Experiences and Stories

Motorcycle Touring Enthusiasts sharing their experiences and stories:

Before, During, or After 2020, We all have riding stories we like to share and I want to hear Yours!

Danny D. – Colorado, USA – 2020 Touring Season

I rode a little more that 11,500 miles on my Harley’s last year. 99% was done on my touring bike Annie. During a time when social distancing became the norm, I went all over the place, but day trips only.

I rode through 8 different states (some of them, multiple times), did a 1,000 mile butt burner, and did another ride of over 800 miles. I saw Mt Rushmore for the very first time, and made my way to Sturgis (but not during the rally). Bishops Castle, and Skyline Drive are absolutely MUST SEE places in Colorado that I finally got to visit. The last picture was on Cameron Peak, leading down into Wyoming. That picture was taken just about a week before the largest wildfire in Colorado’s history started in that forest.
I got to do several bucket list rides in 2020, including hitting all 10 Harley dealers
along the front range in a single ride.
Overall, even though 2020 wreaked havoc on the group riding, I still had a great riding season.
Photo’s by: Danny D.
Cameron Pass, CO
Skyline Drive, Cañon City, CO
Bishops Castle in Rye, CO

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note from Short Shot:

You can map and find any of these beautiful and fascinating places by checking out my Resources, Tools, and Shopping page.

2020 In Review

Motorcycle Touring Enthusiast: 2020 in Review-Riding Through a Pandemic

Hello Motorcycle Touring Enthusiasts!

I want to take a few minutes to reflect on this past year of Tours. The pandemic has made this a difficult year! It has been a stressful year! And it has been a frustrating year! I’m not the only one who has had challenges and issues this year, I know, we are all in this together. But even though it’s been difficult, there have also been some good things that came of this year as well. One thing good, I have received my 200,000 mile patch from HOG! And mind you, that’s just the miles that I’ve accumulated since I purchased a Harley Davidson and become a HOG Member. I’ve been riding motorcycles since pre-teens and none of those miles are included!

I started this page shortly after I lost my job (due to Covid-19 shutdowns) and had time on my hands. I picked up a GoPro and started recording and documenting my rides in the Spring. Throughout the year I shared routes, pictures, videos and experiences of my tours so that you would get excited about riding, touring and exploring new interesting places. My site provides resources and links for booking hotels and motorcycles, mapping routes, checking the weather, and even shopping links. This site is meant to share my experiences as a Motorcycle Touring Enthusiast and offer a One Stop Site for all your touring needs.

Due to Covid-19, I was not able to go to all the places I would have liked to go, like Mount Evans, Pikes Peak, or even Canada, which is a bucket list ride for me and was in the plan for 2020. But there were a lot of places I was able to go once hotels and restaurants opened back up, like a bunch of my favorite places here in Colorado, Texas, and the California Coast, which was also a bucket list ride. I’m hoping for an even better riding season in 2021!

I guess what I’m trying to get at here is that I didn’t let this virus and restrictions stop me from “living” my life. Riding my motorcycle was the only thing that kept me sane! I was alone on the road, social distancing, wearing a mask, staying 6 feet apart and following all the guidelines. I trusted that the hotels and restaurants were following them too, and it appeared they were. I survived because of wind therapy, the open road and my trusty bike, April. Riding my motorcycle is like breathing, for me, if I can’t do it, I may not survive.

Moving forward into 2021, I plan on continuing my touring adventures, writing about them, sharing them and hopefully inspiring you all to get out and ride. But, I have started working again, not in my professional field of study as a Systems Administrator, yet, but it takes up a lot of time in my day and I may not be able to ride and post as much as I have this past year. I will get back into my career path, but for the time being I’m looking for ways to supplement my income.

Somebody once asked me, “If you could do the one thing that inspires you the most, and make a living, what would it be?” This is what I would really love to do…RIDE My Harley! If you would like to go for a motorcycle ride with me to get some wind therapy, practice being a good passenger, experience how it is on the road with two wheels, or maybe you’ve ridden a lot and miss being out on a bike, just shoot me an e-mail. And come Spring and Summer next year, if you want to ride with a group, take a weekend trip, or even a week long motorcycle tour, let me know, because if you have the time, the passion and the finances for the motorcycle tour, I’ve got the bike.

For me, once I got that soul stirring feeling of being on the open road on my bike, I knew that this was the way I wanted to travel and tour this beautiful state of Colorado and this country. I’ve traveled by car, plane, and train so I can honestly say, for me, the experience is 100 percent better on a motorcycle. And YES, Even in the winter season we can get some beautiful days to ride. If I can spark a passion for motorcycles into somebody by giving them a ride, well then, Let’s Go For A Ride!

So, here’s to bidding farewell to 2020 and bringing in 2021 to make a fresh start for a better riding season!

Thank you for following me on my motorcycle tours and reading about my adventures! Leave me comments or send me an e-mail with any questions, comments or concerns.

And remember, Be Safe, Have Fun and Ride On!

Short Shot

Motorcycle Touring Enthusiast

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