US Tour Round-Up

What a whirlwind few weeks it has been across the US.

 

It began in Delanco, New Jersey, where I was reunited with my friends Suzanne and Vito and then, magically, with the very same Hayabusa I rode on the salt flats back in 2019. Can I describe that feeling? Not really, no. How many times do you meet destiny and then get the chance to revisit it — to sit across the table, buy it a drink, and talk about old times?

 

That’s what it felt like, swinging a leg back over that bike. I was instantly transported to Bonneville: the glare of the salt, the vast sky, the weight of hope, despair, and visceral determination all flooding back through my body. My eyes were shining then, and they shone again now.

 

I took the Busa out for a short trip along the Delaware. Two strangers stopped to talk, drawn perhaps by my sheer joy, and for a while we stood together, speaking of purpose and adventure. I waxed lyrical about why I was there, and somehow my mood lifted theirs. We parted lighter, as though Bonneville itself had whispered through me. After a short stay it was time to move on — first to Portland, Maine and then to Poland for my first event.

 

 

At the WIMA and WRWR reunion, I was surrounded by incredible women. The camaraderie was palpable — we swam, we danced, we shared food and firelight. I was inspired by legends like Wendy Crockett, the first woman to win the gruelling Iron Butt Rally, and Linda Bick, whose travel journals span Africa, Europe, and Australia. And of course, hearing Hayley Bell and Liza Miller unveil the new Women’s Worldwide Rally starting in January 2026 was electrifying — a movement aiming to connect women riders across the globe through a unique virtual app.

 

Somewhere between all that energy, I recorded a podcast (The Lowdown with Neil Graham) from the rafters of a 1939 wooden dining hall, croaky with a cold and under the watchful eyes of a few small rodents! It went well though — and after selling nearly all my books, I hopped on the back of Lilli’s nimble little CFMoto 450 for an unexpected adventure.

 

Instead of city lights, I found myself at her beautiful riverside home in rural New York, where a dip in the sun-warmed water replenished me completely. As the Stoics remind us, nature restores what the world takes away.

 

From there it was on to Chicago and then Santa Cruz, staying with the ever-generous Liza. California stunned me: redwoods towering like ancient sentinels. I love imagining what they witnessed as tiny saplings, what they breathed in over centuries, what passed beneath their branches. Marcus Aurelius counselled us to look at the world as if seeing it for the last time — and standing among those giants, I felt the weight of that wisdom.

 

The laughter continued with a guest spot on the world-famous Motorcycles & Misfits podcast at the Recycle Garage. I usually avoid re-listening to my interviews, but this one was pure tonic — a reminder that laughter is medicine for the soul. If you can’t remember the last time you laughed until your stomach hurt, perhaps it’s time to seek that joy again.

 

And then there was the garage itself. I was so impressed with Recycle Santa Cruz. Liza sets out chairs behind her garage so folks can linger while they tinker with their bikes, ask for help, or just share a coffee. The Misfits — the podcast team who gather there — are always ready to pitch in with advice, whether it’s changing a wheel or fixing an electrical fault. Others drop by simply to borrow tools or recycle old ones they no longer need.

 

What struck me was the sheer flow of people: all ages, all walks of life. Conversations sparked easily. I signed books, swapped stories, and was touched by the generosity of spirit everywhere. From where I sat, I could glimpse the busy streets just outside — cars honking, people rushing, voices raised — but inside that little car park, the rules felt different. Trust was given freely, advice was shared without cost, and laughter echoed across the space. It felt like a bubble apart from the world, a reminder that community thrives where inclusion and kindness lead the way.

 

The Stoics spoke often of the cosmopolis — the idea that we are all citizens of one great city, bound together by duty and goodwill. That garage felt like a tiny cosmopolis in action. Proof that the happiest people are those who give, who share their knowledge, who live with purpose and see themselves as part of something bigger.

 

Finally, Mariposa for the Horizons Unlimited 25th Anniversary. Despite Flip being unwell, Anja led with brilliance and the whole event was buzzing. Two presentations, inspiring talks from the likes of Sam Manicom, plenty of book sales, and even a stint as an impromptu commentator for the slow race and off-road competition. Sometimes life hands you a microphone when you least expect it — the Stoics would say the task is not to question why, but simply to meet the moment.

 

As I flew home with just a handful of books left in my bag, I reflected that this tour wasn’t about selling or speaking, but about connection — with others, with nature, with myself. That is the Stoic road: to embrace what fate offers, to laugh at the absurd, to love the people alongside you, and to remember that time is precious.

 

Don’t waste the ride.