26.8.07
4.8.07
more catch up?
greetings key board.
what a long strange trip its been as of late... and now on top of that blogger has opened up the editing genie in the bottle and added new toys to explore. but this the time and place for motorcycle stories... can i catch up from last november? as is the case, when one is busy doing, its hard to write, especially when i have this speeding ticket to work off, but that story is for another time.
i dont' see any mention here of Harold's Annual Veteran's Day Run, so that's where i'll start. Hmmm. I have no pics, so there that is.
i do have this kewl pic, but lets hold on to that story for a sec.
Harold leads about 30 roaring happy and free riders out of the new shop on the second sunday in november out east on 46 to 415 north to rrrrrr, i cant remember the name of the joint, but know that it is a "no colors" bar next to Skips Boots, with a large enough gravel parking lot to hold a hundred or so bikes and is usually half full every weekend. On and off during the day, you know how bikers live to ride in, wet the whistle then ride on. any hoo we pick up another 30 club member bikes there, then saddle up, start up and claim the road as ours, with our excellent road captains blocking all cages from our united pack.
what a long strange trip its been as of late... and now on top of that blogger has opened up the editing genie in the bottle and added new toys to explore. but this the time and place for motorcycle stories... can i catch up from last november? as is the case, when one is busy doing, its hard to write, especially when i have this speeding ticket to work off, but that story is for another time.
i dont' see any mention here of Harold's Annual Veteran's Day Run, so that's where i'll start. Hmmm. I have no pics, so there that is.
i do have this kewl pic, but lets hold on to that story for a sec.
Harold leads about 30 roaring happy and free riders out of the new shop on the second sunday in november out east on 46 to 415 north to rrrrrr, i cant remember the name of the joint, but know that it is a "no colors" bar next to Skips Boots, with a large enough gravel parking lot to hold a hundred or so bikes and is usually half full every weekend. On and off during the day, you know how bikers live to ride in, wet the whistle then ride on. any hoo we pick up another 30 club member bikes there, then saddle up, start up and claim the road as ours, with our excellent road captains blocking all cages from our united pack.
22.2.07
28.1.07
day 29
greetings keyboard. remember me. the one who just couldn't live with out you, yes the same one who hasn't stopped by to visit for 2 months. No more guilt please, i have enough. Guilt and excuses. Like those two ever did anyone any favor. Today it is breezy and and cool 62 degrees with high puffy and only slightly forebodding clouds. The wild birds are singing in the conservation easement and all his as it is here in Lopezville.
Here is your author and lovey heading out downtown.
Here is your author and lovey heading out downtown.
18.11.06
day 28
these movies are as addictive as writing/riding...
I was supposed to ride with Larry and his gang from Melbourne that friday of Daytona's Annual Biketoberfest, but my boss decided to fire one of my two man staff, and so consequently my work load quickly zoomed up a third. It would mean leaving david alone for the day and altho he could handle it, well i figured it wasn't the right thing to do. Larry got to ride up there Thursday with Cary. They rode up 1 to "Destination Daytona" (and you know how i feel about Bruce Almighty and his raping of our credo "It's not about the destination. It's about the Ride.", so i won't dribble on here anymore. But, he does put on a good show, so Larry tells me. Lots of music, vendors and builders. Even our own Billy Lane. The last cop (Steve, who is a Schog) i spoke to about Billy's case said "I don't care how many lawyers he brought to court to be charged. He's going away for a long long time." In dispute is the throwing out the BAC evidence because Bill refused to surrender that and it was taken against his request. Steve said, rather grumpily "I don't care. Now they may have to do without some of the evidence, they still have enough to prove their case and this bum is going away for a long time." I've never shaken Billy's hand, but he is a local legend so the tails exist about his wild life style, but now being someone who while recklessly driving killed a biker, now that is different. I've heard of Billy showing up now at the Boggy Creek Run ($50) per rider and now Biketoberfest. Bikers now have their own "OJ". How sad.
I'm glad i didn't run into his side show and have to deal with the feeling of wanting to Booooooooooo and Hisssssss him in amongst his most ardent supporters. But the only reason and way we can enjoy our rides is by preaching safe riding, for all including the super stars. Now i'm sure during the seconds just before the head on collision Bill was in heaven with his new nice young things mouth all over his lap, after whooping it up in three different bars all day (you know that each time Bill walks into a different bar there are those that will say "Hey. Your Billy Lane, let me buy you a shot. Yahoo.") at each joint, but now we have a dead mans grieveing and lonely family and Billy living? in a cage forever and ever. And what do you think the nice new young thing dreams about at night now? Sorry about scribbling on so, but thats just the way it happens when i don't commune with Mercury for a while.
Now, for some words about Biketoberfest. Like i was saying Larry went on Thursday, and after Destanation Daytona, they motored south to Main Street for the required crawl thru the crowds to see bottoms and bikes filling the street and sidewalks, hear the thumping rock and roll bands and let the tourists take your picture. Then they went to the RaceTrack, home of the Daytona 500, and actually got to ride their bikes thru the tunnell under the track and onto the main infield. The tunnell is only 200 yards long and small two lanes wide so the sounds of thundering freedom crackling out of the pipes, make me smile just thinking about them. Well, thats what they did. This movie is about what i did and saw. The video is a little shaky, sorry about that, i tried out some new pads for the camera mount. We met Randy, Mary, PJ, Mike and Karen out on 46 and 415 where while yakkin and gassin, Randy spies one, out of lots of bikes zooming by and remarks "Look. thats the first time i've ever seen that. a black chick, with gloves and short shorts on a huge crotch rocket with a white boy with blond dreadlocks clinging on as her bitch." Hmmm. "Nope" we all laugh. "Us neither." It's a perfectly cloud free cool day with motorcycle just written all over it, so we saddle for the 60 mile trek north with the other pilgrims biking to mecca.
