Last Ride Before the Snow — Six Months In and Completely Hooked

November 2020. The last 75-degree day of the year. The bike goes in the barn after this one, and I am not ready to let go.

Six months earlier, I learned to ride. Six months later, I can't imagine my life without it. That's how fast it happens when you find the thing that's meant for you.

A Year That Changed Everything

It's been a great year for riding — which is saying something, because 2020 didn't give most people a lot to celebrate. But for me, this was the year I got on a motorcycle and didn't look back. I met some fabulous people along the way, learned some little tricks for my bike, found roads I didn't know existed, and discovered that Northern Nevada is one of the best places on earth to ride. I already knew I loved living here. The bike just gave me a whole new way to see it.

"Be Back Later!"

My kids are completely jealous of me when I leave. I always say the same thing on the way out the door: "Be back later!" No ETA. No route planned. No particular destination in mind. Just the bike, the road, and wherever the afternoon takes me. That freedom — the ability to just go, without an agenda, without a schedule — is something I didn't fully understand until I started riding. Now I can't get enough of it.

One Last Run to Genoa

This final ride of the season took me to visit a friend and then down to Genoa, Nevada — the oldest town in the state, tucked up against the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada at the foot of the Carson Valley. If you've never been, Genoa is one of those places that feels like it exists slightly outside of time. Historic buildings, towering cottonwoods, the mountains right there above you. It's a short ride from Carson Valley but it feels like stepping into a different era entirely.

I did some shopping, soaked up the last of the warm sun, and took my time getting back. No rush. That's the whole point.

Why Northern Nevada Is a Rider's Paradise

I love the area I live in for riding — and I mean that completely. Within an hour of home you can be on Geiger Grade climbing to Virginia City, winding through Washoe Valley, cruising the Carson Valley floor with the Sierra Nevada on one side and the Pine Nut Mountains on the other, or heading south toward Topaz and the high desert. Every direction offers something different. Every road has its own character.

Six months into riding, I was only beginning to scratch the surface of what's out here. That's still true today. Northern Nevada keeps giving.

Into the Barn Until Spring

After that last warm day, the bike went into the barn for the freeze. Covered up, stored away, waiting for spring. It's the right call — but it doesn't make it any easier. The first winter after you learn to ride is a long one. You spend it thinking about roads you want to ride, routes you want to explore, and all the places you're going to go when the weather breaks.

I can say with complete certainty: I am so very glad I learned to ride. Best decision I made all year. Possibly ever.

Lovin' life. See you in the spring.