Moving eighteen people and eighteen Harleys across America looks effortless when it is done well. It is not. It takes two guardian angels — a lead rider who sets the pace and a sweep who never leaves anyone behind.
Keep the group visible: staggered formation on open roads, single file through twisties and in traffic. Use hand signals for hazards, fuel and stops, and trust the lead's calls on route, pace and when to push on or rest.
The friendships you build on a trip like this are the real souvenir. Two weeks earlier we were strangers; by the farewell dinner it genuinely felt like saying goodbye to friends.
People often think Route 66 is all about the road. They're wrong. The road is spectacular, but what makes it truly special are the people you experience it with.