Well a poor boy took his father’s bread and started down the road
Started down the road
Took all he had and started down the road
Goin’ out in this world, where God only knows
And that’ll be the way to get along
Lyrics by Rev Robert Wilkins/Rolling Stones – Prodigal Son
In 1930, the Depression was just starting to take hold in America, and a lot of poor boys started down the road, looking for something better, going West. One was Sammy Pierce. Born in 1913 in Kansas, he became motorcycle conscious early. Sammy worked with Rollie Free (who later set a speed record on a Vincent wearing a bathing suit) at a motorcycle shop in Kansas, and owned a 1926 Indian Scout. His mother had moved to East Los Angeles, and Sammy decided to go live with her. There were various ways to get from Kansas to California in 1930, including passenger trains, Model A Fords, and riding the rails, but Pierce decided to ride his Scout.
Ninety years ago, the national Interstate system had not been invented, most roads outside major cities were dirt, and gas stations could be few and far between. To modern eyes, a 1926 Indian Scout is a museum piece, with a total loss oil system, no front brake and no rear suspension. The Cannonball coast-to-coast rally often features similar bikes, but most riders upgrade their mounts to the limits of the rules and all
