As motorcyclists, we really feel drawn to the open highway. As People, we wish to soak up as a lot of what our nation has to supply as we will. And as human beings – particularly if we’re of a sure age – we wish to see our household and associates face-to-face, to hug them and shake their fingers and listen to and inform tales new and outdated. Cellphone calls and texts assist us keep in contact, however they’re a poor substitute for the true deal. I made a decision to verify all of the bins with a cross-country bike journey.
I reside in Southern California, and I’ve household and associates throughout this nice nation, from sea to shining sea. I’ve ridden cross-country many occasions earlier than, however I used to be overdue for a particular lap round America, one the place I may see the sights and go to the vital folks in my life with out a strict agenda or schedule. Once I opened a Dove chocolate and noticed the recommendation “Dwell on daily basis with no regrets, it’ll be price it” contained in the wrapper, it felt like a calling. I packed my gear and headed east.
Household Roots
Again in 1940, my grandparents loaded up their ’37 Packard with all their belongings, together with my 10-year-old father, Mark, and his 7-year-old youthful brother, Bernard (the place I obtained my center identify) and headed west. Leaving Youngstown, Ohio, they made their option to Route 66 and adopted it to Burbank, California, the place Grandpa Seth obtained a welding and fabricating job for Lockheed Plane.
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Earlier than lengthy, my grandparents bought a Texaco station that grew to become the household enterprise. Our household nonetheless owns the constructing, which now homes an auto physique store. My grandparents died simply earlier than I used to be born, however I consider I inherited my love and innate talents for fabricating and restoring bikes from my Grandpa Seth. I nonetheless use his outdated Wilton bench vise, hand instruments, and different tools.
Time was of the essence with my very own cross-country journey, some 82 years later. My dad was approaching his ninety fifth birthday, and ol’ Uncle “Bud” (Bernard’s nickname) was pushing 92. They don’t journey anymore, they usually hadn’t seen one another in over a decade. I made a decision to maintain the journey a secret from Dad. My plan was to trip to New York and do a shock video name between the getting old brothers.
I left my home in Thousand Oaks, California, on Memorial Day and returned house in time to rejoice the 4th of July. Over a month and greater than 10,000 miles, I handed via 33 states, visited and stayed with dozens of people that have been already close to and pricey to my coronary heart, and loved assembly many new associates as properly.
To prepare for my journey, Alpinestars and Shoei/Helmet Home offered me with gear, Nelson-Rigg set me up with a water-proof duffel, and my associates at Suzuki have been form sufficient to mortgage me a 2022 V-Strom 650XT with an adjunct tankbag and panniers. The V-Strom 650 is without doubt one of the finest bang-for-the-buck journey bikes on the market. It matches me like a glove, has a extremely snug seat, likes to go off-road right here and there, and solely requested for gasoline within the tank and PJ1 on the chain each every so often.
Associated: 2018 Suzuki V-Strom 650XT vs V-Strom 1000XT | Comparability Evaluate
With the bike packed, I mentioned my goodbyes and my prayers, pulled within the clutch, dropped into 1st gear, and rolled away from house. It was a surreal feeling beginning a trip of this magnitude, questioning what is likely to be in retailer for me.
A Cross-Nation Motorbike Journey: Eastbound and Down
Earlier than departing on this trip, I traced an enormous define of the U.S. and every of the decrease 48 states on a big sheet of industrial quality paper, and on the high I wrote “2022 Pals & Household Journey!” I saved it rolled up in a cardboard tube and used it to doc my route. Alongside the way in which, I had household, associates, and other people write notes and messages on the map.
After driving throughout the Mojave Desert to Las Vegas, I continued northeast and rode via Zion Nationwide Park in Utah. I meandered east to 4 Corners, obtained off my bike, and managed to be in all 4 states without delay with my ft in Arizona and New Mexico and my fingers in Utah and Colorado. In New Mexico, I visited associates in Farmington and Tucumcari. Because the journey unfolded, I discovered that more often than not there was one other buddy or member of the family with whom I may keep inside a day’s trip.
