~ The Middle of Nowhere ~

"I'd rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than any city on earth" - Steve McQueen

"Honestly man, you're riding an Indian where?"

This eleven day trip, and 3,434 miles is to a place called 'nowhere' somewhere near the badlands of Texas.

An adventure for sure.

Thank you RoadRUNNER Motorcycle Touring and Travel for sponsoring this ride along some lonely roads from California, into Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.  And a big thank you to Indian Motorcycle for use of their 2018 Indian Chieftain Limited motorcycle on this epic adventure into the wild west.

I picked up the motorcycle at Herwaldt Motorsports in Fresno, California; a top-notch dealer for BMW, Ducati, and Indian Motorcycle.  A family-owned business that speaks "friendly."

And to my readers, thanks for following me and putting me into the Top 100 Motorcycle Blogs on the planet.  I was the last one chosen, but then again, I have only one way to go, and that's up! 

[Note: as of 9/24/26 my blog is rated #44 by FeedSpot].

The scenery along Route 66 from California into Arizona and New Mexico stopped me every few miles to capture this iconic highway across America.

My ultimate goal is Big Bend National Park in west Texas.

Here are a few pictures with new friends that I met along the trail.  After all for me, it's the personal encounters that make the journey meaningful.  The article will be out in the months ahead, so in the meantime grab the current issue RoadRUNNER Magazine, their 100th Anniversary edition, online or at the newsstands and read about some amazing rides by some very talented writers/riders.  

[Note: My full story, In Pursuit of Wildness: Big Bend National Park was published by RoadRUNNER Magazine].

The 2018 Indian Chieftain Limited has the new Thunder Stroke 111 engine.  It was absolutely a joy to ride, and performed admirably on this long distance ride out to west Texas.  I'm spoiled.

Smooth, powerful, graceful—this machine turned eyes at every stop.

There are many ways to cross into Texas, but my path is along the backroads.  I'll camp whenever I can and sleep under those wide open Texas stars near and in Big Bend National Park.  The night sky is brilliant.  My finger crosses the entire universe in one easy motion.  The stark night darkness is something I've not experienced since wide open places in Montana.  

It is dark. Quiet. Peaceful. Wild. I feel alive.  It is an honor to be here.

Matt, of Herwaldt Motorsports, hands me the key to this 2018 Indian Chieftain Limited,
and gives me a cool t-shirt and hat. Tomorrow, I'm off to Texas.

Thumbs up.  This Indian with the Thunder Stroke 111 engine is awesome.

Pure Indian to the last detail - love it!

Chris, of Herwaldt Motorsports, fits me with this awesome Indian helmet. 
Steve appears a bit jealous that he's not going.

Denise drove me to Herwaldt Motorsports in Fresno to pick up this 2018 Indian Chieftain Limited.

Along Route 66 in Barstow, California.  I love this Muriel.

Robert and Myles Griego at the Route 66 Barstow Mother Road Museum. 
Myles is an adventure biker.

My first day was a long one, 585 miles.  This Indian is photogenic and an awesome ride.  
I sensed it too loved the adventure.

Met this biker who had 722,000 on his machine in Seligman, Arizona.

Scott Master owns Scott's Fly Shoppe in Spanish Fork, Utah.  Scott was on a 1,900 bike ride 
where we both needed gas in Springerville, Arizona.  Nice Triumph Scott!

My new friend Scott, and Robert. 
I don't know who the guy is in the background, but he's now famous.

A personal invite to fly fish with Scott in Spanish Fork, Utah.

The photo below requires a few words about this special lady that I met at Sofia's Kitchen in Socorro, New Mexico.  It seems that she married a man who was working on the Panama Canal years ago.  Her husband had a ranch near Silver City, New Mexico and rode an Indian motorcycle in the 1930's.

She was friendly and told me that she was 103 years old, adding "I'll be 104 in two months."  I gave her my business card which she read carefully.  Impressive lady.  

In Spanish, she said,  "I see you are a Griego.  There are many Griegos' here in Socorro."  I nod.  She then wishes me well on my journey, "Que se vaya bien."

The icing on the cake was when she said simply, "I like your Indian."  And words from a lady who is 103 years old!  I leave Socorro for the badlands of Texas with a smile on my face.

Calty Roos and her son Omar.

My good friend Fred Dokie of 50 years puts me up for the night in El Paso, Texas.  
I think it's fair to say that he's an avid hunter, fisherman, and Raider's fan.

Jamie who rides a Harley Davison welcomes me at
Chios Basin Campground in Big Bend National Park, Texas.

Shirley Joiner who I met at Panther Junction in Big Bend National Park
provided me with the picture (below) of her dad, Charles Louis Kirby.

