BlackHillsRally06

Finally the day has arrived and it's time to pack up and head to Sturgis. This trip has been in the works since Aug. of 05 and i can't believe its finally here. I picked up some motorcycle luggage and here is a pic of SS loaded up. I had to see if i could get everything on board for my ride over to Rockledge 90 miles away to the motorhome.




It just so happens that this is my BD also. Here is the perfect card that my lovely made all by herself for me.

day 26

Well, old SS finally made it out of the shop in time for RideYourBikeToWork Day and oohh what a treat it was to be back in the saddle again. The new handle bars are mini Angel Wings and so felt like the old days on old Black Betty. Swell.
Last Friday was a dodadoo at JZ Riders so my lovely and i jumped on SS and went for a visit. They had aband and free wings.and of course lots of cool bikes to see. We hung out for a bit and chatted with the bike friendly crowd. Being close to home, we then saddled up and beat it back to the homestead for an early evening and a movie. "The Worlds Fastest Indian" is definetely one to enjoy.//http://www.worldsfastestindian.com/ I have it on DVD and will be taking it out west to enjoy around the campsite one night.

day 25

greeetings keyboard.
the month of Hammuz, Hebrew for July, has always been eventfull says history and July 06 is shaping up to be one of the most. Where is Rodney King when we need him? "Why can't we all just get along?" Frustration at the madness in the middle east is tempered by the LoveIn in Berlin. Who'd a thunk that? http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/07/15/060715172659.jl1j62tn.html
Well, hooray for Deutschland. Reminds me of the good old days. In fact speaking of the good old days. Howz 'bout this link in honor of the late great Bill Graham? I've been listening to the "radio vault" here for a week now and what a time machine it is.http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/ My very first concerts were in Fillmore West and Winterland back in the late 60's when Bill was giving music a real platform. Wolfgang was Bill's real name.
Now on to motorcyling. Old Snoop-Skoot went into Ace's Wed. the 5th after hitting the 10k mark for it's once over and some more comfortable handlebars. Scott called me yesterday afternoon to say that "those bars you picked out don't work. Why don't you come down to the shop and try out some other ones?" rrrrrrrrrrr. well ok. i understand "best laid plans" etc. All last nite i fretted over what was originally a 50 dollar upgrade will now move into the multiple HD's (Harley Davidson for Hundred Dollars) because i'll probably need new braided cables because the new bars are longer and wider. rrrrrrr.
I drove the old blue cage over to Rockledge yesterday morning to meet with Larry and Toni and go over the last minute details for our BlackHills 06 Trip, which is now only 13 days away. We went over the timeline, route, things to bring and things we want to do out west and then borrowed Ronnies bike to go and see how three bikes fit in the new 6x16 foot trailer Toni just bought to transport our sleds out west.Wheww weee it was hot, but nothing compared to the 111 degrees registered in Rapid City. L and T are supposed to drive up to Ga. this afternoon to pick up the motorhome donated to us for the trip, so all the parts are falling into place. Larry's pipes new and exotic are due in this coming Wed. , so he is ultra jazzed.

day 24

here is one more experiment
ahh memories of a putt long past. riding with the pack adds an extra rush to the feelings of freedom. this video doesn't really capture it yet, but the experiments will continue. it is too bloody hot outside right now and because the old Snoop-Skoot is in Ace's getting it's 10k once over and new handlebars, and the fact that i spent a good two hours pulling weeds and dead grass. what a sad statement that your author, a child of the 60's and san francisco, now hates grass so much. lol.

day 23

So now. test number 5. Is this one going to work?


