If not now, then when?
Sometimes you don't know what's around the bend. It could be a breathtaking view that leaves you speechless or a road full of potholes that you graciously fill with offensive profanities. When you don't know what's in store do you shrug your shoulders and leave it to chance or do you reroute and take the safe path?
On day two I rolled towards the picturesque views of the Grand Canyon when 40 minutes into the ride I was greeted with round two of not grand noises.
FUN FACT: I've been riding motorcycles since I was 16, but I'm a rider, NOT a mechanic. I have zero knowledge of the bike or how it runs. When deciding to ride across the country I made the BOLD decision to pack my bags without a single tool, not even a screwdriver.
At this point, I realized I had two choices' drive an hour south towards Flagstaff, AZ to find a mechanic. or as Bob Dylan says "put both his hands in the pockets of chance" and drive north towards the Grand Canyon. I decided to listen to Bob, be a risk-taker, and test my luck. The noise eventually stopped, but not without me thinking "is this as far as I'm going to make it on this trip?"
With a smirk under my helmet, I turned into the visitor center. The sky was blue but grey clouds were trailing behind. I was already taking my chances today and I didn't want to press my luck. I took in the view from Mather Point and jumped back on my bike to head toward my next destination, Horseshoe Bend.
The grey clouds followed and were creeping closer but a girls gotta eat, so I found a comfortable rock to enjoy the view and snack on. Shortly after I crossed into Utah. This road made me feel like I was in a dream until it felt like I was in a car wash. The rain finally caught up with me. It may sound crazy but the sun and rain highlighted those roads making them even more magical which engrained them in my brain. The rain dispersed and my choice to take a risk paid off when I made it to the second hotel on my trip in time for dinner.
It would have been easy for me to stop in Arizona and say maybe this wasn't meant to be. I was on my own and thinking twice about every decision I made. The further I got from California the harder it would be to get back if something went wrong with the bike. It was nerve-wracking and exciting at the same time. I learned a lot in the first two days. These lessons stuck with me and I believe they've helped me in life and business.
Stick to your guns and never give up because the good stuff is ALWAYS worth fighting for!
Take a chance,
Katy
Day 2
Date: 5/17/16
Start Mileage: 36,127
End Mileage: 36,477
Total Miles: 350 mi
Start Location: Williams, AZ
End Location: St. George, UT
Comments (0)
Back to BLOG