Tiger Trail | the days riding around north east Illinois was enlightening. A good 150 miles of rural gravel roads crisscrossing Jo Daviess County. I learned to finally use the back brake on the loose surface; and to power through the looser gravel. The new tires performed exceptionally. The day (and weekend) were cut short… but we’ll get into that tomorrow…
A Speed Twin called Daisy and her exploits in the Highlands.
“There is no such uncertainty as a sure thing.”
Burns Night – in celebration of The Bard here are some fun photos taken by a Triumph owner back in 2002 as he rode his Amaranth Red hub sprung Triumph through the lochs and glens of Scotland. As they romp through Glencoe they stop at the layby near it’s summit where they ask the piper to pose with Daisy.
Pitmatic – a motorcycle shop in the fifties on Station Road in the North East mining village of Ashington. Proper Geordie Bikers!
Hump Day – immaculate Triumph Scrambler parked on the gravel shoulder of a curvy road: ready to take on hilly highways. It serves as a midweek respite as we head downslope to the weekend.
Boulder Colorado – the roads around here are perfect for motorcycles. Given one of these machines I’d thrash it to within an inch of its triple engined life…
Boulder Canyon Drive… esses in perfection.
The Healing Road – I’ve just finished a very good book: Ghost Rider. Written by maestro drummer Neil Peart of Canadian band Rush, it involves the outward experience and personal introspection on a 55,000 mile journey around North America. Carried out in late 1998 and through 1999 is occurs after a double family tragedy. With a world seemingly in tatters he uses the continuous movement on his big BMW GS to keep ahead of his emotional demons. Well written and heartfelt about the experiences of the ‘open road’, his descriptions of the many 500 or mile-a-day travels make me want to get on a big bike and aim for the horizon.
The Original Speed Triple – before Hinckley Triumph rolled out their bruiser 900 naked Speed Triple it was being created by Meriden enthusiasts using the Trident lump at its heart. Here’s Jock Drysdale on his roadgoing machine during, what looks like, a speedy blast through the River Cherwell’s bucolic scenery. He’s dressed for suitably healthy velocities; I think there’s a broad grin under that lid.
Black Electrical Tape – this about sums it up. After poring over maps to memorize roads, junctions, towns, and other landmarks; you’d take a folded-up map and either stuff it in a front pocket or, as in this case, tape it onto your bike. Ideally in a waterproof Ortlieb clear map case.
The Wolverine – we watched Logan last night. The final outing of Hugh Jackman as the X-Men clawed heavy. Here is an atmospheric black & white photo of the actor riding a 70’s Bonneville along an empty industrial backdropped highway. A side note: I am one eighth Logan.
Las Vegas – the roads were smooth and not too busy, bikes ran well, and the lunch stop in Antioch had a good selection of good diner cookin’! Dash of autumnal color on the trees under an aquamarine clear blue sky.
West Dunes Highway – one of the best stretches of the weekends trip is a section through the wooded back dune. The canopies arch overhead and there’s just enough bend in the road to keep your swooping motion fun.
Autobahn Triumph – “It does not go 300 but for you is enough!!” This rocket-red Sprint 1050 is made for the hyperspeed roads of Germany – this bike’s owner see other deutchwagen as roadkill…
Stop – A single rider stands at an anonymous stop light in an off-color rural America. A grey sky holds the promise of rain yet the sun shines down on the motorcyclist. It’s one of Andrew Wyeth’s pieces from a decades long career of creating raw American art. It is stripped away and emotional imagery. We saw his home and studio last week in Brandywine PA. Today would have been his 100th birthday.
Back Home – we finished our road trip with a couple of stops in mid Ohio then a zoom back west to Chicago. Picked the dog up from his carer then home to the talkative cat. Plenty of fun Americana seen on the venture. It’s a big country and so much to see across its wide miles. We weren’t as adventurous as this Norton powered couple; but that looks like one of the many scenes we saw on our travels.
Fill ‘er up! Or so you would have asked Dick Dunkle, proprietor of the Gulf service station on the old Lincoln Highway (Route 30) that went cross country in the days before the Interstate system was laid. The terra-cotta tile work and old mechanical pumps as atmosphere. As did the rain stotting down on Bedford PA. The Minx sits in the forecourt: “one for the album!”
