First, I want to send a very big thank you to everyone who is spending this Christmas away from loved ones due to military deployment. Your sacrifice is greatly appreciated! I hope Biker Clause has been kind to all of you. Whether your wish was for family time or your choice of weather or even if you only dreamed of Chrome, I hope your holiday wishes come true. Here's wishing all of you a Happy Merry ChristmaHannaKwanzaDahn!! And If you're lucky enough to ride today, well, Just take a twisty for me, because it's raining here And I just don't see Kate getting out today... Catch you on the Road... Just not today
Day Two of My Summer Trip... I woke up around 7 The next morning feeling ratHerhung-over from the prevIous dayS dehydration on the road. I took my time, getting a shoWer & pAcking up to leave before making my way intothe diner portion of the Store/office of the hotel. I fixed myself A cup of coffee and a plate of french toast and sat down to eat as the owner of the hotel was wanderinG aRound clEAning up The store. We exchanged pleasantries and began to chat while I ate & he cleaned. He asked where I was From and where I was headed. I coUld see a spark of memory in his eye when I told him and he started to regale me with his own tales of a younger life on the road. It seems he was an old sChool biKer from ArIzoNa who used to ride up into Utah every chance he Got. When the time came foR hIm to retire & plant himself in one spot, this was the only suitable location. They bought the lanD & startEd the hotel & store and were workIng on a full serviCe restAuraNt togo with iT. As I finished my breakfast I asked him about the fastest Way back to I-15.He just kindA smIled and Told me thaT if I left the 89 I'd be dOing my trip a Great disservice. As he Outlined my pAth I would only be losinG about 30 minutes And the rIde would be much more eNjoyable to stay on the State Highway all the way to I-70. Well, who am I to argue with a great ride? My God, was he ever right! The first thing I saw was , as he had told me, the Sevier river that runs backwards! He had told me that it was the only river in North America that runs South to North. I have found, though, that there are a handful of others, but regardless of exclusivity, this was both gorgeous and weird! I was riding leisurely along just south of Panguich, Ut, enjoying the beautiful landscape (and glad to be out of the desert!) when I noticed a couple of hot-air balloons rising up above the trees. I pulled over to take a couple of photos and get a drink before continuing up the road. A little farther up the road I saw a couple more balloons, so I pulled back over for some more photos.
Now convinced I had seen a beautiful sight and had the pictures to prove it I started off again, sure that I wouldn't need to stop again. Boy, was I wrong. As I topped the hill & rounded a curve this is the sight that greeted me.
I couldn't wait to pull over to get the photos. I swear there must have been a thousand balloons in the area! A banner stretched across the road announced it as the "Panguich Valley Balloon Rally". I was passing through on it's last day. Beside the road was a Utah Highway Patrol car with the Lights flashing. Apparently he was trying to keep people from pulling over to take pictures and causing what would pass for a traffic tie-up in Panguich. I got my photos and offered my apologies & headed on my way. Pulling out the other side of town, I learned another valuable lesson. Never follow a pick up with a barking dog through a small town's residential district. After fueling up I fell in behind a farm truck with a farm dog that was very excited by all the balloons. He was bouncing around the truck bed from side to side barking his head off. He was a beautiful dog (I'm a dog person) and I was getting a kick out of watching him... Until we pulled in front of another dog's house. It seems the resident dog didn't like the truck dog barking in front of his house and he came out to let him know, chasing the truck barking his head off. I damn near ran him over. I was seriously afraid he was going to get caught up in my front wheel. The dog was all over the road, so maneuvering was not really an option, so I got yet another test of how fast I can shut Kate down when something goes awry. After getting out of town, I had only open road & time to reflect through out the rest of Utah. I did stop at a view point off of I-70 to get some pictures of Devil's Canyon, but I must tell you that the best View of it was from the highway right after the view-point. Sadly, I was not willing to push my luck and as I was being followed by another of Utah's finest, I didn't pull over for those photos. My next lesson of the day came when I pulled over for lunch & gas and decided to call the Harley dealership that I was planning to visit to see when they closed. The Atlas I got from Harley listed them as open on Sunday, but that seems to mean little to the dealers... They were closed. So I satarted calling other dealerships along the way. I reached the folks at Aspen Valley Harley Davidson in Glenwood Springs and found that they were indeed open on Sunday, but in order to make it I was gonna have to push. So, I spent the remainder of the afternoon well focused on getting there on time. In the end I made it with a few minutes to spare.
I'm not sure how well you can see it on the blog, but in the photo of the gas station, you can just make out the snow capped mountain under the corner of the canopy. I had never thought that I would be riding in places that still had snow on the ground, but I did! I had been having wonderful luck with the weather so far, And just a couple of miles East of Glenwood Springs, that luck ran out. I started feeling water drops that I thought were splashes from the river beside the highway, as the sun was still shining bright and there were only a few clouds visible. The drops however got bigger and more frequent as the clouds started to show themselves, Culminating in a full-blown rainstorm. At this point I didn't have any rain gear except for my Leather, which I pulled over to don, thinking to myself that my next opportunity I was going to purchase a full set of rain gear. I pulled into Limon, Co. just after sunset and found a hotel. I was told by the clerk to park my bike right outside the door as there would be someone in the lobby all night & they would keep a close eye on her for me. Thanking her I lugged all of my gear (Is that why they call it "luggage?) to my room and spread my leather out to dry before taking a quick shower & heading across the road for food. After a great plate of grilled liver, ,a couple of Sam Adams and a quick game of pool, I could not wait to get back to the room to go to sleep. As much as I was enjoying the ride, I was definitely ready to arrive the next day... Day three will follow soon, I hope you're enjoying the ride! I'll catch you on the road!
