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I saw this article featuring Bill Dragoo this morning and it reminded me of how offensive I find this kind of labeling that what we do with big adventure bikes is some kind of “midlife crisis.” This is a midlife crisis I was just 43 at the time, hardly mid-life, when my ex wife first saw the 2011 BMW GS Adventure I’d bought a few months earlier. “Midlife crisis!” she said, nodding her head, in a way intended to cut deep. It reminded me of this girl in the fourth grade, Susie Webster, who upon seeing my new feathered hair style (all the rage in ’76) one morning at school said to me “your hair looks stupid.” Thanks! That’s really nice of you to say that. I told the ex, listen, if this was a midlife crisis I’d be riding some shiny Harley with a 25 year old girl on the back. Or driving a Porsche…. with a 25 year old next to me. This is a midlife crisis See, chicks just don’t get all that excited about an adventure bike. Guys? Absolutely, but that was hardly what I was aiming for. I’ve seen grown men bound across a parking lot with hearts in their eyes looking at my bike. I’ve seen the wistful longing look of the dads in minivans packed with their squabbling teenagers on vacation wishing they could snap their fingers and be riding with us. This is called living your life to the fullest If you ride a big adventure bike like I do then you just get it. That whole "midlife" crisis is irritating not just for its inaccuracy but because it completely misses all that is wonderful about how we are choosing to live our lives. See, the crazy cat ladies HATE being called crazy cat ladies because it's true. All I can say about us big adventure bike riders is if this is midlife now, it just goes to prove that the first 43 years of childhood are the hardest.

Zacatecas is a cool little town. Very old too (mid 1600’s). Saw the museum of the Inquisition! Super creepy. Hard to believe that lasted 356 years! Going to head to Guanajuato today when I can get this Montezuma’s revenge under control! [emoji90]

Day 2 update.. Really good first two days but covered a lot of ground. 500 miles yesterday from RSM to Tucson and VERY hot (106). Rolled into Tucson at 7 and found a cool campsite even though it was technically closed lol. There was room to get by on the bike so I guess that means open to bikes? Rolled out early so I wouldn’t get caught then onto Bisbee where I got coffee and breakfast and stopped in at the Jonquil Hotel run by Sterling Noren and Eva Rupert. Great people. Crossed border with no drama. There was construction with miles long backups but I was able to ride to the front and they let me ride through the construction area (dirt) without delay. Then a long 7 hours more into Chihuahua. Elevation is just over 5k’ so it’s a high of 80 and 52 now in the am. I was tired, hungry and dehydrated but will rest today. Maybe 450 miles yesterday. Won’t be doing days like that for awhile. Today I meet Gustavo Scheremberg who is a Motorrad Angels volunteer. He offered to let me stay at his shop which has a cool loft with a bed.