RAMBLINGS CONTINUED

The bike below is the machine that has cemented my fate forever as a motorcycle enthusiast. It is a 1974 R90/6 BMW 900. This machine was light years ahead of all competition when it came to reliability and ease of maintenance. It handled curves and sweepers with ease and had the power to fly. She carried 5.8 gallons of gasoline and got 50 to 54 mpg. This was a dream machine. She carried me to every state in the United States and to most of the national parks and about half the national monuments. It was never parked in front of a hotel. In those days camping was part of the adventure. Those were memorable times!

And there she is ladies and gentlemen. A prime 1966 Suzuki 160 two stroke. We are going to Skyline Drive Virginia from the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. There are further comments below. Incidently for those who care; I changed the gearing on this little bike so tall I had to pedal push it away from the gas pumps to get going in motion. It would do a top speed of 75 mph with that gearing.

This was the dumbest ride I have ever undertaken. See following comment. The red bike is mine.

I have always been one to try the ridiculous. These two bikes, a 1966 Suzuki 160cc two stroke, and a 1965 Kawasaki 150 two stroke carried us down the Sky Line Drive to the beginning of the Blue Ridge Parkway in December of 1974. It was nuts! And we camped on that trip. Those bikes should have never left the neighborhood. They were junk when we started and they were junk when we returned. No, they didn't break down. Amazing!

This shot was taken going through Kansas. The most boring piece of I70 West there is. I was so board I was taking pictures of myself in my mirrors. Then I got creative, as you see here.

A friend, Tommy, and I stopped here for a picture. Note that I have on a bandana over my face and my summer weight jacket on. It was 126 degrees and the sun would burn ones face quickly, especially when travelling at 70 mph. We all have heard of wind chill. It works opposite with the sun. And the results can be catastrophic. I continually doused water on the bandana from a canteen every ten minutes. Very hot and a memorable day.

Definitely fill up the tank before starting across the valley. I passed not one car this day. Not a great place to break down.

There is a wonder about Death Valley. I found it both interesting and spell binding. I was amazed by the vastness. It was glorious! It was unending! So is Kansas and Missouri. But in a boring way.

The road across Death Valley is long and lonely. And Hot. It was 126 degrees on this particular day in August 1974

Route 150, across Death Valley leads to this place. I never was impressed with Las Vegas. Its pretty to come up on at midnight though. It is a glow off in the distance across the Valley and gets brighter and brighter as one gets near. Wonder what its like to never have total darkness in ones life. Never thought about it. But any folks living near that place have perpetual light.