survival of the fastest

Loyal readers may recall my European sojourn with buddy Max around this time last year. Trapesing around Italy and the Meditteranean Coast might sound romantic and cultured, but we were there for the hard reality of horsepower and rubber; two maniacs on the downside of youth, chasing the MotoGP fantasy across three countries in two weeks. Excellent racing was featured on the weekends, with dining, museums, and random celebrity run-ins sandwiched in between. Recap all its glory here.

It's a year later, and the same song is playing in a different key. The MotoGP has returned to the United States for the first time in over a decade, and I'm making a run for it, baby. Max is staying home, sadly, so the journey cross-country will be made solo with only books on tape and a Yamaha FZ1 to keep me company. I'm not riding the whole way there, but nobody outside the Iron Butt Rally can mock a man who hauls his bike 2,000 miles so he can appreciate the pinnacle of motorcycle skill from a two-wheeled perch.

The trip should be glorious, with stops at Carlsbad Caverns, Santa Fe, the Grand Canyon, and Death Valley expected en route to the fabulous Laguna Seca raceway. I'll do my best to post from the road. Even though it may be mostly desert and rock between here and there, you can bet that Starbucks has a few wi-fi outposts served up alongside over-sugared coffee-esque treats along the way.

Once I arrive, I'll be greeted by my glorious wife and buddy Steve in his rented RV to share the weekend. I doubt we'll have much time for posting in between campground antics, and as soon as wheels start turning in anger and adrenaline over-rules authoring, all bets are off. This circus will be chock full of racing action from Friday morning to Sunday afternoon, at which point I'll be attempting a kamikaze dive bomb straight back from Monterey to Austin.

Keep your fingers crossed for me, and catch all the latest action here along the way. It's gonna be one nutty rollercoaster ride of a trip.