The Luck -o- The Irish...

So, I'm sure I've said something recently about being deprived of riding time. For some reason, for the last few months, If I have time to ride, the weather is uncooperative. If the weather is nice, I'm booked solid. It just feels like I can't catch a break to save my life...
So a couple of days ago, I got this announcement in an email. A Local chopper shop was hosting an "Irish Poker Run". I had no idea what could make a poker run "Irish", But I needed a ride and if there were other people going, too, well then... Weather be damned. I was gonna ride.
I still had some work to do to get prepared, I had to avoid scheduling anything for that day, for one thing. That actually was easier than I thought. My wife & son made arrangements to go to church with my MIL to see a friend of the family preach, and the day laborer, who has been helping us reclaim the jungle that our back yard has become, informed us he would be unavailable until Monday. So far, so good!
I went to bed early last night... well by 11:00 anyway, and woke up several times throughout the night. I felt like a kid on Christmas Eve.
I wanted to make sure I got there in time to get a t-shirt. I know, I know... and it's really not about the t-shirt, but I haven't been on a lot of rides (I'm sure I've mentioned that riding with people I don't know scares me, there's just too many idiots with enough money to buy a bike, but not enough sense to learn to ride it) and of the few I have been on, I've never gotten the shirt.
Oops... A.D.D. moment....
So I was up by 6:30 , in the shower, dressed & out the door by 7:30. I was even fueled up & on site by 8:00. and at the time, I was the only person there except for Josh Soto, the owner of Boars Nest Choppers. For a minute I wasn't sure the ride was starting there, but when I asked he assured me I was in the right place. I said something about being early and Josh informed me I was just in time to help set up, so I followed him around & helped him set up a couple of tables.
Within a few minutes, other people started showing up and I was surprised to find that one of the first was my next-door neighbor.I started chatting with him & received a phone call from my wife telling me that our friend was not going to be preaching so she wasn't going to church. I told her she should get her gear & meet me to go on the ride. She said she'd let me know by 10. After I got off the phone with her, an old friend and customer from my time at the Harley shop showed
up. I chatted with him for a while & continued to mingle while waiting for the run to get going.
For the sake of saving my sanity, I'll tell you that my wife's name is Rebecca, My Neighbor is Ron and My friend from the Harley shop we'll just call The Master Guns. (Yep, He's U.S.M.C. retired) Anyway...
Rebecca called to tell me she was on her way. Ron was going to ride out to man one of the stops to stamp cards when people drew their cards. I made arrangements for Rebecca & I to ride along with the Master Guns & a friend of his, Scott. Shortly after that, Scott left to pick up his wife, M.
While we were waiting for him to return, Rebecca & I decided that she needed a few things to get ready for the ride. So we went inside & bought her a pair of riding glasses, and returned inside a few minutes later to purchase a Pink bandanna. Yes, such is our life that we can't figure out everything we need unless we make several trips. ANYWAY...
When we at last got started I became acutely aware that we were both slightly under dressed for the cold. I have a great jacket, but I need some better gloves, and Rebecca is still wearing an old light leather bomber of mine when we ride. I really need to get her a good riding Jacket.... ok, Focus...
I also got a sudden reminder of why I don't like to ride with people I don't know. There were about 12 bikes or so that left out when we did and the three of us were in the rear of the group.
The leader of our group experienced some engine trouble, rumor was that it was due to bad gas from allowing the bike to sit too long. Anyway, his engine trouble prompted several unruly and disorganized lane changes while trying to find a suitable place to pull over & check out his bike.
When at last we got back on the road & started travelling more smoothly, I fell even farther to the back of the pack. I have a kind of a policy about not going more than 20 mph over the posted limit, at least while Rebecca is on the bike with me. Sure enough, a changing light soon cut me off from the rest of the group. When I got the green, I started trying to catch up with the rest. While I started to become concerned about losing them, I shouldn't have worried. The Master Guns & Scott dropped back & spaced out enough to keep both me and the main group in sight.
When we reached the first stop, I figured out what made the run "Irish". All the stops except for the starting point and the finishing point were at Irish pubs.
We went inside & drew our cards & got stamped , then walked outside & talked for a few minutes. When the subject of my cold hands came up, The Master Guns tossed me a pair of Gauntlets he had in his saddlebags. I have to get me a pair! They are very comfortable, fit great & the gauntlet even goes over my jacket( the ones I tried on in The Boar's Nest wouldn't fit over it until I got to some that were too big for my hands). I got the name & a couple of places where I can find them from him, and I expect to own my own soon.
Shortly after that, we were back on the Road to the second stop. This was my favorite leg of the ride because I was comfortable, dry (mostly) and the roads we were riding were scenic. I got to enjoy one of my favorite parts of riding in southern California, which is passing by citrus groves when they are are in or nearly in bloom. I love the smell and the way it permeates the air all around it...
When we got to the second stop, it was like an old routine... Draw cards, get them stamped, go to the 'loo" & go outisde , talk for a few & get back on the road. The most notable part of that stop was an older couple dropped a custom painted V-rod in a freak accident as they were trying to leave. Thankfully, neither seemed to suffer anything worse than a bruised up knee..
From then on the roads were mostly highway, But the sun had come out & we warmed up so, no complaints. When we got to the third stop, the card guys weren't there, yet, so we took a few minutes to relax. The ladies had some coffee, Scott & Master Guns enjoyed a brewed adult beverage while yours truly indulged in about 5 glasses of H2O (they were small).
After the cards arrived, we drew & hit the road for the final leg. We arrived at the end stop, parked & drew our final cards. I thought I was sitting pretty for the worst hand until one of the guys stamping cards said something about a small straight. I quickly forgot the poker game & found some food.
After we ate, I found out the drawings were still over an hour away, so I offered to take Rebecca back to her truck (She was a little out of her element with the crowd). When I got back I fond my friends and as we stood talking, another rider asked if we were staying for the drawings. I told him yes, and he handed me ten tickets to the 50/50. He was leaving & didn't want them to go to waste.
When the drawing finally took place, they drew the 50/50 first. Even with 15 tickets, I was over 150 away from the winning number. With the rumors having circulated that the winning hand of the poker game was four sixes that I knew I didn't have I was ready to say my good-byes and head out. However, most of the people around were still waiting to see who had the worst hand, and I didn't want to be rude and interrupt them so I stayed. I cannot tell you how surprised I was to hear my name be called. It was a massive shock, but I did it... I won for losing.
After I collected my prize (which turned out to be $100), I said my good byes to the Master Guns, Scott & M, and my neighbor ( I had always thought his name was "Bill" which I called him all day... as I was leaving he corrected me. Yep,. that's me... I'm an A$$!). The Master Guns was leaving at the same time so we walked to the bikes together. I'm pretty sure the conversation we had is the same at every run where someone wins money & his wife isn't there to know it...