I want to start off this post by offering an apology to all who have posted comments recently. I don't get on Blogger to check my comments, I do that on My email. I get on Blogger to write my posts, and then go to your blogs to read yours. I don't spend my time reading what I wrote, You know? Anyway, For some reason my Email provider has been dropping all incoming mail into spam which I rarely check because... well I hate spam (The Email kind, I actually really like the meat kind) Anyway. I am now aware of the problem and will be more precise in checking. I hope you are all well and I am glad you didn't forget me!
Now... You have to understand... My first Harley was a sportster...I love the bikes. I realize they're not practical for someone like myself who wants to take off on long rides with a passenger in some semblance of comfort, but they're fast, light, maneuverable and an all out blast to play on.I sold that bike so that I could afford to move my family to Southern California in a kind of "Gift of the Magi" scenario... I sold my Harley so I could move somewhere that has a 12 month riding season. It turned out to be the best move I ever made. I got to work in a dealership for a year, then found a job that would allow me to afford a New Bike, and with my kids getting bigger I needed a bigger bike. But in my heart of hearts there will always be a soft spot for sporties! I've found several models that I like over the years, but I don't have the available cash or the space for another bike... But If I did...
This would definitely be the Bike.The new Throw-Back to the Old school XR750. Harley's new XR1200. The Official description is ... "Drawing significant design influences from the successful Harley-Davidson XR750 motorcycles that set new standards for dirt track racing success over the last 30 years, the XR1200 features technical innovation to provide potent street performance and handling. In fact, Harley-Davidson dirt track racing legends Scott Parker and Rich King participated in the XR1200 development, along with European GP racing champion Adrien Morillas.The 1200cc Evolution V-Twin cranks out 90 hp with high torque. Rubber mounted to a new frame with a cast aluminum swingarm, the engine delivers exhilarating performance and responsive handling with less vibration. A unique upswept, high-volume 2-1-2 straight shot exhaust system includes dual mufflers and is finished in satin chrome. A sport-tuned Showa® suspension with inverted 43 mm front forks and twin preload adjustable shocks combines with lightweight black cast three-spoke wheels to make the XR1200 ride and corner with feeling. Specially designed Dunlop® Qualifier D209 tires connect the rider to the road, while Nissin® four-piston calipers and large dual disc front brakes provide stopping power."
I have a feeling you'll need saddlebags just to hold the Balls this thing has! I hope you all have a happy and safe Thanksgiving (In the U.S.) & I'll catch you on the road!
I just wanted to take a minute to offer my own Heartfelt thanks to all of those who have put so much on the line so that I could be free to write this blog. Our entire country owes you a huge debt of grattitude. Whether your service is inthe past or the present, in war or in peace, I thankyou all!
Hey Ya'all ! I'm a little late in posting this one, But in case you haven't heard, Harley has a new promotion going. In the “Build It to and Win It” sweepstakes, contestants can customize a Harley-Davidson2009 model and enter it to win the bike they designed.Using the Genuine Motor Accessories Customizer, Anyone can choose a Harley-Davidson model and then select from hundreds of custom options, including Color Shop custom paint sets, Screamin’ Eagle performance components, hand and foot controls, custom front end parts and decorative collections, and place them on a virtual motorcycle. As the bike is created, each new component appears on a picture of the virtual motorcycle, so a customizer can see exactly what the finished custom Harley-Davidson will look like. After customizing, the bikes can then be saved in a personal profile “Garage,” along with a convenient, printable list of each component with its part number and price.
A contestant can customize, save and enter up to ten 2009 models between Oct. 15 - Nov. 6 and each will be entered to win. Representatives from the company will randomly select one bike, which will be awarded to the Grand Prize winner after the Nov. 6 deadline. SO, Now I'm off to the customizer... I'm thinking "Night Glide"! Hope you're all well & ride ready! Catch you on the Road
Hey folks! I know, It's been a while.... I'm sorry, Life gets in the way some times, and if I have to choose between riding & writing about riding, I'm goin' for a ride! That having been said, I will return with the rest of the details about my ride this summer as well as details on another event from this year, but I still have to clear some hurdles before I can share that. What I do want to share right now is that I'm working on a relationship with Harley that will benefit all who are truly into the Bikes and the Company, This will include Company released information brought directly to riders. How cool is that? Hmmm Maybe I should ask about some gear, maybe some new upgrades for Kate in exchange for road reviews? I'd be more than happy to try out, say a high back King & Queen seat for the Softail Custom, just saying... Seriously Folks, I'm not sure yet, myself, exactly what all this new relationship will entail, but I will say that its starting off on the right foot... or feet, or more specifically legs. Yeah, Marisa Miller's Legs to be perfectly clear. Marisa will evidently be the poster girl for the V-rod Muscle. Now you all know The V-rod is not my favorite ( Water-cooled?) but I don't judge and I have noticed that the line is developing quite the dedicated following. And Now they bring Marisa into the Mix. Hmmm. I think they just got another follower. Here's a little tidbit from behind the scenes, and you can see for yourself...
Now the only thing I can see that's wrong with that girl is that she Told us about her family members who ride, but she never said she did.
Hey, Marisa, I bet we could find some volunteers to teach you.
Hey, Does anyone know the name of that song? I want that for my iPod.
