WhereTheHellisMurph......3rd Year,2 Wheels on The Road.

[WheresMurph]

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www.wherethehellismurph.blogspot.com
I'm jumping in here to the IPA on the Portal in year 2 of my trip,currently in the U.S.
This week sees my departure from Prescott Valley,where I spent a few days with friends and took care of some needed repairs on the bike.Prior to that I had been in the CO area,and prior to that my travels around the U.S. and Canada are on my blog.
I also stopped by the OJ office and spoke with Scott and got some needed pointers on Baja from him,as this will be my first time to visit there.
My journey started out in December of 2009 as a newly purchased (to me) BMW 1150 GS Adventure with 9,500 miles on it(it now has 44k) and was supposed to be just a two or three month "Get the Hell out Florida" exploratory trip.
Well,i'm still on the road and at this point have no intention of going back to any semblance of my life before this journey.
The Mexican 1000, http://www.norra.com/mexican1000.php is a vintage car and motorcycle race from Mexicali to La Paz,1000 miles over 3 days.I decided to follow it,photograph it,meet some of the legends of the sport who will be at and participating at the event and do a little exploring of the Baja from a newbies perspective and meet and see some local Baja life,including an Irish Bar in La Paz that Scott told me about.
My blog postings are subject to internet connection,as I do not have an air card,but I usually post 2-3 times a week.
My FB page is a little easier to follow instant updates:http://www.facebook.com/WhereTheHellisMurph

Thanks for reading and I look forward to joining the many many others who subscribe to the Portal and who are currently on IPA's.

Murph

[desertgirl66]

It's great to see you on here Murph! I have really been enjoying reading your blog--always fun to see where you are and always interesting reading. Amazing photos that really capture your journey.

Looking forward to the NORRA Mexican 1000 race write up and I know there will be some fantastic photos!

Follow along with Murph on his blog and you can always find him on Facebook as well.

Murph's Facebook Page (http://www.facebook.com/WhereTheHellisMurph)

Murph's Blog--Where the hell is Murph? (http://wherethehellismurph.blogspot.com/)

[Scott Brady]

Right on Murph. Have a great time in Baja - it is a gem in the world.

Look forward to seeing the pictures!

[yelnoc]

I had the pleasure of spending a large part of yesterday with Murph. He rode into Phoenix and we got him hooked up with Josiah Brennan at Dirtball Customs (BMW Master Tech) to handle some new rubber and a bearing. Enjoyed the day and conversations.

Murph, have a great time in Mexico. Look forward to the action and pre-race photos from Mexicalli 1000.

Cheers,
Scott

[Ray Hyland]

I enjoyed the step by step pictures on how to change the bearing on your blog Murph.

[WheresMurph]

Ray,it was the first time to change them,so looking in my BMW PDF manual,it calls for a "Tapping" out of the bearings in the wheel with a drift or punch.After trying this for an hour and a half,I gave up and went to a shop for a bearing puller.I have since learned that it's pretty much impossible to knock out the front wheel bearings by the method described in the BMW manual.A little heat and a bearing puller is required.Even with the puller the bearings don't just "Pop out".At least they're done for another 44K or another trip to the salt at Bonneville,whichever comes first.

[WheresMurph]

I had the pleasure of spending a large part of yesterday with Murph. He rode into Phoenix and we got him hooked up with Josiah Brennan at Dirtball Customs (BMW Master Tech) to handle some new rubber and a bearing. Enjoyed the day and conversations.

Murph, have a great time in Mexico. Look forward to the action and pre-race photos from Mexicalli 1000.

Cheers,
Scott
Scott,again many thanks for your generosity,it was like Christmas there with you,seriously !!!.
The tool roll I put up on the front forks is still there Scott,works fine.
See you when I get back friend.We'll have a cold one this time :beer:
BTW,try to wait 'till I get back to crash the 1200,ok?.

Murph

[WheresMurph]

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I just got back last night from competing and photographing the NORRA Mexican 1000 rally,Mexicali to La Paz in the Baja.An absolutely awesome event with really some spectacular scenery.

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We started out Tech inspection at the bullring in Mexicali,press conference and mucho mucho tacos..................mang.

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Ned and Kat brought along this wicked ALL owner built(going on 30 years now)flat fendered Willys rockcrawler.Ned figured he'd drive down from the States,do the event,and drive home again.Considering it's a 5.11 gear thats damn impressive.

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This was the route for Day 1 and the off road stage from Puertocitos through Coco's Corner and to the highway pretty much nearly wrecked the bike,50+ miles of really nasty washboards,silt beds,washes,one crash and three drops.Some zip ties and a few tools borrowed from competitors coming through and I finally made it 2 hours later to the highway.It's not easy lugging around a 660lb bike on a course designed for a 400lb XR 500.

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This is Bob Land of Bob Land Racing.Bob and his team were running an '89 Jeep Cherokee in the Cat 5 class.These guys took me under their wing and really made this event a memorable one for me.

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Bobs chase team waiting at the end of Stage 4 for the Jeep for refueling.

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After breaking a shock strut and brake line,they worked through the night to get the car ready for the next days racing.

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I probably took a couple of thousand pictures,so I will post up as I go along.

Thanks for looking

Murph

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[toddz69]

Great photos, Murph!! Please keep 'em coming. I got a note from a buddy the other day who said they pointed you in the right direction towards La Paz at Insurgentes :-).

Todd Z.

[Ryanmb21]

KILL-er photos!

[WheresMurph]

Great photos, Murph!! Please keep 'em coming. I got a note from a buddy the other day who said they pointed you in the right direction towards La Paz at Insurgentes :-).

Todd Z.

I got lost quite a few time down there Todd,and I remember your buddy !!!.
I tell ya,that whole group of racers are such a great bunch guys,the drivers/riders and the chase crews,really great and helpful.
Theere'll be more pics up in a few days,I got lots 'n lots of 'em :-))

Murph

[Scott Brady]

Great images Murph, thanks for sharing!

[Christian P.]

Awesome! Looks like a lot of fun. Was nice to meet you at Expo!

[WheresMurph]

Thanks Todd and Ryan for stopping by,appreciate it.
Ryan,really great photography on followushere,love the beach images,lovely stuff.

So another great event has come and gone,and I got through most of the images that I took while in Baja.Unfortunately I didn't get to explore Baja as much as I would have liked,but I do intend to go back again.I stopped by the OJ office before I left and Scott Brady had given me a few of his top tips on where I should go,but I was going non-stop throughout the whole event,i'll get to them on the next trip there Scott,but thank you for taking the time with me.
I ended up getting "adopted" by the team of the 38 Jeep of Bob Land racing,a really great group of people.They really took me into the race with them.After it was over I had to haul azz back up to Boulder,leave the bike there and catch a flight down to S.Fl in order to move me Mum up to Boulder.10 years of summer all day every day and flat vistas and she's done with it here.Can't say as I can blame her,I feel the same way about it here too.
So it's off to Boulder in a few weeks with Mum,get her settled and I already have the next year or two of adventure travel all set up and ready to go.Details will follow on here of course,but for now I just wanted to check in with the Portal and post up a few more images of the rest of the Mexican 1000.The rest of the write up is on my Blog,Facebook and my SmugMug if you have some time to spare.
As always,thanks to all for stopping by and following along,hope you have been enjoying as much as I.

