the Campotosto Mystic Trip 2 - "Shamans of the Astral Plane": a report.

Much like last year, we covered A LOT of ground for this trip, our course meandered through so many small towns, hills, valleys, forests and proper mountains, one after the other, until you no longer know where you really are, and the passage of time feels like the memory of a half-remembered song.

As motorcycles and riders started to resonate with each other and everything else around them, that's when we gradually emerged onto the psychic trail and the real trip began. There are no signposts along the way, but plenty of signs, markers and animal spirit guides like the white boar. Far out man...

Once again, only three Shamans rode out to the mountain lake, perhaps such a mystical trip has a component of numerology? Perhaps next year we can make it seven then?

Sandro joined us on his perfectly stock Honda CBR600F, tires down to the canvas and motor oil a little past its prime, but I'm so glad he could come with us.

Witold, still in considerable pain from a broken throttle hand, chose an incredibly futuristic Honda CN250 Spazio, duly thrashed it and was faster than a lot of sports bikes we encountered along the way:

He is the Psychopomp! He manifested himself to guide us across layers and ripples of reality! Make an offering of the sacred herb to him, and all will be well:

Here are some more snapshots from along the way, who knows where we were!

Who's a good boy? YOU'RE A GOOD BOY!!

Here are some more from the side of my head.

Taking in the view at Salto:

Getting things moving:

Grassy lanes? No problem:

It's ok, this doesn't mean what it means in Britain:

Offroading on the Spazio, not for the fainthearted:

Behold, the majesty of this wonderful lake and the Holy Mountains that surround it:

As for the Norton, this outing and the short round trip to the mountain rally last month, made for a good shakedown and real-world test of the newly assembled top end.

I can safely say that this engine has never run so well (and that clutch upgrade is working a real treat, lemme tell ya).

Even Witold had to concede that it sounds spectacular, does not burn oil and feels (even at a distance) purposeful and precise. Hats off to SRM, once again.

Some of you may know what I'm talking about here, you spend the whole day on a motorcycle, especially a British classic with their unrestricted exhausts, and by the time you go to sleep you can't help but notice this peculiar ringing in your ears, part droning sound, part echo, yet very present. You may think it's the effect of all those hours exposed to the loud exhaust but what you've actually tuned into is the eternal cosmic cymbal that's always ringing but only a few can hear, sending out wave after cosmic wave of mystical revelations.

Until next time, safe trips to everyone.