My teenager is gone. The 19 years of caring for her — of bonding together, exploring, laughing (and crying), of making memories that made even better stories — are now done. Through two decades of togetherness, I pampered my well-behaved, happy child with constant love and care. Feeding her, washing her and waxing her. Fixing flat tires, lubricating chains, changing … [Read more...] about Parting Ways: A Bittersweet Goodbye to My Honda
journey
Sunflowers & sunsets: The road to West Virginia
When I started riding motorcycles more than 15 years ago, I planned to go from a small town in Massachusetts to the furthest parts of the opposite coastline in Oregon and California. That was always the goal: to go as far and to see as much as was possible without a map, without a deadline, without a job or obligation to anchor or call me back home. I wanted to be overrun with … [Read more...] about Sunflowers & sunsets: The road to West Virginia
Regrowing roots: The return of riders to their dirty beginnings
Once upon a time, many a young motorcyclist cut his or her riding teeth off-tarmac. Tykes on smaller bikes burbled over bumpy, leaf-strewn, or gravely terrain, honing riding skills while smoky, two- or four-stroke engines propelled them toward adventure. These rides often marked the beginning of that invisible draw, the magnetic “what’s around the next corner” pull of … [Read more...] about Regrowing roots: The return of riders to their dirty beginnings
The Crooked Road: Two-wheeling and Two-Stepping Across Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail
Like mashed potatoes and gravy, road trips and music just belong together. Either alone is fine, but the pairing makes a memorable, comforting combination, better together than separately. But better yet, now imagine the road and the music and you on two-wheels, with a real-time, real-life musical soundtrack underscoring your ride. Welcome to Virginia’s “Crooked Road,” the … [Read more...] about The Crooked Road: Two-wheeling and Two-Stepping Across Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail
A Tennessee Two-Wheel Escape: Riding Tellico Plains to the Cherohala Skyway
Arguably, the Cherohala Skyway is the best 43 miles of pavement in the southeastern United States. It exists because it is beautiful. On day three of the tour and I am currently trailing my riding partner, Elio Dimacali, who is pushing the pace to a level that is right at the edge of my comfort envelope. I’m piloting my 2022 BMW R1250GS Adventure. Dimacali serves as the lead … [Read more...] about A Tennessee Two-Wheel Escape: Riding Tellico Plains to the Cherohala Skyway
