Checking in on a Ten Year Road Trip In-Progess

I was searching through old email, and came across a long forgotten exchange with Hubert. It’s been almost seven years since I last checked in on his 10 year road trip. At the time, he was making his way trough South America on his BMW with Ural sidecar. Now, he’s recuperating from some recent health issues in France; he’ll be back on the road soon.

In the meantime, there are eight years worth of stories and pictures to browse through on Hubert’s site: Ten Years on the Road.

By the way, If you’re looking for a bit of inspiration for your own trip, maybe you can draw some from the conversation that prompted Hubert’s trip:

By the time we ate a creme brulée, it was clear to me that I had 2 choices
1 – I keep working for the next 10 years and I will be poor after that !
2 – I sell everything I have, I go travel for 10 years on my sidecar and I will be poor after that !

Photo from Ten Years on the Road

Motorcycle Parking at NYC Muni-Meters

Motorcycle Muni-Meter Parking Ticket Attachment There is some confusion among New York City motorcyclists and scooterists about how to legally park (e.g. avoid parking tickets) at a muni-meter. Some think that motorcyclists should pay and attach the receipt to the bike, others hold that one should pay at the muni-meter and hold on to the receipt in case a parking ticket is issued, while others claim there is no need to pay at all.

According to the DOT, motorcyclists must pay at muni-meters AND display the receipt on on the motorcyclists:

Like other motorists, motorcyclists using Pay and Display Muni-Meters, must display their receipt on their vehicle. To prevent theft or damage to the receipt, DOT recommends using clear plastic holders attached to the motorcycle with a lock or other mechanism. Devices made especially for this purpose can be found in specialty stores.

The locking mechanism pictured above seems a little ridiculous. But, if you really want one, you can purchase a locking parking permit holder from Login Parking.

Motophone

I’m pretty sure this sort of behavior will garner a ticket in most places. Sure, its dangerous, but it looks so cool.

NYC to Montreal and Back (in Four Parts)

Those traveling on the back roads between New York City and Montreal generally fall into two groups: bicyclists and motorcyclists. I’m a fan of both two-wheel forms of transport but a motorcycle was the vehicle of choice for this trip. If you have a few days to spare and a motorcycle at hand, this is a great way to see some of the rural areas of New York and Quebec while passing through some gorgeous mountain ranges and tiny hamlets. What follows is a brief account of a trip I took a couple weeks ago with my friend Jeff. If you are interested in the details, keep reading. If you are really interested in the details of the routes, you will find Google Maps of each day’s travels at the end of this post.

Read On…

My Motorcycle Touring Essentials

This is an ongoing list of things I’ve learned to bring along on longer motorcycle trips. Most of the things listed here are luxury items that one can certainly do without. I, however, prefer not to rough it too much. For an exhaustive packing list along with some great moto-camping recommendations, I suggest Bill Johns’ Excellent Motorcycle Camping Guide Also, Hellen Twowheels has some great packing tips.