Cruising Ohio

2011-12-24T08:42:00.003-05:00

Merry Christmas!

2011-08-06T06:52:00.002-04:00

I saw this posted by a friend about my town and had to share it. Rule #17 - Never take yourself too seriously.

The Portsmouth Murals

2011-05-21T09:56:00.009-04:00

Our first group ride of the season was cancelled due to cold crappy weather. That was a month ago and the weather had not improved much since then with only four days of partial sunshine. By any Ohio standards, that’s a crappy spring. So when the call came saying the ride was on, I was glad.

Our destination was Portsmouth, Ohio, home of Shawnee State University and the famed Portsmouth flood wall murals. It’s a 3 hour journey from Newark by the most direct route, but we’re riding motorcycles – we never take the most direct route! We meandered th

rough Lancaster, Tarlton, Kingston, and Chillicothe. We passed through Summithill, Rarden, and Otway, skimming the edge of the Shawnee State Forest and approaching Portsmouth from the west.

This guy in Lancaster had something to say. The human said nothing.

A bicycle ralley with over 10,000 riders had the same destination - Portsmouth.

The flood wall murals, also referred to as The Mural Project are painted on the street side of a 20 foot high flood wall that runs along Front Street for over 2,000 feet and is designed to protect the city from the Ohio River. The wall was built after the famous 1937 flood that crested at over 70 feet and left many river front buildings with first floors full of water and mud and second floor watermarks half way up the walls.

The murals depict the 200 plus year history of Portsmouth and are the work of one artist, Robert Dafford of Lafayette, Louisiana. While the wall has been around for decades, the painting started in 1993. Painting continues even today with at least two blank walls being prepared for a scene while we were there. The work is impressive.

My friend, John.

The guys of the group. The girls were taking the pictures.

See all the ride photos here.

2011-05-18T21:55:00.000-04:00

If there is one thing I have learned during my time on this Earth it is this: Life is full of surprises. We’ve all heard this old adage, but sometimes it takes many seasons to fully realize it. In an odd twist of Providence, the company that was instrumental in causing my unemployment 10 weeks ago offered me a job that I began on May 2nd.

The work consists of much of the same duties as with my former employer. However, I am working with new technology and am part of a team of administrators for a large company. The team part means there is less responsibility upon my shoulders. The large company part means when things break the costs are greater. It seems like an even trade.

The work is challenging because, while it is the same type of work (administrating a computer network and assisting users) the technology is many years newer than I have worked with in the past. Compounding this learning curve is the fact that all but one of my co-workers is much younger than I am; at least a couple of decades younger.

But, I am up for the challenge. Although my body may have a few more aches and pains than these young, fresh-out-of-college, whipper-snappers, I am young at heart and rubbing elbows with them helps to feel younger.

Now, if it would only warm up and stop raining long enough for a decent motorcycle ride…

Enjoy the Journey!

p.s. We were able to ride to Portsmouth, Ohio last weekend. More about that journey soon.

Man Cave Afternoon

2011-03-26T14:17:00.006-04:00

Veggies and dip, cheese and crackers, and Chex party mix; that is the spread set before me by the missus. I think she is afraid I will perish without sustenance as I sit at my keyboard. The kitchen, the source of my sustenance is not considered "off limits" but the spaces between it and my man cave are filled wall-to-wall with chatting and laughing women, all oohing and aahing at handbags, gifts and bobbles; all products for sale or order. My trespass into their gathering would not go unnoticed by the missus.

It is what I call a "girl's party.' The products sold at girl's parties range from storage containers to jewelry. Wedding and baby showers don't really fall into this category because no product is sold.

Ordinarily, I would make a stealthy exit prior to the arrival of the guests, spending the time riding on 2 wheels or perhaps parked at a table at a local sports eatery. But the temps today have just now reached the freezing mark and my favorite sports team was defeated last night.

The parties that my wife usually hosts are normally small affairs, limited to a few family members. But this event was shared at work between friends and co-workers and the chatter I hear below reminds me of a weekend sale at Fillene's Basement.

I'm glad they're having a good time. I'd rather have them hanging out at my house and know what they are doing, than have them somewhere else and not know what they're doing.... Wait. That phrase goes for teenagers. Whatever.

So I sit in my man cave, listening to sports radio, looking at my sustenance, and wondering how ranch dressing might enhance the taste of a chocolate chip.

I'm glad they are having a good time. I get the leftovers.

Enjoy the Journey!

Doug

2011-03-17T15:21:00.002-04:00

I just returned from a short ride (about an hour) through the central Ohio country side and it was just what the doctor ordered.

In past years, I have ridden many times through the course of the winter. But this year's winter has been brutal for us and the bike never left the garage.

The county and townships use cinders and sand on icy roads around here and that was an obstacle to watch out for; plenty of places to loose traction. Aside from that, the weather cooperated with some clouds and sun and temps hovering around 63º.

It had been nearly four months since I had been on 2 wheels and I almost forgot what it was like to lean a bike into a curve, to have the centrifugal forces press my butt into the saddle as I roll on the throttle and clicked through the gears. Lady felt really nimble and responded easily to my touch.

At first I realized that I had the tendency to over-steer and that I was tense and stiff from my shoulders down to my fingertips. But after several minutes, my grip loosened, my shoulders relaxed and my course became true and smooth.

I am sure that I'll need several more rides before the skills I had last November return. But the enjoyment is here now.

Enjoy the Journey!

Spring is on the way!

2011-03-15T20:21:00.002-04:00

My friend John returned from Daytona Bike Week yesterday and though he may not have brought back a T-shirt for me (I never asked him), he may have brought some warmer weather back with him. Even though it has rained for two days the end of the week looks dry with temps possibly reaching 70ºF.

It's time - past time, actually - to fire up Lady and put some miles on the odometer.

Woo hoo!!

Enjoy the Journey!

2011-03-08T08:39:00.004-05:00

The past 2 months have been a blur for me. There have been many changes in my life and my days have been both hectic and filled with uncertainty.

At the end of 2010, an announcement was made to all of the employees at my workplace: The owner had sold the business. Most people would have a position with the purchasing firm. But not all.

Over the next several days I learned that there might be a position available for me. (I was the one person in a one man IT department.) So I put on my best attitude and committed to assist the buyer in the IT transition process, moving our technology and data to their systems; a process that took about 2 months.

Near the end of the process, the buyer re-evaluated their staffing and business needs and decided that there would not be position for me in their organization.

So now I find myself with a little more time to spend on CruisingOhio.com. Spending more time with composition may even help to restore some sanity. But that's a long shot.

The Good Lord above has always opened doorways for me and He will will continue to provide what my wife and I need.

The future, while unknown to me, promises to be filled with challenges and uncertainty. Let's hope I handle both well.

- - - - - - - - -
Enjoy the journey!

Doug

2010-12-24T12:27:00.002-05:00

Tron Light-Cycle by Parker Brothers Choppers

2010-12-22T08:47:00.002-05:00

2010-12-09T06:30:00.003-05:00

Besides being a motorcycle enthusiast, I am also a technology geek.

So, in the Spirit of the Season... Merry Christmas!!

A Thanksgiving Day Prayer

2010-11-25T06:04:00.002-05:00

Thank You for...

... a Home that is warmed with love and passion, for one another and for life,

... providing Choices in life for what must be consider luxuries by some,

... Possessions that make living life easier and more enjoyable,

... People in my life with which to share my love and that share their love with me,

... the Understanding that for all the 'things' in my life, people are the most precious.

Amen

Let's Ride, er, I mean eat.

2010 Farmers Almanac

2010-11-13T08:19:00.003-05:00

The Old Farmers Almanac is out with their forecast winter 2010 and the outlook for motorcycle riding in my area is not very favorable.

This global warming stuff is cramping my riding time.

The Hair Cut

2010-10-18T08:11:00.002-04:00

One day a florist went to a barber for a haircut.

After the cut, he asked about his bill, and the barber replied, 'I cannot accept money from you , I'm doing community service this week.' The florist was pleased and left the shop.

When the barber went to open his shop the next morning, there was a 'thank you' card and a dozen roses waiting for him at his door.

Later, a cop comes in for a haircut, and when he tries to pay his bill, the barber again replied, 'I cannot accept money from you , I'm doing community service this week.' The cop was happy and left the shop.

The next morning when the barber went to open up, there was a 'thank you' card and a dozen donuts waiting for him at his door.

Then a Congressman came in for a haircut, and when he went to pay his bill, the barber again replied, 'I cannot accept money from you. I'm doing community service this week.' The Congressman was very happy and left the shop.

The next morning, when the barber went to open up, there were a dozen Congressmen lined up waiting for a free haircut.

And that, my friends, illustrates the fundamental difference between the citizens of our country and the politicians who run it.

"Politicians are like diapers; they need to be changed often and for the same reason."
— Mark Twain

What about "Therapy"?

2010-10-13T13:00:00.000-04:00

My friend and neighbor, John, picked up a new 2011 Harley-Davidson motorcycle yesterday. It’s an Electra Glide Ultra Limited Edition and it is beautiful with more amenities and features than anything I've ever owned either two wheels or four. I’m happy for him and a little envious. Of course, if money were not object, I’d own a stable of bikes. A cruiser, a dresser, a sport-tourer, whatever I felt like riding at the time.

But since resources are limited and the state lottery did not pick my numbers recently, I will be content with what I have and celebrate with John his new acquisition.

Looking back, I realize that it’s because of John that I am riding now.

I had always wanted to ride and dreamed of owning a motorcycle from a young age. However, my parents in their wisdom deemed a motorcycle too dangerous a device for me – they were probably right – and so the dream faded and reality took its place.

Somewhere around my half century birthday, the desire resurfaced when the bass player in our band bought a Harley-Davidson Sportster with some inheritance money. Andy would regale me with stories of his rides, telling me that riding for a short while after a tough day at work was like ‘therapy’ allowing him to decompress.

I mentioned my dream to my wife and we spoke about it for quite some time. I explained what Andy had told me about it be so enjoyable that he considered it therapy. She was dead set against owning a motorcycle and as I remember, quite emphatic. “They’re too dangerous!”

“But what about it ‘being like therapy’?” I said.

Silence.

Discretion being the better part of valor, I held any further rebuttal for a later date. I wasn’t sure when the right time to bring it up again would present itself, but I would know it when it came. It turned out that the right time was a few months later when John moved in next door.

John owned a Heritage edition Softtail – he has owned four of them over the years – and he would park it on the sidewalk that separates our houses. The exhaust on his Softtail was stereotypical of a Harley-Davidson, a low frequency rumble with a lope that reminds one of a galloping horse. We always got about a 1 minute warning when he was ready to leave on a ride.

I would hear his bike start and imagine myself taking a “therapy ride”.

Once, when he fired his bike up, I looked at my wife and said, “Therapy.” She just shook her head. Nothing more was said. But in the silence a plan started to take shape.

For the next couple of weeks, every time we heard John’s bike startup, I would say, “Therapy.”

At first, she would protest and remind me how dangerous motorcycles were, and how we couldn’t afford one, and how it just wasn’t practical. I let her protests dissipate in the air and went about my business.

Eventually I didn’t need to say anything. We’d hear the bike start up, I’d look at her and she would say, “I know. Therapy.” I would smile.

This went on all spring. Then one summer weekend John caught me staring at all the chrome as he wiped the bike down. We talked a bit. He told stories from the road, and I told of my desire to ride. Teresa saw us talking and I saw something in her I had not seen before. I think, although she won’t admit it, that she began seeing herself riding behind me. Envisioning a result is a powerful force.

