http://ryanjaffe.com.au Wed, 09 Nov 2011 11:39:28 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Fluttering to the ground a small blue and white card escaped the clasp of my passport whilst removing it from within my documents pouch. I stood astride Mavis with an air of nerves, which I seem to get whenever crossing a border or entering a country (I don't believe ... http://ryanjaffe.com.au/2010/10/unsanctioned-mad-mavis-and-a-world-of-metric-rule/ Rain easing overnight, the sun peered through scattered cloud. Droplets of condensation accumulated on the tents interior. Flicking back the nylon door, dew clasped to my hand sending cool shivers down to my toes, still within the warmth of my down sleeping bag. Plumes of moisture swirled from my mouth ... http://ryanjaffe.com.au/2010/02/yellowstone-and-a-glacial-heart-warming/ With a light drizzle starting to quantify, the Wyoming roads before us glossed over with a shimmery wet shine. The ping of rain drops against the helmets outer shell made a rhythmic chorus of percussion. Sights were set on reaching the interior of Yellowstone National Park on the border with ... http://ryanjaffe.com.au/2009/12/mad-mavis-vs-yellowstone-the-battle-of-the-road-surface/ With a black smear of road surface under toe and the swirl of engine noise humming within my helmet, Mavis pulled me west away from Denver. Split emotions churned in my mind as I left new friends and the city behind. It felt as if ten thousand elastic bands were ... http://ryanjaffe.com.au/2009/10/philosophical-formulation-and-the-joy-of-a-petrol-pump/ Stationary, but not without motion, Denver was in need of rest from Mavis and I, as too were we. Looking on the map trying to figure route plans north into Canada and onwards to Alaska, Badlands National Park in South Dakota kept popping up. With a bike like Mavis and ... http://ryanjaffe.com.au/2009/09/nothing-but-the-badlands-and-a-buffalo-sanga/ Working our way cross-town, Mavis and I eased through the city streets and eventually arrived at our new Couch Surfing hosts house. Ashley had invited us to stay with herself and two room mates, Erika and Jaimie. I'd insinuated meal bribes in return for a couch to rest my head ... http://ryanjaffe.com.au/2009/09/nothing-but-a-storm-weathered-sole/ Descending from the Rockies down to Denver (Colorado) the temperature quickly rose thawing my fingers chilled from the cool high altitude temps of the prairies. Having a preconceived visual picture of the city and what it might look like, instantly I was taken by the vast sweeping urban sprawl on ... http://ryanjaffe.com.au/2009/09/sunflowers-and-thunder-showers/ Isolated within a natural fortress of rock and trees, a river in the front yard and cliff to the rear. Rain drizzled on as I awaited my paycheck to come through stuck in Gunnison Canyon. Mavis leaned to one side, idol as I passed the days  watching fat chipmunks scuttle ... http://ryanjaffe.com.au/2009/09/freedom-over-time/ An evaporated bank balance, with the ledger zero, Mavis and I blazed onwards to Denver. Her fuel levels dropping at the same rate as my expectations of ever being paid from the driving job (rapidly!) Each time I pulled into a service station to fill up, I'd calculate my estimated ... http://ryanjaffe.com.au/2009/08/birthday-showers-bring-no-flowers/ Finally severing ties with the sin city, consulting a road touring map, bike fully loaded, I pushed air either side of my helmet and rode north to Utah. Just outside the Vegas city limits, I found myself brushing by the Valley of Fire National Park. Spectacular desert landscapes encroached on the ... http://ryanjaffe.com.au/2009/08/pulled-by-a-thousand-strings-and-a-phantom-paycheck/