I'm just back from riding Alaska again.  This time I took my 67 yr old mum as pillion.   I haven't uploaded any photos yet but there are pictures from my rides around Japan, Every US state, Western Europe here:   http://community.webshots.com/user/s800ter                                                                                                                                                                             

Never got the opportunity to ride in Alaska and I still had 20 contiguous States to visit (Hawaii would have to have waited a while longer).

So business, pleasure, holidays or roving traveller type riding?
Which bike, do you ship or hire and all that other sort of info please?

"Never ridden in Ireland...any tips?"   Take waterproofs!   There's a brilliant saying about visiting Ireland;   'If you travel to Ireland expecting rain, you're unlikely to be disappointed.'   lol   Oh, another place I've been to.  Ireland!                                                                                                                                                                             

I've ridden the 48 mainland states on my own V-Star 650 and doubled up on several on my V-Strom 1000.  Alaska both times has been on rented V-Strom 650, Hawai'i was a borrowed Harley Deuce, Japan was a rented V-Star 400.  Europe on my own Royal Star Venture or the V-Star 650.   Almost all pleasure trips.  I tend to do long trips on my own now rather than group rides but meet up with grou[ps in different locations.  Done some rides with 1 or 2 other bikes as well.  Japan was an organised trip by the guy I rent my bike from in Alaska.                                                                                                                                                                             

So now you are looking at "freestyling", where's you ambition leading you?                                                                                                                                                                             

Well, I have a quick trip to Vegas coming up in 2 weeks so may ride out to the valley of fire state park if I get time.  Also want to do the new skywalk bridge on the West rim of the Grand Canyon.   Next year is a bike ride in China                                                                                                                                                                             

Shooter,

have you ridden Tioga Pass early in the morning, up from Mono Lake?

Makes for a great days ride.

China, that's a big place. I rode in HK (new territories) and down on Hainan Island, sub tropical and most southerly part of China...very humid and fascinating. Gave me a chance to see a lot of a little, rather than a little of a lot.

Haven't done that ride.  One of my Chinese friends is the daughter of the sculptor responsible for the 108 metre Budha statue on Hainan.                                                                                                                                                                                 

nice to see ya back lamble