May/Jun '18 Premium Content Italy: Smoke on the Water Mt. Etna, the largest of Italy’s three active volcanoes, commands the view to the east of Enna, an ancient town built atop a hill in the middle of Sicily. A few miles farther and 2,000 feet higher on the road climbing out of the Dittano Valley, the smoking
May/Jun '18 Premium Content Japan: A Rider’s Secret Paradise Believe it or not, being a motorcycle journalist is hard work. Especially under trying circumstances. There are rarely second chances. It’s run and gun, get the moment now—or never. I had the time of my life working this project in Japan, and now, here on the plane, I’
May/Jun '18 Premium Content Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York: In the Tire Tracks of a Pioneer, Pt 5 The home stretch. With the mountains and deserts and most of the country at his back, riding from Chicago to New York City should have been the easiest part of the trip for Wyman. It wasn’t. Against all odds, George A Wyman had crossed the Sierra Nevada, the Great
May/Jun '18 City Escape: Eugene, Oregon This loop southwest of Eugene includes forests, rivers, lakes, state parks, and stirring views of the Pacific Ocean. Southwestern Oregon is filled with stunning scenery and this escape is a good sampler of what the region has to offer. This ride is best taken from late spring through early fall,
Mar/Apr '18 Premium Content Nova Scotia: Prince of Rides - The Cabot Trail For the fourth time in one day, I am mangling the pronunciation of town names in Nova Scotia. Is it Why-COCO-maw or Why-COG-ama? Anti-GONE-ish or An-TIG-anish? Meredith and I have been in Canada for three days, but I haven’t gotten any
Mar/Apr '18 Premium Content Indian Himalayas: Spiti Amazing Our route is entirely blocked. Facing us is a huge brightly colored truck, its wheels a foot deep in the fast running water. The driver’s door is wide open but the driver is nowhere to be seen. Behind the truck, a line of 4x4s and other trucks sit patiently,
Mar/Apr '18 Premium Content Pagosa Springs, Colorado Shamrock Tour®: Riding “Naked” in the Rocky Mountain State With an abundance to see and do, Colorado is a tourist mecca for good reason. While many flock to explore the beauty and rugged wilderness (whether hiking, rafting or mountain biking), we made plans to visit some of the old mining and railroad towns that sprouted up in the mid
Mar/Apr '18 Premium Content Nebraska to Illinois: In the Tire Tracks of a Pioneer Part 4 Surely the Midwest will be easier to cross than the Sierra Nevada, the Great Basin Desert, and the Rocky Mountains, right? For modern interstate travelers, it’s a yawn fest of endless, unchanging miles tempered only by sagging eyelids and bladders about to burst. But when George Wyman came this
Mar/Apr '18 City Escape: Riverside, California If you limit yourself to the freeways in Southern California, you’ll never know what treasures hide on the byways. This loop southeast of Riverside is a climb into the mountains on thrillingly windy roads. This is a three-season ride with only winter months to be avoided on two
Mar/Apr '18 City Escape: Québec City to the Island of Orléans The tour starts at the Fontaine de Tourny, travels around Québec City and the Plains of Abraham to Quai des cageux along the Promenade de Champlain to the point where you can see the old Québec Bridge over the Saint Lawrence River. It continues through the historic part of Québec
Mar/Apr '18 Premium Content Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee: The Natchez Trace Parkway For most people in Tennessee, fall riding means heading east toward the beautiful Smoky Mountains, but I did that last year. Of course, I see the appeal of the park when the leaves change and the days are shortening, but so does everyone else. It’s the most visited national
Jan/Feb '18 Premium Content Rural Tennessee: Chasing the Cumberland Curves The Ducati Scrambler. I can’t think of a better bike for Cameron on this tour. I wanted a touring partner for the trip that I was sketching out to explore a small portion of the Cumberland Plateau. The route was going to be only 308 miles by Google’s
