Next Tuesday, June 15, I will be leaving Seattle for Dixon CA, about 1100 miles each way. I think I'll take Mosey, the 41 flathead. I'll be hooking up with Mike B, who will probably be riding his very original 1948 panhead. That's the first year of the pan motor and the last year of the springer front end. THAT particular bike may be the prettiest bike I've ever seen. Can't really say why and it really doesn't matter. It appeals to me and that's enough. Photos later, when I see it again.
There were up to seven of us this year but now we're down to just two. All of them really wanted to go but life got in the way this year. Last year we had six, a good sized group. Two bikes, including mine, came home in a truck. This year Ron had a health problem, Paul has a family problem, Bob must close on his house and needs to finish moving, Jack just can't do it and 2 new guys couldn't pull it off for various other reasons. Look at me talking about "new guys". Huh. This is my second year and Bob, for example, has been doing it for over a decade, alternating between Dixon and Davenport Iowa. I'm a new guy myself, a rookie, and I love it.
I struggled for awhile over which bike to take, the flattie or the knucklehead, until a friend used the phrase "unfinished business" in reference to my failed attempt last year to make it to Dixon with the flattie. He's right. If I don't take THAT bike to California this year, I'll always be wondering if it can do the job. To run down and back will answer that question once and for all, and I can put my mind to rest. So this year I'll hop on ol' Mosey and ride to Dixon. Then I'll hop on Mosey and ride back. Assuming I pull it off, I will then KNOW I can take ol' Mosey anywhere, anytime. Then I can focus on getting the Knucklehead in the same condition.
I find myself in a helluva position here, don't you think? I have two great bikes, in painfully original condition, both ready for the road, and I have to decide which one to ride to California and back. Many people would give their right arm to have ONE bike that might make it. In fact, just a few years ago I never would have guessed I'd have ONE bike that might have even a slim chance to make it. In fact I'd be fearful, probably. Now I have two bikes to choose from and I have some great people to run with, who have serious experience in this endeavor. And I can call them my friends. Wow. I am one lucky man. As another friend likes to say, "I have pro
blems in areas where most people don't have areas."
And this is all about running across the United States, and back. Running a puny 2000 miles to Dixon and back is just practice, a warm-up. Next is The Big Run. Oh, I get pumped just writing about it right now. Let's do this thing.
There were up to seven of us this year but now we're down to just two. All of them really wanted to go but life got in the way this year. Last year we had six, a good sized group. Two bikes, including mine, came home in a truck. This year Ron had a health problem, Paul has a family problem, Bob must close on his house and needs to finish moving, Jack just can't do it and 2 new guys couldn't pull it off for various other reasons. Look at me talking about "new guys". Huh. This is my second year and Bob, for example, has been doing it for over a decade, alternating between Dixon and Davenport Iowa. I'm a new guy myself, a rookie, and I love it.
I struggled for awhile over which bike to take, the flattie or the knucklehead, until a friend used the phrase "unfinished business" in reference to my failed attempt last year to make it to Dixon with the flattie. He's right. If I don't take THAT bike to California this year, I'll always be wondering if it can do the job. To run down and back will answer that question once and for all, and I can put my mind to rest. So this year I'll hop on ol' Mosey and ride to Dixon. Then I'll hop on Mosey and ride back. Assuming I pull it off, I will then KNOW I can take ol' Mosey anywhere, anytime. Then I can focus on getting the Knucklehead in the same condition.
I find myself in a helluva position here, don't you think? I have two great bikes, in painfully original condition, both ready for the road, and I have to decide which one to ride to California and back. Many people would give their right arm to have ONE bike that might make it. In fact, just a few years ago I never would have guessed I'd have ONE bike that might have even a slim chance to make it. In fact I'd be fearful, probably. Now I have two bikes to choose from and I have some great people to run with, who have serious experience in this endeavor. And I can call them my friends. Wow. I am one lucky man. As another friend likes to say, "I have pro
blems in areas where most people don't have areas."And this is all about running across the United States, and back. Running a puny 2000 miles to Dixon and back is just practice, a warm-up. Next is The Big Run. Oh, I get pumped just writing about it right now. Let's do this thing.
The photo to the right is the flattie just before I took off for Dixon last year. The gray bag made a great backrest, cruising was easy. Well, as easy as one might expect with a rigid frame.
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