I'll be back soon, Keep the shiny side up & I'll catch you on the road
I've been trying to post this for a couple of weeks. I actually started writing from the road, but that didn't work out too well. Forgive me the absence, I'll try posting this and subsequent Motorcycling events in smaller issues, more often. I hope everyone had a wonderful Fourth of July...I'll Catch you on the Road!Camron____________________________________________________________________ I took this picture Friday (June 27) after the bike was done for the night to show you the starting point for the ride. I finished packing afterward and spent the evening with my family, or tried to at least. My sons are apparently too old to want to spend time with me just because I'm leaving town. I got up early Saturday and went through & made sure I had packed everything I needed. I usually forget at least one thing, but so far this trip I haven't figured out what it could be. After I got everything packed & loaded, we woke the boys up & I took the whole family to Breakfast. As Much as I had been looking forward to the trip, I was finding plenty of reasons to take a couple of more minutes. Just trying to figure out what I forgot before I got too far away. After breakfast we went out to the parking lot for a couple of pics and said our farewells, then I started off... well, after a quick circle down by the beach to see the pacific one more time before I left. I finally hit the highway about 8:00 A.M. & enjoyed cool fair weather until after 11:00. Then it started getting warm. I had a slight fuel issue in the area of Calico Ca. When My light came on I pulled off & asked about fuel at a convenience store. Met an old time/Bike enthusiast who assured me he had a Classic Norton Commando at home. We chatted for a few with him giving me advice on motorcycling, such as never have anything but leather between you & the pavement if you go down (Seems he went down in a down parka once... It was snowing feathers for four blocks down the road!) before he told me the closest gas was 6 miles back, and the closest gas ahead of me was well farther than I can make it with the fuel light on. (It comes on when there is aprox 1 gallon in the tank.) My best MPG ever was 53, and the next gast waS 58 miles ahead. Too close for me to chance, so I went back. The closest station that he was telling me about had all the card readers taped off, so I went inside to pay and was informed that the station was completely out of gas. Back on the bike for 5 more miles of backtracking through the California desert. This time in order to reach the next exit, I had to go through the inspection station where they make sure you don't have any illegal vegetation on your vehicle... Fun Fun Fun. After I got gassed up I figured out that I better not use the light as my stop guage and I started paying a LOT more attention to my fuel level. This put me a little behind where I wanted to be,but I still rode into Red Rock Harley-Davidson at about 1:00. I was getting a bit dehydrated, because I was just stupid enough to decide to send the hydration pack home with my wife from Denny's instead of wearing it out. So, I stayed put & had lunch & got plenty to drink before heading back out. While my next planned stop was supposed to be Zion Harley-Davidson, I decided to stop a bit more often for water breaks, and generally used any excuse to do so. Like taking a couple of pictures of the Nevada desert (Mojave?) scenery... After a couple of these stops, I rolled into Zion Harley-Davidson in Washington, Utah with about 10 minutes to spare till closing time. However the staff were wonderfully accommodating and helped me find what I was looking for (T-shirt, Water, Directions) With no hurry whatsoever . Great People. They gave me directions and a map showing how to get through Zion National park,
And told me most of the riders usually do Bryce Canyon as part of the same ride, But as it was sunset already as I went through Zion, I decided not to do Bryce Canyon.
Zion, However is a truly magnificent place.
For the first time in my trip, I had a deeply spiritual connection between myself and the land around me that was channeled through Kate.
At this precise moment I realized that Heaven does exist and it's not a far off fantasy place. It's right under your nose if you just open yourself up & look for it.
Mother Nature's pallet has endless colors to be sure. Shortly after coming out of Zion, with the sun dropping more into the horizon, I began to wonder how much longer I should ride. I had decided to stay on the 89 all the way to I-70. Several miles down the road I saw a Doe grazing beside the road and caught the tingling sensation that maybe I should start looking for a hotel. After passing several and deciding to push just a little farther, I rounded a curve to find a Buck in the middle of a road crossing, being followed by four more Bucks and three Does. I started down-shifting in a hurry and found myself watching one of the bucks approach me straight on from the side. He was so close I could reach out and touch his nose before he turned to run parallel with me for several yards before I left him behind. With this as my wake-up call I slowed my speed tremendously and started to look in earnest for the next available hotel. I came upon the "Mountain Harvest Resort", a quaint little lodge of Log-cabin style buildings & pulled into the gravel parking lot. Pulling off my helmet I walked into the convenience store/ office and proceeded to the counter. The lady behind the counter asked, "how's it going?" To which, I replied, "That depends... Do you have any rooms?" "Yes, They're all double rooms..." I cut her off. "I don't care. I'll take it" I'm not usually a rude individual, but in this particular instance the road had won this round and I was not myself. I paid the woman for the room and asked about food. The only open restaurant in town was another mile down the road, SO I unpacked in a hurry & left for it in the dying light. I would find out later that the resort is owned by a former biker & his family. He used to live in Arizona and ride up to this part of Utah a lot. So when the time came I returned to my room well after dark and retired for the night, many lessons learned.
