Route 66 – get your motor running
In our quest to explore the planet we decide to do Route 66 on a Harley Davidson. Scenes of the Easy Rider movie enter my mind and I start spontaneously singing the ‘Steppenwolf’ song. “Get your motor running, head out on the highway…” We call our friend Hans from Eagle Rider. “Of course I can arrange a bike for you” He says, “The best thing to do is to start in Flagstaff, Arizona and drive all the way up to the Santa Monica pier, the end of the Route 66.”
“That sounds like a great plan!” I say, “Maybe we can make a detour to the Grand Canyon and to Las Vegas.”
- Las Vegas – Camera: Canon PowerShot G10 – ISO: 400 – Exposure: 1/8 sec – Aperture: 2.8 – Focal Length: 6.1mm
“While we’re in California, we should try to meet up with some of the Silicon Valley brands, like Google, HP, YouTube and Twitter.” Anouk suggests.
“Great” I say, “We have a plan, we have the itinerary, we have the bike… that leaves us with only one question.” “What outfit shall I wear on my Harley?”
- Route 66 – Camera: Canon EOS 40D – ISO: 100 – Exposure: 1/250 sec – Aperture: 8.0 – Focal Length: 17mm
Flagstaff
As we arrive in Flagstaff, we check in at the Monta Vista hotel in the Historic part of town. The Eagle Rider shop is on the other side of town, on the Route 66 of course. We’re received by Jim, who’s a local from Arizona. He rides his bike every day over the Route 66 to work. “For the trip you’re about to make, I recommend you take the Fatboy” Jim says pointing at an impressive black bike standing just in front of the shop. I take place on the bike and push it to a vertical position to feel the weight. It has been some time since my last ride, so I have to get used to the weight and the power of the machine again. “It feels kind of heavy” I say while balancing the bike.
- On a Harley Davidson in Las Vegas – Camera: Canon EOS 40D – ISO: 100 – Exposure: 1/400 sec – Aperture: 10.0 – Focal Length: 17mm
I push the start button and the engine emits the unmistakable Harley sound. I engage the first gear and the bike slides away very smoothly. “Take it around the block” Jim shouts. The bike roars when I accelerate and become part of the traffic on the Route 66. Visions of Easy Rider’s Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper pop up in my mind. “Born to be wi-hild” I sing out loud while I take my Fatboy around the block. As I return to the Harley shop, I see Anouk sitting on an ultra white Heritage Soft tail. In her white outfit on the white bike, she looks as if she’s doing a commercial for a detergent. “Harley Davidson makes your laundry whiter than white.” 20 minutes later we wave Jim goodbye and drive our bikes over the Route 66 in the direction of the setting sun.
- Route 66 by CoolTravel – Camera: Canon EOS 40D – ISO: 100 – Exposure: 1/160 sec – Aperture: 6.3 – Focal Length: 23mm
