Driving the Sprinter from Washington to Michigan re-enforces my awareness of American size, especially in Big Sky country. Montana is a unique place of geography with stunning vistas. The mountains give way to the high plains and rolling hills covered with grasses and grains. For those who live here, the rest of America must seem so foreign and difficult to relate to….
There is something haunting about a freight train whistle at 3 am in Bozeman, MT. Trains with an infinite number of box cars extending into the distance. Some trains so large that four additional locomotives are in the middle of the freight. All this gets me thinking about riding an antique motorcycle across the country and what it might have been like in the early 20th Century. Low horsepower, minimal suspension, poor or no lighting, marginal brakes and uncertain road conditions all contribute to the experience. There are several good books written by authors doing just that back in the day. One I have just finished reading is Riding the Continent by Hamilton Mack Laing. His trip occurred in 1915 and has recently been edited and published with some great period photographs. You can find more about the book here: http://ronsdalepress.com/riding-the-continent/
For us, the Henderson Deluxe is quite a step up in power, weight, comfort and safety. Of course, having a route planned over paved 2-lane roads with a hotel waiting at the end of the day makes this a different activity entirely! None-the-less, we will be working hard and keeping the machines going 250-325 miles each day through heat and rain (and COVID). I am really looking forward to rural America east of the Mississippi River; small towns, friendly people, wonderful scenery and the joy of riding a motorcycle away from urban congestion. Best of all? A great group of riders who share the passion for vintage machinery. Tomorrow I will resume with bike preparation, carburetors, lighting and luggage.
