Even the Greatest Days Have Sunsets
Read Below About Our 2024 Journey Across 37 Countries
In the year 2024, we have spent nearly 200 days traveling through 37 countries on 3 continents. In simple math, that’s just short of one out of every 100 days we have been alive. Honestly, we didn’t know this was possible… until we tried. We discussed waiting for the perfect time and decided that would never come, so we went anyway. It hasn’t been all cotton candy and unicorns - it’s work. There are hard days, amazing days, and sometimes days that are both. For us, it’s become the continued experience of experiencing! I mean, at the end of the day, what else is there?
I always seem to have a strong urge to be philosophical and reflective at the end of a major trip.
So here goes:
The Numbers (Europe-Morocco)
MILES
- 8 flights: 14,675 miles
- Bus: 104 miles
- 36 ferries: 2,529 miles
- eBikes: 56 miles
- Motorhome: 1,100 miles
- Rental car: 1,245 miles
- Motorcycle: 10,964 miles
That gives us a TOTAL of 30,673 miles!
CLOSE CALLS
- 2 instances of heavy braking and evasive maneuvers to avoid oncoming cars passing in blind curves. You’ve got to expect it.
- 1 dog struck at approximately 40 mph. A 50-pound dog came out of nowhere while we were passing a farm tractor. There was no time to evade, only brake and brace for the front wheel twist. Result: we stayed upright, but the dog didn’t make it.
- 1 fall-over in a grassy field - our first in many years. During a low-speed turnaround, I had a slight wobble and tried to put my foot down as usual, but there was a low spot in the grass. A 1,000-pound motorcycle, gear, and people prove once again that gravity is the law. Result: Susan and I both took hip bumps, and I took a chin strike from the ground. The bike didn’t have a scratch, but we had to unload it to lift it.
PEOPLE
We met so many folks along the way. The bike with the Arizona plate attracts a ton of curious lookers and starts a lot of conversations. A few honorable mentions: three handsome young men touring Morocco on bikes who took a particular interest in my cute biker-babe wife; a serious photographer and her daughter from South America who invited us to stay in one of her Airbnbs if our plans to visit there materialize; a lovely small hotel owner and his family in Morocco; a speakeasy bartender in Belgrade; and a couple of Iranian guys we met hiking in Norway, which led to a great conversation about how most people are very similar in general. They just want to live a decent life, while our governments and leaders seem to be a big part of most problems. I also made a new friend who gave me a tank bag and helped with a couple of other issues while we were preparing to leave Portugal. There are just too many people to mention. Many of them we have connected with on Instagram or Facebook.
Old Friends
Having Bart Flanigan (my friend for 50 years) join us for a tour of Italy for ten days was a blast. Ben, Morgan, Adam, Wendy, Brent, Pam, a pink flamingo, Christian, and Dana meeting us in Berlin for Oktoberfest and then touring on their own here and there was simply epic. Thanks to all of you for making the effort. And to top it all off, my buddy Danny Clemons came over to bike the last week with me. My sides are sore from all the laughing.
FAVORITES?
The one question we are asked more than any other is, "What was your favorite place?" Such a tough question! Morocco, for the contrast in culture, was a highlight. Being there for Eid (which marks the end of Ramadan), where most every family slaughters a sheep and feasts, brought a sense of love and gratitude to the air. Our visit to the Sahara Desert camp on camelback was another highlight.
Bosnia and the surrounding countries, where so many buildings are still scarred from the war, had a profound impact. You can feel the violence and desperation that once burdened the region, and the undercurrent of conflict that still persists among the peoples of the Balkans. Seeing more of Poland made us even more fond of this beautiful and diverse country, so rich in history.
The diverse landscapes of Iceland and the Faroe Islands were unlike anything either of us had ever seen - beautiful and raw. Norway earns a gold star from us. The magnificent beauty and great riding around the fjords of the west coast, along with towns and villages mostly void of commercialization, look as if they were frozen in time in 1950.
My Co-Pilot, My Right-Hand Wo-MAN
Having someone to share all of this with leaves me speechless. Susan’s can-do, roll-with-the-punches attitude, combined with her endless curiosity and enthusiasm to see what’s around the next corner, inspires me and fuels my soul.
Life is a one-shot deal.
No dress rehearsals.
I encourage everyone to find their passion and go for it. Twist that throttle!
As I said in an earlier post on this trip, “We haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on our list.”