This Is a Page of News Items Specifically Related To This ZMM Quality Website, Or Other Work By Henry Gurr.

A) When major new information is added to this ZMMquality WebSite & Gallery, I will announce it on this page, as soon as possible.

B) AND If I become aware of new information re Robert Pirsig and his book "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance", that information will be placed here also.

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4 July 2008

Help Needed For Making A "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" Video Documentary Marking 40 Years Since Author Pirsig's Original ZMM Trip.

Mr. Lee Glover, an independent documentary filmmaker from Boise Idaho, is traveling and video filming the entire ZMM route during July and early August 2008. This effort will mark the 40 year anniversary Robert Pirsig's original trip with Chris, from Minneapolis to San Francisco.
Mr. Glover needs your help in the following ways:
1) If you happen to be traveling this route, you may volunteer to be filmed and interviewed for this documentary, as a “Pirsig’s Pilgrim”. Whether traveling by motorcycle or not, if you are planning the trip during July/August 2008 (Or know someone who is) please contact Mr. Lee Glove.
2) Similarly if you live, or travel, near the ZMM Route, Lee would like to catch up you along the route this summer for video interview and idea sharing.
3) If you have a passion for ZMM, and have ideas or thoughts you would like to share with others, please let Lee know. Thanks!

Contact Lee Glover, for help with his ZMM Route Documentary
Phone = 208-860-2313 or
Email = leelg77*msn.com (replace the asterisk with the appropriate character).

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June 2008

"Arrive Without Traveling": The First Ever MOQ Conference Is Now On DVD!!

BBC Cameras were running while Robert Pirsig & Fellow Travelers met in their first ever conference on MetaPhysics of Quality (MOQ), at the University of Liverpool, Philosophy Department, July 2005.

Dr. McWatt is to be congratulated for organizing this conference, and then seeing the possibility of getting this very important First MOQ Conference onto DVD!! And now he has seen this DVD project thru to completion!! BRAVO!!

We all can thank him for this considerable service to the world of literature and Pirsig fans everywhere!!

Of course it is just marvelous to see Pirsig there and see what he had to say. This is history at it's best!!

One note of caution: This DVD is somewhat of an amature production, but still enjoyable if you can ignor the rough places.

You can see it all by getting your own copy of "Arrive Without Traveling".

Ian Glendinning's Review is here.

NOTE: In the forth coming months, we can look forward to additional DVD's by Dr. WcWatt. These DVD 's, videos recorded along the route of the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, will show the travel experiences of Anthony McWatt and his MOQ Film Crew.

One of these future DVD's from Dr. McWatt, will document the 2005 status of John Sutherland's old BMW, complete with that cycle's original BMW Owners Manual!! (This manual even has John's own original signature in it!!) In this DVD, it's, priceless to hear the current owner's (Ollie Foran) own story re how he got that venerated bike, and how he has revered it all these years!!.

For some preliminary photos of Dr. McWatt and his traveling companions, Summer 2005, scroll down this page and at left click on the Fourth Album = "Former home of John and Sylvia Sutherland".

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January 2008

Nancy Pirsig Motorcycle Jacket For Sale

Description (revised)
This leather jacket belongs to the ex-wife of author Robert Pirsig, whose married name was Nancy Pirsig. She is selling it because she doesn’t need it, since she now lives in a warm climate and no longer rides a motorcycle.

The label says “Perfecto Genuine Steerhide, Handcut, Schott Bros., Size 38.”
It has a fleecy warm lining and collar. It fits her fine and she normally wears a size 10 or 12, or medium. It is in good condition.

It was purchased around the late sixties or early seventies, and worn on many motorcycle trips – day or weekend trips in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

In the photo, taken in the Pirsigs’ St. Paul driveway in the early seventies, you can see Bob Pirsig in the background.

Proceeds from this sale will go into a college fund for Nancy and Bob’s grandson, who is currently a high school senior.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300190933503#ShippingPayment

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November 2007

Treasured Montana artist Gennie DeWeese died peacefully in her studio home surrounded by family on Monday, Nov. 26, 2007.

