Who/Where R U?
You’re an Adventure Rider, eh? Tell us where you’re from and a little bit about yourself. Ok, we’ll start. We’re Mike and Kim Botan. We live in Hudson, NH and sometimes VT. Been riding a long, long time; 30+ years. We’ve been to several countries to ride, but would like to get our country count into triple digits and truly “Shrink The Planet”? What about you?
Ride2ADV 
22 March 2012 –
http://www.Ride2Adventure.wordpress.com has already been viewed in 5 different countries in less than 7 days! Thanks everyone!!! Please tell your friends about the site and ask them to look around and give us feedback about what they would like to see. Mike & Kim
LikeLike
March 22, 2012 at 9:01 pm
Hi Kim and Mike! Great site!!
My name is Joe and I’ve been riding motorcycles for over 30 yrs now. Been involved in roadracing, MX, enduro, scrambles and trials competitions, as well as being involved in mountainbiking and JetSki racing (during a brief hiatus from 2 wheeled motorsports). Got bitten by the touring bug 6 or so years ago and shortly afterward ran into Kim and Mike as they were on one of their adventures. Their spirit and lust for adventure has continued to be a motivator to me.
I own several motorcycles, including a 1970 Triumph T100C, 2005 KLR650, 2003 Triumph Tiger, 2007 GasGas 300 Pro trials, and a couple of assorted mini-bikes…yes, I do have a problem 🙂
I live on the coast in a small community just outside of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada with my wife of nearly 20 yrs and my 12 yr old son.
LikeLike
March 24, 2012 at 10:23 pm
Joe,
Thanks for visiting and telling us about yourself. You’ve done a lot in the motorcycling community! Keep on riding!
Mike and Kim
LikeLike
April 5, 2012 at 10:17 pm
Bought a Yamaha CT-1 175 back in 1968 and began exploring Myles Standish State Forest on the south shore of MA and Cape Cod. Lots of powerlines and rabbit runs through the scrub pine was a great place to hone my skills. Heard about enduros so I bought an OSSA Pioneer in 1970 and worked my way up to B rider. From all the off-road riding I’d done on Cape Cod I took on the task of trail bossing the Cape Cod Enduro in 1972 hosted by the Cape Cod Woods Riders. Spent a whole week laying out the course and getting it arrowed. Pentons became the rage so I bought a 125 and loved it’s lightweight feel. I owned a Yamaha IT 400 and 465 and they were wonderful bikes for their day. Huskys became popular so I bought a WR400 and loved the torque. A brief fling with a KTM 600 motorcrosser converted to an enduro bike made me swear off KTM’s. No electric start and air forks were not fun to live with. Bought a Honda XR400R and rode that for almost 10 years before Honda introduced the CRF250X. Still riding my stock 2004 X and love the magic button and light weight and quiet muffler.
Decided to augment the trail riding with true dual sport riding so bought an ’08 KLR 650 and then purchased a Yamaha WR250R. Had the two dual sport bikes for awhile thinking they would compliment each other but found I hardly rode the KLR anymore as it was too ungainly on any off-road surface more difficult than a dirt road. Sold the KLR and never looked back.
Enjoy leading and organizing dual sport rides in the NH area showing other riders the routes that only local knowledge came find. Organized a ride out west with three other riders following the Continental Divide from Mexico to Canada a few years ago.
So, in a sense I’ve come full circle and back to my roots where I’m happiest, riding dual sport bikes and the occasional technical trail ride on Yamaha and Honda.
LikeLike
April 5, 2012 at 9:43 pm
What a great history of riding bikes you have! Thanks for letting us all know about you and please stick around and comment often! Sorry about the KTM thing. LoL!
Mike and Kim
LikeLike
April 5, 2012 at 10:19 pm
I’ve been reading your writings for a couple of months now. I must say it makes me laugh sometimes. And that is a good sign, so I think.
I have my home planted in the old continent. Europe. In the Netherlands actually. In a small town called Panningen. Europe: I hope the euro holds on.
I have been riding motorcycles since 1982. Mostly BMW’s, once a Suzuki T350 and a Honda XL500. My first BMW was a 1974 R90S. Now I’m a proud owner of a R1100GS.
