Great American Motorcycle Tours [Paperback]

Gary McKechnie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2000

Great American Motorcycle Tours is the first travel book written exclusively for motorcycle riders -- and it's the only book they'll need. It features 20 regional motorcycle trips throughout the United States -- through Maine and Miami, Montana and Monterey -- with tips on the best places to pull over and enjoy the view or spend the night.

Great American Motorcycle Tours provides descriptions of the scenery, interesting side routes, length of time needed, restaurant and lodging information, and specific tips on how to handle each road. Plus, each chapter includes photos and hand-drawn maps. There's also an appendix listing motorcycle Web sites, national rental companies, road rallies, motorcycle organizations, riding clubs, and more. Author Gary McKechnie has ridden each of these 20 tours, and his descriptions are accurate, observant, and often very funny.

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

In May, 2001, Gary McKechnie received one of highest honors a travel writer can receive: a silver medal in the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism competition for his guidebook, Great American Motorcycle Tours -- often called 'The Pulitzer Prize for travel journalists'.

Awarded by the Society of American Travel Writers, SATW vice president Larry Keller told the first-time author: "Congratulations -- you hit a home run in your first time at bat!"

To build on the success of Great American Motorcycle Tours, which has been profiled on CNN, in USA Today and newspapers and radio stations around the country, McKechnie is planning a series of other American adventure guides which blend a keen sense of humor with an appreciation of his country.

About the Author

Gary McKechnie has more than 20 years of motorcycle riding under his belt. His travel features have appeared in publications such as the Miami Herald, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and United Airlines’ Hemispheres. A former advertising copywriter, stand-up comedian, and Walt Disney World Jungle Cruise skipper, Gary is a professional speaker and founder of the Charles Kuralt Travel Society. He lives in Mount Dora, Florida.

Product Details

• Paperback: 362 pages
• Publisher: Avalon Travel Publishing (April 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1562614401
• ISBN-13: 978-1562614409
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,499,747 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

117 of 132 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Great Ways to Avoid Motorcycling, April 12, 2002

By 

zar1969 (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Great American Motorcycle Tours (Paperback)

The foreword of the book is written by Peter Fonda. I personally fail to make the connection why the endorsement of a Hollywood actor who happened to shoot a motorcycling movie should prove the value of a touring guide. But as I tried out some of the journeys, I started to see how the whole experience, which these suggested trips cater to, is concentrated around the image of motorcycling rather than the actual experience of riding. I wasted a couple of weekends diligently following directions through Pennsylvania and up the Hudson. The book led me through numerous towns and it reserved a lot of pages for information on all the things, which you could do to avoid riding your bike - you could find listings on every thrift store, restaurant, rafting company, and even bicycle tour! available on your way. Another interesting (and related) point was the fact that the author estimated coverage of about 50 miles per day i.e. if the suggested trip was 200 miles total, you were supposed to need 4 to 5 days to cover the distance. While very concentrated on all the entertainment that could be bought along the trip, the book was not especially concerned with the quality of the selected riding. Gorgeous scenic ways were followed by long stretches of banal suburban motifs and while stuck in the stop-and-go traffic I was wondering what part of the motorcycling experience I was supposed to be exercising at the time.

This is my rendering of the qualities, which the reader needs to possess in order to enjoy the recommendations in the book: 1. Your name must be Peter Fonda 2. You must be independently wealthy since you can't both hold a job and go to all these 4-5 days trips. 3. You must be versatile in the outdoors' activities to take full advantage of all the fun that awaits you out there. 4. You need friends who would like to hear about stuff like " When I flew in that helicopter over the Grand Canyon...", and "Here is a picture of me next to an Amish farmer..." 5. You only need basic riding skills and moderate motorcycling enthusiasm.

My advice is - get a map, look for the small roads, use your common sense, and explore. Good luck out there, maybe we'll meet on the road.

{This review refers to an out-of-print edition.}

48 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Yuppie Yuck, July 5, 2000

By 

jim shaver - See all my reviews

This review is from: Great American Motorcycle Tours (Paperback)

What a dud. When I read the section Mighty Montana Run and saw the distance of the leg 335 miles...alow five days with stops I knew this wasn't the book I hoped for. The author's style is entertaining and humorous, but his recomendations of places to stay and see is strictly for the bored rich. Most places were WAY above $120 a night. If your idea of a road trip is camping and out of the way places with an occasional night in a modest local hotel pass on this yuppie guide. If your trip is to an unfamiliar area of the country there are a few good tips that save this book from one or two star oblivion. I'm not a high milage junkie, but this book sputters along until you're glad it stops.

{This review refers to an out-of-print edition.}

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An entertaining "must read" for the road!, May 1, 2000

By 

B. Armogida (California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Great American Motorcycle Tours (Paperback)

A friend of mine just bought this book from Amazon.com and couldn't stop raving about it. After reading her copy, I had to have it for myself! This is perfect for anyone who loves roadtrips and exploring the highways and back roads of America. The author shares some outstanding moments and cool facts as he guides the reader through places you'll want to visit after reading this book. Very impressive.

{This review refers to an out-of-print edition.}