Just a quick note here to let you know that Butler Motorcycle Maps has just added Southern California to the list of motorcycle-touring maps it offers. Already available are Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, and Montana. They will also soon have a Rocky Mountain states map combining all five of those mountain states in one map. These things are sizable already so I’m wondering if that one is going to be huge.

I’ve written previously about these maps so I’ll just recap here. In addition to being tough and waterproof, these maps have all the best motorcycle roads in each state highlighted and detailed. I know they’ve done a good job of this because I have ridden extensively in the Rocky Mountain states and there isn’t a road I would add that they don’t already have. And they have a few I’m not familiar with. I’d say that’s a pretty strong recommendation.

As for this new one, Southern California, this is where it really gets interesting for me. I don’t know California very well, and I especially don’t know SoCal. I look at this map and I think, “Oh man. Look at that. And that. And that. I want to go there.” But you know, without something like this map, if I did go there I wouldn’t have any idea where to go. Clearly the main strength in these maps is cluing in people who are unfamiliar with an area as to what the area offers.

For instance, I was riding in SoCal just a couple weeks ago, and while I was on a tour where I couldn’t just split off and go somewhere else, I see from this map that we were very close to some really nice roads. Not that the roads we were on weren’t nice, mind you. We did, after all, ride Big Sur, and go to Yosemite, and ride across the Golden Gate Bridge. But I had no notion that there were some other very good motorcycle roads that we just went right past. Next time I have a chance to get out that way I’m definitely taking this map.

I will make note here, for purposes of full disclosure, that I have an ongoing relationship with the folks at Butler. They have paid for one small ad on 1 page on my 100+ page website, and they do give me these maps for free, with the hope that I’ll write about them. Rest assured, though, that if I thought these things were crap I’d say so. But you won’t hear that from me because it’s not true.

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Biker Quote for Today

Don’t die wondering, die wandering.

Let’s see. If you had the chance to ride motorcycles through places like Big Sur and Yosemite, across the Golden Gate Bridge, and spend your nights in fancy hotels and eat in fancy restaurants, would you decline the offer? Me neither.

I got home last night from six days in California where I did all those things, courtesy of EagleRider, the largest motorcycle rental outfit in North America and purveyor of motorcycle tours. I was one of 18 writers and photographers invited on this media tour and I’ve got to tell you, we had a blast. Here’s a brief recap.

We arrived in Los Angeles and spent the night at Erwin’s in Venice Beach. Starting off the next morning, we rode up the coast and stopped for the night at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo. The Madonna Inn, for those like I was who are totally unfamiliar, is a very ornate, totally unique place. Every one of their rooms is decorated differently and many are pretty darn exotic. You can get a feel for it from their website.

The next day we continued up the coast, riding through Big Sur to our stopping point in Carmel. The last time I had been to Big Sur was about 1969 or 1970 so this might as well have been my first time. As everyone who has ever ridden it can attest, it’s always a balance between trying to look around you and trying not to run off the road on the bike. Prudence prevailed and none of us suffered any mishaps. I do know I stopped a lot. A lot.

On Day Three we headed inland to Yosemite National Park. Whereas we had had overcast and drizzle the previous days, this was the day when we had actual rain. Cold rain. Now, I wrote an article a couple years ago telling people to take their own gear along when they’re renting a motorcycle, because what you get from the company may not be very adequate, but I disregarded my own advice here. I couldn’t see any way to get my full-face helmet in my gear so I didn’t take it. That left me riding in the rain with a half helmet. Did I mention it was cold rain?

Fortunately it really wasn’t as unpleasant as I recall my previous such experience being, but in the future I will find a way to take my own helmet.

Anyway, we rode on into the park and enjoyed the scenery a bit. It was cloudy and rainy but that made for some more dramatic photos than what you would have gotten on a sunny day. That photo above is of part of the group getting posed for a picture on an overlook, with El Capitan in the background.

