Most Memorable ride

[fin_676]

1982 was the year i remember most did a tour trying to follow the coast line of endland and wales over a 3 1/2 week tour
Crossed the border from scotland at gretna and headed for the coast i was travelling no more than 200 miles a day but wanted to stop and do some local area touring if i liked an area
when i got to aberistwith in wales met a couple of lads from birmingham who were on a honda 400/4 got on great with them when it was time for them to go on the sunday mid day they said they were going to wareham the following weekend and if id got that far they would see me there
moved on down the coast spent a couple of days in cornwall then through devon into dorset and arrived in wareham mid friday afternoon
went to the nominated camp site but it was full so i found another and pitched the tent found them about 10pm looking for the campsite and led them to where i was
one of the lads had taken a week off to join me on my travels over that weekend there was an open day at a nearby army camp bovington went and had a look round the tank museum was great
little did i know at that time that 13 years later i would be one of the senior warrant officers running that camp
on the monday we went to the isle of wight that was a really nice place stayed there for nearly a week so time was running out had to staet heading north
got as far as silverstone for the british motorcycle grand prix we parted company on the sunday evening after the racing was finished he headed back to brum and i had to get back to scotland back to work on monday

That was one great trip had to change rear tyre in a camp site i had my tyre leavers with me but needed to carry the wheel to the nearest petrol station to get air in the tyre about a 2 mile walk each way

Brian

 

[Crazyfrog]

Like alot of others here, I have been on some good rides over the years. Last year to the museum was no exception with a great tour guide (smitty).
I will never forget some of the ones with my dad, and try to get as many in as possible as he is now 71 years young. But alas, I will narrow it down to 2.

1) Years ago while riding with dad, we visited a cousin on a hot summer day and I stripped down to my skivies to jump in the pond to cool off. Went commando on the ride home (just jeans), and WHAM! Something hit me square in the forehead. A couple of minutes later I have SEVERE discomfort in my man area. I thought for a minute that something got caught in my zipper, but low and behold what hit me in the forehead was a big ole bumble bee, that fell straight down on the seat between my legs and stung right through my jeans. I passed the old man going about 100, then hit the brakes and off the side of the road. By the time he pulled up, I had my pants around my ankles holding myself. He almost dropped his bike laughing at me and couldnt even talk to ask what was wrong. The swelling was increadible! I mustard the courage to get home and slather myself with baking soda to get the stinger out, then about passed out on the kitchen floor.

2) 1st 3 day trip with the wife to Amish country. Stressed to her about packing light, but she just doesnt understand. Finally compromised on what she could take and what had to be left behind. The whole idea of the trip was just to ride the back roads and relax at a bed and breakfast. Well, I gave into her need to stop and shop a bit, and I told her not to forget that we are on a bike that is already overloaded. We went in and shopped together for a few minutes, then I went outside to snoop around. About 15 minutes later she comes out and says "Call your dad, we are gonna need a truck!" And she wasnt lying. I had no idea a woman could buy that much stuff in that short of time, but dad showed up about 3 hours later and then followed us all the way home, 250 miles away!

 

[RetiredJake]

I'm going to write something, but I have to stop laughing about the story xlcruser told first. I've got tears in my eyes right now. :newsmile100:

Mine would be the 48 state tour I took last year. I decided the fall before that I wanted to place in the top 10 for the HOG ABC's of Touring for 2009. I figured the best way to do that would be to hit all 48 lower states, and add in a little of Canada in the process. It would also allow me to see a lot of country that I had not been to in a long time, renew my knowledge of our great country if you will. This made for a great summer, a lot of fantastic riding. The smile didn't disappear from my face for months. The only thing that would have made it better was if my wife would ride with me. Some day, maybe she will go with me and we can do it all over again. Meanwhile, still waiting for the judges to say who placed where for the year.

 

[walleye]

YOU might not remember back in PRE sturgis last year, YOU were instrumental in My Deciding to buy a 09 Instead of the 2010

.. I was saying the New one for Me...

I gave that a Lot of thought before AND after I bot the 09 FLHR, saving Over 3500$$$ on This deal..

SO Thanks walleye, Had we NOT had that exchange here on HDT, I probably would of bot the Full Priced 2010 sitting behind it..

So whether you know it or not, YOU were part of OUR Memorable Ride!

signed....BUBBIE

Bubbie: Glad I could help and it turned out a positive for you. :s Thanks for the kind words.

I am enjoying this thread as it shows how many here really understand the true feeling and exitement of a road trip. Nothing like it, before, during and dreaming afterwards! I can't wait for my next one, which will be soon!

 

[cambridgehd]

Don't have a road trip to speak of , yet. A good friend and I are tentively planning a little trip to the U.P. of Michigan sometime this summer, just thinking of that is cool. Wives are looking forward to it too.

 

[trvlr]

Back in the mid-80's, trailer'd the bikes up from austin, tx to denver, co where a friend in the group had a buddy where we parked the truck/trailer. Went right thru the heart of the Rockies down to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and made our way back. You ride through the Rockies and you'll know there's a God. Some of the most scenic riding I've ever done over my years of riding -

 

[NZPacer]

I've got two that hold special places in my memory:

1) When I first purchased my first HD, an 07 Deuce - Flew to Wellington early one morning and rode it back to Auckland that day - 660km and the smile just wouldn't wipe off my face!

2) Summer of 08 - shipped the Deuce to USA and spent 7 weeks riding from one coast to the other and back again. Took in the lonliest hwy, salf flats, yellowstone, beartooth pass, Sturgis and all it's sights, Dragons tail, Kitty hawk, Washington DC, Niagara Fall, 105th in Milwaukee, Monument valley, Arches Nat park, Vegas, Yosemite. I had been dreaming of taking that trip since I was 19 (38 when I finally got there)

Loads more to come but those two will be hard to top!

 

[cedarbrook63]

My favourite ride from the first phase of my life with a motorcycle(early 80s) was riding a little single cylinder Yamaha 125 for a few days around the beautiful Greek island of Corfu with my girlfriend on the back. No lids, gloves or proper gear (young, tanned and dumb) ...Days of sun, wine, olives and fresh baked bread from little bakeries and tavernas. The scenery was always spectacular and the people beautiful but the local drivers were scary beyond description or humour. Fantastic time though.

In my reincarnation of life with a Harley(in my 40s ) over the last year and a half I've had a few good ride outs with Hobbit but I have to say my sprint for the north west of Wales last Tueday evening to catch a ferry to Ireand along a beautiful coast road between high mountains and sea was very memorable. I'm going back that way on Wednesday hopefully at a more leisurely pace (camera friendly) so I'll probably go south west through Snowdonia National Park so long as it isn't raining cats and dogs.

Most of us just can't count the number of times we get off a scoot with a smile on our faces - it's a special thing.

 

[walleye]

You ride through the Rockies and you'll know there's a God. Some of the most scenic riding I've ever done over my years of riding -

trvlr: I agree. Of all my rides, the Rocky Mountains are tops. I have traveled through them on my scooter both in Montana and Colorado. Although they are majestic in all area's, my favorite has to be through Northern Montana in Glacier Park to Idaho. Definetley Gods country.