A Long Time Coming...

I'm hopefully coming back, If anyone is still interested. I still have Kate and I still love to ride, but as you may have guessed, a lot has happened. I'm not the same person I was when I started writing this blog.  I don't know how much the writing will change as a result, but we'll see.
I'll start working on writing as soon as I can. in the mean time. Hi!

A Farewell To A King...

We Just Lost the Grand Daddy of them all...


Rest In Peace, Dennis. Thanks for Everything.

For More Info:
The Story

The Actor

Is there anybody out there???

Yes, I know, It's been forever. Is there anyone still listening? Is there any reason to return?

I will await your reply. Until then, I'm going for a ride.
I'll catch you on the road.

An Appeal For The Biker's Breast Friend...

Edit 11/08
For all those who commented on the pics, thank you, I appreciate your enthusiasm, however, I have removed them at least for now. I'm sure we will post more like them in the future.

Now that I have your attention (Thanks to My Wife for allowing me to post the pics), I would like to take a few moments to talk to you about a subject very dear to me. For as long as I can remember, biker events have nearly always included some form or another of a chance for bikers to admire or ogle boobies (or for some of you "tits").
As you may recall, I have already professed my own personal love for them in a couple of posts.
Well, in case you didn't know, the boobies are under attack. No, I'm not referring to the attack from the religious right trying to keep them all covered up (although that one bothers me, too) but the attack from inside. CANCER.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, hence the drastic increase of those little pink ribbons everywhere. In observance of that, I wanted to drop a few facts about breast cancer for you.
First off, What is Cancer? Cancer is a disease that causes cells to mutate & reproduce at an unusual rate. Often these mutations cause a solid mass or "tumor" to form. Cancers are commonly named for the part of the body that they affect, thus as you might have deduced, Breast Cancer attacks the breast. Specifically, Breast cancer attacks the Lobules (the glands that produce milk) or the Ducts ( the path through which milk flows to the nipple). Occasionally cancer can attack the stromal tissue (including the fatty & connective tissue in the breast). Like all cancer, breast cancer can spread to other systems and can lead to death.
While the exact cause of breast cancer is still being researched, certain risk factors have been identified. Among them are
Age: 95% of new cases in women and 97% of deaths between 2002 & 2006 occurred in women over 40.
Family History: Your risk increases if a member of you family (mother, Sister, Daughter, Father, ) has had breast cancer.
Weight: The chance of getting breast cancer after menopause is higher in women who are overweight or obese.
The use of tobacco and alcohol, have also been identified as risk factors.
And, Guys, before you think you are out of the woods, you might want to read this:

Original KISS drummer celebrates surviving breast cancer

That's right... We are not immune.
It is estimated that over 192,00 Women and almost 2,000 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.
Without a doubt, early detection is the key to successful treatment. Women under 40 should have a clinical breast exam every 3 years, those over 40 should have one every year. A monthly self exam is also recommended, your doctor can show you how.
Please... Take the time, check your breasts....And, for the sake of all bikers...
SHOW THEM OFF! ! !
No, seriously, I'd like to see them... All of them... hell, just send pics of them to me! I know, it's wrong, but They're just the coolest...

Is There A Doctor In The House?

Ok, So this last week has marked a very sad turning point in my Harley Owning life.
Last Sunday I was heading out to help a friend fix the brakes on his car. I got close to where I was going to meet him & his family and when I slowed for a stoplight, Kate lost power & died. It doesn't sound too bad, but it's never happened before. It continued to happen at nearly every stop until I got to his house. I checked my oil first, it was a touch low but not bad enough to trigger that kind of reaction.
I thought briefly that maybe I had gotten too much gas in the tank & blocked the vent (I've had some experience with that in the past) or maybe even got a batch of bad gas, but even after I replaced the gas at the proper level, the same symptoms occurred. When she gets hot and then I pull to a stop, she loses power.
When I pulled into the driveway from work on Wednesday She died again.
That's IT! I called the service dept. I was told my Mechanic was busy on a big job & couldn't work on Kate until next week. I made arrangements to drop her off for a diagnostic.
I dropped her off yesterday and was told he might be able to start on it THURSDAY, Ugh! SO I'm stuck for at least a week with no bike...
Day 1... Withdrawal tremors setting in...
I think maybe I need an intervention. Does it have the same effect if you request it?
I have no idea.
Somebody go on a ride for me, ok? And, by all means, any advice or encouragement to help get through the week is greatly appreciated.
I'll catch you on the road...