This is a time of great loss and sadness for Pirsig Pilgrim's who have been privileged to meet Gennie. And no less for ZMM Enthusiasts who know her only through reading ZMM. I was indeed blessed to have visited several hours with her twice at the DeWeese home in Cottonwood Canyon, Bozeman.
Gary Wegner says it well for all ZMM Readers: "Although I never had the pleasure of meeting her [Gennie] in person, over the years it seems she, like many others in ZAMM, have become familiar characters in my own story. Good literature does that. As a member of the Pirsig Pilgrimage class of ’78, I called Gennie when we arrived in Bozeman. She was very gracious in answering my questions, and when I asked her to define Pirsig in a word, she replied, “Intense.” Perfect. I like that. And I like the fact that Chris and Gennie and her husband Bob will forever live on in the pages of ZAMM. That is no small measure of immortality. We owe a debt of gratitude to Gennie for advising Pirsig, “You should write all this down . . . Without trying to get it perfect.” Perfect."

This is a passing of an era! Here are some very good articles on what Gennie has meant to many people. If you are aware of other articles, please contact me.
Bozeman Daily Chronicle
Gennie's life & art showing two of her very nice paintings.
DeWeese Family WebSite showing many more of Gennie's paintings.
Description of Gennie DeWeese Celebration that took place June 20-21, 2008.

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November 2007

Mr. Mark Richardson, is a writer and the Automobile -Motorcycle Editor for the Toronto Star Newspaper, one of Canada's foremost newspapers.

Starting Monday 19 July 2004. Mr. Richardson also followed the ZMM Route. This Album Shows Mr. Richardson's Photos of his trip, as he toured on his trusty Jakie Blue motorcycle. His photos and interesting commentary started in Toronto and ended at the Zen Center in San Francisco, two weeks later. Mr. Richardson has written up his experiences into his forth-coming book. It is fascinating to read and I am sure you will not want to miss it!

Email Newsflash, 7 Nov 07 From Mark Richardson: His New Book Concerning His ZMM Route Experiences Has A Publisher!

Hi Henry and Ian:
I want you both to be first to know that my book Zen and Now was sold this week to Knopf, which will publish it simultaneously in the United States and Canada next September. This very fast turnaround is so that it will be published on the 40th anniversary of the original 1968 ride.
Knopf is one of Random House's most prestigious divisions. It will be published in paperback by Vintage. **** Snip ****

As before, I'll keep you in the loop about its progress and I hope to be able to send you a final version before publication. That's no longer my decision, of course, but I expect your feedback and comments on the manuscript will be welcomed. Your assistance and web sites will be properly acknowledged in the published book, of course. And if you want to go ahead now and mention on your sites that the book will be published next September by Knopf, that's fine.
All the best, and many, many thanks. Mark Richardson
Zen and Now: On the Trail of Robert Pirsig and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

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November 2007

The University of Chicago "Showdown": ZMM Narrator vs The Chairman.

Some very good observations re ZMM. Here is an excerpt to get you interested:

" .... I believe the last part of ZMM contains one of the most historically important showdowns in the history of American Literature, and indeed one of the most historically important showdowns in the history of man. That may sound absurdly exaggerated, but my Quality Intuition seems to tell me otherwise. There may be a few people who agree with me, but it's really sad that the majority of humans will probably not realize the significance of this showdown for many years.

One of Pirsig's greatest gifts IMO is his ability to move around *huge* chunks of preexisting thought patterns; patterns that are so enormous and that we are so dependent on, that we usually don't even realize they exist. Patterns of thought that we are generally blind to. Pirsig can shed light on these patterns like no other......."
http://www.mail-archive.com/lilasquad@moq.org/msg00456.html

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October 2007

The Popular Culture Association and American Culture Associations is inviting papers on motorcycling and its impact on American and other societies and cultures.Motorcycle Life and Culture.

Annual Meeting of the PCA?ACA Southwest?Texas
February 13-16, 2008
Hyatt Regency, Albuquerque NM
(And Probably Repeats Each Year.)

