No Return Ticket – Just a Ride Report /w Pics
- Thread starter cavebiker
- Start date
Technologist
Member
Only 2 things I can say:
1. WOW!!!
2. I am sooooo jealous! Both of your adventure and and that you had someone like Heidi to share it with you!
What an amazing story.... I only recently joined this site, and I quickly found this thread.... I tried to read it all in one sitting, but it was too much, and I was skimming the pictures. So I have taken several days to read through the entire thread, and to look at all the pictures, and I can really only say "WOW"! ALthough I would love to do something like this, I don't think I would have the same Luck (read as good outcome through experience and perseverence) that you did.
I totally agree with what others have said... you should:
1. Contact HD, and see if they will offer up anything for "temporary rights" to your story.
2. Take all your notes, this thread, and everything you collected and put it in a book, or even as a series of articles... then shop it around. I bet you could recoup all of your expenses and then some!
I did have some question, but don't want to overwhelm YOUR STORY! But I do need to know the basics.... about how long total were you traveling, about how much it ended up costing you, how many miles (~16,000?), and most importantly, WHEN and WHERE will your next trip take you and Heidi?!?!?!
1. WOW!!!
2. I am sooooo jealous! Both of your adventure and and that you had someone like Heidi to share it with you!
What an amazing story.... I only recently joined this site, and I quickly found this thread.... I tried to read it all in one sitting, but it was too much, and I was skimming the pictures. So I have taken several days to read through the entire thread, and to look at all the pictures, and I can really only say "WOW"! ALthough I would love to do something like this, I don't think I would have the same Luck (read as good outcome through experience and perseverence) that you did.
I totally agree with what others have said... you should:
1. Contact HD, and see if they will offer up anything for "temporary rights" to your story.
2. Take all your notes, this thread, and everything you collected and put it in a book, or even as a series of articles... then shop it around. I bet you could recoup all of your expenses and then some!
I did have some question, but don't want to overwhelm YOUR STORY! But I do need to know the basics.... about how long total were you traveling, about how much it ended up costing you, how many miles (~16,000?), and most importantly, WHEN and WHERE will your next trip take you and Heidi?!?!?!
cavebiker
Active Member
OK! Cavegirl and I are back on the road. It’s only a 4 day ride but we are carrying camping gear, and that feels good. A group of friends from our neighborhood are doing a ‘camp out’ on Madeline Island, a few miles offshore from Bayfield, Wisconsin. From there we ride to an ADV motorcycle rally near Eagle River. Sounds like fun. This will be a good test of the bike and new motor, four days two-up with full camping gear.
We board a ferry in Bayfield bound for Madeline Island.
We setup camp at the town park just a short walk from a pristine two mile beach.
This is dense northern woods camping. No shower here or running water, just a hand pump well and outhouse, and beautiful Lake Superior.
What a great place to camp and what a great bunch of people to camp with. We all talk about making this an annual event. A hearty camp breakfast prepared by Cindy on a picture perfect morning, super.
We hate to go but Heidi and I have an ADV motorcycle rally to do.
Riding to the ferry the sky started to cloud up and the wind started to blow. In the past Heidi and I would spend over a week at a time around the Apostle Islands, sailing and living on our 22 foot sailboat. We talk about what our sailing tactics would be today and what island we would want to be anchored off of. The Apostle Islands are a paradise.
We queue-up in the line for the ferry.
The ride between Bayfield and Minocqua is filled with forest, lakes, small towns and parks. There is nothing ‘not’ to like for a biker here. We stop in the town of Hurley for an Espresso. Hurley is an old mining town and Hayward is an old logging town. There’s an old saying “Hayward, Hurley and Hell” which referred to when the lumberjacks of Hayward would travel to Hurley on their weekends off and patronize the shady saloons there. Hurley still holds a little of the bad boy image and is often a biker destination.
We arrive to the rally by mid afternoon. What a great place for an event, Lynn Ann’s campground St Germaine, WI. We score a good camp spot close to the lake, the beer trailer, food tent and the band stage. While I started setting up the tent Hipster walks over with two beers, oh yeah!
That evening at the rally flew by like a flash of lightning. Heidi and I enjoyed talking with adventure riders and listing to music. The food was right-on and the cold beer hit the spot. Several local riders lead groups on rides around the area during the day which sounded like a great time. In the evening everyone milled about eating, drinking and talking while the band ‘kicked butt’. Talk of motorcycles and adventure went on late into the night. The next ADV rally we do, we have to stay longer. There are just too many fun people to talk with at events like this to do it in one day. To everyone we met it was a huge pleasure and we wish we had more time. And to the others we didn’t talk with, we hope to meet you next time.
freeflow and his wife, Shelley were great fun to talk with. They have been all over together on motorcycles. While we were on our last trip they often gave us good information on places we visited. freeflow says he wants to touch the cavebike to know it’s real.
rokklym and his girlfriend Kathy are another high energy adventure couple whom we enjoyed talking with.