What's new?

I just realized that I haven't posted on here for two-months. It's funny how caught up I can get in the day to day grind and I lose track of what makes me tick... So, I'll try to fill ya'all in on what has happened & then I'll start working on some of the posts I've been promising...
I got a lot of work done on Kate this summer... & I have a lot to go.
As I told you, I had the intake & exhaust done at the 15k service Holy Hell did that ever help. She Sounds like a Harley is supposed to, finally! And As you can tell, She looks just a little darker, too... This is just the tip of the iceberg. I really can't wait. I have a bit more planned for the 20k service time. So keep watch, you'll be seeing all the changes as they come about.
In the near future, you will be seeing some changes happening to the blog, as well. I'm going to post a new link section for you to use when looking for Biker related products & services. The new section will be called "Rider Resources" In this section I will post links to businesses that offer everything from Accessories to gear to parts and some just for fun. Some of the businesses will be advertising on my site, others will be some that I personally believe in. One thing will stand true to all of them. If you ever have a negative experience with a business you find on Adventures in Chrome, I want to hear about it. I go out of my way to offer a top notch blog to my readers & I will not host any business that won't go out of it's way to make sure their customers are fully satisfied.
With that having been said, I'm starting the new section today with a link to RiderDiscount.com
My contact with the company so far has been limited, but their representative Had this to say about the company...
Riders Discount is one of the nations largest distributors of motorcycle parts, apparel, and accessories as well as an international company, shipping to all but a few countries. We carry many brands and products to accommodate the majority of the riders out there. As we speak we are adding an additional 200 brands to the website including tires, exhausts, and all the way to small parts like spark plugs. In addition, our staff comes from a wide background ranging from Harley riders to Ducati racers allowing the best service available in both fields and any riding in between. We also offer expert sizing experience, Lowest price guaranteed, and risk free exchanges.
In addition to that, They're offering you up to 35% off on purchases when you tell them you found them through Adventures In Chrome. You'll have to Call the toll free number and ask them for the pricing, though, They can't post it because of deals with their suppliers.
Stop by, Have a look, and please let me know how your experience goes.
That's all for now, Ya'all have a good one & I'll be posting again, soon.
Ride Safe and I'll Catch you on the road...

Is there anybody still listening...?

Hey Ya'all! I'm sorry for the prolonged absence, but it was kind of unavoidable. Sunday, July 5 was my first day off since Memorial day... The vast majority of the time I've been working has been overtime...(12-13 hours a day) and the job was over an hour away from my house without considering Southern California Traffic. As I've said, Sunday was my first day off... On Monday I returned to work to be laid off. See what ya get for doing a good job?
Anyway. I'm taking a small vacation to catch up with my family...
Including some much needed attention to Kate. I hadn't ridden her in over a month. However... she didn't hold a grudge. Started right up & away we went for a few errands I needed to do and a comfortable jaunt down the Coast highway...
Fast Forward to now...
I am anxiously awaiting word from my dealer to confirm the delivery of a crate of parts that have been ordered to make the lost time up to her... I'm (FINALLY! ! !) doing the Stage I upgrade. To conserve money I'm going with the Screaming Eagle intake, but I decided not to short-change myself. I'm getting the Vance & Hines Power Commander & to keep with the idea behind her I'm getting The Vance & Hines Big Radius Black pipes. I can't wait to take her out when the work gets done... Anyone up for a ride? I'm hoping to make it this Sunday... I'll let you know. If there's anyone there... Hello? Is this thing on?

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!

Holy Hell, I Want One!!!

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!

Happy Veterans Day!

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 in the past or the present, in war or in peace, I thank you all!

Harley's "Build It To Win it" Sweepstakes

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-Davidson 2009 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

Harley Davidson & Adventures In Chrome

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

Lessons from the Road (Or "The Learning Curve)

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.

Playing in the Desert

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...