Just an Ordinary Biker

The Ninja hits the parking lot!

2012-01-17T15:58:00.000-06:00

The Christmas morning surprise was great, but a busy schedule and weather issues it took us a while to get the Ninja to a parking lot where my son could do some riding. Finally on MLK day the time had for some riding.

Looking good

We took the Ninja to a local park parking lot that was not busy. Only a few people were there for soccer practice, with kids not much bigger than the ball, and a few on one side visiting the playground.

Keeping his eyes on where he wants to go

He maneuvered around the parking lot well. Never dropped it and only killed it once. If all proceeds as planned he will get his driver's permit on Feb 27th, take the motorcycle safety course on March 10th & 11th, get wisdom teeth extracted on March 12th, and take motorcycle license test on March 16th.

Getting a little lean with the bike

Great start in a new chapter of life

Then the real fun begins! More post will follow from a proud dad.

Big Christmas surprise for my son.

2011-12-25T22:47:00.000-06:00

I have greatly enjoyed my son riding with me on the bike for the past 7+ years. We have ridden a lot of miles to and from school, around town. and with friends. We have enjoyed some great summer trips to Colorado, Yellowstone National Park, Deals Gap, Mount Rushmore, and more.

He is now taller than me and riding as a passenger have become less comfortable for him. We saw this day approaching and have been planning on the next course of action. My wife and I decided to let him get a bike when he was old enough.

He turns 15 at the end of February and will be eligible to get licensed. During the summer he told me he wanted to start with a Ninja 250. I told him to start saving because I would pay 1/2 when the time came. He thought we would start shopping this coming spring.

I started looking a few months ago without his knowledge. I found some poor overpriced Ninjas. I kept looking and came across a 2005 Ninja 250 in great condition. A friend and I looked it over and I took it on a test spin. I liked it and we came to agreeable terms. Since it was six weeks before Christmas I stored it at a friend's house (Thanks Mac). We cleaned it, added a Bad Boy air horn, and some additional lights.

Wrapped with a bow - just like the commercials

This morning we surprised Richard with the bike. I told him to wait a minute and then bring mom to the garage for a special gift, he thought it would be for him mom. We rendered him speechless.

He realizes that I did not really have a gift for him mom, but for him

After breakfast he was ready to start it up and sit on it for a while.

We visited my parents and some sisters so we have not take the bike out for a ride yet. We will visit a local school parking lot this week and let him ride his first street bike.

I am looking forward to this new chapter in our riding stories. I am sure there will be future posts concerning our new arrangement.

Merry Christmas!

Best trip not on a bike!

2011-12-16T12:08:00.000-06:00

I really don't think I have ever complained about a trip that involved riding. Even if the destination, accommodations, or food were sub par, if I was riding it was "all good." There were trips that I enjoyed but wished I was on the bike for all or part of the trip. Our recent trip over Thanksgiving to DC was a great trip and I did not even miss my FJR!

We arrived in DC on Saturday November 19, 2011. It was a nice mostly sunny day with temperatures in the mid-50's. Congress was not in session. The 435 Representatives and 100 Senators, as well as their staff members, had left town for the holidays. Lobbyists, reporters, protesters, and pages had also abandoned the Capitol leaving the area much less crowded and we were very thankful.

Capitol dome seen from the front walk of our hotel

Due to the absence of so many people we were able to stay in a nice hotel very close to the Capitol Building at a very good price. The absence of the "regulars" made a lot of things easier and quicker than what I expected; i.e., public transportation, restaurants, museums, coffee shops, and attractions.

Day 1:
After checking our bags with the doorman (rooms were not ready) we walked to the Supreme Court Building (did not get to go in) and the Capitol Building Visitor Center. On the way spent some time at The Japanese-American Memorial to Patriotism in World War II. This is a very moving memorial with great symbolism. I can not image what the families suffered and the devastation they endured. I had a great opportunity to educate my son about our history and how it applies to him today.

After taking some photos of the Supreme Court building we made our way to the Capitol Visitor Center and toured the Congress and the Civil War exhibit and Emancipation Hall. The Congress and the Civil War and the E Pluribus Unum - Out of Many One exhibits was very interesting and had many artifacts from previous presidents and early Capitol Buildings.

We continued around the outside of the Capitol. The building is so massive and so pretty. I took a lot of photos, but none really justice to the building.

East view of the US Capitol Building

It was beginning to get dark and it was time for dinner so we made our way to My Brother's Place just one block off Constitution Ave on 2nd St. (I will post about some of the restaurants later) We saw our first motorcycle of the trip and my son figured I should share the photo he took.

Nice Triumph

Day 2:
We were up early and prepared to do a lot of walking. The forecast called for a cloudy, but dry day. We planned to visit one museum and then the monuments/memorials throughout the national mall area. We walked 2 miles to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. My son and I have visited the Holocaust museums in Dallas, TX and Maitland, FL, but nothing prepares you for the overwhelming volume of photos, artifacts, shoes (taken from the prisoners of the concentration camps), and evidence of such deliberate and calculated hatred and evil. We had more conversations and life lessons with our son. No photography allowed inside the museum, visit the museums website to see photos.

Upon leaving the museum we made our way to the National Mall to see the monuments/memorials. The Washington Monument is visible for miles in all directions so we had "seen" it, but we wanted a closer look. Tours have been suspended due to damage sustained during the August 23, 2011 5.8 earthquake. We were able to get close. It is an impressive monument. From the Washington Monument we could see across the mall to the Lincoln Memorial with the World War II Memorial between them. The famous reflection pool was being repaired, it has been leaking for several years. The view was still awesome.

Lincoln Memorial with WWII memorial

We spent some time at the WWII memorial and talked about my dad and the men and women of that generation, The Greatest Generation. On our way to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial we viewed the District of Columbus War Memorial. The memorial had recently been renovated and it looked great. Before it got dark we visited the MLK Memorial (where we looked across the Tidal Basin and saw the Thomas Jefferson Memorial), the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, and the Vietnam Women's Memorial.

District of Columbus World War Memorial

The Korean War Veterans Memorial

The Wall in the evening with Washington Monument

By the time we visited the solemn Vietnam Wall it was beginning to get dark. The Vietnam Memorial invokes strong feelings and is one of the most moving of the memorials. We walked down the long walkway to the center. A sense of the vastness of the fallen was overwhelming. The early darkness added to the solemness of the surroundings.

There was one more memorial close by that we wanted to visit. The Albert Einstein Memorial is just north of the Vietnam Wall across Constitution Ave. Martha and I hold teaching certificates in Mathematics and we encourage Richard in the disciplines of math and science (and I encourage the discipline of motorcycling :) ), so the Einstein memorial was a must-see for us. Richard engaged in the recent fad of "planking" while at the memorial before going to dinner and back to the hotel for some much needed rest.

The theory of relative planking

Day 3:
The helpful people at the office our Texas Senator, John Cornyn, scheduled our tour of U.S. Capitol and the White House (not on the same day). Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and shared a great amount of information. We learned that a tomb for George Washington was build in the U.S. Capitol, but only because he had specified in his will, he was buried at Mount Vernon instead.

The Apotheosis of Washington - top of the rotunda

The famous rotunda was the highlight of the tour. Getting to see the historic paintings of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence, The Surrender of Lord Cornwallis, George Washington Resigning his Commission, and others was inspiring. Eleven statues of great American leaders encircle the rotunda. I really liked the one of Ronald Reagan.

Texan Sam Houston in U.S. Capitol

John Trumbull's Declaration of Independence

Our next stop was the Library of Congress. As with all the government building the architectural design and detail was magnificent. Every figure, quote, bust, statue, and painting had significance. Being avid readers and educators, Martha and I were looking at every book and reading all the exhibit information. I loved seeing books of great historic importance, especially the Gutenburg Bible (photo above).

Being the largest library in the world, in terms of number of books, the Library of Congress was very impressive and a great source of information. It is amazing what all the library catalogs and maintains.

After lunch we made our way to the National Air and Space Museum. It would be easy to spend an entire day in this one museum. My favorite exhibit was The Wright Brothers and the Invention of the Aerial Age. It was so cool to see the original 1903 Flyer (the canvas covering has been replaced).

The original flying machine

It was simply amazing to see the advancement in flight. We saw the first airplane, the Spirit of St. Louis (first non-stop flight from New York to Paris), rockets, jets, and so much more.

Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis

Last stop before dinner for the day 3 was the National Museum of Natural History. Dinosaur bones, wildlife exhibits, stuffed animals, The Hope Diamond, and so much more.

T-Rex

Scary looking dinosaur

That is one large shark!

Statue from Easter Island

Another packed day was completed and it was time for dinner and then some "down time" at the hotel.

My post about days 4-6 will be next.

How and Why I got into motorcycling

2011-12-06T12:38:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite bloggers is Gary France (Flies in your Teeth). He recently posted the question for fellow bloggers - "How and why did you get into motorbikes? (He is from England hence the term motorbikes instead of the US term motorcycles). He provided an interesting answer about his journey- Link.

Here is my story.

How I got to where I am now.

I had limited exposure to motorcycles when I was young. A neighbor's grandson had a small dirtbike that he would allow me to ride when he visited. I road less than 4 hours total over the years he owned the bike. A classmate had a small Honda when I was in high school that I rode once by myself and several times as a passenger to another small town where we would visit some girls.

One of my brothers owned a 500CC bike for about a year, but after he had an accident in a parking lot (a lot of road rash) he sold the bike. About 20 years later I worked with a fellow coach who rode. It was about that time (2003) my stepmom's boyfriend bought a Harley Elctra-glide and they started riding (they live in Orlando Florida).

I had harbored a desire to have a motorcycle, but never expressed it. In the early days of February 2004 I discussed taking the safety course and getting my licence with my wife. We decided to take the course together. Four weeks later we took the class and got our licenses and within 10 days I had my first motorcycle, a new 2004 Suzuki Savage!

2004 Suzuki Savage - single cylinder 650cc

Once I started riding I was hooked! I loved it. Most Saturdays that spring and summer I would leave the house by 7am and let my wife and son sleep. Around 10:30 I would call home and let Martha know where I was. I explored country roads throughout North Texas. I began riding with my co-worker and other friends.

In June of that year two friends and I loaded up the truck and trailer and traveled to Red River, NM where we rode the Enchanted Circle and took a loop up through part of southern Colorado. For four days my son (7yrs old at the time) rode with me. That trip whet my appetite more more motorcycle trips.

In July of 2004 I joined the local chapter of the Christian Motorcyclists Association (CMA) and rode a lot with the chapter. My wife rode a little with me and rode the bike by herself some, but she preferred to be a passenger.

By February, 2005 and 8,000+ miles I knew I wanted a bigger bike and Martha wanted a more passenger friendly bike. After some research and looking I purchased a pre-owned 2003 Yamaha V-Star 1100 with 13,700 miles.

Two-toned V-Star - great handling, good power, comfortable, and reliable

I loved the V-Star immediately and beginning commuting to work on it. (My thoughts on the V-Star) I rode as much I could get away with. It was at this time I decided I would ride to Orlando, Florida instead of flying there with my son and wife. In June I took Martha and Richard to the airport and then left the next morning on a very indirect route to my family and in-laws in Orlando. I visited family in Arkansas, rode through the Mississippi Delta (stopping at some historic Blues sites and museums along the way), cut through Alabama and Southern Georgia before heading south to Orlando. After a week in Orlando I headed home. It was a great trip that solidified my desire to take long summer trips on the bike.