The next day we headed for San Francisco, looping around the bay on the east so we could cross over to Marin County on the San Rafael bridge and enter the city across the Golden Gate Bridge. Then we turned in the bikes, rode limos to our hotel on Fisherman’s Wharf, had dinner, said farewells to some folks, had brunch the next morning and then all dispersed. Rather than recap this all in detail here, all those links above will take you to greatly expanded pieces I wrote about each day on Examiner.com.

The People

So that’s the ride itself in brief. What that doesn’t address is the people, and the people were every bit as important in this being the great trip it was as the riding. I can’t talk about everyone here unless you want to read another 3,000 words, so I’ll skim.

John Campbell is editor of Canadian Biker Magazine, and a heck of a nice guy. Great sense of humor, very dry.

Donya Carlson is senior managing editor of Rider magazine. I have read her stuff for years so it was good to meet her. Super nice person.

Simon Weir is deputy editor for RiDe magazine in the UK. A lot of fun to hang around with.

Chris McIntyre is president of EagleRider. What an enthusiastic guy! He loves what he’s doing and it spreads easily to others on the staff.

Gunter Kykillus is EagleRider’s main man in the German-speaking countries of Europe. This guy never stops smiling. Big, big smile. He clearly loves what he’s doing, too.

I really feel like I ought to name a whole bunch of other people, so please don’t anyone be hurt that I didn’t mention you. I just know there are limits to how much people will read.

So anyway, we all understand that EagleRider put this whole thing together because they wanted to generate a whole lot of favorable publicity. Nevertheless, if it had been bungled badly I know we all would be saying so in our reports. But there was no bungling, the whole thing was well done, and we will all be writing very positive stories for the very simple reason that we all had a fabulous time. I consider that a pretty high recommendation. Thanks guys.

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Biker Quote for Today

On a motorcycle, you’re penetrating distance right along with the machine. In a car, you’re just a spectator; the windshield’s like a TV. — Von Dutch

I mentioned previously that I had been invited to go on a four-day tour through the beauties of California with a group put together by EagleRider. Well, I flew to Los Angeles this morning and we hit the road tomorrow.

Tonight we’re in Venice Beach, at the Erwin Hotel. I don’t know a lot about this hotel but it’s supposed to be a classy joint. What I do know is that we’re on the sixth floor with balconies overlooking the boardwalk and the ocean. Too bad the fog hasn’t burned off today, as everyone was saying it would, because the sunset would probably be pretty spectacular but that doesn’t seem likely under the circumstances.

So anyway, I’ve ended up riding a Harley Heritage Softail, which seems to fit me pretty well. I had fears that the bike I ended up with might not be a good fit because I have short legs. Most of the Harleys I’ve ridden I’ve had an uncomfortable reach to the foot controls, but on this one it’s not a problem. It’s going to be very interesting to finally get some serious seat time on a Harley. I’ve never ridden any of them very much before.

So far I’ve met just a couple of the other writers on this ride, Natasha Dragun from Australia and Frederic Bagur (I think!) from Paris. The only person whose name I recognize is Donya Carlson, who writes for Rider magazine. Haven’t met her yet.

This is going to be an exotic few days, what with all the fancy places we’ll be staying and eating. I’m not normally a fancy-place sort of guy but I’ll do my best to make an exception this time. You can bet I’ll tell you all about it. Heck, maybe I’ll even try selling a story drawn from this trip to a travel magazine for a change, as opposed to a motorcycle magazine. We’ll see.

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Biker Quote for Today

Never look where you are going, always look where you want to go.

Some guys have all the luck, and this time around I guess I’m one of them. I’ve been invited by EagleRider to come along on “The Tour of a Lifetime” that they are putting on for moto-journalists and, dirty jobs department, I said yes. Someone had to, you know.

