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Previously Owned Motorcycle
Kawasaki Nomad




Previously Owned Honda Gold Wing Motorcycle
Previously Owned Honda Magna Motorcycles
Article, "Dances with Deer"
Pictures of "Ruby Earl"
Riding Maps
Trip's Information
Trip Reports
Trip Videos

Welcome to my Kawasaki Nomad site.


I love riding motorcycles and on this page you will find information about my rides, my road trips as well as other information pertaining to my world on motorcycles.

States visited on a motorcycle are indicated in dark blue.
To date, estimated travel miles on a motorcycle: 107,000.

Since I was in grade school, I've been interested in riding motorcycles of all types. My family couldn't afford a bike for me as a child and even if they could, I don't think my mother would let me have one anyway. So, I rode with my friends in the neighborhood that had bikes. All types of bikes, from the Honda Dream down to the moped powered by a famously powerful Briggs & Stratton lawn mower engine. I've gone through periods of not riding, but my love for riding has always been there. In October of 1997, I bought my first motorcycle that was actually mine and from there I've embarked on journey's that far exceeded my motorcycling expectations.

In June of 2005, I purchased a 2005 Kawasaki Nomad that I nicknamed, "Ruby Earl". The name came from combining the first names of my beloved grandparents. I rode over 65,000 miles on Ruby Earl. This places my total count for miles ridden over 100,000.

In December 2014, I sold Ruby Earl to purchase my Honda Gold Wing GL1800 nicknamed, "Cisco".

I've had many people ask why I ride. If you don't ride, it's difficult to explain but for me, it's therapeutic. I consider myself a motorcycle purist, one that really enjoys the freedom, the wind, the smells and the excitement of seeing the USA externally from a car or truck.

When I ride, I can easily ignore all of life's issues and simultaneously focus on my passion; the challenges of skillful riding, the intense rush of being at one with the bike and the corner in the road. It's in that setting that I find myself relaxed, content and highly fulfilled.


Trip's Information and Articles



Trip's List Of Top Ten Texas Roads
Trip's List Of Top Five East Texas Roads
Trip's Links For The Texas Hill Country

Trip's Motorcycle Trip Checklist
- The basics to bring on a motorcycle trip
Trip's Camping List
- If you're not trailering your motorcycle
Trip's Camping List
- If you are trailering your motorcycle

Trip Passes the VBA Baton - Six years after he founded the organization that grew into the Vulcan Bagger Association with more than 2,000 members, Trip Hilliard is stepping down as President of the Vulcan Baggers Association. “In any organization, there comes a time to pass the baton,” Hilliard says. “I wanted someone to come in and take the VBA to another level.”


Trip's Riding Maps

 Riding Map - Arkansas         Riding Map - Colorado      Riding Map - Mississippi      Riding Map - New Mexico
 Riding Map - Oklahoma     Riding Map - Tennessee/N. Carolina      Riding Map - Texas


Trip Hilliard is a member of the following clubs or groups:
Go to the National VROC website.
  
 
 




Trip Reports on Kawasaki Nomad (June 2005 to December 2014)

Texas Hill Country
Mustang Island - "Plan B" - September, 2005		   North Carolina
Deal's Gap/Natchez Trace - October, 2005

Texas Big Bend
"Quest for the River Road" - May, 2006		   Arkansas
"The Hog Days of Summer" - July, 2006

Arkansas/Missouri
"Running The Ozarks" - October, 2006		   Texas Hill Country
"Just Get's Better!" - April, 2007

Texas Dyass Air Force Base
"Up Close With A B-1" - August, 2007		   Utah/Arizona
"Grand Array Of Beauty" - October, 2007

Texas Hill Country
"Two trips to HC!" - Sep/Oct, 2008		   Custer, South Dakota
The KawaNOW National Rally - June, 2009

Texas Hill Country
The Texas HC with KawaNOW - April, 2010		   Maggie Valley, North Carolina
The KawaNOW National Rally - June, 2011



Trip Reports on Honda Magna (October 2001 to April 2005)

Texas Hill Country
"The 3 Amigos Tour" - October, 2001		   Arkansas
"You're in ARK - IN - SAW" - June, 2002

Texas Hill Country
"We Ride Again" - September, 2002		   Texas Big Bend
"Riding the Texas Top Ten" - May, 2003

Colorado
"Roadway To Heaven" - August, 2003		   Oklahoma/Arkansas
Talimena Highway - October, 2003

Arkansas
Riding the "Pig Trail" - May, 2004		   Arkansas
The "Pig Trail" REVISITED - June, 2004

Colorado/Wyoming
"Yellowstone Experience" - September, 2004		   Oklahoma/Arkansas
"The Run For Eureka Springs" - April, 2005



 



