My 1963 Trip Across America on a 175cc Motorcycle

By Ronald E. Lampe

In the summer of 1963, after an honorable discharge from the U.S. Air Force, Ronald E. Lampe began a journey of self-discovery, embarking on an ambitious cross-country motorcycle trip on a small 175cc Parilla.

This book is a captivating blend of a military memoir, a travel adventure, and a personal coming-of-age story. Lampe recounts his four years of service, from basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas, to his work with B-52 radar gunnery trainers and as an Instrument Flying Instructor at Dow AFB, Maine, sharing the discipline and life lessons that shaped him.

The narrative then shifts to the open road, detailing the challenges, adventures, and the many coincidences of receiving unexpected help from "Good Samaritans" as he traversed states like Ohio, Iowa, and South Dakota on his small bike. Part time capsule, the memoir offers a nostalgic look at America in the early 1960s, a world vastly different from today, which the author hopes future generations will read to discover "how helpful people were in that time"

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0GPQ41GFW
• ISBN13: 9798295642418
• Release Date: February 2026
• Publisher: Ronald E. Lampe
• Length: 146 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"