Tours

Destinations

Black Canyon of The Gunnison National Park

Motoring east on US-50 from Montrose, I’m enjoying the expansive Rocky Mountain landscape of eastern Colorado. A left on SR-347 has me quickly gaining altitude until finally arriving at the Visitor Center on the South Rim of the Black Canyon of Gunnison National Park. At an overlook, I peer

Nov/Dec '22 Premium Content

Spain: A Man in La Mancha

“Down in a village of La Mancha, the name of which I have no desire to recollect, there lived, not long ago, one of those gentlemen who usually keeps a lance upon a rack, an old buckler, a lean stallion, and a coursing greyhound.” —Cervantes, Don QuixoteMiguel de Cervantes introduced

Destinations

Top 10 Winter Motorcycling Destinations in America

Winter can be a dodgy time for motorcycling. There are places where the thought of rolling out on two wheels is an absolute impossibility. That said, there are a host of routes that you can enjoy even in the winter months. It may entail some planning and even require you

Classic Roads

Classic Roads: Trail Ridge Road National Scenic Byway

This 64-mile Classic Roads adventure begins in the historic mountain resort town of Estes Park, Colorado, the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park, and rolls along a stretch of US 34, which is the highest continuous paved road in the U.S. It has been a popular destination for motorists

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Giro Alpino: A Family Reunion in the Rockies

Giro Alpino was Ducati’s new tour event, centered around Breckenridge, CO. Participants were told to expect incredible roads, spectacular fall colors, and exquisite dining. I did because I live here in Colorado. What I didn’t expect was the warm welcome we received into the Ducati Multistrada family. I

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Classic Roads: California’s Angeles Crest Highway

Traveling just north of the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles and Pasadena, you’ll enter the Angeles National Forest, a sparsely developed area that’s home to one particularly fantastic ribbon of tarmac—The Angeles Crest Highway (aka California State Route 2). Completed in 1956, this two-lane marvel climbs,

Nov/Dec '22 Premium Content

Washington, Pennsylvania Shamrock Tour®: Forgotten Corners

Jeff Arpin and I have been eagerly anticipating our Pennsylvania Shamrock Tour®, but historically high August heat promised sweltering rides. A more recent weather forecast, however, now predicts cooler temperatures. But there’s a meteorological catch-22—the remnants of a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico are set to

Classic Roads

Classic Roads: Michigan's River Road National Scenic Byway

The Au Sable River, which flows 138 miles through Michigan’s Huron National Forest on its way to Lake Huron, packs plenty of history. The “River of Sand” is a designated National Wild and Scenic River, and River Road, which twists along the southern banks of the Au Sable from

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Santa Maria Weekend Romp

In the summer of 2011, my then-girlfriend Maria and I took the then-new BMW K1600GTL for an evaluation ride to Yosemite National Park. It was her maiden voyage aboard a two-wheel tourer, as well as her first visit to the Sierra Nevada. The next year, my now-wife and I were

Nov/Dec '22

City Escape: Texarkana, Texas

The city of Texarkana straddles the border of Texas and Arkansas. It’s a thriving community in the 21st century, but many of the region’s historic sites are off the beaten path and largely unknown. This City Escape route takes riders back to the 18th century, when this area

Destinations

In Pursuit of Wildness: Chiricahua National Monument

I’m on my motorcycle, heading west on I-10 back to California, when I see the sign for a destination totally unfamiliar to me: Chiricahua National Monument. Just the name sparks my interest. Although best known for being the home of the Grand Canyon, Arizona is rich with more than

Destinations

The Legendary Navajo Code Talkers’ Memorial in Window Rock, Arizona

“Were it not for the Navajos, the Marines would never have taken Iwo Jima.” —Major Howard Connor, USMC 5th Marine Division Signal Officer In the South Pacific Theater of World War II, U.S. military forces had a significant problem. The Japanese were highly proficient at deciphering coded American communications.

