Setting the stage...

So, we (fellow APD officer Gary W. and I) have decided to take a motorcycle trip next May/June (2010) in celebration of our upcoming mid life crisis. The plan is to fly south (AZ, CO, TX, NM....) and buy motorcycles then head back up to Alaska. At this point we are planning on a 14-16 day trip to allow us to see some of the sights and visit family on the way back.

We are still in the infancy of the planning at this point, but we have been able to come up with a bike preference. We will be looking for gently used BMW 1200 GS motorcycles outfitted with paniers. The thought here was looking ahead at some dirt road adventures when we get back to Alaska. Originally I was sold on the Goldwing for all of it's creature comforts, but Gary talked some sense into me and my mind has been changed.





Earlier this summer when the plan was just starting to solidify, Gary and I took a fairly major step and took the MSF ABATE class (motorcycle safety) and got our motorcycle license. I say a "fairly major" step because neither of us have a motorcycle at this point.... I rode for a few years when I was just out of high school but never bothered to get my endorsement. Now, we are both legal! I'm thinking of buying a cheap bike to have up here to get some mileage on both this fall and in the spring before the "trip". Jumping on to a bike and going 4500 miles without some prep time would be a recipe for disaster.

It is going to be a long winter....