Murph
www.wherethehellismurph.com

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This is my favorite image of the whole event.
Anthony McCullough was the last person to cross the line,late,very late.I decided to wait until the last competitor finished and i'm glad I did.
1000 miles and three days later,he broke down 100 miles from the finish and his chase had to go out,find him,load up the bike and drive back,but he still crossed the finish line.Anthonys smile says it all.

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Ned and Kats 1960 Flat Fender Willys,a thirty year work in progress,ALL owner fabbed.They drove it down from Nevada,competed in the event 1000 miles to La Paz,and then turned around and drove it back up home to Nevada.Impressive when you consider it's a 5.11 geared rock crawler.

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It didn't start out looking like this,but a really spectacular 4 or 5 time flip and roll(according to the helicopter pilot who saw it happen)and it took a bit of the shine off the hood,and fenders.......and the whole damn car.

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Racing legend Larry Rossler,first time back racing a motorcycle in I believe over 15 years.

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Everyone got a bottle of Azunia Tequila at the finish line.Azunia were one of the sponsors of the event,as well as the owner of Azunia,Jim Riley being the driver for the Snortin Nortin Chevy......

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Thank you to all for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed the images and don't want your three minutes back.... :-))

All the best 'till next time,

Murph

[WheresMurph]

80704
Well,I nearly forgot I had a thread here on EP,i'm not used to keeping up a regular posting other than my own blog.My bad.
I really do need to get a little caught up,as this coming March I put the bike on a boat in Miami,ship it over to Rotterdam in the Netherlands for a sidecar conversion,and then a 2yr Round the World ride thru Europe,Turkey,the 'Stans,Russia,Mongolia and ending in Japan,but more on that later.
After the Mexican 1000 last May 2011,I briefly considered heading south,but I really don't like the heat that much,and by the time I got to La Paz,my thoughts of heading any further south were all but evaporated.
So I headed back up north.Colorado was where I was headed,I needed to secure an apartment there as I was moving my Mum from Florida(which she was done with,no more white Capri's with gold trim) and move her to Boulder.
I had intended to rent an RV and give Mum a road trip to Boulder through places she has never seen in the U.S.,but I have to say,if you're going to rent an RV,DON'T rent one from CruiseAmerica.
I went through 3 before I just threw it back at them.They ALL had a steering wobble/shimmy at 65mph,and their response was "Well,they all do that" or "they don't drive the same as a car" or "It was fine when I went to get gas in it this morning",which was a 2 mile drive to a gas station on the slip road,no way you could do more than 40mph.When I asked them do they inspect and drive them to check for handling isues,they replied,no,they rely on customers to inform them if there's any problems.............REALLY?.
The fact that they were trying to pawn off a vehicle with IMO,serious front end issues which could result in a bad accident was very troublesome to me,it's a lawsuit waiting to happen,but I really doubt that they cared.
So,I bit the bullet (you only have one Mum,right?) and rented a 2k mile Ford Expedition SUV from Dollar Rent-A-Car.I never was a Ford guy,but the new Expedition,let's just say I would buy one in a flash.Great driving car,good mpg at 75mph,and comfortable,very very comfortable.
We ended up going from Fort Lauderdale all the way to San Francisco,back down to Vegas again and finally ending in Boulder 5,500 miles later,Mum having had one of the best times of her life.
The following links have some more details:
http://wherethehellismurph.blogspot.com/2011/07/mums-2011-road-tripa-little-detour.html
http://wherethehellismurph.blogspot.com/2011/08/mums-2011-road-tripthe-eagle-has-landed.html



80705

80706
In Tonopah we met Larry W with his '62 Jaguar XKE Convertible,plugged into the outside wall socket as he charged up the battery of the XKE.
He wrote me after and here's the email:
Hi Murph,

Thanks for writing. I went to your blog and saw the pictures you posted. They are GREAT. The one of just the bugs on the front of the car is my very favorite. I like the bulges of the headlights as it makes the car look like a bug itself: very, very cool.

I did make it home the next day. After I left Tonopah there were a series of very, very heavy rains. Desert rain is always lovely but it did was wash all of the bugs off. So my timing in meeting you was very fortuitous! I wound up driving the last two hours in the dark, in the rain, following a big truck as I couldn't afford the electricity to run my headlights. I slept that night in Big Pine (hwy 395 in CA). The next morning I got home without incident. I recharged and drove the car another 300 miles the next weekend to take my son up to my mom's. It turns out that old cars draw next to no current. So 300 miles is pretty easy and there are stories of driving up to 500 on a single charge (not sure if I believe that one....but it's a good story!).

History,
The car was originally sold to someone in LA in 1962. Six years later is was sold to a guy who owned it until 2004. I bought the car in 2005 after it had been stored a in Las Vegas shed for a year (sorry, no adventure there). After buying the car I had to replace every rubber item in the car as they had baked and broken. I also found that I had to rebuild the rear end, the transmission, the hydraulics, the engine as well as buy new wheels, tires, all of the electrical system, etc. etc. I spent a lot of money for the car....way too much as it turned out. My goal from the start was to use this car on multistate trips with my kids. So reliability was by far my top priority.I got it there but it was a lot of work. It's in good enough shape now that I'm able to do all the work myself. So far I've taken the car to Canada twice. This was my fourth trip to Yellowstone.Overall I've driven 1/3rd of it's total mileage in this last 1/8th of it's life.

This is the fourth generator/regulator set I've had fail in the last 6 years. I'm switching to an alternator. A friend is machining a great set of mounts for a standard AC Delco 10si unit. I shouldn't have any more problems....and if I do $50 at NAPA will take care of it.

My next trip will be at the end of September. A dozen XKE's are gathering for the Southwest Oil Leak (SOL) tour. It will be a few thousand miles of dementia through northern Arizona, southern Utah and SW Colorado. I may just choose to run my headlights the whole way!! (plus the radio and radar detector.....I may even choose to turn on my flashers;)

Thanks again. It was really nice to meet you. I hope your trip is as wonderful as your photos!

Thats all for now,

Thanks all and apologies for the 6 month gap,

Murph.

[Ray Hyland]

Great to see you back on here Murph!

Looks like a heck of a trip for you and mum.

Can't wait to see the Europe pics!

Cheers

Ray

[WheresMurph]

Great to see you back on here Murph!

Looks like a heck of a trip for you and mum.

Can't wait to see the Europe pics!

Cheers

Ray

Hi Ray,and thanks.
I'm not used to multiple Ride Reports going,organization is not my forte :).
Yea,the Mum trip was fantastic,for her and myself,I had a great time with her.We kinda bonded a little more,it was just a great fun trip.
I'm looking forward to EU too,can't wait for the sidecar conversion.Not looking forward to $8-$9 a gallon gas prices though.
How are things with you?.Winter in BC going ok?.

Thanks for stopping by,

Murph.

[WheresMurph]

So after Mums Road Trip 2011 and after I got her settled in Boulder and I headed for Bonnevile UT,for the BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials,held every August,right after Speedweek.
This event I usually work to make some extra money for gas etc.,and this year I was lucky enough to be able to actually camp out on the Salt in the pit area,5 miles up from the boat launch(where the asphalt ends and the salt begins)They call it the boat launch because every time it rains it floods right there,looking like a boat launch.
I was working as nighttime security,as sometimes there can be a few million dollars worth of motorcycles and equipment left overnight.Not easy to access,but one night a few enterprising(drunk)individuals on 4-wheelers made it to the pit area via the dirt road that runs along the Silver Island Mountains and made off with a few expensive items.
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Jim Moshers absolutely stunning Twin Engine Indian Scout LSR bike.I got to spend a few days with him and photographed his bikes in his secret location somewhere in NM.