Over the next four summers the V-Star made trips to Colorado, South Dakota, Arkansas, and two more to Orlando. In the Spring of 2010 the odometer hit 100,000. With a trip planned for Yellowstone coming up and a couple of small mechanical issues Martha wanted me to get a new bike. She did not like the idea of our son on a bike with that many miles touring around Wyoming. (Who is going to argue when the wife wants you to get a new bike? :) )

April 24, 2010 I purchased my third bike - a new 2010 Yamaha Venture. This bike had all the extras - CB, stereo, fairing, warranty, and great comfort. The trip to Yellowstone was great. The bike performed great and was very comfortable.

My wife and son really liked the comfort of the Venture. I like the performance.

By August 17 I had ridden over 10,000 miles on the Venture - then a Tahoe hit the Venture with me on it. Read about the accident.

While recuperating I had time to reconsider my choices of bikes. I had wondered about the sport-touring bikes so I did some researching. I had ridden a friend's Buell a few occasions and really like it. I thought I could enjoy the twisties even more on a non-cruiser.

After researching, talking to friends, and a few test rides I decided to go with something completely different. I chose the Yamaha FJR. (I really like Yamaha bikes). I found a 2010 FJR with only 750 miles and about $4K less than new. I grabbed it.

FJR without the saddlebags or trunk

Wow! What a bike! I love it. My favorite of the four bikes I have owned, actually favorite of all the bikes I have ridden.

During my 2010 summer trip I gained new admiration for the bike as I rode some great roads in the Smoky Mountains.

Why do I ride?

It is fun and relaxing. I get to experience nature and the road more intimately. Riding is exhilarating and liberating. Truth is - it is difficult to explain to a non-rider. But, I know I will ride as long as I can and as often as I can.

What about you?

2011 Thanksgiving Trip

2011-11-18T15:45:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow my wife, son, and I depart on a highly anticipated and long planned trip. Although, there will be no motorcycling involved I having be looking forward to our trip. We are heading to Washington DC for 7 days/6 nights. We will attempt to see as much as possible in and around the Capitol.

I have booked tours of the White House, the Capitol, and the Pentagon. I was unable to secure a tour of the US Treasury Building. {I was hoping to arrange a "summit" in the Rose Garden, but my conservative views disqualified me. :) } We will visit the Supreme Court Building, the Library of Congress, the National Archives Building, and the congressional chambers. Neither House of Congress will be in session.

National Archives Building - photo take Oct. 2011 - Honor Flight trip

I will take my wife and son to the see many of the same sights my dad and I enjoyed during the Honor Flight in October 2010. We will visit the well-known Lincoln Memorial, The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, The Korean War Veterans Memorial, The Jefferson Memorial, The Washington Monument, and of course the World War II Memorial.

WWII Memorial - photo take Oct. 2011 - Honor Flight trip

Lincoln Memorial - photo take Oct. 2011 - Honor Flight trip

There are too many memorials and monuments we plan on visiting to list all of them. We will make a special trip across the Potomac River to visit the Arlington National Cemetery. While there we will visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and watch the changing of the guard ceremony. The Marines Corps War Memorial a.k.a Iwo Jima Memorial is located in the National Cemetery which we will also visit.

USMC War Memorial - - photo take Oct. 2011 - Honor Flight trip

Many of the Smithsonian museums are on our agenda. Top on the list is the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, Air and Space Museum, Museum of American History, and the Museum of Natural History. If time permits we will other museums of the Smithsonian. We also plan to tour the National Cathedral.

The Washington National Cathedral - photo take Oct. 2011 - Honor Flight trip

We have been planning this trip for a long time. We were waiting for Richard to get old enough to understand and appreciate the trip. He is now a freshman in high school and the time is right.

I will be posting about the trip, the sights, and the restaurants. Of course I will post plenty of photos. I know this nation is not perfect and our government needs some housecleaning, but I am proud to be an American and I am looking forward to visiting the Capitol of the United States of America.

Washington Monument rises above the soundings - photo take Oct. 2011 - Honor Flight trip

Happy Thanksgiving!

Texas BBQ in Ouaticha Mountains

2011-11-10T15:47:00.000-06:00

A good ride and a good meal is hard to beat. Mountain roads make for good rides. Combine the Ouaticha Mountains with a transplanted Texan who know bbq and you have great potential.

The Ouaticha Mountains stretch from Oklahoma into Arkansas (or I guess you could say they stretch from AR to OK) and there are numerous great roads in and around the mountains. The most well-known is the 50+ mile Talimena Scenic Byway. There are other lesser known roads that provide great views and an ample amount of twists and turns.

US 259 bisects Oklahoma SR 1 a.k.a Talimena Drive and runs north ending at US 59. US 59 parallels the Talimena Drive on the north side of the mountains from Arkansas until the US 259 intersection and then it turns north towards Poteau, OK.

Everyone is welcomed at the End of the Trail

Just about 3 miles north from the US 59/259 intersection sits the End of the Trail Saloon where Steve and Genise serve up great hospitality and awesome bbq. Less than 15 miles from the OK/AR state line and less than 10 miles off the Talimena Drive the End of the Trail Saloon is in the middle of some great riding.

Steve and Genise gave up wrenching on bikes in Texas for living the dream of

owning a biker establishment - good decision

The word on the streets is that the ribs are awesome! When I was there I tried the sliced bbq sandwich. The sandwich was great. The brisket was tender, flavorful, and juicy. I am ready to return and try the ribs.

True southern goodness!

In the short couple of years they have been running the place the reputation has grown.

Bikes fill up the parking area on the weekends

Treat yourself with a great ride through the Ouaticha Mountains and an awesome meal at the End of the Trail. You will be happy all the way home.

Tomorrow is 11-11-11, Veterans Day for us in the USA. I will not post tomorrow because I am taking my WWII veteran dad to the Dallas Veterans Day Parade. He and other Honor Flight vets are being honored with a Corvette ride in the parade and a luncheon at the Omni Hotel. So, I want to say "Thank You" to all the brave men and women who have served or are currently serving in the United States Armed Forces. I enjoy the freedoms that so many have fought and are fighting to preserve. These brave patriots have provided freedom and security for all of us. No words can adequately express my gratitude.

May God bless all of you who have served, are serving, and will serve this great nation. Happy Veterans Day!

Add a scenic loop to your Talimena Drive ride.

2011-11-02T11:01:00.000-05:00

Anyone that has been riding motorcycles for long in North Texas, Oklahoma, or Arkansas has been asked "Have you ridden the Talimena Drive?" The national scenic byway is a well known road stretching along the top of the Ouachita Mountain in Eastern Oklahoma and Western Arkansas for 50+ miles and is a favorite destination for bikers throughout the region.

I have ridden the byway several times, but until recently I had not ridden many of the roads north of SH 1 a.k.a Talimena Drive (in Oklahoma). On a nice Sunday afternoon I found myself with enough time to add some miles to my trip to Mena, Arkansas. The map I had showed two roads with the little dots denoting "scenic" roads that would take me over the Ouachita Mountains and back, putting me in Talihina, the town just west of the entrance to the Talimena Drive.

Running on top of the mountains the Talimena Scenic Byway is spectacular (photo take from Rich Mountain Fire Tower, one of the stops on the byway)

I approached Talihina, OK from the west on SH 43. 20 miles west of Talihina SH 43 merges with SH 2 for about six miles and runs across the Sardis Lake dam. Instead of turning right on SH 63/SH 1 towards Talihina I continued straight on SH 2 towards Wilburton, OK, 19 miles away. The road quickly begin to ascend up the mountain range. We all know that mountain roads are never straight so I was able to use the outer portion of my tires' tread. :)

Other bikers enjoying crossing the Ouachita Mountains

At Wilburton, OK I turned east on US 270 and rode to Red Oak, OK (14 miles) where I turned back south on SH 82 and crossed the range again. SH 82 is being repaved in small stages. The new pavement is in great shape, the older portions are in good to fair shape (average road quality). I passed a lot of bikes while on the road, they were also enjoying the ride.

Twisties on SH 82

Once again the fun mountain road allowed me to lean the bike through some nice curves. 17.5 miles later SH 82 intersects SH 63 at the northern edge of Talihina, OK.

Although sadly closed on Sunday I stopped and took a picture at Treats and Treasures - one of my favorite spots in the area. It is an antique shop with an old fashion soda fountain. I was really hoping to get a shake or coke float, but the shop was closed so I had to settle for a snack and drink at a gas station in town.

Great place to treat yourself to an old fashion shake or ice cream -

at the intersection of SH 1 and SH 63 in Talihina

The loop from the SH 1/SH 63 intersecton to Wilburton, Red Oak, ending in Talihina is 50 miles. I am really glad I added the loop to my route. I enjoyed the roads and the scenery. If you are in the area plan on riding the loop before or after you ride the Talimena Drive. You will enjoy it.

Stoney Hallow - great lodging for a group of bikers

2011-10-25T10:53:00.000-05:00

Making lodging arrangements for a group can be challenging. Balancing expense, convenience, needs, wants, and preferences is tricky and can lead to difficulties if not handled well. While planning the summer 2011 trip to North Carolina/Tennessee finding a place for a big group was very important. There were 12 adults and 3 kids.

We stopped at an overlook on the Cherohala Skyway - day 2 on our way to Robbinsville

After a lot of looking I settled on renting a couple of houses for seven days in Robbinsville, NC. Robbinsville is in a great area for awesome rides including the Tail of the Dragon, Wayah Road, Cherohala Skyway, and the Moonshiner 28 just to name a few.

Using the Vacation Rental By Owner (VBRO) website I found two great houses. I had booked houses before through the website and I highly recommend the site. Both houses were clean, roomy, and comfortable. Stoney Hallow was exceptionally nice for many reasons.

Looking at the house from the parking area.

The porch wraps around the house and has rocking chairs to enjoy while watching the sunset.

The ride to get to the house is a great country ride. Passing houses, farms, and old barns the road twists and curves as it gently ascends toward the hallow.

One of the barns on Ollies Creek Road on the way to Stoney Hallow

The road literally ends at the driveway to Stoney Hallow. The driveway climbs slightly and ends at a paved parking area and a slab of concrete that could serve as a small basketball court. The wrap around porch gives an immediate "down home" and welcoming feeling. The kitchen, dining room, and living room are configured in an "open" arrangement providing for a very comfortable and relaxed atmosphere.

The fireplace accents the roomy living area

The kitchen and breakfast bar are open to the living area

The house has four bedrooms, four bathrooms, and futons in the upstairs den. There is a great supply of extra blankets, sheets, and towels. The house sits on several acres and has a fire ring and picnic table out back away from the house. We enjoyed sitting around the fire in the evenings.

Comfortable upstairs den

The donkey are more like pets than livestock

View from the backporch

Stoney Hallow is part of a working farm. Two donkeys were in the pen behind the house. They were friendly and enjoyed the attention. Less than a quarter mile before getting to the house there is a "pick and pay" orchard/garden with blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and more. The three boys got a lesson in old fashion honesty by picking, weighting, and paying while the owners were not there. We enjoyed fresh berries as part of our meals.

Up pick it orchard near the house

I really can not say enough about the Stoney Hallow. We all loved it and will stay there again in the future. The place met and exceeded all of our expectations as well as being located near some great roads! If you are needing lodging for a group in the Robbinsville area I highly recommend you consider Stoney Hallow. You will love it.

The Beartooth Highway - WOW!

2011-09-20T13:05:00.000-05:00

I am a big fan of high altitude vistas. Looking out in all directions and seeing miles and miles of valleys, mountains, lakes, and wilderness are experiences I look forward to and I remember fondly. I take a bunch of photos even though I know the photos never do justice to the vastness and beauty that we see.

