Last weekend I loaded up my backpack for another weekend motorcycle trip. My riding buddy and I pointed our bikes to the west and headed toward some promised fun on the Mississippi River. We decided to take the country roads which meant a good five hours of riding ahead of us until we reached our destination. I jokingly said to my friend, “That’s a lot of personal reflection time!” Which I guess is part of the reason that we ride. It’s a chance to think about life and ponder the decisions that need to be made.

As I was admiring the beautiful scenery along the country roads of Wisconsin, I began to think about a book I have been reading, Crisscrossing America. The book is the story of one man’s journey across the United States — twice. Upon retirement, John Gussenhoven, did something most people only dream about doing. He bought a motorcycle, took a Rider’s Edge class and learned how to ride. Then he loaded up his saddlebags and made a two-year, two-leg journey crisscrossing the United States. In his book, John writes about his experiences on the road and some of the people he encounters along the way. John’s book also contains some of the most beautiful pictures of the United States that I have ever seen. Each night, John carefully recorded his thoughts as well as his GPS locations from the day. Then he shared these with his friend, Jim Wark, who took arial photographs of the same places. The book offers a truly unique perspective of the landscape of this country. It is stunning!

I talked with John on the phone today to finalize some details of his trip to Milwaukee. John will be coming to the Museum this Friday, September 18th for a special program to talk about his journey. It was such a pleasure to talk about his travels and share some of the work that he does to help others. John is truly an inspiration to everyone he meets. I know you will enjoy hearing his stories and seeing his magnificent pictures. After I finished my conversation, I thought about John’s accomplishments and how amazing it is to travel that far on a motorcycle. I thought about the 400 miles that I had put on my own bike this past weekend. And though the mileage is nowhere close to John’s, I know we are connected and I know, like riders everywhere, we share the same passion. We love the freedom of the road and the time to reflect on life. That is what we all share. I am looking forward to meeting John on Friday—I know we will have a lot to talk about!

Tickets to this program are free but required. Reserve your ticket today at www.h-dmuseum.com/programs