ahh.Hahh. this seems to work, so i'll tap out some notes relative to this beginners video.
When i get back from Rockledge, i call BigDaveCassens to ask if he knows anyone with a trailer that will fit three bikes. "I saw a "forsale" sign on a trailer down in southwest orange county. A 7x16 enclosed for 2k. It's about 30 minutes from my house." he tells me. "Ok. Lets go have a look." i answer, then go ask my boss if i can go. She of course says "ok", knowing how important a chore i have. I putt into BDC's yard, after a few phone calls while only 1/4 mile from his house. U-Turns are legall, right? I hate getting lost, so close to the destination. We load up, fire up and practice our "go slow" manuevers down the dirt roadway leaving their house, all the while just digging the roaring rumble of 3 harleydavidsons singing their happy tunes of vrroooom vrooooomm. The "go slow" race is one i've always wanted to participate in, but haven't yet. There is one girl here that wins everytime and i mean everytime. All the guys are looking around while practicing to see if she's going to show up this time and when she does and a hurrahhh goes up from her lady fans, a slow quiet rrrrrrr is sighed from the men. http://www.baroutback.com/
This is the link to Johnny Rottens Bar Out Back where most local games go on. As you can see the place is quiet a hoot.
So, we make our way to sw orange. BDC knows these roads better than anyone and soon we pull into the storage company where the "forsale" trailer is . RRRR. the "for sale" sign is gone. "I think it's been sold" growls BDC. I take some pics of it to show Larry.
It is a 98 and with some tlc could be a deal for 2k. but alas too late it appears. there is a phone number for the storage facility, but theres still no answer, even these few days later.
So, BDC and his wifey Bad AssBiker Barb decide to putt thru gorgeous Lake County over to see his motorcycle riding brother, while the skies are fair and before our regular afternoon thunderboomers set in. I'm jonesin' to ride and so go with them. We are sitting in the first position in a left hand turn lane at a major intersection with two lanes to our right. Cars sit in the far lane waiting to turn right, when all of a sudden we hear a cars tires begin their loud screeching sliding sounds. I spot the red older chevy's wheels smokin as he is only 30 yards behind us and holler "here we go!" I then turn my head to watch this lunitic to see if he's going to stop or slide into us or what. BABB has her ipod on and doesnt' yet live in her rear view mirrors like me and so didn't spot the slider till he was 15 yards behind. Somehow, thanks to our three guardian angels at the stoplight with us, this yahoo stayed in his lane sliding, screeching and smokin all the way into the intersection and somehow turned his wreck right, still sliding, avoiding the crossing traffic and missed everyone. The cross traffic was turning left in front of us, so if this nut had drifted our way there was no place for us to go. This happened a week ago and i still cant stop thinking about it. if i've learned anything, its to live in the rear view mirror, be more aware ALWAYS and DO NOT piss off your guardian angel.
we finally get out into the countryside and this is when i tried out the new camera mount's video abilities. BABB is descending our own Florida mountain, Sugarloaf, and flirting with death on her terms as she plays "look mom. no hands". lol
well, the rains are coming and now would be a good time for some outside chores. i will be back.

discovery day 21

"t-minus 17 minutes and counting". is the last transmision so far.
It's now 2:47 and one h0ur ish in real time till the launch of Shuttle Discovery. I'm just out of the shower and cooled down from doing my 150 miler this morning. Out east on 46 for 30 miles thru the jungles and over Puzzle River and into Brevard County. Home of launch pad 39b. "T-minus 14 minutes and counting" I am watching via 'puter on NasaTV. "The white room is clear and their are not technical issues being addressed at this time". "T-minus 9 minutes and holding" Mission Control from Houston, tells us. Our local channel 9 on the tv is showing the real time behind the scene for the launch also. This is such a complicated vehicle and so so many engineers involved to light this candle. A good half of my putt east this morning (kickstand up at 7ish am), I could not see a vehicle in front of me nor behind me. Perfect putt conditions, 75 degrees, high clouds with no noticable winds. Hiway 46 is a county road, but in excellent two lane condition and zooms thru deep bush filled lands opening up to fields that are home to cattle and palm trees. Thru mims then stop at the gas station, next to the I95 onramp, where i first showed Larry old Black Betty for a quick smoke before hitting the slab. Where as 46 is a treat, 95 is a chore. 70mph is the limit and if you go 70 you will be in the way. "So far we are in a no go due to weather" "T-Minus 9 minutes and holding". Now i actually like the slab sometimes. The rush of just getting on down the road without too much concern for cross traffic, like on the surface roads. So many accidents i hear about are from cross traffic, people turning left in front of the bike, or entering the roadway from a side street. "It's goin to be close, but we'll give it a shot" Nasa tells us over the air. There is a small cell 30 miles west of the pad that is a concern. ..But since my last encounter with getting airborne at 45ish mph over that wood pallet in in the middle of my lane on my way to work last week has me still a bit skiddish, expecially when following semi's with full loads at 70mph on the slab. "Observed and forcast no go, for thunder storm anvils, I don't hold a lot of hope at this point." "We copy" and so it goes.About 20 minutes real time till launch, but it doesnt look good. .. So i make it to Rockledge and find Larrys crib on the golf course. Pat, his wife is across the street playing in a 4some tennis match as we roll out north heading to Ronnies house. They call Tonnie and he lives only 5 minutes from the yard and will meet us there so we can see if the bikes will fit in the trailer that is supposed to carry our sleds to the BlackHills. It's an enclosed 6x12 and too small for 3 bikes. So there. We are 30 days to go and no trailer. Hmmm? Off to a good start. Tonnie thinks he can find one at the AutoAuction, even tho he hasn't seen one lately. We need it to be 7x16 at least.
"We've got anvils within 20 miles. Sorry to break it to you, but it's not a good day to launch. We'll try again tomorrow." "We are going ahead to scrub for today." We hear from Shuttle Launch Control. Well, it's off to a party now. ill be back...