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A view of the Salt Flats from the Silver Island Mountains.We had to climb up to place the repeaters for the 2-way radios that the officials use during the event.You will notice that the distance from the dirt road to where the salt begins is getting greater each year,as Intrepid Potash is apparently not living up to their obligation of pumping back the salt each year.It's rumored that the life of the Bonneville Salt Flats for LSR(land speed racing)is numbered.

As soon as BUB was finished I was on the bike and riding east to NYC.Normally I stay in at Bonneville for the rest of the speed events as I can usually
get some work pit crewing or as event staff.Camping there is free as it's BLM land,but there's nothing out there,so you better be a good survivalist and a bit of a McGuyver to boot.
There's another 3 speed events after BUB,the USFRA World Of Speed,the Mike Cook FIA-FIM Shootout and the SCTA World Finals.Sometimes Cook will have an extra event at the end but typically thats the schedule.
This year I had a photoshoot in NYC for Team Red,White and Blue,my cause that I donate my time,gas and photography to.It's an organization that I got involved with through
my friend Mandy Miller from Fl who is an ultra-runner.TRWB is a non-profit organization set up to help reintegrate wounded veterans returning from combat into society.
More here:http://www.teamrwb.com/team-rwb/vision-mission


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The Special Forces guys were running the 5 mile loop with a 45lb pack.

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To commemorate the 10th Anniversary of Sept 11th,Maj. Mike Erwin,founder of TeamRWB,put on a Memorial Run from Westpoint Cemeter in Upstate New York starting at 9pm Sept 10th,running through the night and finishing in Liberty State Park at 7:30 am Sept 11th 80 miles and nearly 11 hours later.
You can view the whole gallery of my images on my SmugMug page here: http://wherethehellismurph.smugmug.com/TRWBSept11thMemorialRun/TeamRWB-Memorial-Run-2011-NYC/Team-Red-White-and-Blue-Sept/20021393_tZdsC2#!i=1578704346&k=8nkKjGs

I used to live in NYC back in the 80's for about 10 yrs,and thanks to an old friend got to stay in a great apt down in Chelsea for the week I was there.Again,on my SmugMug page:http://wherethehellismurph.smugmug.com/, there is a NYC gallery to peruse,but here are some of my favorites.

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Steve McQueens Indian on display at Kiehls on 3rd Ave in NYC.

That's it for now.I'm starting to get caught up a bit here on the portal.
I'll have some more images and stories in a week or two.

Murph

[Ruined Adventures]

Wow, just found this thread...incredible photos Murph. I'll be checking back in for more ;)

[WheresMurph]

Wow, just found this thread...incredible photos Murph. I'll be checking back in for more ;)

Thanks RA.
I'll be over in your neck of the woods,Austin Feb 18th-20th,photographing the TeamRWB marathon.Keep an eye out for the bike :-)

[Ruined Adventures]

Thanks RA.
I'll be over in your neck of the woods,Austin Feb 18th-20th,photographing the TeamRWB marathon.Keep an eye out for the bike :-)
Damn...we'll be long gone by then.

[WheresMurph]

Damn...we'll be long gone by then.

Well,good luck with the trip.

[WheresMurph]

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So I just added these this evening on my website,here's the scoop:
I just picked these up from the printers today,so they are now available.

I thought long and hard about how to distribute them,so this is what I came up with:
As many of you know,my "give back" organization is Team Red,White and Blue,a non-profit organization set up by Maj.Mike Erwin to help reintegrate returning vets from the war back into "normal' life again through the medium of exercise.I was introduced to them by my friends Mandy Miller,who is heavily active and a huge part of the TeamRWB organization.
She also is the friend responsible for getting me into re-hab 3 yrs ago and helping me to become a sober and productive member of society.

Over the last few days i've been seeing a tremendous amount of support for TeamRWB in many forms,and yesterday I saw the Paula Broadwell Video.
Not only is Paula donating 25% of the proceeds of her new book "ALL IN" to TeamRWB,but Jon Stewart jumped in the fray and donated $20,000 and put a "Donate to TeamRWB" button on the The Daily Show Page.
So I got to thinking about how I could contribute to my cause,TeamRWB,and I decided to donate to them from the proceeds of the sale of my stickers.

So,pictured above is the sticker package that is up on sale.

WHAT YOU GET:you get 1 large 5" wide by 3" tall sticker,1 medium 3" wide by 1 3/4" tall sticker(the one that is blank,not finished printing yet)and a 5" by 1/2 sticker,all mailed TO YOUR DOOR.
You don't even need to get in the car for this one,I mean JUST HOW EASY does it get PEOPLE !!!!.

30% of the proceeds are going to be donated to TeamRWB,and 20% will go to an as yet undecided cause.So basically i'm going to donate 50% of the proceeds of the money I get from the sale of the stickers.
The package is priced at $10,which includes shipping anywhere in CONUS.
My goal is to get TeamRWB at least $1200,and $600 to another cause(as yet to be determined).
Once I get my printing costs covered i'll be happy,if not,i'll still be happy.

I never set out to try to make a profit on these stickers,but now i'd like to try and make a profit to help some others,as there are many many people who make regular donations to help me and continue to be a constant source of support.
I may need to make an extra run of 500 if they take off and sell,I really hope so.
I do intend to make a WTHIM World Ride sticker each year,with just the year on it changing,who knows,they nay become collectible!!!.

So there you have it,I hope that you all find this a worthwhile reason to spend $10.
I have a very limited run of these made,I couldn't afford to get 1000 made,but maybe if this batch all sell,i'll get some more done.

SO C"MON people,show TeamRWB some support.......pretty please.

Murph.

TO PURCHASE PLEASE PAYPAL $10 GIFT PER SET TO WHERESMURPH@GMAIL.COM
Please include your Ship To address in the notes.

[WheresMurph]

Hi all.
So first i'd like to thank all who purchased my 2012 RTW Ride decals.
Unfortunately I didn't sell as many as I had hoped,only about 77 sets,so I decided to donate all of the money I made from them to my 2 causes,www.TeamRWB.org and Scott D'Angelo's 300 mile self-supported run from Boca Raton up to Jacksonville in Fl.In total I gave TeamRWB $425 and Scott D'Angelo $350.
I still have over 300 sets left for sale,and I will be donating half of the rest of the sales to TeamRWB,and the rest should cover my printing costs and help put some gas in my tank when I ship the bike to Rotterdam in the Netherlands this March.
If you would like to purchase they are $10 for a set of 3,but i'll make it 4 to add incentive.Paypal $10(includes shipping) to Wheresmurph@gmail.com and don't forget to use the "Gift" option please and include your ship to address.

