Yes! These are the pictures taken on Robert Pirsig's very own camera as he, Chris, Sylvia, and John made that 1968 epic voyage upon which his book "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" (ZMM), was based. These 12 photos seem to be the only existing photos from that trip. Mr. Pirsig, when he sent me these photos, said that if he had known his book was going be so famous, he would have taken more photographs. As you will see, nearly all these photos appear to have been "written into" ZMM. This leads me to conjecture that there might have been many other photos that likewise were formative for many, many, other parts of the ZMM Travel Narrative.

NOW AVAILABLE: …
A Travel Route, Marked By Black Felt Tip Marker, On A USA Map Mailed To To Me By John (ZMM) Sutherland. In Mr Sutherland’s cover letter, he said 1) ”The map had been given to him by Mr. Robert Pirsig”, and 2) [The (black felt tip) marked travel route,] "Showed some of Pirsig ideas for their proposed trip in 1968." In essence showed an early ZMM Route.!!
In the envelope, all folded up, was an old National Geographic 26” x 40” Wall Map, dated in the title block June 1951. It is a Pre-Interstate Highway Road Map, that has old deep discolorations of Scotch Tape on the corners, indicating it was, in it’s history, for quite a long duration, actually hung on a wall. On this map, someone, most probably Mr. Pirsig, had marked a planned route West, through Northern Oregon, to the Pacific Coast and thence to San Francisco by way of the Pacific Ocean Coast.
Some other routes were also marked, one of which might have been a return route. Also there were notes on the map, using the same black marker, are written in what appears Mr. Pirsig’s hand writing. (Mr Pirsig typically signs his paper letters, with a black felt tip marker.)
In considering the above, I don't agree with Mr Sutherland, that this map was prepared for what became the "1968 ZMM Trip", over what is now known as the "ZMM Route": Had this map been marked any time after Mr. Pirsig was a Professor (1959-1961) at Montana State College (now Montana State University), Mr Pirsig would have included in the marked routes, Bozeman MT. Which this map does not show: Hence it must show pre 1959 route planning.
To see this map & travel route marked by Pirsig, with complete discussion go here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28421778@N02/9694139034/
By Henry Gurr Site Master http://VentureArete.org

For the photographs you will see in this album, I have added a title, added a selected ZMM passage, and provided standard caption format, which includes: ZMM passage & page number, nearest town name, the probable GPS location where the picture was taken, as well as the photo number of my closest matching picture. Mr. Pirsig's own photo captions, sent with his original digital photo files, are included. My photo locations are referenced by a so called "GPS WayPoint Reference Number". A corresponding GPS WayPoint data file will made available upon request. This data file will in turn give precisely the coordinates (degrees North Latitude) + (Degrees West Longitude) for the site of each of my photographs.

New topic: Look closely at the reflection in the shiny gas tank in the first photo. You can faintly discern the image of John, holding the camera at his waist, as he took that photo! HSG

As These Photographs show, our New Science Building was designed to be pleasant, functional AND energy efficient. The architects were instructed to be sensitive to cost effective opportunities for natural lighting, natural ventilation, solar heat (and cooling) so as to reduce long-term operating costs and consumption of energy. Such a design could thus be a constant, living educational experience for our students as to how best to design functional/economical buildings that have low operating costs.

The architects also were instructed to be sensitive to cost effective opportunities for learning and display devices during the building design process. The Sci Building Committee stated: "esthetics monies" should be used to create a building that is attention getting as well as an "active learning device. The grounds, entrance way, halls, even the building, pipes, beams, machinery and construction materials should be educational experiences that invite involvement in science and stimulate more and higher quality science learning for students and the public. The USC Aiken new science building was completed 5 September 1989.

Included in This Album is a photographic tour of the Biology Department Solar Heated Green House. Don't miss this fantastic collection of exotic and colorful plants!!

Phoros and Caption will be added ASA Email Me If You want me to hurry up, or have other questions.

