Tour of the Western United States
By Rodney Lorenzen - Sep 26, 2005

A very smart man once said, “eating an elephant is not unlike touring the western United States on a motorcycle.  An elephant is eaten one bite at a time and a motorcycle tour of the western United States is eaten one bite at a time.”

On September 7, 2005, I left my home in Arvada, Colorado, with the primary goal of visiting my son in Northern California – a total distance of 1400 miles.  If all goes well, in four days I’d be basking in the fog rolling off the Pacific Ocean.  After repeating my pre-ride inspections and reassuring myself that my credit card was sufficiently large, my preparations were complete. 

My first day ended without incident in Evanston, WY.  A respectable 450 mile ride into a 30 MPH headwind (the Wyoming locals told me the wind wasn’t blowing!!!???) was not a problem for my King of the Road and its electronic cruise control.  Set at 70 MPH, that motor hauled my 200 pounds down the highway like I was a feather.

After consuming lots of free coffee, the second day’s ride began at mid-morning.  I find riding solo gives me a lot of flexibility as to when I can start, stop, go fast, go slowly, etc.  Besides, I seem never to be alone very long anyway.  Pulling into Elko, NV at 2:00 p.m., gave me more than ample time to find a motel, site see in the town and check my email at the library.  Libraries are incredibly convenient, and they are always well marked.

Late into the third day, I started thinking I should have ridden later into the second day.  After 450 miles, I still had an additional 100 miles to Rohnert Park, CA.  But then I was given a reprieve.  The last 100 miles were through the rolling hills of wine country.  Even getting lost was pleasantly relaxing. 

But let me digress.  Before the wine country something else had gotten my attention.  The California Interstate Traffic!  In case you ever consider driving from San Francisco east on I-80 during a Friday afternoon – don’t!  Until that day I had never seen – up close – so many cars driving so slowly in my life!  Presumably, all of these people were on their way to retirement via the Nevada casinos. 

Reconnecting with my son Nick was everything I hoped it would be and the two of us left right on schedule Saturday morning with Nick in tow.  I was marveling at the sites of the California Pacific Coast Highway 1.  Since I was riding bitch, maybe he had me in tow???  Either way, we were both in ‘HOG Heaven.’  If you’re in need of a sweet environmental shock, I suggest the shores of Northern California.  But where were the people?  I really believe they were all working in San Francisco, trying to pay their mortgages.

After three great days on the coast, I said my goodbyes and headed back toward Rohnert Park on a blacktop road that had not seen traffic since it was opened!  No traffic for 35 miles and some of the most beautiful California interior vistas I’ve seen!  They’re no comparison to Colorado’s, but parts of California really are breath taking. 

The next day, I found myself on CA 101 and I soon forgot the openness of the previous day’s road less traveled.  It was just north of San Francisco at 11:00 a.m., and I had both feet planted firmly on the concrete.  All eight lanes of traffic were stopped.  My only salvation was to closely follow some idiot on a crotch rocket riding one of the center lines.  Whoops!  Make that two idiots.  What a rush for a country boy!  What an experience!!!  But since that rider wasn’t going into the city, neither did I.  I am way too timid to ride all by myself between all those parked cars and their doors.  I said earlier that I had never seen so many cars in my life as were on eastbound I-80 the previous Friday.  Well, now I have.  I suggest you visit San Francisco by air and limo.

After several more days visiting friends in the Santa Cruz and Central Valley areas, I made my way to Carson City, NV via Yosemite National Park.  I may not have made it all the way up Half Dome, but what an exhilarating experience.  Naturally, I should have spent more time, but I wasn’t prepared.  Neither was I prepared at the east end of the park to spend an extra buck a gallon for gas.

I found that Carson City is really close to the Reno Airport, and both participants and spectators were trickling in for there annual air show.  They thought I was going to miss the main events held on the weekend, but the main event for me was seeing and hearing up close a WWII Mustang.  Anyone who rides a bike has to love a Mustang.

Coming back from Carson City should only be done on the Loneliest Highway, NV-50.  This highway runs through Fallon, Ely and then into Utah, which is still lonely.  Those parts of our country are so beautifully sparse, but if you choose that route, remember, it is a desert.  There are no services including cellular!

One more evening at a motel, this one in Salina, UT.  I was within striking distance of home.  After a hearty grand slam, I was on the road again.  The first pit stop available is at the 115 mile mark, so I topped off accordingly.  On that same stretch of I-70, I came across one of my biker dude friends from the previous day.  He was stopped along the highway, talking with law enforcement.  I found out later that jail time is not necessarily required for riding 100 MPH in Utah.  My friend seemed very happy about that!!!

My tour ended on the 12th day as it began, without hurry and without incident.  What a great trip!  Old friendships were renewed and new friendships begun.  The weather was totally perfect.  The bike ran like the well oiled machine that it is and the motels (a lot of Motel 6’s and 8’s) were clean and warm.  I chose the numbered motels not only because I’m cheap, but they always seem willing to give me a room not more than 10 feet from my bike.  The only motel topping this was on the coast.  The manager of that motel said that if I didn’t start my motor and it didn’t leak, I could park my bike in the room.

There’s much more, but this gives a mini glimpse of my September vacation.  Each day of my 3400 mile tour was thoroughly enjoyable because I rode and appreciated each day as they came.  I rode one bit at a time.