Tours

May/Jun '21

City Escape: Boston, Massachusetts

This historically themed Boston, MA, daytrip begins in the town of Waltham, which was incorporated in 1783 and is known for watchmaking. The morning section of the route visits historic locations that range from the American Revolutionary War to the Industrial Revolution. In the afternoon, you’ll get to cruise

May/Jun '21

Johnson City, Tennessee Shamrock Tour®

Johnson City lies just on the edge of the Cherokee National Forest in the northeastern corner of Tennessee. The city is claimed to be one of the first settled areas in the state, originating in the late 1700s, but it didn’t get its name until 1856 when Henry Johnson

May/Jun '21

Destination: Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

> Nearly every motorcyclist has gotten lost while browsing a magazine. Suddenly, we are transported to high altitude destinations, riding up and down the Stelvio Pass in the Alps or Paso Internacional Los Libertadores in Chile. Roads like these must actually be ridden to be truly understood. Though one may

May/Jun '21 Premium Content

Kansas & Missouri

Rolling past the Mid America Dragway near Arkansas City, KS, I felt Bill roll off the throttle of our 2001 Harley-Davidson Super Glide Dyna Sport. The venue was packed and machines were pouring in through the gates. “We should stop and race,” said Bill over the Cardo Packtalk Slim units

May/Jun '21

Coronado Trail Scenic Byway

> The Coronado Trail Scenic Byway winds for 120 miles through Arizona’s White Mountains. The route is chock-full of challenging switchbacks, hairpin turns, steep grades, precipitous drop-offs, and breathtaking scenic vistas. It’s located in a remote section of east-central Arizona. This particular section of today’s US 191

May/Jun '21 Premium Content

Southeast Oregon

The whooping sound of a Wilson’s snipe, a small sandpiper, jolted me out of my slumber. As my senses started to boot up, I struggled to recall where I was. Peeking out of my roof-top tent and seeing the sagebrush-covered hill and our dusty motorcycles, I remembered that we

May/Jun '21 Premium Content

Nepal

I have to keep reminding myself that this is a road. Ahead of me, a torrent of mountain water cascades over boulders before dropping off a sheer cliff edge. Muscling my Royal Enfield through what is clearly a river, the route goes straight into a steep chicane of vicious rock

Mar/Apr '21

Destination: Hot Springs, Arkansas

> Hot Springs, AR, sits atop more than 40 springs with water heated by magma thousands of feet below the Earth’s surface. Native Americans enjoyed these mineral springs long before European Americans arrived. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, “taking the waters” in the “Valley of Vapors”

Mar/Apr '21 Premium Content

The Green Country Oklahoma Adventure Tour (GOAT)

Ahead, the old stagecoach road is rough and rocky. I jump off the motorcycle, camera in hand, to capture Bill as he begins the climb. Remounting, we both stand on the pegs to allow the bike to move beneath us. With no handlebar to grasp, it’s a position that

Mar/Apr '21 Premium Content

Western Pennsylvania & New York, Part 2

Jeff Arpin and I continue exploring the western environs of New York and Pennsylvania by following the water. Preparing to depart Cataract City (aka Niagara Falls, NY), the fall weather is invigorating. Sunshine reflecting off the Niagara River presents a dazzling array of sparkling jewels. Road construction, however, causes us

Mar/Apr '21 Premium Content

British Columbia, the Yukon, and Alberta

Oh look, thar she blows! Out in the distance a whale blew, and a column of water fountained up. My eyes widened at the humpback’s gentle beauty. Calmly voyaging for two days from Juneau on the panhandle to Prince Rupert—our port gateway to a week of Canadian wilderness—

Mar/Apr '21

Zanesville, Ohio Shamrock Tour®

Ohio is where I met my bride, Sarah. If Steve had not subscribed to RoadRUNNER, I probably wouldn’t have met her. I love coming here and riding the thrillingly curvy roads of southeastern Ohio. As part of our “at home” series, you can trust that these four loops are