Several weeks later, John fired up his bike, and without me saying anything or even looking her direction, Teresa said, “If you want a motorcycle, you can get one.”

It was as if Heaven opened up and angels were singing!

“Will you ride with me?” I asked.

“Nobody else better ride with you! Of course I will.”

So the journey began. And I give John the credit or blame... That and the need for “therapy.”

Therapy is a good thing.

Ride Safe!

Dear Curt

2010-09-30T10:21:00.002-04:00

Dear Curt,

Today's weather forecast promised great motorcycle riding weather and so I did what every rider does given the opportunity; I fired up my motorcycle and rode to work.

Unfortunately, when I arrived at work and entered the light of our offices (I don't like riding to work in the dark, but oh well), I discovered that I was the victim of a wardrobe failure with my jeans. It probably happened as I got on the bike this morning. I never heard anything tear since I had my iPod playing and earphones in. It does, however, explain why my commute this morning, while quite enjoyable, did seem a little more "breezy" than usual.

My modesty (and fear of arrest) will keep me from participating in today's lunch gathering. To my disappointment, "the breech" is large enough that even my riding chaps won't hide the failure! The ride home this afternoon - in the daylight!!! - should prove... well, interesting.

Please accept my sincere apologies for not being able to attend and let everyone know of my regrets and at the same time my hope that my misfortune has provided the group with a "brief" moment of levity. I know I'll miss seeing all of the old work gang. I won't miss their reaction at seeing too much of me.

Doug

Ride for Justice

2010-09-21T18:07:00.001-04:00

Wanna go to CT this weekend...?

1st Annual Ride for Justice from Gwen O'Donnell on Vimeo.

Riding A Singer

2010-09-19T07:30:00.004-04:00

I started hearing the strange sound coming from the front of the motorcycle on some of our early morning rides in West Virginia. It wasn't a constant sound, but was intermittent and made the V-Twin sound more like a sewing machine than a motorcycle. It seemed as if it was RPM related, somewhere around 2800 to 3000 and most of the time it was when the engine was under less torque.

Some of my research indicated one of the cam chain tension springs. Yikes! With over 41,000 miles on her, Lady is not a spring chicken anymore, so it is possible that some parts may be wearing out, even though I didn't want to admit it.

So Friday I rode her to the dealership carefully listening for the intermittent sound. And like any intermittent issue, when the experts at the dealership listened, they heard a well behaved, well tuned 805cc engine, purring smoothly throughout its RPM range.

I had to admit, I didn't hear the sound either. So we returned home, wondering why she wouldn't sound off for the service techs.

The next morning I fired her up and let the engine warm a bit before starting off. Five minutes down the road the sewing machine sound began trumpeting itself. I pulled into a parking lot and kicked Lady into neutral while revving the engine at the specific RPM range that produced the sound.

Leaning forward I listened for the source. Definitely front of the engine, maybe the front cylinder. So I could listened more closely, I put Lady on her kick stand and leaned down toward the right side of the engine, placing my hand on the tank mounted instrument cluster.

The sound ceased. What?!?! I lifted my hand and adjusted the throttle. The sound manifested itself again!

I thought, "You've got to be kidding me!" I sat there a moment lifting my hand from the instrument cluster and then replacing it causing the sewing machine sound to come and go at will.

A week's worth of concern about Lady's engine and the resignation that she needed to see the doctor was for naught. A loose connection somewhere under the cluster housing telegraphed engine vibrations and caused Lady to do her best imitation of a Singer sewing machine.

What a relief. Lady, I'm sorry I question you.

Next time, I won't jump to conclusions.

Ride Safe!

Doug C

2010-09-16T08:36:00.003-04:00

I recently received an email telling me about a new riding site, MotorcycleInsurance.org. I get a few of these every so often and if I find them interesting or they provide useful links or information I pass the link along.

MotorcycleInsurance.org is one such site. They offer original content and provide informative links to other sites on the web. I've noticed several blogs listed that I have frequented before.

This site caught my eye and held my attention for more than a few minutes. Check them out at www.motorcycleinsurance.org.

Ride Safe!

Doug C

2010-09-07T11:44:00.004-04:00

There has been a whirlwind of activity in my life for the past month. I promised to post some pics and stories about my trip to the UP of Michigan. (I haven't gotten that done yet.)

While I was in Michigan, my first grandson Noah was born 9 weeks early. (I've seen him a couple of times and he's doing so well, he may come home in a week or so.)

Then when I arrived home from Michigan I got a call from my support engineer relating some issues with my company's computer network. I decided to look into it the day of my return and worked on solving the problem for the next 10 days - 7 work days.

Turns out a memory leak in a program nearly brought the system down to its knees. Instead of having +50 users accessing their data, I could only sustain 10 users. For a static system that hadn't changed in a year, this was confusing.

It turns out an automatic update to a software package caused the needle-in-a-haystack problem and disabling the software was a quick and easy fix.

The solution came just in time for me to take off for the Labor Day weekend to eastern West Virginia. Seneca Rocks, WV.

I always thought that Southeastern Ohio had some great riding roads, and they do. For Ohio. But the roads in and around Seneca Rocks are the most incredible riding paths I've ridden to date.

The mountains are gorgeous, the highways are well maintained, and the curves and switchbacks are engineered perfectly.

My advice:

Ride US-250 between Elkins, WV and Monterey, VA
And ride route 72 between Hendricks and Harmon, WV

In fact, ride every paved road in the Monongahela National Forest.

Then turn around and ride it again. Slower this time, and let the bike navigate itself almost. It will be an almost spiritual experience.

Here's a slide show of some of the places we visited.

Just couldn't wait any longer!!

2010-08-21T14:43:00.003-04:00

While some friends and I were riding in northern Michigan visiting both the UP and LP, I got a phone call from Teresa who stayed home this trip.

It seems my first grand baby was anxious to see the new world and decided to strike out on his own... 9 weeks early!

Both Mom and Baby Noah are doing well in spite of his early arrival. He is on a C-PAP machine because he sometimes forgets to breath. Sorta like me, sometimes, I guess.

3 lbs. 8oz. and 17 in. long, he'll stay in the hospital for another 4 weeks or so.

Oh, Michigan was very nice. I'll share a little about that trip in a few days.

Ride Safe!

2010-08-10T08:06:00.002-04:00

Riders just can't seem to get a break sometimes.

This sad story from Iowa:

4 motorcyclists killed when truck hits them head-on in interstate construction zone in Iowa

Published August 09, 2010

Associated Press

LITTLE SIOUX, Iowa

Authorities say four motorcyclists have been killed in a head-on collision on Interstate-29 in western Iowa.

Iowa Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Courtney Greene says the accident happened Monday evening when a pickup truck crossed the center line in a construction zone and hit four motorcycles.

Greene says the accident happened along a section of I-29 near Little Sioux where lanes were separated by orange cones. Little Sioux sits along the Nebraska, about 40 miles north of Omaha.

The motorcyclists' names have not been released.

Greene says they were traveling together. All four were men in their late 50s and early 60s. Three were from Iowa and one was from Nebraska.

Greene says one was wearing a helmet.

Remodel Progress

2010-07-16T07:44:00.002-04:00

Over the past several years, since I've been riding, virtually every free weekend was spent traveling on 2 wheels. While some might consider this an example of being overly passionate about riding, my weekend getaway rides tended to be therapeutic.

This year, the weekends over the past 4 months have be filled with anguish because they were spent indoors with a remodeling project in our home. More than once I would catch myself looking outside at the beautiful weather and listening to more fortunate riders and their steel steeds in route to somewhere.

But, the end of the project is in sight and only a day or two more of labor remain. Here are some photos of the progress...

There was no subfloor and the existing hardwood had more hills and valleys than eastern Tennessee.

A new level subfloor that doesn't creak.

The new solid hardwood flooring for the living room.

...and the dining room.

After the plumbing and logs installed.

Still a work in progress - tile, paint, and stain.

Cost for the project was about $3,000 and by doing the work myself, I figure we saved about the same amount.

The time that it took to complete seemed endless. Working several hours each free night and weekend has taken its toll. Next time I'll take a week or two vacation time and knock it out all at once.

Next weekend... I'm riding.

Ride Safe!

2010-07-06T08:35:00.004-04:00

I almost missed this sad story about a motorcycle crash. It wasn't until later in the holiday weekend that I caught up on my newspaper reading.

It seems the driver of a riding lawn mower decided to cross a state highway and was struck by a motorcycle with sidecar. On the bike was dad and his 7 year old daughter. In the sidecar was mom and their 4 year old son.

Dad was killed. Mom and kids were injured but are expected to recover.

The complete story is below.

Updated: Thursday, July 1, 2010 11:49 PM
By Jim Woods

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

ZANESVILLE, Ohio— A man died, and his wife and children were injured, in a bizarre crash this afternoon in northern Muskingum County.

A motorcycle with a sidecar struck a riding lawn mower that was being driven on busy Rt. 16 in the small village of Adams Mills, less than a mile southwest of the Coshocton County line, according to the Zanesville post of the State Highway Patrol.

The lawn tractor was traveling north, crossing Rt. 16 from Rt. 481 to Rt. 296, when it was struck by the westbound motorcycle at 2 p.m., Trooper Stephen Williams said.

Russell Hammond, 48, of Coshocton, the motorcycle's driver, was killed.

Audra Hammond, 34, and their 4-year-old son, who were both in the sidecar, were treated at Genesis HealthCare System's Good Samaritan Hospital in Zanesville and released. Their 7-year-old daughter, who was on the motorcycle behind her father, also was treated at the hospital. The patrol would not release the children's names.

George Holland, 73, of Conesville in Coschocton County, was driving the mower. He was taken by helicopter to Grant Medical Center in Columbus, where he was in fair condition tonight.

No charges have been filed in the case.

2010-07-01T07:32:00.002-04:00

This clip has been around for some time but I never tire of watching it. And, since it is just a few days before the Independence Day weekend and all of the parades, cookouts and picnics, it a great time to re-post it.

Below is the text that accompanied the video. I cannot attest to the accuracy of the story, but I can tell you the girls can sing!

This was at a Texas Tech Basketball game, February 9th. The NationalAnthem is sung by five young ladies (ages 6-8).You have never heard it performed better than this! An entire arena remains completely silent throughout the song. You could hear a pin drop. The two young ladies on the right are six years old. The two in the middle are seven and the one on the left is eight. It doesn't get any better than this.

Go ride. Ride Safe!

2010-06-18T14:26:00.001-04:00

Monday, June 21st. Nuff said.

2010-06-15T07:55:00.004-04:00

The road construction project that is state route 161 between Granville and New Albany turned its first shovel of dirt in the summer of 2006. For almost 18 months I watched "progress" being made on each side of the highway as properties were purchased, utilities were moved, and 15+ miles of country side were stripped bare.

And then, encroaching slowly, orange barrels popped up on the highway, traffic slowed to 45 MPH, and work zone signs warned drivers of penalties.

Photo: Newark Advocate

It remained in that state of active construction for nearly 30 months while the replacement for our 2 lane state highway, a 4 lane superslab, slowly took shape.

The road construction project for SR 161 completes this week. Soon, all the orange barrels will move on and all the road signs will be green and white. Except the 65 MPH signs, of course.

I'll make my daily commute 15 minutes faster with no traffic lights or dangerous intersections.

The route is beautiful. Our community has wanted this highway improvement for 15 years or more. And my commute is faster, if not shorter.

So why is it, on my homeward bound trip, I find myself exiting the superslab early and riding the old 2 lane road (mostly) home?

The joy is in the journey.