Meanwhile,I will try to get my thread on here up to speed before I leave,as when I get to EU i'll prolly be too damn excited about my trip and the adventure I'll forget to post !!!!.
Nah,not really,but I am pretty psyched about it though.
I stopped by the OJ offices yesterday(March 1,2012) just to say hi to Scott and Stephanie,and Ray Hyland too,and in the process met Brian McVickers and Matthew Scott whom I had not met before.
I bumped into Jeremy of Expedition Ops returning from his Baja California trip( we seem to have a habit of bumping into each other at different intersections of whatever trip we're on ) so it was nice to catch up with him,as last time it was Overland Expo 2011 in Amado.Speaking of OE,thats one of the things i'm not so happy about missing this year,as i'll be gone for about 3 yrs or so on this RTW ride/trip,and I was really looking forward to the new location as well.But I hope to return in 2015 or 2016 to it with a really nice slideshow of my travels,so i'll feel good that I'll be returning and bringing something to the event.

Meanwhile,I recently connected with some old friends from last years NORRA Mexican 1000,and looking through th images,I thought they would look good in Black and White,
so I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed taking the shots at the event....

89412

89413

89414

89415

89417

89418

89419

89420

89421

89422

Best to all and thanks for stopping by,

Murph.

[WheresMurph]

So it's down to the last few weeks of motorcycle riding for me here in the U.S.A. before I drop the bike off at Schumacher Cargo in Gardena CA, and onto a ship bound for Rotterdam in the Netherlands.


As of this writing,Thursday March 4th,2012,I have left my friends Alan and Felicia Sean's house in Prescott Valley AZ and am making a pit stop at the Overland Journal office which is close by as I head to Quartzite AZ and then the Salton Sea for the weekend.

Meanwhile,I received an email from my friend Garth down in Fl after he read the Austin TX post,so I thought i'd share it here with his permission.It's nice to know that my posts and writings are not all just for myself,that they do reach some others too.
I like how Garth writes,he conjures up some great images.
Garth,thanks for taking the time to write,and I'm happy that my images brought back good memories for you.

Murph,
I liked the Austin TX pictures.Like all good images, the picture brings up my own memories which gets me thinking.I guess a picture is worth a thousand words, but in the spirit of editing myself I will only give you a few hundred words of my own…

Pictures of Austin reminds me of a great Springsteen story.Springsteen toured in 2002 and 2003 in support of his album The Rising which had songs that were about 9/11 and all the feelings that many of us had about that day.It’s an absolutely amazing album (if you don’t have, then I will send to you!).I saw several shows that tour and was an avid follower of the various blogs and other fan sites where set lists were discussed and debated.As most folks know, Springsteen is reknowned for mixing up his set list based on the city, the feeling and the mood, often calling audibles in mid set to keep the band engaged and the audience inspired.

Anyhow, Joan and I went to Austin TX for a show in 2002.It happened to be the day that George Bush had told Sadaam that we were going to attack within 48 hours if he did not leave.So, we were in Bush’s hometown state of TX on the eve of war, getting ready for a Springsteen show that was sort of about 9/11 and our ambigious feelings about it.We were psyched as we got very close to the stage in the GA section and anxiously awated the start, even if only to be diverted from the awful proclamations on the news.

The consistent pattern of the springsteen show in those years was that Springsteen lead off the show with the haunting “The Rising” before breaking into different songs. After all, why not start a show with a song that says “come on up for the rising tonight…” So, all the crowd fully expected the opening chords for that song to start off the show, lights dim, to take us on a rising…..

Instead, the band walked up, well lit, and pounded out the classic anthem “war” (what is it good for?).Luckily there is a version of it on youtubehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAX5H8K3bVo

That was friggin awesome ,and captured the feeling of the crowd.Of course,Springsteen was early to the “anti-Bush” view of the world.Maybe more of us should have listened – after all, what was it good for?.

So,the other springsteen note of interest is that he is releasing his 17th album on March 6th and once again touring. He is over 60, but is still pounding out the rocker,s and still making comments about our times.His new song is especially appropriate for our times, signing ironically that “we take of our own” which he juxtapoes with lyrics that seem to say otherwise.It’s obvious from viewing his new video (below) that he wants us to understand what he is saying so we are not confused by the seeming patriot chorus of the song. (remember that his anti vietnam diatribe “Born in the Usa” was coopted by Reagan as if it was a rah rah song…)

Anyhow, as you drive across the country, “wherever this flag’s flown”, I figured you may want some good thoughts and music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkEU3JjNARs

Garth Graham


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Back at the Overland Journal offices in Prescott AZ,I bumped into Jeremy from Expedition Ops returning from a Baja trip.Jeremy and I seem to just "bump into" each other as we travel from place to place.Last time it was the 2011 Overland Expo in Amado AZ,in 2010 it was at the BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials at the Bonneville Salt Flats,both of these events I will unfortunately miss this year,and probably the next year also.
It was good to see Scott and Stephanie Brady too,and to know that I have their full support and that of the Overland Journal and Expedition Portal staff as I embark on this multi-year adventure.Scott has already traversed the globe many times over by now in a multitude of vehicles,so it's great to have him on my side.
I also caught up with Ray Hyland at the Journal,Ray is the Director of PR and Marketing for the Overland Journal,and another invaluable friend who has offered me his full support on this journey.Thanks Ray,I appreciate it.




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I had just returned from Datil,New Mexico after photographing the Very Large Array,a series of 27 antennas,82 ft wide in a Y shape configuration on the plains of San Agustin in New Mexico.




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This little trip from Scottsdale AZ to Datil NM started out all nice and pleasant,but as I pulled into Datil NM as the sun was setting,the temperature started to plummet rapidly.At an altitude of nearly 7000ft,it gets quite chilly at night,so as I had already missed the golden ally of sunset to run off a roll or two of film,I decided instead to try to figure out where I was going to set up camp for the night.



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You hit the entrance to the Datil Well Campground on the right as you come in to the town from the weston Hwy 60,and at this time of the year,the BLM campground was empty,too cold for most I guess.It did get cold that night,it got down to about 19°F,I had a -10°F rated sleeping bag that wasn't doing it's job,I was freezing all night long.
But after I had thawed out with my morning infusion of turkish ground coffee,I made my way over to shoot the VLA........




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Regards to all.....


Murph.



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[WheresMurph]

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Datil,New Mexico,the Very Large Array,a series of 27 Antennae on the plains of San Augustin.


I spent 2 days there in February this year photographing the 82ft wide dishes,the second day being pretty much of a wash out weather wise,clouds rolling in ahead of 55mph wind gusts coming up from the SW.Cold,cloudy and windy.It made for a challenging shoot and a cold night of camping.


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Out in the middle of New Mexico I stumbled upon Tommy Padilla's Rito Quemado Convenience Store in Quemado NM,just west of Datil on Hwy 60.
Tommy's convenience store is a neat little gas stop with motorcycle parking out front.Most of these small town stores can be pretty shoddy at best,but Tommy's was immaculate,especially the bathrooms,hence the reason I write of it here.Tommy even offered me the use of Wi-Fi if I needed to do some work.
When I come across a great spot like this I like to spread the word.



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Don and Murph,Quemado NM,2012.
Photo courtesy Nick Steever.com

This is Don from Alaska whom I met as I rode past him on the way to Quemado.I saw his Alaska plate as I overtook him,so I pulled over ahead of him,we stopped and chatted but it was cold,so we said we'd meet up ahead at Tommy's gas station.While there,Nick Steever,a photographer from NY happened to be gassing up his vehicle and asked if he could take some shots of Don and I.
I remember I was putting something I had just bought at the store into one of the panniers at the same time Nick asked to take a shot of us,and hurriedly closed the lid of the pannier,but forgot to pull over the cargo net(which holds my H-D mess kit bag on).

