Tours

Nov/Dec '20 Premium Content

Chattanooga, Tennessee Shamrock Tour®

Luke was stripping down to his underwear in the middle of a park somewhere outside of Cleveland, TN, not too far from our hometown of Chattanooga. Just behind him flowed the Hiwassee River, over which stretches a bridge from where he claimed he’s seen people jump. It was 50

Sep/Oct '20 Premium Content

Thailand: Road of 2,000 Turns

After 36 trips across the Atlantic for rides in Europe and Africa, it was time for something different. Having never been across the Pacific, I settled on Thailand for a new adventure. I would be taking part in Edelweiss Bike Tours’ “Thailand Extreme” tour, an eight-day trip covering 1,465

Sep/Oct '20 Premium Content

Alabama: Rockets and Music and Bikes, Oh My!

Up until last year, I had never explored Alabama, despite the fact that my home in Chattanooga, TN, is almost a stone’s throw away from the state line—so close that on any given Saturday you can hear University of Alabama football fans yelling “Roll Tide” at the TVs

Sep/Oct '20 Premium Content

Utah: Mission: Possible

It may come as a surprise to learn that in at least one Utah county it apparently is illegal to hire trombone players to play on the street to advertise an auction, or that Jell-O is the official state snack. Did you know that Utah often ranks as the second

Sep/Oct '20 Premium Content

Seven Springs, Pennsylvania Shamrock Tour®

The old and weathered Allegheny Mountains run through north-central Pennsylvania and portions of neighboring Maryland and West Virginia. The range was once the furthest reaches of a young nation, and within the mountains' wrinkles lie stories and tales that, like tree rings, reveal the past. History It's

Sep/Oct '20

City Escape: Bakersfield, California

This varied loop ride east of Bakersfield features a visually striking state park and a massive desert lake. It also boasts a series of great roads lined by an intriguing mix of desert plants, evergreens, and whimsical Joshua trees. Itís an escape suitable for most any time of year except

Sep/Oct '20

City Escape: Tahlequah, Oklahoma

The rugged landscape in northeastern Oklahoma offers tree-canopied lanes of twisty asphalt alongside clear mountain streams—perfect for flowing rides sprinkled with diverse restaurants and historical sites dating to the days of Indian Territory. Moderate temperatures and bright foliage make fall the best time to ride this loop, but the

Jul/Aug '20

City Escape: Bay City, Michigan

This route’s northern section—from Port Austin to Bay Port—offers a twisting road (Hwy 25) along the Lake Huron shore. The eastern stretch of 25 from Forestville to Grindstone City pulls back from the Lake Huron beaches in some sections of the route, but the area offers interesting

Jul/Aug '20

City Escape: Hartford, Connecticut

This daytrip is generally a laid-back ramble through the Connecticut countryside. Riders don’t have to travel far from urban Hartford to experience classic New England scenery and historic locations, some of which date from America’s Industrial Revolution. Take your time and enjoy the scenery and points of interest

Jul/Aug '20 Premium Content

Afghanistan: The Other Side

“Afghanistan’s dangerous. Don’t go. What are you thinking?” they said. As we approached the border and saw the heavily armed guards, we wondered if they were right. I can’t look away from the staring soldier, clutching his AK-47, behind the fence. He tilts his head in confusion,

Jul/Aug '20 Premium Content

Oklahoma: The “Reel” Wild West

“Let’s go take a look,” said Bill, a familiar gleam in his eye. I sighed, knowing nothing would deter him. As we made the turn for Hwy 80, which snakes along the eastern edge of Fort Gibson Lake deep in the Cherokee Nation, a road sign announced, “High water,

Jul/Aug '20 Premium Content

Etna, California Shamrock Tour®

“How long have you been delivering supplies up here?” I ask. “Oh, about 20 years now,” replies Roger. Cora jumps in, eager to add more to the story. “Roger was a logger up in these mountains before that.” “Yeah, that’s true,” Roger says. “But I wasn’t gonna make