Hey, Ya'all... Remember me? I thought you might get a kick out of my trip last weekend (June 13-15). My wife's family has a time-share in Palm springs that they all like to go to every year (in the summer for some reason). Well, the family Matriarch decided she's done with it & intends to let go of the time-share. This being the last year, My wife decided to take the kids along with her & her Mother, her mother's friend and My Brother-in-law & his family. Being the glutton for punishment that I am, I agreed to ride out for the weekend. Since I have to work and I already have my vacation scheduled, I had to come home Sunday night. And since my trip was kind of a quick one, I got to take the bike! My wife decided to wait until after I got off of work on Friday to leave so she could follow me out. I should preface this by telling you that I had JUST gotten my new Leather T-bag and chaps from Fox Creek Leather... A truly fantastic outfitter if ever there was one. Everything I've bought from them so far has been the highest quality. I cannot extol their service enough. Scarlett, If you read this, You're a doll. The chaps were a perfect fit, no trimming required. OK, where was I... Palm Springs... How was it? Hot!, Duh!. Rode up the 15N to the 215N, Then to the 60 east... We stopped here at a Wendy's for a quick drink then got back on the highway, Followed the 60 to the 10 East, then to the 111. That takes you right into Palm Springs. We stay right on the outskirts of the city. After we got checked in, we went to dinner & then back to the hotel to swim for a little bit. Ya know, that's really all there is to do in Palm Springs... Swim. Too hot for anything else. I did get up Saturday morning and take Kate for a ride to Palm Springs Harley. I didn't even get a shirt. The only special thing I saw there was a Beautifully painted leather patch. Even that didn't fit me, personally, but it was nice. After that I couldn't WAIT to get back to the pool. Saturday we had a cook out, with the whole family coming over... Can you guess who got stuck with grill-duty? Alone? While everyone else was chatting in the room, I got to cook for them all on a hot grill in the desert heat. Frankly, I got the better end of the deal. Shhhh. After the food it was back in the pool. Sunday we went to a local restaurant for breakfast for Father's Day... For sake of interest I'll just skip to the part where I get to ride home...
I Geared up & prepared to leave at about 5 PM Sunday. It only took another half hour to get everything taken care of & leave. I filled up with Gas at Palm Springs Shell at 5:38, Then Hit the road... Thinking ahead, I grabbed the camera.
I HAD to show you... First off, for those who are Eco conscious, on the highway leading into Palm Springs, there is a HUGE wind farm, where they use modern wind mill turbines to harvest energy from mother nature in a way that is nearly completely nature-friendly. I just think they look cool as hell! So, I stopped & took several pics of Kate with these as a background. This is my favorite...
SHortly after remounting & getting back on the road, I caught the 10W. About two exits down the road there is a place to stop where the (ancient) past comes alive. If you've ever seen Pee Wee's Big adventure, these should look familiar...
Yes, I know, I have to have Kate in all of my Pictures... It's a quirk I have... I don't mind.
After several minutes of taking photos we again got back on the highway. I thought I'd just bee-line home from there, but just a little ways down the 60W I found myself traveling through a pass that gave way to a beautiful view. I had to stop one more time to share this with you... After several attempts to get this pic without passing cars in the background, I realized how much daylight I was losing and I wanted to get home & get something to eat., SO I got serious & went home.
I pulled into the gas station down the street at 7:34. 1 hour & 56 minutes to ride back when it took us 2 1/2 hours to get out there... & I stopped more! Not bad, 300 miles in the desert for the weekend. Now, I'm ready for my next trip. I leave Saturday morning for the 2,000 mile trip from San Diego to Kansas City. Yes, I'm taking my camera... Yes, I'm taking my laptop, and Yes, I'll be posting from the road... Till then, Keep the shiny side up. I'll catch you on the Road...
You may remember me telling you a while back about a band caalled "Junkyard" and how much I love their music, well a few weeks ago I got to see them perform live in Hollywood. This was the first time I had seen them since 1991, when they opened up for Lynyrd Skynyrd.I spent the ride up there wondering how the show would go and hoping I would get a chance to meet the band. My wife & youngest son went with me. My oldest had to skip because I forgot to list the date on a conflict sheet when he signed up to crew his High School's musical. We talked a lot on the way about the memories I have of the band and their music... Funny how music & memories seem to accentuate one another, huh?I played some of their song's for my wife the night I met her... I also played a lot of their music when I was dealing with my divorce... I cannot tell you how exciting it was for me when we pulled into the parking lot of the club. When we got out of the car, I looked at the building to see David Roach (Lead Vocalist) and Chris Gates (Lead Guitarist) standing on the sidewalk. As we walked up, I struggled to remember that they were "ordinary" people and tried to keep from staring or interrupting their conversations. I waited and finally got the opportunity to say hello and introduce them to my son. The Guys were great. I easily could have expected them to be a little put off by people getting too excited about meeting them, but they were very gracious people.I asked about taking pictures and was welcomed by both of the guys. So here are some shots of me & Junkyard. David Roach & Me
BigChris Gates & Me
Me, Pat Muzingo, & David Roach
