Nova Scotia, wait I got a better Idea. What about the Four Corners of North America. Besides hitting the parks in between. Hit Tiajuna, Ca to Seattle, Wa. hit the parks out west then travel to Key West then up to Nova Scotia. May god bless you with much longer life then the Docs.
“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!” ― Hunter S. Thompson
I would head west to the Grand Canyon and follow the map Doug posted. Up through Utah (amazing), Idaho, Wyoming, then slip over to South Dakota to Sturgis, the Black Hills, Mount Rushmore, Devil's Tower, then down through Colorado on the Million Dollar Highway and maybe down into New Mexico to Taos. I could go on. Or don't make a plan at all. Just pack your bike, stuff your pockets with cash and take off.
Good luck my friend. If you come to Arizona let me know. I'll come guide you on a little tour if you like, if I can get off work. I'm off on weekends. Grand Canyon, Sedona, Jerome and Prescott are just a few cool places to visit.
Sorry to hear of your situation. If you get to the upper mid-west, we don't have mountains, but do have some good roads following the Mississippi river, or trips around the great lakes are pretty decent. Good luck! :biggthumpup:
Glacier, Rocky Mountains, Key West, and following the Mississippi all sound fantastic. Bobbyf6b: I if I get to AZ, which I'm sure I will, I'm buying the first beer. LOL. Thanks for all the well wishes. Good news is I feel fantastic at the present time. No telling when it might turn bad, and not much I can do about it anyway, so why make it problem today? Unfortunately, it's a rare form of incurable cancer. The survival rate is literally zero. The best they can do is try to give me longer to live, but the outside limits of the survival time is about 20 months. The cancer didn't respond to the first line of chemo so my odds dropped pretty dramatically. If I follow what has happened to the average patient, I have until sometime between Labor day and Thanksgiving. I'd love to meet as many new friends along the journey as I can. Again, thanks for the positive thoughts--who knows, I might beat the odds--somebody has to, right? LOL.
Mike
Hey Mike, sorry for hijacking, and if you wouldn't mind sharing... what's got you troubled; cancer?
EDIT: Oops... I see you gave some details 5 minutes before I posted this. Do you have 2nd and 3rd opinions on treatment... and or diagnosis?
Mike,
Prayers for you and yours. Should you make it to NW Florida, I've got room at the "inn."
Not a lot of great twisty riding, but you can ride year round....
Navarre beach's claim to fame is it has the whitest sand in the world.
Also the Naval Aviation Museum onboard NAS Pensacola is a great time if you are into aircraft.
Slainte,
Steve
I can vouch for the sugar sand at Navarre. Beautiful area. If you go there, stop here on I45 in Huntsville TX. Lunch will be on me.
New Zion Missionary Baptist Church Barbeque
We can have a word with the lord over some ribs, pecan pie and sweet tea.
http://youtu.be/mfgvnPHBOXw
Pacific coast highway, northern CA...
I'm heading to New Hampshire 20 June for a week if your planing on being around there I would be honored to ride with you. If not if you make it to my neck of the woods you have a place to rest and I can show you some beautifully rides.
Sorry to hear of your assessment from the doctor. Remember, he is only practicing medicine. You can beat it. My prayers are for you to grow closer to our Creator.
Having ridden my Gold Wings for 175,000 miles in the lower 48 states I really enjoyed Colorado Rocky Mountains. Mt Evans just outside of Golden, CO is magnificent. I have taken a picture of all my Gold Wings at the same spot - Echo Lake at 10,500 feet. Then continue on to the top at 14,200 feet. The highest black top road in North America!
You can hear the voice of God from there! Durango, CO to Ouray, CO is also amazing. Ride it both directions. It is called the million dollar highway for a reason. And no guard railings to block your view. Let me know when you go and I will try to meet you.'riding'
If you need a place to rest in central FL let me know...doors open!
I would say Banff and Jasper national parks are the closest thing to God's country on this here earth.
Pacific Coast Highway from Santa Barbara all the way north.
The Lord be with you in your ENTIRE journey!!
Bless you.
Remember you have a lot of friends from around the world on your side. Just sometimes. life really sucks!
Cheers and best Chris:039::039::039:
My list would be:
Darwin via the Barclay and Stuart Highway
Broome via the Savannah Way
Alice Springs via the Stuart
Ularu and Kings Canyon
Albany and Esperance
The great Australian Bite via the Nullarbor, and
The Great Ocean road
These are probably a bit far for a weekend ride though.
Guys: The three things I've realized are really important are: (1) Make things right with family and use a supposed tragedy to bring them together. They will be better for it and it will be part of your legacy; (2) Let the anger go and find joy by finding a sense of "gratefulness" for what you have. Gratefulness makes it impossible to be unhappy; (3) Pray, meditate, open your soul, whatever you call it, but get in touch with the ONE. He will keep you grounded; (4) Realize how short time really is and take every advantage to not just "enjoy" yourselves, but to find true purpose.
I was really moved by all the well wishes. Just remember guys, I'm not dead yet. And as you have said, no one (well ONE person) knows when my time will come. I'm strong and my mind is right (most of the time). So, no worries. I'm good with God and prepared to come home when called. In the meantime, the approach of the inevitable is making me keenly aware of all the great things in our country and others. I just hope I can see as much as possible with the time I have. In the meantime, I'm closing down my law practice and finishing up work for a few of my special clients, so the trips will have to be interspersed with some business time constraints. My greatest hope is to return with a list of new friends and memories. These responses are in no particular order, and I apologize for those I may have missed (all are heartfelt and helpful):
Bert: I plan to prove the docs wrong unless the boss has other plans. Someone has to be the exception to all those stats, right?
53Driver: Your kindness restores my spirit in our fellow man. Well, all of you do, really. The wife and I packed up our four teenagers (yikes) and a neighbor kid (yeah, we're gluttons for punishment) and jammed them all into a rented A-class RV that we drove to Navarre Beach. We LOVED IT! Stayed at an RV resort on the beach, and one day, took the RV down to the public beach and parked it in the back of the parking lot. When lightning and storms rolled in, we held up in the RV and took in a movie (no, it wasn't "Twister," lol) in air-conditioned comfort, ate a few sandwiches, and then went back out to an empty beach when the weather rolled past. It was great. We LOVED that trip.
HiFlyer: Right on brother--minute my minute, day by day, week by week. It makes EVERYTHING sweeter.
Fla Rider: Four corners IS on my bucket list. I've always wanted to ride the area around Durango.
Bobby: You and I have the SAME philosophy. Return this flesh and blood equipment well worn and well traveled, with scratches, scars, and unforgettable memories. I can nap later, brother.
Largo: I've had a 2nd opin and working on getting a 3rd. You know what opinions are like right? Everyone's got one.
As for the docs: they are trying and I appreciate them. Medicine isn't an exact science. In fact, a lot of times it's a bit like fixing a car by educated trial and error. I'm going to keep trying and hope to find the treatment that is uniquely right for me.
In the meantime, I'm getting the bike on Mon. Change of plans. I thought I was getting a Red one, but it's actually a black 2013 base model. The wife's gonna drive me down (Searcy Ar) to get it, and I'll ride it the 350 mi back. I might just make a detour up the Talimena Trail.
I'm getting THAT feeling boys, you know the one--it keeps you awake in your bed thinking about the beast in the garage? Yep, that one.
Mike
Well written Mike. Words of wisdom - no doubt.
Raise a glass to that feeling - Christmas morning, beast in the garage.
Everyday should be like that.
Cheers!
:banana::041::biggthumpup::clap2::congrats::headba ng::8::thumb:happygirl'partysmile'Quote:
Originally Posted by kcmike