Mar/Apr '21

City Escape: Chandler, Arizona

Massive stands of saguaro cacti and panoramic vistas highlight this southern Arizona escape from the bustle of the ever-growing Chandler-Mesa metro area. The ride includes a stopover in a remote desert town that is undergoing a creative rejuvenation and a ride through a magnificent national monument. Because of the extreme

Mar/Apr '21

City Escape: Richmond, Virginia

Journey back in history along some of Virginia’s most enchanting byways, where American history is combined with lost-in-time backroads through a hilly agricultural landscape, mountaintop vistas, a classy lunch stop, and a slice of the Blue Ridge Pkwy as a delicious dessert. Traffic on the backroads is usually moderate,

Jan/Feb '21

City Escapes: San Bernardino, California

Jan/Feb '21

City Escapes: Maryville, Tennessee

This trip is for those who like long riding days. Start early to complete the entire loop before dark and ride during summer to get the most sunlight. This is a three-season route, as higher elevations tend to get snowed up in the winter. The mountains are stunning in this

Jan/Feb '21 Premium Content

Western Pennsylvania & New York Part 1

Science tells us that around 55% to 60% of the human body is composed of water. In that vein, marine biologist Wallace J. Nicholas has noted that: “We are beginning to learn that our brains are hardwired to react positively to water and that being near it can calm and

Jan/Feb '21 Premium Content

Austria: The Art of Indulgence

My friend Michael comes from Vienna. The Viennese are sometimes ill-reputed in the rest of Austria. The residents of the capital city are supposedly snotty and a bit too self-aggrandizing.  Michael, however, embodies another undisputed quality of the Viennese—they know how to indulge in the good things. During our

Jan/Feb '21

Classic Roads: Down from the North US 1 in Florida Part 1

> The US 1 stretches across 545 miles throughout the entire length of Florida along its eastern shore, from the northern border with Georgia to the southernmost tip of the continental U.S. in Key West. It was designated the first U.S. highway when the Numbered Highways System was

Jan/Feb '21

Phoenix, Arizona Shamrock Tour®

Touring the Valley of the Sun It’s been six years since Kris and I decided to relocate from Michigan to Arizona. The impromptu move was brought about by a job opportunity for Kris and my “restless leg syndrome” (meaning my inability to stay in one place for too long)

Nov/Dec '20

City Escape: Albuquerque, New Mexico

This day ride stretches out through ancient ruins and historic mining communities in Albuquerque. With little traffic, it all but guarantees solitary motorcycling bliss. The tail end of the route includes a ride up and down Sandia Crest to take in some astounding views before returning to the city limits.

Nov/Dec '20

City Escape: Jacksonville, Florida

While Florida roads are mostly straight, a ride around the St. Johns River offers a curvier experience. After starting south on San Jose Blvd, making a detour out to Mandarin Rd helps with traffic. The last 60 miles to Palatka go along a winding, scenic river road. The way back

Nov/Dec '20 Premium Content

Texas Hill Country: A Land of Simple Majesty

I moved to North Texas from the Midwest more than two years ago. Not having explored the state much, tales of the roads around Texas Hill Country, west of Austin, had long intrigued me. Not being a fan of solo overnight expeditions, I received the perfect opportunity to explore that

Nov/Dec '20 Premium Content

California Sierra: The Glorious Roads of the Golden State

As is usually the case with larger motorcycle groups, we were a motley crew that had come together in unlikely ways. Chris and Steve were decades-old friends and had ridden and skied together everywhere. Mike was a sports photographer they knew from Park City. Rod also had a house in

Nov/Dec '20 Premium Content

Sardinia: Italy or Not Italy?

The island of Sardinia in the Mediterranean is a motorcyclist’s dream. Officially, it is a territory of Italy. But, as we shall find out, it is different in many ways. “SARDEGNA NO E ITALIA!” is written in fat red letters on a concrete wall at the port of Olbia,