great big world

I found this butterfly in my boot in
Sequoia NP when I picked it 

I'm sitting at the base of a HUGE sequoia. The Giant Forest reminds me of Joyce Kilmer forest back closer to home. (I am getting more homesick every day.) The trees themselves have that silent strength that reminds me of my fragility. No matter how deep and strong my roots, these massive beasts will be here long after my roots return to the earth. And I love that :) Margie stayed at the entrance of the park to have lunch with a friend. I thought we were going to ride straight through and head to Yosemite, but it was an amazing ride in, and it's nice to sit in the forest and write alone.

Napa Vally scenery

 Yesterday morning we pointed our bikes to Yosemite National Park and waved bye to Dave and Posey, rested and fresh. We got to ride through the Eucalyptus Trees again (sigh :) Napa Valley was... oookay... The scenery was mostly golden grassy hills with occasional grape vines, low scrub trees, with the occasional eucalyptus tree. Traffic was congested. Hwy 12 moved slowly. I guess it wouldn't be so bad if I was in a different mood (maybe a wine drinking mood ;)

 But I wanted to be at Yosemite already ("Are we there yet?") and had more than one conversation with myself about patience and how I want to live to be an old-lady motochick. Margie's been teaching me a lot about how to be safe. I'm thinking about doing a post entirely composed of the things I've learned on this trip relating to motorcycle travel and safety. Maybe when I get home and get some sleep.

Enjoying the fresh air in Yosemite

We arrived at Yosemite late afternoon,  and I could have spent a month there. I don't even know how to describe it. The road into the valley floor twisted and turned like only National Park roads do (preserving as much of the natural landscape as possible, I assume). It took us through some fun tunnels too. I really enjoy the sound my bike makes in tunnels as it roars powerfully :)

Hurricane Amanda

 Three thousand three hundred and twenty-nine miles from the East Coast in Georgia to the West Coast in California :)

 After we parked in San Diego I slept for a two hours and then we were up and being productive. I was staying with a Sergeant Major, I didn't want him to think I was a pussy ;) Hey I was raised by veterans- these are my people. Of all the different types of people in the world, I am most comfortable around service members. I understand their language.

 We took my bike down to Eason at House of Motorcycles in San Diego. My mechanic in El Paso told me I would need a new tire soon. Also I lost a bolt in my kickstand somewhere along the highway. I really needed that replaced so I didn't have to hunt down a rock to keep my bike and heavy bags from falling over when we stopped for fuel. And San Diego was the logical place to get it because we were gonna hang out with Margie's bad ass cousin all day. Those guys really took care of me. I explained that I was only in town for the day. They don't service Ducatis so they couldn't fix my leak, which is fine since I really would like Vic or Daniel from NPRDucati to fix it back home. But they set me up with a tire and bolt for a reasonable price. Nolan (the mechanic who serviced my bike) even noticed that I was missing a clip on my chain and fixed it for me. I was really happy with my experience there, if you need work while you're passing through San Diego, I highly recommend them.

 After dropping it off we went to lunch at Cafe Elysa. I ordered the eggs benedict and they were delicious. I understand that all their ingredients are locally sourced. Eggs, bacon and sausage, watermelon and strawberries,  everything was grown or produced in California. The cafe was a block from the Pacific Ocean so we walked to their and I got to put my toes in the Pacific Ocean for the first time in my life. I felt accomplished. I have always told myself that I could accomplish anything I set my mind too, and I'm really starting to believe it :)

 We returned to Calvin's home where we loaded up the surfboards. And headed back out for the beach for my introduction to surfing!!!! Now, in case you are reading this and you don't know me well, I have a crippling fear of being in water when I cannot see the bottom. When I'm swimming in deep water, I start to hyperventilate, my muscles stop responding to commands from my brain...it's not a pleasant experience. But, I figured if I could ride 800 miles in a day on a motorcycle, cross the country on bike, and all that entails, there were worse ways to go than having a creature swim up from the depths and eat me. And somehow I was able to master my fear, at least for a little while. Not that I'm fearless, by any means. But I'm certainly different, changed.

