The FUN Riders head north to Alaska

Wanda Nichols Photo ALASKA OR BUST! -- The FUN Riders (Feeding Underprivileged Neighbors), Bobby and Dixie Taylor, left for Alaska, Tuesday morning, their final destination in their three-year quest to visit all 50 states by motorcycle and make food drops to the hungry.

The FUN Riders are off again!

This time it's north to Alaska, their final destination in their three-year quest to visit all 50 states by motorcycle and make food drops to the hungry.

Early Tuesday morning, Bobby and Dixie Taylor, of Brownsboro, said their goodbyes at Dixie's ladies fashion boutique, The Accessory Garden, in Edom, and left on Bobby's 2004 Honda Gold Wing with a Motor Trike con- version pulling a compact camper trailer for an eightweek trip full of fun and excitement.

Ever since he could remember, Bobby says he always wanted to ride and see the entire United States.

"I never figured I'd ever do this, but life has its quirks and hopefully we'll make it," Bobby said. "We're taking our time and seeing the country. "

The route will take the FUN Riders (Feeding Underprivileged Neighbors) through Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Canada, then up to Alaska via the old Alaskan Highway, making food drops along the way.

"I am so excited!" Dixie said. "I'm helping my husband fulfill his dream."

Stops along the way include camping at Mt. Rushmore; attending the 29th annual Gold Wing Road Riders Association (GWRRA) Honda Wing Ding Rally in Billings, Montana; and the Stampede Rodeo in Calgary, Canada.

"I've always wanted to go to the Stampede rodeo, but never thought I would do that either," Bobby said. "When we get to Alaska I believe I'm going to stop at some stream and pan for gold just to say I did. That's something I've always wanted to do. I thought it would be pretty neat way back then."

Upon their arrival in Alaska the couple say they have no plans but to ride and explore.

"We're just going to ride," Bobby said. "That's the joy or riding. Whenever you stop, you stop. When you want to go, you go. I figure we'll travel about 10,500 miles, but I don't know how close that will be."

The FUN Riders officially became a charity organization in February 2004 when they planned their first big trip, a 32-state tour around the perimeter of the United States, logging 13,499 miles in 54 days.

That trip began in April 2004 in Port Arthur, Texas on the Texas-Louisiana border. The FUN Riders headed west through Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, then north along the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington, across the northern border of the United States, south along the eastern shore to Florida, the deep south, then back home making food drops in every state they traveled.

By 2005 the FUN Riders had attended numerous motorcycle rallies in Oklahoma, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana and West Virginia making food drops along their way.

With only nine states remaining, in May 2005, the FUN Riders set out to visit Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas, traveling 4,235 miles on their two-week excursion.

A trip to Hawaii came in April 2006 when they flew to the islands, rented a motorcycle and made a food drop at a food bank in Maui.

Throughout their journeys, Dixie collected recipes and published a cook book to raise funds for the FUN Riders organization.

"When I think of all the years that I missed because I wouldn't ride," Dixie said recalling her fear of riding until she met Bobby. "People don't have any idea what it's like that's never done it...just riding and seeing the country. You see so much. The thing I like is when you see something you can keep on looking because you can turn around in your seat and keep looking"

Dixie wasn't always so at ease riding motorcycles. When the couple met a little over a decade ago, she was terrified of riding motorcycles. On the other hand, Bobby has been riding ever since he was a child.

Wanting his wife to experience the same joys riding as he does, Bobby converted his motorcycle into a motor trike, and the rest is history.

"People always ask, `what do you do when it rains?'" she said. "I like it when it rains because he goes slower, and I can see more. That weather just blows over you because of the windshield and we have rain gear. The first time we got in hail I thought, `this is exciting.' Riding in the different elements is exciting to me."

Although the FUN Riders have ridden through all kinds of weather including snow, they quickly find refuge when a hurricane, tornado, or lightening strikes.

"When I think back years ago, who would have dreamed we did 50 states," Bobby said. "Who would have thought?"

How will the FUN Riders top riding through all 50 states? Only the future knows.

In the meantime, Dixie wants everyone to know The Accessory Garden will remain open while she is away.