16 days, 14 states, 5,000 miles. Sport touring and Exploring Family History
The "cool" factor, and popular culture may have sparked my interest in motorcycles, but it was history that has led me to decide on such an expansive motorcycle adventure.
I was inspired to actually buy a motorcycle and learn to ride as I started to hear more about the ways in which the history and lifestyle associated with motorcycling has manifested itself within my own culture.   Motorcycling pioneers such as Bessie Stringfield , Ben Hardy (the custom motorcycle builder who made the Captain America and Billy choppers for the movie "Easy Rider"), adventurers such as my own grandfather Reginald Hopwood (a professional baseball player, WWII veteran, Pullman Porter and Harley-Davidson rider) made me wonder about the experiences they had on two wheels. Combined with my own love of history, culture, and adventure, a curiosity about this kind of adventure has led me down a path that has me planning one of the biggest adventures of my life.
The Plan
In the relatively short amount of time I have been riding, I have collected a ton of stories, my own and those of others. I am extremely excited to see what stories the miles I'll ride and towns I plan to visit along the way will bring.
My trip will be a 16-day solo journey which will begin in Minneapolis, MN and take me 5,000 miles through 14 states, including the following cities:
- Lincoln, NE
- Denver, CO
- Salt Lake City, UT
- San Francisco, CA
- Eureka, CA
- Bend, OR
- Portland, OR
- Seattle, WA
- Helena, MT
- Bismark, ND  
This will not only be a test of my planning skills and riding ability, it will also be a learning experience. I hope to share everything I see and learn both online as the trip progresses and in the book that will come out of my journey.