 Plus it helped that Calvin truly is a badass. He has a Purple Heart and a slew of other awards from his service. I wanted to do a whole paragraph on just his life, because he's had a fascinating, albeit tragic career, but he asked me not to. I've found members of the service are often hesitant to allow others to brag on them. I want to tell the world some of their stories because I feel like the majority of the population doesn't know what's it's like to be in the military. I certainly didn't (even though my parents and several other people in my life served), we just don't talk about it. I knew this trip would change my perspective of my country. The landmarks and wonders of the world have been everything and more than I expected. But I wasn't prepared to learn so much about the military.  The lifestyle, the sacrifices,  the rewards. I am soooo glad we are raising money for The Wounded Warrior Project, because it makes it easy to bring the military into my conversations with people. I have learned so much. I get to talk to people about the military who aren't exposed to military in everyday life.

 If you want to learn a little about Sgt Maj, you can read here, but know that he is so much more than even that bio could describe. I was truly honored to spend time with him, learn from him, and  I knew the Loch Ness and Great Whites would sense Calvin's powerful presence and stay away. (I felt safe with him.)

 The first Pacific Hurricane of the season was sitting off the coast of Southern California. The National Weather Service named her Hurricane Amanda. I shit you not. She did not come to land, and she didn't push up crazy waves to surf on. The National Hurricane Center said "Amanda is now the strongest May hurricane on record in the eastern Pacific basin during the satellite era." She reached a category 5 in strength with winds up to 155 miles per hour. I should stop by a track and see if I can get up to that speed just for kicks and giggles. Wellington would top out, but maybe I could convince Margie to let me borrow her Duc Hyper 1100.

 I didn't stand up on the surfboard. I barely got to where I could balance without flipping my board over. I caught two waves for a few seconds and immediately fell over. But I stayed in the water and tried until my muscles started betraying me by cramping up. Surfing is one of those things that people make look easy. It was an effing workout. Calvin caught a few waves, the three of us smoked cigars on the beach. I walked a little and found a cool rock to take home to my mother, Margie and Calvin caught up more, as families do when they spend years apart :) 

Lastly,  I did get to try In and Out Burger. So many people told me to try it that I caved on my commitment to only eat at mom/pop restaurants. We added some jalapeños Calvin had for extra kick. It woulda been awesome without them, but y'all know I like spice ;)

Next update will be about our ride up the Pacific Coastal Highway!

~Amanda Terranova

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all my loving

 We slept in yesterday (this is the best thing about not having a set route or timetable). I knew we were planning on staying two nights on Brett's couch because we wanted to spend some time with him. (Also I needed him to make sure Wellington's oil leak wasn't going to cripple our trip - he entered my life as my moto-mechanic at NPRDucati and became my friend). So Margie and I stayed up late catching up with Brett, even after traveling 800 miles :) I think we may try to qualify for Iron Butt on the way home.

 So we moved leisurely to his favorite shop Ace Moto. Where we washed the bikes, shared our story, and talked about The Wounded Warrior Project. Looks like Welly's oil leak is going to survive the trek back across the country (crosses fingers). And the guys from Ace took us to Tony's BBQ for lunch (Thank you Ace and Chop!) where I had this magical dish called a hash burrito. I don't know or care what kind of meat it is because it was effing delicious. A little burnt and crunchy. Yum! (Turns out it is the fat and trimmings from their delicious brisket chopped and cooked again... which explains why it was so amazing.)

 While we were at Ace's I met Keith,  a local El Pasian(?) who possesses a wealth of knowledge about fun riding in the area (mostly in the mountains to the north in NM).  We left Brett to help with some bikes at Ace's and set out to follow Keith around to a few of El Paso's motorcycle shops. It sucks that the US ships so many of our men and women out to that desert (I was told Fort Bliss was the largest training facility our country has). It was midafternoon, and Margie and I were following Keith down the interstate....along this stark, beautiful, desert mountain terrain. I kept looking at the mountains, thinking that there had to be a fun road to ride up there.... a dirt road or SOMETHING. Suddenly, Keith made a left turn and we were riding into the hills. From what I could tell, we rode the ONE curvy road in that desert to Santa Teresa Motorsports. It had long fast sweepers and lots of scenery to look at. I bet the view from up there is phenomenal at night... all the dancing lights of El Paso, Fort Bliss, and Juarez.

 I'm really looking forward to my next trip out west (yeah, I'm dreaming already.... :) because of all the awesome people I've met along the way. Like Diego at Santa Teresa Motorsports who seems like a riot. And Tiffany at Freeway Powersports- who gave me her personal cell number in case we ran into trouble as we crossed New Mexico and Arizona.

