Big Sur and Jack Kerouac

Have you ever noticed, that sometimes in life, the fantasy is better than the reality? There's somewhere you want to go, or maybe someone you're dying to meet, maybe it's a new "toy",maybe it's expensive and you're hesitant to buy it, it could be a new position or title at your job... ... you dream about it, fantasize, and you build it up in your mind and imagination, oh if it could just come true, it would be so wonderful!

But would it?

Have you ever experienced that moment? When the dream comes true and it's all there just for you.... Did it live up to the hype?

I've had those moments, those dreams that come true and sometimes... not often but sometimes... the fantasy is better than the reality. Oh the bitter disappointment, the frustration! Damn it! I spent all that time, all that money and it just wasn't as good as I thought it would be. So often it seems the greater the hype the greater the disappointment.

For the past 4 or 5 years I've been dreaming of riding the Pacific Coast Highway through Big Sur. I checked it out online, looked at pictures, planned the route and and in my mind, hell... in my body I could feel the warm wind, the smell of the ocean, the rumble of the highway as I twisted the throttle and felt the bike surge along that coastal highway. The color of the water, the sun and the waves, the winding road! I could see myself stopping off at a diner for coffee and a big plate of whatever amazing food the server recommended... oh yeah, it was all there just waiting for me.

I wanted to see Bixby Bridge, wanted to imagine Jack Kerouac was there with me as we traveled the road between Monterey and San Luis Obispo, stop off at his cabin nestled amongst the hills and trees, we'd drink whiskey and share stories, tales of adventures and travels.

I wanted to feel free, a vagabond on two wheels, feeling the poet in me awaken in a way that only the coastal highway with it's inspirational magic could do.

That's a lotta f'ing hype there brother! That's just begging to get them dreams quashed.

I had originally planned to make the trip in early July but then "life" happened... as it so often does. And by life I mean expenses, unexpected expenses, In the span of 12 hours I was told by my landlord that he was having a financial crisis and had to sell the condo I was leasing as soon as possible and my daughter called to let me know her car blew it's engine. Great... just fucking great.

Solution?

Step 1: Open wallet wide and turn upside down.

Step 2: Shake wallet vigorously until enough money falls out.

Damn.... Oh well, there's always next year....

So much for me and Jack hitting the highway on the California coast..

And hell, we've all had that happen, right? You make your plans, dream your dreams and and then out of nowhere...life... fucking life, jumps out in front of you like a deer on the highway and suddenly you're locking 'em up and trying to keep your shit from going sideways. It happens.

So I do the responsible adult thing, pay for the move and the car and plan a few smaller trips for the summer. It won't be that bad, hell, it'll be good, lots to see here in the Pacific Northwest.

Life goes on...

And then... the biker gods smiled down upon me.

I won't bore you with all the details but I had a work trip planned for September. Here's the short version - take a welding machine apart here in Kent WA, load it on a truck, fly to Phoenix, put the thing back together, make sure it'll melt two pieces of metal together and fly back to Washington.

But then I had a thought...

I asked my boss, just for shits and giggles, if instead of flying, I could take the Street Glide to Phoenix. The company wouldn't have to pay for the plane ticket or rental car, just a couple of travel days, the Friday before and the Monday after, that's all I would need. He sits for a second, contemplates and then without much pause says, "No problem, sure, we can do that".

And just like that, the road trip was back on....

Time to start planning and packing.