Ride Safe

2010-06-07T07:56:00.003-04:00

After a weekend of thunder storms and grey skies, this morning welcomed me with low humidity, temps in the 50s (F) and clear skies.

An awesome commute!

Ride Safe.

Honda Commercial

2010-06-05T09:51:00.002-04:00

I saw this channel surfing and thought, this ad agency gets it.

Flooring Project

2010-05-31T17:16:00.001-04:00

With my brother-in-law providing tools and expertise, Teresa and I were able to complete the living room flooring project. The final touches like shoe mold and touch up paint will get done today.

Next project: continue the floor into dining room.

Memorial Day

2010-05-31T07:28:00.000-04:00

Freedom's Last Stand

2010-05-28T07:42:00.004-04:00

Not too long ago, two friends of mine were talking to a Cuban refugee, a businessman who had escaped from Castro, and in the midst of his story one of my friends turned to the other and said, "We don't know how lucky we are."

And the Cuban stopped and said, "How lucky you are? I had someplace to escape to." And in that sentence he told us the entire story.

If we lose freedom here, there's no place to escape to. This is the last stand on earth.

And this idea that government is beholden to the people, that it has no other source of power except the sovereign people, is still the newest and the most unique idea in all the long history of man's relation to man.

You and I are told increasingly we have to choose between a left or right. Well I'd like to suggest there is no such thing as a left or right. There's only an up or down—[up] man's old—old-aged dream, the ultimate in individual freedom consistent with law and order, or down to the ant heap of totalitarianism.

And regardless of their sincerity, their humanitarian motives, those who would trade our freedom for security have embarked on this downward course.

Spoken by Ronald Reagan on October 27, 1964

Signs that you might need to go for a stress ride...

2010-05-27T06:59:00.000-04:00

Here are some signs that you might need to go for a ride.

Example #1

Example #2

Example #3

Busted

2010-05-26T07:57:00.004-04:00

It was lunch time and I was hungry. So I grabbed my sun glasses and hopped on the bike. The fast food restaurant was just around the corner and I decided to fore go my helmet for the 1/2 mile ride.

At the parking lot I pulled into the only open parking space, right beside a Hilliard Police cruiser - cops gotta eat too - and walked across the parking lot to the entrance. As I passed between cars in line for the drive through window, I heard a female voice say, "Where's your helmet!"

I looked around and at first only saw the police officer passing between the line of cars, too. And then I saw the face of an office co-worker who was in line for the drive through shaking her finger at me.

"You should be wearing your helmet!" she said. Sheepishly, I nodded and said, "Yes, mom. But it's only a half mile here." She frowned and pulled forward. "See ya back at the office."

I turned to enter the building and saw the cop smiling at me and holding the door open.

"I get the same thing from my wife." he said. "Of course, I promised her when I got my bike, I'd always wear my helmet."

I nodded my head understanding completely. "I think I may have made that same promise to my wife." I said.

Yep. Busted.

50,000 Mile Tire?

2010-05-11T07:08:00.003-04:00

It was a modest gathering of riders for our group's monthly bike night at a local eatery last night. But I saw something one of the senior riders had done to his to Vulcan 900 that I'd thought unwise, if not impossible.

Keith is in his 70's and has been riding all of his life. Two weeks ago he installed a car tire on his rear wheel. It's a General Tire 195/60/15 radial. He says he has about 500 miles on the new rubber and so far, is very pleased with the ride he has experienced.

It looks very strange to stand behind the bike and see a motorcycle tire with a straight-line contact patch of nearly 7 inches. Of course, the trade off is the contact patch is greatly reduced when cornering. Especially aggressive cornering.

Keith says that with the type of riding he does, the tire is working really well. He says, there is little or no wobble when on gravel and sand. And he expects to get between 40,000 and 50,000 miles out it. The tire cost him about $75 and will last 4 or 5 times longer.

Part of the increased mileage is due to the hardness of the rubber. The rubber of motorcycle tires is softer and stickier, something every rider appreciates when the road turns wet. But Keith maintains that his wet road riding felt just like the Metzler ME880 he took off.

Knowing Keith's cautious attitude to riding, I am sure his decision was made with careful thought and research. And I know if he feels unsafe the Metzler will go back on faster than it came off.

Has anyone else ever swapped out their standard MC tire with a car tire?

Ride Safe!

This and That

2010-05-06T06:09:00.000-04:00

Spring decides to stay

Spring must have decided to stay awhile in central Ohio. Finally. I can tell because I have made my daily commute via 2 wheels 3 days in a row this week. And my outlook on life has improved because of it.

There is one thing about these early season days that I have a hard time dealing with... and that's the 30º to 40º (F) temperature swings. In the mornings when I leave the house, our rural area has temps in the 30s and 40s. Then the sun comes up and by afternoon the mercury has the upper 70s in it sights. I need all the storage space in the saddle bags for the clothing I've shed.

A small price to pay, I think.

Musical floors?

The flooring project continues. Like so many projects, the scope has increased a bit. I knew because of my desire to do the work myself and pay cash for all materials, that it would take longer than if I had contracted the work out. The prep work is almost complete and the hardwood should arrive next week.

I suspect that I will have to take a few days off work to complete the installation. Spending a couple of hours on the project 2 or 3 nights a week and all day on Saturday is really stretching this out longer than I can tolerate.

For the past 6 weeks, we have been "living" in our dining room while the demo and contruction takes place in the living room. After the living room floor is down, we will move all of the furniture from the dining room back into the living room and then complete the removal and installation for the adjacent dining room.

Time keeps on moving

The calendar tells me that I passed middle age a few years ago. My head shakes and reminds me, "Whoa. Not so fast!" My heart whispers, "Never grow up." Regardless of what voice I listen to, the fact remains that I have more years behind me than before me. That truth seems to be reinforced more frequently of late as I note the passing of older friends and aquaintences.

The drummer for our band lost his dad this week. Bill was a young 69 years old and his passing caused me to pause and reflect upon life, family and friends.

Grandpa Doug?

Did I tell you I'm gonna be a grandpa? "Impossible!" I first thought. "I'm too young to be a grandpa!" But then, of course, I'm not too old. The baby is due around November and I'm really looking forward to excercising my rights to spoiling my first granchild.

Ride Safe!

Conspiracy Theory?

2010-04-30T08:37:00.004-04:00

I think the gators put up the sign...

What?!?

2010-04-21T10:33:00.003-04:00

This photo is wrong in so many ways, but I like this.

Gotta start 'em young.

2010-04-05T07:15:00.005-04:00

Back in January, at the zenith of cabin fever season, I started ripping up our old downstairs carpeting. It was well past its prime, much like our 80 year old house. But unlike our house, the carpet had no redeeming qualities left in it. I knew the flooring underneath was original oak hardwood strips and I was curious just what conditions I would find.

With nearly all of our living room furniture moved into the dining room and the carpet bundled up and at the curb, the floor was revealed. What I saw was disheartening. And, had I any common sense, I would have covered the up and down, roller coaster flooring with a leveling compound to fill the low spots and lock in the loose strips, and then buried the hardwood under carpeting again for the next 15 years. That's if I had any common sense.

As I sat at the edge of the room contemplating the direction to go, I imagined the floor many years ago in its former prime. It reminded me of the home in which I grew up. Those floors were in much better condition - flat and smooth with tight seams, fine grains and a warm, rich cinnamon color.

In a moment of nostalgic reminiscence, I decided to replace the floor. And that's when the project started to grow:

Remove the old strips - no sub-floor underneath
Level floor joists
Glue and screw new sub-floor
Route new electrical outlets
Route new warm and cold air ducts
Raise fireplace hearth and firebox
Plumb for new gas logs
Wrap mantel and fireplace surround in wood and tile

The above list is a thumbnail sketch of the expanded project. Needless to say, with the exception of the trip to Daytona Bike Week, this is where most of my free time and money for the past 2 months has been spent. It's been a challenging task and one that I thought would have been on the "Done List" by now. Especially now, since prime riding weather has visited us in central Ohio.

I promise to have more motorcycle related posts as soon as I sweep out the saw dust.

The Coldest beginning to March Ever.

2010-03-06T04:59:00.003-05:00

As our trip to Florida and the Daytona Bike Week concludes, it has become official: This has been the coldest beginning of March in Florida ever. Orlando set and over-night low temperature record last night of 38 degrees. However, the days have been sunny if not warm. And sunny goes a long way in my book.

During our last full day, several of us remarked about the frost still on the roofs of the homes in the housing edition. It wasn't until about 9:30am that all of it had evaporated. John and I left for Daytona shortly after that.

We saw several required-to-visit "hot spots" including The Cabbage Patch Bar, but everywhere we looked we saw the same vendors, same products and same foods.

Finally, we went arrived at a place that is unique:

For the modest price of $3.00 we rode our bikes along the Atlantic ocean on Daytona Beach. Yes, it might have been more enjoyable if the temps were about 20 degrees warmer. But it certainly could not have been more memorable.

Ride Safe

Daytona Bike Week 2010

2010-03-04T09:51:00.004-05:00

Here are some pictures from the first Sunday of Daytona bike week 2010.

Here's a link to the online photo album...

2010-03-04T07:23:00.004-05:00

During our travels in the fair city of Key West, a driver parked at the curb opened his pickup truck door as I passed. Timing and size was all that really save me from a serious crash. If I had passed his door just 1 second later, his door would have been fully open and I would have come to a rapid and complete stop. If his truck was not a 1 ton, over-sized wheeled compensation for machismo, then his door would have struck something more weighty and substantial on the bike.

As it was, only my mirror, brake lever, and handle bar weight struck his door. I got the bike stopped about 6 feet past the driver's door without going down. I turned and uttered the first thing that came to mind, which was, "Why did you do that?" which really didn't have an answer.

The driver's response: "I was just getting out of my truck. I'm sorry I didn't see you." I said something like, "You never looked!"

And then he said something he regretted: "Well, you have to own some of the responsibility, here." I looked at him in disbelief. "Oh, you did not say that!" Silence.

Well, I was uninjured, the bike was still upright, and he did say he was sorry. So I shook my head and rode away.

A little whopper-jawed but nothing that can't be straightened.

He was partly right. I did have to take ownership for some of this. As a defensive rider, I need to be preparred for careless actions like his. While many states and some cities have laws and ordinances restricting exiting a vehicle into the street, we all do it and its something all riders need watch.

At least I got an apology.

Ride Safe!

Key West 2010

2010-03-03T22:12:00.000-05:00

Pouring cats and dogs and it was awesome!!

2010-02-15T07:43:00.001-05:00

My friend and neighbor, John, went to the Easy Rider Bike show in Columbus this past weekend and posted several dozen photos to his Facebook profile. Lots of chrome and shiney art and "impossible to ride for more than a few miles" custom bikes. Still, they are something to look at.

Here's an example. John's outstretched arms measure more than 6 feet across.

2010-02-06T08:13:00.006-05:00

It started as big, wet flakes. That was about 24 hours and 12 inches ago. Now the skies are filled with a fine wintry powder and the scene outside my front door is nice to look but I'm glad that no driving is required of me today. That is until this evening and my wife and I will visit her father. Here's to hoping the county snow crews are able to clear our path to his rural home.

My neighbor John, fired up his new snowblower yesterday afternoon and cleared my walks and my other neighbor Danny help to clear my driveway, without a snowblower. But the new snow has left me with another 4 or 5 inches to clear again.

When it comes to neighbors, I really am fortunate. Blessed, even. John is probably one of the most sincere and genuine people I know. A soft spoken man with an affinity for people of all types and a passion for family and riding. John is the one who rode with me to Wyoming last summer, an act that was not lost on Teresa since she feared my demise on a solo adventure.

