Portlandjim

In 1971 I took off, with my then wife Virginia, on an around the world bike ride. The idea was to trust serendipity, not be locked into an itinerary. I took a 35mm SLR with 3 lenses, heavy unnecessary gear, but it's nice to have these photos. Here are my photos from Portland Oregon to Panama.

https://goo.gl/photos/YvQnqNQ6ynie3u2L6

After dealing with petty banana republics, we decided to fly to Portugal and ride south, instead of dealing with more border crossing issues in South America. A bad choice in retrospect. These photos are from Portugal to Morocco, then back to Luxembourg and the USA.

https://goo.gl/photos/ADTraSz5yGVTwaDo9

A great adventure, even if we didn't make it around the world! I leanred a lot about what I wanted in a bicycle. Jim Merz

Kabuki12

Quite the adventure , Jim. Great pictures , I forgot how good some of the cameras were back then. I remember a few friends that had really nice camera gear that they got through the Army when they got drafted . After Viet Nam they got into photography and would take amazing photos with them. Your photos tell a story of not just the beauty but also the desolation in some spots. I would think you had days where you questioned the decision to embark. Thank you for sharing, Joe

curbtender

Thanks for posting. So you jumped from the southern to the northern hemisphere? I'm guessing you needed a new wardrobe.

jon c. 

Wonderful shots. Thanks for sharing.

rgvg

A 45-23 low gear does seem a bit high for me, but then I have puny legs.

Velo Mule

It almost seems like the travels you did through the United States was somewhat desolate, but one reaching Mexico it was through more populated areas. All the pictures are great. I especially enjoyed the pictures with people in them.

Thank you for sharing your adventure here @Portlandjim .

rustystrings61 

Thank you for sharing these! It's funny, the colors and the way the film has aged reminds me of the photos in all those incredible bound National Geographic magazines our library discarded a dozen years ago. You captured a lot in your pictures!

romperrr 

wow this an amazing treasure trove of pictures. Thanks for sharing.

madpogue 

Some of that is aging, some of it is dependent on what film was used at the time, and how it captured the colors. Slides and negatives. esp stpred out of the light, are more stable than prints, so it depends on what source is used to digitize the photos.

As for quality in general, back then it was primarily about the lens and the film. Now, of course, it's the lens and the sensor. Modern Nikon cameras actually use the same lens mount (with some variations) as was first used in 1959. With minor modifications, those old lenses will still mount to some of the newest DSLRs. And of course, there are now picture control profiles that will emulate the look of various types of film used back in the day.

Back on topic, I'm not sure I would call such a ride "ill-fated". Perhaps not as planned/intended, but any ride that takes you to that many places should be afforded some measure of success. It's a lot for any one lifetime.

GrayJay

Amazing set of photos. The online album just need the addition of sound effects from a slide projector carousel advancing with each new photo!

madpogue 

And the sound of the bulb fan, and don't forget to dim the lights in the room.

Portlandjim

Carbon fiber can be used to build a bike frame that's many times stronger than 1970's steel frames. I have always wanted to design a serious touring bike made using state of the art materials. There just doesn't seem to be a market for one. Most touring riders think of their bicycle as another piece of gear, like a tent or sleeping bag.

I think it's best if we keep politics out of this Forum.

Jim Merz

jethin

Very cool pics, thanks for sharing. Kinda makes me wish I could go back in time.

Portlandjim

My son Jesse left Portland in December 2015 to finish what I should have done in 1971. He rode from Portland Oregon to the end of South America. I was initially not thrilled with him doing this, but hey, how could I complain? It turned out to be quite an elegant adventure. He wrote a great blog, with some spectacular photos. Check it out if you have the time: https://pdxpanam.tumblr.com/

He was sponsored by Specialized for bike related items. I ended up making the front rack, it's still in use. His final bike was stolen back in Portland, bummer!



Jim Merz

SurferRosa

Those are great! So colorful. Thanks for lugging around your equipment. The cowboy hat hits close to home for me (Oklahoma).






Oly!



Ever noticed how many times you see Oly being drunk in '70s "New Hollywood" films? I guess you gotta drink when you see it pop up in Five Easy Pieces, Sometimes a Great Notion, etc. etc. etc.

Portlandjim

Nevada US 50, “Loneliest Road in America”. Every 30 miles or so is a new pass, parallel ranges running north and south, the road going east/west. At the top of the last pass for the day, typically a good campsite on top as there are trees and usually water, I find this unopened can of beer alongside the road! It's hot of course, but a guy and his wife are in a camper and have an icebox. I think they gave us dinner, another beer, and I drank my cold road find! I really like riding in Nevada! Jim

kroozer 

Thanks for sharing, Jim. The photos brought up some great memories of my own tour through Portugal, Spain, and Morocco in 78-79. It was a long tour (6 mo) but we didn't actually ride all that much, because we were always finding nice places to hang out. I have 3 or 4 crappy photos from the whole trip, but of course some experiences that I'll never forget. More recently I have been doing a lot of short tours in Mexico. Back then you could get away with riding on the 2-lane main highways because there was a lot less traffic. These days I use a fat-tire bike and take the backroads, but now they have paved many secondary roads. Jesse stayed with us for a few days in Tepic on his trans-continental trip, it was great to meet him.

madpogue 

Best "alternate use of a chainsaw" scene ever in "Great Notion". I still wonder if there's any truth to the myth that a well-lubricated Newman basically reprised that scene at a local on-location bar, but with a pool table as the, er, target.