May/Jun '20 Premium Content

Peru: Following the Dakar Rally

Few things in my life can compare to the almost monthlong trip I took around Peru to follow the Dakar Rally on a Kawasaki KLR650. It sounds melodramatic, but it was really that good. Starting on January 1, 2019, and ending just before February, my Dad and I experienced all

May/Jun '20 Premium Content

Lewiston, Idaho Shamrock Tour®: A Three-State Odyssey

The Lewiston Shamrock Tour® promises diverse roads in a land of canyons, prairies, mountains, and forests. This rough country was settled by tough people eking out a living off the land, and they built roads through the canyons and high on the prairies. Their hard work sets the stage for

May/Jun '20 Premium Content

South Africa: The Cape Crusader

It doesn’t get better than this. I’m on the pegs, piloting the Honda Africa Twin up a steep, rocky climb in the middle of the vast Cederberg Wilderness Area. Ahead of me, a troop of baboons scatters away from the track and up into the deep red cliffs,

May/Jun '20 Premium Content

New York: Adirondack State of Mind

Moody morning fog shrouds the woods around Fort Ticonderoga, but by the time Cameron and I climb the short, steep hill up to Mount Defiance, the August sun has burned away the morning mist. We have a clear eastward view across narrow Lake Champlain to Vermont and the Green Mountains.

May/Jun '20 Premium Content

California: Chasing Butterflies and Wildflowers

The perfect time to see the migrating painted lady butterfly and witness one of California’s rare wildflower super blooms is early March to early April. It doesn’t happen every year, but when weather conditions are just right, a simultaneous blooming of wildflowers occurs in California’s arid regions.

May/Jun '20

City Escape: Atlanta, Georgia

Escape Atlanta’s sprawling urban landscape by taking a series of secondary roads to the unique, picturesque Little River Canyon National Preserve in Alabama, and then return via rural roads in the foothills of the southern Appalachian Mountains. Charming, historic settlements along the way include the Georgia towns of Dallas,

May/Jun '20

City Escape: Laramie, Wyoming

Take your time on this inspiring ride through southern Wyoming that originates out of Laramie, the “Gem City of the Plains.” Open country and the breathtakingly beautiful Snowy Range Scenic Byway through the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests are the hallmarks of this ride. On the way back you’ll ride

Mar/Apr '20

City Escape: Fresno, California

The towering trees and winding roads of Sequoia National Park are on the itinerary for this ride east of Fresno. There are interesting things to see and great stretches of road outside the park boundaries as well. The route starts at the desert elevation of 300 feet above sea level

Mar/Apr '20

City Escape: New York City

Escape from the busy and noisy Big Apple metropolis into the picturesque, relaxing farmlands and forests of northern New Jersey. Experience beautiful mirror lakes and running streams in the unspoiled wilderness. Small, rustic towns and villages will take you back 100 years. View the majestic Buttermilk Falls and ride the

Mar/Apr '20

Kentucky Adventure Trail: Backroads of Appalachia

Our starting point is Pine Mountain State Resort Park in Pineville, KY. It’s mid-March, and the mornings are expectedly chilly. Marisa and I quickly find ourselves shedding additional layers of clothing as the sun warms the Kentucky hills, but as we descend into deep, wooded valleys, where the morning

Mar/Apr '20 Premium Content

Greece: Beyond the Postcards

Anticipating our journey to Greece, we were expecting to see the whitewashed buildings with blue rooftops clinging to the coastline—the scenes that we knew from pictures. But those iconic sites are found only on two specific islands, and Greece has literally thousands of islands. We traveled the mainland and

Mar/Apr '20 Premium Content

Yukon: Tuk or Bust

Over the years I have motorcycled through many of the world’s most exotic places, but in recent years I have been dithering about options for the next great ride. Can you hear a bit of desperation there? Finally, I was presented with a new road I could not refuse,

Mar/Apr '20 Premium Content

Clemson, South Carolina Shamrock Tour®: Reunion Ride

This story started in 1999, and it’s quite special to me. It’s a story of four friends who are more like brothers, who have somehow managed to keep riding together even when life tries to get in the way. It all began in rural northern Michigan at a