Although there are plenty of comments below the articles on the web site, we only received this one via the email so as I know that many of the PDF readers enjoy the letters pages and it’s a damn good email with some great pictures (as usual from our Wisconsin correspondent!) I’ve included it all on its own. I would strongly urge you PDF peeps to check out the feedback on the web site so that we’re all sharing all of the same stuff; and on the same basis, it would be great if you folks who leave comments online would copy them to me here too – Ed
Hi Dave,
Thanks for another superb issue and for the great layout of the Rickman Interceptor article!
As ever, you’ve managed to present some of the most striking images and most engaging writing in moto-journalism.
The image featured with Paddy Tyson’s bit on Addictive Adventures made me think of my days out in the snow up in Northern Wisconsin with my 1975 CB500T Honda.
I really enjoyed “True Colours” and hope the next time you get across the pond, there’s time for a turn through the upper Midwest. Jacci and I would be happy to host you along the way, if you like and I have a garage with plenty of room for fettling whatever it is you might happen to ride. And you’re always welcome to pick one of my 12 nags to ride around on to see the countryside. Some go back 40 years, but they work fairly well most of the time. And, fall colors in the Midwest are on par with anything you may see in New England!
Of course, I realize transatlantic trips must be something of a time squeeze no matter how carefully you plan, but drop us a line if you ever do plan a trip to the country’s heartland and we’ll do what we can to help with logistics.
I have to say, the load of trouble you experienced with the Rocket III is both unfortunate and unexpected. Your patience with the situation when time is so precious is amazing. I’d have had to be given sedatives or something – at Triumph’s expense, of course.
I really enjoyed the piece with its earthy, familiar tangle of misadventures, rough weather and breakdowns. It really makes the rest of us feel better knowing that even professionals such as yourself can have those trips that don’t just roll off the page in scenic perfection. The images are terrific.
All the best,
Gary
Lone Rock, WI
I’m glad you enjoyed the issue and my contribution. It would be wonderful to take you up on your offer of hospitality, but it could be some time as we have a seven year old and my wife doesn’t ride a bike herself – perhaps I should speak to Ural about a combo, I hear they’ve been making serious inroads in the US.
As for the problems with the Triumph, any time I ever tour on a bike I always treat the whole thing as an adventure so it’s easy to accept whatever occurs as part of that experience; as I said at the very end of the article ‘shit happens’ it’s about how people respond to it and Triumph America and their New England dealer network were great (they even paid the shockingly expensive cell bill I received as a consequence of all the calls I had to make) – Ed