I’ve been packing the bike for nearly a year now. Trying different configurations here and there and boiling things down to what I think I will need, what I know I will use often, and even some things I may not need, but would like to have “just in case.” When you add those things up, they start to get quite heavy. I’m not as light as I could be, but I am as light as I’m going to be and much lighter than many bikes I have seen while spending hours and hours reading limitless ride reports. She’s ready for her Day 1 Backyard Photo shoot.

Today is a soft opener. I’m taking some dirt forest roads and the Blue Ridge Parkway to meet up with my son, get a feel for how the bike feels at full pull, assess how well the months of packing pays off in real world scenarios and not just short shakedown runs, and spend some quality time with my son.

As I leave it starts to hit me — homesickness. I will miss my wife. I’m not saying that to butter her up (though it can’t hurt ;). It’s something about the trip I have been dreading. The excitement mixes with the qualms and makes for some pretty interesting feelings as I kiss my wife and throw a leg over the bike.

Underway I feel heavy. The bike handles as it would be expected to — twitchy in front, sluggish in back. No matter. Every bike I have owned, I just learned to ride around its misgivings. Poor suspension set-up, poor braking, underpowered….these are all part of the personality of a motorcycle. They are things that can be improved, but your ability to ride the bike as is and adapt your skillset to the hardware is an important ability to possess.

I get about five miles from home and laugh in my helmet — gas light! The KTM 690 Enduro has a .66 gallon reserve and ticks off miles since the light came on sarcastically but not until I am already two miles past the closest gas on route without pretty much backtracking straight back to the house. Oh well…turn around it is.

Once gassed up, it’s on to the gravel. The front tire makes itself known by trying real hard to tuck in. Hello! Had my first “dab” not 15 miles in. This 5000 mile section is going to be interesting.