The Central Park Loop John Boart and Otto Sibeth, “Map of the Central Park,” 1873. New York Public Library. I don’t have any pictures of my number two road, and it’s closed to cars now, so you’re just going to have to trust me. I started riding in the seventies. I got my first street …
Tag Archives: travel
#1. Indescribable Frontier
The Beartooth Highway There’s always a first place on a list. For me, it’s the Bearthooth Highway— US Route 212 out of Yellowstone that dances along the Wyoming-Montana border before climbing Beartooth Pass to 10,947 feet and then sinking down to Red Lodge, MT. Riding the Beartooth highway west to east unravels American frontierism. It …
Across the Desert
Dazed in Richfield I was looking forward to this ride all week, but when it finally came, I wasn’t looking forward to it at all. I wanted to get the Sportster back in Colorado. I suspect it’s my favorite bike. The idea of motoring across the desert in August—damn the heat—seemed pretty wild, so when …
Industrial Art
2006 Harley Davidson FLSTSCI Springer Softail Classic I like time-tested design. Time-tested design resists obsolescence. Many time-tested things survive in the marketplace by heading upmarket. Rolex Watches and Mont Blanc pens are good examples of this phenomena. But time-tested design isn’t necessarily luxurious by definition. It’s functionality isn’t necessarily quantifiable either: the Colt 1911 pistol, …
Day 24: The End of the Road
Home sweet home at 5:42pm. Home. The last day was great—a long breakfast with James followed by fast, easy miles. The wind was brutal when I hit Laramie, almost pushing the bike over on an inclined exit, but I made it down into Colorado exactly the way I came up. Little Man was both surprised …
Day 14: Representations of the Human
René Magritte, The Treachery of Images, 1929 For my last day in LA, we headed over to LACMA for a walk through the modern art collection, as well as a peek in at the Ed Ruscha retrospective and the Simone Leigh show. Walks through galleries are often arbitrary—no theme connecting the standings works and the …
The Gear
This guy always travels with me and keeps watch. He’s been up and down America and across the Globe. I haven’t been ambushed yet! Packing up. I endeavor to pack light, but damn, it adds up. No rainsuit. A few pairs of undies and socks. An extra pair of jeans, three t-shirts, a swim suit, …
Day Five: Out and About in LA
Untitled (Man Walking Out of Tunnel), J.T. Sato, 1930 After getting the Sportster back in our garage, Richelle and I headed out and about in LA. First stop: Langer’s Deli. Langers is a landmark, and not for the weak in appetite. It’s famous for the #19, a daunting pastrami on rye slathered in slaw. My …
Onwards! 