The Clancy Centenary Ride 2012-2013

Celebrating 100 Years Of Circling The World By Motorcycle



In 1912 Carl Stearns Clancy and his riding partner Walter Storey set out to become the first motorcyclists to “girdle the globe.” Using two of only five Henderson motorcycles produced by the famed Henderson Motorcycle Company in 1912, the duo left Philadelphia and started their land trip from Dublin, Ireland.

After a frightful crash on Day 1 and miserable weather in October and November, Storey left the 21 year-old Clancy in Paris, and Clancy soldiered on alone.

Clancy spent the next months riding south to Spain, and then across north Africa, only to be halted before attempting to cross India. Undeterred he shipped his motorcycle to Ceylon where he toured from some days, and then shipped again to Penang. Once there he discovered there was no road to Singapore, so it was back on to a boat for Hong Kong, Shanghai and Japan.

Landing in San Francisco, Clancy began what he called the most difficult part of his ‘round the world ride: San Francisco, California to Portland, Oregon, and then across the northern part of the United States to return to New York. His journey lasted 10 months and he had ridden over 18,000 miles.

Two serious Irish adventurers have decided to organize a global re-enactment of the Clancy record setting ride around the world. Feargal O’Neill and his colleague Joe Walsh, in conjunction with the motorcycle traveller’s website Horizons Unlimited, have announced the Clancy Centenary Ride for 2012-2013. According to O’Neill, “I feel that there is a duty on us modern-day motorcyclists to do our bit to honour the memory of this great pioneer of our sport.

The recent release of the book MOTORCYCLE ADVENTURER, a 16 year research project by global road rider (five times around the world) Dr. Gregory W. Frazier, has brought light to the incredible journey made by Clancy. ‘round the world riders can now follow the original route and incredible ordeal made by one of the first real motorcycle adventure riders.

The plan, as explained by O’Neill, is for Horizons Unlimited travellers to retrace the route Clancy made in 1912-1913 on any make and model motorcycle. The riders can follow Clancy’s route for one mile or 1,000’s, depending on their time and commitment. There will be no entry fee and each entrant can join with a group or go solo over what can be traversed of the original route.

Dr. Frazier has agreed to organize and join in the American leg, from San Francisco to New York. Frazier has already researched much of the original route and even suggested a 1912 Henderson may join the much publicized event.

Carl Stearns Clancy had the motorcycle ride of a lifetime, one which modern day riders can only dream about. The next thing closest is to join with other ‘round the world aficionados and Horizons Unlimited to celebrate 100 years of circling the globe.

Bookmark the Clancy Centenary Ride and join or follow one of the world’s greatest motorcycles adventures whether through cyberspace or on the ground in the ride around the world.

More in the Motorcycle USA Article by Greg Frazier

The book is available on Amazon!


More information to come.

What about you? Interested in joining in?

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
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Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

I found Clancy and Storey had a sea-crossing from England to Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Where can I get the route they travelled in the Netherlands and the countries next to it ?

I would be interested to ride part of their route in this part of Europe.

__________________
Jan Krijtenburg

My bikes are a Honda GoldWing GL1200 and a Harley-Davidson FXD Dyna Super Glide

My personal homepage with trip reports: https://www.krijtenburg.nl/
YouTube channel (that I do together with one of my sons): motormobilist.nl

I followed the Clancy Trail backwards from Billings, Montana to Livingston, Montana this week, and then the side trip up to Gardiner at the entrance to yellowstone. Now picking up another section from Portland, Oregon to San Francisco. He had a tough ride over these sections that are now paved. As I rode to Portland I was reminded of how he wrote one day he fell/crashed 17 times!

I'll be doing a Clancy presentation October 14 and 15 at the California HU Meeting, sharing some of the "secrets" of his ride around the world not in the book.

Cheers,

Dr. G, on the Clancy Trail

__________________
Sun Chaser, or 'Dr.G', Professor of Motorcycle Adventure at SOUND RIDER magazine. Professional Motorcycle Adventurer/Indian Motorcycle Racer/journalist/author/global economist/World's # 1 Motorcycle Adventure Sleeper & Wastrel
Soul Sensual Survivor: www.greataroundtheworldmotorcycleadventurerally.co m

Hi Jan,
Thanks a million for your interest in this run. This is exactly the kind of response I was hoping would emerge. Our idea is to have a reproduction made of the pennant which was given to the guys in 1912 and which they proudly displayed when posing for photographs at various stages of the trip. This could be passed from person to person signifying the progress of the journey. Where sea-crossings or other obstacles, eg political situations, are in the way the pennant could be sent by post or courier service to a participant in the next area the route passes through.

