Riding America

There is romance on the road--the feel of rubber on the pavement, the smell of a rainstorm, the cold of a mountain by-way, the rumble of your pipes.  It's also an opportunity to learn something about yourself as well as this great country.

But what do YOU think of the United States?  Why?

Too many of us form our opinions of America by what we see on cable news, hear on radio talk shows, read in newspapers and magazines.  We polarize ourselves by passing inane e-mails to our friends--forwarding our thought-up-by-someone-else concepts to everyone on our distribution lists.

But what do you know of America?  I chose to get out on the road and meet the individuals who make the masses.  What do they think?  Why do they think it?  All I know now is what I see, hear and read.  So I set off--Riding America.

We all have our reasons for riding--enjoying the bike, barhopping, cruising with friends, seeing what's out there.  For me, it's the latter.  That's why I undertook a solo 10,000-mile ride across the United States.  I've been many places in the world and I took four weeks to see parts of the world I'd never, or seldom seen. 

I rode my 2004 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Classic that's set up for the long haul. Since the H-D designation is FLHTCI--I call my bike "Flitsy." Call this my Electra Glide in Red White and Blue.

My trek led from San Diego to Astoria, Oregon.  From there a ride on U.S. 30 to Atlantic City, New Jersey. Then  north to Maine, across southeast Canada into Michigan and points beyond. 

So, why do this?  Why U.S. 30?  The road's there, it's places I've never been, and the highway is only one of two non-interstate highways I found that's got the old designation and not the newer "Interstate" name. It's one of the original transcontinental highways and that gives it a special allure.  Plus, it passes though states where I've never been, through American sub-cultures I've only glimpsed. It was both interesting and challenging.