BACKFIRE S GIVING CREDIT The October issue rocked it like a Garcia guitar solo! I loved the VMD coverage and the David Aldana profile in the October issue, but I must point out two AMA Hall of Famers who went unrecognized in the page 58 photo. That’s Jim Rice #24 and Jody Nicholas on the Suzuki flanking Aldana in the 1970 Talladega winner’s circle. Lindsay Brooke Plymouth, Mich. Thanks, Lindsay! —Ed. “NAME’S SOLO. WHITNEY SOLO” Fabulous article on a successful Iron Butt (Solo Thrash, November 2021). What an accomplishment! I have earned three Iron Butt awards, except they were all on a Honda Gold Wing. But 48 states in nine days, and on a Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250? Whitney Meza, I am unworthy to tie your boots. Kevin B Parsons I’ve put many thousands of miles on GLs, Kevin, and a couple thou on the Pan America, too, on a recent Alps
Tour (same issue), so I’d urge you to give the Pan Am a try. The thing is big-rig tourer comfortable and quite a bit more fun to ride (for me, anyway) when the road gets curvy. —Ed. A SOLO THRASH OF MY OWN Whitney Meza’s Solo Thrash piece reminded me of an endurance ride that was by necessity. In 1971 I was a United States Army soldier at Ft. Bliss in El Paso, Texas. A fellow soldier had taught me to ride on something like a 1970 Suzuki Scrambler. After that I had to get my own bike and soon I had a new 1971 gold Honda CB350 with 36 horsepower. I rode everywhere and loved it. Well, in November of ’71 I was advised I’d be given an earlyrelease in mid-December. I was like, “Wow, how will I get my motorcycle home to Chicago!” Of course, selling my beautiful bike never entered my mind. But remembering that my uncle Warren had ridden from Florida to Chicago in the winter empowered me to do the same. Very early on Thanksgiving morning I left Ft. Bliss wearing long underwear, two pairs of pants, two shirts and a jacket, combat boots with two pairs of socks, snowmobiling gloves and my Easy
Rider American flag helmet. Strapped to my sissy bar was my green duffel bag carrying my AMPEX portable tape player. And a spare chain…why, I still don’t know. Money totaled $23 for fuel ($0.36/gal. in ’71); but nothing for motels. Going up U.S. 54 to Santa Rosa, N.M., brought me to I-40 which, after many miles riding behind an 18-wheeler because of very dense fog, I took to Oklahoma City where I-44 became my home all the way to St. Louis. From there, it was a short jump via I-55 to Chicago. A meager distance of 1,475 miles in two days. As soon as I got home I had to reserve airline tickets so I could fly back to the base by Sunday. I’ll never forget that trip. And will never do it again on a 36-horse motorcycle! Byron Morrison A FIRM GRASP OF THE OBVIOUS? I have to laugh every time I hear or read that BMW “created” the adventure market. If that’s true, what were the Yamaha Big Bear and XT500 and so many other ’60s/’70s dual sports from Britain and Japan? In 1979 I joined four friends on a gravel-road trek to Alaska;
LETTER OF THE MONTH THEMES VS. VARIETY, PART II ongratulations on winning the Grand National Championship of Restraint in your reply to Bruce D. in the November issue. He wrote: “Early Motocross? Meh,” (What the heck is Meh, anyway?), which raised my blood pressure, but when he took a swing at On Any Sunday, I lost it. (My wife shouted from the next room, “Are you okay?”) It is ironic that the very movie that inspired thousands to a life of motorcycles was/is a “variety” format, just like what he asks for from the Editor. How you didn’t swing back with that point showed Grand National Championship Restraint. I salute
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the new format, as it’s taken me down motorcycle paths I don’t normally travel. My only suggestion to Bruce is to open his lens and explore. You can still have your focused passion while enjoying the breadth motorcycling has to give. Dare I say you might find a new “adventure” if you do — adventure being the focus of that issue? Keep up the great work. I love the new magazine! Brian Hennessy, Life Member Plus, AMA #859773
Letters to the editor are the opinions of the AMA members who write them. Inclusion here does not imply they reflect the positions of the AMA, its staff or board. Agree? Disagree? Let us know. Send letters to submissions@ama-cycle.org or mail to American Motorcyclist Association, 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147. Letters may be edited for clarity and brevity.