I blazed throughout the Texas Panhandle on my option to “McDonald Land,” the nickname for the place Norm and Lucy McDonald reside close to Tulsa, Oklahoma. Norm is the “N” in Okay&N filters, which practically everybody has run of their bikes or vehicles sooner or later. I used to pitstop there within the early ’80s when touring across the nation throughout my AMA roadracing days. I met the McDonalds via their son, Sam, after we have been each novices in 1980. By means of Okay&N Yamaha, Norm and Lucy sponsored numerous racers over time, with Malcolm Smith being some of the notable. They’re great folks whose friendship is treasured to me. Staying with them once more like within the good ol’ days was very particular.
After visiting different associates in Memphis, Tennessee, I skipped throughout the tops of Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia and made my means up into the Appalachians and onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. Rider journal readers have seen loads of nice trip tales from this space, and now I obtained to do the driving!
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The climate was excellent, the surroundings was lovely, and I took some aspect journeys on the 650XT down small roads and trails. In Maggie Valley, North Carolina, I ended on the Wheels By means of Time Museum. I like outdated bikes and outdated American stuff, so this place is like heaven to me. Dale Walksler has handed, however his son Matt has taken over and is doing an superior job retaining the museum going.
Heading North
I rode up Skyline Drive and into Virginia, the place I spent a pair nights at Brian and Betty Richardson’s Nineteenth-century sheep farm. Rider’s former editor-in-chief, Mark Tuttle, linked me with the Richardsons again in 2009, and I raced Brian’s homebuilt Moto-Electra electrical bike within the TTXGP sequence for a couple of years. In 2013, we set the coast-to-coast world document for electrical automobiles on the identical bike by crossing the U.S. in 84.5 hours. Brian and I grew to become good associates, and for years I’ve been telling him I’d trip as much as his farm at some point. I lastly did, and we spent a day driving collectively on superior backroads.
I left the farm within the morning and was quickly greeted by a dramatic change in surroundings. By noon, I used to be taking a selfie in entrance of the Capitol in D.C. I needed I may assist straighten issues on the market, however I made a decision I’d reasonably trip my bike. I hightailed it out of D.C. and crossed the Delaware Bay on a ferry from Lewes, Delaware, to Cape Might, New Jersey, which is the oldest resort city in America and a neat place to remain.
One other particular factor about New Jersey is one among its residents: Gloria Struck, the primary girl of motorcycling, who’s 97 years younger. I wrote a narrative for Rider (March 2013 difficulty) about Gloria and the Motor Maids, and we have now been shut associates for a very long time. We first met years in the past at Daytona Bike Week, the place I seen her Harley had Clorox bottles minimize in half and strapped to the handlebar as wind deflectors. I had finished that earlier than myself, however once I came upon it was Gloria’s bike and that she had ridden from New Jersey, the place she needed to shovel snow to get out of her driveway, I instantly developed a deep fondness and respect for this girl.
Spending a pair nights with Gloria, reminiscing and listening to her speak about driving her bike, or the trike she’s going to get when she turns 100, was completely priceless. I extremely advocate shopping for her ebook, Gloria – A Lifetime Motorcyclist: 75 Years on Two Wheels and Nonetheless Using, which was revealed in 2018.
Gloria did her first solo trip to Daytona in 1951 to observe the seaside races. Dick Klamfoth received that yr (and in addition in 1949 and 1952), and as destiny would have it, Dick and I grew to become associates, and I helped him construct the Daytona 200 monument, which took a number of years. He and his spouse, Bev, are gone now, however later in my trip, I’d keep it up our recollections by visiting their daughter, Christy, in Ohio.
The Large Apple
From Clifton, New Jersey, I handed underneath the Hudson River via the Lincoln Tunnel and popped out in midtown Manhattan. Using across the Large Apple within the rain was fairly an journey. After taking the Queensboro Bridge over the East River to Lengthy Island Metropolis, I lastly arrived on the easternmost level of my journey and visited Uncle Bud. It had been arduous to maintain the key, however after we stunned my dad with a FaceTime name from his brother and son, it was a really particular household second.
Saying goodbye to good ol’ Uncle Bud and questioning if it could be the final time we’d see one another face-to-face was emotional, however I laughed as at all times when he mentioned, “See ya later, alligator!”
Crossing Manhattan once more, I used to be formally on my means house. It felt good to make it out of the large metropolis and know the remainder of the trip could be largely rural countrysides and small cities.
Westward Ho!
