Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/810045
Editor's Letter LIKE MOST PEOPLE, when I started traveling by motorcycle, I didn't know what I didn't know. On my first long trip, a 750-mile ride from Pennsylvania to Georgia during my student days, I didn't check the weather forecast before hitting the road (it was 1998, long before weather apps on smartphones), and I didn't bring—or even own—a rain suit. In the Carolinas, I rode through a passing tropical storm, which gave me a harsh lesson in how to ride in the rain—and how terrible leather is when it gets water-logged. For my next big trip, a 500-mile ride from Pennsylvania to Ohio in October, I remembered to check the forecast, which called for cold rain and heavy winds. Wearing a rain suit over my gear with long johns underneath, I stayed mostly dry. But I didn't anticipate how slow I would need to ride on the wet, leaf-strewn roads in West Virginia that wound their way up and over the Appalachians, so I arrived at my aunt's house well after dark, exhausted, with knotted shoulders and chattering teeth. These days, even though I'm older and wiser (hopefully), I still manage to forget at least one important item—toothbrush, cell phone charger, even clean underwear—on nearly every trip. The flipside of being cold, wet or empty-handed, or finding ourselves in "adventurous" situations that may not be much fun when they're happening, is that such experiences keep us in the present moment and create more vivid memories. Being a motorcyclist requires grit. We're willing to risk discomfort, inconvenience and adversity because the rewards are worth it. As the saying goes, "four wheels move the body, but two wheels move the soul." Every motorcycle journey has the potential to be a life-affirming adventure that we'll talk about for years to come. We hope this third edition of Favorite Rides & Destinations, which includes stories and photos from as far west as Alaska, as far east as Newfoundland and many places in between, inspires your next adventure. See you on the road! Greg Drevenstedt PHOTO BY RICH COX True Grit SPRING 2017 Issue 01 / Vol. 02 From The Editors of Magazine