Back in Los Angeles!

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This will officially be my final motolap post… at least for this trip.

After 11,658 miles, 28 states, 257 gallons of 91 octane and a truly incredible journey around our great country, I arrived back in Los Angeles today. I’m very excited to be back in the amazing metropolis of LA, but I could easily make another lap beginning tomorrow.

I want to say thank you to everyone who supported and encourged me to take this epic trek. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time and I’m overjoyed with the outcome. I also want to thank everyone who posted comments along the way to motolap. The words of encouragement, humor and love went a long way while I was on the road. This blog started out as a way for my family to ensure I was alive at the end of each day. As I realized how much it appealed to my documentarian tendencies, and the rapidly growing readership let me know how much you were enjoying the ride, it grew from there. I’m truly humbled by everyone’s enthusiasm for my travel journal and photos.

It has been a tremendous journey and one I will never forget.

I don’t have any groundbreaking epiphanic moments to share which would be broadly applicable. The many breakthroughs which happened in my helmet are wholly personal and will require some time to test.

I can offer a few closing thoughts which seemed to rattle around in my helmet more than once. Take them for what they’re worth:

The unknown is not scary or dangerous. People often warned me about what they haven’t experienced. Leave your assumptions behind, they are useless.

People are incredibly generous and willing to help a traveler, especially if you are on a motorcycle. Don’t be afraid to engage with strangers, they know a lot more about where they live than you or the internet does.

Wyoming is stunning. You should go if you haven’t been. I will never forget the Teton Mountain Range, the buffalo grazing outside my tent in Yellowstone or my ride on the Beartooth Highway.

Nothing is “once in a lifetime.” I got really tired of hearing that phrase. If something makes you supremely happy, why would you only do it once?

Everyone loves a good story. Anyone I shared mine with was an eager listener. I received incredible tales in return.

Be an active traveler, not a passive tourist. The best people and places I experienced never coincided with the tour buses or souvenir shops.

Lastly, this quote came up more than once in different contexts along the way, so I figured it was worth sharing:

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
– Mark Twain

That’s all I got for now. Until the next two-wheeled voyage, I’m signing off!

-Travis