EagleRider, by the way, in case you aren’t aware, is the biggest motorcycle rental outfit around, and they also do tours. You can bet they’re looking for some great publicity to come out of this and I have to tell you, unless they flub it pretty badly, which I don’t expect them to do, they’ll be getting plenty of that from me. I’ll be writing about the ride here, on Examiner.com, and on RumBum.com, so with me they’re getting three birds with one stone.

We’ll be flying into Los Angeles on Oct. 14 to get acquainted and set up, then on Oct. 15 we’ll take off on a four-day ride to San Francisco. Considering that you can do that trip in one day, that’s a pretty good indication that this is going to be a leisurely trip with “touring” being the operative word. We’ll visit the wine country, the Hearst Castle, Yosemite, and more. And yeah, you bet, I’m itching to go.

So this is just a teaser. I’ll have a LOT more to tell you once we get underway. Stay tuned.

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Biker Quote for Today

Dance like there’s no one watching, sing like no one is listening, love like you’ll never get hurt, and ride like there’s no tomorrow.

Camping on a motorcycle trip is a good way to go but if you’re riding two-up you might as well forget it. If you manage to get all of two people’s camping gear on the bike you’re not going to have room left for much else.

Unless you pull a trailer. Then it’s whole new ball game.

Ken and Janet Knox are motorcycle travelers who stayed with us recently, via the Motorcycle Travel Network, and behind their Ultra Classic they pull a trailer. It was custom-painted to match the bike and the pair look great together.

Asked about it, Janet initially responded that, “The only advantage for me is that I can pack more stuff.”

Ken made the point, however, that it enables them to carry camping gear with them. Of course, he points out, “If Janet would bet her license and ride her own bike we could camp without pulling a trailer.”

“That would mean work for me, and I’m not into working,” she retorted. “I’m on holiday.”

Turning serious, she continued that she likes that, “When we camp we pull in at 3-4 p.m. and look for a site, then interact with people. We meet more people that way. That aspect is nice, although the comforts of a motel are better.”

Ken added that “Campgrounds are generally in a beautiful spot, whereas motels are on the main drag.”

Still, if they get into town later, or if it is raining or looks like rain, they’re not likely to camp. But it’s nice to have the option.

As for how the trailer affects the ride, Ken said, “You don’t even know the trailer is there. It does increase gas consumption, and on long, steep uphills you have to upgear, at least on a Harley.”

There’s one other advantage: Their trailer has a 12-volt plug so they can charge their cell phones while riding. Hey, what else do you need?

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Biker Quote for Today

You’re a biker wannabe if your longest road trip this year was to Hooter’s for bike night.

You need to understand that I’m very hard on maps. As far as I’m concerned, they’re disposable, and ripping is just part of the gig.

Enter Butler Motorcycle Maps. These guys are riders who decided to make motorcycle-specific maps, by motorcyclists, for motorcyclists. So far they have released maps for Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho.

There are two things that make these maps attractive to motorcyclists. First, they highlight the best roads in each state based on what they know we like, i.e., scenery, twisty roads, two-lane, and all that. Second, they’re durable. They’re not printed on paper. It’s probably some kind of plastic, but whatever it is, they are waterproof and tear-resistant. Good things to have out on a bike.

Of course this is where my style of usage comes into play. I have a tank bag that has a map display on top. The problem with the map display is that it is not sized to fit any map conveniently. Conveniently, in my mind, would be something that allowed you to use the basic folds of the map and show two panels. The display on my bag is too short and too narrow, so I end up folding maps every which way to make them fit. (See the photo above.) The consequence of that is that they tend to rip along the folds and fall to pieces quickly.

I was in Sturgis last week, and on Thursday I left and went to Yellowstone. The Butler guys had a booth in Sturgis that I just happened to stumble upon. I was already familiar with them because they had comped me a couple maps and had taken out an ad on the Passes and Canyons website. I stopped in to say hi and they gave me the two latest maps, Wyoming and Idaho.

