His
excitement turned to pensive thought as he sat hunched in a pickup truck and followed the pack for a couple of days on the first leg of their east-to-west trek .The
roar of the engines and smell of the exhaust was intoxicating. He realized with a forehead-slapping moment that he was missing out. Incredulously, he whispered to himself, “Why aren't I doing this?”
The
Cannonball Run was named for race car driver, Erwin “Cannon Ball”
Baker (1883-1960) who rode across the United States in 1914 on a 1914
Indian. It took him eleven days.
The
motorcycles involved in the 2012 Cannonball had to be older than 1930
and the 3,956 mile trip was accomplished in 17 days including a day's
rest stop at Sturgis, South Dakota. The east to west similarity is one
of the only, however, if one considers that Mr. Baker was riding a
brand new bike and he was roughly half he age of the majority of
today's participants. Of course, the roads would not have been as
good in the teens but it is possible that some of the same roads were
used in 2012 as less than 100 miles took place on the Interstates,
mostly the blue-market highways being
used. All paved, mind you. Erwin Baker endured some dirt, no doubt.
To
be fair, the pre-1930 bikes involved were permitted updates in the
name of safety. If the machine didn't come with a front brake, it
could be put on. It was the rider's choice to run clincher rims and
ties or to upgrade. Originality is important but head, tail and brake
lights were essential.
The
core motorcycle had to be 1929 or earlier and running the original
carbs, modified or updated as long as they were period-correct.
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| Erwin "Cannon Ball" Baker and his 1914 Indian. |