The 10 days I spent riding with John last year gave me only glimpse of what a truly generous and caring person he is, devoting his time and expertise (mechanic, carpenter, taxi driver) to charities, family and friends, like me.

But, enough reminiscing about warmer (and dryer) times. My snow covered sidewalks are calling my name. That may have been what jerked me off my bike and out of 80º F temps and back to reality. Besides, I'm sure my letter carrier will appreciate less slippery footing, at least on my share of walkway. (12 inches or so ain't so bad compared to 30 inches in Washington DC!!)

Spring really can't come soon enough.

Freestyle Riding Show

2010-02-02T07:00:00.003-05:00

Some video I took with my Nikon Coolpix of the Ducati Freestyle Team at the Cycleworld Motorcycle Show in Cleveland, Ohio.

They make it look soooo easy!

2010-02-02T05:35:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I got a call from the same fellow that coordinated the group trip and ride from California back to Ohio. In the works this time... A week in Florida during the Daytona Bike Week.

The plans are incomplete right now, but here are some of the highlights:

Ship the bikes down via semi
An all guy trip - 12 to 15 so far
Renting a house near Orlando
Day trips to Daytona
Take a couple of days to travel to Key West
Enjoy +70ºF weather for a few days

The only cold ride (crossing fingers) will be the 20 miles from my house to the truck terminal.

More later!

Ride Safe

Cycleworld Motorcycle Show - Cleveland

2010-02-01T07:38:00.008-05:00

I had the opportunity to join some friends attending the Cycleworld Motorcycle Show in Cleveland over the weekend. Being my first bike show, I had no reference with which to compare the event. However, my impression is that it was a modest event.

We drove to Cleveland the night before (we wanted to ride but none of the bikes had snow tires mounted! and the temperature was 8º F) and got to the I-X Center as soon as they opened Saturday.

Here are some of the pics...

The T-Rex

Some fancy tank artwork

V-Strom. Very nice.

Everything chromed had been blued, too.

Wheelchair accessible trike custom conversion.

The conversion is done on a BMW. The company's logo covers the BMW logo.

Before we left for the day, we saw this 1949 restored Indian. And it looks like...

...it's ownership might be in question.
Or, maybe there's peace in the family.

You can see the entire photo album here.

Ride Safe!

2010-01-14T17:00:00.002-05:00

Although the almanac says that daylight hours have begun to increase, which is always a sign of hope for warmer weather to riders in the mid-west, central Ohio is still in the grip of winter with snow covered roads and temps beginning with 1s, 2s and 3s.

(This week, however, Ohio will see temps above the freezing mark for the first time since New Years Day. Yeah!)

Since riding on the ice and snow is too exciting for me, this pilgrim takes to shopping. I don't necessarily buy anything, but I can look. And educate myself.

I have long had a list of online resources in the side bar of this blog but it has remained fairly static. Static as in stagnant. So while I review the online links for resources, here's a list of some of my more often visited websites. If you have some sites that work for you, share your nuggets with others here.

Biker Hiway An interesting online store that pique my interest (thanks Joshua) recently.

Iron Pony Motor Sports The local K-Mart of motorcycle stuff. Lots of apparel and gear for any type of riding. Plus a local Yamaha dealership and service center (that services almost all makes) is attached.

J & P Cycles The Sears and Roebuck of motorcycle accessories. I love their catalogs! Of course Sears and Roebuck doesn't send out catalogs anymore.

Metric Thunder A west coast accessories store for metric cruisers.

Motorcycle Ohio The Ohio government information site for motorcycle training and endorsement.

Motorcycle Cruiser Magazine The online version of the print edition. Reviews, tips, features and ride reports.

Motorcycle Safety Foundation The organization that provides curricula and certification programs for many state governments.

Motorcyles Safety News by Jeff Cobb A site devoted to promoting motorcycle safety serving up original articles and opinions from Jeff Cobb. He's passionate, talented, and a professional journalist that loves to ride.

Powersports Network Evaluations and reviews from consumers like you and me about everything on 2 wheels. I spent weeks pouring over this site comparing bikes before my purchase.

Riders Discount Another interesting online store for any motorcycle accessories you might want. Dozens of brands and thousands of products. (Thanks for the heads up, Marjorie.)

Team Oregon Oregon's answer to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's training program and also rated the number 1 program in the US by the insurance industry. Online friend Dan Bateman, aka irondad, is an instructor for this organization.

WebBikeWorld The Consumer Reports of the motorcycle world. This site has testers and editors all over Europe and North America. I am sometimes frustrated though, when I read about a great product and find out its only available in the UK. Buggers!

There are, without question, hundreds of other great sites and resources. These are just a few that I use. Do you have any you want to share?

Ride Safe!

Ohio State Buckeyes Rose Bowl Champions

2010-01-01T21:06:00.002-05:00

Go Bucks!!

Straight No Chaser - 12 Days of Christmas

2009-12-26T14:32:00.002-05:00

Holiday Greeting

2009-12-23T07:28:00.006-05:00

And a in time of great hardship

A star appeared, . . . Brighter than the rest,

Giving us hope that God is with us.

That no matter the depth of the darkness

God's love shines in the night

2009-12-14T11:11:00.008-05:00

Many years ago during another lifetime, I worked retail clothing sales at a large department store chain. The chain's big sale event of the yet-to-arrive Christmas season took place near the end of October and afterwards we learned that our location in "rural" Licking county out sold all other locations in two categories: Men's flannel shirts and women's thong underwear. A strange juxtaposition of fashions, to say the least.

It really spoke volumes about Licking county and our location became known throughout the division as the flannel shirts and thongs store.

A few months ago I posted a local story that made international headlines about a man that was cited with DUI while driving a motorized barstool.

Well the motorized barstool is back in the news...

Motorized barstool sells for $1,125 on eBay

(Eric George, The Advocate)

NEWARK -- As the minutes ticked down toward the closing of an eBay bidding war for the motorized barstool that launched Newark into national headlines, the going price remained steady: $1,125.

The 37th bidder placed the winning bid on Dec. 7 and remained the high bidder until the close of the auction at 9 p.m. Sunday.

The starting price for the barstool, initially listed on Dec. 3, was 99 cents.

The contraption is a metal barstool with a padded seat and welded to a frame, equipped with a 5-horsepower engine, steering wheel and four tires.

It launched into notoriety after its owner, Kile Wygle, 29, was charged with driving under the influence after he crashed the contraption in March in Newark.

He pleaded guilty the next month.

A Licking County judge ruled in June any profit from the sale of the stool should go toward back child support. At the time, Wygle owed about $37,000. (from the (Newark) Advocate)

Twenty-five years ago it was flannel shirts and thongs. Now-a-days...

Ride Safe

2009-12-07T07:51:00.006-05:00

I had a friend forward an email to me and in keeping with the holiday spirit, I post it here...

The text below the picture reads:

"Good news is that I truly outdid myself this year with my Christmas decorations. The bad news is that I had to take him down after 2 days. I had more people come screaming up to my house than ever.Great stories. But two things made me take it down.

"First, the cops advised me that it would cause traffic accidents as they almost wrecked when they drove by.

"Second, a 55 year old lady grabbed the 75 pound ladder almost killed herself putting it against my house and didn't realize it was fake until she climbed to the top (she was not happy). By the way, she was one of many people who attempted to do that. My yard couldn't take it either. I have more than a few tire tracks where people literally drove up my yard. "

After a little searching I found the posting at http://poorandstupid.com/2009_12_06_chronArchive.asp which is the address for the blog entitled " The Conspiracy to Keep You Poor and Stupid. (probably not be the origin of the post.)

Old Indians, Never, Ever, Die 2

2009-12-01T07:55:00.009-05:00

On the 24th and 25th July 2009 the second Old Indian Never Die rally took place at Traquair House in Pebbleshire, Scotland. The Rally was possibly the largest collection of vintage Indian Motocycles gathered in Europe.

Jodie from Watermill pointed me to this video trailer from the forthcoming 1 hour long documentary from Watermill, due out in 2010.

If you like vintage motorcycles (who can't imagine themselves on a 50+ year old bike?), you'll want to keep an eye out for this video offering.

Thanksgiving Day Prayer

2009-11-25T11:13:00.001-05:00

Thank You for...

... a Home that is warmed with love and passion, for one another and for life,

... a Job that helps to provide choices in life for what must be consider luxuries by some,

... Possessions that make living life easier and more enjoyable,

... People in my life with which to share my love and that share their love with me,

... the Understanding that for all that I am grateful, people are the most precious.

Amen

Let's Ride, er, I mean eat.

Life is what happens to you

2009-11-18T10:07:00.005-05:00

“Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans…” I remember watching Johnny Carson speak those words after the death of his son many years ago. Turns out they're lyrics for a John Lennon song, one that I don't remember.

“Life” is what happened to my dear friends, Chris and Vicki Gargus this past Sunday. They were making plans and preparing for the upcoming holidays when they got the news that their son Tyler was killed in a shooting accident.

Tyler, a senior in high school, was killed with what was thought to be an unloaded shotgun inside the home of his 16 year old friend, Zach.

I do not possess the words to express my sorrow for Chris and Vicki. My mind bounces from thoughts about their loss and grief, to the all-to-real void now present in their lives and the lives of everyone who knew and loved Tyler, myself included, to required gun safety education.

Many will say that this is the reason we need to ban all firearms. I refuse to enter that debate. This was a stupid accident by foolish teenagers doing something they knew they had no business doing: playing with a weapon.

The same thing can be said for a lot of activities by children and teenagers. As adults we tell them, “Don’t cross the street without looking both ways.” “Always keep both hands on the wheel.” “Buckle your seat belt.”

Adults said these things to me and I’ve said them to youngsters. But there were still times when I disregarded what I knew was a smart thing. You have, too.

Now, Chris and Vicki have to pick up the pieces of their lives and continue on. They live modestly and did not have a life insurance policy for Tyler. How many parents actually do?

I learned today that an account has been created at a local bank to help the family defer some of the funeral costs. I dropped off my check this morning. If you want to send a gift, the bank information is below.

The bank representative I spoke with said that a list of donor names and addresses will be provided to Chris and Vicki so they can send their thanks.

Also below, are some links to both news stories and tribute websites that have sprung up over the past few days.

Life is, indeed, what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.

County mourns tragic loss of Tyler Gargus (NewarkAdvocate.com)

Investigators Probing Teen's Shooting Death
(10TV.com)

Tyler Gargus Tribute Site

Facebook Tribute Page

The Park National Bank - Main Office
50 North Third Street
Post Office Box 3500
Newark, OH 43058-3500
740.349.8451 or 888.545.4PNB

2009-11-09T17:00:00.000-05:00

Much like this past summer, autumn in central Ohio has been very cool and too wet for my preference. In years past, it seems like I have ridden almost non-stop up until December. But my memory may be playing tricks on me and choosing to only remember the great riding days and forgetting the rest.

At any rate, riding has been sporadic at best lately. Those few days where the weather gods have blessed us with sunshine and temps above 50ºs or so, have also been preceded with clear nights and morning lows in the mid twenties. And, while I have ridden many times in 20ish degree temps, my hour long morning commute in those temps leaves me chilled until at least noon. And quite frankly, I'm growing weary of being cold.

The long and short of it is, lately, there hasn't been a whole lot of riding.

So, instead of spending time on the bike, I have focused my attention on several items found on my To Do List.