Thanks for this photo rokklym.
The Ride Continues………..
We board a ferry in Bayfield bound for Madeline Island.
We setup camp at the town park just a short walk from a pristine two mile beach.
This is dense northern woods camping. No shower here or running water, just a hand pump well and outhouse, and beautiful Lake Superior.
What a great place to camp and what a great bunch of people to camp with. We all talk about making this an annual event. A hearty camp breakfast prepared by Cindy on a picture perfect morning, super.
We hate to go but Heidi and I have an ADV motorcycle rally to do.
Riding to the ferry the sky started to cloud up and the wind started to blow. In the past Heidi and I would spend over a week at a time around the Apostle Islands, sailing and living on our 22 foot sailboat. We talk about what our sailing tactics would be today and what island we would want to be anchored off of. The Apostle Islands are a paradise.
We queue-up in the line for the ferry.
The ride between Bayfield and Minocqua is filled with forest, lakes, small towns and parks. There is nothing ‘not’ to like for a biker here. We stop in the town of Hurley for an Espresso. Hurley is an old mining town and Hayward is an old logging town. There’s an old saying “Hayward, Hurley and Hell” which referred to when the lumberjacks of Hayward would travel to Hurley on their weekends off and patronize the shady saloons there. Hurley still holds a little of the bad boy image and is often a biker destination.
We arrive to the rally by mid afternoon. What a great place for an event, Lynn Ann’s campground St Germaine, WI. We score a good camp spot close to the lake, the beer trailer, food tent and the band stage. While I started setting up the tent Hipster walks over with two beers, oh yeah!
That evening at the rally flew by like a flash of lightning. Heidi and I enjoyed talking with adventure riders and listing to music. The food was right-on and the cold beer hit the spot. Several local riders lead groups on rides around the area during the day which sounded like a great time. In the evening everyone milled about eating, drinking and talking while the band ‘kicked butt’. Talk of motorcycles and adventure went on late into the night. The next ADV rally we do, we have to stay longer. There are just too many fun people to talk with at events like this to do it in one day. To everyone we met it was a huge pleasure and we wish we had more time. And to the others we didn’t talk with, we hope to meet you next time.
freeflow and his wife, Shelley were great fun to talk with. They have been all over together on motorcycles. While we were on our last trip they often gave us good information on places we visited. freeflow says he wants to touch the cavebike to know it’s real.
rokklym and his girlfriend Kathy are another high energy adventure couple whom we enjoyed talking with.
Thanks for this photo rokklym.
The Ride Continues………..
cavebiker
Active Member
Hey Technologist. Thanks for the great words man. And thanks for the questions.
- The motor blew just a few days past one year on the road. We set aside two years for this motorcycle ride.
- It’s hard to put a cost figure together. We took out $25K from our retirement fund to last for the first year. We went through that in 6 or 7 months. But that was not unexpected.
- Yes, just under 16K miles on this ride so far.
- We plan to be in Ecuador South America by the end of October.
Thanks again everyone for following along. This ride will continue…….
FANTASTIC! Words don't say what I'm feeling reading your trip. Picked up my 08 1200C Sportster 2 days ago. Wife already asked if I thought I could ride to Myrtle Beach (3-4 hrs fron Greensboro). Wants to go down for some of bike week. Ex-in-laws live in North Myrtle (so we should have a place to stay)and are pretty good people. Already thinking of some nice 1-2 day rides. Great travelling setup. Tracy
Technologist
Member
Since you said you plan to be in SA by the end of October.... you gonna post your preparations? If I may be so bold as to suggest it: Start a new thread / topic. Leave a link in this thread, pointing to the new one. Document EVERYTHING... and seriously plan on writing a book about the trip. I can help you if you want to SELF-publish (I bet it would sell enough to get the pub fees back and pay for a few weeks in VEGAS!). Heck, if you do it right, you COULD pay for the whole trip!
Good Luck, keep the shiny side UP, and Puuuuuhleeeeeeeez get Cave girl to write ANYTHING/ SOMETHING about this trip. Heck, even if she doesn't post it here, she can do a PASSENGER view blurb in each chapter of your BOOK!
Good thoughts with you!
