Hi there. Welcome to my blog, Travels With Harley: 2016 National Parks Tour.

Tomorrow, I head out on a 12-day ride to 12 National Parks and Monuments in California, Utah, Arizona and Colorado.

As you may recall, I hit the road on a major motorcycle ride every year – and blog about my travels along the way. Last summer, I went on two journeys – the Canadian Rockies with Randy Suhr in July, and California’s coast and mountains with Dave Bowman and Scott Donaldson in August.

Randy and Dave, who haven’t met until today, will join me for this year’s National Parks tour. Scott had other commitments and couldn’t make this year’s trip, but plans to be on the 2017 ride, wherever it leads us.

The way I see it, you’re all along for the ride. That’s how it feels when I hear from you at the end of a long day in the saddle. When we park our bikes and sit down for dinner, we greatly enjoy reading your comments. Please feel free to send along your thoughts. You can post right here on the blog, and humiliate me publicly. I thrive on your abuse.

To be part of the dialog, click on “Add Comment” at the bottom of any blog entry.

***

Here’s a quick refresher on the 2016 ride crew, and how we know each other:

Gary: Originally from Lafayette, Calif., Gary earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah, majoring in Broadcast Journalism (yes, it was kind of like typing school). His first career, in TV news, led Gary to KOMO-TV in Seattle, where he was a news producer in the 1980s. There, he worked alongside Randy, who was then a director. At the time, Gary rode a bright orange 1976 Honda CB550F (earth tones were big in the ’70s!). Eventually, everyone in Seattle with a pulse goes to work at Boeing, so that’s where Gary went in 1988, seeking fame and fortune (he found neither, but walked away with Sarah, the biggest prize of all). He retired from the big ol’ airplane company 20 years later as a public relations and communications guy. In his final Boeing gig in Long Beach, Gary worked for Dave on the C-17 program, stringing together subjects and verbs to tout the C-17’s achievements. Gary rides a 2016 Harley Street Glide Special, which earlier this year he convinced Sarah he should have as his “last bike,” cuz he’s 66 and not getting any younger. Gary and his wife, Sarah Murr, who were married in Dragør, Denmark, recently celebrated their 17th wedding anniversary. Along with their two cats, Lucy and Betsy, they live full time in La Quinta, Calif.

Dave:  A native Southern Californian, Dave attended Cal State University Long Beach and earned his bachelor’s degree (summa cum laude!) in Computer Science from National University. In addition, he has a master’s degree in Global Technology Management from Pepperdine. The guy is a degree collector. Dave began his aerospace career as an engineer at McDonnell Douglas in Long Beach, eventually retiring as Vice President and General Manager of Boeing Global Mobility Systems. When he was VP/GM of Boeing’s C-17 program, Dave worked alongside Gary, the two of them clueless that the other had any interest whatsoever in motorcycles (actually, they were clueless about lots of things). Dave left Boeing in 2010 after 30 years, then went to work at Eaton in Cleveland, Ohio, as Senior VP of Program Management. He retired from Eaton in 2015, finally giving him time to ride. Always active in his community, Dave’s served for many years on the board for Special Olympics of Southern California. He and his wife Gail live in Fullerton, Calif., and have a mountain getaway near Lake Arrowhead in the San Bernardino mountains. He rides a 2008 Harley Ultra Glide. Dave, now 56, reconnected with Gary after reading his Harley blog year after year, eventually saying, “Count me in after I retire. Let’s ride!”

Randy: After growing up in Republic, a tiny town 43 miles west of Kettle Falls, Wash., Randy found his way to Eastern Washington University in Cheney, where he received a bachelor’s degree in Radio and TV Management. Randy says his crowning achievement in Cheney was getting high with Arlo Guthrie, best known for “Alice’s Restaurant.” Seriously. Following graduation, he (Randy, not Arlo) was hired by KOMO-TV in Seattle, in the shadow of the iconic Space Needle. There, he worked in the production department and directed nightly newscasts. When we worked together, Randy sat next to me in the control room and – incredibly – made me look like the genius I clearly wasn’t. Randy left KOMO in the mid-1980s to work at KNBC in Los Angeles, where the proximity to Hollywood allowed him pursue his dream of being a film director. After working on a number of movies, Randy’s last 15 years in the entertainment business were spent primarily as a first assistant director on various TV sitcoms, including Everybody Loves Raymond and The New Adventures of Old Christine. Following his retirement in 2014, Randy and his wife, Jo Shilling, split their time between Phinney Ridge, near Seattle – and Poulsbo. Randy, now 62, rides a 2006 Yamaha V Star at home in Washington state, and is renting a Harley Softail Heritage Classic for this trip. Like Dave, Randy responded to one of Gary’s recent blogs by saying, “Hey, I wanna go next time!”

***

And, tomorrow, Randy and Dave join me as we leave La Quinta on a 3,000-mile journey through some of the most spectacular scenery imaginable.

Clearly, there’s a precedent for readers of this blog to sign on for future rides, and become part of Travels With Harley. Who’s next? You know who you are, John Tracy!

Among the lamest of excuses not to join us:

• “I have a job.” (Boo-hoo)
• “My wife would kill me.” (It’s a risk worth taking)
• “I have an aversion to cheap motels.” (Eight hours in the saddle and you won’t care where you sleep, or who’s snoring in the bed next to you)

C’mon, people. Get a life. Travels With Harley 2017 is only a year away.

#iWannaRide    #WhatYaWaitingFor?    #NotGettinAnyYounger    #NoGutsNoGlory

Finally, a big thanks to Sarah, Gail and Jo for giving the guys an unrestricted two-week kitchen pass.  You girls rock!

***

That’s about as verbose as I’m gonna get on this year’s blog. Because I’ve previously blogged about many of the places and scenic routes we’ll be riding this year, no point in providing you with déjà vu moments over the next 12 days (how many times do you need to learn about the history and scope of the National Park system?).

That’s why this year’s blog will consist mostly of photos – and captions. Be sure to click on the captions or you’ll miss out on what journalists call “color.”

To see if you were paying attention to my other blogs that already covered the roads we’ll be on this year, I’ll have a “Previous Blog Trivia Question” (PBTQ) each day for you.

There’s no prize for getting the correct answer – other than the knowledge you just might be the smartest person in the room.

Here’s the first Previous Blog Trivia Question (from May 25, 2014).

Q: How many US National Parks are there?

A: 59

Q: For extra credit, what is the largest National Park, and what is the smallest?

A: Largest (8,323,148 acres) is Wrangell-St. Elias, in Alaska. Smallest (5,550 acres) is Hot Springs, in Arkansas.

Too easy?

***

Gotta go. We hit the road in the morning.

Vroom, Vroom!