I traveled by bike through most European countries, including the former Warschau Pact countries whilst they were still under socialist regimes. Rode my bike in Turkey and Marokko. Last year september I went to Iceland and had to meet water in its several forms: rain, fog, snow and of course crossing rivers.
Besides biking I like to backpack. Did that in Latin-America, Russia, China, India and Nepal. Coming december my wife and I go backpacking in New Zealand. Next year I hope to go biking in Namibia. And then I still have to go to northern America.
It’s not easy to find travel mates for adventure travelling. My friends aren’t really that adventurous. My wife is, but, sadly, not on a motorbike. So I found myself on several occasions riding alone. It can be very Zen.
LikeLike
May 22, 2012 at 4:04 pm
Vollinc,
You certainly have traveled far and wide. Thanks for visiting here and sharing the news of your travels with us. Please continue to visit us and comment. You are always welcome. Hopefully your wife will someday enjoy travel by motorbike like you and you can enjoy those journeys together as well.
Mike and Kim
LikeLike
May 22, 2012 at 8:33 pm
I am very late to start reading about your adventures, but I plan to catch up! My husband and I both ride BMW dual sports. He has the R1200 and I have the F650 twin. We used to live in Alaska and have ridden pretty much every road in the state. We’ve also done two US/Canada tours, one in 2007 and one this year that included me getting to the last two states I hadn’t visited, Maine and Vermont. Since we’ve been pretty much everywhere else in North America, I think our next trip will be to the Canadian Maritime Provinces, and after that we’ll move our way to Mexico and points South. We are lucky that we can take 5 to 6 weeks every summer for rides without having to take “extra” time off work. The time is coming though, when we will reach the end of places to explore that fit within what we can get to and back within that time frame. We are starting to plan for something a bit longer within the next few years, but don’t have any firm ideas on departure dates or itinerary.
Karen
LikeLike
September 10, 2012 at 3:08 pm
Hi Karen,
If your planning on heading to the Maritimes, be sure to drop me a line. I might be able to suggest some routes and places to see. A little local knowledge 🙂
Joe
LikeLike
September 10, 2012 at 3:17 pm
Hello Karen and welcome to R2ADV! We’re glad to have another adventure riding couple in our ranks and we look forward to hearing from you in the future! It sounds like you’ve done quite a bit of adventure riding already, keep on shrinking the planet and sharing as you make your way.
I also went to your blog today. Quite impressive! It’s great to have more resources that invite all people into the riding community. Great work!
Come back and visit soon please! Oh and take up Joe on his offer, Joe showed Kim and I around the Maritimes and we’ve been friends for years now.
All the best,
Mike and Kim
LikeLike
September 10, 2012 at 10:04 pm
Hi there! my wife and I raise 2 kids and operate a raspberry farm in central Argentina. 31,03.22 south, 64.18.35 west. I guide motorcycle groups through this amazing country. Great roads, both asphalt and dirt. Super duper lodges and awesome food. I specialize in Dakar chases and am a keen photographer. I have also guided in tours through Africa, Europe, North and South America. Cheers!!!
LikeLike
December 6, 2012 at 7:15 pm
I’m Kaylee I’m your niece , you taught me and my mom that riding motorcycles give so much love and passion for adventure we specialize is the scooter named Lola . Hope to see you all at Passover!
LikeLike
March 4, 2013 at 5:56 pm
Well Kaylee, we’re so glad that you’ve developed a thirst for riding and adventure!! Where are you headed on your next adventure ride?
LikeLike
March 5, 2013 at 6:02 pm
When my mom decides to take the scooter out for the season. Hopefully that will be ASAP I know it’s tacky but summertime grocery store rides on the back roads of Bedford are the best. There is still some farm land that’s great to see if your immature like me you happily announce that their are “horseles and animals” once you are through the farmland and you take your helmet off at the grocery store its like all in the world is good because you felt free and nothing mattered besides keeping your eyes open ( and hanging on of course) . The most freedom I get with the snow is opening the sun roof of my car. How’s the book by the way?
LikeLike
March 5, 2013 at 9:07 pm