On my one and only trip to Yellowstone (so far - I plan to go back) I made plans to ride US 212 a.ka. the Beartooth Highway that connects Montana and Wyoming by way of Beartooth Pass. The Beartooth Highway is designated an "All-American Road" which means the US Department of Transportation deems the road worthy of being a tourist destination unto itself, due to the scenic uniqueness. Of the 120 National Scenic Byways there are only 31 roads with the distinguished All-American Road designation.

The motley crew at the state line

The Beartooth Highway runs 66 miles from Red Lodge, MT to Cooke City, MT (northeast gateway to Yellowstone NP) crossing the MT/WY state line twice. The 38 miles stretch between WY 296/ Chief Joseph Highway (another great road) and a point about 12 miles west of Red Lodge, MT is the most scenic, invigorating, and challenging portion of the road.

The Beartooth Highway twisting up the mountain

The road reaches an elevation of 10,947 ft. at Beartooth Pass. Cliff hugging switchbacks, tight curves, steep grades, and mountain plateaus make for an amazing stretch of pavement. The high elevation makes drastic weather changes a constant possibility so riders should be prepared. When we rode up on July 15 the temperature dropped about 25 degrees from the Beartooth Highway/Chief Joseph Highway intersection to the pass and state line. We had to stop and bundle up before we got too high. Glad we did since it was cold and windy at the pass.

Heading towards the pass

At the pass and at the MT/WY state line we enjoyed the vast scenery. It was amazing. The mountain lakes were deep blue, the peaks were still snow capped, the meadows were alive and green, and the vibrant tundra stretched out around us.

Twin Lakes

Beartooth Mountains

Forest and stream on west side of the pass

There is one store along the route known as the "Top of the World Resort." You can get fuel, snacks, drinks, t-shirts, and souvenirs. There is also a nice area with picnic tables to sit and enjoy the surroundings. The staff was very friendly and informative. We enjoyed a nice break on top of the world. If one was so inclined the resort has lodging available.

Top of the World store - a great place stop

View from the store

We hit the pass around noon so the chance to see much wildlife was not good. We were too late (or too early depending on how you want to look at it). Once we got off the pass and was nearing Cooke City we did see some bison.

Bison roaming near the road - watch out!

The Beartooth Highway is a great All-American Road and is well worth the ride. The beauty and the fun is intense. If you get to that area of this great country make sure to include US 212. You will not be disappointed.

Cool off at a natural waterpark

2011-08-31T12:51:00.000-05:00

Seems like everyone in the South looks for ways to cool off during the hot summer months. My son and I are no different, even when on our summer trips we look for ways to stay cool. We have taken rafting trips during our last three summer trips and we visited a unique natural water-slide in North Carolina while on our 2011 summer trip.

Sliding Rock is a favorite for many vacationers

Just south of the Blue Ridge Parkway and US 276 intersection and north of Brevard, NC lies Sliding Rock. Sliding Rock is overseen by the National Forest Service and has an entry fee of $1/person. Lifeguards are on duty ensuring safety for all.

Sliding Rock is a natural 60-foot waterslide that flows in to a 7-foot deep pool that was developed by the US Forest Service for this recreational area. The water flows quick enough to "push" swimmers down the slide and into the pool. The water is very cold, but is refreshing on hot summer days.

My son enjoys a slide as he heads to the pool at the bottom

Most in our group did not put on their swimming suits and participate, but the natural surroundings were great and it was nice to relax watching and laughing. The ride to get there was great. We road the Wayah Road to Franklin, NC where we jumped on SH 28 (Moonshiner 28) down to Highlands. From Highlands we road US 64 through Brevard turning north on US 276. The roads are great. Twisties, bridges, shaded stretches, sweeping curves, and awesome scenery. We passed by some great waterfalls between Franklin and Highlands.

Bridal Veil Falls has a pullout directly under the falls

Uniquely named Dry Falls

When we left Sliding Rock we continued north to the Blue Ridge Parkway where we head southwest to US 74 where we headed back to Robbinsville.

Cloudy day on the Blue Ridge Parkway

The ride to Sliding Rock is worth the time even if you don't stop, but if you are there the $1 fee is a great value to look at, if not experience, this natural waterslide.

Cherohala Skyway - riding above the clouds

2011-08-16T15:25:00.000-05:00

Tellico Plains is known to bikers because it is the western gateway to the Cherohala Skyway, "A drive above the clouds." The national scenic byway was opened and dedicated in 1996 and is well deserving of it's designation and the small Charles Hall Museum in Tellico Plains is also a well deserved destination.

The skyway is a favorite of motorcyclists and non-motorcyclists alike. In Tennessee the skyway is TN 165 and North Carolina labels it NC 143. At the eastern end of the skyway is Robbinsville it connects to US 129 a.k.a. The Tail of the Dragon. The skyway passes through the Cherokee National Forest and at times through clouds, much like the day we headed home during our July 2011 trip.

View from an overlook on the skyway

The 43 mile two-lane byway is well maintained with numerous scenic pullouts/overlooks as well as access to the Indian Boundary Lake Recreation Area. Elevation ranges from 930 ft above sea level to at the Tellico Plains River in Tennessee to 5390 ft at Haw Knob on the NC/TN state line.

Indian Boundary Lake - just off the Cherohala Skyway

View of the Smoky Mountains from the Cherohala Skyway

Sweeping curves, tight switchbacks, great elevation change, and renowned scenic views make the Cherohala Skyway a bikers road. The long sweeping curves allows continuous acceleration with a hard lean into the curve providing for a big grin as you exit the curve and prepare for the next one.

Sweeping curves = big grins

Shortly after leaving Tellico Plains there is a good series of tight curves and elevation change. In the middle portion of the Skyway there are more of the sweeping curves and longer straightaways. As the skyway nears Santeetiah Lake there are more of the tighter curves and the road descends form the higher elevations.

The one of the many curves on the skyway

The skyway twists and turns around the southern end of the Santeetiah Lake providing great views and more opportunities to drag floorboards (if you are on a cruiser - the FJR loved the road and ate up the curves). The skyway intersects the famous US 129 just 5 miles west of Robbinsville, NC and 16 miles east of Deals Gap store and the Tail of the Dragon.

We had a great time riding the Cherohala Skyway on the way to Robbinsville. We enjoyed it so much we rode it again as we headed home from our trip. This road will not disappoint a biker regardless of the speed one wants to ride. One can ride it nice and slow to enjoy all the views or at a crisp pace smiling on every turn. This is a great American scenic byway with great destinations at both ends.

Less traveled, great curves, and miles of smiles - Wayah Road, NC

2011-08-04T15:23:00.001-05:00

Any biker that has ridden very long has probably heard of the famed US 129 a.k.a. The Tail of the Dragon that runs through the Smoky Mountains in the southern state line area of North Carolina and Tennessee. The promoters of the road claim it has 318 curves in 11 miles. I have ridden it 7 times, but I have never attempted to count the curves. It is a lot of fun and well worth riding, especially on a non-holiday weekday (on the weekends and holidays the road is heavily traveled).

While on my annual summer trip in July 2011 we stayed seven nights in Robbinsville, NC, a mere 18 miles to the east of Deals Gap and the famous 11 mile stretch of US 129. During that week we rode several other roads that I would greatly recommend to any biker who enjoys riding the twisties.

Shaded, smooth, and scenic - Wayah Road

One road that I had not heard or read much about, but planned on exploring, was Wayah Road. Wayah Road (known to the locals as Thunder Road) is east of Robbinsville about 14 miles. We rode US 129 South to Topton, NC and then turned north on US 19/74 for 2.2 miles before heading east on the two lane Wayah Road. To the left is a parking lot, restrooms, and a put in for the rafters.

A friend on his Harley enjoys the road

The 27 mile Wayah road had sweeping curves, tight twisties, bridges, elevation changes, and some straightaways where we could open up the throttle. Shaded most of the way and traveling adjacent to the river, for many miles, the road is full of great scenery. About 10 miles into the ride we rode past the beautiful Nantahala Lake. We crossed over the river several times allowing for scenic views of the cascading Nantahala River.

Sweeping curves and tight switchbacks can be found on the road.

Nantahala Lake - a big lake with cold blue water

The Nantahala River running through the Nantahala River Gorge

The entire group really enjoyed riding the Wayah Road, enough so that later in the day we decided to ride it back to Robbinsville instead of taking an alternate route. We also rode it a third time on the last full day of riding.

Slow or fast the road will make you smile

Some of the group took it at a lesuirely pace while others of us enjoyed a crisper pace, either way the road is a great stretch of pavement worth experiencing when you are in the area. An added benefit to the road is that it will take you to Franklin where you can catch US 28 a.k.a. The Moonshire 28 to Highlands, NC and see two picturesque waterfalls (thats for another post). So, Wayah Road is fun and at both ends are proper destinations for biker.

Wheel Through Time - Awesome!

2011-07-24T22:14:00.000-05:00

Sometimes people rant and rave about a place, building it up, only to result in unmet expectations. That is not the case with Wheels Through Time motorcycle museum. During our recent trip to southwest North Carolina some friends and I visited the museum in Maggie Valley, NC and my expectations were met and exceeded.

The unassuming building holds an amazing amount of history

Maggie Valley is a nice town that sits on US 19 on the eastern edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park 35 miles west of Asheville, NC and 66 miles east of the famous Deals Gap and the Tail of the Dragon.

We arrived early Sunday morning and there were only two other motorcycles in the parking lot. We were greeted by some great vintage bikes before entering the building. Once in we were welcomed by very friendly staff.

One of the bikes on the outside steps

What a nice Harley

A staff member answered many of our questions and started telling us about different bikes. We learned that all the bikes are American made and nearly all of them would run. Using their computer in the gift shop I showed him the photos of my grandpa's bike on my blog and asked if they had one like it in the museum. He directed me to two bikes and he felt it was one of them, either the 1915 or 1916 Harley. It was cool to see the bike up close.

This might have been the same model my grandfather rode.

As we continued looking the owner's son Matt came by and spent a great deal of time with us. He told us many interesting stories about different bikes and how they acquired them. He told us the history of different makes and styles. He talked to us about flat track racing, dirt racing, hill climbing, and the historic Jack Pine enduro races.

Matt also started up 5 different bikes for us. One of them was 100 years old! A very rare 1913 Thor 1000c race bike - watch the video below - turn up the sound and hear Matt tell us about the bike.

1913 Thor racing bike (Video by Jerry Bryant)

Matt also told us the history to the Jack Pine enduro race and how they got the Harley-Davidson with sidecar that had raced in the Jack Pine several times. He then fired it up for us.

Jack Pine race (Video by Jerry Burden)

There were so many bikes and many were rare. The rarest was the one of a kind Traub. The 1917 Traub was found bricked up in an apartment in Chicago in 1967. There is no information about the builder. (For more info click here.)

1917 Traub - a true one of a kind

There are 26 different American made brands in the museum. The history is amazing and the personal attention the owner Dale and his son gave us was awesome. Too many bikes and too much information to put in a post. If you are anywhere near Maggie Valley do yourself a favor and visit the Wheels Through Time museum. I really don't think you will be disappointed. Below are a few more photos to enjoy.

DOT approved ???

A rare Elk in running condition

Check out the big rear fender

Flat track racer

American made ACE

Board trac racing display

Military Harley

Many more bikes, parts, cars, and more are on display at the museum. If you enjoy motorcycle history this is the place to visit. A bonus is all the great roads to ride while you are in the area.

Great road & destination west of Austin, TX

2011-07-03T22:41:00.000-05:00

It gets really hot here in Texas but, sometimes the road is worthy of some discomfort. One such road I recently found is northwest of Austin on the eastern edge of the Texas Hill Country. It was really by chance that I took the road but I am glad I found Farm to Market 1431 (FM 1431).

