Quit our jobs, sold our home, gone riding... [warning: lot of pix]

[lightcycle]

Hey guys,

 

As the title states, my wife and I have quit our jobs, sold our home and we're currently riding across Canada and then wherever the road takes us after. No route, no schedule, no plans of returning as of yet. Here are some pictures from our blog: http://www.RideDOT.com/rtw feel free to visit us once in awhile if you're interested!

 

Here are some pictures of our trip so far.

 

Old Quebec City, QC

 

Perce rock, Gaspe Peninsula, QC

 

Stretch break, Gaspe Peninsula, QC

 

Lake Quidi Vidi, St Johns, NL

 

Lake Quidi Vidi, St Johns, NL

 

Whale watching, Signal Hill, St Johns, NL

 

Trying to make the guard laugh @ The Citadel, Halifax, NS

 

Photography at Peggy's Cove, NS

 

Camping in Port Hawkesbury, NS

 

Meat Cove, Cabot Trail, NS

 

Riding the Cabot Trailm, NS

 

Flowerpot rocks at HopeWell, NB

 

Giant Nickel in Sudbury, ON

 

Kakabeka Falls, Kenora, ON

 

National Aboriginal Day, The Forks in Winnipeg, MB

 

Big Muddy Badlands, SK

 

Rockyford rodeo, AB

 

More pictures and writeups at http://www.RideDOT.com/rtw

 

[Danny caddyshack Noonan]

+1 enjoy your adventure.

[eddd]

Great pics!

 

[Paul Mihalka]

Beautiful pictures! Ride safe so you can show us more!

[Kathy R]

Your title did it for me. Good for you two!

Great photos!

[rogera]

Looks like a great trip. Now I have to get

over my jealousy. Be safe!

[Bob Palin]

 

Why is Mitch dressed like that?

[Whip]

Very nice!

 

[barryNmarin]

Great photos and great adventure for you both! You'll never regret doing it now while you are young!

[dba]

I love the Citadel in Halifax. I am truly envious. Good luck to you both. Can’t wait for more pictures.

 

Cheers,

 

David

[tallman]

A choice you will never regret and will provide you with a lifetime of memories.

Thanks for sharing.

[Lone_RT_rider]

Why is Mitch dressed like that?

 

Yes, he is normally more........ incognito

 

[EddyQ]

Very nice!

 

Keep on riding . . . .

[EddyQ]

BTW. . . I was glued to your blog for the past hour! Awsome.

 

Hope your shoulder heals quicker than predicted!

[marcopolo]

Great photos of a great adventure. Good luck along the way.

[jbr7t]

Great Stuff.

[algover]

Sold it all and went for a ride is something at one time or another most of us wished we could have done. Good for you & good luck, keep posting we'll be watching!

 

 

Pat

 

+1

 

Good for you. Have a great trip!

[Selden]

Congratulations! Bound to make many people envious, and those who don't ride probably think you have lost your marbles. I've just started reading trip log, from the beginning. It's been hot and humid in Atlanta lately, and I feel cooler already.

[Mike O CLT]

best wishes for a safe, adventurous, & fun trip

Edited September 4, 2012 by Mike O CLT

[kmac]

This is an amazing journey.

I do think you need to change you info though, it says under your avatar that you are from Ontario Canada....now you are from "The Road....wherever that may be" or something like that.

 

My daughter and I love looking at your beutiful pictures, well taken and very interesting, great eye for a great shot everytime.

 

Rubber side down and enjoy this experience.

[lightcycle]

Thanks all!

 

I do think you need to change you info though, it says under your avatar that you are from Ontario Canada....now you are from "The Road....wherever that may be" or something like that.

 

Good idea!

[lightcycle]

Hey guys, here's some pictures from our blog since our last update. You can see more at:

 

http://www.RideDOT.com/rtw

 

Morant's Curve, Banff, AB

 

Radium, BC

 

Kootenay National Park, AB

 

Whistlers Moutain, Jasper National Park, AB

 

Neda got a tattoo in Vancouver!

