Unfinished Business

For my dad’s birthday, I wanted to give him more than a present. I wanted to give him an adventure. So I bought him a motorcycle and a riding safety course, thinking it would be a way for us to step out of the ordinary and create something unforgettable together.

When the time came, we rolled out on what was supposed to be a two-month journey. But almost immediately, the road reminded us that adventure rarely goes to plan. My KLR 650 broke down just as the trip was getting started. Stranded in Pocatello, Idaho, I faced the possibility that our adventure was over before it had even begun. But Dad, with his usual steadiness, stepped in. He made the generous decision to turn back and take my broken bike home himself, giving me the chance to keep going.

That’s when I bought a new machine - a KTM 790 Adventure. We sold the little Yamaha XT250 we had brought along, and suddenly I had the bike I needed to continue. It was a moment that revealed Dad’s heart: he sacrificed his own ride so that mine could continue.

Two days later, fate struck again. After we parted ways, I fell sick in Evanston, Wyoming. COVID hit hard. Weak and exhausted, I limped into Heber City, Utah, and eventually found myself in the hospital. Lying there, I realized that sometimes the road doesn’t test your riding - it tests your resilience.

After recovering enough to try the ride home, I set out again, but I was too worn down. Every hour I had to stop, lay down, and sleep. Progress felt impossible. And once again, Dad showed up. He drove across the country to rescue me, road my bike, and took it back to Indiana so I could finally rest.

The trip was supposed to be about covering miles, chasing horizons, and making memories in far-off places. Instead, it became something more real. It became about generosity, sacrifice, and the kind of love that doesn’t measure distance in road markers but in the lengths we’ll go for each other.

We didn’t finish the adventure the way we planned. The business was left unfinished. But maybe that’s the point - because what we did finish was far greater. I got to see my dad not just as a riding partner, but as a man who always shows up. A man who puts his son first. And that bond, tested in sickness and breakdowns, is what makes this story unforgettable.

Link to Adventure Rider Radio Podcast: Unfinished Business - An Adventure Cut Short