Him: "So, are you gonna tell her you won"
Me: "No!"
Him: "Yeah, you will"
Me: "Yeah, I probably better. Too may people here she knows. She'll hear it eventually"
Him:"Yep, you will... but will you tell her how much?"

I'll let you ponder on that as I tell you it was a fantastic ride made even better by good friends and free money. I guess for once the Luck of my Irish heritage finally paid me a visit...
I'll be posting more soon. Until then.
Ride safe, and I'll catch you on the Road!

Biker's Hamlet

To write or to ride, That is the question. Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to share accounts of adventures past, or to partake of agreeable weather and free time to pursue an adventurous present...
While I realize it's been far too long since I have posted anything worth reading here, (And Boy do I have things to post, even though none of them involve recent rides) I have today, for the first time in weeks, the perfect weather and opportunity to get out & ride. I Hope Kate has the energy to go...
Have a wonderful day & I'll try to post something later.
Ride Safe & I'll catch you on the road...

Harley's Newest Offspring...

I got an email from my contact person at Harley, filling me in on another wonderful motorcycle being released by the company and I can't help but feel a little giddy, Like a little kid finding out about a new toy. I can't wait to put one in my toy box, or at least go to the store & play with theirs, ya know? But...
I have mixed emotions about this one...
The New model is the Iron 883N... Another dark custom edition for the sportster family. Don't get me wrong I love sporties... Always...But I can't help but notice what seems to me to be a rather obvious oversight in the Dark customs...
They now consist of The Iron 883N, The Nightster, The Night Train, The Cross-Bones, and to be technical about it, I believe the Night Rod qualifies, even though it's not in the list on the Dark Custom Website...
Does anyone catch what's missing?
Go through it again...
Iron 883N ( Sportster), Nightster (Sportster), Night Train (Softail), Cross-Bones (Softail), And Night Rod (VRSC)... Did anyone See a Touring bike? I didn't and I just don't understand how the most overhauled & updated family of the year has been completely left out of the hippest, coolest special project that the company has...
Now I understand that as a nation we are in financial straits, and I get that the company has to lure customers in by offering them a great deal. (Believe me, the Iron 883N is definitely that!) I just hope that when the smoke clears, Harley comes out with a Dark Custom for the Touring family. Preferably a blacked out & stripped down Road Glide (That's my next bike, I swear) I would be happy to consult on the project!
Now then, Without the immediate reaction, my unbiased thoughts on the Iron 883 are simple... We are in a recession, Harley's stocks have been sliding. Presumably because Gas prices have gone down considerably & people are once again looking at bikes as a luxury instead of a necessary way to cut fuel costs. While there are undoubtedly people left who can afford bikes a lot of them will hesitate to buy until they get a better look at how the new presidential administration will handle the economy. Surveys show that most people have an optimistic view of this administration, however self-defense is the order of the day. So with that in mind, Harley brought out an extremely appealing Dark custom bike. (The aesthetics of this bike are astounding to anyone who has ever liked sportsters). The only complaint I have is that I don't really care for the side mount license plate... Easily overlooked with this bike.
Not only does this bike come with a price tag that's almost as beautiful as the bike,(starts at just $7899) but according to the website, It is included in the "We Ride Free" promotion, so you're guaranteed to receive your full MSRP in trade towards any Big Twin for a year after your purchase.
I wish I could give you a rider's review, just like I wanted to of the XR1200, but, Alas, my relationship with Harley hasn't grown that far, yet.
Here is Harley's official blurb on the Bike... and a few pics to go along with it...
You know my take on it... What's yours?