I then proceeded to use the Wyoming map as I made my way to Yellowstone and then home to Denver. It didn’t fit any better than any other map in my display so I manhandled it the way I do all maps.

The result? When I got home I opened it out, smoothed it off, and refolded it along the original folds and it’s good to go. Now, it looks a bit rough. You’d never mistake it for new. It has wrinkles and creases, and it didn’t want to fold back perfectly and probably won’t ever again. But it’s absolutely usable, it’s not torn, and I suspect it will hold up to that same treatment many more times.

What’s more, it is also good in its other function of highlighting the best routes. I’ve ridden all over Wyoming, so there are almost no roads highlighted on the map that I’m not familiar with. There is one, a bit of two-lane between Laramie and Cheyenne. So I know the roads they’ve marked and I agree with them. These are the best roads in Wyoming.

If this sounds like the sort of thing you’d be interested in, you can buy these maps for $14.95 either through their website or from selected dealers. Tell them Ken sent you.

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Biker Quote for Today

A bend in the road is not the end of the road . . . unless you fail to make the turn.

I slept last night in a good hotel. I went shopping today for jewels.
–Joni Mitchell

Credits to Joni, I did sleep last night in a good hotel, though I did not go shopping today for jewels. Fact is, I found a jewel last night when I rolled into Casper, WY.

I had been in Sturgis for four days for the rally, and then went to Yellowstone to meet up with my wife and her family for a family get-together. I headed home to Denver yesterday, not knowing what my route would be, where I would stop for the night, or whether I just might go all the way home, about 600 miles.

Pulling into Casper, a bit more than halfway home, I hit a Starbucks to use their WiFi. I hoped there might be a Motorcycle Travel Network person close who could put me up for the night, but checking the MTN site I found there are no members in Wyoming at all. I also thought about going on to Wheatland and staying there, but I knew there were only two motels there and a quick check showed that they were both way out of my price range.

So it was going to be Casper or all the way home, another five hours of riding. And as far as I was concerned it was going to depend on price. If I could find a decently priced motel I’d stay in Casper.

Coming into town on the old U.S. 20, I figured I’d find some old (read: cheap) motels. Just before I reached the river and the bridge that takes you into downtown I saw a sign a block off the highway for the Sage and Sand Motel (901 W Yellowstone Hwy, Casper, WY 82601).

Now, this caught my attention because we have stayed at the Sage and Sand Motel in Saratoga, WY, many times. Were they connected? No they weren’t, the manager said, and he was asking $50 plus tax for a night. That was beyond my limit so I thanked him and turned to go. Making some money is better than making no money, however, so he offered me a price reduction and I checked in.

But before all this, he had showed me the room. I was blown away. This is a nondescript older motel in an industrial area and the room was beautifully decorated. (See the picture.) Underneath the shabby exterior, this was a classy place. So when he dropped the price I was ready to go for it. And for the first night in eight, I slept in a bed, rather than on an air mattress. Nice.

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Biker Quote for Today

For some there is therapy; for the rest of us there are motorcycles.

Oh man, did we ride a great road today. Of course we rode some pretty nice stretches yesterday, too.

Yesterday we came across Montana, mostly on I-90, but when you’re riding through gorgeous country even the interstate is good. We got off I-90 at U.S. 212, right there at the Little Bighorn Battlefield Monument, and after visiting the monument we headed east. This was some great country and well worth riding. A good day.

We ended up last night in Broadus, MT, split between a couple motels, neither of which was particularly nice, but both of which were extremely cheap. And if you’re staying in Broadus you’re not going to do much better.

Today we continued east on U.S. 212 until we reached the tiny community of Alzada, which is just about 3 miles from the stateline between Montana and Wyoming. Right there is a turn for MT 367, which, at the state line, becomes WY 112 in Wyoming, running down to Hulett. Hulett, of course, is the town closest to Devil’s Tower.

