Crossing The Gateway

After swallowing about 200 miles of Interstate 8, we rolled into Yuma, AZ just before sunset. Even though I was bug splattered and full-bladdered, I was still filled with energy. I felt like I could ride another 100 miles. This was my first time riding my own Katie Scarlet out of her home state of California and it filled me with immense pride. Having passed my own personal milestone of riding 3,000 miles solo, our Road Pickle Motorcycle Bohemia is finally a reality.

Reaching this point has meant overcoming many challenges for me. In a rather backwards way, I decided to take this 6 month motorcycle road trip and THEN I learned to ride a motorcycle. To be fair, I had taken the motorcycle training class a couple of years ago, had my endorsement on my license, but hadn't ridden enough to have any experience. Then I took an 8 month hiatus from riding (having no wheels of my own) so I forgot everything I had learned. It took dropping my new Kawasaki Ninja 500 a few times to learn to keep her upright, working with my hubs Highway to relearn how to ride, just to keep my poor, old body from continuously hitting the pavement.

My poor, old body has her own challenges. Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain disorder that sends pain signals to the brain saying there is injury when there is not. My body constantly feels pain, much like that of a person who had a car accident just yesterday; that all over ache, soreness, stiffness, etc. I wake up every day with this pain and manage it all day long. I've learned that avoiding certain foods, eating organically (as much as possible), drinking lots of water and exercise and stretching help greatly. But I am 47 years old and I feel it every day.

But to my credit, I will say that I am determined. It seems if I put my mind to something, it usually happens. (I say the same thing about my amazing daughter too!) So crossing that state line was more than just another mile of road. It was the gateway to the rest of America.

We began in San Ysidro, CA so we can touch all four corners of the lower 48. We hope to ride to Blaine, WA, Madawaska, ME; and Key West, FL, eating and drinking our way from one state to another. I want to stop to see the sights, ask our Facebook and Twitter fans where we should go next and what we should see. I'm not about clicking miles off my odometer, but really experiencing life in America! Stop and really see where we are and what life has to offer. Along the way I plan to buy my man a beer and screw his brains out in every state in the U.S. That's all I want. To see America, meet people, eat good food, love my hubs and make him smile, and ride, ride, ride.

And if that's not a lofty, worthwhile goal for my life, well I don't know what is.