4,000 Mile Run For Riders By Riders

Motorcycles 100-plus years old hit the highway for a coast to coast trek of endurance. Full of nostalgia and grit, before it's over, the bikes and their riders will have traveled 4,000 miles across the United States.

"My wife, Kelsie, and I put this event together," explained Sean Jackson, "Kelsie does all of our stops, all of our towns that we make. We average anywhere from 250 to 300 miles a day."

The event - the Transamerican Motorcycle Endurance Run got its start at one ocean - at Nags Head, NC, and will end at another along the Oregon Coast.

"We started in the outer banks at Jeanette's Pier at the Atlantic," Jackson said. "We ride all the way across 4,000 miles to Florence, Ore., to the Heceta Head Lighthouse. We will finish there."

Jackson and several of the participants in the run made one of their fuel stops in Ulysses Friday.

"Today is day nine," Jackson said. "Obviously, we are coming through your little town here."

Jackson was responsible for creating a "paper route" for each of the participants.

"(The riders) have them on their bikes," Jackson explained. "It has an odometer and tells them where their fuel stations are, the mileage and everything so they can plan their fuel stops."

One rider chuckles as he said, "it's an old-style GPS".

This is the first year for the Transamerican Motorcycle Run, or as the participants said, "Transam" for short.

"We started with 35 riders and now we are about 29 or 30," Jackson said. "Some broke down and had some catastrophic issues. When we get to our motels every night the (riders) start working on their bikes doing what they need to do to get the mileage the next day."

Participants in this event range in age from 27 to 72.

To participate in the run, the bikes have to be at least a century old. The oldest bike in the group is a 1910 Thor, according to Jackson.

"It is actually being ridden by a girl named Kat," Jackson said. "Her and her husband  Mitsuhiro 'Kiyo' Kiyonaga, are originally from Japan, but they live in California now."

Jackson said Kat had been riding for the last couple of days.

"She got a perfect score yesterday and the day before that she got made all of her miles," Jackson said. "She has two days where she completed all of the miles for the day - long days. She has been doing really well."

Miles are important.

"It depends on the course how many miles they are supposed to complete in a day," Jackson said. "Today, we started at Dodge City Kan., and we are headed to Trinidad, Colo. So, today's mileage is about 270-275. The goal for them is to make all the miles. It isn't really who gets there first, it's about who gets their miles. If you make all your miles, you keep a good score."

Jackson and his wife work in the antique motorcycle business and saw a need for a run like this.

"There have been other events like this and they kind of started fading away," he said. "We work in the antique motorcycle business. We make parts and stuff for bikes like you are looking at. We decided to keep a run like this going, because it brings everybody from around the world together. We have Italians with us. They imported their bikes here from Italy, had them un-crated and at the starting line. We have some Japanese.  Everybody else here is located all across the country - it's pretty cool."

What is the prize at the end of the run?

"Mostly bragging rights," Jackson said. "But we also present some trophies and awards."

Jackson plans on continuing the event every two years with a different route each time.

"When you think about it -100 year old motorcycles - it's pretty cool," he said. "They have to be at least 100 years old to participate. Sometimes we have no problems and they ride all day. Other days, we struggle and struggle. It all depends on what we run in to."

Jackson and some other staff are riding newer bikes to help watch out for the participants along the route. They also have a truck with a trailer at the back of the pack.

"We call it the sweeper - the loser cruiser," Jackson said. "If you break down during the day and you can't fix them on the side of the road - that truck will load you up on the trailer and get you to the finish line so you're not sitting along the road by yourself. We watch out for each other."

Since he made the course, Jackson can't compete in the run. Also along for the ride are some photographers - one from Canada, Brian Helm,  and another who is originally from France, Olivia French, and now lives in Arizona. A third one, Ed Herringer, drives a car along the route. The photographers take photos throughout the day which are posted on the event website.

A sponsor provided the newer bikes Jackson and other staff are riding.

Jackson and his wife are from a little town outside Erie, Penn., called Springboro.