As you can tell, We also got to meet Pat Muzingo (Drummer) inside the show. Granted, My wife admonished me at least once about embarrassing her by being star-struck by these guys, but you gotta understand. To me, they are like the Beatles, or Led Zeppelin. I bought 4 of their C.D.s (Two of them I already had downloaded from the band's website, but I wanted to buy Hard copies so the band would get the profit from it. ) and a DVD. I also loaded up with 4 T-shirts. When the show started, I was a little unsure. I had never heard of the opening acts and had no idea what to expect. The First was a local band, I don't remember their name, and I didn't care for their music. I didn't particularly like the frontman, as I thought he was a little arrogant, but onward... The second act was a Band called "Little Caesar" Surprisingly I really liked them. Their music was exceptional and the stage presence was wonderful. They were perfect for the venue and a great opener for Junkyard. The third act was "Rhino Bucket". Musically, they were actually pretty good, however, I don't think their singer should be allowed to do shows where children are allowed in the audience. My 12 year old son did not need any lessons on the etiquette of one-night-stands. That's all I'm saying. From the moment Junkyard took the stage I was instantly twenty years younger. I watched wide-eyed and sang along every word of their set. We did move from our table to the stairs beside the stage to finally the floor in front of the stage. Trying to get the best possible pictures. Mildly put, the three of us had an absolute blast.They could have played all night and I would have rocked with them to the final note. A couple of days ago I learned that they will be back at the same location in August. This one is on a Thursday, but I'm pretty sure I'll be there... I owe my oldest son a show, and I can't think of anyone else that would be as perfect for his first concert. Maybe this time I'll get to meet Todd Muscat & Tim Mosher... Oh, and maybe they'll play "Death Kiss Morning"... One can Hope
Today is the day that we've set aside to honor those who have given their lives in service of our country, protecting our Freedom. Wow. The true depth of that sacrifice is staggering. They gave up their lives, for what? An idea? A hope? Did they even know? What does Freedom mean to you? To me, it's an understanding. We won't always see eye to eye. I promise that I will, at some point, say or do something that will offend you. I won't always like what you say or do. We can have debates, discussions and arguments where you will try to get me to see things your way and I will try to get you to see them mine. You will NEVER hear me tell you that you have no right to say something. I may tell you you're an idiot for saying something and, depending on the circumstances, I may even tell you you're an idiot for thinking a particular way, and in the case of the "reverand" Fred Phelps, Well, He can just go fuck himself to death.... I don't like being that judgmental, but at times, I am. However, you have the right to say whatever you feel. one of many rights that you will only get here in the United States of America. I saw an article on the internet recently about Bridget Bardot, A famed actress of the 1960's now 73,who is being prosecuted in France for a charge of "Inciting Racial Hatred" for saying that "the Muslim community was destroying [France} and imposing its acts" (Never mind that "Muslim" is a CHOSEN religion, not a race). Prosecutors are asking for a sentence of two months in jail and 15,000 Euros. I don't know about you, but I've heard a hell of a lot worse here and never even batted an eye (I'm with you, Bridget). I could break the entire scenario down & point out exactly how asinine France is about this particular case, but what's new about that? My point here was supposed to be that even though we hear about the "Free World" there is no such thing. There Is America, and then there is everywhere else. Keep this in mind. With the United States now in it's sixth year since the start of military action in Iraq everywhere you look are bumper stickers, ribbon magnets, posters and signs telling you to support our troops. I agree. Whole heartedly. But it looks entirely too commercial. Like the newest fad that everyone does and no one really knows why. Like those "Baby on Board" signs & stuffed Garfield dolls. Mostly, I am disappointed that people use support for the troops to silence opposition to the war. Can you respect and love and honor the warriors without supporting the war? To truly get the depth of that question, ask the family of a service member killed in Iraq. I believe the answer is yes, you can. In fact, I do. I am told to remain silent, but I see that as a disservice to the men & women who have fought and continue to fight to preserve the right for me to speak. I see the only way to honor their sacrifice is to exercise the freedom they fight for. I will not spend this day reciting my reasoning for feeling this way, but I did want to tell you how I feel. I have two quotes that I believe apply. The first, I have no idea who said it first. I actually found it as a signature on another person's profile on another website. "I may not agree with what your bumper sticker says, but I will defend with my life your right to stick it" The second is from Thomas Jefferson, a Man who within his lifetime, forgot more about Freedom than most of us will ever learn... "The right to hold one's own views, and to think and to decide for oneself on any question, is an essential right for a free people. A person is free to believe anything he wishes, even if in error, and may not be persecuted nor denied the right to hold public office for those beliefs. The First Amendment protections for freedom of religion, of speech, of the press and of assembly, all together protect the Freedom of Conscience." From here, I welcome your viewpoint. In agreement or not, Because I value your Freedom to speak as much as your opinion. Have a wonderful Memorial day, however you choose to spend it. I'm going for a ride. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To End with a smile...
Holy Cow! Has it really been almost 3 weeks since I've posted? I am very sorry. All I can offer by way of explanation is that life got in the way. I do have several posts lingering in draftland, but some aren't finished and some others I've promised not to post until after a certain time. With all this in mind, How is everyone? I have been riding every chance I get, but that pretty much just means I've been riding to work & back. I graduated yesterday from my Community college with an associates degree in Law (pre). I now get to stress over which step to make next. I'm still planning my trip home this summer, but there may be some hurdles to clear. I'll let you know if I have to cancel. I hope you all have a great weekend, I'll be writing more soon & stopping by to see you all as I find the time. Until then, Keep the shiny side up, & I'll catch you on the road!
