Home, Home on the Range....

What a wild one...

My Hat

My favorite hat is back in action. Not that anyone cares but me. Actually, now that I think about it, some people do care. Most people think that I need a new hat.

Ending an Argument

As a response to all of those who I discussed American cars with:


You're right. I don't like them either.

The Road to Aspen

5 Days in Colorado

Hardware

Throughout the last six months I maintained that I did not miss much from home, and now I realized that I missed exactly three things: persons of importance in my life, Eldora Colorado and McGuckin hardware in Boulder. I just wasted almost two hours in this store. I know how silly this sounds, but a good hardware store can be truly amazing.

Today I almost talked myself into buying a cool foldable hacksaw, a drill with a stock like a rifle, a crossbow, and a really nice tea pot. I can't tell you how many times in the last six months I wasted an entire day looking for a part that McGuckin's has in six different colors and sizes. Take that Home Depot. You stink.

Working

Well, life in Denver is less exciting than life in my tent. Life in Denver is apparently also full of work. Working hard to get a chance to work harder.

Bienvenidos

"Welcome to America. Give us your... fingerprints, a digital picture and your dignity. In response, as TSA employees we promise (and ceaslessly prove) to be rude, undertrained, over-mandated, confused and generally ineffective."

Pre Post Script

WARNING: If you haven't read the directly previous post, this post will not make sense.

If you have: I will most certainly be maintaining this blog while I am working on my applications. I figured that everyone enjoyed watching me suffer on the bike physically, a little intellectual suffering should be entertaining too. Glad you think so. Keep watching.

Fly Apply Fly

INTRODUCTION:

As planned my trip is about half completed. It certainly doesn't feel that way. I feel as though I have just started. The last 6 months seemed to have disappeared.

So much has happened that I worry that I won't remember it all. Thankfully I have taken more pictures than I can look at, and written more than I probably want to read. Trust me, this blog contains highly editorialized (reduced) content.

BODY:

After much thinking about motorcycles (I sit on one every day) I have decided that it is not enough just to sit on them. In fact, I could draw them (or cars, boats, planes, trains, forks, etc.). It is with this revelation (and a great conversation with Blake) that I have decided to apply to Industrial Desgin school.

What is "Industrial Design" you might ask? I'm. not really sure either, but it just feels good to choose something. So, in anticpation of my attendance I intend to apply. That is why I am comming home. Today. Really. For 2 months.

In the next 2 months I hope to finish my portfolio, fill out applications, put my portfolio AND applications in envelopes, put the envelopes in the mail (with stamps afixed), and obtain the visas neccessary to complete the second half of this trip.

To Be FAQ:

-Am I excited about comming home?

Yes: I will get to see family / friends, and apply to school.

No: I won't get to live in my stinky tent for two months. As odd as it sounds, I will miss this dearly. I love this lifestyle.

-Am I really going to finish the "second half" of this trip?

Yes.

-What will the "second half" consist of?

I'm not telling yet, but I will need at least 3 visas, a carnet for the bike, at least 2 more sets of tires, a heavy coat, a new t-shirt, a snorkel, a dollar for In-N-Out Burger, and some new underwear (yes, I will still take 5 pairs).

CONCLUSION:

So that's it, I'm comming home. The bike is nestled away in the nicest garage that it will ever see, my tent and sleeping bag are at "full smell" ready to return to duty, and I am ready to fly then apply. Repeat as neccessary: fly, apply, fly....fly, apply, fly....fly, apply, fly......

Fashion Police

As if casually waving your key fob at your car to set the alarm wasn't cliche enough. I just saw a rather tough-looking guy gently gesture over the shoulder with his keys, producing a corresonping "beep, beep" from his jewelry store nearby. I wonder if he has "The Club" on the register?

Blessed

There go the headlights too. I swear that this blog is not just a vehicle for self-pity.

Blessings

The lesson learned today is that I need to be more careful when I count my blessings. Yesterday, I waxed lovingly about my bike (but not the radiator fans specifically).

Today, both of my radiator fans melted to my radiator, and promptly shorted out. It can only get hotter from here.

Falling in Love All Over Again

Before I eat my dinner at the first campsite I have ever seen with a dedicated security guard, I have to tell you about my day. The riding was not all that great, and I didn't see anything amazing, but I did change the oil in my bike.

After 3 hours of cleaning and oil changing I realized that both of these tasks were probably overdue. It feels good to see syrup through my sight glass instead of crude. The bike looks fantastic and runs better for it.

Reinforcing my affection, I received at least ten verbal compliments on the bike today (full disclosure: none of these compliments were in English. These people may have had some sort of emergency to which I consistently replied "ah, ok, muchos gracias").