Each photograph In These Four Albums, Was Taken Along The Route Of The Book Zen And Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance, And Was Especially Sought To Show The Specific Travel Passage Of ZMM, Shown Below That Photo.
….These albums are Practically a Photo-Book for Zen and Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. By viewing these photos you will re-live what the Narrator and Chris saw as they traveled those highways so well described in ZMM. They started their trip in Minneapolis, on a Monday soon after 4th of July 1968, and reached San Francisco 17 days later. In words and photographic views, you will relive this fantastic trip!! No ZMM travel passage has been left out.
Explanation: As a research project in Summer 2002, I traveled these same roads and attempted to find (and photograph) the actual physical places described on each page, by the Narrator. My own "ZMM Trip" started at the University of Chicago 9 June 2002. I arrived in Minneapolis late on the same day. I arrived at the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge mid afternoon 8 July 2002, 30 days later. I took a total of 1901 photographs, and on follow-up research trip, Summer 2007, I took an additional ~800 photos. Of these ~915 photos have been selected to be shown in these four albums herein. After you click on the photo (at right) to enter this album, you will see four sub-albums which have my photos for respectively Parts I, II, III, & IV of ZMM. You may click to enter these in any order. (Since ZMM has 373 pages, my photos average to well over two pictures per page of the book!)
SPECIAL NOTE: . Why Is Robert Pirsig’s ZMM, So VERY VERY VERY Factually Accurate? ….Henry S Gurr’s Talk To “The Very First MOQ Conference". Click Here.
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EXPLANATION OF ADDED JULY 2024 PHOTOS: by Henry Gurr Aug 8, 2025. …As part of the 50th Anniversary Celebration Of The Publication of Robert Pirsig’s book “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance”, On April 15, 2974. Click Here. on Monday July 8, 2024,19 ZMM Book Enthusiasts started their travel to follow the roads described in Robert Pirsig’s book. For the entire ZMM Route, their travel was on the same Calendar Dates & Same Days or the week as Robert Pirsig and Chris, originally traveled in 1968. ..,Thru the next 6 days, riders would join or leave this “ZMM Ride”, with 14 riders arriving in Bozeman, MT, July 13. Only David Matos & Henry Gurr continued to San Francisco, arriving on July.25. ....Positions Of Honor are given to Honda Cycles Of Same Model As Pirsig Rode in 1968. NOTE: The 4 Albums Of this Photo Gallery show *For All 4 Parts of ZMM Book), what Mr. Pirsig and Chris, might have seen along this ZMM Travel Route. Originally these 4 Albums only showed Henry Gurr’s 2002 ZMM Research Photos. However, now added, you will see photos of above mentioned “ZMM Ride”, labeled DayOfWeek July ##! Where the ## is the date the photo shown was taken. …These added photos & text were originally in a series of Henry Gurr’s 2024 emails to => “Friends, Family, & Fellow ZMM Route Travelers, which showed .our continuing July 2024 “ZMM Ride” High Points.” …If you want more information about Robert Pirsig & his books Robert Pirsig Association Home Page. Click Here. … If you want more information about the above-mentioned “ZMM Ride”, Click Here For => The ZMM50th Anniversary Ride – AFTER this RPA Page Comes Up => Click Blue Link AT TOP => For 74 Color Photos & Full Report On ZMM Ride Part #1 Minneapolis MN To Bozeman MT.
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USEFUL LINKS:

..….(A). Please Contact Me =>To Contribute Information, Ideas, Stories, Photos, etc OR If You Need More Information, Or Want To Ask Questions. …. My Henry S Gurr University Home Page (Professor of Physics), Has My Full Contact Information. Click Here.
……(B) Read About Robert Pirsig in Wikipedia. Click Here.
…..(C) A Special ZMMQ Photo Gallery Viewing Guide => To Help Guide Persons To Easiest Ways Access Our ZMMQ Gallery Photos.
…..(D) Henry S Gurr’s 2019 Photos Showing (In Part), Changes That Have Taken Place Along “The ZMM Route”. AFTER This Page Comes Up => The TOP TWO Albums, Show .Additional “ZMM Route”, Information BEYOND Henry Gurr’s Summer 2002 Photos. Click Here.

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I share Pirsig’s preference for the back roads. Gestation of my plan was long, after the initial climactic inspiration to trace Pirsig’s original cathartic ride into history. My goal was to attempt to recreate for myself a comparable Zen experience, but I had no desire to mirror the entire trip. I knew I couldn’t. (My hat is off to my fellow countryman, Mark Richardson though.) However, on a motorcycle any road can potentially envelope us in a Zen retreat. Tracing the Pirsig trail from Minneapolis to Yellowstone would be a significant part of my Zen Summer plan.

It all began with my own son’s tortured reading of "Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance." He mentioned it to me when his reading had stalled, like so many others I know (even my brother, the Philosophy major). Some have said it is turgid, quite tangled and painful to read. My son was well into the trip narrative, where it increasingly yields to the Phaedrus/Philosophy dissertation. I confided that I too had never really consumed the whole text in my original reading of the book.

Mike had facilitated my return to motorcycling twelve years earlier and now his query kick-started me into a renewed ascent of this revered motorcycle tome. Reading it again stirred my youthful memories of motorcycling. It inspired me to uncover the Pirsig trail and I plotted the route from the locations in the text (I was unaware that many pilgrims had also done).

Since my first attempt to understand ZMM, my experience had deepened and I was better equipped to appreciate the tale. Like Pirsig, I have supped at the table of academe. The cocktails of arrogance and guile nearly eroded my native curiosity and enthusiasm. I survived.

The Road Star, ELEETia 2, in this story was the fourth mount of my second motorcycle life. It survived the journey, requiring little maintenance. Soon after though, she was destroyed in an accident that nearly took her pilot. Her spirit lives on in ELEETia 3.