Suggested topics include:

• Riders' narratives or descriptions of the ride
• The motorcycle as art, poetry, or agency
• Rituals, norms, customs, or influences in motorcycle culture
• The biker as subaltern or as "other"
• Movies, films, or other images of motorcyclists
• Analysis of media, consumer capitalist, corporate, or other power structures in relation to motorcycling culture or popular myth
• Biographical analysis of noteworthy motorcyclists and their influence upon myth, culture, or cultural capital
• Racial, ethnic, gendered, class, or demographic aspects of motorcycling culture
• Other literary, anthropological, geographical, historical, sociological, or psychological perspectives of motorcycling culture

Please respond to the Area chair with a biographical statement and an abstract of 150 words by November 15, 2007. Graduate student submissions are welcome. Since responders may be assigned to presentations, completed papers should also be sent to the Chair for review, not later than January 15, 2008.
http://www.h-net.org/announce/show.cgi?ID=158838

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July 2007

A New Page That Has Much Good, Well Organized, Information re Robert Pirsig and his book "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance".

http://www.selfgrowth.com/experts/robert_m_pirsig.html

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July 2007

This Site Has News Re Robert Pirsig and his book "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance". Be sure to also click other items in the Menu at Left

http://robertpirsig.org/news.htm

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July 2007

This Site Has Life & Time Line News, Re Robert Pirsig and his book "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance". Be sure to also surf other items in this very expansive WebSite.

http://www.psybertron.org/timeline.html

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June 2007

New Earth Care WebPages Now Being Developed: Gurr's Green Guide To Energy Saving & Global Warming.

After seeing Al Gore's movie An Inconvenient Truth, I Decided Global Warming was here for real! The developing Global Warming Crisis is most certainly going to be the Grand Father Of All Problems: Global Warming, bad enough on its own, mill bake every other human problem vastly worse!

I needed to personally DO SOMETHING. But what? ..... While doing research into a new refrigerator (to replace our 36 year frig) I realized my calling. Other people could use my search experience: Soon available, What Information Resources To Go To And What To Avoid http://ww2.usca.edu/ResearchProjects/ProfessorGurr/SaveEnergyGuide

You may gain inspiration and ideas from our Passive Solar Home just North of the University of South Carolina Aiken Campus. Click here to see more about Solar Home of Suzanne & Henry Gurr.r

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November 2006

New 2006 Updates To My Photo Albums Showing the Sights & Scenes of ZMM Book Are Still In Progress. Here Are Instructions How To Find My Newest Photos and Updated Captions.

A) The most concentrated series of photo-up-dates relate to the Narrator & Chris Mountain Climb at Bozeman, MT. (These photos relate to "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" pages 167-232 in Bantam Paper Back Edition.)

These updated photos are the first 33 photos of ZMM Part III.. The last 4 of these 33 photos, are actually topo maps showing a possible route of their mountain climb. To see these CLICK HERE

B) The remainder of my 2006 updates are distributes thru ZMM Parts I and II.

The "Gallery Search Box" is the easiest way to find my 2006 photos (or any specific words) in the captions of any of my Gallery Photos. Instructions next below:

Steps to find ALL my latest 2006 photos and related updates:
1) First read all the way through the following 9 instructions.
2) After you click on the link of step 8) below, you will see at the upper right of the listed Albums, an empty box with word Search.
3) Type into this box Summer2006 and hit Enter.
4) You will note that the search words are shown in bold in the captions shown.
5) Scan the resulting photos for those you want to look at.
6)Click on the small photo to see a medium sized version.
7) If you want a larger photo, click on the photo again.
8) Contact me if you have any questions.
9) Now click below to go to the photo albums and do the above 8 search steps:
http://ww2.usca.edu/ResearchProjects/ProfessorGurr/gallery/

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July 2006

Very Good Essay re the Main Messages of ZMM & How Related to Other Authors.