One item on the list is to troubleshoot a plumbing issue that has plagued our kitchen faucet with poor water pressure. Our home is over 70 years old and while the many would say that being an old home, it has character. Well, it also has old galvanized water pipes.

I've done my share of plumbing before working with CPVC, black pipe and copper and every time I tackle a project, what should be a twenty dollar, 30 minute job escalates to 3 hours and costing much more. This job was no different, sorta. However, this time I found a product that made the task a lot easier.

Galvanized pipe corrodes from the inside out and what looks like good pipe will disappoint faster than comic book X-Ray glasses.

After finding a place where there was still good pipe, I plumbed both supply lines to the sink with copper and used SharkBite compression fittings. No sweating, no glue, and more importantly, no leaks.

The job was actually done sooner than I had planned and for just a little more than I estimated. The water ran so fast from the kitchen faucet, the missus decided we needed a new one. $250

Cha-Ching.

I'm about half scared to start the front door lock project; by the time I'm done replacing it, we'll prob'ly end up with a new door!

Cha-Ching!

Ride Safe

Autumn Group Ride 2009

2009-10-19T07:14:00.007-04:00

Our last group ride of the season was moved from Saturday to Sunday and it turned out to be a good decision. While the temps were about the same, Sunday brought abundant sunshine, something central Ohio hadn't seen in several days.

Last year, the last ride of the season ended with a deer crashed for two of our riders. This year's last ride of the season also held calamity for one rider.

13 riders left Newark about 1:30 and we rode south, following a meandering route with a destination of Nelsonville in mind. A 14th rider, Randy, would meet us in about 20 miles at an intersection in Thornville.

The autumn colors were just about at their peak this weekend and we've had only a little wind and rain to knock the leaves off the trees. With the sun shining and blue skies overhead, and the cool air rushing past us, it was the perfect weather for an autumn ride.

After about an hour of meandering through the country side between Thornville, Somerset and Crooksville, the group stopped for fuel just outside of New Lexington.

About 20 minutes after our fuel stop, we passed through New Straightsville, a small community in the middle of the Wayne National Forest a little south of Shawnee. Just outside of town, we turned onto OH- 595. As it often happens, I was near the end of the group with only Randy on his HD Softtail Classic behind me.

About a mile south of town after getting on OH-595, the road has a blind, up hill curve to the right. Gravel or cinders littered the inside of the curve so I moved toward the center line and kicked my right leg out to let Randy know about the hazard. However, a quick look in the mirrors told me my efforts were wasted. Randy was following a good 100 feet back, and with the blind curve, he couldn't see my warning.

I negotiated the curve and kept an eye on my mirrors. Just as I saw Randy round the curve, the road in front of me turned to the left and my view was obstructed. Near the top of the hill I slowed and at a driveway. I stopped. No Randy.

Fearing the worst, I made a U-turn and headed back down the hill. Randy came into view within seconds. It looked like he was upright, but then I realized that he was on the wrong side of the road and his front wheel was parked against the outside guard rail.

He'd gotten whopper jawed on the gravel, and when the rear wheel found traction again, the bike promptly laid down on its left side and slid across the opposing lane. He was OK. His leathers, gloves, and helmet protected his hide and noggin. But the bike was a mess.

The guard rail that kept him and his bike from falling into a 50 foot ravine had crumpled the front fender up against the wheel. Somehow the slide across the road broke his handlebar clean off between the mirror and the triple tree. His grip, clutch lever and switches hung from the cables.

The two of us and a passerby that stopped got the Harley off to the side of the road and pointing down the hill. Randy's cell phone went dead as soon as he tried to use it, so I got on my cell and called his roadside assistance service while he took stock of his bike. He pried the fender away from the wheel with a little effort and then looked at the handlebar.

After a few minutes, Randy had a solution in mind. He jammed a stick into the open end of the handlebar and left about 5 or 6 inches sticking out, onto which he jammed his grip, clutch lever and switches. A bungee cord and black tape held everything together. A lot of black tape.

Roadside service called back about an hour later to tell us that it would be another 2 or 3 hours before they could get any help to us. By that time, another rider from the group, Randy's neighbor, Charlie, rejoined us and we decided that together, the three of us would try to make the trek back home.

Charlie would take the lead with Randy, riding one-handed, in the middle and me protecting his rear. If we stayed away from the curvy roads, and Randy used his left grip just for the clutch lever, it might turn out better than expected.

And it did turn out well. Randy and Charlie made it home without additional incident. We parted company when we each were about 15 minutes from our homes. Randy's Softtail will soon be on the repair schedule at the dealership and we'll try to figure out how to break this last-ride-mishap habit the group seems to have gotten itself into.

Ride Safe!

Harley-Davidson shuts down Buell

2009-10-16T13:05:00.005-04:00

Well, this may not be much of a surprise to some but it is an eye opener.

This info from the Buell.Com Q & A page...

Why is Harley-Davidson discontinuing Buell after the recent new product introductions, racing success and new brand efforts?

The Company made the decision to discontinue the Buell product line as part of its strategy to focus on growth through the Harley-Davidson brand.

What will happen to the Buell motorcycles currently in dealer inventory?

Buell dealers will sell remaining motorcycle inventories. There will be no more Buell motorcycles produced.

Why should I buy a new Buell when you are discontinuing production?

The innovative features and overall quality of Buell motorcycles provide an outstanding ownership experience. The Company may be discontinuing the production of Buell motorcycles, but they are extremely exciting motorcycles to ride and own. The Company will continue to provide normal warranties on new motorcycles and provide parts and service support. Buell motorcycles offer an overall value proposition that is very compelling.

How good of a deal can I get on a new Buell?

See your local Buell dealer for his remaining available inventory and prices.

Will I be able to get financing for a new Buell?

HDFS will continue to finance Buell motorcycles. Please see your dealer for details.

How will I get my Buell serviced?

Will you honor my warranty?Authorized Buell Service Providers will provide warranty, service and repair work. And Harley-Davidson expects to be providing replacement parts and service for as many years as required market by market. Of course we will honor all of our warranties.

What about Buell racing and privateer Buell race teams?Will there be contingency programs like they have had in the past?

Buell will continue to supply parts to dealers to support racers who want to go racing next season. However, the racing support program and contingency will be discontinued.

Are any of the brand’s models going to be available as Harley-Davidson models?

Harley-Davidson has no plans to produce Buell motorcycles as Harley-Davidson products.

Will Harley-Davidson be using any Buell designs or incorporating Buell technology into the H-D product line?

Buell has introduced many advancements in motorcycle design and technology over the years. Harley-Davidson will continue to benefit from that knowledge going forward and it’s possible that some of this technology will find its way into a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

For other questions related to Harley-Davidson or Buell, please see your local dealer.

2009-10-05T12:35:00.005-04:00

The music was playing in the sanctuary. The mothers had been seated, the groom and his men were standing at the front of the church and the bride's maids and maid of honor were just starting their slow procession toward the preacher.

Niki and I were near the sanctuary doors just out of sight of the participants and congregation waiting for the proper time, when I leaned over to her, gave her a peck on the cheek, and said, "If you want to change your mind, it's not too late, yet."

She beamed up at me and with a sparkle in her eyes, shook her head. "I'm not changing my mind, Daddy."

"Then let's make an entrance!"

The Mad Rush

2009-09-25T07:45:00.008-04:00

There has been lots of activity on the home and work fronts over the past several weeks.

My company's business tends to increase during economic down turns and this current business climate has shown evidence of that. Not that I'm complaining. Right now, busy is good.

We've increased our modest work force by about 20% and that means additional PCs and work areas setup along with all the behind the scenes "stuff" to make it all work. Plus, a couple of the positions we filled are in an office in Pekin, Illinois. That work requires one day travel and a day of setup.

Unfortunately, I'll be caging it to Pekin unless I can figure out a way to load Lady up with computers, monitors, and a laserjet printer. That trip comes this Sunday and Monday.

And then comes the week long sprint to my daughter's wedding Saturday, October 3rd.

I learned pretty quickly in the wedding preparation process that my sole responsibility during this time was to simply write the checks and provide plastic, in the form of a credit card. I am, of course, a man, and a man simply cannot grasp the intricacies and nuances of wedding planning. At least that's what I was told early on. (I think my creative use of duct tape over the years sealed my fate on this count!)

I scheduled vacation time the week leading up to the wedding and since my participation so far was limited to signing my signature, I just knew that the last several days of prep would allow me some quality riding time. But no.

It will be my duty to run errands picking up this and paying for that because I'm off work and no one else scheduled vacation time... and, of course, I'd do anything my daughter.

So be forewarned... After this is over, it's time for some time on 2 wheels. Just as long as my throttle hand hasn't cramped up from writing all those checks!

Ride Safe!

Talk how?

2009-09-18T07:31:00.006-04:00

There are just a few more hours before it is ....

International Talk Like a Pirate Day!

September 19th every year

Now, if I could figure out a way to get a 3 cornered hat over my helmet, I'd ride as a pirate, too.

2009-09-11T07:38:00.004-04:00

September 11, 2001

Flight 93

The Pentagon

The World Trade Centers

List of victims on 9/11

2009-08-24T05:04:00.005-04:00

As I write this this, I noticed the clock on my desk is telling me it is 5:02am EDT. Now 5:03am. I'll leave the house on my commute for work at about 6:00am. By that time the temperature outside will have dropped another degree or so. Right now, it's hovering around 52º F and I am debating in my head if I should wear long thermal underwear. The trip is an hour long and I really don't want to be an ice cube until mid morning.

I had a friend remind me recently that, back when we were kids growing up, back before global warming was a problem, our summers used to be really, really hot. Nowadays, August in Ohio feels more like August in northern Ontario.

I'll nix the long johns, but chaps are a definite must this morning.

Ride Safe!

2009-08-14T13:52:00.004-04:00

Live On. Ride On is a campaign for LifeLine Ohio to help bring awareness for organ donation in the motorcycle enthusiast world. It's a good cause and I've had a link and banner on the blog for a couple of months, now.

Organ donation is a topic a lot of people don't want to talk about. To do so, forces one to acknowledge ones own mortality. And some of us don't do that easily.

The link takes you to the Live On. Ride On web site where you can learn more about them. There's only one thing I don't like about the site. It's a minor thing, really, but I wish they'd change it.

The photo they have on the site is a great shot of a deserted highway snaking into the distance with incredible scenery and vistas on each side. The photograph is quality work. But the road is not in Ohio.

Anyway, Live On. Ride On is going to be at some central Ohio events promoting their cause and I thought I'd share them with you.

Flat Track Races Sunday, Aug 16Beulah Park, Grove City, OH

We will have a raffle, Live On. Ride On. patches & t-shirts!

Summer Slam Saturday, Aug 22 AD Farrow Co Harley Davidson, Sunbury, OH

Ride Safe!

2009-08-07T08:12:00.002-04:00

Traffic Camera Update:

Across the country, communities have installed photo enforcement cameras for both speed and red lights, all the while chanting the mantra, "It's all about safety, it's all about safety." This may be true. But the financial windfall realized by virtually all communities that install cameras can't be easily ignored.

The small community of Heath, Ohio installed cameras in June of this year and started mailing out citations in July. Over 10,000 citations! And at $100 a pop, those fines would generate in one month nearly 1/8 of the city's general fund.

The people cried foul (especially those with multiple citations in one day!) and the city started it's chant. And then something unexpected happened.

The city of Heath issued a statement saying that the cameras were installed for safety and that they just wanted drivers to slow down, And then they said that all drivers in the month of July that received multiple citations would have all but one dismissed with just a phone call.

Maybe the officials in Heath really did have the cameras installed for safety reasons. It's not really about the money.

