Preamble

 If you have followed a motorcycle blog of mine in the past, you may recall that at times, I have tried to do a bunch of electrical or mechanical work on the bike right before the trip. Including the night before the trip. This trip is no exception but with one distinct difference: I finished the work three days before departure and have even tested the changes on the road. It's called "retired life". 

But this is the part of the job I don't like much. Mainly, because I am not too confident at it. However, we live in a digital age and I need my devices if I am going to stay in touch with home, my pillion or with you. As such, I have upgraded all my electrical outlets and associated wiring in anticipation of this trip, the Riding With My Friends 2023 Motorcycle trip down the west coast to northern California and back through the mountains and home. My anticipated route south, which shows on the map up top, has been thwarted by a rock slide just south of me which has closed the highway indefinitely for the second time this summer. I'll update the map with the route north when I get to end of this one. Approximate distance: 5,600 km spread over about three weeks.

Historically, I have always planned every step of a motorcycle trip down to the nth degree: where we are going to stay, for how long, when to do laundry, prepay reservations and make sure I know where we are going each and every day. It's called "OCD". Some of you know that we have ambitious motorcycle touring plans. Also, some of you know our plans would be completely impractical for a person with OCD.  The purpose of this trip is to dissipate my OCD by riding with only a rough plan, make changes on the fly, decide where I am going when I get there and hopefully, cure myself in the process. 

Feel free to leave comments, subscribe, get a haircut or act less than your age. Enjoy the ride.