A NEW SEASON BECKONS

Okay, winter's almost over, and it's time to get back on the road. The 800 has been in the shop all winter and I've been feeling like I lost my right leg for the past four months. It's also been kind of slow on the blog here, because there weren't any rides to write about.

I haved lived on the road vicariously though, reading international road stories from KLR650.NET and Horizons Unlimited. One of the best I've come across is Allen Karl's Blog. on July 4, 2005, he began his RTW motorcycle journey, and I think you'll agree with me that his insights and journals are great reading. He's doing what we all dream of doing and doing it well. And for a change, some solid writing on what it takes to do something like that. Good luck Allen...

In comparison, my goals for this year are far more modest, and while they may not even come close to rivaling those great international stories, they will be do-able by most of you if you want to follow along.

So I've got the maps spread out on the floor (yes, I still use those old paper things and there's going to be a post along the way on why) making plans that are at least within reason. I'll be heading up along the Erie Canal once again to continue what I started years ago, possibly turning it into a multimedia presentation and seeing Western New York along the way. It's great country, great people and great riding.

I'll also be heading down to the New Jersey Pine Barrens, out again along Rte 30, visit Gettysburg and Antietam battlefields as all of my Civil War buff friends say I must.

I'll be slipping down to North Carolina for a Vulcan Riders rally. I never intended this blog to be brand specific, but that place has met so much to so many that I have been remiss in not mentioning them earlier. A truly unique and wonderful online motorcycle club. It'll give me a chance to do some North Carlina stories that have been piling up.

I'm not a rally rat, but I have to make Americade this year, if for no other reason than to say I've been. I'm really looking forward to going back to the AMA Vintage Days though. This is where you want to go for vintage motorcycles on display and racing.

So, those are the plans for the year. Lurking in the back of my mind are rides to points west, where I've never toured. I just may take it in my head to point the front wheel across the bridge and not stop until I see the Pacific. One never knows, do one?
In the meantime, let's get this show on the road, eh?