2023: A Girl, a Motorcycle, and a Gypsy Soul

 Here's a fun Western Twin Cities Route - it may not look like it, but there are some great curves and twists along this route. Google Maps just doesn't do it justice!  The route will take you through:  Minneapolis - Wayzata - Mound - Delano - Winsted - Howard Lake - Cokato - West Albion - Maple Lake - Monticello - Pelican Lake - St. Michael - Rogers - back to Minneapolis                                    Approximately 140 miles; 3.25 hours of ride time 394-W turns into 12 W Take County Rd 15W exit from US-12W Merge onto County Rd 15/Shoreline Dr Turn Right onto Commerce Blvd/County Rd 110N (pass subway on the left) Left on Watertown Rd Right onto County Road 90 Left on Babcock Blvd/Hwy 12W Left on County Rd 30, in Delano, MN Follow this - there are some great sweepers just before County Rd 30 and Hwy 25 intersection (where the mouse is pointed)(the maps just don't do any part of this route any justice). Continue straight on County Rd 30 throug

I was supposed to go to Tennessee for a Motorcycle event but after those who had gone in the past were unable to go this year, I debated between flying solo (which would have been fine) or going somewhere else (still solo).  I looked at a couple of maps for fun things to do and this picture, at midnight on Tuesday, secured my plan to go to Arkansas Wednesday morning bright and early (so I would get there in plenty of daylight, its only 11 hours).  Besides the photo, Goat Trail to Big Bluff hike immediately caught my attention with words like 'rugged hike', 'ledge trail', and 'not recommended if you dislike heights'.  Big Bluff, as it is accurately named, is 550 feet tall and is the tallest sheer bluff face between the Rocky Mountains and Apalachian Mountains. I HAD to see this in person.    Photo Courtesy of Aaron Bates from nps.gov  (clearly a MUCH nicer camera than my old iphone) I started early in the morning to beat the heat of the day with my backpack of go

I don't like shopping and I don't like 'things'...I live for experiences. So when life grants me a once in a lifetime opportunity - I take it! Me and a couple friends were planning a trip to Nashville to soak in the sunshine, see all kinds of live music, and drink expensive beers. Shortly after we booked the flight, we learned that the Country Music Awards (CMA's) were live in Nashville the very day we were going to fly in. One of my friends is a ticket guru- if there is a ticket, she will find it. And so she did. I didn't even know 'buying a ticket for the CMA's' was possible. It sure changed my method of packing in a hurry - after all, the CMA's are a Black Tie Affair. As we walked up to the Nashville Bridgestone Arena, the sidewalks were glowing with fanciness. There were long flowy gowns draping onto the concrete below the sparkly high heels, elegant ballgowns that made Cinderella come to life, and so many sequins. We had seats in row one of

 Arkansas is almost like a second home. I have been going there on 2 wheels since 2012 and I can never get enough of the scenery, the twisty roads, the expansive views, the down to earth people, and of course, there are always some shenanigans mixed in. This year, Bikes Blues & BBQ moved locations from Fayetteville, AR to Rogers, AR, and with it, came a new date, pushed back a couple of weeks. While I still ride a lot in October, the days get REAL short, the sunshine is mostly for looks, and the darkness creeps in much quicker - making riding around home a great option, but riding down to Arkansas a bit more of a chore (especially when I can still go earlier in the year and be WARM)! So, instead of heading down for BBBQ this year, as we always do, we decided to stick with the usual date just after mid September. Sadly, Sheila couldn't make it due to an adventure the previous week out west having an impact on her motorcycle's desire to come home and leave again so soon (clut