The Grand Canyon has the effect of getting you thinking deeply. Of contemplating the universe, existence, life, and death. It’s so awe-inspiring and amazing you can’t help but start to have lots of questions and thoughts. As I rode out away from the North Rim, my mind went to why I was undertaking this journey, this project, this endeavor. I was feeling extremely grateful. I had the idea, I planned it, and I was doing it. It felt and feels great! The thoughts I started to have as to “why” flooded my mind. I knew what it was, what it was meant to be.

A journey across North America on a motorcycle discovering the “Best Version” of who I am, connecting with people, places, and my Higher Self. An overland motorcycle journey and a journey of self-discovery.

That statement is about goals, objectives, and outcomes. It does answer the question as to what the journey is and why I’m doing it. However, there is a much simpler answer. If I asked you to take a deep breath in and hold it for a few seconds, then exhale and If I then asked you, “why did you exhale?” Your answer might be because I had to, that’s how breathing works. Or you might say, it’s a natural process and an involuntary process. So, why am I doing this trip? Simply, I needed to exhale.

Maybe it was fated and not my choice at all. My life has been and is a blessing. I feel a tremendous sense of gratitude. However, I think at times and over the years life can feel like one big deep breath in of doing, of planning, of achieving, of strategizing, of not being in the moment. It’s important to exhale, to let go, and to punctuate the timeline of your life. Moments, experiences, and adventures that are big or small are the things that punctuate the story of our lives. It’s the thing that marks the way things were and how things are evolving. This adventure for me is a natural process of my life and maybe fated to happen by the universe. Simply, I took a deep breath and I’m exhaling for the length of this journey. It’s an endeavor of the soul and the journey is a meditation.

Moments in Time - Highlights from Week 3 that are captured in the photos that follow:

Highway 12, The Million Dollar Road, not to be confused with Colorado’s Million Dollar Highway. Highway 12 takes you from Capitol Reef NP to Bryce Canyon NP via some high elevation twisties to Boulder Overlook, onto the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument and a fair number of iconic views. Day 15 continues...The sheer splendor ... P.S. I love my motorcycle. Takes me to so many cool places 😜
Day 15 complete! Wow! What a blast! Rest day tomorrow for sure and some laundry. The ride from Bryce NP to Cedar Breaks National Monument keeps climbing to over 10,000 feet. Outrageous views and super roads. It’s off season between Skii and Summer crowds so I felt like I had all the roads to myself.
Day 17 Zion National Park and on the way to the Grand Canyon. Zion is amazing and I’m sure if I took the time to hike like other National Parks in Utah it would be spectacular. Happy to have had the chance to ride through Zion, but it is so over capacity! So crowded and overflowing with tourists. All these destination places in Utah are worth the trip, but I’ve encountered hours upon hours of riding through places with no specific designation, which equal or surpass the beauty and tranquility of the tourist stops. Don’t forget the places in between. It’s literally the journey and not the destination.
The Grand Canyon North Rim. Words and pictures can’t convey the serenity that this place grants you, the sheer splendor that is before you, and the humbling feeling you have for nature, time, and the Universe.
Leaving the Grand Canyon North Rim, I made my way deeper into Arizona. The setting was dramatic and screamed Arizona. It’s the picture from every western movie you’ve seen. The Red cliffs and desert. The vastness and the formations in the distance, the haze on the horizon and the canyons with a ribbon of road weaving through the fabric of Arizona. I was on the motorcycle moving through this environment. It felt great. I felt connected and in sync with my surroundings. I entered the Navajo Native American Reservation. The road was straight, and the wind was gusting. I don’t usually listen to music when I ride, but this time was different, and it felt appropriate. The music playing in my helmet was Robbie Robertson and the Red Road Ensemble. I’ve always felt this album tells the story of Native Americans, but more importantly about the perseverance and spirit of a people. For me, it’s a deeply spiritual bunch of songs that take you on a journey through history and touches your soul in a very poignant way. It was both surreal and appropriate to be listening to this as I rode in this part of the country.
The Grand Canyon South Rim. More iconic views that dazzle ... Words and pictures can’t convey the serenity that this place grants you, the sheer splendor that is before you, and the humbling feeling you have for nature, time, and the Universe.
The Grand Canyon South Rim definitely attracts more tourists compared to the North Rim, but the energy was good, and people were having fun.
Overland Expo West. Last minute decisions to attend and camping for a couple of cold nights
Overland Expo West fun event ... and yes, it’s about the people you meet on the road.
Three weeks to the day and I’ve reached the Pacific Ocean arriving in Santa Monica California. A long way from the Atlantic Ocean and Boca Raton Florida. So many awesome experiences were had riding across the country. The land, the people, the spectacular riding, and so much more. One continent crossed, and two oceans visited. Still plenty of time left. Going to grab that compass and head due North. The adventure continues ...