Really..What were you thinking ?

[Huzo]

We all have hundreds of shots of our bikes in locations all over the place..
But some just encapsulate the moment where everything you were looking for was set down at your feet.
Can we see just three (and no more) with a description of your feelings at the time and a location.
It will be damn hard knowing what to leave out..
The reason I stipulate only three, is that you have to zero in on what you perceive as the pinnacle of achievement/effort/reward.
You could splash 50 shots with a scatter gun approach, but this requires...thinking and remembering.
Here’s an example..


En route to Nordkapp 2017
Endless cold, trepidation, loneliness, solitude, distance....quiet.



Mandello Del Lario 2019
Incomparable beauty, privilege, satisfaction, timeless, warm, Pizza, red wine, slow down now....stop.


Australian outback 2018
Crushing distance, eucalyptus, kookaburras, dependability, Roper, Beetle, fortunate life.....home.

[GeorgiaGuzzi]

Sorry for no Guzzi touring pics yet! I promise to come back to this thread when I’ve got some!




This is from 2015. Road trip to Glacier National Park. The water, scenery, weather, just everything was breathtaking. Bike is a Vulcan 1500. Thoughts at the time” F*****g exhaust leak! I’m out here in gorgeous country and my bike sounds like a tractor!!”




2016 Road trip. Went from Sturgis to Cody WY. Rode Chief Joseph and beartooth. Then spent a couple of days touring Yellowstone. This is the same bike with new tins. I’ve got so many breathtaking pics, but very few with the bike in them. Thought at that moment “don’t look like a stuffed sausage! Look at all this scenery, really need a panoramic shot to get it all”




Finally, Guzzi content!!! This is from Jan 2020. In the middle of January. I got so lucky with the weather. A warm front blew thru right when I had my trip. It was in the 80’s in Jacksonville FL. Pic is in Savannah GA. First time in that city. I fell in love with my Quota on this trip! My thoughts were “I’m really looking forward to riding today. Savannah is such a pretty city, can’t believe it’s only 6 hours away. Boring roads though”

[Huzo]

It happens like that doesn’t it ?

[PJPR01]

That last pic Huzo...what a coincidence, not 15 minutes ago, I'm watching the youtube series of Ed Pratt, young English kid riding his 36 inch unicycle around the world, and the episode I'm on now he just passed in front of that sign of the straight road!  Blimey!

[Murray]

That last pic Huzo...what a coincidence, not 15 minutes ago, I'm watching the youtube series of Ed Pratt, young English kid riding his 36 inch unicycle around the world, and the episode I'm on now he just passed in front of that sign of the straight road!  Blimey!

The nullabour is a bit odd you go for a drive across it and I haven't done it in a while and you'll see at least 5-10 people riding thier push bikes across it often east to west i.e. against the weather, did I mention is a plain that run along the southern ocean. There are road houses every 80-120kms but that is pretty much it the road is wider in places with removable marker posts to allow the RFDS to land in emergencies. Admittedly even now it is the major highway between east and west if you really got in trouble there is enough traffic that someone would help. Haven't developed the paintence to ride a motorcycle across it.

[Huzo]

That last pic Huzo...what a coincidence, not 15 minutes ago, I'm watching the youtube series of Ed Pratt, young English kid riding his 36 inch unicycle around the world, and the episode I'm on now he just passed in front of that sign of the straight road!  Blimey!

Hmmm yeah.
There’s actually another sign just like that one at the other end, but the Sun is on the opposite side..!
I traverse it quite often in the truck, it has 34 wheels and is not as much fun as 2.

[PJPR01]

I wonder if one of those road trains he filmed then was you by any chance heading across on 34 wheels!

[Huzo]

I wonder if one of those road trains he filmed then was you by any chance heading across on 34 wheels!

If it looked like either of these then it’s a reasonable possibility.

[GeorgiaGuzzi]

I updated my reply to answer Huzo’s actual post. I’m none too bright when under caffeinated!

[Griso8V]

Huzo,
You drive one of those "road trains" I think that is what they are called correct?  Wow, those are impressive.  I hear that the "bow wake" from  those is quite strong and can be a bit scary when one is on a bike/motorcycle...
I will have to dig up some pictures.
Tony C

[Glawster]

Found some old photos.

1981 first European trip and made it to Mandello.  That did feel good, although I'm not sure I'd do it on a Le Mans these days!

Guzzi-1 by Derek Wardell, on Flickr

Tooling about trying to look good in the Yorkshire Dales, maybe 1980.  I think I was a pioneer of the Adventure Bike style with my XT500 plus 5 gallon alloy tank.

CCI07042020 by Derek Wardell, on Flickr

1994 taking my son for a spin up the street.  No much of an experience for me but you should have heard that kid squeal his head off with excitement.  He's 28 now.

CCI00008-1 by Derek Wardell, on Flickr

[PhilB]

Damn, life is good -- PCH, near Big Sur, CA, 2008




I think I'm finally starting to grok this beast -- Carlsbad, CA, 2015




Maybe I should think about buying a car one of these days -- St. Louis, 2016




PhilB

[malik]

"Here's one for the folks back home" - 2013





"Bugger". "That's inconvenient". "I'm glad I'm wearing leather".

[lazlokovacs]

love that pic of you arriving at mandello glawster!!

thanks for sharing

[Huzo]

That looks like Paul Brooking’s Stelvio on the Central Australian trip...!

[Huzo]

Huzo,
You drive one of those "road trains" I think that is what they are called correct?  Wow, those are impressive.  I hear that the "bow wake" from  those is quite strong and can be a bit scary when one is on a bike/motorcycle...
I will have to dig up some pictures.
Tony C

Yeah, but more exclusively the doubles.
There is virtually nowhere other than way out in the country where you can use the trains..

[malik]

That looks like Paul Brooking’s Stelvio on the Central Australian trip...!

What? Paul, too, had an "unfortunate occurance"? At least I qualified for the Hard Luck Award that rally. Maybe it was something going around.

[stubbie]

All i gotta do is turn left up there.



Not sure what it is when passing road trains. Some you pass you get nothing then others it just about rips your helmet off. Must be the way the wind is blowing at the time. I've heard of people riding push bike being picked off by the last trailer bouncing around.

[Canuck750]

Returning from the Oregon Rally , I think it was five years ago, where did the time go? I was nearing the top pf the Rogers Pass approaching Banff Alberta and pulled over to take in the view pausing to reflect on how happy I was with the Eldorado and knowing I could trust it to take me anywhere safely and comfortably. I think that says a lot for a bike over 40 years old whose design was about fifty years old at the time.

[Huzo]

What? Paul, too, had an "unfortunate occurance"? At least I qualified for the Hard Luck Award that rally. Maybe it was something going around.

Read “Flamin’ Stelvio..”

[Blaufeld66]

January 1, 2020.
First ride of the year.





Warmth, silence, smell of sea.

[Huzo]

January 1, 2020.
First ride of the year.





Warmth, silence, smell of sea.

That’s the one..!