D. Brent Miller

October 2, 2012

Attending Horizons Unlimited North Carolina

I had wanted to attend a Horizons Unlimited Travelers Meeting for a long time, just to get the experience and learn more about Round-the-World motorcycling (RTW). The idea of riding a motorcycle around the world is a fascinating concept. More riders are doing it than ever before, but I’m not sure I am one of those. Still, everything learned here is applicable to riding in North America and destinations south of the border, like Mexico, Central and South America.

Our local host was Mike Kilpatrick, and he made the HU experience a good one, working tirelessly to see that all the sessions were coordinated and helping attendees with their questions. According to Mike, about 100 pre-registered and walk-ins were at the meeting, held at the Iron Horse Motorcycle Resort, Stecoah, North Carolina.

What I liked about the HU meeting is the relaxed, informal nature of it. Riders came to learn and share experience and knowledge. It’s not formal at all, and it reminded me of some of the more recent meet-ups which is aimed at sharing and learning. The neat thing about Horizons Unlimited is that they have been doing this for at least eight years at the North Carolina site, and that’s just one of the dozen or so sites around the world!

There is one other HU Meeting coming up in the USA. It’s in Cambria, California, later this month. If you’re interested in learning more about long distance motorcycle travel or border crossings into a foreign land, then seek out the Horizons Unlimited Travelers Meeting nearest you and sign up.

I could write on and on, but here are two audio reports that tell the story pretty well—an interview with an RTW rider and my report on Sidestand Up.

An interview with Paul Stewart

Paul Stewart from Great Britain has been riding around the world since March, 2011, on his Yamaha XT 660 Tenere. Personal setbacks put him on the road to see the world while he still can. He talks about motorcycling, border crossing, dangers on the road, and the incredible hospitality of strangers. He says people around the world have the same fondness for hearing stories of travel, even willing to share a meal for a story.

With about 52,000 miles already completed, Stewart is headed to Central America next, and he expects to continue riding around the world for the next 5, 10 or 20 years. That’s definitely a long way around.

Here is our interview:

[audio:Paul-Stewart.mp3]

Report on SideStand Up

Tom Lowdermilk, host and producer of Sidestand Up, asked me to report on the Horizons Unlimited meeting. Here is that portion of the episode. Below is the weirdest adventure bike that came to the meeting, and was the focus of one session, the Great Survivor of Wesser Creek Scooter Fire Coast-to-Coast Ride.

[audio:Brent-interview-SSU_9-18-2012_.mp3]

Thanks for listening.

See you on the highway.

Brent

September 27, 2012

Star Gazing

Very few stars are visible during twilight, that time when the sun has set below the horizon but the sky illuminated. The moon, however, shines brightly even when it is just a sliver, or maybe half visible. Twilight is a good time to set up for star gazing.

I borrowed a friend’s telescope, one he wants to sell and told me to take it home and play with it. I am on to him. Perhaps he would rather that I bring back some cash instead of the telescope. None the less, it was an opportunity to get up close and personal with the moon, and stars.

From the beginning of human history, we have looked up at the heavens and marveled at the sky. We have made calendars from our observations. Some have made predictions. And now, in just a smidgeon of our history and space exploration, we have a huge telescope orbiting the earth giving us pictures of stars and galaxies beyond our wildest imagination. Just the other day, NASA released a photo taken from the Hubble Telescope that peers into the deepest part of space and “back in time.” The image, with just a speck of a view in the heavens, contains about 5,500 galaxies. I can hardly comprehend the breadth of our own.

I remember camping out in our backyard as a kid. No tent. Just a sleeping bag on the ground. My brothers and I, or maybe a friend sleeping over, would lay there late at night, with no light or air pollution to peer through, and gaze up at the stars. The Milky Way, the galaxy where this little planet and solar system resides, was clearly visible, like a swath of stars stretched across the sky. If we were lucky, we might see a shooting star. We tried to identify the constellations—the easy ones like the big and little dipper. It was an amazing time of innocence and bewilderment.

In my 60s now, I am still bewildered and amazed when I look up at the stars. To see all those stars and know there are more than I can see with the naked eye. To contemplate other galaxies made up of solar systems like our own or astronomical phenomenons that we are trying to understand is mind boggling. It is also very humbling knowing that we are just a speck in something so vast and great.

Brent

September 8, 2012

The Quiet of the Day

It’s a busy place in the morning at Iron Horse Motorcycle Resort in Stecoah, North Carolina. Riders are packing up or heading out for rides in the surrounding countryside. The sounds of motorcycles fill the air. Later in the day, the motorcycles will return and new visitors arriving.

But, during the middle of the day, all is quiet. A few folks linger in conversation. This is the time of day, to sit and listen to nature. The creek gurgles its way down the mountainside. It’s soft, gentle sounds soothes the spirit and reminds one to take time to reflect and rejuvenate. Enjoy the moment. Breath deeply of its air, for it is soul-sustaining.

See you on the highway.

Brent

Location: Iron Horse Motorcycle Lodge, Stecoah, NC