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Heading west on Hwy 60 and riding 10 or so miles I took a look in my mirrors and saw this really great straightaway behind me,so I pulled over to grab a camera and run off a couple of shots.


As I threw my leg over to dismount I noticed something was missing from the back of the bike,a soft bag,my mess kit bag where I keep my my coffee and kitchen items,a black Harley Davidson cool bag that was a gift,given to me by my friend and Bonneville brother "TR".

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Bugger it,the cargo net,I forgot to tie it down.Bugger it,the cargo net,I forgot to tie it down.


I looked around,back,sideways,no sign of the bag anywhere,so without taking the straightaway picture I had stopped for to begin with,I hopped back on the bike to ride back east the way I came from Tommy's gas station to try to see if I could spot it on the side of the road somewhere.The 10 mile ride back to Tommy's store yielded nothing.
"Bugger it twice" I mumbled,I have to find the bag,this bag HAS to be found,it has sentimental value to me,and my next port of call was Quartzite AZ.And guess who I was going to visit in Quartzite?.
Yep,my buddy TR.

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Needless to say that the bag needed to be found,one way or another.I had made up my mind that I wasn't going to show up at TR's place without the bag,end of story.
So after reaching Tommy's convenience store with no bag in hand,I turned around and went back again to check the other side of the road.


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Nothing,not a sign of the bag anywhere.


So I ride back again to Tommy's store,go inside to ask if anyone found it and dropped it off,but alas,no luck.At this point,I was starting to get a bit dejected.Bugger.
After a cup of coffee I head back out again for the 4th time along the same stretch of road,40 miles of back and forth all told,looking for the bag.


As I rode back the way I came,I kept checking the roadside anyway just in case,but as I had run this route already with no sign of the bag,I started to resign myself to the fact that it was lost,another casualty of my negligence.


So here's the part where this story get's interesting.
Now,I'm not a religious person,agnostic bordering on atheism if you want to pigeonhole me,years of catholic double standards,being taught in my youth by sadistic Nuns and Christian Brothers in Ireland had shaped my beliefs,or lack thereof,and disdain for the Catholic Church.
My old man was spiritual himself,not religious,even though his two brothers were both priests.Go figure.
Back last year when I was camping in Sedona,I lost my iPhone up in a remote area of brush on the top of a mountain.No way to find it,I tried,walked around for an hour,no joy.
I rode down to the bottom with my laptop and logged on to FindMyPhone,got an approximate location on the top of the mountain where I thought I lost it,rode back up there,searched,but still no luck.
So for whatever reason that I don't understand I said to myself,Hey Dad,how about a little help here,I could use it.I just figured it was worth a shot,right?.
10 paces later I walked right on top of the phone,there it was on the ground in front of me.


Ok,so fast-forward to today and here I am riding to the same spot on the bike in New Mexico where I was going to take the long straightway shot before I realized I lost my mess bag,and a couple of miles before I get there,I decide to ask my old man for help a second time,just a straight "Hey Dad,I could use your help again,how about it",that was it.
I get to the part where I had stopped to take the picture and was going to keep going,keep riding because I was a little miffed at myself,but something made me stop and say,"Oh well,may as well get the shot while i'm here".
So as I come to a stop on the side of the road,there on the top of the 1/8th mile marker post I see:


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Thanks Dad.

[MiniGene]

Wow! Awesome lost and found story.

[WheresMurph]

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Jay Leno,host of the The Tonight Show and owner of a very diverse car and motorcycle collection,as seen on the website JayLenosGarage.com,taking time out of his Saturday to speak with me at his Big Dog Garage in Burbank CA.


Go West young man.
That's what they said back in the early eighties when I came over here to America from Ireland.I should of listened.Jay Leno listened,and now look where he is.
I've always had a thing for the Left Coast,especially California,the climate,the mountains,the laid back attitudes,the interesting mix of people,the car and motorcycle culture,the mountains(I know,I already said the mountains,but they deserve a second mention they're so beautiful).There's a flavor out in Southern California that's hard to put a finger on,
Since I arrived in LA 10 days ago,I've been caught up in a whirlwind,a series of interesting events and happenings,thanks to some really good friends that I have out here,and also being in the right place at the right time.That's how I ended up at Jay Leno's Big Dog Garage in Burbank where my friend Chuck(who I was staying with) talked to George(who works at the garage) who then called Robert(who's the VP of Production for NBC),and the next thing I know I'm sitting down on a Saturday morning with Jay being interviewed by him for a segment on his Jay Leno's Garage website.

BOOM....



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Directly behind Jay,next to the car with the yellow hood is Jay's Silver Buick,a 1955 Roadmaster he purchased in 1972 for $350.
It was his first vehicle he owned in California,the car he used for his first date with his wife,and the car he drove for his first appearance on the Tonite Show in 1977.
It was also the first vehicle in his now very extensive and eclectic collection,and he still say's it's his favorite car to drive.
In Jay's own words,"You gotta love the look in the eyes of a guy driving a Porsche who sees you coming up on him,but he just can't seem to shake you going up a canyon.He's thinking 'how can this old Buick do this to me?".With a ZZ572/620 GM crate motor with 620 HP under the hood,it's not really much of a problem.


I'd like to extend my thanks to all involved in my interview with Jay,Robert Angelo,VP of Production,the camera crew and Jay Leno,for taking the time to make this happen.


And of course the whole garage crew who are a really great bunch of guys,Bernard,John Pera,George Swift,Pear,Jim,Dirk and Bob.
Dirk,thanks again for the 'Killer' cappuccino's.


This forward momentum and being in the right place at the right time vortex all started when I called David Hamilton,whom I bought my motorcycle from,a 2004 BMW 1150 GS Adventure,back in November of 2008,as I rode out west to LA from S.Fl in Feb this year to ship my bike to Europe from the port of Long Beach CA.
San Luis Obispo,a beautiful town just north of Santa Maria in CA is where David calls home,and though up to that point we had never met,we stayed in contact with each other,since David works in the publishing business for Source Interlink Media,who have under their umbrella such publications as Hot Rod , Petersons 4Wheel and Off Road , Motor Trend and about 60+ other magazines,so we both share a love of shiny mechanical things with wheels that make lots of noise and go fast or look really cool and break down.
I mentioned to David that I was going to be over on the Left Coast to ship the bike from the port of Long Beach to Rotterdam for my 3 yr Round the World ride,so why don't we get together and have lunch.
Well,David said he was going to be working at the Tierra Del Sol 50th Jeep Safari the same time I was going to be out there,so why don't I come down to meet him there.Good idea,I had never been to the Salton Sea,even though I had spent time camping close by in Death Valley,so after photographing The Very Large Array in Datil NM,I headed for Salton City and the TDS Jeep Safari.




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This is Super Dev,I caught her attempting to ride off on my bike,but fortunately she couldn't reach the handlebars and the footpegs at the same time.Luckily Super Dev's Dad was there so we were able to apprehend her just in the nick of time before she figured out how to start it and ride off into the sunset.I see a future motorcyclist here,another world traveller perhaps?.
Super Dev,if you're reading this with Dad,it was fun meeting you at Salton Sea,and I hope you both follow along on my journey around the world.See you in 4 years or so.

