It’s been a long time coming, but the adventure has finally started.

Thanks for joining me – I’m really pleased to be able to share a little of the experience that I’m about to have.

So, whats  this all about? It’s not just motorcycles (although that’s a significant part of it) but rather the joy of adventure, whether it’s in your own backyard or anywhere else in the world. There’s so much to see out there, so many things to experience. It’s about finding those out of the way places, trying different food, navigating in big, busy cities or getting lost in the mountains. Wild, remote, peaceful, chaotic – you never know which. You can have so much fun exploring a market or enjoying a local beer. And how good is it when you share the hospitality of a local family, often barely being able to speak a word of their language? In daily life we don’t often get the opportunity to really see what we are capable of. There’s nothing like challenging yourself, toughing it out – experiencing the good and the bad. In retrospect, many of the most trying days become the most satisfying. They’re definitely the most well remembered!  My favourite time of the day, whether here at home or way out west in Cambodia’s Cardamon Mountains, is the late afternoon. Riding along after the heat has settled, when the air is clear and the colours are sharp, everyone is winding down for the day. It’s at these times you really feel the soul of a country.

America has such a significant impact on our lives. The US, rightly or wrongly, drives so much of what happens in the world. It’s in the news every day, it shapes governments and influences people. You can throw a dart at a map and wherever it lands, odds are you’ll have heard of it. The cities, landmarks and people have so much meaning – Mohammed Ali, the Grand Canyon, the Napa Valley, Kansas, the Golden Gate Bridge, New York, Texas, the Bronx……. and on, and on it goes. Hamburgers, a Californian red, grits, pancakes and bad coffee – I can’t wait to taste it all. Clinton or Trump, the San Francisco Giants or the Boston Red Socks – I wonder what the people I meet will have to say? It’s definitely going to be interesting.

And I will be doing it all on a motorbike. You can’t beat two wheels for travelling – so much freedom, so close to the action. It’s exciting and empowering. The intention was to experience the US on a rally modified KTM 690 Enduro R. But, as is want to happen, it didn’t quite work out that way. Instead, I’m on an equally awesome KTM 1190 Adventure R – a bit bigger, a lot heavier, pretty powerful and one hell of a work horse. Regardless, I’ll be on the road for close to a couple of months – no complaints about that!

I’ll be updating the blog pretty regularly and I have a tracking site where you can follow my route in real time. If you’d like to, check it out here.

While I’ll be out there having the adventure of a lifetime, I’ll also be a long way from home. It would be great to hear from you.

Dave