 Unfortunately,  El Paso doesn't seem like the greatest place to live. Brett told me about the hail and hellish dust storms. The lack of curvy roads made me ache for Georgia.  But the people who live there are really cool. And the food... they can effing cook. The three of us (Brett, Margie, and I) even found some decent jazz music at The Black Orchid (though we were slightly under dressed in our tshirts). It was fun hanging out with Brett's Army buddies and gave me a lot of food for thought heading into Memorial Day.

 Margie was able to convince Brett to miss Five Finger Death Punch and join us for the next leg of our trip. I don't know how she did it- the woman's got skills. Especially considering he spends a lot of time "camping" in the desert for the Army already. And we headed out for Truth or Consequences, NM. Yes, a town exists called Truth or Consequences. It's in New Mexico. We found a campground on the Rio Grande River and set up camp.

Brett's bad ass ride for the 
day- a Royal Enfield, you can find them 
in El Paso at Ace Moto

  Camping in the desert is not for sissies. But the rewards are more than enough to make up for the weather. The weather during the day was glorious.  The sunset lit up the mountains,  giving them a golden-red glow. It was picturesque. And I have seen more wildflowers in the desert than back home. Purples, oranges,  yellows... There's all sorts of cacti blooming too. At night, the wind picked up something fierce and it rained. It was cold, very cold. Very. I think I got probably three hours of sleep.

 Strangely, I woke refreshed. It might be the exhilarating adventure or something like it. But no matter how little I sleep I always have more than enough energy for the next leg... oh, and coffee, lots of black, delicious, coffee. If you find yourself in Truth or Consequences look up Happy Belly Deli for really good healthy food options. I hope you do find yourself there at least once :)

 In the morning we said goodbye to our Private First Class and hit Hwy 152 into Gila National Forest. Where we finally found some curves, they almost reminded me of the Tail Of the Dragon on the North Carolina/Tennessee border. I'm not an advanced rider by any means (I finally feel like a solid intermediate three years after I got my license and probably 15 to 20 thousand miles or so on two wheels.), and I'm still learning how to straighten out a curve and ride turns with a decreasing radius. I could've ridden those roads for days, but we have a mission to see the Pacific Coast and get home to our families, friends, pups, and beds.

Arizona. .. or New Mexico, I can't remember

If you must cross Arizona on a bike, I recommend making the leg at night. Yeah, we missed some awesome scenery, but the part we rode in the afternoon was miserably hot. It heat sedated me and made me groggy after my sleepless night on the ferocious Rio Grande. The terror of watching a dust storm, crossing the sand, gaining speed, heading for my line was exhausting (it never before occurred to me that I could run out of throttle when I needed it). At night the weather cooled a little, and lights danced on the horizon again, reminding me of the ride into El Paso.

Sunset just outside of Phoenix

 I'd planned to stop for the night in Yuma, AZ. But when we pulled in to fuel up around 10pm the gas station attendant told us that the temperature reached 107°F during the day and it was still 101°F. Our air cooled bikes don't work well at high temperatures,  so after a very short powwow (me:"fuck that" Margie:"lets ride") and a long break, we pushed off.

  Cleveland National Forest, the park, reservation, and mountainous area just east of San Diego has elevations that reach 4000+ feet. The constant blast of cold air was a bit of a shock after the heat of the desert.  It was probably close to three in the morning by that point, so the cold helped keep me awake. I suspect the park would've topped my list of favorite rides so far if I had chosen to stop and change into my warm clothes. But I'd gotten to a point where I just wanted to get to the coast. I'm more than a little stubborn, driven, ambitious,  headstrong, whatever.

 Oh, there was one eerie event in those mountains. So the leg through Cleveland was dangerous. There were high winds trying to blow us of the mountains, lots of risky turns and bridges. Luckily, the cold air kept us sharp. All of a sudden, I had a thought- Slow down a little and watch for animals that inhabit the wilderness. Not 60 seconds later, just out of the next curve, a creature lumbered across my line. If I hadn't slowed on the other side of the mountain, if would've been right in the middle of my road. I didn't get a good look at it in the darkness, but it was a dark gray/brown, I would guess between 35 to 50 pounds, and lumbered like a racoon as it ran. I felt like mother nature was really taking care of us, ensuring our safe arrival to the coast. I will return to that place, (maybe for a pack in camping trip?) it has a special magic.

