Tote'm Blog

A Family That Rides Together

The incredible story of family love, adventure, and finding a community wherever you are, the Kjar (pronounced “care”) family has undertaken the adventure of a lifetime, traveling across all 50 states in 52 weeks. Taking on late nights trying to find open restaurants, watching each sunset with wonder, and exploring the nation’s best bike trails along the way, the family’s mission is to discover “What Makes us United.” They started their journey in June and the four kids have a plan to spend time with other children who are close in age to discover commonalities and celebrate differences.


With their trailer and bike hitch mount to hold everyone’s bikes, the family has driven through Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, and are making their way toward Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. The Kjar’s got started in their home state of Utah and made the first stop at The Flaming Gorge near the Wyoming border. The 42,000-acre reservoir has been a popular attraction great for water skiing, fishing, and many other adventures in the surrounding area. There are several bike trails where families can bring their six bike rack to, including the low difficulty Bear Canyon Bootleg and King’s Point.

Bike Hitch Mount

On to Wyoming!

With beautiful greenery, family antics, and new friends, the Kjars spent some time in Jackson Hole and visited Yellowstone National Park. The kids took some time to visit the Antler Arches in George Washington Memorial Park, also known as the Town Square. There are four total arches, the first of which was constructed in 1958, uses roughly 8,000 antlers, and weighs between 28 and 40,000 pounds.


The trip to Yellowstone was wet, but nonetheless adventurous, giving the family a chance to pause and admire the wonder of the mountains and find patience in sunsets. The famous national park is also home to many trails, where a six bike hitch mount will come in handy. A popular ride for a family is the Morning Glory trail or many of the trails around the picturesque Old Faithful.


Idaho

At the top of the state, the next family’s adventure was to Coeur d'Alene. Next to the national forest of the same name, the family took in breathtaking views of the lake and mountains in the distance. A trip to Idaho wouldn’t be complete without a stop at the Idaho Potato Museum in the town of Blackfoot.


6 bike rackMontana

The Treasure State brought the Kjar family to one of the most impressive bike trails in the country. Starting in Wallace, Idaho, the Hiawatha trail is a 15-mile trail on the Idaho and Montana border. A definite must for any cycling family, the trail is all downhill and a shuttle at the bottom will bring you back to the start. The trail includes riding through 10 tunnels and seven trestles.


North and South Dakotas

A favorite of the family was a trip down the Enchanted Highway in Southwest North Dakota. The highway features many pieces of classic roadside art and sculpture, including Fisherman’s Dream, Geese in Flight, and Grasshoppers. Sturgis, South Dakota brought them to the Motorcycle Museum.


A simple idea with a powerful meaning, the Kjar family has a unique vision. The coming months they will continue to meet people and build memories through travel and adventure. Traveling down highways they’ll watch the country fly by and with a hitch bike mount they can have a close-up view of towns, majestic mountains, and humbling plains. To begin your own biking adventure, make it easy with a six bike mount for your vehicle.