Tours

May/Jun '17 Premium Content

Augusta, GA Shamrock Tour:

It’s June—high season for a motorcycle magazine. Just a short five months ago, my wife, Sarah, and I welcomed Oliver, our first child, into this world. Like most new parents, I think, we questioned the hospital for letting us take this fragile little human home just a few

May/Jun '17 Premium Content

Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma: Riding the Cherokee Trail of Tears Part III

We pick up the Cherokee removal journey in central Missouri: “We travelled about 12 miles to a settlement called Port Royal (believed to be Waynesville by researchers), on the banks of a beautiful stream, named Rubedoo. Here we had a delightful place, on the bank of the river, convenient to

May/Jun '17 Premium Content

Southeast Australia

To experience as many different environments as possible, in only three weeks: this is our mission. What better place to attempt such a journey than Australia, a beautiful and largely unknown country with a population of only 24 million people. Aboard an R 1200 GS, I’m joined by a

May/Jun '17 Premium Content

Ecuador and Colombia: The End of the Road

We’re riding north on the Pan-American Highway, passing lush, green meadows and houses with gable roofs and stucco façades. For a moment, the landscape feels strangely European. But we’re quickly reminded we aren’t at home: After four months of motorcycling in Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru on

Mar/Apr '17 Premium Content

New Mexico Backcountry Discovery Route: The Desert Crucible

The purest art of creating Damascus steel, that extraordinary blade with the wavy design seen in antique knives and swords from the Middle East, is lost to mankind. Speculation suggests multiple layers of metals were forged, folded, and welded together to form a single blade of exceptional quality. Certain aspects

Mar/Apr '17 Premium Content

Athens, Ohio Shamrock Tour®:Oh Me Oh My Ohio!

Ohio is an amazingly contradictory land. In places, it’s as flat as a Ping-Pong table with arrow-straight swaths of asphalt plowing through endless acres of agriculture. But in the southern part of the state, rugged hills magically rise from nowhere, grab the road, and rumple it into a glorious

Mar/Apr '17 Premium Content

TN, KY, IL, and MO: Trail of Tears Pt 2

“Left Brainerd for the Cherokee camps … Thus we leave this place, perhaps never to return.” —The Journal of Rev. Daniel S. Butrick, October 4, 1839 Reverend Butrick departed from Calhoun, TN, with the Richard Taylor Detachment on the overland Northern Route. My wingman, Bob Brown, and me, however, initially follow

Mar/Apr '17 Premium Content

Peru: Land of the Incas

Contrary to what many Peruvians believe, they’re not the best drivers in the world—at least, that was our experience. In oncoming traffic, they drive straight at you, crossing over lanes on hills and blind corners, and swinging way out on the wrong side of the road when taking

Mar/Apr '17 Premium Content

Portugal: The Prettiest End of Europe

The prettiest end of Europe—that could be the most accurate description of Portugal. Remnant’s of this once-enormous empire are scattered throughout, from its decadent dining establishments to haunting historical buildings. One can’t forget the country’s beautiful coastline though, or its peaceful countryside, which is exactly where

Mar/Apr '17

City Escape: Knoxville, Tennessee

This route, in and around the Smoky Mountains, has a little bit of everything: exceptionally curvy roads, stunning scenery, charming villages, and an iconic movie location. There are few one-day rides in America that can compare to this escape. The route is appropriate for experienced mountain riders who will treat

Mar/Apr '17

City Escape: Portland, Oregon

Fuel up at See See Motor Coffee in northeast Portland and head west through the Coast Range to explore Oregon’s logging heritage and see where Lewis and Clark spent a soggy winter in 1805-06. The city of Astoria thrives as a port and tourist destination, and winding roads along

Jan/Feb '17

City Escape: Honolulu, Hawaii

Aloha, island riders. This escape from the bustle of Honolulu is a figure eight that features most of what makes Oahu great. The ride includes the can’t-miss twists, turns, and views of Round Top/Tantalus Drive. It also boasts miles of coastal riding and two passes through the impressive

