Issue:
Spring 2002

Text:
Christian Neuhauser

Photography:
Christian Neuhauser

Geographic Region:
NC, USA

Pages:
18 - 27

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Goose bumps
Late in the afternoon, with some 80 miles to travel, there's little time for us to chew the fat with the folks in Angier, NC, Moto Guzzi's headquarters in the USA. Nightfall is coming on and we need to scoot to make Rocky Mount where our tour begins in the morning.

We start them up and the sound of the Le Mans raises goose bumps all over my back. What a feeling! Christa turns out of the driveway and I follow, concentrating on the reverberations of the bikes. My wife has chosen a nice road but with darkness settling in we quickly selected a more direct approach: I-95.

Sans Souci
With only four days for this tour, our luggage requirements are minimal. And even though Christa didn't bring all her makeup equipment along, I still had to battle a bit the next morning to find the right hooks and thingamajigs to affix the bags. That chore done, the roadway called.

On 64 East to Tarboro, then at Princeville onto 258, and later on 142, we take the first real measure of our machines. They run great. The performance and traction invite us to open the throttle wide and enjoy the speed. When Christa catches my glances, she lifts a thumb skyward. That's her signal: Let's fly; it feels good. Turning a sharp right on 125 toward Williamston, we pass through town and hit 17 North. ...