"A lengthy (by web standards) academic treatise explores ZMM's 'crises of reason' theme. With notes and a short bibliography."
http://www.public.iastate.edu/%7Econsigny/pirsig.html
Above quoted text is from
http://www.synaptic.bc.ca/ejournal/Robert_M_Pirsig.htm

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July 2006

I have just finished two books that Ian Glendinning will most certainly want to include these books in his efforts to understand human functioning and best principles of enlightened industrial management!!

Merlin Donald has masterfully assembled for us a vast panorama of human mind that is very insightful and very correct. He, using wide range of evidence, weaves a tapestry that includes a vast number of components, all of which we must be aware, as we work in various areas of knowledge, even ZMM.

It would be best to read in order that Dr. Donald wrote these books;
' Read first 1) below = Origins....'' and then
Read second 2) below = Rare.... ''', since the first book helps stage the second.
Click here, then click on each book at Amazon.com literary reviews.

1) Merlin Donald, Origins of the Modern Mind : Three Stages in the Evolution of Culture and Cognition.

Library of Congress Catalogue Number = BF311 .D572 (1991).

2) Merlin Donald, A Mind So Rare : The Evolution of Human Consciousness.

Library of Congress Catalogue Number = BF311 .D57 (2001).

More about Professor Donald at
http://psyc.queensu.ca/faculty/donald/donald.html

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June 2006

What Books to Read: Reviews & Bibliographies by Robert Teeter.

I Have Just Discovered a Wonderful Source For Good Books and "Great Books Lists". It is one of the most extensive compilations of lists of Eastern and Western Classics I have seen! You should spend some time exploring this resource. Also be sure to add e a Bookmark (Favorite) on your web browser. Of course "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" is also included in Mr. Teeter's recommendations!
http://www.interleaves.org/~rteeter/whatbooks.html

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June 2006

Robert Pirsig's Philosophy Is a Direct Descendant of American Pragmatism

Compliments to the efforts of Dr. Anthony McWatt I have just been introduced to a very good article which shows clearly and succinctly how Robert Pirsig's Philosophy is a direct descendant of the American Pragmatism of Dewy and most especially of James. This article is the B A dissertation of Dean Summers of University of Central Lancashire, and may be viewed at http://www.robertpirsig.org/Pragmatism.htm .

Mr. Summers tightly organized writing makes a convincing case that Pirsig's two books, Lila and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance agree with, support, and considerably extend the philosophic traditions of pragmatism, especially American pragmatism.

Summers also shows how Pirsig has made pragmatism both clearer and more powerful. He also carefully points out how and where Pirsig fills-in some of the major weaknesses of Dewey and James.

Summers concludes:
"Perhaps though the most important thing, the ultimate demonstration of Pirsig's pragmatism is that his philosophy grounds out in everyday action...in everyday life. Like the founders of pragmatism Pirsig shows above all that there is a demonstrable reason why that which we feel is good, is good. Experience is not subjective, it is of the good, therefore the moral good issues directly from reality. Pragmatism breaks the picture in which knowledge is somehow ‘higher’ than experience and action. It does this by showing that knowledge is actually a form of action which is guided by experience. Pirsig's contribution has been to show that that experience is of an absolutely real good. Furthermore, the moral theory that this gives rise to, is an extremely interesting one. It is perhaps the most dramatic advance that he makes upon pragmatism, which is itself, for most critics, above all a moral philosophy. If for this reason alone, Pirsig's philosophy deserves to be re-evaluated in order to generate further analysis of its concepts. "
(An extensive bibliography is also included.)

This work of Dean Summers compliments and supports the larger

Both of these authors are worthy of your attention.
a) http://www.robertpirsig.org/Pragmatism.htm
b) http://www.robertpirsig.org/PhD.htm

Henry Gurr

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June 2006

New Book Shows Relation of Pirsig to Dewy and Aesthetic Education.

Anthony McWatt sends the following news:
Pirsig has pointed out to me recently that a book relating his work and John Dewey's is due to be published this November by Palgrave Macmillan. It's titled “John Dewey, Robert Pirsig, and the Art of Living: Revising Aesthetic Education” (ISBN 1-4039-7402-0). The author is David A. Granger (PhD from University of Chicago!) who is the Associate Professor of Education at The State University of New York at Genese. Grainger has already published some other work on the pragmatists such as "Recovering the Everyday: John Dewey as Emersonian Pragmatist."