Jan/Feb '18 Premium Content Classic Roads: Blue Ridge Byways The Blue Ridge and Appalachians are often referred to as the “gentle mountains.” Over hundreds of millions of years geological forces have rounded their shoulders and smoothed out most of their hard edges. The area’s long geological history and high levels of annual rainfall have produced a rich patchwork
Jan/Feb '18 Premium Content Brattleboro, Vermont Shamrock Tour®: Green Days I’ve logged a lot of miles with my wife, Meredith, riding pillion, but I’ve never seen this before: she’s back there snapping photos of a straight, four-lane interstate, as if we’re riding God’s own highway. “What’s up?” I ask. “Well, it’s the
Jan/Feb '18 Premium Content Lonesome Wyoming: In the Tire Tracks of a Pioneer, Part 3 In May 1903, George A. Wyman left San Francisco with the then crazy idea of riding his motorcycle all the way to New York City. Into the Rockies East of Ogden, the sharp, rocky 9,000-foot peaks of the Wasatch Range look impenetrable, but the Weber River has patiently
Jan/Feb '18 Premium Content Austria: Behind the Mountains For the longest time, the high alpine valley of the Lungau sat in remote isolation, approachable only by treacherous pass roads. And the region’s old traditions and stunning natural appeal have been preserved very well. Two of the many reasons to travel there. It’s slightly decadent. Plenty of
Jan/Feb '18 City Escape: Athens, Ohio This City Escape features a loop from the Athens County Visitors Center’s “Ohio’s Windy 9” map. The Pioneer Pass offers rolling hills and leads through Wayne National Forest, Stroud’s Run State Park, and Gifford State Forest. As if that weren’t enough, a taste of the famous
Jan/Feb '18 City Escape: El Paso, Texas Wineries, missiles, and views—this loop north of El Paso is a great mix for a short getaway. This city escape begins with a ride through a peaceful wine and agricultural region. It then tracks through a small portion of the fascinating White Sands Missile Range (ID and appropriate vehicle
Nov/Dec '17 Premium Content South Carolina: A Revolutionary Tour By 1780, America’s war for independence from Great Britain had devolved into a stalemate in the northern colonies. British forces controlled major cities on the Atlantic coast, and the Continental Army under George Washington largely dominated the expansive interior. To break the impasse, Britain launched its Southern Strategy: British
Nov/Dec '17 Premium Content Kingsport, Tennessee Shamrock Tour®: Riding the Mountain Empire Spanning from northeastern Tennessee to southwestern Virginia, there’s great touring country known as the Mountain Empire. And hidden within this region is the gem known as Kingsport, TN. This town serves as the starting point of what is now known as the Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail. In March of
Nov/Dec '17 Premium Content Utah and Nevada: Tire Tracks of a Pioneer, Part 2 In May 1903, George A. Wyman left San Francisco with the then-crazy idea of riding his motorcycle all the way to New York City. More than 100 years later, I’m retracing his steps on an electric motorcycle. After riding from San Francisco to Reno, the journey continues. The
Nov/Dec '17 Premium Content Guatemala: One Time Just Isn’t Enough At Motorcycle Adventure Guatemala in Antigua, Grant and I rent two Honda Tornado 250s for nine days. The company offers great-looking tours, but we opt to save the money with a self-directed tour. Guatemala is a relatively small country. It’s less than half the size of my
Nov/Dec '17 Premium Content The Azores: Little Adventure Selecting a location roughly 75-percent smaller than Rhode Island to test a prototype adventure motorcycle would seem to be a less-than-ideal decision. However, just as one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, never underestimate the level of excitement that can be found in a small
Nov/Dec '17 City Escape: Annapolis, Maryland This journey immerses travelers in Maryland’s colorful history and the tranquil ambiance of a landscape surrounded by water. The laid-back charm and coastal culture makes southern Maryland feel thousands of miles removed from the frenetic pace of nearby Washington, D.C. And there’s lots of fresh seafood