Cedar Park is a growing city 20 miles from downtown Austin and about 10 miles west of Round Rock and Interstate 35. I checked into a motel on a hot (102 degrees) Sunday afternoon. Once in the room I looked at the map and saw that I wasn't that far from the famous Blue Bonnet Cafe in Marble Falls and its famous homemade pies. Homemade pie sounded great. The most direct route was FM 1431 and it looked like it had some nice curves so I decided to take it. I am glad I did.

FM 1431 has plenty of curves and elevation change

It was about 3:30 in the afternoon and the temperature on the FJR read 103 degrees as I headed west. For the first five to six miles from I35 FM 1431 is a six lane city street with plenty of traffic lights, but after passing Anderson Mill Road things get better. It comes a 4 lane road with nice sweeping curves and several hills. There is one more traffic light in Lago Vista (about 20 miles west of I35) and then the road narrows to a two lane stretch of asphalt just waiting to be ridden.

Recently repaved FM 1431 is in great condition

The road had numerous curves, but down shifting was not needed on most of them. They were big sweeping curves with elevation changes frequently. I was able to enter the curve at a good pace and acceleration through the turn. I really enjoyed the hills. There is very few stretch (and those are short) in which there was no curve or no elevation change.

Of course riding in the Texas Hill Country at dusk or dawn can be a dangerous situation due to the concentration of wildlife, especially Mule Deer. I did not see any on the way to Marble Falls (100+ temperatures tend to keep Bambi in the cooler shaded areas), but I did pass a couple 20 feet from the road on my way back to the motel around 6:00.

This photo is from a different trip about 35 miles from Marble Falls, but it serves as a great example how deer sightings are very common in the area.

Once I got to Marble Falls I was disappointed to see that The Blue Bonnet Cafe closes at 1:45 on Sundays (yes, the sign on the door says 1:45). I drowned may sorrows of missing out on a great piece of homemade pie with a Blizzard from the local Dairy Queen.

I decided to take the same road back even though I was headed to Georgetown to watch my son at basketball camp and there were other routes. I had enjoyed the road and I knew that I could take it at a crisper pace this time. It was great!

The following day I decided to ride some before heading to camp and watch my son and his team play games. I checked out the map and decided that I had enjoyed FM 1431 so much and I did not get my pie - I would ride out to the Blue Bonnet Cafe for lunch, but on the way I was going to take a side loop off of FM 1431.

About 12 mile east of Marble Falls FM 1174 intersects FM 1431 and heads north. I took FM 1174 to FM 243 to Oatmeal, TX. Oatmeal is a tiny community with a community center and pavilion including a large grill to use during the Oatmeal Festival. Yes, there is an Annual Oatmeal Festival on the Labor Day Weekend.

Documented proof that somewhere someone will celebrate anything.

Hopefully this isn't the community's waters source.

I continued north on FM 243 to Bertram, TX where I turned south on FM 1174 riding it back to FM 1431. The loop to Oatmeal, Bertram, and back to FM 1431 added 31 miles and it was well worth it. The loop was not as curvy, but quite enjoyable and scenic.

FM 1431 crossing over Cow Creek

I pulled into the Blue Bonnet Cafe ready for lunch and some pie. I actually enjoyed breakfast for lunch (breakfast served all day) and yes I had a piece of German Chocolate Pie after my breakfast/lunch. I forgot to take my camera in so no pictures, but I was very satisfied with both the meal and the dessert.

Once more I consulted my map to decide how I would get to Georgetown and basketball camp. No other road heading to Georgetown could match the squiggly line I had already ridden three times in less than 24 hours - so I smiled and headed east on FM 1431 with a goal of push the FJR through the curves and over the hills. I also had time to take a couple of side roads to look at Cow Creek and the Colorado River (not to be confused with the much longer and bigger river that flows from Colorado to the Gulf of California).

Cow Creek. Cow Creek Road is a paved county road that has some great scenery.

Muleshoe Bend of the Colorado at the end of Turkey Bend Road

The fourth time riding the road was just as enjoyable as the first and second time. I really enjoyed the road, the scenery, and the side roads. If you are in Central Texas and have the time you will not be disappointed riding FM 1431 and you might as well stop for pie in Marble Falls.

On a different note - during my ride from the Dallas-Ft. Worth metro-mess I had to stop by the Czech Stop Bakery in West and then I purposefully set out to find a church that I had seen on a previous ride. The sign to the church is like none other I had ever seen so I wanted a picture of the sign. Just thought I would share it with you. Let me know if you have ever seen a church like this.

Read the sign carefully

Country roads

2011-06-06T15:04:00.000-05:00

Other bloggers have posted photos and/or comments about the beauty and joy of the less traveled small country road so I resisted making a similar post. Recently while taking the long scenic way to see my parents I could not resist taking some pictures and I feel compelled to share them.

North of Decatur, Texas I took some roads I had never ridden and am glad that I did. I don't really want to concentrate on a particular road or route as much as share some thoughts and photos from the countryside. In Texas we have Interstate Highways, State Highways, Farm to Market (FM) roads, and County Roads (CR). The CR's may or may not be paved, but never have a "shoulder." Most have barely enough room for two full size cars or truck to pass each other.

CR 2360 north of Decatur, Texas

It is the CR's that offer much to see, hear, smell, and enjoy. If you are wanting to eat up some miles the CR's are not where you want to be riding. CR's are about slowing down and enjoying the surroundings. Vegetation, livestock, wildlife, and houses are just a few feet from the edge of the road - you are part of the scenery when riding the CR's.

Getting a photo of the bike on CR 2372 is no problem - there is so little traffic on the CR's.

The way of life and the speed of life is more relaxed and simple. The farms and/or ranches stretch out for miles. Abandoned houses and barns make me wonder about the tales of the area.

I wonder how many have been thrown from this "mechanical bull?"

While exploring the countryside I came across a secluded little lake, Black Creek Lake just off of CR 2461. The lake is off the beaten path but has a lot of charm. I stopped and enjoyed the peaceful surroundings.

Black Creek Lake

A play set for the young with my play set in the distance.

Old cemeteries are abundant in the countryside. I find them interesting. The old headstones tell so much about the residents. Oaklawn Cemetery is a historical cemetery off of CR 2140 that is the final resting place of many from earlier centuries. During the early spring the cemetery is covered with Bluebonnets (the Texas state flower) and is a very pretty and peaceful location. It is very popular for photographs of the pretty flower.

Oaklawn has a lot headstones that are 100+ years old.

Although Bluebonnets don't last long, especially when it starts heating up, the Indian Paintbrushes were still looking good.

Indian Paintbushes

When you are not in a hurry and you have time and a desire to relax take a ride down some country roads. I find it so refreshing and enjoyable. An added bonus is the absolute lack of cages!

Memorial Day with Dad

2011-05-30T20:26:00.001-05:00

The Wise County Veterans Park at 405 North Trinity St.

Today my son and I escorted my father to the Wise County Memorial Day Service at the Wise County Veterans Memorial Park in Decatur, Texas. As stated in an earlier post my dad is a World War II veteran and Purple Heart receipent. It was a great honor to attend the service with my dad.

The Wise Country Veterans Memorial Park is a block wide and half a block deep. The memorial does a great job on honoring all branches of the Armed Forces. For today's ceremony the park was appropriately decorated showing great respect for the veterans.

The park is very well kept and was decorated for the occasion.

The Wise County Veterans Group conducted the service and emceed by the WCVG Commander Art Pierce. The ceremony included the posting of the colors, the National Athem, Pledge of Allegiance, the playing of Taps, and a great speech by guest speaker Rear Admiral John N. H. Costas, USN (Retired).

Rear Admiral Costas delivered the keynote address

Rear Admiral Costas' speech asked and answered why we have and should have a Memorial Day. He spoke with great respect for those who had given the ultimate sacrifice for their country. He also displayed great respect for those currently serving in the military. He delivered a fitting message full of sincerity and honor for all of our brave men and women.

This small community service did a great job of remembering and honoring the greatest armed forces in the world. My dad enjoyed the ceremony and my son and I felt great pride and honor as we accompanied PFC Wendall A. Osburn.

Oz, PFC W. A. Osburn and Richard

Proud of my son and his grandfather.

My dad's brick at the Veterans Memorial Park

May God bless all of our past, present, and future troops. If any of our brave men and women are reading this I want to say "Thank you for your service."

Heading to see Old Faithful?

2011-05-16T11:57:00.000-05:00

Last summer I made my first trip to Yellowstone National Park (other post about YNP trip- Osprey Falls, Mesa Falls). If you have not visited the park you need to. It has so much to see and do. Of course when you are there you need to keep yourself well nourished and in doing so you may as well enjoy the food. Let me recommend three worthy eateries.

If you enter YNP through the east entrance Cody, Wyoming is the last town prior to the park. Cody has a lot to offer. There are museums, shops, and a lot of restaurants. Arguably the most historic and famous is The Irm a Hotel, Buffalo Bill's historic hotel named for his daughter.

The Irma was built in 1902

The Irma offers buffets for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Patrons may also order from the menu. The dinner buffet includes Prime Rib, Salmon, Catfish, BBQ Ribs, salad bar, various vegetables and soup, as well as numerous desserts. Everything was great! The Prime Rib was tender and delicious. I really enjoyd the Italian Wedding soup. No one in our group had a complaint about the food. The turn of the century atmosphere was enjoyable. So while in Cody stop by 1192 Sheridan Ave. and enjoy the daily gunfight show prior to an enjoyable dinner.

A great bowl of soap at the Irma

Enjoy the daily gunfight show on the street outside The Irma

If entering YNP through the west gate you will travel through West Yellowstone, MT. West Yellowstone is literally outside the west entrance and is a great location to stay when visiting the park if you don't want to stay inside the park. At 115 Yellowstone Avenue we found the Outpost Restaurant. We had just ridden in from a long day on the bikes. We were hungry and it was a little on the cool side.

I ordered the Beef Stew with cornbread and salad bar. The stew hit the spot! Big hunks of tender beef, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, etc. The cornbread was standard cornbread but I found it a great combination with the stew. My friends ordered various items and enjoyed their meals. The cost of the meal was not excessive and actually a good value for a tourist town. While you are visiting the area shops stop by the Outpost for some tasty grub and then visit Yellowstone Motorhed for any motorcycle needs including Hawg Wash to clean your bike.

Yellowstone Motorhed for your motorcycle needs while in the YNP area

It is not a complete trip to YNP until you see Old Faithful and the historic Old Faithful Inn. Now that I have eaten (twice) at the Old Faithful Inn I can say you are missing out if you don't take time to enjoy at least one meal in the inn.

The required photo of Old Faithful. It is very impressive.

The historic inn lobby

Old Faithful Inn dining room

The Old Faithful Inn offers buffets at breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as a full menu. After view the famous geyser we ate lunch at the inn. My son and I enjoyed the lunch buffet. The grilled trout was the highlight of the meal for me. Light, flaky, and well seasoned the trout was great. I also enjoyed the bison chili. Various vegetables, potato soup, and other dishes were available. For once I don't remember what was served for dessert. I think that was because the rest of the meal was so good. We enjoyed lunch so much we decided we would ride back in from West Yellowstone for breakfast one morning.

Two days later four of us left the campground early and enjoyed a hike and a view of the Grand Prismatic from a higher vantage point before joining the rest of the group for breakfast back at the Old Faithful Inn.

Steam rising in the cool morning air from the Grand Prismatic

Breakfast at the inn did not disappoint. Hot cakes, fresh fruit, yogurt, eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, cereal, milk, juices, and more! It was an awesome spread. Sometimes buffets are just average food. This buffet was anything but average. The servers kept the food fresh and hot. It seemed there was a continual flow from the kitchen to the buffet line. Everything tasted great. I loaded up at this breakfast deciding I would just skip lunch. I am really glad we made the early morning ride.