Well, if you enjoy the video, i'll come back and fill in the stories...
I was supposed to ride with Larry and his gang from Melbourne that friday of Daytona's Annual Biketoberfest, but my boss decided to fire one of my two man staff, and so consequently my work load quickly zoomed up a third. It would mean leaving david alone for the day and altho he could handle it, well i figured it wasn't the right thing to do. Larry got to ride up there Thursday with Cary. They rode up 1 to "Destination Daytona" (and you know how i feel about Bruce Almighty and his raping of our credo "It's not about the destination. It's about the Ride.", so i won't dribble on here anymore. But, he does put on a good show, so Larry tells me. Lots of music, vendors and builders. Even our own Billy Lane. The last cop (Steve, who is a Schog) i spoke to about Billy's case said "I don't care how many lawyers he brought to court to be charged. He's going away for a long long time." In dispute is the throwing out the BAC evidence because Bill refused to surrender that and it was taken against his request. Steve said, rather grumpily "I don't care. Now they may have to do without some of the evidence, they still have enough to prove their case and this bum is going away for a long time." I've never shaken Billy's hand, but he is a local legend so the tails exist about his wild life style, but now being someone who while recklessly driving killed a biker, now that is different. I've heard of Billy showing up now at the Boggy Creek Run ($50) per rider and now Biketoberfest. Bikers now have their own "OJ". How sad.
I'm glad i didn't run into his side show and have to deal with the feeling of wanting to Booooooooooo and Hisssssss him in amongst his most ardent supporters. But the only reason and way we can enjoy our rides is by preaching safe riding, for all including the super stars. Now i'm sure during the seconds just before the head on collision Bill was in heaven with his new nice young things mouth all over his lap, after whooping it up in three different bars all day (you know that each time Bill walks into a different bar there are those that will say "Hey. Your Billy Lane, let me buy you a shot. Yahoo.") at each joint, but now we have a dead mans grieveing and lonely family and Billy living? in a cage forever and ever. And what do you think the nice new young thing dreams about at night now? Sorry about scribbling on so, but thats just the way it happens when i don't commune with Mercury for a while.
Now, for some words about Biketoberfest. Like i was saying Larry went on Thursday, and after Destanation Daytona, they motored south to Main Street for the required crawl thru the crowds to see bottoms and bikes filling the street and sidewalks, hear the thumping rock and roll bands and let the tourists take your picture. Then they went to the RaceTrack, home of the Daytona 500, and actually got to ride their bikes thru the tunnell under the track and onto the main infield. The tunnell is only 200 yards long and small two lanes wide so the sounds of thundering freedom crackling out of the pipes, make me smile just thinking about them. Well, thats what they did. This movie is about what i did and saw. The video is a little shaky, sorry about that, i tried out some new pads for the camera mount. We met Randy, Mary, PJ, Mike and Karen out on 46 and 415 where while yakkin and gassin, Randy spies one, out of lots of bikes zooming by and remarks "Look. thats the first time i've ever seen that. a black chick, with gloves and short shorts on a huge crotch rocket with a white boy with blond dreadlocks clinging on as her bitch." Hmmm. "Nope" we all laugh. "Us neither." It's a perfectly cloud free cool day with motorcycle just written all over it, so we saddle for the 60 mile trek north with the other pilgrims biking to mecca.
Well, if you enjoy the video, i'll come back and fill in the stories...
12.11.06
day 27
greeetings keyboard. remember me. I've been thinking of visiting you for a while. You know how it is.
Our next adventure was the annual Biketoberfest in Daytona Beach, Fl. This is an excellent pic of lovey surrounded by iron galore at the Iron Horse in Ormond, just a couple of tiks north of DB. They serve a world famous steak sandwich that we tested and approved of. While standing in line we spied the most interesting t-shirt wearing mom and daughter team ever witnessed.
their errie eyes matched only by the statement being made my their t-shirts made me wonder what the home life was like. they appeared totally content with themselves and posed willingly and happily to lots of requests for pictures.
29.10.06
19.10.06
Sanford Bike Fest 06
ye old 'puter is in the shop again, so here is a short vid of our weekend in the park. The cops on choppers was the best...
15.10.06
8.10.06
bhr11
wow, have i really been gone that long? Sorry keyboard. i know, i know, you want attention too. Glad your medication is my fingers and not a drug. Anyhooo. Good to feel you again. I promise, no more of the "i dont have enough hours in the day" bullshit. Zo. It is now 8:46am on a quiet sunday morning,blue skies, light breez and a lucious sweeet 68 degrees, and the progress on lovey's homepage, Dream-Walls is coming along nicely, but is soooo time intensive. I tell ya, every creature in this house is attention defecit, oyyvaaaaa. sorry about all this side scribbles, you know how i dribble on when i don't get to touch you often enough. Now. on with the show.
