I apologize up front for the long ramble...

I am a middle school teacher and I am off for another 4 weeks. One of my plans for this summer was to take a long road trip on my ride. I have gone all over my SG. It is tweaked and tuned and it is running great. New rear tire, handlebars, seat, and windshield...the bike is ready and my bags are packed...I am leaving out sometime in the morning...I plan on riding 6 hours or so and stay the night in a motel somewhere in Mississippi and rolling into Anniston sometime Thursday.

But it seems that I may be the only one who thinks I am ready for this. I was having some strange mental processing issues and just not feeling well one Tuesday morning last September so I left work went to the doctor to get checked out. They ran a bunch of tests...MRI, sonograms, stress tests, etc, and discovered that a fatal stroke or heart attack was imminent and I was rushed to the hospital for an emergency triple bypass and carotid endarterectomy. My recovery has gone well. I was lucky this time.

My doctor asked me why I was doing this and I asked her, "Why not?" What am I going to do? Sit on my *** in the air conditioner and watch summer reruns until school starts back up in August? That ain't happening! All of the rides I have done in my life have been short runs to work, local runs on the back roads...I have never ridden more than 3 hours at one time. I made a promise to myself many years ago that I would get a HD and ride the **** out of it. I damn near checked out before making that ride. As soon as I was dismissed from the hospital, I started shopping for my bike. When I was able to, I went and found the one I wanted and started making plans. I have put about 4K miles on it since December and I am ready for the open road.

I did make one concession...my sweetie insists on following me with the trailer as she says, "Just in case..." I think she and the doctor plotted this one thinking I would be embarrassed and give up on the trip...I told them that I thought that would work out just fine...if I end up broke down on the side of the road (knock on wood), I won't have to wait long for a tow...

I will keep ya'll updated and try to remember to take some photos along the way.

 

Enjoy your ride, we only live once.

 

Hell yeah do it....you just never know if you will get a chance next summer!

 

Life is to be lived. This one is a no brainier. One of the reasons for being a teacher is so you can take long trips on your bike every summer, isn't it? Have a great time and send pictures. Oh, and after the first day tell the sweetheart to go home with the trailer.

 

Honorable Salute skinman, what you do for the kids is awesome.
Live it bro!

 

enjoy the ride! don't push yourself too much and you'll be fine

 

Ya just take it easy and keep the fluids flowing in, water & gatorade that is.

YOLO!

Have fun, road trips are good for the soul.

 

I hope you have a good trip!

 

Running through the south in mid July:

Wear long sleeve white T's
SPF 64 sunblock on everything exposed
Drink A LOT of fluids.
a water bottle fits between my windshield and forks and is within reach to drink while I ride.

 

Go for it Skinman. I'm doing to the thing. Left Southern Il. last Friday. Stopped in Peoria for a couple days to visit family. Now I'm in Hot Springs SD getting ready to ride Needles Highway headed for Deadwood. Already put over 1200 miles on and loving every mile.