Yellowstone National Park is an awesome place. Make sure to enjoy some great food while you are there.

ABCD - A Bloggers Centerline Day

2011-05-01T21:16:00.000-05:00

It was 85+ degrees yesterday and I got a lot of riding in. Today, not so much. Cold front hit bringing rain and a high of 55 today! However, life situations more than the weather kept me from riding today but, not from getting my ABCD photo!

Standing at the crossroads, which way do we go?

There is some significance in the location of the photo. Over the last few months my wife and I along with our teenage son have been discussing his educational future. We were standing at the crossroads between continuing in public school or going to a high quality private school. I am an assistant principal in a local district and he has ridden to school with me for the past 8 years. Letting him attend this local private school is a big decision.

We decided to let him attend the private school, he is really excited. This road leads to our house and the crossroad leads to the new school. We were heading to a parents' meeting at the school when my lovely wife snapped the shot.

I will miss having him ride to and from school/work with me but, I am excited about the quality of education he will get. I know he and I still have a lot of miles of riding ahead of us, after all, we have our 10 day trip to the Smoky Mountains coming this summer!

Scooter Pete's - Tyler, TX

2011-04-28T11:45:00.000-05:00

Tyler is located in the Pineywoods of East Texas and unless you ride the long slab named I-20 the roads to Tyler are lined with great scenery and dotted with nice curves. The town has a lot of worthy ride destinations including the friendly motorcycle shop, Scooter Pete's.

Scooter Pete's has a sales department, a service department, accessories, a grill, and on selected days a seamstress with a good selection of patches. Pete and Nisee, owners of the shop, have developed a reputation for fairness and integrity while building a great team of employees. Hagar, a well known and respected mechanic, runs the high quality service department. Once in the store Bubba can answer your questions and help you find what you need.

Hagar starting of the days events

On April 16, 2011 Scooter Pete's hosted the Spring Rally benefiting Wounded Hearts, a foundation that helps wounded soldiers. The recipient for the one day event was Rob Dickey, a brave soldier and fellow rider who lost part of both his legs while serving in Afghanistan. Through the efforts of the event Rob was presented with a 2006 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Classic at the end of the day.

Scooter presenting the bike to Rob, Hagar looks on.

Nisee escorts Rob to the bike

The rally included the Moving Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, military vehicles, vendors, live bands, and a Bike Show. Scooter Pete's also provided a bike washing team of ladies that detailed bikes using only Moto Oz detailing products with proceeds benefiting Wounded Hearts Rally.

The Legacy Vets M/C performed the moving POW/MIA Empty Chair Ceremony at the beginning of the rally. This highly symbolic ceremony reminds us of the brave men and women that have still not been brought home. This was my first time to see the ceremony and it was quite humbling.

We are reminded that all soldiers have not made it home

The empty chair reminds us to never forget.

The National Anthem, Pledge of Allegiance, The Empty Chair Ceremony, a flyover, and laying of wreaths at the wall were all part of the opening ceremonies. The rest of the day included the bike show, bike detailing, food, and fun.

Hagar introduces the Moto Oz detailing team to the bikers

The Wall

Too many names

Equipment of the greatest and bravest armed forces in the world

Forever free

WW II bike and uniform. This guy was awesome.

The detailing team in action - hey that bike looks familiar.

This softtail had a lot of custom work

Another great paint job.

Nice bike

A custom Valkyrie trike in the show

Scooter Pete's is a great shop with quality people who truly care about bikers and the biker community. If you are out in the East Texas area do yourself a favor and stop by Scooter Pete's at 14685 Hwy. 155 South, Tyler, TX - 903-581-0810. If it is near lunch time enjoy one of Scooter's cheeseburgers from the grill.

Will you participate?

2011-04-19T15:46:00.000-05:00

I have seen this on Gary France's blog and one many other blogs. I figure most bloggers connected to motorcycles have already seen it but, I thought I would share Gary's post here just to make sure word gets around. Below is Gary's post from his blog.

Sounds like a neat idea and I know I will be participating. Will you?
Now I have to come up with a good photo idea. Suggestions? (Be nice)

Tuesday, 12 April 2011

ABCD - Will You Take Part?

Maybe you would like to join in with this.....

A Bloggers Centerline Day, or ABCD, will take place on Sunday 1st May 2011.

The plan is to inspire as many bloggers as possible to go outside and take a photograph of themselves on this day, wherever they are in the world. The photo can be creative, arty, contain more than one person, be in any type of location and can contain anything else you like. It must however contain the centerline of a road and at least part of you, the blogger.

There are 5 rules....

Rule 1 - the picture must be taken on 1st May 2011.

Rule 2 - the picture must be of yourself, and you must be a person that publishes a blog. You can include whatever else you like in the picture, including other people if you wish.

Rule 3 - the picture must include the centerline of a road.

Rule 4 – you should publish the picture on your blog on 1st May 2011, along with a few words about the picture and why you chose that location or pose.

Rule 5 - when you have posted the picture on your own blog, put a comment on http://garysusatour.blogspot.com/2011/04/abcd-will-you-take-part.html and include in that comment the address of your own blog post containing your own picture.

Gary France will then pick his favourite photos and publish these as being the winners. There will be a prize of $100 awarded to the overall single winner, as chosen by Gary.

In order to get this event known as widely as possible, please copy and paste this posting onto your own blog, including the title. Please do that today!

As a reminder to yourself to take the photo and post it, put an entry into your diary for 1st May 2011.

Let’s see if we can get as any people to join in as possible.

High Island, TX to Lake Charles, LA

2011-04-12T14:42:00.000-05:00

When given the choice I would rather ride in the mountain than near the coast but, I have found the coast has it charm. On a recent trip my brother-in-law and I headed for the Texas/Louisiana coast since it was still early Spring and we were looking for warm temperatures.

Early on the second day of the trip Jeff mentioned that he liked the ocean and beaches. We decided to alter our route and add a few miles so we could visit the Texas Coast town of High Island before heading to Lake Charles, LA and some great Cajun cookin'.

We rode south on the straight and flat TX 124 (there is one high causeway bridge just north of High Island which gives a great view of the area and tempted me to roll on the throttle) to TX 87 and the Gulf Coast. We parked and walked around the beach for a short time. Because of past hurricanes TX 87 no longer connects High Island and Sabine so we had to ride TX 125 back north to Winnie.

The Gulf Coast at High Island

At Winnie we turned east on TX 73 heading to Port Arthur, TX. At Port Arthur we jumped on TX 82/Martin Luther King Dr. and rode east. We had to stop on the road prior to the Lake Sabine Causeway bridge because of construction. We were on a steep incline but we could see the area and we watch a tugboat maneuvering a barge.

The Lake Sabine Causeway

Barge full of cargo

The road continued along side the causeway. We could see boats, barges, and refineries. We crossed over the southern end of Sabine Lake entering Louisiana. On the left side was Johnson's Bayou and on the right was the Gulf of Mexico. There were still signs of the effects hurricane Rita.

Johnson's Bayou

We spotted an alligator in the bayou. We turned around but the gator would not resurface and we did not stick around too long. I did take time to take some pictures. It was a pretty day and there was very little traffic. It was a peaceful area.

FJR waits while we are looking for gators.

We continued east looking for a good place to stop and check out this stretch of the beach. Jeff chose a paved road that took us to a small "development" of beach homes. The only other people we saw was an elderly couple sitting in lawn chairs on the beach. We dismounted and walked out to the water.

Gulf Coast near Holly Beach, LA

The beach was nice and clean. Seashells were plentiful. I have walked several beaches in Florida but I had never seen so many pretty seashells. We gathered a few to take home.

The beach was lined with seashells

I found this big shell with over half of it buried under the sand. I was surprised when I pulled it up.

After a relaxing stroll down the beach gathering seashells we washed them up and continued east to Holly Beach where we turned north on LA 27. We passed Mud Lake on our right followed by West Cove, Long Point Lake, Calcasieu Lake, Moss Lake. On the left we rode by Brown's Lake and Black Lake.

Riding through the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge

After 35 miles on LA 27 we arrived at our motel in Sulphur, LA. It was a great day of riding and the stretch along the coast was very enjoyable. If you get down that way make time to ride along the coast and enjoy the sea breeze and coastal scenery.

Love that Cajun Cookin'

2011-04-07T12:13:00.000-05:00

My favorite type of food is Cajun with German a close second. Both are rare treats for me which probably helps maintain their status as my favorites. When out riding I search for opportunities to dine at local one of kind restaurants. I love the experience of sampling the culinary efforts of chefs that do not have to follow the cooperate recipes sent from some 12 floor office.

On a recent 4 day extended weekend trip my brother-in-law and I headed towards southwest Louisiana, Lake Charles to be exact. Weeks before our departure I began thinking about Cajun cookin' and was looking forward to finding a local eatery with a unique flair. Of course Google provided some suggestions that I noted but, I like asking the locals for recommendations.

We checked into our hotel after a second great day of riding and good stroll on the beach of the Gulf Coast near Holly Beach, LA. The local suggestion coincided with my research so we jumped on I-10 and rode to Steamboat Bills. As we were pulling into the parking lot a trio of parking attendants directed us to a motorcycle parking area. The parking attendants remained busy with a steady flow of customers.

Front entrance of the busy Steamboat Bill's.

We were greeted by a friendly lady with a thick Cajun accent. She explained that we were to order and pay at the counter and then they would seat us and bring our order when it was ready. I asked "What's the best thing on the menu?" She gave me a quick lesson on the menu and what was popular.

Order and pay at the front counter before being seated.

Upon her recommendation I ordered a crawfish pistolette as an appetizer. I chose the Sampler plate so that I could taste several different items. My brother-in-law is not a big seafood eaters so he ordered the grilled chicken with red beans and rice.

Grilled chicken and Red Beans and Rice

His salad and my pistolette arrived shortly. The pistolette is a roll that is cut and filled with crawfish (or shrimp) etouffee'. The roll was light and had a flaky crust. The roll was one of the best rolls I have eaten. The etouffee' had great flavor and just a little "heat". The pistolette was a great treat. I will order pistolettes in the future and not just one!

Crawfish Pistolette - a house speciality

The Sampler plate came loaded with fried shrimp, a piece of fried catfish, a stuffed crab, a stuffed shrimp, cole slaw, fries, and a roll. I tried to limit my fried foods but I must admit the fried stuff at Steamboat Bill's was not oily and did not have a typical fried flavor.

The small sampler plate is loaded with plenty of great food.

The catfish was fresh, tasty, and flaky. The stuffed crab was my least favorite item but it was good. The shrimp seemed to have been caught that morning. They were fresh and did not have the frozen then thawed texture that places inland have. The best part was the stuffed shrimp. The big shrimp was stuffed and then deep fried. Not for sure what all was in the stuffing but it was great. I wished they would have given me more than one.

Overall I greatly enjoyed my meal. The atmosphere is festive, the service friendly and quick, and the food top-notched. If you are on I-10 and near Lake Charles stop by and check out Steamboat Bill's. I really think you will be satisfied and pleased.

Impressions after 6000 miles

2011-03-23T12:41:00.001-05:00

I know no one is waiting by their computers greatly anticipating my next post but, I do want to apologize for not posting for a month. Life kept me busy and away from posting or reading many of the blogs I follow. Hopefully I will be more consistent.

I have now ridden the Yamaha FJR 6,000 miles since I got it in September. I posted my first impressions of the FJR shortly after buying it. Now I can give a more informed and experienced review of the bike.

Waiting for the start of a toy ride in November.