 

Chesterman Beach, Vancouver Island, BC

 

Mussel Beach, Vancouver Island, BC

 

Crankworx 2012 at Whistler Village, BC

 

Anderson Lake, D'arcy, BC

 

Highline Trail, Seton-Portage, BC

 

Fishing during spawning season, Moricetown Canyon, BC

 

Dahlia and her frisbee, Cassiar Highway, BC

 

Run to Hyder, Alaska

 

Signpost Forest, Watson Lake, Yukon Territory

 

Dawson City, Yukon Territory

 

We've got over 400 pictures up so far, with a day-by-day writeup. Feel free to stop by and check them out!

 

[Bigfish]

Awesome!

[Alfred02]

Yep

We might not be posting replies all the time, but I am guessing just like me, lots of people are following your pictures on your website.

[Rinkydink]

Most excellent, don't stop.

[lightcycle]

Dalton Highway, Alaska

 

Atigun Pass, Dalton Highway, Alaska

 

Dipping our feet in the Arctic Ocean

 

Husky Sled Dog, Denali National Park

 

Exit Glacier, Seward, Alaska

 

Chugach State Park, Alaska

 

Fall Colours, Alaska

 

Kluane National Park, Yukon Territory

 

Nasmaste @ Liard hot Springs, BC

 

Cache Creek Back Roads, BC

 

Fraser River Canyon, BC

[BFish]

Yep

We might not be posting replies all the time, but I am guessing just like me, lots of people are following your pictures on your website.

 

yep

[TyTass]

Living vicariously through you all! Keep 'em coming when you can.

[lightcycle]

Whidbey Island, WA

 

Pikes Place Market, Seattle, WA

 

Kalaloch Beach, Olympic Peninsula, WA

 

Mount Rainier from the Chinook Pass, WA

 

Port Orford, OR

 

Port Orford, OR

 

Olstead Point, Yosemite National Park, CA

 

Death Valley, CA

 

Reno, NV

 

Sand Mountain, NV

 

Ghost Town, Loneliest Road in America, NV

 

Bonneville Salt Flats, UT

 

Bonneville Salt Flats, UT

Edited November 8, 2012 by lightcycle

[lightcycle]

Hi all, we've done some great riding and seen some amazing scenery in Utah, and finally crossed the border into Baja California. From there we rode south to La Paz, and took the ferry over to the mainland.

 

http://www.RideDOT.com/rtw

 

Delicate Arch, Arches National Park, UT

 

Arches National Park, UT

 

 

Shafer Trail, UT

 

White Rim Trail, UT

 

White Rim Trail, UT

 

[/img]

The Wave, AZ

 

The Wave, AZ

 

Baja California

 

Bahia de Los Angeles, Baja California

 

Bahia de Los Angeles, Baja California

 

Loreto, Baja California Sur

 

Malecon at La Paz, Baja California Sur

 

Turtle Release at Todos Santos, Baja California Sur

 

Dec 12, 2012: Dias de la Virgen de Guadalupe church in La Paz

 

Cabo Pulmo, Baja California Sur

 

Mercada in Mazatlan, Sinaloa

 

Beaches in Mazatlan, Sinaloa

Edited January 1, 2013 by lightcycle

[lawnchairboy]

Wow. Just added potash rd and Schaefer trail to the bucket list.

[RPG]

you must have been a Photographer in a previous life. Great composition and color. Loved Cabot Trail, Meat Cove when I was there in '99. Nova Scotia folks seem to be about the best in the world.

 

RPG

[lightcycle]

Nova Scotia folks seem to be about the best in the world.

 

True, only surpassed by Newfoundlanders! We stopped in Cornerbrook at the Tim Hortons and had half the town come out to greet us! So friendly!

[lightcycle]

Wow. Just added potash rd and Schaefer trail to the bucket list.

 

Utah as a whole is motorcycle nirvana. Dirt or pavement, the roads/trails and scenery never fail to disappoint!

[Exploreinman]

You not on a trip of a lifetime...but on a lifetime of a trip!

[RevRay]

A most excellent adventure for sure, I just suggest to my wive we do the same. I'll be sleeping in the shed tonight. Enjoy the journey, I'll be living vicariously through you guy's keep the posts coming and please post a shot of Neda's tattoo.