Here is the last video of the first day. Yes. San to say that i've only related the first real day of our riding adventure so far. This thing could drag on for a while. I've been to a few other sites to read their excellent versions of the Black Hills Rally 06 advetures, and have found them short, well written and to the point, where as my recollections tend to go on and on and on. lol. So here are those links for reference, The first and best of course is "the big mutha", yes, his tall tales are the best, then there is "the "dixie biker" stories and excellent pics of their Lake County HOG chapters trip, and also, although it is not tales of the black hills, these people are in my book, "real bikers", this husband/wife team ride around the world on their bike . Also, my sweet sister has sent me some more notes from my Grandmother. She writes about her grandmother's life in 1870's in Hawaii. wow. Found a family tree in there too that takes me back to 1690 in N. Ireland to Archibald Thompson...ok ok ok now, really. lol here is that last video...
I gotta tell ya, i'm getting to like building these little videos as much as ridin/writin.
Well, they passed the Smith coal mine on Hiway 308, past BearCreek and wind up one grand day of puttin. Our camp guide highly recomended the Bridge Creek for the best grub in town, so as they roll back onto the main street of Red Lodge feeling like they have just conquered the new world, they spot the joint and park right in front. "I didn't expect it to be such a fanzy joint" Q remarked. You see, V had graciously offered to buy us all our dinner that night. They made a rowdy entrance acting like the kings of the world, which is what they felt like after finally riding the mountains of Montana. V introduced Tina, the cute young waitress to the Alphabet Gang and we all had a good chuckle. Then when she came back with our adult beverages Q asked "Lets, just say for example folks come here, order and eat then don't have the money to pay. What do you all do about that?" Then while Tina was stuttering over her answer Q asks also "Where is the closest bank in town and is it well guarded?" Then after a long pregnant pause, we all had a good belly laugh, even tho Tina walked away not really sure what to make of these three out of town bikers...
Here is the last video of the first day. Yes. San to say that i've only related the first real day of our riding adventure so far. This thing could drag on for a while. I've been to a few other sites to read their excellent versions of the Black Hills Rally 06 advetures, and have found them short, well written and to the point, where as my recollections tend to go on and on and on. lol. So here are those links for reference, The first and best of course is "the big mutha", yes, his tall tales are the best, then there is "the "dixie biker" stories and excellent pics of their Lake County HOG chapters trip, and also, although it is not tales of the black hills, these people are in my book, "real bikers", this husband/wife team ride around the world on their bike . Also, my sweet sister has sent me some more notes from my Grandmother. She writes about her grandmother's life in 1870's in Hawaii. wow. Found a family tree in there too that takes me back to 1690 in N. Ireland to Archibald Thompson...ok ok ok now, really. lol here is that last video...
I gotta tell ya, i'm getting to like building these little videos as much as ridin/writin.
Well, they passed the Smith coal mine on Hiway 308, past BearCreek and wind up one grand day of puttin. Our camp guide highly recomended the Bridge Creek for the best grub in town, so as they roll back onto the main street of Red Lodge feeling like they have just conquered the new world, they spot the joint and park right in front. "I didn't expect it to be such a fanzy joint" Q remarked. You see, V had graciously offered to buy us all our dinner that night. They made a rowdy entrance acting like the kings of the world, which is what they felt like after finally riding the mountains of Montana. V introduced Tina, the cute young waitress to the Alphabet Gang and we all had a good chuckle. Then when she came back with our adult beverages Q asked "Lets, just say for example folks come here, order and eat then don't have the money to pay. What do you all do about that?" Then while Tina was stuttering over her answer Q asks also "Where is the closest bank in town and is it well guarded?" Then after a long pregnant pause, we all had a good belly laugh, even tho Tina walked away not really sure what to make of these three out of town bikers...
14.9.06
bhr10
continued:
twisting, swerving, down shifting, leaning in, fading out, climbing, dropping (not the bike, just the altitude, and then the long long straightaway of hiway 72 thru the high desertish landscape north to 308 then westerly thru the BearCreek.
oooops. before they leave the top of the BearTooth of course the silly video had to be made...
twisting, swerving, down shifting, leaning in, fading out, climbing, dropping (not the bike, just the altitude, and then the long long straightaway of hiway 72 thru the high desertish landscape north to 308 then westerly thru the BearCreek.
oooops. before they leave the top of the BearTooth of course the silly video had to be made...
12.9.06
bhr9
continued...
"Theair there is so clean. And why shouldn't it be? It's the same air the angels breathe!" I know, i know that's a quote from Sam Clemens about the Sierra Nevadas but the attitude is the same. Wow, what a nice rest stop at 10 thousand feet. Wonder what it looks like covered in snow? Also, John Denver's "RockyMountainHigh' comes to mind. You see, this rag tag gang from the jungles of florida haven't been out of the swamps in way too too long. "America the Beautiful" comes to mind also.
The A. Gang headed up the Chief Joseph Highway full of vim and vigor because the rains had let up and life was good. They rode a Honda, Yamaha and Harley and reveled in the saying. "it doesn't matter what you ride. Just as long as you ride." These highways, mountains and lakes could not care less who made our cycles.
Chief Joseph took us up to another pass.
and another spectacular view and another history lesson about the good Chief tricking the american soldiers and escaping over the pass.