2009-08-04T07:06:00.000-04:00

Heath, Ohio, a community adjacent to Newark is smaller but has a high traffic area. Recently they installed 10 new traffic cameras for both speed and red lights. The cameras were in place for a month sending out warning letters. The grace period is over.

The little demons have been recording violations for 4 weeks and nearly 10,000 citations have been issued, including to one driver, a resident of the city (Nerkites call them Heathans) that received 6 in one day, on one trip.

Everyone is getting pretty jerky about the cameras, especially area merchants and the city leadership is on the hot seat because the cameras are about safety, not money - even though the potential take for 1 month of fines is about 1/8 the city's annual budget or about $800,000.

Here's an online story...

2009-08-03T09:53:00.003-04:00

A few days after returning from the trip to the Black Hills of South Dakota, I noticed the parking permit the attendant had wrapped around my handlebar. I was thinking about whether to remove it or leave it on since it is good until the end of this year.

Chances are I'll not return before it expires so I had decided to cut it off and save it with the rest of my memorabilia from the trip. But just as I was about to get the scissors, something caught my eye. Now I think I'll keep it on there just for the heck of it...

2009-07-29T05:00:00.008-04:00

"You get what you pay for." How many times have we heard that phrase? We usually hear it (or say it) during a discussion of some inferior product that failed sooner than we expected.

Yet, the idiom is true both ways, for high quality products as well as no quality products. I am testing it again myself in regards to motorcycle tires.

In about 22 months of riding I have watch Lady's odometer turn past 28,000 miles. Not too bad for an Ohio rider where there is only about 6 or 7 months of riding weather. But like many riders in less temperate climes, I ride all year, as long as the temps are above 25ºF and there's no ice or snow on the roads.

In the course of those miles, I replaced the original rear tire, an IRC brand 170/80 15", at about 18,000 miles. I put on a Dunlop K-555 of the same size and had to replace it this week after about 10,000 miles.

The K-555 cost around $120 and the tire I replaced it with is a Metzeler ME880 at a cost of about $175. I'm hoping I can get at least 45% more miles from a tire that cost about 45% more.

We'll see.

Of course, the trade off with a longer lasting tire, is a less sticky rubber and less traction. But since Lady is a cruiser that spends more time on interstate highways (my daily commute) than on a grand prix road course, I should be OK.

Ride Safe!

2009-07-23T07:09:00.012-04:00

After two and a half days of hard riding and one day of sight seeing, John, my traveling companion, and I finally made it to Gillette, Wyoming where we met up with the 20 riders and 12 bikes that had traveled from California. Our destination for the next day was Spearfish, South Dakota by way of Devil's Tower.

John knew this area pretty well, and was coaxed into leading the group. It was a task that he later admitted was extremely nerve racking, making sure everyone was still together and that his speed (usually 4 or 5 mph over the limit) wasn't too fast for the group.

We made a loop around the formation and then meandered to Spearfish, SD where we checked into our hotel. This would be home base for the next couple of days.

We visited several historic towns, places I call "show towns", including Deadwood, Lead, and Keystone. I label them "show towns" because several times a day actors in 1890 period costumes stage gun fights or will fire their six shooters to get tourist attentions.

Saloon No.10 in Deadwood is an establishment of some notoriety. Wild Bill Hickok, the town's lawman, was murdered there while playing poker. In his hand he held a pair of aces and a pair of eights, what became known as the dead man's hand.

Even though our visit was nearly 2 weeks before the Sturgis Bike Rally, motorcycles were everywhere. One that caught my eye was this custom paint job honoring the US Air Force.

And then there was this piece of chrome we saw at the Rapid City Harley Davidson dealership.

Oddly enough - or perhaps not - the bike's owner is from Ohio.

Mounted on the front of the forks is a chrome plaque dedicating to bike to his brother.

John, myself and Kenny, from the California group took the time to visit Mt. Rushmore...

And the Crazy Horse Memorial...

Then, just like that, it was time to head for home.

The weather for the return trip was dominated by a Canadian high pressure area that kept temperatures cool, barely reaching 70º F. The first day of the return trip was sunny but cool. The subsequent days of our return we rode at the edge of the cold front that brought the cooler temps and didn't see the sun again.

Here are some stats for the trip:

Totals miles: 3,396 miles
Longest day: 622 miles
Average per day: 450 miles
Food: $148.00
Fuel: $206.00
Hotels: $258.00 per person

Spending a week with friends on 2 wheels: Priceless

I had only one small issue with Lady. During the return trip, one of the riders to my rear moved up beside me and asked if I had lost my cell phone. Knowing that my cell phone was packed away, I answered, "No."

Forty miles later I stretched out my left leg and started to place my foot on the highway peg when I realized the peg was missing. That was no cell phone! That was my peg!! Should have used blue Locktite!

I'll replace the peg this week, but if anyone finds a large Kuryakyn ISO peg near the 25 mile marker of I-80 in Iowa, drop me an email.

Finally, a couple of thoughts about a trip like this...

1) Like Irondad said to me before I left, "enjoy yourself."

and

2) Like Peter Fonda said to the Wild Hogs at the end of the movie, "Lose the watches."

Ride Safe!

You can see the entire album by clicking the slide show above.

2009-07-22T08:00:00.003-04:00

It is obvious now, looking back at some of the pictures posted by the riders that started their trek in California, that the best part of the trip was the west coast. But I didn't have 2 weeks to dedicate to the trip. I had only 1 week. So I made the best of what was available to me and spent my week traveling to Gillette, Wyoming to meet the 12 bikes and 20 riders near the end of their trip.

To get there, it was a mad dash on interstate highways, mostly, over the course of three days. There's a whole lot of country side between Columbus, Ohio and Cactus Flats, South Dakota and most of it looks the same. The wind farms west of Des Moines, Iowa were interesting, having never seen one in person before. But the scenery was painfully similar for nearly 1,000 miles, no offense to Indiana, Illinois, or Iowa.

The most exhilarating part of the trip was riding through the worst thunderstorm ever in Sioux City, Iowa. You know the weather is bad when cars start pulling over to the shoulder!

Afterwards, the skies turned blue, the sun came out, and we motored on to I-90 west. We traveled I-90 until we arrived at Cactus Flats where John and I toured the Badlands National Park.

The route through the park took us about an hour and a half including several stops for photos of vistas and desolation. When we exited we were just minutes away from Wall, South Dakota, our destination for the night. We had the entire next day to travel 100 miles to Gillette, WY and meet up with the rest of the group. Some sight seeing was in order.

On the way to Sundance, WY

The Sundance, WY city jail. The locals said it was the jail where the Sundance Kid was held but since he and Butch Cassidy died in Bolivia in 1903, this wasn't the same one.

We hooked up with the California riders later the third day in Gillette, WY, about 40 miles away. It was good to see my friends, hear their stories, and tell a few of our own.

After dinner and a good night's sleep we headed for Devil's Tower.

To be continued...

Home, Safe and Sound

2009-07-18T18:22:00.003-04:00

I'm finally home , safe and sound after 3,394 miles to Gillette, WY and back. What an incredible trip, a great learning experience and an absolute blast.

I'll have stories and pictures as soon as I find my card reader - arrrrgh! - but for now just one word of advice: make this trip with good friends. You'll want someone to share the "ooos" and "aaahs."

Ride Safe

2009-07-10T05:44:00.005-04:00

More pics from my homeward bound friends...

Somewhere near Mount Rainier.

I bet they'll welcome the warmth of the Midwest after experiencing the cool beauty of the Pac Northwest.

I leave today sometime around 3:00pm and hope to get most of the way across Indiana before calling it a day. The distance we need to travel sorta dictates when we leave. If I could be on the road right now, I'd would. But, I need to complete some last minute work at the office.

So, my neighbor John and I will leave this afternoon. The bad thing about leaving at that time is the rush hour traffic in Indianapolis and driving into the sun from about 7:00pm on. I never thought I'd say this, but it's good that there is a high probability of precipitation in Indiana this afternoon and hopefully the clouds will keep the sun out of our eyes.

My Facebook friends should look for blurbs each day. Everyone else, I'll be back in 8 days.

Ride Safe!

2009-07-07T14:00:00.006-04:00

More pics from the road...

Someone said they had big trees in northen California...

The Oregon coast

Kelli says this picture is of the Oregon coast but I kinda doubt it; the sun is shining! Her posts to Facebook say the weather is improving for them which means warmer and dryer. My outlook always improves when the sun decides to shine.

Four days until I leave for Gillette, Wyoming where I'll meet up with them. Can't wait.

2009-07-05T19:55:00.005-04:00

Don and Kelli are the sweep riders of one of the two groups of six bikes, bringing up the rear so to speak. Kelli has a mobile device and is providing pics for those of us not fortunate to make the trip or even ride at all.

The Golden Gate Bridge

The streets of San Francisco

At one of the meetings prior to their departure, the riders were strongly encouraged to maintain the same riding positions. That way you become familiar with the riding habits of those around you. So any of the riding pictures Kelli takes will probably be of the back of Curt and Sharon's heads.

Curt and Sharon are the riders that ran into a deer near Marietta last year. No deer on these streets, though. They did swap their half helmets for full face models. A wise decision, I suspect, plus they have a really cool bluetooth intercom. I love toys like that.

2009-07-03T21:16:00.003-04:00

Picking up the 12 bikes from the San Jose HD dealer. The adventure begins...

2009-06-30T21:02:00.003-04:00

The 12 bikes for all of the riders on the California trip left Ohio yesterday in the back of a semi trailer. The 21 riders making the trip from California to Ohio will fly out this Friday. I plan on leaving Ohio on my ride Saturday, July 11th and will meet them in Gillette, Wyoming 3 days later.

The preparations for my portion of the trip are progressing. I added highway bars and foot pegs so I can stretch out my legs on the highway. I added a couple of sockets to my tool kit and need to buy one turn signal bulb and a spare head lamp bulb for the "just in case" bag. I also purchased a tire repair kit with CO2 canisters also for the "just-in-case" bag

I should probably replace my front brake pads before I leave. Having a set for when I might need it is not the same as having new brake pads installed.

The do/need to buy list is down to just a few items:

Cup or bottle holder
Cargo net
Map pouch for the tank
Cramp Buster wrist rest

I'm trying to temper my excitement and anticipation of the trip with careful planning. There was a time when I would say, "Let's just go; if we need anything, we'll buy it when we get there." But things are different in this economy and when travelling on a bike.

And that feeling persists... Have I forgotten anything?

Ride Safe!

2009-06-24T05:10:00.006-04:00

All but 6 of the 54 miles I travel to the office is four lane, limited access highway. The remaining 6 miles is under construction and should be complete in about 8 or 9 months. This will make my commute the fastest is has ever been. And one of the most boring, too. You just don't "see" as many things at 70 mph as you do at 45 or 50. I suppose you have to take the good with the bad.

My multi-lane travels are pretty sedate compared to some of the horror stories I hear from other metro areas. Traffic isn't as congested and drivers aren't as oblivious to their surroundings in Columbus.

There are exceptions, of course and I've learned that entrance ramps are the most dangerous sections of travel during my commute. Most of the time drivers are just cruising along content to stay in their lane. But entrance ramps, where drivers must merge into existing traffic, can be a jumbled mess.

Almost without exception, if there are a string of cars entering the freeway, one of the drivers will be impatient about his merge. Believing the car in front of them isn't accelerating fast enough, they will move not only into the first lane, but will try to take a second lane as well.

These are the drivers I always watch out for on my commute. They will only take a micro-second to survey the traffic in the second lane and chances are they won't see me. This scenario happened to me a few days ago.

