"...its about the journey, not the destination..."

My daughter Kate and I out for a ride recently. I'm on my 400 Super Sport, Kate is on her 400 Hondamatic.

     As we move into Spring there are several challenges to a motorcyclist. Because of the ice and snow of winter there is usually a residue of salt, sand, and gravel on the roads. The roads I like best, back roads, are particularly susceptible to having these hazards in corners. This stuff can be very "slippery," and, if you're not careful, can lead to an expensive incident.

The 400 Super Sport is really a fun bike. Light, nimble, a great transmission, and a great sound....and I bought it for $250 !

     It is best to take it easy as we move into some of the best riding of the year. Slow down, be careful, pay attention to the road surface. There is probably a new crop of pot holes to contend with. Hitting a particularly deep pot hole can lead to a flat tire, ruined tire, or a bent rim. By keeping your speed down you have a much better chance of avoiding the hazard, and the expense that would result.

The Black Beauty down Route 9 here in Delaware. An enjoyable ride on a twisty, scenic road. 

     Speaking of pot holes, it is a good idea to avoid puddles when you can, particularly at speed. That puddle could be a few inches deep.... or over a foot deep! While on a trip with a buddy in Western Pennsylvania we went out to dinner and had a couple of "adult beverages" during dinner. On the way out of the parking lot, for some reason my friend stopped right next to a puddle and then put his foot down into it. The puddle turned out to be over a food deep! My Bud fell over, spraining his ankle and scratching up his bike! Its better "...to be safe than sorry..."

The BMW R1150GS out in the country. It is ugly, but if you haven't ridden one you can't appreciate how they handle.

     I've got 14 bikes out in the garage, 11 of which are mine. This means a lot of maintenance, "battery tending," and Stabil so the gas doesn't "go bad." As we start riding again in the spring one aspect of the motorcycle we often over look are the tires. The bikes have been sitting for weeks, or months, and most tires loose air overtime. There are specific dangers to operating a motorcycle with under inflated tires, and I promise you perhaps 1/2 of the bikes on the road in the early spring are riding on tires that are under inflated. This could be dangerous and expensive if you loose control of the bike and have a "go down." Don't be that guy. Or girl!

On the scooter again on Route 9, this time across from the Salem Nuclear Power plant across the Delaware River. 

     Just some random thoughts as the temperatures move into the low 60s. I love riding so much that I become like a kid at Christmas in anticipation of going riding. We need to enjoy this pastime, and do so safely. I once ran into a young guy at a bike shop in Lexington KY. It was a busy Saturday, and there was a line at the parts counter so, while waiting my turn, I got into a conversation with the fella in front of me. It turns out he had never ridden a motorcycle before today, and he was in picking up some parts so he could keep riding. He looked like he had been in fight, with quite a few bumps and bruises visible on his face. It turns out they had all come from riding a motorcycle that day, and he had fallen down numerous times. In fact he had broken the bike. Of course he had not been wearing a helmet. I'm 69 years old, but I doubt my companion from the line that day is still riding today. He might not even still be around! Get out. Enjoy the weather. BE SAFE!

"...it's about the journey, not the destination..."

Out for a ride on the scooter I just had to stop and take this picture in the little PA village of Embreeville 

     Winter. The months of January and February. This is the most difficult time of the year for me. It is January 18th and I have ridden three days in the month. Generally speaking if the temperature is in the low 40s I can ride. I might not go out for an entire day but I can go out for an hour or two. It still is not enough! So in order to deal with the reality of winter I watch movies, go out in the garage and start a few bikes several times a week and let them warm up, and go shooting at an indoor range where I can take my frustrations out on paper targets.

Catherine's Restaurant in the village of Unionville PA.

     I have purchased the TV programs LONG WAY DOWN and LONG WAY ROUND. Produced by the BBC they are projects thought up by Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman. They got the BBC and a number of sponsors to pay for two motorcycle trips, the first one was to ride from London, across Europe and Asia, then fly to Alaska and eventually end up in New York City. LONG WAY DOWN was a second trip from the top of Scotland down the United Kingdom, Europe and Africa to Cape Town South Africa. These are great programs, perhaps 8 or so episodes each, and they do a great job of touching on the diverse people and cultures they encounter. If you haven't seen them I encourage you to find them and take a look. If you like to tour on a motorcycle I think you enjoy them.

The Double D Diner in Coatesville PA.

     I have been touring on a motorcycle since I was in my mid 20s. For most of the time I have made many mistakes, and done some dumb things. In the early years I thought motorcycle touring was about getting on the interstate and doing 500 or 600 miles a day for a week or two. I put a lot of time in, covered a lot of miles, but I didn't see much. At the ripe old age of 69 I believe I gotten it figured out pretty well. Those of you who have seen my blog might have seen that I took my longest trip ever this past summer, riding to Alaska and back over 51/2 weeks, covering over 10,500 miles. It was a great trip. I did it in a very different manner that I used to!

Four Dogs Tavern in Marshallton PA. 

     This summer I plan to ride to Colorado and ride up Pike's Peak. I want to make it a two week trip. The way I approach a trip like that today is to ride 500 miles a day for the first two days. On the Alaska trip I rode 500 miles a day for the first three days. After that I ride 200 to 300 miles a day. To some people that might sound like a lot of riding but remember the main activity of the trip is to ride the motorcycle. If you spend 6 or 8 hours a day riding you would be hard pressed to ride less that 200 miles. When I take day trips here around home a ride to the Eastern Shore to St. Michaels MD or to Tilghman Island, past St. Michales generally covers 225 miles or so. Remember its about the journey, so I don't take the fastest, most direct route. I usually have a favorite restaurant or diner I like to stop at. There might be a park with picnic benches where I"ll sit, read for a while and have a cigar. The point is to enjoy the journey, not to get there and back as fast as possible. However on a 3000 or 4000 mile trip it is necessary to get "out there," to put two days of "hard" riding in, and then get on old US highways or back roads through towns and enjoy the ride. I must admit I'm addicted to this!

Historical marker for Humphrey Marshall, noted "nurseryman," for whom Marshallton is named.

     In June I'm riding to Colorado on the Black Beauty, and then in August my wife and I am taking my truck an going to Newfoundland Canada. The idea in both trips is to enjoy the journey. Enjoy the people we meet. Enjoy the people and the cultures we encounter. I suggest you all do the same. Get out there. Enjoy this journey of life. It is a WHOLE lot of fun!