Trans-America Trail

Origin

One of my earliest memories is of my Dad breezing past me while doing a wheelie on a friend’s Honda CR 80 Two-Stroke. The deep roaring sound of the engine was both disruptive and tranquil, and I couldn’t help but feel intrigued. I had known of my father’s passion for riding motorcycles, but as with many things in a young man’s life, having children made him put them aside and prioritize.

Several years later, following a health issue which should have killed him, my father reprioritized. He decided that getting bikes for both of us and teaching me to ride was something we could enjoy together, and a lifelong skill that I could appreciate and remember him by after he was gone. Through the gratitude of surviving his medical ordeals, he realized that one of the most important things he could do with the rest of his life was to create memorable, happy father-son experiences. So he took me to a dealership and bought each of us a motorcycle. His choice was a KTM 450 EXC, while I got a Honda CRF 100.

Our bikes were built for trail riding, and on the rare occasions when our schedules would allow, we would take a weekend to go camping at a state park or private trail and spend the days riding. Without a doubt the memories I have of bumbling around on that little trail bike with my dad are some of the best I have. These little adventures were nowhere near the caliber of the Trans-America Trail, but then again I was 12 and not quite ready for a journey such as the TAT. Now, I think I am.

Skill

     Riding is a very active task as it engages your senses and you must maintain awareness for your own safety, as well as for the safety of others on the road. Ideally, people would treat driving a car in the same manner, but often that is not the case. Driving has become a passive task for many people, and they “tune out” or fail to pay attention to their surroundings. This is one of the most dangerous factors contributing to accidents involving motorcyclists: inattentive drivers.

Honda XR 650L

My first few on-road riding experiences were harrowing. I hadn’t ridden in two or three years, and what riding I had done was on trails on a small bike. I recall one particular sharp turn on a 35mph road nearly being the end of me, as I hadn’t familiarized myself with the technique of on-road turning. Slowly but surely, with practice and about four months of experience, I have built up my confidence on the road and now commute about 30 miles daily to work or soccer practice using my Dad’s Honda XR 650L. I know that a few months of practice is nothing in comparison to the skill and control required when riding long distances off-road, but I know with practice and time I can get to that level.

Expectations

There are several landmarks and locations on the route of the Trans-American Trail that I am very excited to see, and I anticipate them being very memorable. One of these is the Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Ground Zero is owned in part by the actor Morgan Freeman, whom I greatly admire, particularly for his role as Nelson Mandela in the film, “Invictus”. The club is renowned for authentic, unscheduled performances and while the building may be dilapidated, I’ve read it has a warm and relaxed ambience that’s fitting for its southern roots.

In practical terms, I worry about keeping my job as a lifeguard if I take a significant amount of time off next summer. I am also hesitant to commit so much of my hard-earned savings on a motorcycle that I can only ride in comfort for part of the year, as the northeastern United States faces harsh winters that make riding impractical and dangerous. I realize just by preparing to embark on the journey, I have been presented with challenges to my values and priorities. All the pre-planning has created some anxiety which is probably normal. I will complete a very demanding senior high school year, which will come to an end in June and then the time for the journey will arrive. As we physically cross the obstacles that along the Trans-America Trail, I hope to clear my mind of childhood hurdles and restraints. I don’t think a journey lasting a few weeks can transform a youth into a man, but I expect the memory of the journey will remain with me for the rest of my life. I hope that as I face life’s challenges, I will draw on this time to give me guidance in a chaotic world. I foresee that the conversations and shared experience will create stress between my father and me, but ultimately break through into a place of bonding, a gift of one generation to the next.

Editor Note: The Rite of Passage series has been focused on the creation of memories between a son and his father in advance of tackling the Trans-American Trail on dual-sport motorcycles. You can read the first two parts in the series by picking up a subscription to view a digital copyof issue #2 and Issue #3 of OutdoorX4 from the OutdoorX4 website at www.outdoorx4.com/shop.

* OutdoorX4 Magazine – Promoting responsible 4×4 adventure travel and outdoor recreation