IRON HORSES AND ROADS TO ADVENTURE

Many years ago, in the early 1970’s, I acquired a “basket case” Honda 305cc scrambler motorcycle. One wouldn’t know it was a motorcycle, much less one of those “iron horses”, except for the wheels and frame. The rest was in pieces.

Over a period of time, aided by an after market manual, I was able to piece together the various parts, in a spare bedroom, inside the house I was renting. Fortunately, it actually started and I was able to ride it out of the front door of the house and down the five stairs to the street, thus beginning my enchantment with motorcycles and their ability to transport me to different places.

I’ve had a number of motorcycles since those long ago days. Besides the Honda scrambler, there was the ’76 Honda 750F Super Sport and then later the ’77 R100s BMW and finally my cruiser, the 2004 Kawasaki Nomad Bagger.

There were local rides and then longer, more distant ones, even international rides! My riding partner, Ron, and I rode down Baja California to Cabo, then back to La Paz and crossed over via ferry to mainland Mexico at Mazatlan. We rode down to Mexico City and south to Teotihuacan, climbing the Pyramid of the Sun and Moon. We rode east to Vera Cruz then re-entered the USA in Brownsville, Texas. We rode around the gulf coast and eastern seaboard of the US, and upward into eastern Canada. We got as far as Cape Bréton Island in Nova Scotia, where we rode the Cabot Trail and then rode back across Canada, into Washington state and home to California in 1976, a ride of 15,000 miles and three months duration.

In 1978, I bought a BMW R100s in London and rode most of western Europe, another long distance ride of four months duration and 10,000 miles. I loved the bike so much that I had it shipped home to California and modified it for long distance riding. 

I even tested my future wife’s mettle by taking her on a two week ride of Australia in the year 2000, on a rented Yamaha 1100cc cruiser.

In between it all were two-week motorcycle camping trips with my two old friends, Jesse and David, my stalwart riding companions. We rode the pacific northwest and Hurricane Ridge up into British Columbia. We rode east to Utah and Bryce Canyon. There were many other rides, but I will let the pictures tell the tale.

Sadly, in 2016, after 40 years of motorcycle riding and touring, I hung up my helmet, jacket and gloves. I sold the Nomad to my friend, Jesse.

There is a point for every individual where one says, am I a danger to others or myself on the road. I was feeling uncomfortable on decreasing radius turns. Time to perhaps save my or someone else’s life by finally saying…it’s enough! I’ve done less than some, but more than most and the memories of the road and my companions will replay always, in my mind.

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