We definitely battled the heat in Utah on our first day. It was hotter than I’ve experienced on a ride before.
This was a part of the country we hadn’t been able to visit before, and this was a great opportunity to see some beautiful parts of the country together. With the heat and the crazy time schedules, I’m definitely living on caffeine and sugar. So I’ll have to work on my detox after Sonoma!
We’re back on the road after Denver, and we’re in Montana—somewhere in Montana. Today, we're trying to make it all the way to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. It's beautiful. The first part of our ride coming to Denver was really, really hot, so that was a little difficult to deal with. But pretty much since we got left Denver, it's been a little warm, but nothing like what it was before. So it's pretty nice weather right now in Montana.
When we crossed the border from Wyoming to Montana, it was insanely beautiful. It was just all green hills, and it wasn't very hot. There was a couple spots where it was hot, but there was a beautiful mist on the whole thing. We were trying to outrun a storm, but there were dark clouds on the side of us on both sides. But then the middle was strangely sunny and misty, and it was just so beautiful. It looked like a postcard.
We had gone through Yellowstone once before, a couple years back. We went from Seattle to Yellowstone, but we had never really gone from the Wyoming side over, at least that route. So it was new scenery for us.
It's an amazing thing. We can't communicate. The only way we're able to make it together that long is we use going up next to each other and use hand gestures for gas or bathroom or eat, but that's about it.
I wanted to make some hand gestures during the first round of Denver eliminations at this past weekend's Mile-High Nationals, when I didn’t get to make the run. I was a little frustrated. There was just a mechanical issue, so unfortunately, it wasn't able to start. Luckily, nothing was hurt. It was just a simple mistake, but it won't happen again.
We’re really excited to ride through Washington State. We did the Sonoma-to-Seattle ride a couple years ago, and we fell in love with it, so we're excited. First, we’re definitely going to stop at Couer d’Alene and check that area out and see how beautiful it is. Other than that, we're kind of just winging it, just kind of booking hotels like day-of, just seeing how long we can ride.
And we find the most beautiful place and just go from there. (I don’t know if my parents would be OK with camping. After a long day of riding, I don't think camping's the way they want to go. I think the hotel is probably the more comfortable route.)
My mom joined us once we left Denver. She rides on the back of my dad's bike. We get to do it all as the family, so it's fun.
My sister Jasmine possibly will join us. Maybe in going from Seattle to Sonoma, I think some of the crew guys might actually join up. One of those is her boyfriend, so she might join up with him and ride down with us. Uncle Carl has been good. He's done a lot of long-distance rides, so it's just nothing new for him. He's enjoying his time very much.
We’ll see everybody in Seattle this weekend for the Flav-R-Pac Northwest Nationals!
Editor's Note: The San Jose, Calif.-based Scrappers Racing team is tackling on two wheels the NHRA’s grueling Western Swing—three events in consecutive weeks in crazily different racing conditions and a route that covers more than 2,000 miles. Top Fuel driver and patriarch Mike Salinas is the ringleader for Pro Stock Motorcycle-racing daughter Jianna Evaristo, Mike's wife Monica Salinas, and Mike's brother, Carl Salinas, as they take the scenic route and stop at various points on the way to Denver, Seattle, and Sonoma in Northern California’s Wine Country to enjoy the beauty of the American West.
Mike and Jianna will check in with Autoweek each week throughout the Swing.