One man, after complimenting the bike profusely tried to sell me perfume (I refused the sample spray) and a video camera. I was not interested, and neither were the 20 other people that he asked at the service station (though most everyone else enthusiastically accepted the sample spray). Video camera, not sold.

After writing all of this I am forced to realize that the real point of this post was to say how much I like my bike. This is no small feat, after being together 24 hours a day for six months, we haven't had a disagreement yet. This is a "relationship first" for me. I couldn't have choosen a better machine.

Seriously though, I really like this bike. If I haven't mentioned it before, it's really fast too.

Alhambra and Generalife

The Alhambra was truly incredible beyond words. I studied both the buildings and the gardens five years ago, but I was still completely unprepared for how beautiful, vast and impressive this place was. The €10 entry has to be the deal of the month. I hope that my pictures might show the incredible variety of intimate and public spaces that exist here. Even after trying to look everywhere, I am sure that I missed a lot.

Do not go to Spain without seeing this place for yourself.

Fonky Fruiteria

This peach was really that good. After eating this one, I realized that I have not had a properly ripe peach before. Jessica, was also excited. Secondly, how can you resit an invitaion that is literally "written on the wall."

Pasada De Colón in Granada

Found yet another great hostel, filled with, and run by interesting people. For those of you who can read Danish: ¿what does my shirt say?

Also, look at all of this cool stuff that I can type with this Spanish keyboard: º ¬ € ñ ç ª | `` ^¡ ¿

Granada

After the hectic ride into Granada, I fell asleep. After that I walked around. No I haven't been to the Alhambra yet, but I am going tomorrow. Here are some of the things that interested me after my "siesta." Disproportionate donuts, nuns and a big face.

Thoughts on the Motorcycle

After taking yet another picture of my motorcycle, I began to consider the obvious, my rear tire is really, really wide. Seriously, look at that thing. Yes, it is supposed to be that wide. I as well think it looks great.


A second motorcycle thought: This is a BMW HP2. 105 hp / 85 ft/lb 175 kg dirt bike. Beautiful, rare, a little useless, and very desirable.

After writing this post I realize that my 330 km/hr bike is pictured on a dirt road, while BMW's "ultimate" trail bike is found on a sidewalk in Granada. Thus the versatility of the motorcycle.

Portugal

I will admit that before I went to Portugal I knew very little about it. I left Portugal knowing that I would be back at some point. The country was beautiful, diverse, interesting, and without a doubt, contained the nicest people that I have yet to meet on this trip.

I have never been to a place that is to unself-consciously relaxed. In six days I rode from the North, all the way to the South. I swam in the Atlantic, ate lots of olives, and rode my motorcycle over a Roman bridge built in the third century AD. Also, the food was great, and cheap.

Quick: everyone to Portugal!

5pairs > 1000pairs

As a particularly salient example of my preference for my lightweight travel philosophy, consider this German couple. Not only did they have chairs, a table and a boombox, their tent was big enough for them to park their motorcycles inside. Not next to where they slept, but rather in one of their tent's three rooms. You will see their blue tent in the background of the third photograph. It took them 45 minutes to unpack, and I can't imagine the ingenuity required to repack these bikes. I had to wonder, has either of them ever asked: why not take a bus next time?

Roads and Requests

1. After a long, hot and somewhat frustrating day of riding I found myself without a place to sleep. After following signs for 10 km to a deserted campground earlier in the day, I wasn't expecting much from the next sign that I saw.

This second sign led me to the best motorcycle road that I have ever ridden. I can't imagine topping this. Elevation changes, lots of different corners, great surface, incredible scenery, and just the right length (an often overlooked catergory-too much at once and my brain melts). This blows the roads iin Andorra, Germany, France, etc...into the weeds. Everyone get here quick. Oh yeah, the campsite is nice. One final note, I filmed the ride. Later you will be jealous.

2. I have a cell phone with me. From this phone I can post to my blog (watch this trick here), receive calls from the select few who have the number, and feel more confident that if my bike exoplodes in Morocco I will have someone to complain to immediately.

This phone also apparently provides business opportunities. "Janet" (I don't know her either) just left a message about her incense order. She needs "jade" and "strawberry", and lots of it. I may not be the "Jackson International" that she is looking for, but I am sure I can find a couple "kilos" of incense. When I do, I'll call her back "asap" (her acronym), just as she requested. Weird.

Reciprocity

For those of you who know Robbie Will you might understand this post at a fundamentally different level. For those that don't know Robbie, the neccessary background is that he is a good friend, and our conversations have always covered a narrow band of subjects. Namely: cars, girls, sleeping, eating and cars.