These bronze pieces of art helped transport your author back to a more rugged time in our american west.
7.9.06
bhr 8
While being overwhelmed by the majesty of the Bear Tooth Mountains Z remembered his assignmnet from lovey to get lots of artsy pics for her to draw.Here is the humble attempts...
Amazing, just amazing. A view that could have been drunk in all day, no question. But the call of the road and the thrill of actually puttin these mountains was stronger than the desire to stand and stare. So, click, click, click and they saddled up for more fun...
V.'s sled pointing Northwest.
Next stop up they cross the border and V. has a big chuckle while straddling the state line.
They enjoyed and left Custer NF and were excited and looking forward to the Shoshone NF.
the next stop is actually named "The Top of the World" and it ain't lying. It is a cozy log souvenier shop with cold beer and the hang out porch up front. Z bought his pin while they started to gear up for the nex leg a cruiser with his old lady on the back roll in. Just as he stops he looses it in the gravel and 10 rough tough biker dudes run over to help before he totally lost it. One of their group that didn't run over remarked loudly "Holy shit tommy, i never knew you could run that fast!" they all had a good chuckle as soon as they saw the lady and the bike were ok. they had nothing to say to the pilot cause he was a dumb shit not to handle his bike any better than that. Escially with his lady on board.
Their are lots of dark clouds now swirling around and just as they get back on the road its rain time. No worries mate. all part of the adventure...here is a little video...
Amazing, just amazing. A view that could have been drunk in all day, no question. But the call of the road and the thrill of actually puttin these mountains was stronger than the desire to stand and stare. So, click, click, click and they saddled up for more fun...
V.'s sled pointing Northwest.
Next stop up they cross the border and V. has a big chuckle while straddling the state line.
They enjoyed and left Custer NF and were excited and looking forward to the Shoshone NF.
the next stop is actually named "The Top of the World" and it ain't lying. It is a cozy log souvenier shop with cold beer and the hang out porch up front. Z bought his pin while they started to gear up for the nex leg a cruiser with his old lady on the back roll in. Just as he stops he looses it in the gravel and 10 rough tough biker dudes run over to help before he totally lost it. One of their group that didn't run over remarked loudly "Holy shit tommy, i never knew you could run that fast!" they all had a good chuckle as soon as they saw the lady and the bike were ok. they had nothing to say to the pilot cause he was a dumb shit not to handle his bike any better than that. Escially with his lady on board.
Their are lots of dark clouds now swirling around and just as they get back on the road its rain time. No worries mate. all part of the adventure...here is a little video...
4.9.06
bhr7
continued:
the entrance on 212 to sleepy, quite, old west feeling burg of Red Lodge is just a couple of clicks west. This 7 year old statue honoring Crow Chief Many Coups. Now i am a news junkie, thru and thru. I am hooked to the 6 oclock local, then 6:3o national for many many moons now, but this adventure changed all that. Z got to relive American history and walk/ride the very grounds that a cosmic culture loved. Here is a pic of the plaque under the Chief. His words on war still ring loud and clear.
Hope you can read this. Z felt magic here at the foot of the Bear Tooth and this plaque confirms that is was magic to the Crow also.
They stopped in at the local bike shop, Bone Daddys http://www.bonedaddyscustomcycle.com just across the stree from BearTooth Harley and found a nice "at home" feelin shop, just like the burg. Z just had to score a patch, pin and pic.
Of course you know Z's thing about all things black and white. The excellent colors of SS. so this front window art work for BD's caught his camera. The blue sky in the background is just a tease. The A. Gang score some required t's and swapped realities with the usual crowd that gathered around V.'s sled with the usual question "What is it?"
And off south they rode with Z wearing only his vest. The first turnoff, just 3 miles up the road a pull out gave him the welcome chance to put on his jacket and snap this most excellent shot of V checking in while at the foot of one of the most majestice awesome rides ever. Your humble author has neither the skills or vocabulary to do justice to the reality of the Bear Tooth. The climbing, the slow turns creeping and crawling back and forth across the face of the pass, the ultimate drop offs outside and rock for days on the inside of the twisties just have motorcycle written all over them. They laugh and vroom vroom up to the first lookout at 9 thousand feet.
and of course your humble author had to have a pic for evidence. Your honor, freakin a, i was higher than a kite on the day in question. Actually, 9 thousand feet high with my head in the clouds.
Speaking of clouds, notice the change? KOA's camp leader told me this morning "Those mountains make our weather, so keep an eye on them" when i asked him "whats the weather going to be like today?". In fact ridin SS in these magic mountains felt better than any high producing drug i'm sure. Cept maybe, rrr, well, thats for another story.
here are the Alphabet Gang.
Z,Q and V.
They are facing northeast and the camera is pointing southwest with the Yellowstone off in the far distance. Lovey like this pic so much it was the first one she painted.
3.9.06
bhr6
Its' currently 8am. sunday morning and i can visit here for a bit while the homestead is quiet. Picked up the "repaired" computer from the new local shop. Built a quick 30 minute film and set the software Pinnacle to "create dvd" and then had to leave to pick up Joey and Marti. On the way home, lovey calls to say "your computer is making that sound again". i could hear in the background the most hatefull sound ever of the puters alarms going off, just like before going into the shop. So now i'm down 200 plus bones and still can not create my movies.rrrrrrrrrrrrrr. "I'm sorry" says lovey. "It'll probably mean a new motherboard" i guess out loud.rrrrrrrrrr. Which reminds me. "Talk Like a Pirate Day" is fast upon us. Sept. 19http://www.talklikeapirate.com/. I think that bikers are pirates deep down, so expect some interesting stories.
