Born Free

Spur of the moment, decided to join my friends Greg & Ady on their annual trip to California for Born Free, a giant motorcycle show. I had no idea what to expect, but I figured as long as I was with friends, it would be a welcome journey. We headed out that Thursday around 5, four bikes total, four people total in the van. 3 bikes and 3 drivers on the road behind us. 

Van occupants: Greg - driver, Ady - copilot, Dakota - 2nd copilot, Me - extra baggage. 

Road riders: Brijan, Nickolas Crosby, Jess. 

Pretty damn fun crew, from what I knew so far. 

We all made it finally, to St George and we stayed in Ady's parents house before heading all the way to California the next day. So thankful to them for letting us all crash there to get some rest before the long ride to the destination. We woke up at 5 am and I decided to get on the back of Brijans bike and drive with him to some random gas station before Vegas. It was GLORIOUS. Total dream...

Driving through the red desert in the early morning with the sun rising steady on our backs. The soft smooth colors in the sky, the warm pockets of air slamming our skin with breaks of cool gusts to cool us off briefly. The sage brush, the plateaus, the canyons. It was something out of a movie, a scene of a movie - the people cruising steady through the sands, clays & dirts of the seemingly endless desert. The rising heat of the unforgiving desert, determined to make it there in one day, wind blown and exhausted. Nothing quite like it. I kept imagining what was out in those "fields" of sagebrush. Jack rabbits, I kept thinking. Those are my favorite. And maybe some burrowing owls, settling back into their cool shaded homes for the day. 

My mind was going and going with thought. I was on the back of this fantastic bike, holding onto this guy I just met 4 days prior. Trusting him to get me to the destination alive and in at least one piece; I felt totally comfortable and safe. I was happy. 

However, minutes before the gas station where we were stopping to meet up with the van, I got heat exhaustion. Ops! So I was restricted to the van again, with lots of water. 

We finally made it to camp. We hung out. Rested. Brijan and I went and got pizza. He's the sweetest. Then, the next day: BORN FREE! We headed out, all on our bikes. The people watching was amazing, obviously. All the thousands of bikes, so much fun to look at their details. 

We spent the day wandering around, looking at booths, bikes, people and vans. Each nachos and tacos and drinking waters like crazy. It was so much fun. I loved it. Same thing Sunday - but on Sunday I got really too hot and didn't have as much as the day before. Bummerrrrrr. But still so much fun. I liked everything about the trip. Happy I went, happy about the people I was surrounded by.

finally happy.