Coast to coast in the U.S.
Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2016 4:28 pm
So finally it´s happening....
All of a sudden the stars lined up and a distant dream about crossing the US on two wheels is started to become reality. Sitting in a local restaurant in Varanasi, India this winter my idea was encouraged to actually do this ride by fellow sitar student, Amanda, who happen to live in NY. I was thinking that OK, maybe it would be possible for 2017, so all preparations could be made... but when I heard that a band I sometimes play with, were booked for a festival in Las Vegas late August, that air tickets Stockholm-New York, and then LA-Stockholm were really cheap, and that Amanda would actually have the time to join for the ride this summer, It had me thinking that now is the time! And I got a plane ticket for next week to spend a little less than a month in the US.
I have a great advantage in my travel partner, very easy going and she has checked everything about Insurance, road assistance and paperwork... and being a serious sitar player too, she is also crazy enough to go through with this trip carrying our special travel sitars on the luggage rack, so that we will not miss the daily practise!
Hopefully this will also give me oppurtunity to meet up with other practisioners of Indian classical music in NY, to see sights I up until now only seen in movies, and get a feel of the most influencial country in the world and meet its people... I also hope to meet my oldest aunt who emigrated to work in hotels in Las Vegas, back in the 50´s. Must be in her mid 80´s now. I have never met her... Neither did I see any of my cousins, or their children that now are spread out across the country...
So in order to get across the country on a reliable bike within budget, that is familiar, comfortable and in style, the hunt for a good Goldwing began on Craigslist. After me emailing back and forth with a few sellers, and Amanda calling them she managed to bring friends with bike linceses and have a look on a few of them.... A ratty 79 was disregarded... A good looking 81 model was tempting...
....but yesterday she pulled the trigger on a beautiful, newly renovated 79 model with a Vetter fairing! About all systems have been renovated on this bike. Once I arrive it seems all I will need to do is to bleed the front brake and fit a new front tire. I really hope the "to-do" list stays short, but who knows with an unknown bike? All we have is a few days to find out, before its time ride off into the horizon....
All of a sudden the stars lined up and a distant dream about crossing the US on two wheels is started to become reality. Sitting in a local restaurant in Varanasi, India this winter my idea was encouraged to actually do this ride by fellow sitar student, Amanda, who happen to live in NY. I was thinking that OK, maybe it would be possible for 2017, so all preparations could be made... but when I heard that a band I sometimes play with, were booked for a festival in Las Vegas late August, that air tickets Stockholm-New York, and then LA-Stockholm were really cheap, and that Amanda would actually have the time to join for the ride this summer, It had me thinking that now is the time! And I got a plane ticket for next week to spend a little less than a month in the US.
I have a great advantage in my travel partner, very easy going and she has checked everything about Insurance, road assistance and paperwork... and being a serious sitar player too, she is also crazy enough to go through with this trip carrying our special travel sitars on the luggage rack, so that we will not miss the daily practise!
Hopefully this will also give me oppurtunity to meet up with other practisioners of Indian classical music in NY, to see sights I up until now only seen in movies, and get a feel of the most influencial country in the world and meet its people... I also hope to meet my oldest aunt who emigrated to work in hotels in Las Vegas, back in the 50´s. Must be in her mid 80´s now. I have never met her... Neither did I see any of my cousins, or their children that now are spread out across the country...
So in order to get across the country on a reliable bike within budget, that is familiar, comfortable and in style, the hunt for a good Goldwing began on Craigslist. After me emailing back and forth with a few sellers, and Amanda calling them she managed to bring friends with bike linceses and have a look on a few of them.... A ratty 79 was disregarded... A good looking 81 model was tempting...
....but yesterday she pulled the trigger on a beautiful, newly renovated 79 model with a Vetter fairing! About all systems have been renovated on this bike. Once I arrive it seems all I will need to do is to bleed the front brake and fit a new front tire. I really hope the "to-do" list stays short, but who knows with an unknown bike? All we have is a few days to find out, before its time ride off into the horizon....