So as David and I were chatting and catching up,another one of those "right place,right time" moments happened in the form of Scott Timberlake,an ad exec with Source Interlink Media.

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It was late in the evening and I was talking with by the bike with David when this guy walks up,well,it was more of a meander with a definite swagger,looks at the bike and then at me and say's "are you sponsored?".
"No,say's I".
"Well,you should be,come down and see me this week,we'll have lunch and see what we can come up with,no promises".
This chance meeting with Scott out in the middle of the desert in Southern California led to lunch the following week at the offices and photo studios at Source Interlink and two days of video being shot of me about my story and travels for the Motor Trend Youtube Channel.
I know,the hit's just keep on comin.......



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While at the Source Interlink photo studio,Randy Lorentzen(R) Director of Photography for the Performance Automotive Group,had a little fun on the set.
And as a PS,the car is an absolutely beautiful 1940 chopped 4 Door Ford,mostly owner built,unusual in that as any car customizer knows how difficult it is to chop a 2 Door,not too many people bother with putting the amount of time,money and effort into chopping a 4 Door.
This car feature will be out in Street Rodder in the coming months.Keep an eye out for it,it's worth it.


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So,last Wednesday,March 21st,I dropped the bike off at the Schumacher Cargo offices in Gardena CA,and there it awaits consolidation to be loaded on to a container bound for the port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
I received an ETA from Schumacher of an arrival May 1 in Rotterdam,so the weeks will go by real fast I'm sure.I will be posting a 'How To' video in the next article here on the blog about everything you need to know if you want to ship your bike from the US to Europe,from the paperwork you will need to exactly how much you will be charged,both here in the US and when you go to pick up the bike at the Freight Forwarders in Rotterdam.





Thanks again to all for stopping by

Murph

[WheresMurph]

From my latest post on my blog http://www.wherethehellismurph.com,this one on passing through the Salton Sea en route to the Port of Long Beach to ship my motorcycle to Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
I hope you enjoy.

So it turns out that the Salton Sea was an accident,a man made accident in 1905 stemming from a canal that diverted water from the Colorado River to the agricultural area of the Imperial Valley.
There was an overflow,an unplanned change of course,and an inland sea was born.



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The Salton Sea used to be called the 'French Riviera of California',it had Yacht Clubs complete with celebrities.Jerry Lewis and the Marx Brothers kept boats there......

.......That was then.



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http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/Wherethehellismurph_BMW_Adventure_Travel_Salton_Se a7.jpg


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/Wherethehellismurph_BMW_Adventure_Travel_Salton_Se a8.jpg


By the seventies,salt heavy soil from the desert(a prehistoric ocean leftover)began infiltrating the Salton Sea.
Add some industrial waste and some toxic run-off from Mexicali and pesticides from the Imperial Valley agriculture fields,and the salinity of the sea began to rise.



http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/Wherethehellismurph_BMW_Adventure_Travel_Salton_Se a9.jpg


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/Wherethehellismurph_BMW_Adventure_Travel_Salton_Se a2.jpg


Add it all up and it was a poisonous brew,resulting in the death of millions of birds and fish.
The sea became nearly 30% saltier than the ocean,it rose,and pretty much swallowed up homes and businesses along it's shores.


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/Wherethehellismurph_BMW_Adventure_Travel_Salton_Se a4.jpg

Traveling through the area as I left the TDS Jeep Safari,I noticed that there are pockets of reclamation,but due to the sea's salinity,the Salton Sea will never again see anything near the boom it witnessed in the 50's and 60's.
The main problem is that the Salton Sea has no out-flow,so the salinity just stays.
You can still fish there,Tilapia being the fish able to survive the salinity,and you can swim there also,but it's going to be salty.
There is a museum there also,the old North Shore Yacht Club,which I didn't have a chance to visit,but efforts are underway to try to reclaim some of the Sea's former glory.


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/Wherethehellismurph_BMW_Adventure_Travel_Salton_Se a_Tierra_Del_Sol3.jpg
I leave you with Captain,a super cool German Shepard,BIG dog too,that I met at the gas station as I left the TDS Jeep Safari.

Thanks for stopping by,

Murph

[Ruined Adventures]

Cool story about your mess bag, and especially the parting shot with it hanging on the mile marker. You can tell someone found it for you and put it somewhere you'd easily see it...perhaps it was Dad answering your pleas for help ;)

[WheresMurph]

Cool story about your mess bag, and especially the parting shot with it hanging on the mile marker. You can tell someone found it for you and put it somewhere you'd easily see it...perhaps it was Dad answering your pleas for help ;)

RA,thanks.I'm not religious at all,or even that spiritual,but after just casually asking the old man for help and then finding the bag,well,it does make you think.
And yes,obviously someone on the road found it and put it there,but finding it at that particular moment.......

Thanks for stopping by.........

Murph

[WheresMurph]

Hi all and Happy Easter.

So,since this is my first time shipping a motorcycle overseas I thought I would make a 'How To' video about the process,for myself and for others who are thinking about shipping their motorcycle,but have no idea what it entails. It doesn't appear to be that difficult,at least from over here in the US,but I'm sure when I go to pick it up in Rotterdam there may be a few issues,maybe not,but Pt III of this 'How To Ship Your Motorcycle" video will be shot when I arrive at the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands on May 2nd to pick up my motorcycle.

The price I paid to ship my motorcycle from Port to Port(Long Beach CA to Rotterdam NL) was $495. If you ship from the east coast,i.e. the Port of Miami,it will be $450.
When you go to pick up your motorcycle in the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands,expect to pay in the reigon of EU350(Euros) for things like unloading,port fees and taxes and the cost of getting your motorcycle from the ship to the Freight Forwarder. Many people are under the assumption that you can just walk up to the ship and get the motorcycle as it comes off the ship and ride off,but this is not the case. You must pay for a Port Escort,(approx $100-$150 an hour) to get your motorcycle from the ship to the Port Gate,it's a security issue. Taxes and fees i'm not sure of yet.

So as soon as I get to Rotterdam,I will detail all these costs and charges and they will be included in the 3rd video.
Once I get to Rotterdam and pick up my motorcycle from the Freight Forwarder,I will be riding south to a small town called Elsendorp in Holland where LBS Sidecars are located,and there we begin the 2-3 month process of converting my motorcycle to a 2Wheel Drive RTW sidecar outfit. I will of course be doing progress reports and video and posting them up here on the Expedition Portal.

I'll be using a Stern Rox sidecar(details in the next post) with the Mobec Duo-Drive system,and doing a full 3 Wheel car tire conversion,since on a sidecar outfit,you don't need motorcycle profile tires,and they also wear down faster compared to a car tire. Since I like winter riding,I'll also be able to get a winter tire in a car tire,an option not available in motorcycle tires. And even though the Stern Rox is more of a 'Tarmac Chair' than a 'RTW' chair, the reason I decided to go with it instead of the usual 'Ural' chair is for the reason that everyone uses the 'Ural' chair,so I wanted to build something different. The Stern Rox is also a 1 1/2 chair,able to take 1 adult with room to spare,so since I'm going to try to take me Mum on at least one or two months a year on part of my RTW trip,I was trying to combine a chair that was a comfortable passenger chair,but also a RTW outfit chair with aspects necessary for long-term travel over sometimes difficult terrain.

