Touring to the extremes

The tale of a five-month, 20,000-kilometre solo motorcycle journey across North America by Bob Rees, a paraplegic Harley nut who refuses to stop living

Words by Bob Rees

After a crash in Central Africa six years ago, which took the life of my wife, Christine, and left me paralysed from the waist down, I had trouble accepting it and did everything to try to walk again. After 18 months of full-on exercise, my spinal physio said to me, “Bob, you need to cut your exercises back and enjoy yourself; you’re not going to walk again.”

With help from Brendon at BF Customs, we modified a BMW sidecar outfit and then a new 2020 Harley-Davidson^® Sport Glide^® from Great Southern Motorcycles in Albany. After a fantastic four-month ride around the UK and Europe, including the Isle of Man TT, I needed a new adventure. North America popped into my head.

Unique challenges
I choose to ride completely solo – no helpers or carers – so I can go where I want, when I want. However, being paraplegic poses different logistics: for the first three to four weeks I packed 160 catheters at AU$10 each plus medical supplies to pick up across Canada and the USA. The cost of five months of catheters alone demonstrates that it’s not cheap being disabled!

Getting insurance for a foreign-registered bike in Canada was a nightmare, even with a Carnet de Passage (think bike passport). Luckily, a Vancouver contact helped me get ICBC fully comprehensive insurance – expensive, but necessary.

Let battle commence
My first major error was thinking that early May would only have light snow for my ride across the Rockies. After four glorious days, the weather turned. Heavy rain became a full-on blizzard. My visor turned white, and glasses fogged instantly, forcing me to complete the next 40 kilometres to Lake Louise at 20km/h while hanging off the bike to see the road edge.

Hotel staff had to lift me off the bike, and once warmed up wearing dry clothes, I headed to the bar for a cold beer – ironic, ha ha. My electric wheelchair was playing up from the cold, but I could still get around.

Once the weather improved, I took a fabulous ride through the Rockies to meet with Brittney, a fellow paraplegic friend, who had booked a couple of accessible cabins. On the way, I had to stop for three young black bears munching roadkill. Then their mother ambled over, and it was time to move.

I was introduced to Barry, a fellow Harley-riding paraplegic, at a party organised by Brittney, and a few days later he joined me for the first 150 kilometres of my ride to Calgary. Riding side by side down the highway, we must have made an unusual sight, but man, it felt good. You can watch Brittney’s version of Bob’s visit below.

The long haul
My wheelchair needed repairs in Leduc, so I bought a backup and did a big loop around Saskatchewan and Alberta on backroads. Riding through the Saskatchewan Plains, there was massive smoke from bushfires where Aussie firefighters were there helping out.

The Great Lakes didn’t disappoint – riding around Lake Superior and Lake Huron was superb. My three-wheeled rig gathered attention everywhere, and I met so many fabulous people.

While staying at a cousin’s house near Montreal, I organised for a new back tyre to be fitted by the local Harley^® dealer. The ride back on small roads reminded me of France – perfect evening, great scenery.

Leaving my cousin and his wife behind, I headed west before crossing into the USA at Sarnia, before riding across Michigan using my Garmin’s Adventure Route – outstanding roads and well worth the extra time. The Milwaukee Harley-Davidson Museum was excellent. I’m restoring a 1923 J Model, so seeing an original was fantastic – turns out it’s very dark green, not black! Handy intel.

The accessibilty advantage
Riding through Wisconsin, Iowa, and the Midwest was delightful, and the benefit of the Americans with Disabilities Act made a big difference – accessible rooms couldn’t cost more than standard ones, and I’d be asked if I wanted a low bath or roll-in shower, which is much easier than in many countries, including Australia.

I stayed on an island in the Mississippi River, loving every day, and Nebraska was idyllic – great weather, perfect quiet roads, living the dream.

Drama in the desert
Five weeks in, I badly burnt my foot transferring from bike to wheelchair – my leg had spasmed and jammed my foot against the hot motor. Can’t feel it, of course. After the blister burst, A&E wanted me off it for two weeks, but I kept moving, using silver dressing daily.

Riding through Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, was fabulous. I joined up with three Aussie blokes who’d hired bikes after Sturgis – great timing!

Then came the challenge of the Mojave Desert with temperatures reaching 120°F (50°C). My body functions differently now, and my skin sensors are all over the place. I had two litres of water and stopped every 20 kilometres to drink, restocking at the halfway point, but this desert was brutal, burning the inside of my mouth and nose.

Approaching my destination at Barstow, I became disoriented, riding in circles for 30 minutes – my brain was literally frying. When I eventually saw the hotel name, I stopped and promptly passed out on the tank. When the body temperature exceeds 107°F (41.5°C), your organs and brain cells start dying.

Diagnosed with heatstroke, paramedics took me to a hospital 50 kilometres away. Waking up in ICU I thought I was having a nightmare, then realised this was real. They’d cut my jeans off, as my legs were burnt and cut from being lifted off the bike. After four days I checked out to recover at the hotel. Fair to say, I’ve now used six of my nine lives!

California dreaming
Now with more wounds to dress, I left town early to avoid the heat. The Angeles Forest helped to cool things down. The beautiful beach towns of lower California were fabulous, and I loved Monterey’s friendly Central Motel.

Highway 1 was cut off at Big Sur due to landslides – locals said it had been like that for years. Northern California was colder, and being less popular with tourists, it felt a bit run-down but suited me, and I rode through the redwood forests whenever possible.

In Tacoma, I picked up another new back tyre, as the old one was completely bald. An amazing dealership with their own museum; it was one of the first motorcycle shops in the region, and the same family is still running it after all these years.

With my journey coming to a close, I crossed back into Canada near Bellingham. I had a couple of speaking engagements to honour, including one at a Mens Shed where they asked me to ride my bike into the bar – a memorable moment!

Having cleaned the bike spotless for its long trip home, I made one last trip to A&E to get an infection treated and dressed. I was told to see my doctor when I got home – which I did.

Living life to the max
I rode 20,000 kilometres in five months, averaging 300 a day to protect my body. I can’t feel from the waist down, so I need to be careful with sores on my bum. No pressure sores, despite using a standard Sport Glide seat, was a satisfactory outcome. I’ve now ridden 50,000 kilometres as a paraplegic, always solo.

By doing these rides, I am trying to help others by example: even though you might no longer be young, don’t give up – live life to the full. Above all, make it fulfilling, satisfying and worthwhile. I also feel that my Chris is with me and enjoying the ride too; she certainly wouldn’t be happy if I was just sitting home doing nothing. I’d be in big trouble for sure!

Bob is a fervent campaigner for mobility matters and always up to something. You can follow him on Facebook here.