School and Community Fall 2023

A Two-Wheeled Journey of Exploration and Adventure

O ur two-wheeled adventures began in 2012 when my husband, Brent, bought a Harley Davidson Ultra Classic motorcycle. It was something he wanted to check off his bucket list. We began by taking some day trips around the Kansas City area and then branched out to Weston and Lexington in Missouri or to Paola, Kansas with our friends, Toni and Scott. On these day trips, we like to search for a good place to eat lunch where we have not been before. Soon, we began to embark on weekend trips to Eldon, Hannibal and Potosi with the Missouri Chapter of the Valkyrie Riders Cruisers Club (which we joined despite having a Harley). When we go on rides, we try to find curvy and hilly two-lane roads to make for a more exciting journey. These roads have since led us far beyond Missouri and Kansas. We began our tour of America in 2016 when we attended a Valkyrie Rally in Morgantown, West Virginia. It took three days to get to Morgantown via the scenic route and we stayed in a quaint motor inn in Maggie Valley, North Carolina. This has since become one of our favorite places because of the amazing view of the Smoky Mountains right outside the room. I always try to find a new local brewery for us to stop at in

each destination, too. We now have quite a collection of brewery stickers. We have since been to many places including Billings, Montana; Roanoke, Virginia; Taos, New Mexico and Harrison, Arizona. I think my all-time favorite trip was when we went to the northwest region of the United States, logging more than 5,500 miles in 13 days. Our trips take us through many small towns as we try to stay on two lane roads, avoiding highways when possible. On one of our most memorable day trips from Morgantown, we encountered the “goat trail” which was narrower than a one lane road with old loose asphalt - it was quite the adventure! Once we took a wrong turn, which ended up being the “right” turn because it led to some amazing waterfalls. (This might just be a good metaphor for life itself!) We often try to stop at scenic overlooks and have been through some historical places. In South Dakota, we stopped at Mount Rushmore, visited Spearfish Canyon and rode the famous Needles and Iron Mountain highways. The 360-degree views from the motorcycle were breathtaking. Having a National Parks Pass really helps our budget as well, allowing us to visit iconic

BY SHELLIE WOLFENBARGER, BLUE SPRINGS R-4

8 | FALL 2023 S&C