If your first reaction is to scoff, don't. We often come to some important conclusions. One conversation that has always stuck with me though is our discussion of mechanical reciprocity. I am not talking about engineering or physics, rather I am referring in general to "the golden rule."

Robbie and I had often lamented that when we were old enough to be enthusiatic about a beautiful car, motorcyle, etc. we never seemed to be old enough to elicit the respect of the owner. Not just denied respect, we compared notes to find that often, we were denied even a "thanks" for our "cool car" comments that were offered as a jeasture of admiration.

For some young boys, getting to talk to the owner of (not to mention sit in) a cool car is an experience that is seared into memory. Robbie and I often discussed the frustration and denial that we felt when our enthusiasm was not recognized. Robbie's simple solution was that he would encourage and embrace a new generation of machine-loving kids through rides, discussions and turns sitting behind the wheel.

Tonight I realized a chance to employ Robbie's logic. As I left the restaurant where I had just had dinner, I saw a eight or nine year old boy looking at my bike. Out of shyness he wouldn't come to close to the bike, even as I offered. Ready to leave, I could see in my mirror that he was waiting to here it start. I suddenly realized that I had a chance to piss off an entire Portuguese town (pop 200) and make a boy's week, all in the same moment.

Accomplishing this dual feet required only my normal starting procedure: bike in neutral, kickstand up, key turned, buttom pushed, first gear, full throttle. Trying to both watch where I was going and watch his reaction was difficult. All I could make out was him running to his unimpressed dad and pointing with all of his might. What a great idea, thank you Robbie.

Keyword: Almost

This morning I almost fell victim to cold tires, 160+ hp and a not altogether smooth, but entirely enticing roundabout. Though this is an extremly forgiving bike, its generosity extends only so far. I must assume that the driver of the Audi behind me thought she was watching a little speedway practice (if you don't know speedway, google it, crazy riders).

Matt at 10:15: just a little more humble.

Holy Crap Your Headlights Are On

I feel like I'm in high school again. For those of you who don't know (I can't think of someone who wouldn't) I was well versed in the procedures of the Denver traffic courts almost immediately after getting my driver's liscence. I am meeting a lot of cops lately.

Yesterday, I was pulled over, again. This time I was pulled over because my headlights were on. The officer also mentioned that my liscence plate was too small and that I needed a new one.

If his english had been better (regretably I speak no Portugese) I would have asked him to wait while I called the DMV in Denver to demand larger plates. He did not seem to understand that this was my real liscence plate.

More confusing than the liscence plate issue was the discussion of my headlights. He told me that "I catch you one more time with headlights on, I fine you 20 100 euros." Please insert your best "CHIPS" impression to get the full effect. I am not sure if he meant 20 to 100 euros or 2100 euros. Either one seems odd. I am left to assume that Portugal either has variable traffic fines (uh....) or outrageous traffic fines.

The real catch for me is that I cannot turn my headlights off. Because my bike is built to DOT spec, the headlights are on all the time. Considering the work that I had to do in Holland to get my lights back, I don't think that I'll be pulling any fuses or cutting any wires for a cop with no "people skills."

All of this of course explains my confusion at being flashed by oncomming drivers for the last two days. To demonstrate yet again how nice everyone in Portugal is (except the cops), they have all been telling me "holy crap, your headlights are on!!!!! Quick turn them off, then'll you'll be harder to see and your chosen mode of transport will become even more dangerous!" (I will admit to a little artistic liscence there)

Enough of all of these stupid problems, this afternoon, I'm off to the beach. Any one else want to go swimming at San Pedro de Moel?

Obrigado

Before drinking a $0.70 beer at my campsite I rode a road so smooth and perfect that it looked like it had been painted onto the perfect northen Portugese hillsides.

I am frequently asked why I am not using a more touring-oriented bike. Asking such a question neccessarily precludes that person from understanding the answer, but I nevertheless try to explain that on a day like today I effortlessly forget the monotonous freeway miles spent hunched over a fuel tank behind an inadequate windscreen.

I have ridden almost 20,000 miles in 5 months, and have become very accustomed to my machine. I am happy to say that I know I made the right choice of equipment. More important than my choice of bike though, was my decision to leave at all. After having devoted so much thought energy to such a big idea, it is very satisfying to realize that though the trip continues I have already accomplished a large part of my goal.

This once big idea is now an attainable reality, sparking the same process for the new ideas that bloom while riding. Before I can approach these new ideas though, I have at least another 20,000 miles ahead to me. Hopefully they'll be filled with great roads and "end of the day" $0.70 beers.

Images of the City