THE STORY BEHIND THE DOUBLE NICKEL RIDE
Riding the Pacific Coast Highway, like most riders, is a bucket list ride for me. To commemorate my 55th birthday, I am embarking on a 55 day solo trip from Ohio to Seattle, Washington, where I will pick up the Pacific Coast Highway and ride all the way to San Diego, California. My route home will take me through Phoenix, Colorado Springs, Kansas City, and St, Louis. Overall, I am projecting an 8,000 mile trip.
Along the way, my wife and adult children will join me to sightsee and visit some amazing venues and national treasures. So, this is not a hard riding trip. No forced high mileage days due to vacation coming to an end. I plan on taking the scenic routes and doing some sight seeing along the way.
This trip has been in planning mode for over a year. I have many family members and friends that have helped me with this endeavor. We started calling it the Double Nickel Ride. My daughter made this website and blog so I can keep everyone posted on my travel progress and experiences.
Thanks for checking in. I hope you learn something new, find some inspiration, or just get a few laughs.
Ride Free.
MY NAME IS KEVIN IRWIN
I am a newly retired IT professional who lives in North Eastern Ohio. I have been married to my high school sweetheart for 33 years. Together we have three adult children, and one grandchild on the way!
I am a crossfitter, golfer, boater, and avid motorcycle rider who is active in the local Indian Motorcycle Riders Group Chapter. I have a passion for riding motorcycles, and I enjoy long cross-country motorcycle trips!
Why I Ride…
I met my Aunt Missy recently for coffee and she brought me a picture to see. (far left image). Apparently, it started early. I was four years old, sitting on the grass crying at my Grandmother’s home. My parents were dropping me off so that my aunt could watch me while they joined friends for a group ride. I wanted to go too; I wanted to ride.
In the late 70’s, my parents gifted my brother and I each a Honda XR 75. To this day, this may be the greatest Christmas gift I have ever received. We learned to ride those motorcycles in the snow. We rode them in the woods next to our house, and climbed huge hills in the strip mines around the area. My brother and I loved those bikes and riding became a big part of growing up. I enjoyed the time I spent with my dad and brother. I loved the camaraderie of riding together, the physical and mental challenges of dirt trails and hill climbing, and I loved the sense of adventure.
Eventually, I sold the dirt bike to raise money for college and took a long hiatus from riding. Many years later, after my last child headed to college, I decided it was time to ride again. I purchased a 2017 Indian Scout and began street riding. In 2018, I rode that motorcycle 3,363 miles round trip to visit my sister and nieces in Texas. On that trip, I fell in love with long cross-country rides. I loved experiencing this country on two wheels. The sites, the smells, the roads, the sight seeing, I loved it all.
I found a new sense of camaraderie when I joined the local Indian Motorcycle Riders Group. It allowed me to travel with experienced long distance riders, and absorb their knowledge along the way. While I love riding in groups, I equally enjoy riding on my own. I look forward to time alone to think, plan, and dream. Riding my motorcycle clears my mind, filling me with clarity and gratitude.
I ride for the adventure, for friendship, and for the mental reset that comes being close to nature.