RetroTours Newsletter Summer 2024
Lately there have been stretches of decent weather alternating with very hot stretches. The last ride involved nearly 100° days. We prepared well, with mesh jackets and camel backs to keep hydrated. We also stopped every 90 minutes to stand in an air-conditioned environment and sip Gatorade. It wasn’t too bad feeling Nature’s extremes, which is a definite part of motorcycling. You can always say, “It’s too hot”, or “too cold”, or “it might rain”, or “I’m too old”. But when a ride is scheduled well in advance as a rain or shine event, when the non-refundable deposits are in, and the reservations have been made…we go. In over 20 years only one tour has been re-scheduled due to a freak early snow storm that dropped 8” overnight. Fortunately, all the riders were local so re-scheduling for the following weekend was easy, and it worked out well. Other times, we have set out wearing full rain suits into a downpour, hoping to ride through it. Guess what? It’s only water: you get wet, then you get dry.
During a moderate, not very humid spell a few weeks back, I had occasion to ride a bit in the early morning hours. The cool air penetrated my jacket and it felt exhilarating. It reminded me so much of swimming in cold water. I grew up on the shore in New England and learned to love swimming in the cool Atlantic. To this day, the ocean beckons whenever I see it. I’m not sure why, but I do like being very cold, peri-hypothermic even. When my brain slows and my speech slurs due to exposure to extreme cold, I feel challenged to withstand the power of Nature. The same applies to riding through a massive cloudburst. When the mercury is pushing triple digits, I prepare for it and plan my ride accordingly. The idea is to be safe and to enjoy the experience, though it may be somewhat uncomfortable.
During the recent Skyline Drive tour, we were treated to fantastic top-side conditions. Too often there is fog or rain obscuring the views from 3,000+ feet. Not this time. It was Richard’s third try in three years, and I am so happy to say that he felt it was worth trying until the sun finally came out. We climbed up onto the Shenandoah Ridge at 6:30 AM, well ahead of the motorhomes. The only other traffic was a few ambitious bicyclists and the deer, who behave in a way that reminds us that this is
their domain, and
we are the intruders; even the toll taker was still in bed. Up there, the temperatures dropped to a very pleasant level, and the views were to die for. Looking down into the valleys, it seemed like smoke wafted across the surface of the earth: just a light mist due to temperature differentials, hence the name Smokey Mountains. At one point I looked at 3 helmeted riders standing at the edge and peering over a precipice, backlit by the long rays of the early morning sun and was reminded of aliens exiting their spaceship in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The mountains are beautiful and absolutely covered with crazy twisting, hairpin roads that make riding quite special. We covered 550 miles in two days, feeling exhausted and exhilarated at the end.
Mid-July features a one-day excursion to the Golden Age Air Museum. You can go for a ride in a biplane if you dare. Things get a little more ambitious in August and September with 3 and 4-day excursions scheduled. November features a final 1-day Chesapeake Cruise that includes a 90 minute ferry boat ride across the bay. Of course, a custom tour can always be crafted to fit your schedule and preferred ride profile. What do you have in mind? Try RetroTours for a unique, authentic, classic motorcycle experience that you will remember forever. Happy July 4th!
Addendum to the Newsletter--GOODBYE LAVERDA
After more than 25 years of ownership and 45,000 miles of riding and development, the 1972 Laverda 750SF has been sold to its third owner. Richard rode the bike on the last RetroTour and loved it. ‘I made him an offer he couldn’t refuse’ and he picked it up this morning. Sad to see it go, but it does make room for “fresh meat”. There is Harley Fat Boy possibility, and a K75 BMW as well. Who knows what delights the future may hold?
All of the RetroTours bikes are for sale. Join a tour, ride the bikes of your dreams and if one tickles your fancy, I am willing to sell at fair prices. Let’s talk.
RIDE A PIECE OF THE PAST
ON THE
PATH LESS TAKEN!
Sometimes we find ourselves in the middle of nowhere.
Sometimes, in the middle of nowhere, we find ourselves.