Book information at:
http://www.palgrave.com/products/Catalogue.aspx?is=1403974020

Professor Granger does not appear to have a WebPage, but here is his article on Educational Philosophy at:
http://www.oneonta.edu/library/edchange/2003_2004/art02.pdf

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May 2006

Recent Book, Doing School, "Experimentally" Confirms ZMM's Discussions of 1) the Problems of Grades In Education and 2) the Problems of Rote Meaningless Learning In USA Schools.

Doing School, by Denise Clark Pope, discusses at length the problems caused by the over emphasis of grades in our schools. For a whole school year author Pope "shadows" five students who are above average performers in an above average public high school. She reports, often in their student's own words, their high stressed lives Pope tells us of these student's academic experiences: hopes and fears, ambitions and doubts, successes and problems. It is clear that these students high drive for high grades is destructive of the educational enterprise and does not foster the students own desire to learn and develop. They have not learned meaningfully nor with sufficient understanding. Pope makes it clear to us, that this is what the "system" promotes, rewards, and indeed demands! These students are, turned into robots cranking out learned facts on the next exam, with the de-facto plan to forget what they have joylessly memorized, as they start the study cycle for the next exam. Real learning and a real education never has a chance! Overall Doing School, does a very good extensive job at documenting and experimentally confirming ZMM concerning the educational losses and problems created by grades
A good review of Doing School by George Abaunza, expands on my discussion. Same review at either link:
http://www.devereux1.org/books/books.php?id=2162&type=de or
http://www.ozarkguidance.org/poc/view_doc.php?id=2162&type=book&cn=28

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May 2006

Now For Practically Any Book In Amazon.com, You Can Get Interesting Statistical Information, Book Cross References and Conduct a "Search Inside"!

Below I give instructions how to use this new Amazon feature, to see valuable and interesting information about most books, like for example ''Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance"! You will be able to search for (and view) specific words and passages as well as get information re ZMM such as word frequency, relative reading difficulty, a list of books mentioned by ZMM and a list of books that, inturn mention ZMM. These new abilities are in addition the ability to see the book's covers, view inside (front and rear) covers, and read several pages. (These abilities have been available for several years now). Be aware that to use this new feature, you will have to have an Amazon.com account, user name and password. You will automatically get these if you have purchases books from Amazon.

To Use the Amazon "Search Inside", You Must Have An Amazon.com Log-On and Pass-Word AND Have Purchased From Them. Here Is What You Do: Bring up Amazon.com on your browser. Then find a book that has the special "Search Inside" Icon. This has a large red curved arrow and the word search inside in green & blue. (I provide a link to a handy example below.) Place your mouse cursor on this icon, and a bunch of choices will come up. Have fun clicking to find what each of these choices is all about!! Some choices will request your user name and password. (
BUT "SEARCH INSIDE NOT WORK FOR ME: Although the Amazon "Search Inside" usually worked great for me, sometimes I would get a warning saying "Important Message: You don't satisfy their criterion to use the "Search Inside", such as you haven't purchased books fm Amazon. Under this "Important Message" condition, I could not get the most (useful) of the "Search Inside" results. After several emails to "Amazon.com Help", I learned that I couldn't get "Search Inside" to work, because I had TWO Amazon.com accounts, and I did not seem able to avoid the "bad" one!! Again with the "Amazon.com Help", I supplied my old credit card number, which identified my old account with which I had purchased books. This allowed me to delete the other (bad) account, and now I can use all the great features of the Amazon "Search Inside" !!}
Click here to use the Amazon "Search Inside" feature with ZMM book.

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April 2006.

Seven New Pages Have Been Added to ZMM Quality. Plus New Revisions of Home and Gallery Info Page.