Well, as you've noticed it's been a busy couple of weeks since I last posted. Truth be told, I really should be doing something else right now, but... Let's see... I've been doing quite a bit of riding, lately. Mostly to work & back, but that can be quite a ride in itself. Working in construction means I'm moving from one location to another all the time. Friday I was working right down the street from my house, Thursday I was a lot farther away. So I roll with it. That's why Kate has the saddlebags, so I can carry my tools from one place to another. As I was preparing to leave work on Thursday, I started receiving a lot of static from co-workers because they thought I should have another guy who was going to the same job Friday carry my tools on his truck. I wanted to bring them home so I could take out some that I knew I wouldn't need at the new site. Apparently , they don't understand the ingenuity that bikers posses. I do take a few of the heavier tools out & put them in the opposite bag, to keep the weight balanced better. I know the bags are only rated for a certain weight and I'm rather sure I exceed that on a regular basis. I also understand product liability and the process by which those weight ratings are established, so I take the responsibility on myself. I don't heavily overload the bags, I just use sense. I mean, come on seven pounds? I had a couple of things that I special ordered from San Diego Harley last weekend that I hadn't heard about, so I gave them a call yesterday. My parts were in. I just hadn't gotten a call. So, I went down to pick them up. I took the truck and the whole family went. As usual, there was a party going on. They have some kind of event every Saturday. So after I got my parts ( A new cover and a hardware rack) we looked around, did some shopping and had lunch. I don't know who the band was but they did a great cover of Johnny Cash's Hey Porter and some other great songs. I wonder ifJunkyardwould be willing to play one of these? The new cover fits great. It's a Nelson Riggs. I picked it because it's UV rated and Lifetime Guaranteed. While those are fine selling points, I'm not impressed with the customer service I've received from their website. I sent a very professional looking business style email, complete with greeting, opening and closing, asking what size to get and explaining that it was for a 2007 FXSTCI with saddlebags and windshield. Their response was simply "An XL would fit well". Ok, I realize I'm a bit anal, but I would hope that anyone in sales would try a little harder to be polite and professional. I decided to look past it & order the cover anyway, figuring it was maybe a less than educated person on the computer, but when I got the cover, an XL just like they recommended, I practically needed a shoe horn to get it on the bike and no way were the straps going to reach to tie it on. I took it off, folded it up & shoved it back into the box. I called the Dealership & told them the problem. To their credit, there was no hassle, no problem. They told me to take it back & order the right size, now that I was sure what that was. A lot of dealerships would have made me send it back through the manufacturer. I highly commend San Diego Harley for their assistance in clearing this up. As For the cover, the XXL fits great, and I'll let you know if it fails to stand up to the UV, or if they fail to honor their Lifetime Warranty. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I can be such an Idiot sometimes. I bought tickets for my whole family to see Junkyard Several months ago. Now the show is next Saturday & we've just realized that my oldest son is working on crew for his high school musical and their final performance is the same night. I forgot to put the concert on his conflict sheet and now he's stuck. I can't let him walk away from his commitment, and I can't blame him for being disappointed in missing the show. I asked his teacher if she could spare him for that one night, but she said no and now I'm wondering if I even should have asked. It's not her fault I spaced it. To top it off, my wife isn't sure she wants to go, so I may be eating two tickets. Have I mentioned that I'm ADD? In my case that may stand for "A Damn Dumbass". Take care, all. I'll Catch you on the road...
As you're probably realizing by now, I lead a very busy life. I have a full time job (that I'm actually working at again), I am going to college (perpetually chasing a better life. Hey, you're never too old to learn, right?), and I'm trying like hell to raise two boys in a positive lifestyle. Add to that, my wife wants to spend time with me for some reason (What's She thinking?). Just for the record, I bitch & whine about her a lot but it really says something that she's put up with all of my antics & shit for as long as she has. I should give her more credit for that. ANYWAY, (sorry, I got off topic). The fact is, I usually only get time to myself for things like, oh, I don't know, Say, riding a Harley or writing a blog, for instance, Late at night or early in the morning, when everyone else is asleep. Sometimes my schedule gets even worse and it will take me some time to get back. Don't think I've forgotten ya'all, ok? For these same reasons I try to combine things I have to do with things I want to do. It may be the only way to do what I want. For instance, I HAVE to go to work... at least until my career as a lottery winner takes off. I WANT to ride...(almost) anytime, anywhere., so when I got Kate, I bought saddlebags so I can haul my tools & stuff for work. Now I ride to work. This actually works out very well. Except this last week. I was working at a Casino on a Native American reservation about 50 miles from my house. Every morning before work I get up & get online to check the weather at the job site. Monday through Wednesday, It looked very cold at that time of the morning, so I drove the car. When I got to work it felt much warmer than the temperature said it was and I ended up regretting not riding. Finally, on Thursday I looked at the temps. It said that at that zip code the temp was 54 degrees. NO PROBLEM! Yeah, right. The casino I work at is at the bottom of a canyon. That 54 degrees... yeah, that was at the top of the mountain. Had I looked at a few of the surrounding localities I would have found that the actual temperature at work was 37 bone chilling, finger frosting degrees. Holy Hell, I thought my fingers were going to fall off. It was about an hour after I got there before I could pick up my tools with any dexterity. Granted, the temperature raised significantly before the day was done, to a high of about 92 degrees. Which provided a new problem. Working in the desert, I filled the free space in my saddlebag with a small lunch (A protein bar & a banana), and bottled water. I did not save room for my vest, and if I had, I wouldn't have had room for my leather jacket for the ride home. So, for the ride home I went to the opposite extreme and wore my leather jacket, with the vents open (I'm not STUPID) and the sleeves sticking to my arms from the mixture of sweat & sunscreen (I think I've discovered the formula for superglue!). But, you know what? I loved every second of the ride, both ways. There are very few things that can take a person's mind off of southern California traffic, But the ride, combined with the pinpoint focus brought on by extreme temperatures managed to make the traffic disappear. Although on the ride home, I saw something that set my mind to wandering, So, I had to share. Vacation Anyone? Please forgive the picture quality, I took this with my cell phone & I couldn't really see the screen due to the glare of the sunlight. This place is just about amile down the road from th Casino. And, For the record, No, I did not climb the wall to look inside. (I've already been asked). I would be afraid to. I know the thoughts that come to mind feature beautiful young naked women playing volleyball (or tennis according to the sign... Hmmm. Don't trip...) but the fantasy is probably better than the actuality, so, I'll just hang on to the mental images & not take the risk. What do you think?