Charles Louis Kirby (1914-2005)

With the help of RoadRUNNER Magazine, they determined that he rode an Indian Scout, mid to late 1920's.  Shirley later says, "Thanks RoadRUNNER!"

These awesome guys at Indian Motorcycle of El Paso, Texas changed my oil
and gave me one gallon of free gas, adding:
"Man, you arrived on fumes."  Thanks, Indian guys for watching my six.

New friends Sarah and Doug Greer in Lordsburg, New Mexico.  They are riding their bikes from
Glasgow, Kentucky to California visiting National Parks along the way. 



Doug rides a Honda CB 500X and Sarah rides a Ducati Scrambler; real adventures in my book.

Doug and Robert in front of his bike.  Sarah has her own bike.

Doug, Sarah, and Robert.  Bikers ready to hit the road west.

Retired "sign man" in Ash Fork, Arizona who spotted my Indian
from above, came down for a closer look.

Highwire worker who sees everything below.

My new friend, Danny Kamphaus and Robert at Davis Mountain State Park campground in Texas.  
Danny is traveling from Kansas City out to California.
 Likely well over 5,000 miles.

Me, my Indian, and Williams, Arizona the "Gateway to the Grand Canyon."

Sarah, Denise, and Doug in Three Rivers, California.  They went to Joshua Tree and Death Valley National Parks on their journey from Kentucky. 
And now, they are heading into Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.  

They will go home with well over 6,200 miles.  Impressive!

Danny Kamphaus, from Kansas City, joins me for lunch in Three Rivers, California.  
He travels light and extensively on his Harley Davidson.

I loved this adventure out to a place called 'Nowhere.'  Steve McQueen would be proud.  

Big Bend National Park in west Texas is wild, scenic, and a destination worth pursuing.  

This trip into Texas on this Indian motorcycle was an awesome adventure.  When I returned home, I was asked: "What was your favorite moment on that trip?"

Thinking.  I responded. "It was this picture above without another person in sight for 50 miles, and feeling like I found, "The Middle of Nowhere."

~ Fred's Harley ~

"Man does not weave this web of life.  He is merely a strand of it.  Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself" ~ Chief  Seattle

The Harley-Davidson in Scott's driveway

The statute of limitations will help me now tell this story, but I was a bit nervous as the details unfolded.  

It began innocently enough when my neighbor Scott asked, “Bob, could you do me a favor.”  “Sure” was my immediate reply.

It seems that he needed me to ride a Harley-Davidson motorcycle parked in his driveway over to a friend’s house in Three Rivers.  “You can take it for a nice ride too if you want,” Scott added.  

It has been a long time since I rode a Harley, so I jumped at the chance.  The bike fired up nicely, sleek, and looked like fun.

Then the details began to unfold and now I’m thinking what did I get myself into.  Scott said that it would be a great story for my blog, but at the time I wasn’t so sure.

The Harley was light and quick ~ Sequoia National Park in the distance

These are the details Scott presented: 

“Fred (a friend and local contractor) was offered a great deal on a very low mileage, 2012 Harley.  Fred bought the bike before asking his wife, so in the interest of marital bliss, I offered to store the bike at my house until he found the right time to tell her.”  

Ok, now this sounds like a hot potato I whisper myself.

Scott continues.  “The bike was originally going to be a "Christmas present" from one of Fred's clients, but he broke his ankle in a construction accident and the time didn't seem right...

A New Year's plan was overruled in favor of visiting friends so Fred started planning his next attempt to get his wife interested in getting a Harley...

The plan was to show up with the bike on Valentine's day and take his wife for a ride through the Sierras but she had other plans and vetoed his bike trip idea...

Four months later he had still not found the right time. The bike sits covered with a tarp in my driveway ~ but hey, that's what friends are for.   So, with a little help from his friends, Fred hatched a new, and hopefully more successful plan.”

The infamous note

Scott continues to explain that the plan was to take his wife boating on a nearby lake. Meanwhile, we would drive the bike over to Fred's house and leave it in the driveway with the attached note from his friend Dave who he bought the bike from originally.

Fred and his wife stopped by River View on the way home and ran into Dave, who mentioned that he had left a birthday present at Dave's house.  When Fred and his wife arrived home they found the motorcycle. Fred's wife insisted that Fred call Dave and thank him but just before Dave answered, she ask Fred to put it on speaker.  

Evidently, Dave did a masterful job of maintaining the ruse and today Fred can finally park his hog outside his house.

I don’t know Fred or his wife, and this plan seems like it could back fire on me delivering his motorcycle to their house under these conditions.  

But I did it.  

The bike ride was awesome and this Harley handled well.

The bike was delivered, and to the best of my knowledge, the Harley has a new loving home.

Fred's Harley is delivered