It's always something. Missed destination daytona's bike night last nite due to lovey not wanting to rided in the rain. spoke with d and n and heard that they would ride over there and gives us the low down. They only live 10 minutes away. Which also means that during biketoberfest http://www.biketoberfest.org/ and bike week http://www.officialbikeweek.com/ one constantly hears the vibrating vroooom vrooooom of freedom.
now for a few pieces of items not mentioned in bh5. V reminded me of some points:
continued...When V. jumped out of the home in industrial billings montana to run into the Casino for directions, Z jumped out with a flashlight and stood behind the trailer with the motorcyles in it to direct traffic around us. Flash, flash, wave it here and there. "Hope this can be seen. Man it sure is quiet out here" Z thinks to himself. V. rolls out of the club and laughs heartily asking "how many cars came by?" he knew the answer was zero and laughed all the more.
Next. Now they were all used to people stopping, staring and askinglots of questions about V. sled. One of my favorite answers so far is "Well, it started out as a vtx." and this adventure had its share of those, but as they were leaving the SuperWalMart (after being checked out by a sweet cross-eyed, tooth challenged, chuncky girl who remarked at them" i used to think they were bad, but now gray haired bikers are so sexy". Z had his usual hat on altho his long gray beard was all a scraggle, so they all turned to V and had a good laugh) was a group of teenagers going in the store and the loud mouth boy holllers out across the lot. "Hey. Nice bike man. Is that a v-8 in it?" V. was at a loss for words.
continued...
a good nites sllep was followed by a glorious sunrise with t shirt weather and high clouds. i walked up to the front office to register after finding a ticket on the windshield reminding us to, even tho i had filled out the paperwork last night or more correctly at 4 am.Anyhoo the good old boy Luke who ran the place recommended "i think you'll like the Bear Tooth Pass and the Chief Joseph Highway for a nice motorcycle ride" Z. relates this to the others, they scout it out on the map and agree. Z determines from his Magellean GPS that we are at 5 thousand some feet at the camp. Yikes, they live at 25 feet, this really isn't Kansas anymore Toto.
It's always something. Missed destination daytona's bike night last nite due to lovey not wanting to rided in the rain. spoke with d and n and heard that they would ride over there and gives us the low down. They only live 10 minutes away. Which also means that during biketoberfest http://www.biketoberfest.org/ and bike week http://www.officialbikeweek.com/ one constantly hears the vibrating vroooom vrooooom of freedom.
now for a few pieces of items not mentioned in bh5. V reminded me of some points:
continued...When V. jumped out of the home in industrial billings montana to run into the Casino for directions, Z jumped out with a flashlight and stood behind the trailer with the motorcyles in it to direct traffic around us. Flash, flash, wave it here and there. "Hope this can be seen. Man it sure is quiet out here" Z thinks to himself. V. rolls out of the club and laughs heartily asking "how many cars came by?" he knew the answer was zero and laughed all the more.
Next. Now they were all used to people stopping, staring and askinglots of questions about V. sled. One of my favorite answers so far is "Well, it started out as a vtx." and this adventure had its share of those, but as they were leaving the SuperWalMart (after being checked out by a sweet cross-eyed, tooth challenged, chuncky girl who remarked at them" i used to think they were bad, but now gray haired bikers are so sexy". Z had his usual hat on altho his long gray beard was all a scraggle, so they all turned to V and had a good laugh) was a group of teenagers going in the store and the loud mouth boy holllers out across the lot. "Hey. Nice bike man. Is that a v-8 in it?" V. was at a loss for words.
continued...
a good nites sllep was followed by a glorious sunrise with t shirt weather and high clouds. i walked up to the front office to register after finding a ticket on the windshield reminding us to, even tho i had filled out the paperwork last night or more correctly at 4 am.Anyhoo the good old boy Luke who ran the place recommended "i think you'll like the Bear Tooth Pass and the Chief Joseph Highway for a nice motorcycle ride" Z. relates this to the others, they scout it out on the map and agree. Z determines from his Magellean GPS that we are at 5 thousand some feet at the camp. Yikes, they live at 25 feet, this really isn't Kansas anymore Toto.
24.8.06
bhr5
continued...
Z and Q putted over to the local NAPA store and scored the new plugs and wires that showed up on the scan as being weak and Q set to work for the next 2 hours replacing them. He had to wear his biking gloves because the engine compartment was hot hot hot. He finally started up the home and Z was glad it started till Q said "That ain't rite". It was missing a bit. Just enough to be not right. Z's confidence in Q was dwindling and he wished we had coughed up the couple of hundred dollars and have the dealership mechanic get er done right, but it was too late because they had closed up for the day. Then out of the blue the mechanic appears. He helps Q and in 15 minutes all was correcto. V. gave him a 20 dollar tip and learned that this kid had been to many many Sturgis Rally's, but this was going to be his first on his own Harley Davidson. They finally zoom west out of Rapid City around 5:30ish and damn glad to be on the road again, even if it was in the home instead of the sleds.
