I have grown up and lived in the South-Central Wisconsin area my whole life. I know the area very well. I've always enjoyed camping, traveling, the great outdoors, and doing things on the fly.

I grew up in the small town of Clinton, only 20 miles from were I live now. The population was around 1800 when I graduated high school. After high school I entered the Army. However, after only a month in the service, I was released with an honorable medical discharged and came right back home. I got a job at the Beloit Memorial Hospital, then later at US Gypsum in the town of Walworth. My high school sweet heart went off to collage. But we eventually got married, after she graduated collage with a nursing degree. Ten years after I graduated high school I attended Blackhawk Technical Collage where I studied the Culinary Arts. I graduated from BTC as one of the highest in my class, just missing the Deans List by .02 of a point. I even took a couple medals in student cooking competitions. But after just a few years in the food industry, my back, which had been giving me nothing but pain since high school and got me kicked out of the Army, finally gave out. I left the food service industry and had no choice but to find a desk job and basically from that point on I've had to take it a little easier. I now work for First National Bank and Trust of Beloit, in the loan department. It's a good gig. The people are nice, the work is busy but easy, not too stressful.

I have also tried to improve my artistic abilities. I'm most noted around town for my pumpkin carving abilities. I had my own pumpkin carving web based business for about 5 years. I had to shut down that web site for a couple reasons, but I'm still known around here as the pumpkin guy. I typically have 75 to 100 pumpkins on my porch each year for Halloween. I've taken the Art Instructions School program. You know, the one that you see advertised on TV. I graduated from that school and have since started oil painting as a hobby. I've sold a couple paintings and given a couple away to friends. Next to jumping on my Kaw and riding all day, painting is my favorite thing to do. My next favorite hobby would be GeoCaching. Why? Well, It's fun, I can ride the bike while out doing it, and it takes me places that I might otherwise miss or not know about.

I purchased my first motorcycle, used, from a kid about my own age, back when I worked at the Beloit Memorial Hospital. I was about 18 at the time. The kid I bought the bike from had wiped out on it and didn't want it any more. It was a 1987 Kawasaki, Ninja 600. Being that I was 6 foot 6 inches tall, it was not a comfortable ride for me with my tall frame and bad back. Well, that and as I was still a pretty young kid, my mother didn't like me having a motorcycle. I sold it to a cousin, who died in a cycle accident less then a month later. (He wasn't wearing a helmet.) I went many years without riding. Maybe because of what happened to my cousin, I don't know. After leaving home, getting married, having kids, and moving to Beloit, I purchased a small Yamaha 150cc scooter. Just a little something to get me back and forth to work. I didn't realize it, but ooh how I missed the riding. After scooting around for a couple years, my wife made a snide comment about the scooter sounding like a lawnmower. I then started looking for something bigger and better. I had narrowed my search down to a Suzuki, a Kawasaki, and a Harley. I finally decided and traded the scooter in and purchased a brand new 2007 Kawasaki, Vulcan 1600 Classic with a two tone, Red and Silver paint job.

I love this machine! I've spent a good amount of money on customizing my ride including; a sissy bar, windshield, saddle bags, J&M CB/Radio, and a few other things. I don't have many friends that ride, and my wife does not care much for riding bitch. My kids on the other hand love going out with me. I've been riding about 5 - 6 thousand miles a year for the past few years now. We went to Yellowstone National Park back in 2009. I complained the whole time, wishing I had my Kaw. Well... up until we can face to face with a buffalo on the road. I’ve never joined any riding clubs, although I’ve been invited. I just haven’t felt the need to join any groups at this time. I received My Rustic Roads certification in 2008, and just recently in 2011, I became an Iron Butt member by going a 1000 miles in less than 24 hours around Lake Michigan. I’ve typically been a Lone Wolf, just keeping to myself and doing my own thing. I have never been the type of person to go out drinking, partying, or anything like that. However, I enjoy being with others, hearing their stories, and I’ve always felt people feed off of my positive and fun demeanor.

I’m excited about starting this new business venture, and hope that Wisconsin Motorcycle Tours will be a fun, exciting, journey. I love my home state, Wisconsin; with its diverse people, its industry, and its parks. I've been from Washington state to Washington DC; North Dakota to West Virginia; Texas to New York. I've always had a good time everywhere I've been, and each place has been unique in their own way. But no place is like Wisconsin.

Come... and let me show you my home, my state, and my roads. I hope to see you soon.

Keep riding,
Marc VanderPal