Nov/Dec '22 Premium Content

Riding Death Valley: Third Time Lucky

"I’m done. Get me the chuff out of here!” Engorged on the place until I was as full as a tick on a hound dog, one afternoon on the Strip was all I could handle. Like anything, we had to see it with our own eyes, although I hear

Classic Roads

Classic Roads: Utah's Scenic Byway 12

Utah’s State Route 12 is a “National Scenic Byway” recognized by the U.S. Department of Transportation. It also has the designation of being an All-American Road,  one of just 120 so named nationwide, which means it possesses unique features and  intrinsic qualities not found elsewhere. All American Roads

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Iceland: Riders on the Storm

Together with two other journalists, I joined the Honda Adventure Roads tour (HAR 2022) in Iceland a few days after the start. So far, the route had taken the group from Reykjavik in the west toward the northeast to the small harbor town of Húsavík. From a bird's-eye view as

Classic Roads

Classic Roads: US 12 Through Montana and Idaho

This remote section of US 12, between Missoula, MT, and the western border of Idaho, is known as the Northwest Passage Scenic Byway. It’s a segment of the cross-country Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and part of the Nez Perce National Historic Trail. As the names imply, this

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Cape Breton: The Road to Gampo Abbey

It was just a sign by the side of the road. We wouldn’t have seen it. But we stopped because the day was hot and the road was long and we needed a break. The sign read, “Gampo Abbey, 9 km.” My wife Julie and I were in the

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Riding from Mexico to Canada along US HWY 191

A little north of Tombstone, the coyote (Roadrunnerus digestus) emerges from the low scrub brush on the dusty shoulder of Arizona's SR 80. He stops mid-trot and watches with apparent nonchalance as our RoadRUNNER Gold Wing (Burn-em-upus asphaltus) breezes by. But I'm not fooled by his insouciance—years of Saturday

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Fall in Appalachia: Abundant Turns and Autumn Tones

October is probably my favorite month in general, and it’s definitely my favorite time to ride a motorcycle. As such, Marisa and I were excited to get on the road and had turned in early the previous night. To our dismay, we woke to drizzling rain. Fortunately the temperature

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The Rejuvenating Coast

For me, the ride is restoration—a way to refresh the soul. I take a few solo trips each year just to recharge and it was about time. My destination was somewhere sunny, windy, and warm—Pensacola, FL. I slipped out of bed, trying my best to match the quiet

Destinations

Destination: Coffeyville, Kansas

The Dalton Gang’s Last Bank RobberyAlthough Coffeyville, KS, was the hometown of famous Major League Baseball pitcher Walter Johnson, it is more famous for being where the Dalton Gang attempted a double bank robbery. On the quiet Wednesday morning of Oct. 5, 1892, the three disguised Dalton Brothers and

Sep/Oct '22 Premium Content

Riding in Cuba: Revolution, Raki, and Rum

In 1996, I cruised to Cuba at night like smuggled human freight in Ernest Hemingway’s To Have and Have Not. “Okay, vee go now,” said Rolf, a feisty Swede, tossing me two thick bungee cords to lash my BMW R 100 GS PD to the rail. “Be quick. Vee

Destinations

Destination: Pagosa Springs, Colorado

This picturesque community, situated 35 miles north of the New Mexico border, serves as an ideal location for looped explorations. The San Juan River flows through the city’s center, where you’ll find the Pagosa Hot Springs, touted as the “World’s Deepest Geothermal Hot Spring.” Its name originates

Classic Roads

Classic Roads: Missouri Route 94

Spanning more than 2,000 miles, from southwestern Montana to the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers just north of St. Louis, the Missouri River Valley is notable for its rolling topography, forested landscape, and collection of pastoral farms. The area is also home to several wineries and appealing

Sep/Oct '22 Premium Content

Cleveland, Mississippi Shamrock Tour®: The Heart of the Delta

Two days of riding south from Music City gave us the chance to become acquainted with the motorcycles we would be paired with on this Shamrock Tour®—an Indian Chief Limited and Indian Challenger Dark Horse. I’m not sure there could’ve been a better choice of machines for