Leatherwood Trail - 1978 Moped Trip

Leatherwood Trail - 1978 Moped Trip:

Speaking of the erudite Mr. Williams over at Scooter in the Sticks, his latest post, in which he meditates on landscape photography, links to this jewel. Above is the Westerly route Mr. Walter Muma took in his journey from Toronto to the Artic Circle, by way of Fairbanks. Below is a picture of Walter when he returned. Haven't I been saying that Moped riders ain't compensating for Jack? Look at that map, and think about folks who pay to have mud sprayed on their SUVs to look more authentic. Think about that, before you laugh at a long-hair or a scooterist as a "girly-man" or "manly girl." You just never know what kind of warped renegrade spirit might inspire to such feats...

You are probably asking....Why travel on a moped???
Well, I used to do a lot of bicycle touring. I liked it because you travel slowly, fully experiencing the country through which you are traveling. You experience the air, the wind, the sun, the weather, the smells, and all of the noises of the country, unlike travel in a vehicle where you are cut off from most of that. The slow pace ensures that you don't miss any scenery, and you can stop anywhere much more easily.
I found that by traveling by moped I was able to experience and be involved in the country in the same way as bicycling, but without the tremendous effort involved. I traveled anywhere from about 100-300 miles per day, at a speed of about 25-30 mph (a bit more with a tailwind), which is a bit farther and faster than a bicycle, but not by much. When I toured by bicycle I found that I was able to average about 100 miles per day.
Traveling on a moped is also a good way to meet people, since they are very curious about this unconventional means of travel and are constantly coming over to talk to me and ask questions.