We rode south and the country was very pretty but it just kept getting better. And better. And even better. We swept through some gorgeous valleys, over some great hills on windy roads, and crested a big pass that gave us an awesome view ahead, plus, over to the west, of Devil’s Tower, rising above it all. Yahoo!

From there the road winds down into Hulett, which is a very nice little town. So nice in fact, that once we left Deadwood headed somewhere further west, reached Hulett after just 50 miles or so, and decided to stop for the night because we liked it so much.

No stopping for the night tonight, however, so we ate and then pushed on along WY 24, which reached U.S. 85 just south of Belle Fourche. That road was fabulous, too, although you knew instantly once you reached South Dakota because the terrain was totally different. I’ve seen that so many times I have to believe that when they decided where to draw state lines they looked for radical changes in topography.

Anyway, from Belle Fourche it was south to Spearfish, up Spearfish Canyon, and on to Deadwood, where we now remain for the night. What can I say? This is just another great motorcycle trip.

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Biker Quote for Today

Real bikers ride beyond the coffee shop

These next few weeks are shaping up to be some of the busiest I’ve ever had, all relating to riding motorcycles. Let me give you an idea of what’s in store.

Today I take off on a two-day ride to shoot photos for a story I’m working on for Rider magazine. I did this ride once last fall but then found out my camera didn’t shoot in high enough resolution to meet their needs so I’ll do it again with my new camera.

Then next week I’m taking off for a four or five day ride with my friend John. We’re heading for New Mexico, hoping to spend some time there before the blazing hot weather hits.

On June 12, Judy and I are heading for the Black Hills on vacation. This will coincide, not by accident, with the Cushman Club of America’s 2010 national rally in Sturgis, SD. Their theme this year is “Come play where the big boys play,” and the visuals of Sturgis engulfed in scooters will be just too good to miss.

The following week I’ve been planning to do some coverage of the run-up to the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, culminating with the race itself on June 27. I’ve been connecting with contestants so I can cover that event through the eyes of someone actually involved.

While I absolutely will do some hill climb coverage, I received a call today from the editor of a motorcycle sport touring magazine asking me to go with him to Taos that same week for the Motorcycle Sport Touring Association’s annual gathering. If I can manage to squeeze it in I guess I’ll try to run down to Taos in the middle of the week.

Then there’s other stuff like the Hoka Hey Challenge and the latest Motomarathon event that, if I do any reporting on them, will have to be done secondhand. Hey, I’m only one guy.

So what have you got going on in June? I hope you’re going to get out and have some fun, too. Get on that bike and ride!

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Biker Quote for Today

Life is an adventure, and I refuse to live a boring one.

Riding home from the Laughlin River Run a few days ago I was struck by how many motorcycle travelers I saw. These were not people going to or from the rally, but they were clearly traveling. They were in groups and each bike was loaded with gear.

Route 66 signs for sale in Laughlin

The reason this struck me as surprising is that my group, the OFMC, takes its trips in the summer. That’s when the weather is cooperative. Heck, in Colorado, April is frequently our snowiest month. If you plan a motorcycle trip in Colorado in April you’d better be prepared to change or abort your plans altogether.

Of course, the result of this is that we have taken trips to Las Vegas and Laughlin and other places in Nevada, and in Arizona, and we have roasted. Last time we hit Laughlin it was 115 degrees. Yow! In contrast, when I was there a few days ago it was in the 70s. At night it even got chilly sometimes. BIG difference. And more than that, the desert was actually green. I never knew the desert ever got green. But I’d never been there in April.

So it occurs to me that these people I saw are smart. They’re taking motorcycle trips through the Southwest and they’re doing it in April. I’m sure that even in Nevada and Arizona, if you’re at a high enough altitude, you could still run into snow in April, but it’s probably not too big a threat. So I’m already pushing some of the more flexible OFMC guys to consider doing one of these southern trips next year that we’ve discussed but avoided. All we have to do is go at the right time of year. And that ain’t August.

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Biker Quote for Today

Ride fast and take chances!