It’s been a while since we posted, as we haven’t taken a big motorcycle trip in a few years. We came close in 2022 – several of us from the 2020 Go West trip met in Harrison AR for a 5-day ride in the Ozarks.

Unfortunately, Stephanie and I contracted Covid, with our symptoms appearing on the day we arrived in Harrison. We were able to quarantine in our hotel room before the rest of the group arrived, so the gang left food and meds outside our room.

We’ve also attended Tame the Dragon each year, and we’re the primary organizers for the 2024 event.

Those who read our 2020 Go West blog may recall that the BMW R1250 GS turned out to be a better twisty-road travel bike than the K1600. It’s lighter with a shorter wheelbase, and the rectangular side cases provide much more storage than the aerodynamic panniers on the K1600. By winter of 2020, nearly all of our crew had switched to the GS. Within hours of letting everyone know that we planned to stick with the K1600 for another year, both Brian and Terry sent us links to the same great deal on a used GSA – we have expensive friends! We do miss the K1600’s buttery smooth 6-cylinder engine…

In 2021, Matt and I took the BMW U.S. Rider Academy Two-Day Adventure Off-Road course at the BMW Performance Center in Greer, SC. I wasn’t looking to ride off-road, I wanted to improve my low-speed skills on variable terrain. The course was challenging – I dropped the academy’s bike at least 15 times – but well worth it, as off-road skills translate well to road riding (the best road racers in the world train motocross and enduro). A couple weeks later, Terry and I were on our way to the BMW Laurel Highlands Rally in Somerset PA on a road that turned to deep, loose gravel – my experience at the course prepared me for this situation, saving me from a spill!

In the spring of 2022, Matt and I were back at the performance center for the Two-Day USRA Authority School. This was another fantastic and challenging course, driving home lessons regarding clutch friction-zone control of a motorcycle. Matt & I, along with our spouses Janet & Stephanie, also attended a showing of the Wyoming Backcountry Discovery Route film at the local BMW dealership, as it featured Wendy Naessens, who was an instructor for our off-road course. You can view all of the films on YouTube, just search for Backcountry Discovery Route. Check BDR’s site for information on the adventure routes they’ve developed – BDR is a top-notch advocacy organization that creates off-highway routes for dual-sport and adventure motorcycle travel, generating new tourism that delivers sustainable economic relief to less-advantaged rural communities.

That film stoked Matt’s and my interest in adventure riding – up to that point, my off-pavement riding consisted of scouting paved roads and refusing to backtrack when they turned to gravel. I purchased a KLR 650 from my brother-in-law as a low-cost entry point.

Riding the KLR convinced me of 2 things: I really enjoy off-road riding, and I really needed a lighter bike. I upgraded to a KTM 690 Enduro R early this year – it’s 100 pounds lighter than the KLR!

While we still love road riding, off-pavement riding (gravel, forest service, jeep trails, and single track) is appealing because it’s challenging, for the most part low-speed, with very few cars, trucks, buses, etc. to deal with, and I can ride in the winter. Bonuses include some incredible mountain-top views, wildlife (again the slower speeds make for better encounters), and in some cases miles of beautiful twisty pavement between gravel sections of a road. Off-road riding isn’t a 2-up endeavor, so Stephanie can’t go with me.

Thanks to Terry and Brian, my off-road skills have improved, but I still have a long way to go!

This catches us up to summer 2023 – we’ll be back with further adventures!