Max Riffner

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Two Wheel Dreams

It is Friday, which means it is Fun Day. Time to think of something else other than working or comics (even though comics are fun).

I’ve been thinking quite a bit about The Motorcycle Diaries. It’s a great flick about the motorcycle trip a young Che Guevara took through South America, forming and framing his revolutionary world view. It is a very cool movie (although if you are expecting tons of motorcycle action, you will probably be disappointed).

There is just something about two wheels that inspires wanderlust. I’ve always wanted to see the country either on bicycle or motorcycle. I’ve been thinking about it quite a bit actually. I’d like to do both, if possible, mainly because that gives me a great excuse to buy a motorcycle.

I have a friend at work who rides a BMW F 650GS. The more I discover about the current crop of BMW motorcycles, the more impressed I get. You get a lot of technology for the money. My friend has a big cruiser bike also, but finds himself drawn to the little BMW more and more, even for long, extended rides. Plus, you can go offroad with this model (you can even get a GPS attachment for it). Anti-lock brakes and heated handgrips help lock the deal also. We’ve talked about how cool it would be to take a couple of BMW’s up to Nebraska’s Sandhills for a week. In fact, much of western Nebraska is trails and unpaved highways. The F 650GS is perfect for that, and great on pavement also.

However, meat-powered travel has its romantic appeal to me also. The Adventure Cycling site has all the information you need for a long distance bicycle trip, including GPS systems, waterproof maps, tips/tricks, training schedules, and even sponsored rides. This equally sounds like a hell of a lot of fun, but considerably longer. I could go across the country in a week on a motorcycle, but on a bicycle? That would take me three months, more than likely. But what a marvelous three months! Living rough across America, not connected to anything except your surroundings? Truly tempting.

I’ve always said I’d go get an MFA if I ever become stagnant in my work, but I think a sabbatical bike trip will become my choice should I ever become stagnant in my life.

Anyone else out there have similar feelings?

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