 I was just ready to be here :) The sun was coming up when we parked the bikes, I'm going to sleep for a few hours and play in the Pacific Ocean "tomorrow."

~Amanda Terranova

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HERE

everythings more texan in texas

~Amanda Terranova

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Someone left the gate open

 Left out of Darien GA this morning at 10 am or so. I'm hoping that we will find a rhythm or system so we can get an earlier start over the next few weeks. So many things to see! But who knows, I do like to celebrate with friends in the evening ;)

Waterfront Wine Shop- "Cheeses & Me" ;)

 Waterfront Wine Shop in Darien hosted the party last night. It is a really nice place if you are in the area. (Stop by when you go to Sapelo Island!) They have other local foodie goodies too,, cheeses, honeys, etc. All the things you need for a party ;) I collected a few more donations for WWP- thanks to Moran and McClure for their generous donations. 



 I'm sitting in a sushi place in Tifton GA With Margie and Stephanie (who joined us for the first leg of the trip!!) We are discussing the possibility of stopping at Fort Benning (also known as "The War College according to Stephanie) if we can find a contact there. 




 Riding today should be boring, the roads in south Georgia are straight and wide, but I am so excited to be traveling across the country that I love love love it. There is a lot to see here, wildlife in the swamps, abandoned farm buildings and equipment,  ...not abandoned fields of hay (which already smells heavenly) and corn. Georgia really is a beautiful state, and so geographically diverse with the mountains, piedmont, and coast.

~Time to ride, Margie getting antsy ;)

~Amanda Terranova

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a long way to go :)

 I packed the motorcycle up last night, everything. Yes, I know that it was a little premature because I don't leave for several days. But I wanted to make sure the saddle and tail bags I got would work. Also I am gonna be really busy over the next few days preparing for the Kickoff Party, and at work finalizing things so I can be gone for a few weeks. (Have I told you yet that I have the best boss in the world...? Well, I do :)

 I am happy to report that everything fit :) (derp- except my tablet... I am having trouble deciding which bag to put it in so I can keep it relatively cool and the like, but it doesn't take much space). 

Practice Pack. Everything fit!

 One of the best pieces of advice I got when I was asking around for tips- Make a list and then cross off every other line. This gives you an idea how light you need to pack. Every ounce you weigh your bike down with will reduce your fuel mileage and increase your wind drag.

 Below is a list of everything I am taking. There are a few luxury items, like I dont need a dress and high heels, but I just want them ;) hopefully someone will give me an opportunity to wear them. If not, I will just dress up for a night around a campfire. 

 A few things that got the ax-- s'mores supplies and my digital camera. I have my phone (for pics) and Margie has a GoPro so I decided the camera was surplus... and I am sad to leave the s'mores stuff, but it came down to them or the high heels, and I can buy s'more stuff on the road-- I don't want to be buying shoes (I really don't need any more effing heels). The Gerbing Heated Jacket liner almost got the ax but I really hate to be cold... really, really despise it. 

On my face- a Buff, a
motochick's best option for keeping the helmet hair under control

 There are a few other things I considered bringing, but in the end I decided that there is a Walmart, Dick's Sporting Goods, and mechanic's shop in most towns and cities along the way. If I find out that I am lacking something I can pick it up. (Like a camp stool-- I meant to order one, but I didn't get around to it!)

If you think I'm leaving off something important, let me know! 

On my person:
-Buff
-flashdrive on keychain
-personal protection item 
-protective gear, including my Icon Elsinore Boots, which I LOVE
-sunglasses
-watch
-wrist brace

Bungeed to the bike:
-hammock
-sleeping bag
-sleeping pad
-tarp and rope

Right Saddle Bag:
-batteries
-binoculars
-books
-bungees
-compass
-emergency blanket
-first aid kit w/ rubbing alcohol and meds
-flashlights x4
-Gerbing heated jacket liner and associated wiring
-gloves, leather
-heels, high ;)
-sunscreen
-sandals
-tent stakes
-tire plug kit
-tennis shoes
-WWP handouts
-map with phone numbers and other valuable info

