Bauer shuts the US Cannonball "Rally" down next year.

I know that the subject of the "Euro Cannonball Rally" (where motorcyclists blasted through Europe at speeds up to 180+mph and dissed the local gendarmes) was printed in another US-based mag but the subject is, and most likely will be, very relevant to us US riders and journalist IF a proposed US Cannonball Rally out West comes off next year.  I must admit, such a scenario could make for a viscerally appealing story line for season seven of "24" as Jack pursues the felonious participants but, never mind that.  We'll get back to Jack in a bit.  Also, this subject might give a little perspective about Motorcyclist's resident lightning rod, Dan Walsh.

cmoore, an MC poster, had a good observation in response to my post "Quitch yur bitchin" (offering perspective of Walsh's journeys vs. these Euro hijinks) about this "Rally here, next year".  He identified the one element to a "US Cannonball Rally" in the US West, purported to start in CA and end in Vegas next year, that could get the organizers flambéed -- the legal liability for even sponsoring such an event.  And now Dale Lomas' publishing from "Cycling Universe" (name changed to protect the potentially culpable) could very well be indicting against said organizers if any are hauled before a judge as a result of putting this thing on.  It's been reported that this "Euro Rally" article was printed in Europe earlier.  

cmoore's comments got me thinking... there are two other dynamics of a Rally being held here on US soil that apparently were not in play in Europe -- 1) our western roads are miles of desert stretches where you can still be seen from a great distance. 2) If our law enforcement deems it necessary they WILL literally run you down and/or shoot if it comes to that.

Dealing with #2 first.  I know that in my home state of SC the law enforcement will put down a rabidly disobedient motorcyclist with his patrol car if necessary.  It's happened here occasionally over the last few decades.  And we're talking about local officers, not just the "professionally trained" state troopers.  It doesn't happen daily but it does have a precedent.  The need for a run-down is infrequent because, once a cyclist has decided to flee, he either loses the officer quickly, he drops the bike when he gets in over his head, or he finally yields because he overloaded his shorts with applesauce as he scared himself sh..less.  I've known someone who fell into this category.  

Consider out West where they have serious aerial surveillance and the special breed Chevy Camaro L86 (I believe this is the right designation) with their high performance engines and chassis specs.  These Camaros can top out at Hyabusa/ZX14 speeds of 190mph.  Sorry Lomas, but you may be needing more than a few hundred $'s of repairs next Rally.  And, you may also have a few perforations to your abdomen as well from a Barney Fife wanna'be.  Gotta "nip it in the bud" you know.  But hey, at least the holes will help with ventilation as you rut about at sub-sonic speeds in our desert terrain.  It's not all bad this way.

Now, with #1, the open roads out west.  I'm sure the Rally's path won't be all straight arrow shots.  They'll probably head through more than a few twisty mountain passes.  But you can't cover the whole distance incognito and unexposed.  Those 30 mile straights in the arid West will leave you exposed to almost any kind of surveillance, aerial or otherwise.  I'm sure that the organizers considered this when choosing the US West -- a level up on the challenge.

Gonna be straight though: if this thing does actually come off (and is not just Euro sabre-rattling, smoke up the butt stuff) I wouldn't be surprised if Jack Bauer, Chloe, and CTU don't get involved.  I'm sure Chloe would be dialing in some satellite imaging and track the leaders while feeding intel to Jack as he busts about on a twin-blown, nitroused ZX14 himself.  He'd run these guys down and give 'em one chance before turning them into a land-based shuttle disaster in the desert.  (Chloe) "Jack, I've got the terrorists on satellite now!  They're covering ground fast.  Head east when you hit Interstate 15."  (Jack pulling abreast Lomas' zx14 while running at 180 and no helmet on... Jack can do that you know) "Chop the throttle NOW!!!  I'll shoot if I have to!"  Look here, you Rally loving Euro's -- maybe you know UNION Jack but you don't know  our law-enforcement Jacks or the powers of our Bauers.  They're not like the Clouseaus you jetted by in Europe, ours mean business.  Be watching your six.  They'll be closing fast.

Jesting aside, if one of these Rally boys gets targeted by our enforcers they really might be surgery bound... and then it's to the Big House while their bike is hauled to the recycle bin.  Especially if they take out a citizen enjoying a leisurely drive.  Consider Dexter Ford's article in March's issue (pg 42) about "Who Knew?  Speed-crazed murderers -- or not".  It was a good piece about the overblown, manipulated pap that the so-called mainstream media loves to foist upon it's adoring sheeple.  The motorcyclist/auto tragedy did happen, just not in the exact manner in which it was construed (the Devil in the detail thing).  Imagine the press an event like a US Cannonball (let's call it what it is) Race might garner, especially if one of those speed jockeys torpedoes a vehicle.  If we're concerned about a misrepresentation as illustrated with Dexter's article then we should be troubled by lunacy such as this in our backyard.  I hope this US Cannonball Rally doesn't come off.  We've got enough wildboys in the canyons.  Let's not amplify it.

No disrespect intended towards our two-wheeled Euro brethren.  It's just that an event like this in our homeland could easily have unintended consequences for US cyclists (our public image and governmental oversight), not to mention the welfare of our citizens.

In light of this kind of two-wheeled chaos let us reconsider Dan Walsh's place in motojournalism -- he's a teddy bear.  Peace.