In eight hours I will be heading eastbound on my motorcycle destined for Santa Fe, NM. My dear friend Janine will be joining me on her BMW R 700 GS. Our plan is to arrive in Santa Fe on Tuesday afternoon and to stay for a couple of days. We intend to back in LA next weekend.
I'll be updating my blog daily outlining the highlights of our trip. This is my first multi-day, multi-state trip. I'm super excited! Please feel free to leave comments.
UPDATE:
The trip was cancelled on Monday due to engine failure. This is absolutely ok. The new parts (stator and rectifier) arrived yesterday (Friday) and the motorcycle will be repaired soon.
It's not about the destination, it's about the journey. It's about how kind we are with ourselves when things don't go as planned. I'll do the trip another time and I'll blog about it as well. I'm so grateful that the engine issues occurred less than an hour away from home. It's been an amazing week for me even though I wasn't in Santa Fe. Here's a toast to life and equanimity!
Moto Diary | Ortega Highway—Lake Elsinore, CA
Today I had a blast riding up the twisty scenic roads of Ortega Highway with great friend and world-class adventure motorcycle pro, Janine. Here's a snapshot from the top of the mountain next to the popular biker restaurant, Lookout Roadhouse.
VSTROM 1000cc
The other day I picked up my Suzuki VSTROM 1000cc at Del Amo Motorsports in Long Beach, California. Special thanks to the friendly folks at Del Amo for their superb service: AJ, JP and Terry! Also, a big thank you to my friend and rock star chef, Patrick DiGiacamo for finding the bike in the first place! I'm really looking forward to the many adventures ahead both on-road and off-road.
The VSTROM came with everything I wanted: side cases, crash-bars, extra lights and an engine guard. Nice! I really wanted a silver bike and... I got it! Under the green vinyl, which peeled off effortlessly I discovered the original paint job in superb condition!
Here are a few photos for your enjoyment.
