Planned Bike Rides for 2012

Ah, let's see...

I really want to get out there and ride this year. Alaska, Canada, Baja, maybe South America. However, the reality of my situation is that I have about 4 weeks of vacation time in 2012, and not all of that can be taken consecutively...or on my motorcycle. Like many of you, my wife expects, rightfully, that we spend some quality time together in tropical climes. We are planning on Tampa and San Antonio this year. We are seriously considering Australia, too.

Having said that, it appears my Deadhorse, Alaska/Inuvik, Canada ride is not gonna happen until at least 2013. That's fine. The Dalton and Dempster Highways will wait for me. They're calling me up north -- daily -- but they'll wait.

I "may" be on the hook for another USA 4 Corners Tour (http://www.usa4corners.org/) with my friend and fellow CMA'er Ted, who really wants to do this ride. I may be able to knock that out in 2 to 2 1/2 weeks, but that will be some serious riding. That would take place in May/June if it takes place at all this year.

I'd like to do another Iron Butt ride or two, as well. Something exciting and exotic, perhaps the 3 Flags Tour. I have a new (heated) Corbin on my Beemer so that may be my bike of choice for the next long distance rides.

I will likely host a couple of IBA Saddle Sore rides this year, just to show some of my fellow riders how easy and enjoyable a 1000-mile ride in under 24 hours can be.

There are some really interesting IBA rides (www.ironbutt.com/) that I’m considering. The National Parks Tour (visit at least 50 National Parks, Monuments, etc in at least 25 states within 1 year), the 48-10 (ride all lower 48 states in 10 days), the 48 Plus (49 States in 10 Days – ride to all 48 continental states plus Alaska) and the Border-to-Border Insanity (Mexico-USA-Canada in less than 24 Hours). Those are some intriguing rides.

I plan to get out to the desert (Ocotillo, Superstition, Anza-Borrego) for some long weekend camping dual sport rides. I'm slowly but surely putting together a bike equipped to handle all sorts of terrain, weather and distance.

I’ve made some friends on ADV Rider (www.advrider.com/), San Diego Adventure Riders/SDAR (www.dualsport-sd.com/) and Triumph Rocket III Owners (www.r3owners.net/) and would like to meet up with some of them for informal rides throughout the year.

While I'm not a fan of large organized rides, I will continue to participate in charity events and poker runs for good causes. I enjoy supporting other bike groups and community functions relating to motorcycle awareness. Unfortunately, last year I did way too many rides for fallen officers.

Either way, I’ll be out on the road for a day, a weekend or an extended road trip at various times this year. I’ll likely be riding solo and I’ll probably be grinning like an idiot as I experience the sights, the smells and the culture of the road from the saddle of my Big ‘Ol Motorbike.

See ya out there!