Menachem Lorber, Jim Philips and Alan Speert rode the 47th annual Three Flags Classic from Harrison Hot Springs, BC, Canada to Tijuana, BCN, Mexico.  This was a four day ride of 1,971 miles, not including the ride to get to Canada or home from Mexico. 

 

The ride is sponsored by the Southern California Motorcycling Association. 

 

It has been announced that the 2025 ride will start in Ensenada Mexico and end in Canada.

 

Jim Phillips
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My friend, Alan Speert and myself have planned to join the "3 Flags Rally" which entails riding a motorcycle from Canada to Mexico. in four days, over a proposed route. This is the 47th. time that this rally is taking place. Each year, on Labor day weekend and each time the starting point, the ending point and the proposed route are different. Sometimes the rally runs from Mexico to Canada and in other years,

like this year, it runs from Canada to Mexico.  The organizers are "Southern Motorcycle Club Association (S.C.M.A.)."

 

As our dear old riding buddy, Patrick Walsh was gravely ill  at his home in Deadwood, South Dakota, we decided to visit him first and thus, left Tucson 8 days prior to our Canadian departure.  

 

We rode through Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming into Deadwood, South Dakota and spent a day with Patrick. A bitter-sweet visit but also fortunate for us as we found out later that a few days after our departure, our friend passed away.....

 

Leaving Deadwood, S.D. we continued through Montana, Idaho and Washington to end in Harrison Hot Springs, about 100 miles from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. There we met Jim Philips, a fellow rider who lives in Phoenix, Arizona and who became a third musketeer to our 2 riders group. A day of rest & recuperation later, saw us heading South, beginning the actual run under the rally rules and guidelines.

 

The proposed rally routes covered  interesting roads, various  parks and tried avoiding the use of the interstate highway system. It took four days to cover the states of Washington, Oregon and California (Which felt like it will never end), to cross the U.S. / Mexico border at Tijuana, Sonora, Mexico to arrive at the final destination, located at the Tijuana Grand Hotel. At that hotel, a gala dinner with the presentation of various door prizes and awards  by the S.C.M.A organizers. 

 

During this rally, we covered magnificent vistas, beautiful mountains and awesome roads.  Met many interesting folks and overcame a multitude of obstacles, namely, erroneous navigation turns, mechanical mishaps and the WEATHER....!! That category included, at various stages of the run, strong winds, heavy rains, freezing temperatures and scorching heat...! Particularly during the last 400 miles of going from Tijuana, Mexico to Tucson, Arizona through the desert, with 110 degrees = 43.3C temps. 

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When adding up  the total distances we covered in approximately 12 days of travel, the results add up to about 5000 miles = 8000 Km.

 

In conclusion - I have been "doing" this rally, on & off, for 23 times during the past 28 years.  Each time with a different starting location, ending city and different designated route. Every time upon my return, I promise myself that "This is it..!!" and yet, somehow, I keep renewing my membership in S.C.M.A. again & again.

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This coming October, when I turn 82 years old, I may rethink my continuing but there is a whole year time to decide.....

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Menacham Lorber