Overland Expo

I have spent the last three days at the Overland Expo in Mormon Lake, AZ.  This is an event that brings overlanders from around the world together to see the latest in adventure travel technology, equipment and happenings.  While there I got to meet and chat a little with some of my heroes.

Ted Simon

Tiffany Coates

Rene Cormier

I also got to see some fantastic machines.  This is a bike that has run in the Dakar and its road book.

Not all of the equipment was two wheeled.  As a matter of fact I got the feeling that motorcycles were an afterthought at this event.  There would not have been many bikes there had it not been for the Rawhyde event that was held concurrently.

They had the bikes camping in the horse staging area of the rodeo grounds.  All my equipment still smells like horse manure.

Now here is something I can actually afford and it suits my travel style.

You can get anything you want/need at the Dakar Bar!

Having seen everything a few times over the weekend I left Sunday morning for San Diego.  I rode close to the fires that are currently  burning in Arizona and rode through a lot of smoke.

I rode back through the Mojave Desert and it was like sitting in a sauna with someone pointing a hair dryer in your face.  HOT!

After arriving in San Diego I took a much needed shower (even I smelled like horse manure).  As far as I know there were only two showers at the Expo for about 4000 people.  I did not get to make use of the facilities for three days.  I called my son and he and my granddaughter came over and we got to have dinner together.  This was the first time I had seen family in over two months.  It was also the first time I had ridden in an automobile in more than two months!

My frau is flying in tomorrow and we will be heading to the Grand Canyon (in a rental car) after turning the bike into San Diego BMW for some much need servicing.