Murph





http://vimeo.com/39929625

[WheresMurph]

So in the last week i've just been scrambling to get everything together before I leave for the EU. Since this is my first really big RTW trip and I don't expect to be back for at least 2 or 3 years if not longer, I really don't have a blueprint or checklist of 'Things To Do Before You Ship Out For 3yrs' that I can reference. Actually,it's my first RTW period,i've NEVER done a Round the World before,and now here I am at age 50 starting one on a motorcycle, well, really it'll be on a sidecar, it's just not built yet, but in a few months it will be.

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/DCP_4897.jpg
The bike at the shipping company Schumacher Cargo in Gardena CA.

If anyone has any sage advice for me,now would probably be a good time to let me know. I have a few people I know who have done a RTW themselves, but none for over 6 months, and certainly not for 2 yrs +,although everyone's experience and how they go about a big trip like this is a very personal thing.
I know that there's a bunch of things to think about, but I'm the type of person that doesn't really like to plan too far ahead,I pack the night before or the morning of a trip, I kind of feel that too much planning takes the 'unknown' factor and fun out of a trip,yanno?.
I mean,do you remember back when there was no GPS,no cell phones, no Google Maps to plan out your route?. So how the hell did we manage to get to our destination without any of that stuff we have now?. It didn't seem to be a problem at the time,did it?.
I remember I did my first backpacking trip when I was 15,it was 1977,and I made it to Europe from Dublin Ireland to my friends house in Berlin,no GPS,no cell phones,nothing. Just an address written on a piece of paper,AND,I didn't even speak German.I remember trying to make myself understood while asking for directions,me with my long hair and coffee stained paper with a well worn address on it. My friend lived in a town in Germany called Essen,Essen is also the German word for 'Eat'. It took me all morning to figure out that people were telling me where to go to eat and not how to get to Essen..............Dohhh.

I traveled all over Europe and had no problems, we all did I guess, but now it seems that so many trips are just so 'Over-planned' that it seems like nothing much is left to imagination or God forbid chance.
I know people who travel with 2 GPS's,just in case the first one breaks.............................I mean,really?.
Oh,and then there's SAT phones........................just in case. :D


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/DCP_4899.jpg
I packed the panniers with items that i'll need on my trip,hope they'll still be there when I pick up the bike in Rotterdam.

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/Wherethehellismurph_BMW_Adventure_Travel_1.jpg
This is the warehouse where the vehicles get consolidated and wait to be put into a container.

I guess i'll have to plan to some degree for visas and the like,I just hate planning.But anyone with visa info or help for places like Russia or countries that don't make it easy to get into,i'd be glad of the advice. I do want to head east and take in Russia,it'll probably be in the spring/summer of 2013.
My rough itinerary is after the sidecar is built( 2 1/2 months or so ) to head to Luxembourg in August for the big EGT, the European Motorcycle and Sidecar Show,after which I'll probably go north to Sweden to see Kjell and his wife Karin,whom I met last year in Death Valley on their BMW's while doing their 2 yr RTW ride.
I have an invite to Finland also, so I figure Sept will be about the last month to be able to comfortably navigate that far north. Then I think i'll meander my way through Europe, down to Spain, up to France and over to England and then Ireland where I have relatives to see, and ending up in Wales in February of 2013 for the famous Dragon Rally,England's oldest running motorcycle rally and their version of Germanys famous Elefantentreffen.
So, that's my 'Subject To Change' route,so anyone with suggestions,thoughts,advice,friends to stay with,visa help,anything that you feel may be of use,i'm all ears.
You can leave responses here,on my email : Wheresmurph@gmail.com or just click on the FACEBOOK link at the end of this post.

Meanwhile,I had a really bad experience with selling off the contents of my house in Fl, I had 2 people who do estate and bereavement sales take care of selling off what was left in order to try to fund the next 2 years on the road, and I ended up getting legally robbed blind. I had hoped to get at least $12k since I had a lot of really good items of furniture and tools ( probably $65k + worth,and all I got from them was $6k and a bunch of lame *** excuses. I'm still sick to my stomach about it,as it's a he said she said,but no one died and life goes on,right?.
So I decided to head back to SoCal and spend the last 10 days with good friends so I can leave the US on a positive and happy note rather than angry and bitter.
After all,it was my friend Chuck in Burbank who was the main reason that the Jay Leno interview happened,so i'll be staying with Chuck again before I go and I'll borrow one of his bikes ( he has a bunch of fast one's ) and go visit some 'Left Coast Friends'.

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/WherethehellismurphRockStoreCA3.jpg
Me and my 'Left Coast Brother' Chuck Null,photographer,motorcyclist and all around great guy.

Meanwhile,here's some images of my time in SoCal in March while staying in Burbank with Chuck,we took a few nice rides,we went to The Rock Store,then over to Neptunes Net on PCH and I met some great people,Neil and his Mum in a BMW sidecar who hooked me up when I get to Romania,his Mum will be in Transylvania and his friend Dag in Bucharest.

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/Wherethehellismurph_BMW_Adventure_Travel_Rock_Stor e_California10.jpg
Romanian Neil and his Mum whom is affectionately known as 'MamaRica'.


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/WherethehellismurphRockStoreCA12.jpg


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/WherethehellismurphRockStoreCA33.jpg
Neil believes making sure Emergency Supplies are always at hand.


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/WherethehellismurphRockStoreCA16.jpg
Decker Canyon overlooking PCH,Malibu and the Pacific Ocean.


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/WherethehellismurphRockStoreCA17.jpg


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/WherethehellismurphRockStoreCA14.jpg


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/WherethehellismurphRockStoreCA13.jpg


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/WherethehellismurphRockStoreCA2.jpg


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/WherethehellismurphRockStoreCA10.jpg


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/WherethehellismurphRockStoreCA4.jpg
The Rock Store on Mulholland Highway in Cornell,CA.


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/WherethehellismurphRockStoreCA6.jpg
One of Jesse Rooke's bikes. I've always liked Jesse's take on bikes,just google Jesse Rooke Darla,it's his 950 KTM powered rigid,a really gorgeous nostalgic looking bike.


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/WherethehellismurphRockStoreCA24.jpg


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/WherethehellismurphRockStoreCA15.jpg


Anyway,this is it until I get to Burbank next week,and then it'll be one last post here in the US before I head to Europe,and then it will be post #1 from Elsendorp in Holland.

So suggestions,advice,tips,whatever comes to mind you think may be useful I will gladly accept.I know that there's a whole lot of other travelers who have done these trips or routes before I have and many times over i'm sure.
Oh,and Couchsurfing in EU,anyone have any experience with it?.

Thanks for stoppin by.........

Murph

[WheresMurph]

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal/MatchlessPegLegScramblerBigBear21.jpg

So for this weekends post on the blog I went up to visit my friend Peg Leg Craig up in Big Bear Lake and got to spend a little time with him before I ship out for
Roterdam to pick up my motorcycle next week.

Craig has been going to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah for the BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials in August campaigning his Motorcycle Sidecar Streamliner since 2006.