At 2isham they finally roll into Billings Montana. Z calls to find the local SuperWal-Mart so the gang can load up on groceries for the next few days. Z screws up the directions and V, finding themselves lost in a quiet chemical factory part of town stops dead in the road outside a very small Casino. V tells Z "go inside and ask directions." for some reason Z wasn't into it an was protesting "you can't just stop in the middle of the road" "Says who?" was V.'s powerful response. Z jumped out with flashlight to guide traffic away from our home in the middle of the road. V came out and said "Fuck it. we should be in there partying" he told of the toothless skinny old girl up on stage singing "Lonely". He had gotten directions and in 10 minutes we pull into the correct parking lot. The perimeter of the lot was full of motorhomes with trailers. Looked like a polish koa.
V. also gets confirmation that we are on the right trail and Red Lodge Montana is our next stop about 60 miles south. It's totally dark and so they do not see the magnificent mountain ranges surrounding them. On the small two lane hiway212 they pass a KOA, but then make a slow turn around up the road and come back to it. The night time sign in sheet said they had a space available. V. the excellent trucker invented a set of flashlight signals to help guide the home home.Walla. perfecto. Rack time. Finally a chance to sleep without the constant road thumpity thumps under the pillow.
Z and Q putted over to the local NAPA store and scored the new plugs and wires that showed up on the scan as being weak and Q set to work for the next 2 hours replacing them. He had to wear his biking gloves because the engine compartment was hot hot hot. He finally started up the home and Z was glad it started till Q said "That ain't rite". It was missing a bit. Just enough to be not right. Z's confidence in Q was dwindling and he wished we had coughed up the couple of hundred dollars and have the dealership mechanic get er done right, but it was too late because they had closed up for the day. Then out of the blue the mechanic appears. He helps Q and in 15 minutes all was correcto. V. gave him a 20 dollar tip and learned that this kid had been to many many Sturgis Rally's, but this was going to be his first on his own Harley Davidson. They finally zoom west out of Rapid City around 5:30ish and damn glad to be on the road again, even if it was in the home instead of the sleds.
At 2isham they finally roll into Billings Montana. Z calls to find the local SuperWal-Mart so the gang can load up on groceries for the next few days. Z screws up the directions and V, finding themselves lost in a quiet chemical factory part of town stops dead in the road outside a very small Casino. V tells Z "go inside and ask directions." for some reason Z wasn't into it an was protesting "you can't just stop in the middle of the road" "Says who?" was V.'s powerful response. Z jumped out with flashlight to guide traffic away from our home in the middle of the road. V came out and said "Fuck it. we should be in there partying" he told of the toothless skinny old girl up on stage singing "Lonely". He had gotten directions and in 10 minutes we pull into the correct parking lot. The perimeter of the lot was full of motorhomes with trailers. Looked like a polish koa.
V. also gets confirmation that we are on the right trail and Red Lodge Montana is our next stop about 60 miles south. It's totally dark and so they do not see the magnificent mountain ranges surrounding them. On the small two lane hiway212 they pass a KOA, but then make a slow turn around up the road and come back to it. The night time sign in sheet said they had a space available. V. the excellent trucker invented a set of flashlight signals to help guide the home home.Walla. perfecto. Rack time. Finally a chance to sleep without the constant road thumpity thumps under the pillow.
20.8.06
bhr4
continued:
here is the correct, trip beginning vid: It's a little dark, but what adventure doesn't begin in the dark? V and Z
had grabbed a couple of hours of sack time on Q's couch and floor altho the floor was not as comfortable as Z remembered from his earlier days and so tried to watch a movie on tv to zone out to. V woke me up around 1:30 saying "he's here. lets go." Z groggyly rolled over and truly did not want to go. "You guys go ahead. I've changed my mind and do not want to go." He really didn't, deaths cousin was too enchanting just then. But up popped Z finally realizing there was no backing out now. It was Q's girlfriend's birthday the next day and so we thought he was in giving her a going away present. He tells us "No" later, but you know what a gentleman Q is. Anyhoo they all load up and start the start clock at 2:26 a.m. e.s.t. V. is quite the driver, heas a cdl, etc. and has lots of stories about driving long distances, so he grabbed the wheel first and drove till 2ish pm sunday all the way to north georgia. Here is a pic of the first gas stop and our chance to donate 150 dollars to those poor suffering oil barons.
I took over the wheel and lasted only 4 hrs before i just couldn't keep awake any longer.
Up thru Chattanooga, then Kentucky then calling it good for my shift somewhere in Illinois. Q takes over after getting some good sleep time.
In this pic two of the bike covers are still intact. Altho they will both be gone zoon. A major truck was backing way off from behind us and a passerby hollered out about something "flapping in the wind" behind them, so they stopped and removed the remaining threads of the covers. It was grand to finally be on foreign roads and this adventure was finally becoming a reality. Actually, these 45 hours of continous driving was so surreal they called it a time/reality warp that was used to escape the day to day same old same old reality.
finally St. Louis is in sight after spending the night rolling thru Kentucky and Illionois. wow what a bunch of Gambling Casinos are camped out along the Lewis and Clark route. Q is all afire that co-pilot/navigator V and Z snap some good pics of the "Arch". So much so that he misses the correct turn off and they end up down-town. Now, I'm sure St. Louis is a fine burg, but this neighborhood's age was not hiding. There is one jewel tho and of course it's the baseball park.
