Readers of this blog know that I am an avid touring class motorcycle rider and enjoy opportunities to ride in scenic places in the United States.

A long, long, LONG time ago, when I was on a first-name basis with Julius Caesar, I rode a cousin’s Ducati from Rome, Italy, to Naples, then on to Sorrento, then on the most iconic (and frightening) ride to Salerno along the Amalfi Coast (dodging sheep, goats, and trucks on very narrow, curvy roads.)

However, that was NOT the most adventurous ride I had ever done. A few months later, I found myself in Anchorage, Alaska. I rented a bike especially built for off-road motorcycling. Together with three buddies, we rode the Alaska Highway through mud, snow, rivers, and a million mosquitos to arrive in Dawson Creek, British Columbia. Two weeks, 2,000 miles, 20 million bugs removed from my teeth later, we arrived.

Ah man, what great experiences to have had. These days, there is no way I could endure or want to take such rides. Honestly, I do not know how I survived those two awesome adventures on a motorcycle. (Age of being “invincible,” I guess.)

Then I went to work; real work; real job; didn’t leave much time for motorcycling except for commuting and weekends around home.

I renewed my interest in adventure riding back in …

… 2017 when I flew with a buddy to Salt Lake City, Utah, rented a touring class Harley, and in six days, we rode on what we called “Crazy-Awesome Motorcycle Adventure – I”. We rode 1,200 miles through the “Mighty Five” National Parks of Utah. I learned a hell of a lot on that ride.

I was thinking of doing a similar ride in 2019, but work got in the way. Then my buddy and I planned CAMA Ride #2 for 2020, only to have the pandemic cause us to postpone it.

We rescheduled the “CAMA-II” to 2021, my buddy and I flew to Las Vegas, rented Harleys, and over 10 full days, rode through four states and two nations almost 1,600 miles.

Continuing my interest in tour riding, in 2022, I flew to New Hampshire, met my buddy “S”, and over 5 days, I rode 733 miles through lovely scenery in five states.

My last adventurous motorcycle ride comes up in one week. On 11 September, my riding buddy “S” and I will fly to Phoenix, Arizona. Day 1 is our travel day.

We will stay in a hotel in Mesa, AZ, that night. (We stay in hotels on all these rides. We are not campers. We like a hot shower, good bed, and bug-less air-conditioned separate sleeping arrangements.)

Then we begin our trip. We will rent Harleys and ride:

Day 2. Phoenix to San Carlos, AZ, to visit the Apache Nation.

Day 3. San Carlos to Clifton, AZ, the staging ground for a mega-thrill ride on…

Day 4. Clifton through the Coronado Trail Scenic Byway (U.S. 191, aka “Devil’s Highway”). This road is the siren call to motorcyclists, with over 400 turns and switchbacks and dramatic rises in elevation.

If we survive, we will stay in a hotel at the top of this ride in St. John’s, AZ, the middle of nowhere.

Day 5. We will ride northwest and turn northeast to ride through the Petrified Forest. We will end up that night in Window Rock, AZ, the capital of the Navajo Nation.

Day 6. We ride north to Monument Valley, Utah. I have arranged a sunset photo tour with a native Navajo photographer guide. We will stay the night in a luxury cabin.

Day 7. The day begins with a quick turn north on Rt. 163, then turn around so I can ride on the infamous “Forest Gump Hill” back into Monument Valley. I’ve always wanted to do that, and we missed it when we were there in 2021. Our day ends as we return to Arizona and ride to Tuba City, the ancestral home of the Hopi Nation.

Day 8. We ride due south to explore the canyons and byways of Sedona, Arizona, where we will stay for the night.

Day 9. We skedaddle back to Phoenix and return our rental bikes. We will stay the night again in Mesa.

Day 10: fly back home.

I have referred to this ride being my last “adventurous motorcycle ride.” Yes, that’s right. Going out on top. After this ride, my riding days will be slowly ending. I will explain that on a future blog post.

Life is short: ride while you can and love life!