It Is the Perfect Vehicle*

Southeast of Mt. St. Helens, 9 August 1999.

In the Spring of 1998, I woke up one morning and realized that everywhere I looked, I saw motorcycles. I was reminded of a time in graduate school, when Ralph Semprevio (the beau of the time) and I had restored a BMW R69S. I remembered driving from Blacksburg, VA up to Winchester (~230 miles, one way) on the hopes that the bike would be as advertised in the Sunday Washington Post (and wondering a bit about Ralph's sanity in the process).

Thus began the odyssey which is recorded in these pages. Summer of '98, I wasn't sure if the desire for a motorcycle was a fad or fancy. I certainly had no idea that I would turn into a daily commuter. Or ride 11K miles my first year.

But I get ahead of myself ... on to The Decision ...

The Perfect Vehicle: 1st Year
Introduction
The Decision
Finding the R65
About WetLeather
Trips and Trials

* With credits to Melissa Holbrook Pierson