Having ridden a Yamaha VStar 1100 and a Yamaha Venture prior to get the sport tourer it took a while to get use to the more aggressive riding position. My knees being bent more and the added weight on the wrists took some time getting use to it, but it did not take too long.

The most impressive aspect is the sheer power. I went from nearly 100 horsepower on a 860+lb Venture to a 144 horsepower on a 644lb bike. The acceleration and speed is amazing and addicting. Passing someone is a breeze. Most time I don't even have to down shift. I just roll on the throttle and the power is delivered smoothly and effortlessly. I love it! If I had been on the FJR instead of the Venture I would have gotten out of the lady who ran the red light and hit me.

I quickly changed to seat to the Corbin. This is my first Corbin seat. It lowered the sitting position about 1.5 inches. The seat is comfortable and the pillion had a very noticeable improvement. The leather on the seat is tightly pulled and is high quality. I have found the seat to be comfortable, stylish, and well made. No complaints.

The handling is amazing. Low speed maneuvers are easy, especially after getting use to the large Venture. A quick U-turn is very manageable. Cornering in the twisties is awesome - now. I say "now" because it took me a while to get comfortable with the capabilities of the FJR, the greater ground clearance, and the different riding style.

This past fall I enjoyed a great weekend ride in Arkansas with some friends. (Previous post concerning Arkansas -Talimena Drive, Mena Mountain Top Cabins, Pig Trail, Country Store, Blanchard Springs Caverns) I was still learning the bike so I did not push the bike on the curves. After I got more miles in the saddle and I began to ride more aggressively. I really enjoy the twisties! The handling of the FJR is great! Drop a knee, shift a cheek, and press the handlebar - the bike eats up the corners with stability and smoothness.

Checking out the fall colors at an overlook on the Talimena Drive

I quickly discovered that I had to do something about the grips. My hands went numb quickly. After some research I decided to purchase and install Grip Puppies. The extra foam covering really made an impact. The bigger diameter of the grip and the extra vibration absorption alleviated the numbing. I also installed the ThrottleMeister throttle lock system. The added weight on the end of the handlebars reduced the vibration.

Grip Puppies and ThrottleMeister

The detachable lockable luggage is very convenient. They are so easy to remove and attach. With the twist of the key the bags are unlocked and can be lifted by the handle and removed. When in place and locked the saddlebags are also securely fastened to the bike. When feeling really sporty and I don't need to haul something with me I will leave the bags at home and show off the sexy design of the bike. (I need all the help I can get. :) )

Without the saddlebags

The detachable luggage is so easy to use.

The adjustable windshield is a nice feature. Passengers tend to like to have it at maximum height. I like that feature at times although I leave it down most of the time. The wind buffeting is great reduced when the windshield is at full height but, so is the gas mileage. The windshield goes down when the key is turned off which I don't mind but some riders would like it to stay at its current position until they manually change it.

The adjustable windshield allows for wind protection customization.

I have purchased some risers that will allow a more upright riding position but, I have not installed them yet once I do I will let post about them. I am not for sure I need them but, I do think they will make long rides more comfortable.

I am completely satisfied with my purchase - no regrets. I love riding the FJR. My biggest challenge is keeping my speed down when leading some cruisers on a ride. Not that I am running 100 mph but, I don't have to squeeze the breaks as much when approaching corners and acceleration comes so easy. I have to keep an eye on the mirrors to make sure they are still back there. :)

14th Annual Oklahoma Motorcycle Show and Swap Meet

2011-02-22T15:26:00.000-06:00

I enjoy going to swap meets and/or motorcycle shows. I don't buy much at the swap meets, but it is fun to look around. A couple friends and I decided to combine fun and business with a weekend trip to Oklahoma City and the 14th Annual Oklahoma Motorcycle Show and Swap Meet. The event was held at the Oklahoma Fairgrounds at 3001 General Pershing Blvd in OKC.

I was pleasantly surprised with the event. The fairground is a typical array of building/barns with most buildings empty during the third weekend of February. The builds are in good shape, but you can tell they were built many years ago.

The event was split between two building 50 yards apart. There was plenty of parking space and bikes were allowed up on the "lawn" area near the buildings. Both buildings had well over 100 10X10 booth spots. Many vendors occupied multiple booth spots.

Papa's Leather Barn - a great place to get your leathers.

There were leather vendors (big stores and smaller individual shops), new and used parts, knives, t-shirts, flowers, candles, trailers, organizations, and more. We had our Moto Oz booth open. The Oklahoma City Roller Derby a.k.a. Tornado Alley Rollergirls made appearances both days and even had a few "matches" for the people to watch. Not "my cup of tea," but others seemed to enjoy it.

The Modern Living Building was full of bikes, vendors, and people.

The highlight was the motorcycle show. There were some very impressive vintage bikes and custom bikes. I have been to several shows and I felt this one had some of the very best bikes I had ever seen.

There were several different classes of bikes in the show.

The show included vintage Harley-Davidsons, Indians, Honda, Triumph, Yamaha, Moto Guzzi, Ducati, Suzuki, Cushman, and a rare Matchless that I had never seen. The quality of the vintage bikes was great. The 1926 Triumph model "P" looked new. The owner, Gerald Tims, had to be very proud of it.

1926 Triumph Model "P" used white gas from the fuel tank for the head light and tail light.

Rare 1966 Matchless MKII - reported to be one of only two in the United States

1940 Indian Model 440 - 1278 cc

1968 Triumph T120 Bonneville - 650cc

1961 Harley-Davidson Pan Head

Custom Bobber

Trike dedicated to our brave armed forces

Harley-Davidson Road Glide customized

2006 Arlen Ness Custom dedicated to three soldiers KIA 2007

Another nice Indian

A customized cruiser.

The show and swap meet was top notch. A great variety of vendors and bikes. Of course roaming through the bikes parked outside was also interesting. Saturday was a nice sunny day so there were at least 1,000 bikes parked outside.

This was a very good event. If were in the market for some Harley parts this would be the place to shop. If you like looking at custom and/or vintage bikes this would be the place to go. The show may not have big names entered, but the quality was great. If you are in the Oklahoma City area next year in the third week of February make your way by the show.

Talimena Drive - 50+ miles of fun

2011-02-09T13:28:00.000-06:00

Southeast Oklahoma is home of one of the best National Scenic Byways, but possibly, one of the least known in the country. The drive was designated a National Scenic Byway in 2005. The Talimena Drive is 54 miles of curves, switchbacks, and rolling hills running along the ridge of the Ouachita Mountains from Talihena, Oklahoma to Mena, Arkansas.

West Entrance

In Oklahoma the drive is known as Oklahoma 1 and in Arkansas it is Arkansas 88. The road travels through the Ouachita National Forest and on the crest of Rich Mountain and Winding Stair Mountain. Rich Mountain is Arkansas' second highest mountain at 2,681 feet. There are 22 scenic overlooks and several historic locations allowing for great vistas and good locations to stop and enjoy the views.

The Talimena Drive - miles of fun.

The two lane road is well maintained and well traveled. One has to watch for rocks on the road that come from rock slides and/or gravel from side roads and overlooks. There are several long straightaways that allow for some great acceleration, but be forewarned, the road is periodically patrolled. No trucks are allowed, but you will come across so RV's at times.

Notice the road on the top of the far mountain.

Any of the overlooks will provide a great view of the Oklahoma and/or Arkansas landscape. The drive also has its share of wildlife. I have seen deer, bear, rabbits, and other small mammals. Golden Eagles are active in the spring and winter.

Golden Eagle - seen from Eagleton Vista

The east 18 miles of the drive are in Arkansas and runs through the Queen Wilhelmina State Park. The park is home of the Queen Wilhelmina Lodge, one of the most historic lodges around. The lodge's restaurant has an awesome lunch buffet daily. Many times we have ridden up for lunch and then headed back home.

The lodge has spectacular views, hiking trails, and great food.

The views can make you take your eyes off the road, but don't.

Historic train at Queen Wilhelmina State Park, Arkansas

The road is awesome and well worth the trip. Several of the roads to get there are also scenic and great motorcycle roads. After you complete the drive you will want to turn around and run it back! It is a premier motorcycling road and screams to be ridden.

Keeping the chill away from the neck and face

2011-01-28T23:25:00.000-06:00

Living in North Texas affords me the opportunity to ride year-round. We do have occasional stretches of icy roads or really cold wet weather that will keep us off the road for a short period of time. We do have to gear up with some warm clothing quite often during the winter months but, we can still ride.

Early on in my riding experience I figured out even if I did not have great gear I could always layer up. Through the years I have acquire some quality gear for those colder days like a jacket, gloves, boots, and lined riding pants. After a few rides I noticed that my neck would really get cold. The air would find it's way down my jacket making the ride less than optimum.

I visited a few local motorcycle shops and decided to invest in a facemask (at that time I was wearing a 1/2 helmet and riding a VStar 1100). I chose a simple fleece facemask by Schampa. The Schampa facemask wraps around the face and fastens in the back with velcro, which allows uses to custom fit the mask. There is a slit for the nostrils which helps prevent moisture buildup on the inside of the mask.

Schampa Fleece Facemask

The fleece does a great job of keeping wind off the face and front of the neck while keeping body heat in. I really like the facemask but, certain movements would pull the mask and cause a break between the mask and the jacket. The break would allow the cold air in. I had to very careful with my head movements so as to reduce the size of the gap.

During the 2009 International Motorcycle Show I stopped by the Schampa booth to see what they had. I started looking at items that might help my problem with the gaps. I came across the Schampa turleneck fleece dickie. They make several different "models." I tried on several and decided to purchase the Zip D'Zip. The Zip D'Zip has a zipper (go figure) in the front making it easy to put it on and take it off.

Zip D'Zip is convenient and warm

The dickie is very effective. The long neck can be pulled up over the chin and the lower portion is held securely under the jacket. The extra layer on the chest holds in body heat extremely well. When I went riding I still needed to use my facemask to keep the air off my nose and cheeks. The combination is great!

A warm combination

Once the dickie is zipped, facemask secured, and jacket zipped up I am a warm rider. I have used the combination during below freezing temperature and felt great. No nagging gaps allowing cold air in. A small investment with great warm dividends.

If you are going to do much riding in cold weather I would recommend Schampa gear to keep the face & neck nice and warm so that you can enjoy the ride.

Pinnacle Overlook - worth the detour

2011-01-22T22:31:00.000-06:00

I am sure there are numerous great overlooks throughout the Smoky Mountains. I have had spent limited time in the Smokies but, during that time one of my favorite spots to view the mountains is Pinnacle Overlook near Cumberland Gap Tennesse and Middlesboro, Kentucky. The ride up Pinnacle Road to the overlook is also a really good motorcycle ride even though it is only 4 miles. The road and the Overlook are part of the Cumberland Gap National Historic Park.

We accessed Pinnacle Road from US 25E on the south side of Middlesboro, KY. and stopped at the Cumberland Gap National Historic Park visitor center. The visitor center provides information about the park and the overlook.

Good area for hiking

Pinnacle Road has several tight curves and some steep inclines rising to and elevation of 2,440 feet (visitor center is at about 1,200 feet). The road is closed to vehicles 20 feet or longer and that is a good thing. The road was in good shape but, it is a park road so there is no shoulder.

The views from the overlook were great. We could see three states, Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky. It was incredible how far we could see.

Looking towards Virginia

If I remember correctly that is Fern Lake near Cumberland Gap, TN

It was a clear day when we visited the overlook. We could see for miles. There a location on the short trail at the overlook where we could put one foot in Virginia and one in Kentucky. The boys loved that.

