Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1546388
P118 FEATURE I BIG RIDE WITH DAD cream, and we're both a little tired—him from the passive sit- ting at the back of the RT and me from the active sitting, trying to keep the machine pointed on the gray stuff. By the time we get to our overnight stop at Pismo Beach, we're both ready to see the water and forget about the bike for a bit. We are indeed new to touring as a pair, and the 276 miles we covered on this first day was a good stint in the saddle. More importantly, Harvey and I got to spend some genu - inely meaningful time together. I learned small things about him I won't share here, but things that alerted me to just how smart and especially observant he really is. He told me some stories that perhaps he was initially uncom - fortable with, but the road, the ride and the BMW seemed to have loosened his grip on those feelings, and he would let me in, in a way similar to how he would with his mother, who has always had a closer relationship with him in that regard. One thing I wasn't expecting was how much I needed this time with him, too. I travel a lot for work, and I have missed many moments that will never happen again. I have always known, but I have just realized how much work a genuine connection requires. The next morning, we get up a little later than yesterday and hit the coast road, cruising down the 1 to Santa Maria and another diner, then a final coffee stop at Santa Barbara before busting through the peak-hour traffic heading south on the 405 Freeway. Day two is not anywhere near as action-packed as the first day, but it doesn't need to be. As we arrive home after 523 miles in two days, we both admit to a shared sense of togetherness that was probably missing a little from our lives. I must thank Jay at BMW for the loan of such a fine steed in this rather different story. The RT is an incredible piece of engineer - ing, but I always knew it was. It now holds a place in the family as the bike the boy and I did our first big ride on. Being a dad is hard, no doubt. But I have learned it is as hard as you make it. I feel Harvey and I have both grown up over the last few years to the point where we understand each other, and after this trip, I am more pleased than ever with the man my son is becoming. CN The ubiquitous Pismo Beach proof-of-life photo. There's a young lad in the center of this shot.