Chasing Miquel Silvestre on a K75

[statdawg]

On twisty dirt short cut through the Delaware Highlands a red leaf caught my side mirror and lingered before passing on into the warm wind. As a leaf, past memories were revisited on my way to the Catskills of my time in Spain. Its has been a long time since I rode with a Knight Legionnaire Paratrooper and it seem so long ago when the riders were immortal and Bultaco was king. Today itÔÇÖs just an old rider in the mirror following a crusader who is now a pilgrim to sites of spiritual importance and BMW motorcycles.

It has been a long and strange journey for Miquel Silvestre, all he seeked was an answer to a question if it was possible to ship a bike from Philadelphia. Thousands of miles later he joined Motard, Josh, and I for the trip to the Catskills.

Nicholson, Pennsylvania Railroad Viaduct
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All quiet on the outside that Friday afternoon, hopefully the riders are getting sorted or attending the IBR riders seminars. The weather was much warmer this year and the colors are behind by at least a week. I once rode near a Spanish ski resort in Navacerrada much like Hunter, both are now mountain bike Meccas but not in the days of the Bultaco.

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John RyanÔÇÖs bike is blue and he had an interesting interview with Miquel.

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[statdawg]

Far in the hills there were neither little people bowling nor a scream of an owl. The mountains that protect the Royal hunting ground of La Granja look like this, as does Hunter.

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No Bultaco in the lead just a sound of Boxer echoes in the hills.

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Orwell and Hemingway met in Paris in 1945 while Orwell was working as a war correspondent for the Observer and the Manchester Evening News. Bubba and Miquel met in Hunter sharing stories of a large world, beauty and danger.

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[statdawg]

Miquel didnÔÇÖt ride the Brooklyn Bridge a week ago but Route 30 provided the opportunity for the pilgrim on a Boxer.

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Regardless of how far your journey it is always best to brush up on skills that were robbed beyond the horizon. The Farm ( dirt, and in Spanish would be titled La Granja ) is an approved MSF Dirt Bike School in northeast Pennsylvania a project of mine and a fellow member and MSF Instructor named Dylan Lane. Its purpose is providing skills for those that ride clean adventure bikes in Manhattan. Its in its infancy but its pilot class had two attendees the Legionnaire and a rider part way through his round the world tour that is originally from Scotland but claims only the road.

The standard business models of advertising stress to start with an informational flyer, maybe generate some free press in the local paper then onward to the National media but our approach is to get international press first and come backwards in marketing. Certainly the caf?® customer in Spain will know about it long before the local flyer.

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[statdawg]

The school is also for those of our international community to learn the skills to go with confidence beyond the horizon in the America’s. It’s a place were a government authoritarian can ride with an anarchist, a TFM can ride with a Libratard, a crusader with a pilgrim, a Muslim with a Christian, none are world citizens but just a rider on a road following their own journey.

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Did you know that the survivors of the Spanish Armada were saved and protected from the English by Celtic people ? There is a connection in the motorcycle world, back in the day there were those named Miquel and Callum as there are on The Farm.

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[statdawg]

I remember the long shadows at La Granja and a blue Bultaco.

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La Granjas are the same.

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At HermyÔÇÖs Miquel found marked down BMW gear that was a steal in America and even more so in Spain. Here he is with Hermy and sporting his Bultaco jacket soon to be replaced with a Hermy T-shirt and a Motorrad jacket.

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[statdawg]

Across North America Miquel would stop at various restaurants and if the servers looked Spanish he would have a conversation with them. They all ended the same way. Hey you don’t sound like us, were are you from Argentina ? Miquel would reply no I am from Spain. They would reply I bet there is a lot of gold over there. Sadly the colonial hatred still exists after centuries of Christianity.

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Spain no longer sends crusaders to America for its gold, the bastards are now here stealing our wind. Tuesday it was windy in New York City and Miquel for safety reasons told the critic he was a Mexican and then the wind took him home to Spain. I bet there is a lot of wind there.

 

[SNOONE]

Statdawg, I have a feeling I should have accepted your breakfast invite on sunday.. Now I'm sorry i didnt!

 

[burnszilla]

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Both of these guys have slept (not at the same time) in our guest bedroom. BMW riders make the world a smaller place.

 

[statdawg]

Statdawg, I have a feeling I should have accepted your breakfast invite on sunday.. Now I'm sorry i didnt!

He is coming back because his GS is stored here. We will have plenty of time to plan a NYC Gig ride.

 

[franze]

Nice report Dawg. I was waiting for some analogy to Montesa and Ossa.......

I think Miquel needs to get the Thumbs up Bultaco logo sewn onto his new jacket

 

[Rinty]

I lost track of how many BMW's he has, but if he sold just one, he could get a Metralla.

 

[tessler]

Saturday.

Its documented. Meeting Miguel: great. Hanging out with Miguel and Stat: Priceless.

 

[bigalsmith101]

This is AWESOME. It's great to know where Miquel has been and where he went after we parted ways in Radium BC. Wonderful pics Dawg. Well done.

 

[statdawg]

Miquels next adventure is Rally Mali. He is riding and donating a small motorcycle ( Vespa ? ) that will be delivered to that country. He is also riding for www.riders.org , riders.org has not yet expanded operations in that country so his trip will provide awareness in the media outlets. Miquel is also offered to help with the riders.org program at the local F1 Moto events as they do at Laguna Seca and Indy.......he may even meet Dani Pedrosa. As a sidebar Charlie and Ewan rode for Riders.org and yes they wore the charity on their sleeve but its the only way to bring attention to the media and educate the world what they do and are about.

Miquel also purchased a 1992 GS in Madrid to add to his collection. I think he has two 1200 GS's, a 1300 R or S ( ? ) two airhead GS's and a vintage Ducati racer. I asked him why so many bikes and he told me in case rich Americans come to Spain, but he maybe getting rid of a few once the weather warms again.

 

[statdawg]

From Riders for Health

http://www.riders.org/n_details.aspx?nwId=279

Spanish journalist to see work on latest ride
10 November 2009

Spanish journalist, Miquel Silvestre, will be seeing RidersÔÇÖ lifesaving work firsthand when he visits our programmes in Lesotho and Kenya during his latest ride across Africa.

Miquel is a lawyer, journalist, novelist, and editor, but his real interest is travelling on his motorcycle.

ÔÇÿIn Spain motorcycling is a kind of religion and I carry out long distance journeys whenever possible,ÔÇÖ he explains. ÔÇÿI like to write about my trips, the people and the history of the places I visit. In the past I have ridden through Africa, North America, West and East Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean.ÔÇÖ

ÔÇÿDuring my previous journeys, I saw the deepest poverty,ÔÇÖ he adds. ÔÇÿI believe motorcycle people are different, we know how to help others when they are in a need, and I also believe motorbikes can be very useful tools. I believe in Riders for HealthÔÇÖs work and that is why I am going to visit some of their projects in Africa and tell people what they are doingÔÇÖ.

In Lesotho, Riders works with the Ministry of Health and the organizations Partners in Health and the Clinton Foundation HIV Initiative to ensure that people living with HIV/AIDS and multi-drug resistant tuberculosis can finally receive the treatment they need. Riders work in Kenya is helping to mobilise carers from smaller community based organization, allowing them to reach up to five times as many families in rural communities.

Miquel will ride from Cape Town in South Africa to Nairobi in Kenya. The route will pass from South Africa, through Lesotho, Mozambique, and Tanzania before arriving in Kenya.

You can find out more about Miquel and his previous trips by visiting his Spanish website at www.miquelsilvestre.com.

 

[criminaldesign]

great stuff full of visuals. Thx, h