[lightcycle]

please post a shot of Neda's tattoo.

 

Sure:

 

 

[AdventurePoser]

Nice pix, am looking forward to following your adventure!

[lightcycle]

We've been travelling all over Mexico for over 2 months now. It's such a vibrant country, rich with culture and history, and I don't think we're leaving anytime soon!

 

http://www.RideDOT.com/rtw

 

Durango

 

 

Mercado, Guadalajara

 

Tequila

 

Tequila

 

Guachimontones, world's only circular pyramids

Teuchitlan

 

Lake Chapala

 

Virgen de Guadalupe, 9-day festival in Tapalpa

 

Tapalpa

 

Luchas Libres, Uruapan

 

Uruapan

 

Ruins of San Juan, covered in lava from the Paracutin Volcano

 

Butterfly Sanctuary, El Rosario

 

Pyramid of the Moon, Mexico City

Edited February 7, 2013 by lightcycle

[rdc]

Now that's a subject headline you don't see everyday: Quit our jobs, sold our home, gone riding. Hi, I just had the pleasure of discovering your post. Thanks for sharing this incredible story and inspiring images. For those of us who have spent a lifetime preparing for retirement or daydreaming of the life that you are living, what was the first step to making it real? Courage?

 

Thanks!

 

 

[Couchrocket]

Hope you're planning on doing a book. Charming photography!

[drswift]

I'm really enjoying your photos. Have a safe trip!

[lightcycle]

For those of us who have spent a lifetime preparing for retirement or daydreaming of the life that you are living, what was the first step to making it real? Courage?

 

The only courage I needed was telling my parents we were quitting jobs that actually paid money, and selling our home and riding around in developing countries. They weren't very happy, and still aren't, but at least they're supportive.

 

There really wasn't a first step. We started motorcycle touring several years ago, venturing further and further from Toronto. First a week in Martha's Vineyard, a three-week ride to California and back, and then a glorious 32 days touring Western Europe.

 

As we shipped our bikes back from Munich on that trip, we met a guy who had just finished 9-months riding from Argentina to Alaska. When we talked to him, we knew this kind of Cut-The-Strings travel was exactly what we wanted to do, so the next few years were spent dreaming and doing a lot of Back-Of-The-Napkin planning.

 

After our India and Iceland trips, we got real fed up of having to rush through these beautiful places to go back to work, so we decided to save up some money and gather the courage to tell my parents. That was back in October 2011. We left June 2012 and we've been on the road ever since!

[marcopolo]

Tremendous journey and outstanding photos to boot. I'm enjoying reading about it immensely. Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences.

[TyTass]

Simply amazing in so many ways. Very envious of the time you are spending to really explore and take in the sites and culture. Thank you so much for sharing.

 

And please, please, please ... do write a book when it's all over!

[lightcycle]

do write a book when it's all over!

 

Hopefully that won't be anytime soon!

[TyTass]

You really know how to rub it in!

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

Wow. Just added potash rd and Schaefer trail to the bucket list.

I'll second that!

 

Super Nice!

 

 

Pat

 

When I was a kid my dad took me and my mom down the Shafer Trail in a station wagon. It was an adventure, but it was brutal for the car. We filled a five-gallon jug with water, just in case we had to wait a while before someone came along in a 4WD vehicle to rescue us. There were a lot of spots where we had to stop, get out of the car, and study the lay of the road to figure out the best path to take for the next 20 yards or so to avoid getting the car stuck or hung up. Then we'd bounce our way through that section without stopping, then get out and inspect the car before carrying on to the next scary spot.

 

At one point one of these inspections revealed large quantities of oil dripping from the engine bay. Dad thought we were screwed - until he opened the hood and realized it was a can of oil that had bounced around and been punctured; the engine was just fine.

 

Anyway, probably a fun road on a GS.

 

Gene, great ride tale, and beautiful pics. Looking forward to more!

[Albert]

The photography is just stunning. Even if I cleaned my lens, I doubt that I could come close. Thanks for posting and please keep them coming!

[lightcycle]

When I was a kid my dad took me and my mom down the Shafer Trail in a station wagon.

 

Was it a rental?