A Typical Day


While on the road I naturally wake up between 6 and 8 AM. I'll take a shower if one is available; otherwise I'll spot bathe with a wet cloth or pre-moistened wipes.

After getting dressed, breakfast is made, camp is broken, and the bike is packed for another day. Within an hour or so of waking up the day's ride begins.

A lunch break is usually taken sometime between 11 AM and 2 PM wherever it is convenient to do so. Most days I'll find a café or similar, and often the bike needs gas about this time.


The ride continues after lunch.

I usually average riding a little over 300 miles in a day's time but it may be significantly higher or lower depending on circumstances.

Around 4 to 5 PM I'll start looking for a campsite. This may seem early, but many times campgrounds fill up early. It's no fun going from one to the next only to find no vacancy.


Another reason for stopping early is to reduce the risk of a deer strike. In recent years the deer population has exploded on the North American continent. Every year hundreds of thousands of motorists experience a deer collision. Since deer are most prevalent on roadways at dusk and dawn, the probability of experiencing a collision can be reduced somewhat by limiting riding during these times.

Once a campsite is found, the bags are unloaded from the bike and the tent is pitched. Supper is either prepared or purchased, and maps are studied for the next day's ride. A summary of the day's activities and odometer readings are dictated into the small voice recorder.


I usually go to bed shortly after dark. Normally I'm exhausted from the day's ride and fall asleep almost immediately.

After a couple of weeks on the road with this routine, my sense of time and the pressures of modern life slip away and all seems right with the world.

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