According to scientists, the story of the Finger Lakes began in the Pleistocene epoch. Glaciers, some more than two-miles thick, crawled southward from what is now Hudson Bay, then retreated, and did it all again, several times. Over the course of their journeys, they gouged, tore, and plowed huge trenches in the earth. And then, it got warm.

It's now late September, temperatures have moderated to the low 70s, and traffic is scarce on the Ohio River Scenic Byway. I'm back in Maysville, KY, on my Honda ST1300, with riding buddy Steve Mauk straddling his Suzuki V-Strom 650. We're both saddled up and rarin' to finish my expedition up the Ohio River to its headwaters in Pittsburgh.

History began right here, in a simple narrow house in the village of Kumrovec, with doors so low I have to duck every time my 6'2" frame enters a room. I'm at the birthplace of half of Eastern Europe's former ruler, Josip Broz, better known as Tito. He held together with ambition and skill, the powers of socialism, until it finally collapsed in an absurd war, where neighbors were against neighbors and brothers against brothers. His country was called Yugoslavia — but it's gone now.

I hear a loud CRACK just outside the tent and bolt upright from a deep sleep. My sudden movement sends the visitor thundering away through the brush. With my heart doing double-time, my hands fumble around the tent for the headlamp. Once in hand, I switch it on and shine it out the mesh opening. The yellow beam of light reveals nothing but a thick forest of pine trees with dense underbrush.

Truth be known, a "Father of Waters" tour should really begin at Lake Itasca in Northern Minnesota, the birthplace of the mighty Mississippi; however, to do that justice would have required stretching this three-day tour into five. I choose instead to begin my sojourn at a well known landmark, the Mall of America (MOA).

Extreme elevation changes, serpentine stretches of blacktop, and awe-inspiring scenery are the rule, not the exception in Northern Arizona. In a loop-ride of just over 300 miles, one can sample most of what makes this region world-famous. Visit a mining town, ride along the south rim of the Grand Canyon, buy Native American jewelry on the Navajo Reservation, dine in the pines of Flagstaff, and gape at the Red Rocks of Sedona - all in a one-day adventure or leisurely spread over a weekend.Sedon

When the Can-Am Spyder hit the road in 2007, it garnered every type of opinion imaginable. Some were good, others bad, but none indifferent. Its Y-shaped wheel stance (two in front, one rear) is reminiscent of a snowmobile, or maybe a trike reversed.

Back in the Nov/Dec 2007 issue, senior editor Chris Myers wrote Civil Warrior, a first look at Kawasaki's new 2008 Concours 14, based on his initial impressions at the bike's press intro. Lately we've revisited this sole model of Kawi's sport-touring lineup—this time a 2009 Concours, or Connie, long-term test bike—learning even more about the big mile-burner.

Before the ink was even dry on our long-term evaluation of the 2009 Kawasaki Concours 14, Team Green surprised us with a roll out of the new and improved C14 on the mountain curves and desert straights around Palm Springs, California. While we were mostly impressed with last year's tester, a few grumbles did ensue.

For many motorcycle travelers, having all the bells and whistles is an integral part of the touring experience. But for a growing number of riders, some wind protection and a good set of bags is more than enough to carry the day.

Bologna's famous pork sausage, Mortadella, is blended with ingredients intended to make it distinctive and spicy, as well as appetizingly hot. You could say the same about the bikes from the Bologna suburb of Borgo Panigale.