Carl Reese - Endurance Rider & Record Setter

You’ve probably heard of the Cannonball Baker or Cannonball Run. In 1933 Erwin George “Cannon Ball” Baker drove from New York City to Los Angeles in a Graham-Paige model 57 Blue Streak 8 in 53.5 hours. No one broke that record for 40 years.

Car and Driver writer Brock Yates and editor Steve Smith organized the Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, which took place 5 times between 1971 and 1979. It was an illegal road race from coast to coast to celebrate the United States Interstate Highway System and to protest strict traffic laws which were coming in to effect at that time. The first run was not a competitive race, as there was only one team running in a 1971 Dodge Custom Sportsman van. But by the time they were running the last race it was known as a wild race. They ran everything from Ferraris to pick-up trucks. It was mostly a secret event, with few witnesses.

As more and more people have tried to rush to break Cannonball Baker’s time, the route has become established and is commonly referred to as the Cannonball Baker or Cannonball Run.

Carl Reese is a contractor from California, and in his spare time he’s an endurance rider that has set seven world records in less than a year. One being the solo motorcycle “Cannonball” from Los Angeles to New York.  Carl Reese set out to break the motorcycle record previously set by George Egloff in 1983, who completed the cross country run in 42 hours. Carl broke the record completing the run in 38 hours and 49 minutes. He’s now working on a documentary that highlights the history of transcontinental driving records.

www.carlreese.net

Best Tips for Extended Motorcycle Travel from the Experts

We’ve consulted with some skilled and knowledgeable riders, one being a Professor at Kent University who has studied rider fatigue on what advice they would have for the average rider who wants to do some extended riding on their motorcycle. They have some great advice to improve your riding experience.

Sam Marcora
Sam Marcora is a motorcyclist and the Director of Research at Kent University. In 2013 he studied fatigue in motorbike riders on a 3 month ride from London to Beijing and through Central Asia and Tibet.
www.kent.ac.uk/sportsciences/staff/academic/s-marcora.html

Christophe Barriere Varju
Christophe Barriere Varju is an endurance rider, a Motocross Champion and he’s been in the Dakar Rally four times in Africa and South America, the toughest and most dangerous motorsport race in the world. He’s the subject in an award winning film, Dream Racer, about running the Dakar. 
www.dreamracer.tv

Shirley Hardy-Rix
Shirley Hardy-Rix is a world pillion motorcycle traveller and author from Australia. She has travelled the world two up on a BMW with husband Brian Rix, and they have just completed their third trip.
www.aussiesoverland.com.au

Nick Sanders
Nick Sanders is an adventure motorcyclist and author. He’s best known for his extreme motorcycle trips. Nick has ridden around the world 7 times, has motorcycled the length of the Americas 8 times and holds a record for a “double transit from Alaska to Ushuaia and back in 46 days.
www.nicksanders.com