The driver of an older red Ford crossed into my lane by about a foot and I was in his blind spot adjacent to his rear door. I beeped my horn - I'm seriously considering getting an air horn - and accelerated until I was abreast of his door.

In this instance, I had at least one thing going for me: he had his window rolled down. The sound of my horn along with the sight of my blurred image must have scared the crap out of him because he immediately retreated into his lane and hit the brakes.

I'm sure he didn't see the angry look on my face or hear me shout, "What are you doing!!!" But he did stay on my six about 6 car lengths back until my exit came up 12 miles down the road. Serves him right. Better for him to soil his pants than occupy my space.

I have approximately 11 or 12 ramps on my commute and fortunately attempts on my life only happen about once a week. And even though they are never intentional, hurt is still hurt and dead is still dead. My travel time is about an hour before the morning and afternoon rush hours or my encounters might be more frequent.

Still, I wouldn't give up the 2 wheeled commute for anything. For me, there is no better way to start or end my work day. Even though I have to contend with what Lucky from The Great Motorcycle Pizza Tour calls zombie drivers.

Now how is it they get rid of the zombies in the movies???

Ride Safe!

Big Bird Up Close

2009-06-21T19:45:00.001-04:00

My father was an avid naturalist. He loved the outdoors and fancied himself a something of an expert on North American wildlife. He loved birds of all kinds, song birds especially, since they were the most abundant in his neighborhood. His got excited when he would encounter a species not frequently seen around here.

A bird he always enjoyed watching but seldom saw was the Blue Heron, common all across North America and mostly found near large bodies of water. It is a large bird that wades the shoreline looking for lunch.

I got an up close look at one the other evening and Dad would be glad to know that I recognized it immediately. He would not be pleased with the manner and method of my up close observation, however.

Teresa and I were returning from a short ride to Reynoldsburg heading east toward home. The sun was low in the western sky and everything had that reddish golden glow to it. The day had been hot but the cool of the approaching night felt really nice. Our shadow stretched out in front of us 50 feet or so as we cruised along at about 55mph.

As we ascended an incline leading up to the arched bridge crossing the railroad tracks near Summit Station, I saw the gray/brown blur of the heron in flight from about 200 yards away and pointed it out to Teresa. What an impressive bird!

(From Wikipedia, (C) John Harrison)

It had just taken off from a tree top and looked as though it might go under the bridge. But it started flapping its wings to gain altitude and I quickly realized that he was taking the high road, so to speak, over the bridge.

But he wasn't traveling very fast and his altitude wasn't increasing as much as I would have thought it should. As we continued onto the bridge, he cleared the guardrail of the bridge with just inches to spare and continued his lazy flight.

At a distance of about 25 yards I could see his wing span was about 3 feet across. With wings that wide you would think that a heron could reach great heights with no effort at all, and they may. But this one was in no hurry evidently.

It was apparent to me that we were about to get very personal with this creature. I applied some major front brake pressure and our speed dropped from 55 to 40mph in seconds. The heron passed at eye level just a few feet in front of us.

Whoa! That was close and what a mess it would have been. I looked in the mirror for the bird but only saw the grill of an F-150 quickly approaching. I down shifted, rolled on the throttle and scooted out of his way.

To the bird's credit, he may not have seen us since we were approaching out of the setting sun. And to the F-150's credit, how often does somebody nearly stop in the middle of a bridge to let Big Bird pass?

The rest of the journey was uneventful and we enjoyed the deepening shadows and the red-orange glow cast over the country side. I love this time of day. Except for the occasional critter.

Ride Safe!

2009-06-16T08:53:00.005-04:00

I saw these photos on the VR forum I sometimes visit and thought I'd share them.

The images were not attribruted nor were there any explanations other than the obvious "wow!"

Pretty impressive although I'm not sure if it's a bike, a trike, or something in between.

2009-06-15T08:05:00.004-04:00

What a great ride into work today! The temps hovered around 60º F, the skies were clear and the sunrise was in my mirrors.

The ride home will be even better!

Did you ride to work today?

Ride To Work Day

2009-06-09T07:34:00.004-04:00

Just about ANY day is Ride to Work Day for me. But if you need an excuse, here's one...

2009-05-29T07:26:00.010-04:00

A few months back I told of the phone call I received inviting me to consider taking the trip of a lifetime: 16 days starting from San Fransico, north into Oregon and then east back towards home in Ohio.

Unfortunately, as the only person in a one man IT shop where I work there was just no way I could take 2 weeks off in a row. So, on July 3rd I will wish a dozen and a half of my local friends bon voyage from Port Columbus airport as they fly to the west coast to collect their motorcycles which started the trip via semi trailer 4 days earlier.

I was really envious of those that are making this trip. I enjoy their company and have never seen the beauty of the pacific northwest, or many of the places west of the Mississippi river, first hand. (There was a weekend sprint to Boulder, Colorado once, but I slept through most of that trip!)

Well, a couple of weeks ago while I was day dreaming about what I would miss, I said out loud to one of our cats, "Too bad this trip isn't for only one week. I can be away from work for a week. How far could I travel in a week?" Hmmm. Good question.

The answer, as it turns out, is about 1,300 miles away. Geographically speaking, I'd say about to Sturgis, South Dakota. Which, as it also turns out, is on the route my friends are taking on their trip.

So, to make a long story short, I will leave central Ohio a week after my friends fly out, and hook up with them 3 days later in Sturgis, SD. We'll spend a couple of days seeing the sights in and around the Black Hills and then start the 3 day trek back home.

To many riders (and readers) this 1,300 mile trip would be considered a short cruise around the block. But Lady is not a touring bike, although she dresses like one, and 300 miles in one day has left me stiff and saddle sore in the past. Making the trip in 400 mile per day segments will take a toll on me. I'm just not sure how much of a toll will be required.

I'll be riding solo for this trip. The Mrs. doesn't want to take time off this early in the year and knows that her maximum distance riding pillion is about 200 miles per day. But she has given me her blessing for this adventure which is saying something. She probably will replace the furniture or something like that while I'm gone. Happens nearly every time.

My neighbor, John, says he might join me on the journey. John, a retired navy master chief, has ridden American iron for 30 years and I would welcome his experience and company.

(Image:Faulkingham-Public Domain)

(Image:Public Domain)

(Image:Korczak fromcommons.wikimedia.org)

So what advice do you have for someone that's riding a cruiser where only touring bikes normally tread?

Ride Safe!

Ride for Alexandra's Heart

2009-05-23T08:26:00.005-04:00

Late Start Adventurer

2009-05-09T01:00:00.001-04:00

[As I mentioned in an earlier post, the camera died a terrible death during the first day of this three day journey - heat stroke, I'm guessing - and therefore there are no photos to share.]

The second day of our trip would take us through Huntington, West Virginia, and into Ashland, Lexington and finally Carollton, Kentucky. The day was hot for late April; forecast for 87º F and windy.

Traffic was light as we travelled I-64 westbound and moving at a speed I seldom see back in Ohio. A few miles west of Ashland a yellow BMW decked out with hard cases and something wrapped in an oil skin tied across the rear seat zipped by us.

He wore a full face helmet riding jacket, pants and boots. I could tell the jacket and pants had armor and my first impression was that this was a serious long distance rider. Something I think I'd like to try someday but not of this bike.

Twenty minutes down the interstate we found a rest area and pull in. The BMW rider was there getting ready to continue his journey. I parked beside him and struck up a conversation.

His name was Carl and judging from his graying beard and snow white hair a few years older than me. He mentioned that this was his first bike, purchased 4 years ago. He said he decided that if he was ever going to learn to ride, he better do it while he still could.

So at the age of 68 (15 years my senior!) he learned how to ride. He said, with a little bit of pride, "I'm seventy-two now and I've ridden 55,000 miles in 31 states and 2 Canadian provinces. My longest ride was from Indianapolis to the arctic circle."

Wow. Not just a long distance rider; he's an adventure rider. The arctic circle is +1200 miles north of the 49th parallel, the US/Canadian border along Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho and Washington. To travel that distance from Indianapolis, I'm guessing he travelled +2600 miles one way.

Carl said he had left Virginia Beach that morning and was headed for home in Indianapolis, another 3 hours or so away. With a look of admiration and maybe just a little envy, I wished him a safe journey and he took off.

I rejoined Teresa under a shade tree sipping some water and wondered if that was something I had the grit to do.

2009-05-03T07:52:00.000-04:00

This 3 day trip was something I had planned for about a month and as if we needed a reason to ride it was the celebration of our 32nd anniversary. The forecast was for dry weather and warm temperatures and for once the weather guessers got it right.

We were excited about all the great pics we took the first hour, but then the camera malfunctioned and no amount of chicken bones or dancing would revive it. So, no pics on this trip. But we do have a couple of stories and some recommendations on some great Ohio roadways.

We headed south out of Newark on SR 13 for several miles but just outside Somerset we turned west on SR 256 for about a mile or 2 and followed SR 664 south.

While SR 664 is indeed a state route it is definitely a rural road that travels through some picturesque farmland. The route goes through Rushville and Bremen and is in good condition. It has several hills and dips with many gentle sweeping curves and a few head turners; you know, the kind where you need to really turn your head to see the exit of the turn. There are a few Amish farms in the area so watch out for horse drawn vehicles and the occasional string of road apples.

We followed SR 664 to Logan where we stopped for a quick bite to eat and then hopped on US 33 going towards Nelsonville where we planned on visiting the Rocky Boots and Outdoor Wear Factory Outlet store.

The store is in a century old factory building that’s about 60 feet wide and 200 feet long and has 3 floors. They have dozens of styles, models, and brands of boots and outdoor shoes for sale along with apparel from T-shirts to overalls to infant onesies. The bike apparel section was modest but held my attention for about 20 minutes, which in “husband shopping with wife time” is about half a day.

Teresa says they had a great selection of collectible and gift items which is where she spent most of her time and would have spent most of her money had we not been traveling with full saddlebags and very little room in the tail bag.

We moved on after about an hour and continued south on US 33 to Athens where we hopped on US 35 going towards Polmeroy, Ohio. The winds were coming out of the south west and gusts were up to 35 mph. My helmet's not the quietest on the market (or my head) and after about an hour of traveling the high ridges of US 35 we arrived in Polmeroy and I was glad for a little quiet.

Polmeroy sits beside the Ohio river and is a small town, it turns out. It has only one hotel and we had passed the turn off for it about 5 miles back. So, we continued on to Gallipolis, Ohio, another 20 minutes or so, where we stayed the night.

After we unloaded the bike, we traveled into the center of town and had dinner at a local eatery, the Court Side Bar and Grill. Good food and a fun wait staff. During dinner we took the time to plan the next day's travels.

Huntington, West Virginia, Lexington, Kentucky, and our final stop, the historic town of Carollton, Kentucky.

More to come...

Back Home Again

2009-04-26T20:14:00.003-04:00

Just got back from a three day riding trip and I'm a little saddle sore. But what a great time!

Stops:
Logan, Oh
Nelsonville, Oh
Athens, Oh
Polmeroy, Oh
Galipolis, Oh
Huntington, WV
Ashland, KY
Lexington, KY
Carrolton, Ky
Covington, Ky
Jeffersonville, Oh
Columbus, Oh

I hope to have details about the trip and tell about some of the people we met on the way in a day or two. In the mean time, ride safe.

2009-04-15T08:01:00.002-04:00

Today in the US is Tax Day, the deadline for filing your tax return. Tax Freedom Day for 2009 was 2 days ago, April 13th.

