what a rally/ride

[Toby Lampson]

Gang, From leaving June 3rd for Moab, till re-entering Cal. yesterday, and after some 3,700 miles.........what a long strange wondeful trip its been. Rosebud ran fine. Longest mile stint I've done on the KLR since I got it. Had a close call with one of those suicidal antelope, on 'the long way' home. This one by a dry lake bed in Western Idaho. I was doing 80mph, and while scanning to the left at about 30 deg. spotted him standing about a hundred feet from the road. The moment our eyes locked, he bolted at a diagonal right in front of me. Never went from 80 to 35 so fast. Our eyes remained fixed on each other til he passed, about 8ft. in front of me, at 35mph. If he'd cut a shorter line, or I not braked as hard, it woulda been curtains for us both. Better get one a those Antelope Catchers from Happy Trails installed on my bike right away. It was great meeting and re-seeing all the faces in Moab! This forum sure has made it possible for a lot of riders with a plethora of skill and riding spirit to mingle...... I love it! A couple Posse took the long way home after Moab. First North thru Utah, Wyoming, then West through Idaho and into Oregon. We saw Moose, Elk, Bison, a wolf in Wyo.( in the Tetons and Yellowstone), and countless grass laden valleys, passes, rivers, lava fields. It was extraordinary. I got back home earlier today, and its like I've stepped back into some one else's life. Even though the street and the house are right here, its like they're a few feet farther away for some reason. It must be Kaw lag. I now have the memories of all the special people and events that made this a great ride for me. Moab is kinda like a vision quest, for me. You kinda go expecting one thing and you wind up usually having a revelation of some type, on one level or another. If you haven't gotten a 'vision' from riding your KLR, keep riding, it'll happen, makes you feel alive..............spiritually I mean....know what I mean? Hats off to all the troupers out there, in Moab, and to Juan Ibarra, a new amigo, riding solo somewhere on his trek to Alaska now. Hats off to all connected to this little community, whatever your wierdness, whatever your gift......its good to be connected, in this righteous sport we all dig! Later, Slide