LA CANADA MOTORCYCLIST CRUISES COUNTRY SOLO.

Byline: Joan Hart

Jack Dawson, who has lived a conservative family life in La Canada Flintridge for almost 40 years, recently decided to get a different view of the world on a nearly 4,000-mile motorcycle journey.

The 65-year-old Dawson shipped his Honda Pacific Coast motorcycle on a moving van to Philadelphia where he began his solo 16-day trip back to the West Coast last month.

``I've been motorcycling all my life,'' he said.

When he was 15 years old a friend dared him to ride his motorcycle from Chicago to St. Louis and back. So he did.

Since then the responsibilities of life have limited his opportunities for adventure, but he was recently inspired by a book about a motorcyclist who road around the world in 22 months.

``I figured riding from Philadelphia to La Canada would be a minor tour,'' he said.

His longest riding day was 442 miles, when he crossed Oklahoma. His shortest trip was his first day - May 23 - when he rode 103 miles, stopping frequently to enjoy the Pennsylvania scenery.

``On a motorcycle you get to smell and taste the country,'' he said.

He sampled all sorts of roads with views of rivers, hills, deserts, mountains and farms.

On a motorcycle you get to feel all kinds of weather. He drove into weather which varied from thunder and lightning storms with gusty winds and chilly fog to springtime temperatures with sunshine.

He climbed the Kalibab Plateau to 7,900 feet and rode to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon onto Zion Park, which found ``magnificent.''

On June 6 he got up early to beat the desert heat of Las Vegas. The next day he enjoyed the cool ride all the way home via Baker, Barstow, Victorville and Angeles Crest Highway.

Although he made a point to stop and smell the roses by day, by night he slept like a baby in first class motels.