There are areas/countries where Clancy was unable to travel through in 1912/1913 for one reason or another. My view, and I stress this is just my view, is that if there are people in these places who are willing to traverse areas today that Clancy couldn’t on the original trip, then that’d be great. For instance, I know that there are HU members in countries such as Turkey and India and I imagine that some might like to do for Clancy today what he was unable to do back then. I fully acknowledge that others would hold the view that the 2012/2013 trip should mirror the original one as closely as possible and I will be happy to go with whichever option the majority considers appropriate.

Hopefully as more people come on board over the next year we will gradually join up all the dots.

Feargal O’Neill

June 2, 2013 is the planned Start Date for motorcycle adventurists wishing to join part, or all, of the USA portion of the Clancy Centenary Ride (San Francisco - New York).

While Clancy originally wrote that he departed by ferry boat to Oakland at 5:00 PM, our departure will be in the morning after a media event and photo op.

We will be asking my adventurous colleagues at CITY BIKE (www.citybike.com) magazine to assist in arranging for a wild send-off from the waterfront.

Dr. Gregory Frazier
Chief, World Adventure Affairs Desk, CITY BIKE magazine

__________________
Sun Chaser, or 'Dr.G', Professor of Motorcycle Adventure at SOUND RIDER magazine. Professional Motorcycle Adventurer/Indian Motorcycle Racer/journalist/author/global economist/World's # 1 Motorcycle Adventure Sleeper & Wastrel
Soul Sensual Survivor: www.greataroundtheworldmotorcycleadventurerally.co m

I notice from this map,



that the route passes through London. While not strictly authentic to the precise route, can I suggest a stop at the Ace Cafe? In its time it's seen many a motorcycle adventure, be it the Ton-Up Club to a Cat On A Bike. The Ace always has a crowd of bikers and organised meets happen practically every day. Their London to Brighton ride pulls in thousands of bikers from around the world. While Clancy predates the Ace by several decades I can imagine it would be just the place he would have headed for had their histories coincided.

As it's become my local I'm more than happy to speak to them to see what could be organised. I can imagine an amazing convoy from the Ace to Tilbury, which could attract many a biker, especially if it was at the weekend.

__________________

Very interested in taking part in this Historic re-enactment. Naturally, I would ride a Henderson for this event. I just ordered the Clancey book! Let me know how to get involved.
John in USA

What a great project recognising a true adventurer.

Any dates and plans for the Irish leg of the event?

Hi folks,

The plan at the moment is this:

Assemble in Dublin on the morning of the 23rd Oct (probably in the Phoenix Pk for ease of access to the N3), take some photos etc, (hoping to have a 1922 Henderson at the start) then travel the N3 (the old version in so far as possible) via Newtown Butler, Lisnaskea, Ballyshannon to Slieve League and back to Donegal Town or Ballybofey for an overnight. The next day 24th, on to Belfast via Derry, Giant's Causeway and the Antrim Coast.

From here the action moves to Scotland where I hope some of our brethren will take up the challenge of continuing the run through Scotland and passing it on for the journey through England and Wales.

Stopping off at the Ace Cafe would be brilliant and might be a good focal point for generating some publicity.

Then the run moves to the Netherlands continuing on through Belgium, France and Spain before heading for Africa.

Basically we need some HU members along the way to join in for a bit or the run (it can be 1 mile or 100 miles or whatever suits you - in your country or more, you decide). We will have a reproduction of the pennant that Clancy brought around the world and the idea is that this will be handed on from rider to rider as the run progresses. If it meets an impasse we can have it sent on to the next willing participant.

So, it's over to you folks, if you'd like to participate chip in and let us know - the more the merrier. Of course, it's not confined to the HU community so if you have any biker friends of whatever persuasion let them know, all are welcome.

As I get more info I'll post it here.

Feargal

Hi Feargal

I've blocked out that week in my diary so let me know what I can do for the Irish part of the route. I would also have time to travel across to meet with someone in Scotland if that's of use.

Drew

That's brilliant Drew. I'm hoping to pop over and do a bit of the UK part also.

We'll defo do the Irish bit and possibly more! We won't know til closer to the time but we're keeping an eye on this!!

Good man Feargal

Kev and Míde

That's brilliant Mide!

You guys will lend an air of sophistication to the whole thing

Are there any route details for the USA leg yet? I'd like to find a way to join in for part of the west coast portion on my 1913 Henderson.

Welcome to HU Pete!

I'd love to see that Henderson, and you will be VERY welcome on the ride.

Details are a ways off yet, but do make a point to subscribe to this thread - see thread tools above the thread - then it's easy to keep up on what's happening.

I suspect the ride won't be coming this far north (Canada) so assume you'd trailer it down to say SF to start?

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com