Monday around noonish they finally roll just outside of Wall Drug and pull over to feel the intense winds in person. "This would be a catagory 2 backhome" Z laughs. The motorhome was running rough and the next fill up confirmed they were only getting 4.5 mpg as opposed to the usual 7.5 mpg average. They jump on the celly and find the location of the closest dealer and make an appointment for a scan. Q, who is an expert mechanic theorizes "its a sensor. maybe a heat/fuel sensor and hell i can change that myself". "while the dealer is scanning the home we can unload the sleds and go find something to eat!" "Nah." V. states, "I'm going to stay with the bikes" They meet with the shop foreman and he tells them they are next on the list and should be looked at in one hour. "ok, then! Lets ride" exclaims V. After 34ish hours of continous motorhome confinement the freedom of being on the bike where they belonged was fine freakin tastic. Found a Mexican joint for Q and for a chain, it was acceptable. But now for the good stuff. They saddled up and beat it back across the super slab to the Rapid City Harley shop that was chockablock full of activity. They rolled in only to find nothing really happening yet and so decided to ride. "Turn right and lets see what we can see" shouted Z and away they zoomed. It felt like being a kid in a candy store. Finally riding the bike on way foreign roads. Roads with turns and hills. Yahoooooo. They zoomed this way and that being totally lost and lovin it. around here and there Z kept turing right whenever the roads climbed up, "Up", what a concept for boys from the 50 feet altitudes.
here is the correct, trip beginning vid: It's a little dark, but what adventure doesn't begin in the dark? V and Z
had grabbed a couple of hours of sack time on Q's couch and floor altho the floor was not as comfortable as Z remembered from his earlier days and so tried to watch a movie on tv to zone out to. V woke me up around 1:30 saying "he's here. lets go." Z groggyly rolled over and truly did not want to go. "You guys go ahead. I've changed my mind and do not want to go." He really didn't, deaths cousin was too enchanting just then. But up popped Z finally realizing there was no backing out now. It was Q's girlfriend's birthday the next day and so we thought he was in giving her a going away present. He tells us "No" later, but you know what a gentleman Q is. Anyhoo they all load up and start the start clock at 2:26 a.m. e.s.t. V. is quite the driver, heas a cdl, etc. and has lots of stories about driving long distances, so he grabbed the wheel first and drove till 2ish pm sunday all the way to north georgia. Here is a pic of the first gas stop and our chance to donate 150 dollars to those poor suffering oil barons.
I took over the wheel and lasted only 4 hrs before i just couldn't keep awake any longer.
Up thru Chattanooga, then Kentucky then calling it good for my shift somewhere in Illinois. Q takes over after getting some good sleep time.
In this pic two of the bike covers are still intact. Altho they will both be gone zoon. A major truck was backing way off from behind us and a passerby hollered out about something "flapping in the wind" behind them, so they stopped and removed the remaining threads of the covers. It was grand to finally be on foreign roads and this adventure was finally becoming a reality. Actually, these 45 hours of continous driving was so surreal they called it a time/reality warp that was used to escape the day to day same old same old reality.
finally St. Louis is in sight after spending the night rolling thru Kentucky and Illionois. wow what a bunch of Gambling Casinos are camped out along the Lewis and Clark route. Q is all afire that co-pilot/navigator V and Z snap some good pics of the "Arch". So much so that he misses the correct turn off and they end up down-town. Now, I'm sure St. Louis is a fine burg, but this neighborhood's age was not hiding. There is one jewel tho and of course it's the baseball park.
Monday around noonish they finally roll just outside of Wall Drug and pull over to feel the intense winds in person. "This would be a catagory 2 backhome" Z laughs. The motorhome was running rough and the next fill up confirmed they were only getting 4.5 mpg as opposed to the usual 7.5 mpg average. They jump on the celly and find the location of the closest dealer and make an appointment for a scan. Q, who is an expert mechanic theorizes "its a sensor. maybe a heat/fuel sensor and hell i can change that myself". "while the dealer is scanning the home we can unload the sleds and go find something to eat!" "Nah." V. states, "I'm going to stay with the bikes" They meet with the shop foreman and he tells them they are next on the list and should be looked at in one hour. "ok, then! Lets ride" exclaims V. After 34ish hours of continous motorhome confinement the freedom of being on the bike where they belonged was fine freakin tastic. Found a Mexican joint for Q and for a chain, it was acceptable. But now for the good stuff. They saddled up and beat it back across the super slab to the Rapid City Harley shop that was chockablock full of activity. They rolled in only to find nothing really happening yet and so decided to ride. "Turn right and lets see what we can see" shouted Z and away they zoomed. It felt like being a kid in a candy store. Finally riding the bike on way foreign roads. Roads with turns and hills. Yahoooooo. They zoomed this way and that being totally lost and lovin it. around here and there Z kept turing right whenever the roads climbed up, "Up", what a concept for boys from the 50 feet altitudes.
19.8.06
bhr3
greeeetings keyboard. you know you are who i want to write to, but these last three weeks have been very needy.