Wikipedia says that "Tax Freedom Day is the first day of the year in which a nation as a whole has theoretically earned enough income to fund its annual tax burden." On Wikipedia, I also learned that in 1900 Tax Freedom Day was January 22nd. Things have changed.

People in other places have Tax Freedom Day later...

United Kingdom
Tax Rate 42% 2 June 2008

Czech Republic
Tax Rate 44.1% 11 June 2007

Canada
Tax Rate 44.8% 14 June 2008

Germany
Tax Rate 51.7% 8 July 2008

France
Tax Rate 53.6% 16 July 2007

Norway
Tax Rate 56.7% 29 July 2007

Celebrate your Tax Freedom Day by exercising the freedom of riding.

Ride Safe!

Can leap tall buildings

2009-04-11T22:45:00.001-04:00

This is really insane...

The famous fried bologna sandwich

2009-04-06T18:34:00.006-04:00

Teresa and I have waited nearly 5 months to visit Waldo, Ohio, the home of G & R Tavern and we finally made the trip recently. It was a chilly 38ºF when we pulled out of the parking lot but the sun was shining brightly.

There were 19 bikes and 27 riders and passengers that braved the cold air; a measure of how badly everyone in this area has suffered from cabin fever and a general lack of good riding weather.

See the entire photo album here.

Famous for Foolishness

2009-04-02T09:56:00.004-04:00

[It was an awesome ride into work today even though I have a killer headache from a flu-like bug that's going around. The ride home will be even better with temps near 70ºF.]

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My home town of about 50,000 people has now been put on the map and one of its residents is getting his 15 minutes of fame, whether he wants it or not.

Here's a sampling of headlines from online newspapers from around the midwest and from as far away as Sidney, AU. Compliments of the Associate Press news wire...

From the AP Online

Ohio man charged with drunken driving on bar stool

NEWARK, Ohio (AP) — Authorities in Ohio say a man has been charged with drunken driving after crashing his motorized bar stool. Police in Newark, 30 miles east of Columbus, say when they responded to a report of a crash with injuries on March 4, they found a man who had wrecked a bar stool powered by a deconstructed lawn mower.
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From the Kansas City Star

An Ohio man is charged with drunken driving after crashing his motorized bar stool, powered by a deconstructed lawn mower.
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From The Daily Item (PA)

Mid-Daily Items: Drunk guy loses control of his souped up bar stool
Authorities in Ohio say a man has been charged with drunken driving after crashing his motorized bar stool.
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Published in the Windsor (Ontario) Star

BARSTOOL CRASH SERVES UP DRUNK DRIVING CHARGE
CHICAGO -- Falling off a barstool can hurt one's pride, if not more, but an Ohio man got into trouble with the law for crashing his motorized version.
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And from Sidney, Austrailia

Drunk crashes motorised bar stool
April 1, 2009

Drink driving ... police in Newark charged a man after he crashed his motorised bar stool. Authorities in Ohio say a US man has been charged with drink driving after crashing his motorised bar stool.

Springtime in Bismarck

2009-03-31T15:17:00.003-04:00

A co-worker has a friend that lives in Bismarck, North Dakota and they sent this photo taken recently...

From here on out, I'm gonna do my best not to complain about Ohio's spring weather.

Update - Alexandra's Heart Poker Run

2009-03-29T07:53:00.006-04:00

Reveived the following email message today from a fellow rider, blogger, and all around good guy, Micah from Lucas County Choppers:
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I wanted to update you all on the status of our charity poker run, the"Ride for Alexandra's Heart".

All of our stops have confirmed, and I am happy to provide you with the flyer and press release for the event. If you have trouble downloading the files, they are available on the event Web sitehttp://alexandrasheart.com.

Please help spread the word through your clubs, organizations, websites, podcasts, or any other means that you have available.

Thank you for your support of the event, and I hope to see you there!

Sincerely,
Micah

Lucas County Choppers
http://lcchoppers.com

The Fortune Cookie Rule

2009-03-28T04:59:00.000-04:00

I was reminded by a co-worker of what he called The Fortune Cookie Rule. I'm going to have to rename his rule and call it the O'Brien Fortune Cookie Rule, his name being O'Brien, because this pilgrim is modifying the rule a bit.

I mentioned to my co-worker that my fortune cookie fortune didn't make sense. That's when he explained his fortune cookie rule: always add the words "in bed" to the end of the fortune "and it makes sense every time," he says.

My modified rule would add the words, "on two wheels" to every fortune cookie fortune. I don't know if it makes sense every time or not. We can try it out on some of my fortune cookie favs...

* If at first you do succeed, try something harder. (on two wheels)
* Compliment 3 people everyday. (on two wheels)
* A great vacation is awaiting you. (on two wheels) [Yeah!!!]
* Many admire your social and physical appearance. (on two wheels) [well, of course]
*A kind heart always does a little bit extra. (on two wheels) [?????}
* A bold attempt is half of success. (on two wheels) [I knew it]
* Don't spend your time stringing and tuning your instrument. Start making music now. (on two wheels) [?????]

Hey, this might just work! (on two wheels)

Ride Safe

2009-03-28T04:00:00.001-04:00

I love coffee. Not to the point of being a coffee snob. In fact, I'll down all kinds of black swill but it's only the good brews that I drink to the dregs.

Back in December 2008 I wrote (but never posted) an article about my love of coffee and the caffeine addiction I have carefully developed and continue to foster. My intention when writing was to detail a ride I took earlier in the fall through south central Ohio.

But the words I wrote sort of took off on their own and the piece became a lament about how difficult it is to find a good cup of coffee when you're riding in rural areas. And while I enjoy a little whine now and then, there 's no need to share it excessively. So the work remains in draft form, perhaps for another venue and perhaps forever.

It is true that while rural Ohio is a great place to ride there are better places to find good coffee. My solution, I think, will be this:

That way, if I have a bad cup of joe I have only myself to blame.

Teresa, who can't stand coffee, gets her caffeine from cola products, with a preference towards Pepsi. Unfortunately for her, we found out last year that due to vibrations while riding, plastic bottles of carbonated beverages do not travel well. Good thing there are always one of these around every corner:

These containers are conveniently located but don't fit in the saddle bags.

Ride Safe!

Doug C

First Spring Ride - 2 Up, that is

2009-03-23T17:00:00.001-04:00

We left the house around 1:00pm after I got home from Sunday services. Our destination? Cracker Barrel in Zanesville.

The sun was shinning brightly and the morning temps were warming nicely. It was about 45ºF when we left. The most direct route to Zanesville follows SR 16 east from Newark, a four lane freeway, to SR 146, a two lane arterial highway. The trip isusually a 25 minute run. However, regardless of my hunger, I decided to take the less traveled path.

We followed county roads half of the way there, through Marne and Hanover and then finally traveled SR 146 east the rest of the way. The current incarnation of State Route 146 took the place of the old Newark Road when the U.S. Corps of Army Engineers rebuilt the Dillon Reservoir Dam back in the 1950s and 60s, I think. So this route rides high and fairly straight and overlooks Dillon Lake on the south.

At least I was expecting to see Dillon Lake. The water level was lower than I ever remember it being. The level is controlled by the Corps and I suppose it is low right now anticipating the spring rains.

At the Cracker Barrel, I parked Lady in the front row of the parking lot and we were seated next to the windows looking at the bike. Well, Teresa was looking at the bike. I sat with my back to the window.

Sitting where you can see your bike used to be a requirement for me when we would eat out. I was always afraid that someone would steal something from the luggage - no luggage locks here.

Anymore, I just make sure nothing of value is in the bags. So when we do sit where we can watch the bike, we don't watch the bike per say. We watch people.

And that's the draw: watching people looking at the bike. Lady is nothing really special. There hasn't been a lot of added bling or customizing. But people always look. I'm sure they do the same thing with all two wheeled Beasts.

Most of the time its the men that linger a moment or two and it's their female partners that grab their hands and pull them along, as if they might catch something if they get too close. Well, like I said, I didn't watch this time, Teresa did. And every time someone would stop or pause she would say, "There's another one." I'd smile and take another sip of my coffee.

After lunch we headed towards home but decided to take a detour to visit my mom. Again, we took an indirect route. We passed through places like Toboso, Brushy Fork, and Chickenville, all of them found on county or township roads.

Twenty years ago, my father used to pastor this church...

When we arrived at Mom's we spent several minutes looking through photo albums that she had been working on over the winter. Mom is in her 70s now and after a request I made of her last fall about some photos of her mom (the one that grew up in the Ohio State Penn) she started sorting and cataloguing some of her old photographs and snap shots. She says if she doesn't do it, nobody will be able to after she's gone.

Teresa and I also had to provide some dates for family photos. You know, stuff like, "Christmas of 1986" and "Vacation of 1980" or "Easter 1982".

One of the photographs we stumbled upon had already been sorted and identified. When Maggie Lee, a 16 year old grand daughter saw this picture she said, "Boy, Grandma. It's easy to see why Grandpa was so hot for you!"

Marjorie Dill circa 1947 (Mom)

Teresa and I finally returned home after about 6 hours and somewhere between 150 and 175 miles. It was a good start to the riding season and just about perfect for March in Ohio.

The group of riders we hang with will start their monthly rides April 4th with a trip Waldo, Ohio. Waldo may be famous for a multitude of things, but the only thing on our mind is the fried bologna sandwich and the home made cream pies at G & R Tavern. I'm not a fan of bologna but as you can tell from my photo above, I don't pass up too many chances at cream pies.

Ride Safe.

2009-03-22T08:02:00.004-04:00

The past 10 days or so have been hectic at work and home. I knew I was busy and there just didn't seem like there was enough time in the day. I always blamed that on my poor time management skills or my incredible ability to focus intently on a task causing me to lose track of time.

One sign I was busy was my lack of post to this blog. I try to post something every two or three days. That fell by the wayside...

The other sign that I've been busy was my reading list in my Google Reader. Friday I had 182 unread articles! I follow or subscribe to 25 or 30 sites and those sites, with the exception of prolific writers like Conchscooter of Key West Diaries or prolific posters like Baron's Life in BC, Canada, usually post once or twice a week.

The list is a good variety of interesting people with tales to tell, news to share, or commentaries to put forth. I can usually clear out the unread list of 20 or so articles in about 30 minutes each day. But 182 posts is a chunk to chew on.

So now that the Boss/Owner at work has returned to his Bonita Springs hideaway and many of my projects seem to have settle into there own rhythm, I might be able to return to my slower paced work flow. Which allows me a few minutes each day to read articles.

That is unless the Boss/Spouse has a project or two for me. I try to entice her to forget about my honey-do list by suggesting a ride somewhere, but it doesn't always work.

That was the case Saturday, so in between chores I whittled my unread post list down to a manageable dozen.

Sunday we rode and I'll have a post about it soon.

Ride Safe!

Doug C

2009-03-20T14:41:00.003-04:00

Happy Spring!!!

I thought it would never get here!

2009-03-18T05:22:00.002-04:00

It is not the way to end any St. Patrick's Day. A car/motorcycle crash last night took the life of one rider last night. A witness at the scene said it looked like 2 riders were racing.

Here's a link to the story [Link]. Too sad.

The weather is central Ohio has been gorgeous. Yesterday the temps reached close to 70ºF and I was able to ride to and from work.

Today promises to be even better but no riding for me. I have to install two monsters at the data center: a UPS (about 40 pounds) and a server (about the size of a suit case and 80 pounds). So while I could probably balance make the trip with the UPS, the server is just too cumbersome.

Drive time for me...

Ride.

Doug C