Oh, and for the record, I drove the car on Friday... I'll make it up to Kate by giving her a bath & taking her for a ride to buy a new cover... Does anyone else ever feel guilty for not riding or taking care of their bike as often as they should?
This week has been a blur. I went to work every day (not complaining) in fact this is the first week since Feb 11 That that has been the case. Monday & Tuesday, I was working right down the street from my house. On Wednesday, I was switched to a job site 50 miles away. I had already arranged to leave work early that day for an appointment in West LA (more about that when it is approved for release), So I decided that the only way I was going to make it from that far away was to ride Kate to work. Great, like I need an excuse, right? Well, overnight Tuesday, it was raining...or at least what passes for raining in southern California. And work started at 6:30 am so I was leaving my house at about 4:30 to make sure I got there on time, grumbling the whole time about riding in the rain, in the dark. I got pretty lucky and didn't run into any real rain... in fact , in the whole 51.5 mile trip, I only hit a couple of small patches of sprinkling... but for my glasses that's worse. The drops were very small, like a mist and there was a lot of sediment in the rain so that even small drops did a horrible number on getting Kate and my glasses dirty. Ever tried to ride with water spots on your glasses? Then later in the morning it started raining again, while I was at work. All I could do was work & watch as Kate stood helpless against the water in the parking lot. You should see her now. I swear, she looks polka-dotted. Unfortunately, I don't have time to clean her... or to ride her, today. The ride home was cool, I tried a different route that some coworkers were swearing was shorter. It was different, and it was very windy, lots of open valleys for the wind to pick up some speed in, but distance actually turned out to be about the same or maybe a little longer. My wife & kids come home, tomorrow & I'm trying to earn a few points by getting some rather undesirable work done around the house before they get back (Joker, I may be calling on you for some technical advice). I'm hoping I can wrap it up early & break out for a scoot, it really looks to be a beautiful day & the forecast is calling for major heat. Well, I better get started ... Wish me luck. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks to all of you for your encouragement on my content warning post. Granted I don't have anything very revealing to post, right now, but at some point I may. That actually came about because someone who read it asked if my readers knew how much of a pro-vert I am, so I figured I'd better tell you for purposes of disclosure. I was, however, reminded that when I wrote that I really like boobies, I may have used a term that some might take an exception to. So in the interest of making sure everyone understands what I meant, I give you this...
I hope this clears up any misunderstanding on this issue.
First off, My New template. A friend of mine found the template on Finalsense.com, And then changed the code so that the background color of the boxes would be black, then she edited the photo & put it in the code. A massive thanks goes out to her. I hope you all like it, as I think it fits the theme of the site better. Second. I wanted to make clear that there may come a time when this site will have some range of adult content. I like Women, I really like boobies, I say "Fuck", occasionally I even say "cunt" but only in the good way. This is just who I am, take it or leave it. It won't happen a lot, but from time to time I will probably post photos of women in various states of undress. I'm telling you now, so it doesn't come as a shock when it happens. I know I have a fair amount of Good Christian readers and I don't want to offend any. God knows, I have a great respect for those who find their faith, but I don't want anyone to think I'm something I'm not. I'm not saying this will ever be an adult site, quite the opposite, it will forever be a Biker Blog. That's why there is no adult content warning. But most of the bikers I know like women (even the female bikers) and I hope when they run across someone special they'll share with us, so they may show up here.
That having been said...
I'm on my own for the next week. My wife and children are out of town for spring break. I dropped them off at the airport before work on Friday, and I'll pick them up next Sunday. In the mean time, I"M FREE! ! ! ! After work on Friday, I went for a short ride. I had some errands to run and I needed food. Dropped by a couple of old hang-outs to see if anyone I know was still there. Nope. That's ok, I went for a little night ride... Just putted around for a bit before coming home for sleep. Saturday, I got up & had some coffee, then went to San Diego H-D's Parking lot sale/ Party. Just like Ebay, it was hit and miss. I'm looking for a new set of sheet metal for Kate, So I can get a custom paint job without losing her too long. No luck. I did sit on an Ultra Classic. I can see why the Old guys like them so much lol. I think I'll get one when I grow up. It can be Kate's playmate. The food was decent, the music was good. But alas, no parts I couldn't live without, so I got back on the road. Again, I didn't really go anywhere special, But knowing I didn't have a curfew or anything pressing to come home to made it a very relaxing ride. Even when splitting lanes in SoCal traffic (Makes my ass pucker every time!) Now, I'm just sitting here, slowly waking up... Looking at the house that I should probably be cleaning up, But I'll probably wait until next Saturday. It's not that bad, and I'm the only one here, so it won't get much worse... Especially if I'm not here much... Maybe I should go for a ride so I don't make any messes... Yeah, That's a plan! Ride safe Folks, I'll catch you on the road...
I got to ride just a little bit, yesterday. I needed a few things from Sears, so I took Kate to get them. As soon as I had parked and got off of the bike, an older gentleman complimented me on Kate, telling me I had a nice softail. AS is usually the case, it doesn't take much to start up a conversation when there's a Harley involved. In the next ten minutes or so I found out that his name is Chuck and that he rode a '48 Pan to high school 50 or so years ago and that he now rides a 100th anniversary FLHTCI. I won't pretend to remember the conversation word for word, but I was relishing it. I love to listen to older people tell me about past generations. It's just like when my Grandma starts telling me about life on the farm. I become mesmerized. There is so much we can learn about life from those who lived before us. Even in terms of Harleys. Granted, I already knew a lot of the info he was giving me, but I didn't mind. I could have listened for hours. I hope to get a chance to run into Chuck again, somewhere down the road.
