For the most part, people moving to the Mesquite and Beaver Dam area come from somewhere in the United States, usually a western state. They pack their belongings in a moving van and make the cross-country trip.

For Mauro Marti, his wife and son, the trip involved a little more than that. They came all the way from Switzerland to make this area their new home and start a business.

Marti and his son, Claudio, operate an innovative tourist guide service that takes visitors on a two or three week trip through some of the most beautiful landmarks in the Southwest, all on Harley Davidson motorcycles. And they specialize in attracting their customers from Switzerland and other European nations.

"People like to go on holiday, and they like to go on motorcycles. They like to visit America. So we organize tours for these people," Marti explained.

He's been in the United States for a year, putting together the business and preparing for his first group of customers in September.

"I had the idea when I lived in Switzerland," Marti said. He and his family used to visit the Mesquite area frequently before they moved here, first visiting in 1989. He worked for Swiss Airlines for almost 20 years as a chef. After spending 10 more years as a merchandiser, he retired and decided to become his own boss. He is creating a business that combines his love of motorcycles with his love of traveling through the scenic parks and landmarks all over the West.

Called "Steel Rider Tours" Marti rents the Harleys based on the number of riders participating in the trip. "We pick up our visitors in Las Vegas and then we travel to Zion National Park, the Grand Canyon, and maybe Bryce Canyon. We end up back in Las Vegas," he explained. "Our trips last either 14 days or 20 days. A tour may be 3,000 miles long."

All of the visitors' luggage is packed into a trailer that either he or his son pulls with a truck, traveling behind the group of motorcycles. "One day I'll ride the lead Harley while my son drives the truck. The next day, we'll switch places. We stay in good quality motels along the way."

Marti explained that he came to this area because "Zurich is too small and crowded. I like the wide open spaces around here. And, I like the small towns of Mesquite and Beaver Dam. Here, you have a lot of freedom."

He speaks four languages, Spanish, French, German, and Italian, fluently. He didn't speak English when he first moved to the area. "I took English classes at the Virgin Valley High School from December through May. I'll start again in September. I like to speak to people."

Apparently, he learned his lessons very well because he is quite fluent with the English language.

He was born and raised in the Italian part of Switzerland, growing up in a small town. He added that he prefers the desert climate of the local area better than "the snow and rain over there."

"We like to keep our groups small," Marti commented. "We don't want to take more than 12 people. It's better to have small groups. We plan to have about six trips a year."

The thing he likes the most about living in America is "the freedom that we have. There is space here. In Europe it's crowded and you don't have space to be alone."

He added that one of his favorite activities is to hike through the Virgin River Gorge with his four dogs. "Every day I walk with my dogs for two hours."

Video courtesy of Steel Rider Tours.

For more information, contact Marti at 702-305-3245 or visit his Web site at http://www.facebook.com/SteelRiderTours