Alissa Posts: Journey on New Bikes

It's been a bit since we've been posting... and many things have changed... One of the changes includes finding a way to delineate which of us is posting, as Josh and I have very different ideas about how to say what we think is important. Look for the title to give you an idea of who is saying what, and understand that as a couple, we provide each other with input and ideas to include no matter what the other thinks! For example, Josh is WAY more mechanical and can speak to those topics better than I, though sometimes I have very definite ideas about machinery and I am forceful about asking for those ideas to be included.

Almost a month ago, Josh and I had twins. We'd been planning carefully for about a year, but nothing really prepares you for twins. We had a gift card from a friend for Harley Davidson and wandered into Chester's Harley of Reno looking for a helmet when we spotted them. We sat on them and petted them and loved on them and Kevin came over and told us all about them!  Then we wandered over for helmets since that was really what we thought we'd wandered in for. But we kept thinking about those cute little twins! We left empty handed except for Kevin's card but I couldn't stand it! When we got home, we called Kevin and let him know we were thinking about adopting.

Alissa and Josh at Chester's Reno Harley Davidson

Less than a week later, we were the proud owners of twin Electra Glide Limited Harley Davidson Motorcycles. They are beautiful and we couldn't be happier! Many factors went in to planning the twins, including cost, accessories, availability, maintenance... and I must tell you it was hard to think of any of those things when we were sitting in the saddle. It's a very good thing we thought about those things first!

We had a very big ride ahead of us (1500 miles)... our next big decision was whether to ride the 1000 miles and have the first maintenance done before the trip or go easy and do the first maintenance after the trip. We decided to RIDE RIDE RIDE (duh!). What a joy!

Taking a Rest at Yerington Rest Area on Alternate HWY 95

Stopping for Lunch at Nu Yalk Pizza on South Virginia in Reno

At 1100 miles, they were named (Freddy as in Mercury as in quicksilver and Lady Illyria as in pirate ship as in Queen Teuta encouraging her peeps to attack Rome before it got too big for its britches), serviced and ready for their first big trip. 

Today we rode aver 350 miles to Beatty, NV and the heart of  Death Valley. We left the house at 9:30ish and after a few quick stops were on the road in earnest at 10:20am. We took Interstate 80E to HWY 95S and stopped for fuel and a snack in Hawthorn at about 12:45pm. (We brought salami, goat cheese and a baguette). We purchased hot drinks because it was VERY chilly and super breezy. If you'd been in the greater Reno area Saturday, you'd know there were blustery winds and snow in the hills. 

It was chilly and still blustery but we have heated grips, fairings, lower fairings and we dressed well. Still, using the cruise control and stretching my arms up and out made me realize what a bubble those bikes create around the rider. We made it to the hotel by 4:30pm... after one stop for lunch... rider fatigue was supremely diminished. 

These motorcycles are going to spoil us in a wonderful way! 

About 20 miles north of Schurz on HWY 95S