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal/MatchlessPegLegScramblerBigBear22.jpg


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal/MatchlessPegLegScramblerBigBear20.jpg
Motorcycle aficionados are going to love this post,some of Craig's old race bikes are rare,very rare.
More on Craig Anderson and his Vintage Motorcycle Collection HERE (http://http://wherethehellismurph.blogspot.com/2012/04/left-coastroad-stories-pt-vbig-bear-and.html)


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal/BMWR1150Rrockster007.jpg
Meanwhile,my sidecar arrived at LBS Sidecars in Holland and Ad has already started to work on it.I'll be over there in another week and ready to get started on it.

Until next time,thanks for stopping by,

Murph.

[hochung]

I know where Murph is, or was, just a minute ago. :)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7277/7113931103_f9d612b49d.jpg

Safe travel Murph. Actually, I know you'll be safe. Dad is watching over you.

[WheresMurph]

Thanks Ho,nice visiting with you and John yesterday.
I'll send a pic of the decals you gave me when my sidecar outfit is built.

[Ray Hyland]

This is my favorite photo in the thread so far Murph.

I am guessing you've just touched down in Dusseldorf. Hope the trip is off to a good start.

Cheers

Ray




http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/Wherethehellismurph_BMW_Adventure_Travel_Very_Larg e_Array11.jpg

[WheresMurph]

Ray, thanks for the photo compliment. I do like that one too.
Those are the rail tracks they used to use to take the giant dishes back to the repair shop at the VLA.
So yes, I arrived in Dusseldorf on Monday night, 3 hrs late due to a delayed departure from LA which resulted in me missing my connection in Heathrow and my ride in Dusseldorf, and as of today, Wed, I'm still waiting on my luggage, so yep, the trip is off to a perfect start !!!. No point is everything going right, makes for a boring trip, right ?. :-)

[Ray Hyland]

All part of the adventure right?

[WheresMurph]

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/ElsendorpNetherlands2012-8522.jpg

One of the many symmetrically laid out tree lined country roads here in Elsendorp, The Netherlands (http://g.co/maps/t83wm)

Orderly, civilized, two words that immidiatly come to mind here in The Netherlands. I remember reading a FaceBook post that Scott Brady had replied to a while back, and he made the comment that 'you wouldn't get away with half of the reckless driving and speeding in the EU like you do in the U.S.'. It's so true, even though at times it seems like it's so rigid and strict, it does have it's upside, everyone understands and knows the road rules and for the most part, observes them, it does make for such a pleasant driving experience.

So after arriving last Monday night in Dusseldorf, waiting at the conveyor for my luggage only to find out it was still in Heathrow due to a delayed flight from LAX the day before, which resulted in a missed connection in Heathrow to Dusseldorf and a baggage malfunction, off to the perfect start, if everything went according to plan, i'd have nothing to write about, write?. Right?.




http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/ElsendorpNetherlands2012-.jpg

Ad Donkers, owner of LBS Sidecars (http://www.lbszijspantechniek.nl/) here in Elsendorp and his Harley Davidson V-Rod with his own Boxer Sidecar.

Until my outfit is built I have the use of Ad's V-Rod hack, first time I rode a V-Rod, lot's of power, I didn't realize it was a Porsche designed engine, 125hp, and fast, very fast, even with a sidecar attached.
I don't really like the H-D V-Rod, but I do like it the way Ad built it with the sidecar.
He builds some really nice stuff, one of the reasons I decided to come over here to get my outfit built.


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/ElsendorpNetherlands2012-5380.jpg
Another outfit LBS Sidecars built, this one is a Duo-Drive, a 2 WD based on the R100 GS, more pictures HERE (http://www.lbszijspantechniek.nl/specials/bmwr100gs/)


Thats all for now, I am on the way to Roosendaal (http://g.co/maps/zme2k) to pick up my motorcycle from the shippers warehouse and ride it back to LBS in Elsendorp to start the build of my sidecar. It will be a 2 month process to build out and finish, pictures and updates will be forthcoming.

Thanks all for stopping by,


Murph

[WheresMurph]

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/BMWWindmillWarn-.jpg


I'm settling nicely here in Elsendorp (http://g.co/maps/t83wm) in the Netherlands, a small little village of about 1,100 people, surrounded by farms mostly, a few factories, and a transport company.



http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/ElsendorpSunsetBMW-.jpg
Sunset in Elsendorp.

I have a great arrangement with Ad Donkers, owner of LBS Sidecars (http://www.lbszijspantechniek.nl/) in Elsendorp where I have been able to stay during the duration of my sidecar build. An unusual one to say the least, but all along my travels so far, more and more I encounter such open door hospitality. I will even be working on the build of my outfit as I have quite a bit of mechanical and fabrication skills that I can use to help make this outfit mine.


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/LBSShopSidecar2-9549.jpg
I even get to use the LBS shop hack while I'm waiting on mine.........the perks abound.

For the complete article posted on the blog today, Click here

Enjoy, and appreciate you all stopping by.


Murph (http://wherethehellismurph.blogspot.com/)

[WheresMurph]

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/TheBlobSideview-088.jpg

"THE BLOB" 18 Septemberplein, Eindhoven, NL.


It's been about 35 years since I was last here in Eindhoven as a 15 year old with a backpack on his back and a Euro Rail pass in my back pocket.
I remember my routine was to get on a train in the evening around 8 or 9, find one of those 6 seater cabins that turn into 3 person sleepers, and sleep the night away on the train and get off in the morning at my new destination and explore.


http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/EindhovenBicyclesII-123.jpg




http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/BobCasemier-130.jpg



http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/BobCasemierII-135.jpg
As I was riding, I spotted this man sitting on a small stool, looked like a milking stool, cleaning his Triumph Cafe, so I had to stop.

More on the blog here. (http://www.insertlinkhere)


Murph

[samguert]

Nice photos!

[WheresMurph]

Sam, thanks, glad you stopped by, safe travels.

[WheresMurph]

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/BobCasemiert1-41.jpg

Bob Casemier and his Triumph Cafe.



http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/BobCasemierIII-133-1.jpg

A chance encounter with a man sitting on a small three legged stool while cleaning off the dust on his motorcycle, an old Triumph, led to a wonderful peek into a life from yesterday.
Bob Casemier is not only an accomplished artist, but a great craftsman, having made many of the parts on his Triumph Cafe himself.

http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/BobCasemierStairsWherethehellismurphcom-13.jpg

"Do you have time to come up and see my museum" he asked?.

Even if I didn't, I would of cancelled everything for an invite like that.
The man cleaning the homebuilt Triump Cafe on a little street in Eindhoven called the Kleine Berg was someone very special I thought, and I was not to be dissappointed.


More on the 'Museum in the Attic'
HERE (http://www.wherethehellismurph.com)



http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab67/MurfsStuff/Expedition%20Portal%20Post%20Images/May16thSunsetD700-1-2.jpg

So while my BMW 1150 is being 'Hacked Out' I get to use the LBS Sidecars Shop Sidecar, so Sunday evening I went out for a ride and got this really nice sunset.

Thanks for stopping by and have a good rest of the week.

Regards from Elsendorp in the Netherlands


Murph.

[dwh]

The link to your site in the previous post is broken Murph. (The link talking about the museum.)

And I must say, I'm am digging the hell out of the arty photography. Nicely done.

[WheresMurph]

dwh thanks, I forgot to check the link before I posted.
Glad you like my 'Arty' chit :-). It's mostly 9 shot HDR Photography, some like it, other's hate it, but I kinda lean more toward dramatic images rather than one dimensional stuff.