Get the Bunny 2008 Part 1

Four for the Road!

We just concluded an eight state 2400+ mile motorcycle ride and I am having a hard time writing about it because it was different that I expected.
I remember the moment when the thought first came to me. It was about a year ago, July 2007 near the end of a family road trip / vacation. We had gone from Denver to Albuquerque for a family wedding then on to San Diego for vacation. On the trip home we stopped and visited friends I have known since High School in Temecula, CA. While visiting and reminiscing I was remembering a cross country motorcycle trip I took in 1978 and though about the next summer being the 30th anniversary of that ride. How to commemorate such an event? I hadn’t ridden in 26 years so I tucked the thought away. 30 years older and a bad back from an auto accident I couldn’t ride a bike again, or could I? A few weeks later on a family drive to Estes Park when I brought the possibility up with my wife Robbie who surprised me with her support.
First step was to take a Motorcycle Safety Course and get my license again then my brother-in-law Phil arranges for us to take a day ride and for me to borrow a friend’s 1200 Gold Wing and the ride was great including some beautiful roads in the Rockies, it is good to live in Denver if you ride. So I had fun and my back was fine, now came the near impossible task of finding a comfortable, reliable bike for less than 2000.00 Craigslist to the rescue. I had focused the search on Gold Wings but one day expanded it to include the Yamaha Venture and found and clean 83 model for 1800.00 so I bought it. After several short rides I took an 800 mile one day ride to see how my back would be on a long trip and all was well.
As the planning began I decided to make this trip different than the original where I took the Interstate system to make the best possible time and I took that trip alone. This time no Interstates if possible and the invitation was open for whoever wanted to come along. The first to join was Phil and then Ray and long time friend of his from Texas and a late addition was Scott. The four of us would do eight states in nine days.
The basic plan was to go to Mt Rushmore then north to Canada, southwest to Yellowstone and back to Denver. When we looked closely at the route we saw day after day of flat hot riding and when you are spoiled by the Rocky Mountains in your back yard that is too much to take. So we eliminated Canada and added a stop at Devil’s Tower in WY and a longer stop at Jackson Hole just south of Yellowstone and a white water raft trip. We extended the return trip to include Utah and added a side trip to Idaho while in Jackson Hole. Any excuse for riding in another state.
I guess I should explain the name of the ride “Get the Bunny” It started with our dog Scooby who is obsessed with chasing and rarely catch bunnies. I had to admire his tenacity and single minded pursuit. I adopted his attitude when it came to riding and adventure when on a ride to no place in particular it hit me; I have never ridden in Kansas so I “Got the Bunny” and added another state to my resume. So part of the route planning was to get as many states as possible for the miles ridden. At the end of the trip I am up to 30 with the goal of 49 before I stop riding. I don’t have any desire to fly to Hawaii to rent a bike so 49 will do for me.
There is a rule that the difference between what you expect and what you get is equal to your disappointment and I guess that is where my challenge is for writing about this trip. First disappointment, I had planned a side trip to add Nevada but circumstances conspired to cancel that part of the trip, more on that later. Second, I had an unexpected heart lesson on leadership and what part of my life should be dedicated to leading other men. Third, I do not do well with conflict between other men, I guess I am more of a loner and under estimated to impact that riding, eating and sleeping with others would have on my peace of mind.
So there it is my first installment and a commitment to finish the store about the trip as time, willingness, inspiration and courage allow.

Back from the trip

We are back and I hope to write more later, just can’t find the motivation yet. For now I am up to 30 states (see updated picture to the right) and only 19 to go to hit the goal of riding in every state except Hawaii.

This is the four of us in South Dakota

2 days, 14 hours, 16 minutes and 18 seconds

After months of dreaming and planning the start of the trip is almost here and the big plans are all set now it is checklist time…

Oil Change… Check

Packing list… Check

Watch “Wild Hogs” again… Check

Agree with the guys “No Spooning”…Double Check

You get the idea. When I get back I hope to have lots of pictures and stories for the BLOG and maybe with Robbie’s help a submission or two to some motorcycle magazines.

In the myriad of details it is easy to lose track of “Why are we doing this in the first place?” Well today I got the answer in two places. First is Robbie’s BLOG http://www.robbieiobst.blogspot.com/ where she talked about the change she has seen in me as I have tried to abandon being “nice” and become “good” instead. Check it out to see who the real writer of the family is (Hint it’s not me)

The second came at a 12 step program I attend were the topic was the difference between negative (fear based) sobriety and positive (Love bases) sobriety. Now sobriety is a good thing regardless of the motives and addicts are by definition love cripples so all addicts must have a period of fear based sobriety before love based sobriety is possible. Basically fear based sobriety is motivated by the fear of the consequences (Getting Caught) and all that entails. It is a defensive game where the addict tries to keep the addiction from winning much like a basketball player tries to keep other players from scoring. Love based sobriety is surrender… I surrender my right to manage my life and trust God. I turn my back on the addiction and let that become God’s problem as well. The measure of “sober” thinking and behavior is not in a set of Do’s and Don’ts but a freedom where the only decision is based on taking the action of Love towards God, my family, and the 12 step fellowship.

How does this relate to a motorcycle trip?

When it was my priority to manage my life with the single goal of avoiding consequences I would never take such a trip much less ride a motorcycle. I had stopped riding for 26 years, first because of $$$ but later out of fear of reinjuring my back after an auto accident in 1991

As I have been progressively set free from fear and the need to “manage” my life I have been willing to take more risks and to trust a Loving Father in the process. So after years of growth I am willing to take a vacation with other men without the fear that they will discover the truth about me and reject me because I now know that they are not the report card on my life, only God is my judge. We ride because riding brings my joy and causes my heart to come to life. While this may seem selfish to some it is a gift from my Father so feel free to take it up with Him, I don’t feel the need to justify my choices.

Very soon we will embark on this adventure but I am clear on the fact that motorcycles and trips are not required for adventure. The real adventure is living each day by faith and not by sight. Every day I need to trust God to be the man, husband, father, friend that He would have me be. The real adventure is to trust God and not lean to my own understanding. The real adventure is to walk in liberty supported by His unconditional love rather than run to self-righteousness where I can have all the control and the comfort of feeling better about myself as compared to others who don’t measure up to me.

The adventure of the trip is a gift from the one who has called me to a much larger Adventure of walking with Him every day.

I believe every man needs adventure in his life and a few my get to ride motorcycles too.