Jan/Feb '17

City Escape: Roanoke, Virginia

This Star City roundabout is a City Escape with an attitude. Seriously folks, only dual sports need apply. The first 40 miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway are perfect to relax and shake off the morning kinks. Once you drop off the mountain on Route 812 at the Sunset Field

Jan/Feb '17 Premium Content

California and Nevada: Riding the Highs and Lows of the Old West

“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” —F. Scott Fitzgerald Scott’s famous metaphor, the last line of The Great Gatsby, applies to motorcycle touring, for much of what we seek aside from the joyful highs of the road and the wind is

Jan/Feb '17 Premium Content

Kanab, Utah Shamrock Tour: The Greatest Earth on Show®

It’s a beautiful late spring morning as Kris and I prepare for the first of four days exploring southwestern Utah. It’s no secret the state has some of the most fantastic scenery and roads this side of anywhere, and we are more than eager to get underway. Jurassic

Jan/Feb '17 Premium Content

Washington, D.C. to Tennessee: Trail of Tears

Missionary Daniel Butrick kept a journal of his travels with the Cherokee People as they were force-marched to Indian Territory during the winter of 1838-39. It is one of the saddest episodes in American history, with the depths of despair grippingly described in this entry: “… the government might more mercifully

Jan/Feb '17 Premium Content

Bolivia: Salt, Sand, and Altitude Sickness

The border crossing to enter Bolivia is serious. The customs officer checks our passports, insurance, VIN numbers, registration papers, and license plates. Finally we are good to go, heading for La Paz, where we will meet a group of female Bolivian artisans crafting to gain independence. Crossing the river that

Nov/Dec '16

City Escape: Austin, Texas

Our second largest state (behind Alaska) isn’t well known for its motorcycling roads, but small areas like the Hill Country are hidden gems to explore. As the most liberal and artsy city in Texas, Austin also offers a lively community and some of the best barbeque in the country.

Nov/Dec '16

City Escape: Columbia, South Carolina

Not far west of Columbia, SC, riders encounter the outdoor recreational offerings and scenic vistas of Lake Murray. Venturing deeper into the state’s hilly Upcountry, bucolic backroads lead to historic sites recounting the state’s pivotal role in winning the American Revolutionary War. Riders also will see the plantation

Nov/Dec '16 Premium Content

Arkansas: A State of Mind, Body, and Soul

My ears ring from the blast. Acrid smoke fills my nostrils and burns my eyes. That shot was the last of my powder and the Yankees are coming fast. My mind screams “Run,” but I draw my sword. It is March 8, 1862, and I may die today at the

Nov/Dec '16 Premium Content

Lexington, Kentucky Shamrock Tour®: Four Roads Through Horse Country

Cool, moist air seeps from the acres of perfectly manicured greenery as the sun tiptoes closer to the horizon. The sky is already a clear blue and a few mists still linger in the hollow places of the hills. Kentucky waits with open arms. Chasing Daniel Boone The rising sun

Nov/Dec '16 Premium Content

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula: Northern Exposure

I’ve been curious about Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (aka the U.P.) for a number of years. This northern exposure has plummeting wintertime temperatures and lake-effect snow piling high. The U.P. constitutes 29 percent of Michigan’s total landmass, but the unforgiving winter weather explains why only three

Nov/Dec '16 Premium Content

Continental Divide, Part 2: Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico

Our route out of Rawlins, WY, takes us through the city’s center before turning south and heading out of town. It is a great day for riding, with mostly clear skies and cool temperatures, as we enter the Medicine Bow National Forest. Not far from the Colorado border we

Nov/Dec '16 Premium Content

The Riding Reporters: Chile and Argentina - Capturing the Story of the Wichí

Irene and I are ready to ride to places only two wheels can reach, to tell the stories of those we meet. Our rugged KTM 690 Enduros have landed in Valparaíso, Chile. Finally, after eight months of serious preparation, we start the first miles of our journey. From the Chilean

Sep/Oct '16 Premium Content

Pawleys Island, South Carolina: Riding to James Dickey’s Grave

My favorite day trips usually involve food, not the deceased. But All Saints Church in Pawleys Island, SC, offers too much to ignore: the grave of poet and novelist James Dickey, a famous ghost, and other Southern historical gems. And to make this destination even more desirable, it is close