Decked in black from fender-to-fender, the new Harley-Davidson Iron 883 brings the beat of an 883 Evolution engine backed up by a combo of gritty, old-school garage features like front fork gaiters, drag style handlebar and side-mount license plate holder.

The black powder-coated 883 cc Evolution powertrain with black covers takes the Iron 883 deep into the heart of darkness. With Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI) and performance tuning with a flat torque curve, the Iron 883 delivers plenty of power for the city scene. The pipes on the straight cut shorty dual exhaust flow the distinctive American V-Twin sound.

The black chopped rear fender with its combination stop/turn/tail lights shows more of the 150 mm rear tire and black, 13-spoke cast aluminum wheel, while the front tire also rides on a black wheel. The rest of the Iron 883 gets a darker-suited presence with black front forks and fender supports, fuel tank, oil tank cover, belt guard, drag style handlebar and mid mount foot controls.

A classic Sportster solo seat with a height of 25.3 inches fits the lone rider, while a passenger seat and a backrest in complementing black finishes can be added as accessories.

Check out more on the Iron 883 and Harley-Davidson Dark Custom motorcycles at www.harley-davidson.com/darkcustom.

Random Reflections and Ramblings

OK, I want to try to catch up a little on things I should have posted already.

First off. I made a comment in This Post about attending a casting session for Harley's 2009 motorcycle Catalog. I was eventually chosen and went on the shoot. I have been waiting to write a post in part on getting permission from Harley to post Photos from the shoot and to post some straight out of the catalog.
I've gotten that taken care of and I'm now working on writing it up. It's taking a while because it's been a while & I want to make sure I remember correctly and write it up fairly thoroughly.

Second, although I live in an area that has a perpetual riding season, depending on the rider, and I like to think I'm more than an average rider, I also don't feel a need to prove myself. My job & work schedule has me starting well before the sun begins to warm us up, and I usually work outdoors. So If it's below 60 when I leave my house I'm probably going to drive my truck.

Third, I received an invitation from Harley-Davidson to attend the premiere of the Bikes, Camera, Action winning film on Dec. 11. I did go & had an absolute blast, however, I live 100 miles south of Hollywood and had to work the day of the premiere. By the time I left my house traffic had already began on the 5 and it took me well more than the hour & 45 minutes that Mapquest told me to expect. We left the house almost 3 hours before the premiere began & were still over an hour late getting there. When we finally did arrive, We were in such a hurry to get in that we forgot the camera in the car.
I'll be writing that up more completely at another time. I'm still waiting to see if I get pics that were taken by a friend I ran into there.
And finally...
Is your first ride of the year EVER long enough? My wife & I went out on the bike on New Years Day (It's becoming a tradition) but due to the weather we only went to the mall & a couple of stores. It was all together about 30 minutes on the road & my wife was already ready to go home. I suppose I could have dropped her & went alone, but I've been in the doghouse enough lately, so...
All I can think about is going out & riding. I don't usually ride with other people, I like to go where I want and I have a tendency to change destinations in the middle of a ride, but I'm starting to wish I had someone to ride with. I have a couple of friends back East that would be more than game if they were around, but the commute is just not reasonable. I think it may be time to start looking for sponsored rides again.
A friend of mine, Bill Davis, Is working with/leading a charity called, "Ride for the Heart". I posted their schedule last year and will again this year. I just received it by email, but their website isn't current yet. I'll post it when the link will get you to a current page... Anyway... I'd love to go on their rides, but they're almost always longer than I can get away for and they usually go farther than my wife will even consider. However if you have the time, and the will and can make the trip, check them out. Every thing they do is with the greatest intentions and for a wonderful cause.
well, I guess that's enough random rambling for one day. I hope you're all having a good weekend I'm gonna go watch the rain.
Ride safe & I'll catch you on the road...

Happy New Year! ! !

I just wanted to pop in & wish you all a Happy 2009!
I hope you all find Happiness in everything you do.
Ride Safe, I'll catch you on the road.
Camron

Happy Holidays.

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: Remedial Road Lessons... (Finally!)

Day Two of My Summer Trip...

I woke up around 7 The next morning feeling ratHer hung-over from the prevIous dayS dehydration on the road. I took my time, getting a shoWer & pAcking up to leave before making my way into the 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 to go 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!