Sidetracked - RoadRUNNER

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Sidetracked

A collection of 15 posts

Pack Mentality—Gear

Pack Mentality—Gear

"I Was Only Going a Mile" We see it all the time. A pretty young lady riding across campus on a scooter, a bare-headed youth ripping through rush-hour traffic on a sportbike, T-shirt billowing over bare skin, or a middle-aged man, commuting to work on his cruiser. They are dressed

If It Ain't Broke...Give It Time

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If It Ain't Broke...Give It Time

Murphy is alive and well, and he is nobody’s fool. Patient, cunning, and devious, he will get you when you least expect it … unless you’re prepared. We’ve been out here almost two weeks on the Idaho Backcountry Discovery Route. The sun is about to set and we

Honey, We Need to Talk!

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Honey, We Need to Talk!

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" my wife asked as she led me down the aisle of a ma and pa grocery store in Northern California. We were exploring the epicenter of the 1849 Gold Rush with a group of brisk riding friends. The morning had been spent

Sidetracked: Turkey Scout

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Sidetracked: Turkey Scout

"Be Prepared!" The Boy Scout motto is a good mantra to live by. Unfortunately, even as a bona fide Eagle Scout my adherence to the wisdom often undulates. "Flat again! Come get me." These words, texted to the rescue team (my wife), articulate a reluctant tossing-in of the towel after

Sidetracked: Kickstands Up At Eight!

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Sidetracked: Kickstands Up At Eight!

It has been said that collecting a group of motorcycle riders to leave on time is like herding cats. Four motorcycles and a dozen ATVs are packed into the corral in Salinas de Garci Mendoza, Bolivia. The village is a half-day ride from the world’s largest salt plains known

Sidetracked: Fly and Ride | RoadRUNNER Motorcycle Touring & Travel Magazine

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Sidetracked: Fly and Ride

The ad read, "2007 BMW R 1200 GS Adventure, low miles, pristine mechanically and cosmetically." I can't resist the allure of an older bike in good condition. Many of these machines hit the sweet spot in technology and reliability and, armed with a little knowledge and a few mileage points

Sidetracked: Stealerships and the DIY Guy

Sidetracked: Stealerships and the DIY Guy

Fourteen-year-olds are sensitive creatures. Merle laughs when I ask how to adjust the clutch on my 1969 Yamaha AT1. Instead of offering technical advice he mocks me, saying, "You want to race and you can't even work on your own bike." His words cut me to the quick, but mostly,

Sidetracked: Pack Mentality—Group Riding

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Sidetracked: Pack Mentality—Group Riding

Pack mentality (n.) The tendency for a group of individuals to act together without planned direction. Humans, like many of our four-legged fellow inhabitants of planet Earth, are social animals. We tend to mimic the behavior of those around us. Alone, your pet malamute may be mild-mannered and cuddly. But

Thirdendary Roads | RoadRUNNER Motorcycle Touring & Travel Magazine

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Thirdendary Roads

"Daddy, where is that car going?" My son spoke those words to me three decades ago as he stood tiptoe, looking out the window of our home on the edge of town. The curiosity of a child has inspired many an adventure. They are an elusive lot, adventure riders. To

Sidetracked: My Brother's Keeper, A "Lost" Art

Sidetracked: My Brother's Keeper, A "Lost" Art

Getting lost in the backcountry is no joke. Whose job is it to keep the group together when the ride leaves the pavement? What responsibility does the individual have? "Where's Rick?" asks Ken, our ride leader. Our group of 11 men is on the way to Copper Canyon, Mexico. It's

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Why We Stand

Ouray, CO, “Little Switzerland.” Vehicles roll through town packed with overlanding gear, and dual-sport motorcycles parade the streets with their colorful jockeys aboard. Smack in the middle of this melee rides a group of Space Rangers on loaded, knobby-tired beasts, some with cylinders protruding from the sides like proud iron

The Kerfuffle | RoadRUNNER Motorcycle Touring & Travel

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The Kerfuffle

At 125 horsepower and 125 Nm of torque, the BMW R 1200 GS can sling mud from its Shinko knobby like a snow blower in a Louisiana swamp. My pal Jay Rothstein sits unaware atop his clutch-less KLR 650, 12 miles north of Gypsum, CO. Afternoon rains have turned this

Thirdendary Roads

Thirdendary Roads

> “Daddy, where is that car going?” My son spoke those words to me three decades ago as he stood tiptoe, looking out the window of our home on the edge of town. The curiosity of a child has inspired many an adventure. They are an elusive lot, adventure riders. To

Rain on an Old Tin Roof

Rain on an Old Tin Roof

Thunder roared in the distance as I ducked under the rusty, corrugated sheet-iron structure. I was a lone 16-year-old boy wearing a faded Levi’s jacket, tight, high-water 501s, and a white T-shirt. Three hundred miles into the day’s journey, my 4 a.m. departure was taking its toll.

Adventure Riding: What's it to You?

Adventure Riding: What's it to You?

Adventure: A bold, unusually risky undertaking or hazardous action of uncertain outcome. "Where’s Kurt?” I ask, as Disco pulls his bike up beside mine. “I passed him a couple miles back. He won’t be riding that KTM anytime soon. His rear wheel spun clean off the hub.” This