When we left the overlook we headed south out of Middlesboro and rode through the historic Cumberland Gap Tunnel. My son (11 at the time) tried his hand at filming while we rode through the tunnel. See video below - remember it was an 11 year old filming. :)

If you get a change to visit that area of the Smoky Mountains make plans to ride up to Pinnacle Overlook.

Zip Line fun in Florida

2011-01-13T12:15:00.000-06:00

I love speed and I love the open air. I suspect most of us that ride motorcycles share those qualities. I recently enjoyed a new experience that furnished open air, adventure, and some speed (relatively speaking) while visiting family in Orlando, Florida.

It is actually quite interested in that while planning our upcoming summer trip in July to North Carolina my son and I had decided we would try a zip line. Well, at Christmas my mother-in-law gave my son, me, and her other son-in-law passes to the Zoomair zip line at the Central Florida Zoo. We decided to go the day after Christmas before my brother-in-law had to return to his home.

Entry to zoo. Photo from http://www.orlandotourism.us - I accidently deleted the one my son took.

The day started off cold and wet. We weren't sure if they would be open or if we would be able to stand the cold. Luckily the rain stopped and the temperature went up. We called and they were open so off we went.

Oz, Richard, and Bo - ready for fun!

The Central Florida Zoo is north of Orlando in the city of Sanford. We were directed to the equipment house where we were greeted enthusiastically. We were fitted with a harness and gloves. Our "guide" proceeded to instruct us and educate us on proper technique and safety procedures. After we passed the zip line "test" we were taken to the starting point and then released on the self-guided zip line tour.

One of the early bridges.

The first "games", obstacles, or air bridges (whatever you want to call them) were not too hard or very long. We moved from tree to tree at about eight to ten feet above the ground. The first zip was only about 45 feet long and started at a height of about 12 feet and went to the ground. As we continued the obstacles became more challenging and the zips were longer and from greater heights and ended at above ground tree platforms.

Slowing going.

Each air bridge was different. There were wide planks, poles, spiderweb ropes, tightropes, etc. Each had it's own challenge.

Sure glad we had the harnesses attached to the red safety cable.

Spider web rope

Over, up, and back over as the course got higher.

The highlight came in the last 1/3 of the course with the 512 foot zip that started around 50 feet above the ground. Wind gusts were common that day and a big gust came when I was at the top of the tree trying to hook up to the zip line. The tree swayed, it was pretty wild! Once hooked up I shoved off. It was great. The other two followed.

512 foot zip line - across the road and pond!

Bo coming across the long zip line.

The second to the last zip is a 300+ zip that was about 25 feet above the ground. There were a total of 9 zips and over 40 obstacles/air bridges. We spent about 2.5 hours on the course. It was well worth facing the colder temperatures, especially since after a little while you get warmed up from all the activity.

If you get the chance I suggest you try a zip line and if you are in Central Florida check out Zoomair Adventure Park.

Another place for breakfast

2010-12-28T10:20:00.000-06:00

Yes, I have several post about food, especially about breakfast. Since most of us eat three meals a day I have a lot of experience with food. I also have a general rule when traveling - eat a big breakfast, snack for lunch, and have a nice dinner. So, in keeping with my "rule," Don and I sat down for breakfast in Urbandale, Iowa before heading to Madison County and the famous bridges during our trip to Iowa.

The Machine Shed welcome wagon

After seeing a special aired on the Travel Channel about the best places for breakfast I chose the Machine Shed to fill up our bellies before hitting the road. Don and I found the Machine Shed one block east of I35 and north of US 6 in Urbandale. There are a total of six Machine Sheds with the original in Davenport, IA.

Farm equipment that help feed a nation

We rode up to the barn red restaurant on a sunny July Friday morning. The vintage farm equipment and tractors out front gave the place an old farm atmosphere. The 8 foot tall ear of corn, well tended flowers, and small farming equipment line the building and entrance to the store.

That is a big ear of corn!

A different uses of farm equipment

Once inside the aroma of bacon, fresh bread, and country cooking filled the air. We were quickly greeted with a friendly smile and led to our table. The server promptly took our drink order as we studied the menu. There were plenty of options and combinations on the menu. Pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, and biscuits, just to name a few of the items.

One of the more famous items on the menu is the Machine Shed Cinnamon Roll. This thing is huge!

After tough deliberaton I chose the Hired Man's Breakfast: "Two eggs cooked just as you like them, plattered with your choice of a thick slice of smoked ham, smoked country sausage, three strips of thick cut Applewood smoked bacon or southern style sausage

(three links or two patties)." While Don selected the same basic breakfast except he also got some bacon and summer sausage with his eggs and hashbrowns.

The Hired Man's Breakfast

A meat lovers breakfast

The scrambled eggs were fresh and not over cooked. The ham was thick and had a great smoked flavor. The pancake was tasty and fluffy, not heavy or bland. The pancake topped with real butter and maple syrup made for a nice ending to the meal.

We also ordered a slice of the cinnamon roll (more like cinnamon log!). The order was about a 6 inch square! We cut off a little and tried it. The real butter cream frosting was great! The roll was full of cinnamon and covered with pecans. This was one awesome cinnamon roll. We took the rest back for my son and his friends.

I bet this tractor has plowed a few fields

If you are near a Machine Shed Restaurant stop by for truly the best breakfast around. I can certainly see why the Travel Channel named it to the top breakfast in America. I know the Machine Shed will be on my list of stops the next time I am riding in the Midwest. Stop by and enjoy some great farm cooking.

Wind Cave - South Dakota

2010-12-16T21:08:00.000-06:00

Over the years my son and I have visited several caves/caverns in five different states. I already posted about Blanchard Springs Cavern which is one of my favorites and is located in Arkansas. Another cave we enjoyed is just off of US 385 in scenic Custer State Park north of Hot Springs, South Dakota: Wind Cave National Park.

In 1903 Wind Cave became the first cave worldwide to be designated a national park. Wind Cave is also the 4th longest cave in the world and is contains 95% of the known "boxwork" formations, a unique honeycomb type formation.

Boxwork is found in the middle and lower levels of Wind Cave.

The park offers five different tours, including a candlelight tour. We decided to take the 1.25 mile Natural Entrance Cave Tour. The tour began with a walk to the natural entrance where we could feel the wind either leaving or entering the cave (depending on barometric pressure). The "wind hole" is where the cavern got its name. We then proceeded to the man-made entrance of the cave.

There are a lot of steps on the tour, but most are headed down.

Shortly the trail descended a long stairway. There are a total of 300 steps on the tour with very few going up. We walked though some really narrow places and several times the top of the cave was low enough we had to duck to get through. One larger guy in our party had some close encounters with the cave walls.

This is NOT the larger guy in our party - just a happy biker enjoying the cave.

We saw a lot of the unique boxwork formations throughout the tour. The formations are more unique but less colorful than the formations in many of the caverns we have toured.

Boxwork

Another unique area of the cave was Snowball Alley. This area's ceiling was covered with small formations that looked similar to snow.

Ceiling in Snowball Alley

The tour took us deep into the cave. We viewed big open rooms as well as the tight walkways. The guide led us the innermost area for that particular tour and had us sit down. After providing us with some history and geological information he turned off the lights (after warning us not to move and told us what he was doing - don't want any surprises when you are hundreds of feet below the surface.). The darkness is amazing! It is difficult to explain that something can be darker than night - darker than when I close my eyes. It was a very eerie sensation.

An old exploratory hole from above

The tour was moderate to strenuous. There was a lot of up and down on the trail. It was a good think that at the end of the tour we rode an elevator back up to the visitor center. It was an educational and fun tour. I am glad we took the time to visit Wind Cave National Park.

If you are heading up to South Dakota make plans to tour Wind Cave. You will be glad you did.

Bridges and the Duke

2010-12-10T23:06:00.000-06:00

1992 Robert James Waller brought fame and a new interest to Madison County, Iowa with his novel, "The Bridges of Madison County." I followed the masses to Madison County in June of 2010 to see the bridges and I found there was more than bridges.

Actually, I was attending a National Junior Forensic League competition in which my 13 year old son was participating. Instead of riding the school bus with him and several other adolescents, I invited a friend, Don, to take a scenic route to Des Moines, Iowa. We took some fun roads, stopped at some out of the way places, tried some local eateries, and did some camping on our way to Des Moines and on the way home.

We had some extra time so we decided to visit the famous Madison County including the town of Winterset, county seat and birthplace of John Wayne - The Duke! We knew we would need our nourishment so we ate a great breakfast at The Machine Shed in Urbandale near our hotel. (I will post later about the awesome breakfast and renowned cinnamon roll.) After breakfast we were ready to do some riding and take a lot of pictures.

I had an idea about the location of at least one of the bridges so we headed south on I35 taking the exit for CR G14 (Cumming Road) and riding west. We saw a sign for "Cedar Bridge" so we turned on the white rock road, Cedar Bridge Trail. I had been told that many of the bridges were on gravel/rock roads.

After about a mile we saw the covered red Cedar Bridge. We turned on the road to the bridge so we could ride across it. The road splits so that one can ride over the bridge or around it. The bridge was destroyed by arson and the current bridge was built with the original plans using authentic materials and methods. It is pretty and is located in a quiet area over a small river.

Cedar Bridge is the only covered bridge which allows traffic.

Inside the Cedar Bridge

What really struck me was the construction of the bridges. It was impressive to consider all of the lumber and the time that was taken to build the bridges at that time in history. One noticeable disappointment on all of the bridges was the graffiti. I just don't understand why Bubba from Smithville thinks the world needs to know that he loves Betty Jo.

We continued south to Winterset where we visited the Chamber of Commerce across from the impressive county courthouse and picked up a map of the bridges and other useful information about the attractions of Winterset and the county. The people at the chamber were very helpful and friendly.

Madison County Courthouse - built in 1876

After studying the map and info, we decided to visit the Winterset City Park which is home of Clark Tower, a memorial to one of the county's first pioneer families. At 25 feet it gives a great view of the Middle River Valley. The road to get to the tower leaves the paved roads of the park for about 1.5 miles and runs through a lush forest. The road is not in the greatest shape, but it is ridable.

Clark Tower erected 1926

The loop to Clark Tower brought us back to the city park where we saw our second Madison County bridge, the Cutler-Donahue Bridge. Vehicles are not allowed on this bridge. The Cutler-Donahue Bridge has a pitched roof instead of a flat roof like the Cedar Bridge.

Cutler-Donahue Bridge in Winterset City Park

All of the bridges have graffiti. What a shame.

We left the park and rode six blocks to The Duke's birthplace. The quaint little house sits on the corner of 2nd Street and East Washington. Due to time constraints we visited the grounds, Duke's statue, and the gift shop. We greatly enjoyed looking at the memorabilia and gifts of the great American icon. We need more Americans like the Duke. Just think if the Duke was in the White House! Things would be different.

Duke's statue marks the spot that will be the foyer of the planned

John Wayne Museum near the house of his birthplace.

(House in the background is NOT his birthplace)

John Wayne's birthplace

We headed west on SR 92 to Roseman Bridge Trail. Turning south on the gravel road, we rode about 3.5 miles to Roseman Bridge. This 107 foot bridge is still in the original location where it was built in 1883 (it was renovated in 1992). The Middle River was flowing quickly from the recent rains.

Roseman Bridge sits in its original location over Middle River.

Vehicles are NOT allowed on the Roseman Bridge

Since I was leading, Don was eating plenty of dust as we continued to the next bridge. All along we were passing rolling farm land. The farm houses reminded me of a simpler time and kind of made me envious. I knew for sure I was not missing the Dallas traffic.

