2022 was an adventurous year… read about it here
Could it get better in 2023? Let’s see.
Start the new year with hope and a plan for new shenanigans.
And a New Year’s Day ride on the KLR!
With Mitchell, cousin Nathan, sister Katie, and my dad.
With the recent gift of a stand mixer, I am getting the hang of making bread!
Some snow at the end of January.
So into the shop to pull out the forge and get to forging shoes.
And in the garage to test out some new dry bags and figure out how I want to load soft dry bags on the KLR.
Decided on some Green Chile bag snake straps, and diagonal dry bags.
March takes me to a farrier clinic for furthering education and to rub elbows with others in my field.
Pancake day and our family all wears their new shirts!
Saturday, April 8th, and it’s opening weekend for the Wayne National Forest trails!
Loaded up dark and early to head south.
An hour or 2 later, and we’re pulling over because my truck blew up! Ok ok, it was just the air intercooler tube that blew off…
Limp to the truck stop and get a hose clamp to fix it.
And a little while later, we are meeting up with friends and riding the trails!
So happy!
Big group of a mix of bikes and 4 wheelers.
So fun to be riding trails with my man.
The Sunday riding crew of couples…
Back home and back to the daily grind. The season of shoes is upon us!
And the end of April, and I’m learning to ride a 4-wheeler with his family at Maumee State Forest.
I’m having fun on 4 wheels in the sand!
More work. Love my job.
Then a short ride with my parents on my KLR and me on mom’s Wing. They needed to test ride a KLR 2-up to make sure they would be okay like that when they rent a KLR in Hawaii.
Beginning of May, and time to load up and head to the Ramble in Marietta!
Convinced Corey and his brother Tolly to join me on a dirt/backroads adventure route with a local friend.
Lunch at Sonic in Nelsonville.
And saw plenty of covered bridges!
Back in the hotel parking lot with all the FJRs…
Another couple covered bridges on Saturday.
And found a couple muddy sections and lots of water crossings!
Mitchell surprised us by coming down on Saturday evening and hanging out. He brought the truck, and with the incoming rain, we loaded the KLR in the back so I could ride home dry. (may be getting soft, but I call it resourceful)
We stopped at the AMA museum on the way home.
Experience the full report here
The following weekend and we are going to a theatre in Maumee for a showing of a documentary film about one of our motorcycling friends to honor his accomplishments and his footprint he made in the world of motorcycle racing.
Another couple weekends and we take the KLRs out for an evening sunset ride.
And then my house gets a new back patio thanks to Mitchell and his family.
Mid June and I’m surprised by a pre-birthday dinner with my parents and his parents and aunt.
And then it’s Thursday the 13th, and we are off on a big adventure! Being dropped off at the airport…
And he’s on his first plane ride!
And after a whole day of plane flights and layovers, we eventually land in San Franscisco, California.
The next day take public transportation and go explore into San Fran
And onto Alcatraz!
Fascinating cellhouse audio tour
Boat ride across the bay.
Public transport trollies
First time for us at an In-N-Out
Ghirardelli
Street cable car ride!
I got to hang off the side!
Lombard St
Close enough to high five!
The next day and we are crossing the Golden Gate bridge
And up the coast on Rt 1, what a way to spend my birthday!
Pulled into Fort Bragg, and found the local E-charge station with a burrito food truck near by. Delicious!
The next day we went up the coast and inland to the Redwoods. Drive through tree!
On our way around the tree again, we came across Dean and Jeff!
And Tyler was at the tree and got a picture of us coming through it again!
Up through the Avenue of the Giants, and we ran across Sonya, Nikki, and Tyler again
These trees are gorgeous!
And the rental Jeep sure made it fun for pictures
And panoramic views while driving through the tall trees!
Found a river bottom to take the Jeep down to and explore
Back to the hotel to hang out with the rest of the gang at the West Coast gathering.
The next day we went down to the local glass beach and walked around.
Beautiful pebbles and sea glass.
We touched the Atlantic Ocean together last year, and now we’re in the Pacific Ocean!
The banquet with the group was fun and yummy food!
And our Jeep got ducked at the hotel!!
Sunday, we loaded up and headed back east. Coming across Cali, and found a roadside stand with fresh fruit!
And these super yummy crisps!
Donner Pass, and the memorial.
To Lake Tahoe.
I know we didn’t have bikes to take pics with… but this Jeep was a great stand-in!
Overnight in Reno at a casino.
With a buffet that Mitchell got to eat for free for Father’s day! (our pretend son was back home somewhere…)
Through Nevada and onto the Salt Flats in Utah!
And then the Bingham Canyon Copper Mine
Occasionally known as the World’s Deepest Pit…
Those are 2 story tall dump trucks.
Into Colorado on a back road because of a closed interstate
Grabbed food down in the town and up onto the Grand Mesa for dinner. Tried to go out to the Lands End Observatory, but the road was closed. Too much snow?
Down to Ouray to visit the Box Canon Falls
Little Switzerland Overlook and we saw some dual sporters down on the road below
Down the Million Dollar Highway with gorgeous views and waterfalls
The southern overlook- Molas Pass
Back up the road north, and stopped in Silverton for lunch and to wander around
What a road!
Exploring more of my favorite parts of Colorado, rt 92 on the north rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison
And up to Monarch Pass and rode the gondolas to the very top
Overnight in Buena Vista was in a clear domed yurt!