Onward...
I have always been fascinated with "Road Names" and how people get them. I don't really have any personal experience with it, as I have yet to earn one of my own. I've had several nicknames through the years, and some have stuck better than others, but none have ever been associated with riding. The ones that stuck most were a couple of "handles" I answered to when using the C.B. (for you young pups, that's Citizen's Band radio, the predecessor to cell phones) I started out as Mista Bone, a name I gave myself inspired by the song by Great White, and then when I got with my Ex-wife, she didn't like that much,, so I changed it to Wade. Granted, I still answer to both to this day, but I don't consider them "Road Names" because I chose them for myself. I guess I'll earn one soon enough. Until then I guess I'll Keep answering to Camron. It fits me pretty well (thanks Mom!). I'd love to hear your stories of what your Road Names are and how you got them. If you'd rather not have them in Comments, feel free to email them. In hope you've all had a safe riding weekend. I'll see you down the road.
Music is a very unique artistic medium. This one art form is equally expressive of both the artist and the audience. It says as much about the listener as it says about the musician, and in this it also completely connects the two. While I fully acknowledge being very Diverse in what I listen to, there's a certain sound that just makes me relax, you, know? Like, "This is what Home sounds like". For me, the most expressive music is, usually, something with a deep southern sound, a Blues quality that speaks of working hard and playing harder. But mostly It has to be real. I don't want to waste my time listening to some idiotic suburbanite rich kid singing about the "hood". I can't relate. I also don't want to listen to some punk-ass gang banger singing about being a "business man". Although I do find it funny, how they both try so hard to be the opposite of what they are. Biker music is not that way.There's something about it that screams "What you see is what you get!" You know what I mean... There's no reason to pretend to be something your not. This is me, This is who I am and what I do. No one I've ever heard has captured this sentiment so well in music as "Junkyard". I've been listening to these guys ever since they released their first video on MTV (remember videos on MTV?) The Song was "Hollywood" it was loud, raw and real. Everything I needed to connect with at the time. They followed that up with "Simple Man" and I thought they wrote that for me. I still listen to it whenever I'm faced with a person or a situation where I'm expected to be something that I'm not. I was lucky enough to receive permission from the band to post that video, right here for you all to enjoy. So when the ride is over and the beer is cold, Kick back and crank it up.
Ok, I'll start off with the bad news. Well it's bad for me, not so much for you. I've been trying desperately to get a stock triple tree for Kate that I can have powder coated. I found three of them last week on Ebay. Unfortunately, all ended up going to other people or not at all. The first is all my fault. When I was trying to raise my bid at the last minute, my number lock was on & I couldn't use my ten key. That way sucked! The second was bought by someone "Buy it Now" three days early. (I NEVER do that, unless the price is very fair). The last went up way high on the bidding, but still never met the sellers reserve. Apparently, Seller thinks it's made of gold. Ok, I'm healed... back to the drawing board. Anyone know where I can get a triple tree? I woke up today and could not wait to get on the road. Unfortunately, my wife is a little ill & today was Easter, so I had a few things to do before I could go. Yeah, Well at 11:30 when I finally got out, it was GREAT! ! ! ! My Youngest son went with me. He's the perfect passenger. He sits still, doesn't fidget, he doesn't lean, and he has a low center of gravity. It was almost like riding solo, only when I saw something awesome and pointed exclaiming "Check that out!" I didn't look crazy. We started off on the 76E. This road is great, lots of curves and plenty to see. East of the 15 it got even better. The traffic died down & we were free to enjoy. We followed the 76 out past the Pala Indian reservation and my son LOVED seeing the Buffalo by the casino. Even in captivity, these are truly majestic creatures. I can only imagine the beauty and force of a wild herd of these beasts. We stayed on the 76 past Palomar mountain to the 79. Took the 79 into Santa Ysabel and then took the 78 up into Julian. This town is a treasure in the mountains! Well known for the apples that are grown locally, there is no shortage of places to get a slice of pie. well, we skipped the pie, but we did walk through several of the shops before getting back on the road. We took the 78 back down to Santa Ysabel & stopped at Dudley's and Don's Market. My son loves to look at the rocks and trinkets at Dudley's, and I needed a bottle of water. I walked across the lot to get the water from Don's because Dudley's didn't have much of a selection of drinks that were bike friendly. We kicked around for about 20 minutes before heading out on the 78 into Ramona. We stopped in Ramona long enough for me to call my wife & let her know we were still riding. Then we followed the 78 to Escondido. All along the way we kept passing wonderful sights, and smells. The Mountain views are absolutely breath taking! And the smells! I love the smell of lemon groves. The trees put out the sweetest smell ever. (I didn't particularly care to smell several road kills we passed... Ewww) This is truly the best way to experience this trip. I tried to avoid getting on the 78 from Escondido to Carlsbad by taking Valley Parkway, it didn't work. I did, however, find a surprise (to me), Lake Hodges. It's a beautiful lake. We took a quick ride past the lake before heading back to the 78, as we were running out of time before a planed family dinner. We got home around 4:15 with 135 miles on the odometer & dinner at 5. The only thing that went wrong, other than the triple trees... I didn't make it back to the beach for my Sunset Pics. Oh, Well, there's always tomorrow..Ride safe, Ya'all... Happy Easter!
When I was three years old I fell in love with Harley-Davidson motorcycles. For my fifth birthday all I wanted was a denim jacket with Harley wings on the back. When I didn't get it I cried for a week.