Trip's Videos
Robert Hilliard's Website of the World Youtube Channel


Yellowstone Experience / 4:10
When our annual trek to Colorado was in the planning stages for 2004, immediately it became obvious that 8 hours to the north of Colorado lay the most beautiful area that could make you swear you were dreaming.		  
Trip Montage / 4:47
This video is a compilation of several trips made by myself, Dale McCorkle, Rodney Lee and Gary Brooks. Much of it centers around the Natchez Trace and the area down to the Mississippi/Louisiana border as well as the Cherohala Skyway.
Utah 2007 Trip / 3:31
In 2007, several friends of mine and I went on a 9 day motorcycle trip covering Utah, Arizona and everything in between.		  
Fast Forward / 3:31
This video chronicles a trip a group of us took to Arkansas. Only this video steps the action up a notch. I decided to produce a trip video in fast motion.
Running The Ozarks / 2:25
There's two things that go together like peas and carrots and that's motorcycles and the state of Arkansas. I've made many trips to Arkansas and this video chronicles one of my trips several years ago.		  
Meet In Big Bend 2008 / 3:21
One of the motorcycle riding club that I'm a member of is the Texas Vulcan Riders Owners Club (TXVROC). Several years ago we planned and executed a trip to Big Bend National Park in Texas.
Best Of It / 2:30
Many times I'll jump on my motorcycle and ride to neighboring Oklahoma. Believe it or not, Eastern Oklahoma is a beautiful area to ride through. This video chronicles my ride on the Talimena Skyway.		  
Arizona Ramblin' / 4:04
This video is a compilation of roads that a group of us traveled while we were in Arizona and the Grand Canyon. The video was sped up on this one too.
Deals Gap (Dragon's Tail) / 2:37
In 2005, several of us planned and executed a motorcycle trip to Deal's Gap in North Carolina better known as the "Dragon's Tail". Our travels also took us along the Cherohala Skyway. On our way back, we rode a stretch of the Natchez Trace.

  
Life Is A Highway / 4:31
This video is a compilation of photos taken at the first major get-together of the Texas VROC in Waco, Texas.
KawaNOW Rally 2011 / 3:07
Every other year, KawaNOW (now known as The Vulcan Bagger Association) has a nationawide rally. This video chronicles the KawaNOW National rally held in Maggie Valley, North Carolina in June of 2011.

  
KawaNOW Rally 2009 / 3:20
Every other year, KawaNOW (now known as The Vulcan Bagger Association) has a nationawide rally. This video chronicles the KawaNOW National rally held in Custer, South Dakota in June of 2009. This was out very first National rally for KawaNOW.
KawaNOW Rally 2008 / 3:29
KawaNOW also has regional rallys held every other year in between national rallys. This video chronicles a regional rally held in 2008 that included Mesquite, Nevada... Eureka Springs, Arkansas... and Elkins, West Virginia.		  
I Can Fly / 5:19
A video I produced illustrating how riding a motorcycle can be a lot like flying. It includes various video shot at various places I've ridden to and visited.
HCBB Tour / 4:00
Stands for Texas Hill Country/Big Bend Tour. This video chronicles my trips to the Texas Hill Country over the years as well as trips to Big Bend. Kept the wild sound on this one.
  
Going For A Ride / 2:49
Another video produced showing some of my rides, but this one has a theme around taking a day ride and the beauty and splendor that can be derived from it. I have a quote at the end that sums up how I feel about riding.
Freedom Of The Saddle #1 / 1:56
First in a series of videos highlighting many of my motorcycle trips. Includes various photographs and videos of being on the road.		  
Freedom Of The Saddle #2 / 1:36
Second in a series of videos highlighting many of my motorcycle trips. Includes various photographs and videos of being on the road.
Freedom Of The Saddle #3 / 2:55
Third in a series of videos highlighting many of my motorcycle trips. Includes various photographs and videos of being on the road.		    





And Henceforth You Shall Be Known As "Dances With Deer"

On Thursday, April 24, 2008, a group of us were riding South on Hwy 674 between Rock Springs, TX and Bracketville, TX. We were about 30 miles North of Bracketville and riding as a group about 55 MPH. It was about 2:30PM and I was located in the middle of the group.

Out of the tree line to my right sprang a deer that ran into the road and started running parallel with my bike. Startled, I ducked my head and quickly accelerated hoping to make the deer pass to the other side of the road behind me instead of in front.

According to Chuck "txcwdancer" Burt (riding directly behind me) and John "coon" Cunningham (riding behind Burt), the deer then JUMPED over me. I couldn't see, due to being ducked down. As the deer jumped in the air over me, it panicked and twisted its body with its rear legs going one way and its front legs going the opposite direction. While the deer twisted, one of its hoofs scratched the top of my helmet.

The deer tracked over me and landed on the other side of the road where it landed on the pavement and slid off into the gravel and dirt. I was told that it didn't get up and flee. It must have broken its back during the jump.
I was looking in my rear view mirror hoping that txcwdancer wasn't going to get hit, not knowing that it flew over me. All I could see was a cloud of dirt when the deer hit the other side.

Being versed in EMS procedures, txcwdancer and coon thought that they were going to have to help me. They thought I'd been hit, but once they saw that I was still upright and riding along OK, they were relieved.

Needless to say, when we stopped on the side of the road about a mile or two down, everyone let me know what happened. I feel lucky to go through that without a scrape (well, except for my helmet). That deer could have landed on top of me and broken every bone in my body.

As far as I know, there are no photographs or video of the incident. Txcwdancer was busy photographing the whole trip, but didn't have any of his gear running at the time.

I'm thankful to be alive and breathing.

- Trip