Check out my newly created pages. They are the top eight items in the main menu at the upper left. Even the Home Page (menu top) is revised. Also ZMM Gallery Captions Codes Page (menu 11th item) has been newly revised. If you have been away from ZMM Quality for a while, here is some new material and new resources re Pirsig's Book. Enjoy!! Let me know if you have any suggestions.

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April 2006.

Now Available: Zen & Art of Teaching, a Masters Thesis by Grant K Hansen.

Zen And The Art Of Teaching :Using The Novel Zen And The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance For A Course Of Study In Advanced Placement Literature And Composition by Grant K. Hansen, Weber State College, Ogden, Utah.

I have recently obtained the complete text of this document and will share for those ZMM researchers and teachers who are interested. I am seeking permission to post this document on these Web Pages. Please contact me if you know how to contact Mr. Hansen or knows the person who grants copyright permissions at Weber State College.

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News Archive. Below Is an Archive of Older "News".

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July 2005.

John Sutherland Interview DVD Now Available.

In the Summer of 2003 I conducted a Video Interview with Mr. John Sutherland, one of the four main people in the ZMM book. I have completed a 80 Min DVD-Movie of this interview which will be sold for $15 plus $4 p&h. This DVD also has 35 of my photos of Mr. Sutherland, his home, his drums and photos of Robert Pirsig's old Minneapolis home & Nebo hood. Also on this DVD are three "movie-maps" showing: 1) A mark-up of Mr. Pirsig's original planed route for traveling from Minneapolis. 2) A mark-up of Mr. Pirsig's original planed route for traveling the return trip and 2) The ZMM Route as stated in the ZMM book.

If you are interested in receiving a copy of this DVD, or need other information, please contact me as soon as possible.

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January 2005.

ZMM Photo CD Available Soon.

My entire collection of "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" research results, and digital photos will soon be available on a Compact Disk (CD). In my ZMM Research and travel on the ZMM Route, I was able to discover many sites mentioned in the book "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance". I have collected a considerable amount of potentially useful Information. For example: photographs, maps, and ZMM site directions. A limited selection of these results, are being placed on ZMM Quality Web Pages and on ZMM Quality Gallery Photo Albums. As soon as possible, an extensive collection of my research results, conclusions, and digital photos will be available on a Compact Disk (CD). If you are interested in purchasing a copy of this CD, or need other information, please contact me as soon as possible.

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Summer 2003

Travel Guide for the ZMM Route Is Being Revised.

My Travel Guide for the ZMM Route is currently being revised to include new "On Site" ZMM Route Research Information. This Travel Guide describes how to follow the same route originally followed, in July 1968, by Robert Pirsig and his son Chris. This trip provided the very real experiences upon which Mr. Pirsig based his book.

In June/July 2002 I traveled (and researched) the entire "ZMM Route". I attempted to find, and photograph, every sight/scene described in ZMM: Summaries of what I found are on ZMMquality.org as follows:

To see the current version of ZMM Route "Travel Guide", click on it in the Main Menu at upper left.

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April 2003.

Gallery Slide Show Instructions.

To read instructions on how to view my gallery using the "Gallery Slide Show", click on "Gallery Slideshow Info" in the Main Menu at upper left.

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August 2003.

Photographs Taken by Robert Pirsig When He Was On His Original 1968 Trip.

My "ZMM Quality Photo Gallery" Albums now have photographs taken by Robert Pirsig when he was on his original 1968 trip. These "ZMM Quality Photo Gallery" Albums now also have approximately 760 of my pictures from my own 2002 ZMM Route Research trip. To view these photos , click on "Photo Gallery" in the Main Menu at upper left.

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Please Ask If You Desire More Information.

In addition to the above, I have much ZMM and Pirsig information. I anticipate making this information available to serious ZMM researchers or biographers. .
END News

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Other New Development Pending On This ZMMquality Site.

Regularly I Discover New Ideas or Materials For This Site, But No Time At the Moment to Post Them. ..... So I "Stick" these in a special place waiting for me.
To See My Scrambled Collection of Ideas and Text for "Future Work" Go here: New Work In Progress.

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