Big dipper showed up beautifully that night with a perfect view from the bed
Up and over Independence Pass
Into Aspen and the John Denver sanctuary
Took the bus ride to Maroon Bells
Absolutely gorgeous!
Aspen trees, beautiful mountains, blue lake, this is Colorado.
And then this happened. I was admiring the mountains and I turned around and he was down on 1 knee with a ring in his hand! I said Yes!
Glenwood Hot Springs Resort for the evening
Had celebratory dessert delivered from Dominos!
The next morning, spent the first half of the day back at the hot springs
Then to Leadville
To meet up and hang out with Tim!
And was greeted with Tim’s dog on the roof
What an amazing town that has a view from every road!
Also this town, has THE BEST Cubano sandwiches! It’s reason #2 that I love to visit Leadville
Onward towards Denver, and up Lookout Mtn, overlooking Coors Brewery
After 2 weeks of adventuring from California to Colorado and exploring and showing Mitchell what I love about Colorado, we flew home. With something more shiny and blingy on my finger, and sending rainbow refractions all over the plane
Back to work, and we finally installed my forge in my truck. Let there be fire!
And the next day, the forge was being used at work.
Mid July, and we head up to the lake in Michigan to go boating and have fun with friends!
Day trip to Cleveland area somewhere and we found a pretty waterfall and rocky walkway
First of August and we’re taking a ride around town, thought that the hot air balloons would be flying, but they didn’t
Up for a member’s evening at the Toledo Zoo
Got to see the new polar bear babies
Scoured multiple Walmarts to find 2 KLR toys… I now have a toy model of each of my bikes. Lol
End of August and it’s time for tech day at the Geek’s!
I rode the FJR, Mitchell on his KLR, and my dad on his Gold Wing.
Labor Day weekend, and it’s fair time! Eating fair food and watching clients show
Fried cookie dough, absolute yum!
Cutest award goes to Buttercup and her tiny human!
Following weekend and my sister invited me to an OSU football game.
I’m just here for the band!
It was alumni day and so they did 4 script Ohios! It was incredible!
The following weekend, and I had 2 of the nephews come down and help process our garden veggies.
And helped make applesauce!
Next weekend is EOM!
An amazing part is when Chuck shows up with the really really good stuff.
Saturday’s ride is with Tyler on her Spyder and finding covered bridges
And too bad this museum wasn’t open!
Following behind me and Tyler on the bikes, there was a truck with Mike, Wanda, Mitchell and Sonya.
Weird people in West Virginia
All Y’all make EOM what it is and why I keep coming back
Of course, had to stop at Iron Pony on the way home…
And the Jason keychain found a place on the bike.
Back to work some more
First weekend of October, and I’m dragging the old guys down to Wayne to go trail riding!
Gorgeous trails!
Met up with my cousin and his friend
Wayne, your bike looks a little different now…
Saturday’s ride consisted of more friends joining us
Lunch back at the trailhead
Fun section of trail through a boulder field and trees
And did a photo shoot for the group that was behind me
All of us from Saturday
I haven't gotten videos edited and posted yet from the weekend, check the youtube channel to see when get them up eventually. (hoping for the next week or so)
Stop by Iron Pony, absolutely!
And this year seemed to be the year of weddings to attend, but maybe the most important was his brother’s wedding in Indiana.
Halloween parade with Mitchell’s dad’s company
Playing around with our new toy trailer, and how to strap the bike down. Decided on MotoCinch and E-track.
Mitchell and my dad tinkering on my truck…
So that for thanksgiving, we can load up the camper and toys and head to Wayne National again!
Set up camp boondocking at a trailhead
Turkey baking outdoor, campfire going
Cooking more food in the kitchen
For a wonderful thanksgiving meal
Went out for an evening ride after dinner.
Cousin and his friend pulled in later that evening
The trailhead filled up fast the next morning!
And more friends to ride with!
No leaves on the trees, all on the ground
2 by 2, reindeer and a sleigh?
I crashed the bike twice this weekend, and both on the left side. Ended up busting the radiator. Luckily we were almost done riding…
Mira the moto dog got to sit on my bike!
Beautiful sunset
Dinner around the campfire
Colorful flames
Stop at Iron Pony on the way home!
Got home and cleaned up the toys, and uncovered the radiator to show just how bad I bashed it…
Mid December, and up to the Toledo Zoo for the Lights
Right before Christmas, and I have carpal tunnel surgery on my right hand
So I get to sit at home and relax for the next couple weeks
Christmas day ride, and it’s a little different. It’s 60*, I’m riding pillion with my dad, and Mitchell, cousin Nathan, and Katie and 2 boys joined us this year!
Downtown to the city tree!
Got to finally take the wrap off the hand, and why does such a tiny incision hurt so much!! I totally underestimated what it would feel like…
The bike spotwalla map isn’t too impressive this year… I never turned it on while trail riding on the DRZ, or for any of the small rides around the county. And also didn’t turn it on while out west.
2023 Spotwalla
More videos on my youtube channel
End of the year stats:
FJR odometer- 118,203
FJR miles for 2023- 1,127
FJR states ridden in 2023- 2
DRZ odometer- 9,780
DRZ miles for 2023- 350
DRZ states ridden in 2023- 1
KLR odometer- 831
KLR miles for 2023- 720
KLR states ridden in 2023- 1
States visited in 2023- 7
New states this year- 0
Total states gathered- 47
New stickers- a few
Memories- MANY MANY MANY!!!
Thanks for following along! See you on the next adventure! Onward to 2024!
