Today in motorcycle history, August 9, 2002

     

 

  One of the coolest but, highly under-publicized bike runs, the Southern California Motorcycling Association's (SCMA) annual USA 4-Corners Tour 2002 kicks off. 

  This is a self-directed motorcycle tour and the entire distance must be ridden on your motorcycle.  Ferry rides are acceptable over rivers and lakes.  Motorcycles with side cars and trikes are considered motorcycles for this event.  No other vehicles are permitted on any part of this event.

 

  The four official checkpoints for the USA Four Corners Tours are: San Ysidro, California, Blaine, Washington, Madawaska, Maine and Key West, Florida.

 

  You start the event by visiting the first checkpoint of your choice and taking a photograph of your motorcycle in front of any of the USA Four Corner landmarks.  The rider is allowed 21 days total time to complete the run.  The ONLY exception to this rule are hurricanes.  If the state of Florida has the road to the Keys blocked; you may use that barrier as the Key West Hurricane Corner.     

  You need to have computer generated gas receipts with date, time, location from each of the four corners (write your license plate number on receipt).  If no stations are open, a receipt from the nearest open gas station will be accepted.

  The SCMA estimates that the average rider can expect a MINIMUM of 8,500 miles on the shortest route (this figure DOES NOT include the distance from your home to the first corner and back).  If you want to see more than countless miles of boring-ass interstates plan on adding on another 1,000 miles or so.

 

  SCMA also provides other challenging long distance motorcycle-only rides including the butt-numbing, Three Flags Classic (Mexico-USA-Canada).