Left Saddle Bag
-camp stove and fuel
-cup
-coffee
-dry box
    -lighters x3
    -tea filters for coffee
    -tampons
    -fishing line and hooks
    -water purification tabs
-helmet bag
-protein bars x2 boxes (I live off that sh*t)
-water bottles x2, collapsible

Tank Bag:
-cell phone and extra battery
-chapstick
-condoms
-ear plugs x10
-head lamp
-kickstand plate
-lighter
-Pit Paste
-playing cards
-tire gauge
-wallet
-wet wipes

Tail bag:
-bandanas/extra Buffs
-chargers, phone & tablet
-clothing
    -dress
    -jeans (one pair other than the ones I will wear)
    -shorts
    -sleep wear
    -socks x3
    -tanks x2
    -tees x2
    -underwear x4
-garbage bags
-journals and writing instruments
-makeup
-postcards
-Scrubba
-toiletries

~Amanda Terranova

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"You can't always get what you want"

 I've finally gotten some sleep and feel human again. It's been a busy weekend. I'm starting to look forward to the alone time in my helmet. The bike wash on Saturday was a success :) You can check out the pics below!

 There was a punk rock show at Caledonia Lounge this weekend. One of my friends is a huge fan so I was lucky to get introduced to a fun style of music. And I added a few new local bands to my favorites list. Check out Burns Like Fire and Ganges Phalanges the next time you see them on a play bill.

 I got a gentle reminder this weekend the veterans The Wounded Warrior Project are helping could be (and are) my friends and loved ones. Even though I was raised by two military police officers- I find myself disgustingly ignorant of the challenges facing Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom veterans. The veterans of my generation. These guys and gals are my firemen, security gaurds, nurses, tutors, bartenders, fellow students, neighbors, and homeboys :)

 I was also reminded our OIF/OEF Veterans are just like me and nothing like me. They have similar dilemmas as I (Like how does my motorcycle collect so many effing bugs? Did I really forget to pay my cell phone bill? And my aging dog is making me anxious about leaving him for this trip...). But veterans are very different from me in the sacrifices they've made and their life experiences. Most vets have spent months or years away from their loved ones on boats and planes. But mostly alternatively baking and freezing in the desert. Sometimes living in tents with an inescapable threat of death or serious bodily injury every day. So take care of the veterans in your life because they took care of you (in ways we won't ever know or understand).

I spoke to a young, veterans wife this weekend that told me about WWP provided her husband with job training and hooked him up with businesses that were hiring. She told me that they recently took him fishing. She explained exactly how valuable that trip was in reducing his stress level, helping him be a better father, husband, and employee. I'm proud to be raising money for WWP. 

 Your next opportunity to come out and have a good time for a worthy cause is May 16th (from 6pm until 11pm....or midnight... or lets see how the night goes ;) We are organizing a bon voyage celebration at Allison Creek Farm. It will be an intimate setting with lots of laughter and cheers, taking advantage of their pavilion and bar area. A friend of my family is gonna cook up some ribs (I'm thinking about begging Trae up at Kumquat Mae to conjure up some delicious food with her magic.)  But I think we are going to keep it to finger style foods and a wet bar downstairs. You can find the address below but please contact me to get on the list. Anyone is welcome to attend. There will of course be music :) I've started working on a play list for this party.

 Also regarding music, I need a few suggestions for music to listen to on my trip, I'd like to know what y`all listen to while you travel. Maybe I'll do a post about it somewhere along the way.

Bike Wash and Cookout Thanks to:
 Everyone who attended, brought bikes, appetites, and smiles :)
 Arienne, Amy, Rachel donated their time and energy to help me wash bikes (also one Vespa and a Porsche) and collect donations. Thank you, my friends, for being willing to get dirty, and doing the tiring work.
 Bob Suter and DJ Clarke as grillers.
 NPRDucati for the pavement, water, hours invested, promotions, and most importantly expertise, I'm sure I'm forgetting somethi
 Kumquat Mae for the delicious cookies :)
 Cori Carter and Justin Morris for taking pics. 
 My father, my sister, and Duarte for the background support. 

 This endeavor has been another reminder of my amazing support system, not just my family but my invaluable friends. I hope I bring half as much value to your lives as you bring to mine. And thank you for putting up with my energy :) 

~Amanda Terranova
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