No helmets, short pants, and blindfolds for the passengers: not exactly a traditional state of readiness for a motorcycle ride, but it makes a terrific Featured Photo for our newest Photos of the Week page. Submitted by @Larry, it’s a shot of a “fun-filled weekend norh of Hanoi whereby Minsk enthusiast expats celebrate all things Minsk.” The blindfolded passenger operates on instructions shouted back by the pilot and tries to hit a target with a thrown innertube. “Very few crashes,” Larry says.

Here’s another shot, this one taken moments before someone shouted “Đi!” The rider in the blue-gray T-shirt looks particularly focused and calm, don’t you think?

What time was that?

Given that he gets up “at Stupid O’clock” for half of his working week, @Shaggie is “disinclined to get up early on [his] days off,” but he did just that on this particular day a week or so ago, “and am pleased I did.” That’s a 1999 Honda VTR1000F (one owner), photographed at Governors Bay in Canterbury, New Zealand. Want to see more of Shaggie’s work? Check here on advrider.com.

NZ foliage

Here’s a shot from @Kiwial of his Suzuki GS-X taken a week ago before “a nice stand of pure Rimu trees (endemic conifer) at Bruce Bay on the Westcoast of the South Island in New Zealand.”

Foresting

Here are some shots from @Hyguy of his 2023 Suzuki V-Strom DE (and some of him, too) enjoying the greenery of the northeastern United States a few days ago.

Since my planned moto-camping trip to Gettysburg was washed out this weekend; I took an unplanned solo day ride to the George Washington National Forest on Saturday.  The ride was 225 miles round trip and took me from central Virginia down to the Glenwood & Pedlar Ranger Districts near the area of Oronoco.  I rode on 3 forest road trails: Big Piney, Hog Camp & Cow Camp Road.  Fairly easy loose and packed gravel 2 track with some dirt and washouts.  The GW Forest always brings the smiles!!

Stripes!

@4skins sent us this image of two members of the Banded Galloway family staring with envy at him and his 2021 KTM Adventure S. He tells us the obvious: “There is no motorcycle in the frame.” But then goes on to say, “But I was seated astride one when I took the pic and I thought it was pretty cool and worth sharing. The stripe on the bulls is replicated in the reflection on the pond.” This photo is another from New Zealand – we’re extra lucky today! – and was taken a few weeks ago near Motueka, in the Tasman District of the South Island.

Note: a late correction: @4skins wrote “Banded Galloway,” but we mistakenly changed that to “Branded.” A poster let us know it should be “Belted Galloway.” We can see that the striped critters are annoyed with us.

Riding in the UK

Here are some photos from one of our most frequent contributors, @Peter640, who was in the United Kingdom last week with his 2014 BMW R1200 GS (named “Bison”).

The first couple of days with Bison blasting about the Suffolk countryside have been wonderful! I have a few days in the UK before crossing to Holland and then heading north!

More can be found in this year’s ride report: Jahtaavat Poroja / Chasing Reindeer …

I hope you like them, I think that the new phone camera is doing a good job!

That new phone camera is an iPhone 16 Pro, and yes, it’s doing a wonderful job, but hey, it’s the singer, not the song, so thanks to Peter640 for doing his part! And with that, we’ll have to say so long and be well, but we’ll come back next week, and for goodness’ sake, if any of you have photos you’d like to share, don’t be shy! It’s the orange blob right below this.