Early Morning Spin
– with an expected temperature to hit the high nineties today we set off to get in a dawn ride into the City and along the Lakefront. Here are the bikes at a very photogenic spot at the Adler Planetarium looking back to the Chicago skyline.
– long gone is the day when I wanted my handlebars low in racing pose with clip-one. An agéd back and stiffening hips means I need to have the steering fettled to achieve a straighter searing position. The Tigers bars, though tall, still have me in a slight crouch. So I have fitted these Rox Risers which add 2” to the bar height. Huge difference. I sit tall with a commanding stature on the bike. Easy upgrade for me.
– a fun rear camera shot of the two of us on the harbor front. Lake Michigan stirring in a light odorous chop with a cooling air drifted over the freshwater to us.
– lovely ride up to Winthrop Harbor this evening . Quiet roads with few cars and perfect temperatures.
Nice summer ride up along the Lake into Wisconsin and a stop off at Kenosha Harbor. A still water stirred by the occasional fishing boat or pleasure craft. New (to me) Aerostich jacket worked admirably in the upper 70’s temperatures.
At about the same time BMW was introducing the Gelände/Straße GS range Triumph was grasping a straws during its business death throes. One model that hinted of what was to come was a slightly modified 750 Tiger named the Trail. 21” front wheel, single seat, high pipe, off road gearing. You can nearly see the looks of latter model Tigers in its DNA. Growing up I always loved the look of the dirt oriented front fender.
Another motorcycle blogger is Vanessa Ruck who enjoys extolling the virtues of two-wheel travel. Particularly with an adventure bike such as the impeccable Tiger.
Head down the road. Aim for the horizon. Take your wits, your sense of exploration and a heady dose of adventure to venture out into the yonder.
– est. 1897 | one of the stops on this ride through an unseasonably cool June afternoon had us stop in at this old stable located along Hunt Club Road.
– the return leg of Saturday’s ride brought us back along the delightful Gilmer Road. A leafy road that winds through Lake Country passing horse farms and old railway lines; passes barns and crosses multiple county roads ready to explore.
Old Roadhouse at the intersection
– one of our stops for a leg stretch was at this abandoned crossroads building. You can imagine hoarded of Harley Davidson bickered swarming around at this corner on a Sunday morning before roaring around the backroads then heading back to Milwaukee after a spin around the Moraine’s.
.. wish I was on a gravel road through the Rockies with the occasional arboreal vista across blue layered slopes.
We took the Triumph out for a sunset jaunt into Lake County. Long shadows across green fields and through leafy woodlands. This was one of the small gravel country roads that can be found off Hunt Club Road.
Marvelous day on the road today. 250 miles on a route around the bottom of the Lake into Michigan on lanes lined with trees leafing out. Lilac fragrance wafted from farm hedges laden with bloom and rolling fields being watched over by soaring hawks. This old barn was seen in the small town of Eau Claire MI.
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