Adventures on a Motorcycle

"It's not an adventure until something goes wrong"

(Yvon Chouinard)

That could be a good sum up of the course that Pete Young and other participants of the Cannonball Run have just been in.

Nowadays, ultra sophisticated technical and security means, involved in most of the human experiences get the concept of unforeseen or withdraw for wound or mechanical problems almost inexistant and nearly impossible.

The Participants of the Cannonball, all of them involved in modern life, dared defy time crossing the USA at an average speed of 40mph on machines nearly a hundred years old, usually exposed in museums.

Their driving, very technical, cannot be improvised and you have to know how to save them and listen to them if you wish to reach the end.



Despite that, at the very fist leg, various failures but especially engines ones have been massive. Some, like Pete, could repair during sleepless nights in improbables workshops with tools of ancient times, while others were forced to give up.... just like years ago!




It means that each participant has a perfect knowledge of his machine and that mutual aid has a huge role to play between them.


I'm sure that those difficults moments have created real friendship.

Thanks to Kevin Bean're for the photos

There is also a real concept of travel and discovery, a trail of 3500 miles at slow motion, on straight roads of several dozen of miles leaves alone with your reflections...



For all those reasons, I would qualify the first (but not last, I hope) edition of the "Motorcycle Cannonball Run" a BIG human adventure

Thumbs up guys!

Photos by Michael Lichter


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In search of clichés (from my youth)

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I dreamed of this trip for twenty years, when our friend Jean Claude Barrois offered me this winter to experience the wild adventure. It took no more than a dinner to find the good deal between us, his objective was clear: participate to the Bonneville Speedweek with his 1926 Rudge Bitza.
After several months of preparation the bike was ready, and his journey booked.




For us, the choice of vehicle was important because we were six.
The itinerary, departing from Los Angeles would lead us to traverse a large loop of several thousands of miles through the "Bonneville Salt Flats" before returning to the starting point. We opted for a 40 feet RV, kind of large boat with wheels, and modern version of the Winnebago.

Two days in The middle of nowhere (Imperial Sand Dunes AZ.) with an electric failure and 122°F

We went through Arizona, Utah, Nevada and California.

The hundreds of films I've seen since my childhood have left an indelible mark with legendary names as Yuma, Arizona, Tucson, Flagstaff or Monument Valley, Grand Canyon etc. ...
All reminded me one or more films...

Saguaro Park near Tucson

Galaxy Diner Flagstaff

Grand Canyon at 6pm

Monument Valley at 7pm (Happy hour )

"Stagecoach" John Ford 1939

One landscape will highlight in my memory: Monument Valley, its minimalism and majesty, are beyond anything I could imagine. Immensity of panorama is the most striking thing to my European eyes.

The Great Salt Lake and its "wildlife" has been one of the highlights of this journey.
In a next trip I hope to have the entire week on the site ...

After the storm ( Bonneville Utah)

We crossed Nevada by an incredible road : "The Highway 50" aka the loneliest Highway is difficult to imagine as wilderness areas...

Between Eureka and Austin NV.

I have a special affection with San Francisco, she represents everything I love: Geographical situation, between water with the bay and ocean and mountains wildlife in the streets, despite all it's a lively town.

Haight Street

Ocean Beach 8pm

And finally, the coastal road between San Francisco and Los Angeles: Highway One: Big Sur was a wild moment of this trip.
Better not fail there !

Bixby Bridge 1932 ( remember "Play misty for me" with Clint Eastwood)

Time will be long, before next trip...


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Kim & Pete Young San Francisco California

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The United States are the land of Choppers and flat trackers of course, but not only.
Apparently, there are many communities of old motorcycles fans.
San Francisco is a very good spot.

Pete Young and his wife Kim are very active. Pete despite a busy schedule between job family life, engineering, and blogging, kindly respond to our invitation.
Pete started riding bikes at age 10, Kim at 24. They Only own and ride pre WWII era bikes, with a focus on pre 1916 bikes lately.They enjoy Velocettes.
Kim rides her 1930 KSS 350 OHC, Pete on 1938 MSS, now with a sidecar They Try to use the bikes as often as possible, the way that they were made to be used. No bikes are collected for display purposes, only to be ridden.

Their kids started riding at 9 months of age in the sidecar K&P organize some rides every year: the Rigid Ride for pre WWII bikes and the SF 49 Mile ride for pre 1975 bikes.



"49 Mile" is 10th anniversary this year, expecting around 200-250 bikes.
Pete have previously been president of the Velo club of N. America, and organized the 2006 Rally.
They Attend the Velo club rallies every July, with the kids. Rallies are 1000 miles in 5 days, in a different US state or Canadian Province each year.
They are volunteer and judge at bike events like the BSA Clubman’s show, Legends, etc.



K&P restored Kim’s 1936 Ariel Red Hunter after riding it for 10 years, in time for the 2008 Legend Show.
The bike was built in 1998 from a very incomplete basket case, with 75% of the bike missing.

Pete’s 1913 Premier is ridden pretty often at Pre16 events, and won best pre1930 at legends 2007. Peter will be riding the Premier on the Cannonball Rally, 3300 miles across the USA in September.
He's currently restoring the 1916 Excelsior.they do almost all of the work on the bikes themselves, except magneto windings, chrome and some painting.Pete spend about 3 hours in the shop for every one hour on the road.


They attend about 10-15 organized rides/rallies each year, plus rides with the family around town, to coffee on Sundays, etc.

Where does the passion for old bikes come from? Hmm. The beauty and the engineering of
the early bikes is very nice, and also interesting. The simplicity, and conversely,
the complexity of some parts keeps his attention. Shop repairs and restorations are done together, as are organizing rides and attending rides, rallies, shows, etc.

Thanks to ©Craig Howell "El Caganer" for the photos.

As you can see riding, is a big part of their time thus far...

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