From Paul Dail:
The open road has always called to me. Maybe it’s the result of moving around so much growing up. One of my earliest published pieces was about a trip I took to Mexico just after the start of the Iraq War in 2003. I stayed in a hostel in Ejido Eréndira and helped the owner prepare his inipi for an upcoming sweat ceremony. As I said in my bio, the places I’ve traveled and the people I’ve met have been my best education.
Most of my recent travel adventures were on two wheels as a managing editor for Rider Magazine and usually involved reviewing a motorcycle as opposed to the beautiful place I was sent, but a couple times, they let me just go on an adventure of my choosing with one of the bikes I was testing. Those were good days, and I’m fortunate that they still accept a travel story from me now and then even though I’m not officially on the staff anymore. Anything to get back on the open road.
Below are excerpts from a few of Paul’s travel pieces, with links to the full articles.
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Utah Motorcycle Ride to Great Basin National Park | Favorite Ride (Rider magazine)
Ten years ago, doctors removed my left kidney – and the golfball-sized tumor attached to it. To mark a decade of being cancer-free, I rode my Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail on a Utah motorcycle ride across the West Desert to Great Basin National Park in Nevada.
Had the procedure not been successful, I would’ve only had a 10-15% chance of survival. After my first follow-up appointment, when the surgeon told me I wasn’t going to die, I gained a new appreciation for living in the moment. Riding is the ultimate practice in mindfulness, staying focused on the immediate and appreciating what is around you.
Scan QR code above or click here to view the route on REVER
I left early on a cool September morning, taking Utah Route 130 and catching the sunrise at one of my favorite places. Parowan Gap, located just off SR-130 about 20 miles north of Cedar City, has an amazing collection of petroglyphs dating back at least 1,000 years. I highly recommend stopping to read – and feel – the history. …
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A Scenic (and History-Laden) Southern Utah and Arizona Loop | Favorite Ride (Rider magazine)
Living at 6,000 feet in Cedar City, Utah, most of my winter riding involves heading south, which offers a quick drop in elevation and less chance of the falling white stuff. So that’s what I did a week before Christmas, giving myself a gift of a one‑day ride through some southern Utah and Arizona history.
The day promised unseasonably warm temperatures…eventually. Just after the sun peeked over the mountains, the ambient temperature was in the upper 20s, but doing 80 mph on the interstate meant I was closer to single digits. Thankfully, the BMW R 1600 GTL Grand America I was riding offers great wind protection, and with my California Heat heated apparel (see California Heat gear review here), I didn’t need to use the bike’s seat or grip warmers.
Utah is one of the few states where even interstate riding offers great views. Descending the Black Ridge south of Cedar City, the mountain terrain changes from gray and sage green and reveals distant red rock mesas. Exiting Interstate 15, I took State Route 17 to Hurricane and connected with State Route 59. …
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Explore: Springdale road construction provides surprising sense of serenity (St. George News)
FEATURE — Let me preface this piece by saying if you are thinking about a daytrip to Zion or Springdale on a whim and were unaware of the extent of construction on state Route 9, you may want to reconsider, if only for the added time on your trip. And you may not even get into the main part of the park anyway depending on when you go.
But if you already have plans or were maybe considering a local “staycation” in Springdale, despite horror stories you might have heard, it’s still a good option. Maybe even a better option than you might have had without the construction. Bear with me; I’ll explain.
My wife and I fall into the “already had plans” category, as we have traditionally gone to Springdale at some point between Christmas and New Year’s for the past five years. We hand off our wonderful, holiday-exhausted children to family and escape to this breathtaking location in our own backyard for two nights of quiet reflection. Sometimes we make it into the park. Sometimes not. We like the town enough that it’s a sufficient getaway. …
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Workin’ on the Sweat (Elan magazine)
On March 19, 2003, the United States invaded Iraq. I was on the Hawaiian island of O’ahu at the time, working as a carpenter. Within a week, I would trade the island humidity for the dry desert heat of Mexico, where I found myself preparing a sweat lodge. Working on the inipi would not only deepen my understanding of myself but also give me hope for a world in turmoil.
The Journey to Self has Many Stops
The early 19th century American author Samuel H. Hammond once said, “The truth is that it is natural, as well as necessary, for every man to be a vagabond occasionally.”
When I left Montana in 2002 carrying only what fit into my truck’s 1974 slide-in camper, I wasn’t sure where I was going. All I knew what that I sought a change. After six years in Missoula, I believed I had learned as much about myself as I ever would from that environment, but I knew there remained more to be discovered elsewhere. …
Paul D. Dail 