THE FIRST '49-MILE RIDE', 2001

Pete Young had the goofy idea to organize a ride following the 'Seagull' signs (see below) around San Francisco, which point the way for tourists to catch all the best views and trinket shops in town. Nominally a 49-Mile Drive, we've never once attempted to cover the official route!

As you can see, there were 7 of us that sunny day in October 2001, and this photo was taken at the parking lot of Coit Tower, where we hoisted Pete's leaky '37 Velocette MSS onto the concrete barrier for a better photo.

Last October our rider count reached 215 motorcycles, and while not as intimate, the ride is still as goofy as ever. The Yerba Buena Motorcycle Club helps keep the show together nowadays, but Pete and Kim still give out boxes of Rice-a-Roni ('the San Francisco treat') and Ghirardelli chocolate as prizes. If you're in town the last week of October, the ride is a must-see.

To see lots of photos and videos of past 49-Mile Rides, click here.