In our household’s hometown of Youngstown, Ohio, I stayed with my cousin John. We had by no means met and had enjoyable attending to know each other. Utilizing Bud’s just lately sketched image of the household house, we discovered the now-abandoned dwelling the place they as soon as lived. It was like trying to find hidden treasure with a map Bud drew from his reminiscence of a spot he left on the age of seven! John confirmed me round, and I imagined my household dwelling there within the outdated metal city’s heyday. I considered them within the outdated Packard driving away from the home on Worthington Road for the final time, wanting again at what was being left behind after which wanting ahead, questioning what life could be like in California.
From Youngstown, I rode southwest to Columbus, the place I visited the AMA Corridor of Fame Museum after which popped in on Bruce Linsday. Bruce is a high man within the vintage bike world with an unbelievable assortment of early American bikes. Years in the past, after we have been in Loss of life Valley driving our outdated Harleys, he invited me to cease by his place so I may trip a selected outdated Harley relationship again to 1905. The manufacturing facility in Milwaukee has one in its museum, and Bruce has the opposite one. These two bikes are the oldest Harleys in existence. The manufacturing facility’s bike is underneath glass and can by no means be ridden, so I used to be lucky sufficient to have the ability to trip the oldest operating Harley there may be! Fairly an expertise.
After a cease in Des Moines, Iowa, I continued west to South Dakota. In 2009, I attended the V-Strom Rally in Fast Metropolis on project for Rider (April 2010 difficulty) and made associates with resident V-Strom rider Carter Kirk. He let me borrow his bike for the rally, and I had a beautiful time exploring the Black Hills. Since I used to be touring on a brand new V-Strom 650XT on my family-and-friends tour, I needed to go to Carter.
With him on his outdated V-Strom and me on my new one, we spent a day driving and sightseeing. We stood on the base of Mount Rushmore and took within the majesty of one among this nation’s most patriotic treasures. After dinner in Sturgis, we capped off an superior day with an evening trip house via pouring rain and an unbelievable lightning present. After we made it house, I had an excellent giggle when Carter requested me if I used to be nervous throughout the trip. I attempted to behave like I wasn’t.
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After visiting Devils Tower in Wyoming, I continued northwest into Montana. I like this a part of the nation, and after driving via some extra open grassland, I used to be lastly rewarded with a view of the snowcapped Rocky Mountains. I rode the incomparable Going-to-the-Solar Street in Glacier Nationwide Park, then made my means into Idaho, the place I visited my nephew, Robert, and his spouse, Tracy, within the little group of Harrison. They just lately moved there from our hometown in Southern California to a little bit home overlooking a lake.
Farther west, I loved driving the Cascade loop in Washington with all of the forest roads and the stunning views of white-topped volcanic mountains that seem out of nowhere. After a cease to go to my sister-in-law Jill in Bend, Oregon, I lastly noticed what I used to be ready for: the attractive blue Pacific Ocean. I punched my fist into the air and hollered “Yahoo!” inside my helmet. I like driving alongside the western fringe of our nation.
The Homestretch of My Cross-Nation Motorbike Journey
Again in California, my subsequent cease was Eureka, a pleasant little coastal city the place I stayed with my Uncle Jim and Aunt Jan and visited my cousin Invoice. At this level within the journey, I had seen all my dwelling family members and felt I had completed what I got down to do.
However there have been extra miles to cowl, reminiscent of driving among the many majestic coastal redwoods earlier than heading inland to go to Lassen Volcanic Nationwide Park in northeastern California. Zigzagging my means via the gold nation of the Sierra Nevada, round Lake Tahoe, and previous Mammoth Mountain. After which lastly crossing the Mojave Desert once more to get house.
What a sense to show the nook and know this journey had come to an finish. There within the driveway was my spouse, Jody, and my daughter, Kelly, ready for me with open arms. I hadn’t even gotten off the bike earlier than the tear-filled hugs started. Wow, what a sense!
I arrived house in time for my dad’s ninety fifth birthday, and he ended up passing away peacefully two brief weeks later. The timing for this journey was excellent, and I’m glad I used to be capable of make it occur reasonably than make excuses. In the long run, our religion, household, associates, and the recollections we’ve made (many with handlebars in hand) are all we have now. Nothing else issues.
Don’t wait. Simply go.
