Melted Shoes, Motorcycle Mishaps, and New Friendships: A Wild Weekend Ride to Escondido

This past weekend was filled with excitement, nostalgia, and some fantastic new connections. I had the pleasure of catching up with Detective Quinn Redeker, whom many of you might remember from episode 40 of the Ride Boundless Podcast during the height of the COVID pandemic. If you haven't listened to that episode yet, you can check it out here.

The adventure started with a smooth and fun ride from LA to Escondido on my 2020 Street Glide FLHXS. There's nothing quite like the freedom of riding a motorcycle in California, especially in the middle of the day when the sun is shining, and the road is calling. It got hot at times, but honestly, I'll take any excuse to ride anywhere. This time, the journey was even more special because I was riding to catch up with old friends and meet new ones.

I did have a passenger with me for the ride, which added an unexpected twist to our journey. Now, let’s just say I might have to take some of the blame for what happened next. But, of course, it’s all my fault—because what else could it be, right? My passenger, who was a first-timer on a motorcycle, decided that instead of stepping on the passenger peg, they would step directly on the exhaust. I mean, out of all the places to put your foot, she chose the one spot guaranteed to cause chaos! Her shoe started melting on the pipe, and it turned into a whole situation.

She was being a real sport about it, though, smiling and laughing it off, but I could tell she was feeling a bit embarrassed. When we got to Escondido and I was explaining the story to Quinn Redeker, he quickly noticed the situation. Being the smooth operator he is, Quinn immediately reassured her, saying that stuff like this happens to all bikers, especially the newbies. He even shared some of his own hilarious stories to make her feel better, reminding us all that these little hiccups are just part of the adventure.

Once we settled in, the event at BMW Motorcycles of Escondido was fantastic. "Slow Cones" had organized a motorcycle skills event, and Quinn, now collaborating with BMW Motorsports, was there to conduct demonstrations and offer one-on-one coaching sessions. He shared tips on how to maneuver motorcycles through slow cones, emphasizing counterbalancing, braking, accelerating, and other essential riding techniques. Seeing Quinn in action again was fantastic. When he spotted me, he jokingly said he didn’t recognize me because he didn’t remember me looking so strong—always a comedian!

The dealership did an outstanding job hosting the event, providing delicious food and even organizing a raffle. To my surprise, I won one of the prizes! The raffle prize led me to meet Gary Schechner from AbstractRPM, an incredibly talented artist who creates custom, hand-drawn artwork of motorcycles. Gary will take a picture of my bike and create a completely custom design, which he’ll print out and send to me. Meeting Gary was an absolute honor; he’s a stylish, cool, and artistic gentleman. I’m eagerly anticipating the final design and looking forward to collaborating on future projects.

Another highlight of the event was meeting Officer Mike Guzman from the Beverly Hills Police Department. Mike is not just any officer; he’s a motorcycle cop and was on the track with Quinn. They were competing to see who could get the best time maneuvering through the cones. Mike is highly skilled and travels around the country for competitions. Known as an American motor officer and motor rodeo cowboy, Mike has participated in numerous competitions. His dedication to his craft is truly inspiring.

BMW Motorcycles of Escondido really knows how to throw a great event, with a welcoming environment, a fantastic selection of motorcycles, deals, and promotions. If you’re in the area, definitely check them out—just Google BMW Motorcycles of Escondido to find their website and address.

I’m looking forward to potentially having Gary, Mike, and Quinn as future guests on the Ride Boundless Podcast. It was fantastic catching up with Quinn in person after so long. We had such a great episode back in the day, and reconnecting felt like no time had passed. Make sure to follow and subscribe to the podcast to catch these upcoming episodes.

After the event, I headed over to Temecula to meet with my good friend Damian Doffo from Doffo Winery, a businessman, entrepreneur, and father. Catching up with Damian was an absolute blast, and I’ll be sharing more about that visit in a separate blog post soon.

Stay tuned for more updates, and as always, ride safe and stay boundless!

Detective on Duty! 🕵️‍♂️💨”

Catching up with the legendary Detective Quinn Redeker, who took time out from his day job to show off his skills on a BMW police bike! This man is as smooth on two wheels as he is solving mysteries. 🚔🏍️ #RideBoundless #MotorcycleLife

Oops, That’s Not the Peg! 😅🔥”

When a first-timer learns the hard way that the exhaust isn't a footrest... Sorry about the shoe, but it makes for a great story! 😬 #MeltedMemories #MotorcycleMishaps #RideBoundless

From Photo to Art: The Evolution 🎨🏍️

Check out these incredible custom designs by Gary Schechner! From a simple photo to a masterpiece on paper, this guy turns bikes into beautiful works of art. Can’t wait to see the final product! 🖌️✨ #MotorcycleArt #AbstractRPM #RideBoundless