The Alphabet Gang, V, Z and Q rode back thru the reverse portal of reality and landed at 46 and I95 right on schedule at 7:30am last Friday, 8-11 and i got to ride the last 30 straight miles back to Lopezville, just like this adventure began two weeks ago. And these are my first few quite moments and the chance to file a report. Sat. morning there was a SCHOG upscale (35 bones) seafood buffett dinner ride leaving the shop at 3 that Big Dave reminded me of and so he and his BadAssBikerBitchBarb roared here and off to the shop we zoomed. It had been a while since i got to putt with the Schog's so this ride on the Lake county back roads is just what the doctored ordered for me and my lovely, specially with me and the Snoop-Skoot being gone for the last 2 weeks. Dinner was spectacular at an old country inn and so while the gang continued on makeing stops at the local watering holes on our Annual Poker Run list, lovely and i were ready to be home and so rode back alone. Only one wrong turn and altho lovely thought i was totally lost, we did roll into our garage just before our regular afternoon thunderboomers arrived. Both of our boys computers funkyfied up during that storm and so it took the puter shop this whole week to repair them. I've still lots on my list of "to do's", like updating lovelys web page with all her new and improved achievments and copying all my pics for da A Gang, but i really do have to lay down this last adventure while it is still fresh and not repeated over and over to workmates who keep asking "what was it like?". The more i talk about it, the less i will write about it. anyhoooo, you know the drill.
Now, i shouldn't have to repeat this, but i will. Memory is a tricky thing and so this report will be laced with some truth. Some is the key word.
On with the tale:
I sleep anxiously Friday nite, knowing that in afew hours the adventure that has been in the works for 365 days will begin in earnest. I jump up early and start to load up old Snoop-Skoot. There are a few more items than on the practice run and the bungies just didn't seem to remember their jobs. With big hugs from lovely and our ruffians and one last pic for her celly background, away i roll. I get all the way to our front gate when this new load decides to shift off the right side of SS, yikes, "what is this?" I make my first highly embarrising stop to re-bungy and re-take off slowly.
Here is a pic of your author and the bikes loaded at around 3pm Sat. V and Z now zoom back V's crib to shower up and skat over to a nice Italian joint for dinner with our sister K.
Here is that gathering.
We thouroughly enjoy our last real meal as we will be camping out for the next two weeks.here are V,K and Z.
The Alphabet Gang, V, Z and Q rode back thru the reverse portal of reality and landed at 46 and I95 right on schedule at 7:30am last Friday, 8-11 and i got to ride the last 30 straight miles back to Lopezville, just like this adventure began two weeks ago. And these are my first few quite moments and the chance to file a report. Sat. morning there was a SCHOG upscale (35 bones) seafood buffett dinner ride leaving the shop at 3 that Big Dave reminded me of and so he and his BadAssBikerBitchBarb roared here and off to the shop we zoomed. It had been a while since i got to putt with the Schog's so this ride on the Lake county back roads is just what the doctored ordered for me and my lovely, specially with me and the Snoop-Skoot being gone for the last 2 weeks. Dinner was spectacular at an old country inn and so while the gang continued on makeing stops at the local watering holes on our Annual Poker Run list, lovely and i were ready to be home and so rode back alone. Only one wrong turn and altho lovely thought i was totally lost, we did roll into our garage just before our regular afternoon thunderboomers arrived. Both of our boys computers funkyfied up during that storm and so it took the puter shop this whole week to repair them. I've still lots on my list of "to do's", like updating lovelys web page with all her new and improved achievments and copying all my pics for da A Gang, but i really do have to lay down this last adventure while it is still fresh and not repeated over and over to workmates who keep asking "what was it like?". The more i talk about it, the less i will write about it. anyhoooo, you know the drill.
Now, i shouldn't have to repeat this, but i will. Memory is a tricky thing and so this report will be laced with some truth. Some is the key word.
On with the tale:
I sleep anxiously Friday nite, knowing that in afew hours the adventure that has been in the works for 365 days will begin in earnest. I jump up early and start to load up old Snoop-Skoot. There are a few more items than on the practice run and the bungies just didn't seem to remember their jobs. With big hugs from lovely and our ruffians and one last pic for her celly background, away i roll. I get all the way to our front gate when this new load decides to shift off the right side of SS, yikes, "what is this?" I make my first highly embarrising stop to re-bungy and re-take off slowly.
Here is a pic of your author and the bikes loaded at around 3pm Sat. V and Z now zoom back V's crib to shower up and skat over to a nice Italian joint for dinner with our sister K.Here is that gathering.
We thouroughly enjoy our last real meal as we will be camping out for the next two weeks.here are V,K and Z.
After enjoying that fantastico meal that K paid for for my bd.She is the best and i am most blessed to be able to call her sis. she also gave me a framed retouched ancient photo of me at age 4 with my most beautiful mother. Tear up? you bet i did. wow. i had never seen that pic before. Anyhooo , thanks sis.
Now V and i said our final goodbyes to all and to P and then zoomed over to Tony's to wait for him to come home from his wedding party so we can zoom out and start this show. Here is a video of V getting ready. Oooops wrong video, but a fun tease of things to come...
3.8.06
bhr2
wow. found a wireless connection here in Hardin Montana at atruck stop. i only have time for afew pics... I am listening to wtks, our local radio in orlando, while the rest of the Alphabet Gang, Q and V are across the street at Taco Johns. These pics are of Q and V cruising the Bear Tooth Pass.
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