We continued west on Roseman Bridge Road since it was closer to a paved road than going back the way we came. We hit Deer Run Ave.(paved!) and headed north back to SR 92 and then east back towards Winterset. We stayed on SR 92 as it looped on the northwest side of town. Hogback Bridge Ave. intersects SR 92 and runs north away from Winterset. We followed Hogback Bridge Ave. for three miles until we came to Hogback Bridge sitting over North River.

Hogback Bridge sits where it was originally built.

North River running under Hogback Bridge

Our map also showed that we where near the North River Schoolhouse, a one room school built in 1874. Don is a HS teacher, and I am an assistant principal - seemed like we should visit the schoolhouse. We continued north on Hogback Bridge Ave. for about a mile then turned east on North River School Street. Shortly we saw the school on the north side of the road surrounded by rolling hills of some kind of crop. (Horticulture is not my field). The school had a hand water pump and an outhouse. Now that made me not long for the days gone by.

North River School is on the National Register of Historical Places.

That sure would be cold in January.

North River School Street intersected US 169, we turned south and rode back to Winterset for an afternoon shake at Frostee's. Frostee's is a small ice cream shop with a couple of benches and picnic tables outside. There is no inside area for customers. We ordered our shakes and drinks at the window and enjoyed the old fashion vanilla shake. Stop by; you will like it.

Frostee's is a favorite spot for locals and visitors.

There were two more of the six bridges to see. We rode south on US 169/John Wayne Blvd, turning east on Court Ave, just south of the court house. We followed Court Ave until it ended at Norwood Ave. We turned south and then veered left on unpaved Holliwell Bridge Road. Two miles later we stopped to see Holliwell Bridge sitting on Middle River in its original location. At 122 feet Holliwell is the longest surviving covered bridge in the county. No vehicle traffic is allowed on the bridge.

Holliwell Bridge has the same design as Cedar Bridge, Roseman Bridge, and Hogback Bridge.

Looking out from Holliwell Bridge

Holliwell Bridge Road took us south to CR G50 where we turned east and headed to St. Charles and Imes Bridge. Covered Bridge Park sits on the eastern edge of St. Charles and is where the Imes Bridge is located. Built in 1870 Imes Bridge is the oldest surviving bridge. The bridge has been moved twice and now sits over a natural ravine where pedestrians use it.

Imes Bridge is 81 feet and is the oldest surviving covered bridge in the county.

4 of the 6 bridges are accessible by gravel roads. Time to find a car wash.

I would recommend allotting a full day for visiting the county and all it has to offer. We got a late start and had to get back mid-afternoon so we did not linger at the bridges and had to skip other attractions.

I found Iowa pretty and interesting. The miles of rolling farm land points to a simpler but hard life. If you get the chance to visit this area of America's heartland, I suggest taking the time to ride the bridges and visit Winterset.

Good eating in West, Texas

2010-12-01T15:45:00.000-06:00

In Texas we have West Texas (a geographical region) and we have West, Texas (home of a great little bakery). That's right - West, Texas, a town named West. West is not even in West Texas, it is in Central Texas right off of I35 south of Dallas (about 65 miles) and north of Austin (about 135 miles).

West is named after Thomas West, the land owner who sold land to the railroad company for a train depot and other people to develop the land around the depot. By the 1890's Czech immigrants and their businesses were flourishing in the area. Many of the descendants of the Czech families still live and own businesses in West.

One such business is the Czech Stop, home of the Little Czech Bakery. Located on the southeast corner of I35 & North College Avenue the bakery/convenient store is always busy and I mean ALWAYS!

Czech Stop home of the best kolaches in Texas! Maybe in the USA.

Parking spots are usually hard to find as travelers stop by for some Old World pastries.

Ever since my first visit to the Little Czech Bakery in 1987 (on my way to the Texas Girls State Basketball Tournament) I have stopped every chance I get. It is such a treat to get fresh baked pastries of this quality.

The bakery has two shops separated only by a wall, but serviced by the same kitchen in the back.

I have visited the Czech Stop in the early morning, around lunch time, at dinner time, and after midnight - never have I seen less than 10 patrons in the store. On a nice Saturday in the summer you will have to wait in a line of 10 or more, but it moves quickly and it is worth the wait.

Signs give customers an idea of how much cooking goes on at the bakery. Yes - weekly amounts!

Upon entering the bakery the aroma of fresh bread and sweet pastries will grab your attention and your senses. Every time I walk in to the bakery my mouth starts watering as I anticipate the fresh flavorful Czech food. Besides their famous kolaches they prepare strudel, cream horns, cookies, bread, sausage, turnovers, brownies, cinnamon rolls and more. Full Menu

That is a lot of cream cheese!

My favorite combo is the sausage, sauerkraut, cheese "puff" and a blueberry cream cheese kolache! It is like a mini meal and dessert. The puff's fresh baked roll surrounds the sausage, kraut, and swiss cheese making for a perfect little sandwich. The roll is fluffy and taste like the homemade rolls my mom used to make (mom is 90yrs old and she is from the old school of cooking where items were not premixed in a box). All of the ingredients are fresh which makes for great flavor.

Sandwich and dessert - perfect combination.

Everyone can find something they would like at the Czech Stop. The only disappointment is when stepping on the scales after getting home, but it is worth it.

West is just northeast of the Texas Hill Country, home of some of the greatest roads in the south. There are also some good Farm to Market roads to ride to or from West if you do not want to ride on the I35 super-slab. So take a ride to West, Texas and enjoy the great food at the Czech Stop. You will love it!

2010-2011 International Motorcycle Show - Dallas

2010-11-19T10:40:00.000-06:00

The Progressive International Motorcycle Show kicked off in Dallas, TX this past weekend (Nov. 12-14, 2010). The show featured most major manufacturers; however, I was disappointed that Triumph, BMW, and Victory did not have booths. Victory was represented by two local shops (Family PowerSports & Rick Farless' Strokers Dallas). The IMS website states that Triumph, BMW, Ducati, and Victory will be at selected shows. I am glad Ducati was at the Dallas show.

I forgot my camera, but my son took some photos with his phone. I am going to only a few photos, but if you would like to see some great pics go to Torch's Midlife Motorcycle Madness Blog. He posted a lot of great pictures using 5 different posts. IMS 1 IMS 2 IMS 3 IMS 4 IMS 5

My son and I enjoyed the show. We took in the Team No Limit Stunt Show with Jason Britton and his TV co-star, Eric Hoenshell. My son actually watched it twice and took a lot of pictures, but that phone camera is not that good.

Team No Limit Stunt Show

I am impressed with what they can do.

There were several other special show features including Women Ride, Custom Bike Show, Demo rides,... - Link for all the show features and manufacturers.

The highlight for me was found at the Ducati booth. I have been impressed with European bikes for a long time although I have never owned one. I have also started developing a desire to purchase a dual sport and do some riding on the mountain roads in Colorado. I spent some time talking to "Elvis Jr." of European Cycle Sport in Plano about the Ducati Multistrada 1200. The technology on that bike is awesome. I think that is the dual sport bike for me. Just don't know when that will happen.

Ducati also gave North America it's first look at the Diavel. The Diavel really caught my eye. It is a nice looking bike with quality finishing. I think I will have to make a trip down to European Cycle Sport and do a test ride.

The Diavel looks fast!

The International Motorcycle Show is worth attending. There are vendors for gear, accessories, etc., the big manufacturers booths, and several special features. You can touch and sit on a lot of bikes and see the new models. The difficult part is going home without so many things that I wish I could have. Oh well, it sure is fun to look.

Kick your boots off and put up your feet

2010-11-12T11:00:00.000-06:00

There are a lot of great roads in Arkansas to ride and plenty of scenic routes. One can take leisurely rides or drag pegs all day around the curves. In either case you will need a good place to rest and get some "shut eye" before the next day of riding.

Recently four friends and I took off for three days of riding and two nights near Mena, AR in the Ouachita National Forest. One in our group reserved a 3 bedroom cabin at the recently opened Mena Mountain Top Motel/Cabins.

The entrance to Mena Mountain Top Motel/Cabins is about 2.5 miles south of Mena on the east side of US 71 (across from the Fish Net Family Restaurant). The sign for the cabins is a little difficult to see so slow down when you see the restaurant - entrance is about 50 yards farther. If you are riding up from the south the entrance to the cabins is about 1.5 miles past the Christian Motorcyclists Association's Iron Mountain complex.

The Mena Mountain Top Motel/Cabins roads are paved, but the parking area in front of cabins are gravel. The road is steep so gear down.

Our bikes in front of the big cabin.

The cabins sit on the hill side and provide great views to the west, south, and northwest. We could see part of the famed Talimena Scenic Byway and the Queen Wilhelmina Lodge from the back porch of the "Wilderness Cabin" we had.

From the back porch we could see the valley and the Ouachita Mountains to the north.

The cabin had a front and back porch, grill, gas fireplace, kitchen with cookware, refrigerator, dishes, etc., living area with satellite TV, three bedrooms each with TV, and two bathrooms. The two downstairs bedrooms each had a double bed. The upstairs loft had a double and twin bed along with a bathroom and in the living area was a sleeper sofa.

Twin bed in the loft.

Living area as seen from the loft.

All of the fixtures and furniture is high quality and add to the country feel of the cabin. There were plenty of dishes for our dinner. We stopped by a store in Mena and bought what we needed to cook our dinner at the cabin. The cookware, silverware, and dishes are all nice.

Kitchen and living area.

Late afternoon looking north from the cabin's porch.

The beds were comfortable (at least that is what I was told as I slept on the sleeper sofa) and the rooms nice. A good amount of space for luggage and motorcycle gear was provided in each bedroom. Both bathrooms were roomy and completely stock with extra towels and toiletries.

We enjoyed a great day of riding in Arkansas and two restful nights. I highly recommend taking a trip to Arkansas and staying at the Mena Mountaintop Motel/Cabins. You will enjoy the roads and the scenic views.

Lesser known but absolutely beautiful

2010-11-04T08:32:00.000-05:00

When something is located near a world renown site it can easily get over looked. That is the case with the Mesa Falls in Idaho. Just 50 miles southwest from the west entrance to Yellowstone lies two awesome waterfalls, the Upper Mesa Falls and the Lower Mesa Falls.

The Mesa Falls Scenic Byway (ID 47) is a 29 mile road that runs east of US 20 and connects with US 20 at both ends, Ashton, ID on the south end and 9 miles south of Island Park, ID on the north end. The Mesa Falls Scenic Byway also intersects the Teton Scenic Byway just east of Ashton and both are great roads to ride.

The Henrys Fork River runs through the Caribou-Targhee National Forest and is a tributary to the Snake River. The river cuts through the basalt rock and surrounding landscape to create two eye-popping waterfalls.

We took US 20 from West Yellowstone to Island Park where we stopped for breakfast at Pond's Lodge in Island Park. The restaurant/gas station is a nice establishment with friendly service. The log siding building is charming and it has sportsman decor. More importantly they served a great breakfast.

The trophies on the wall watch over the customers

Huckleberry Pancakes

My son and I enjoyed huckleberry pancakes, scrambled eggs, and hash browns. These were our first huckleberry pancakes and they were delicious. The eggs and hash browns were great. All the others in the group left with full stomachs, so I guess you can say we were satisfied.

Heading south away from Island Park we turned east on ID 47 a.k.a. Mesa Falls Scenic Byway and rode 13 miles to the entrance of the Mesa Falls area. The road and parking lot are well paved. There are restrooms, a visitor center, a gift shop, boardwalks and a viewing platforms. The park is well maintained. Fees are $1/ motorcycle $5/car. Access to view the Lower Mesa Falls is from the Grandview Campground.and Overlook.

Upper Falls in the morning sunlight

The Upper Falls is 114 feet high and 300 feet wide (the Upper Yellowstone Falls is 109 feet). The roar of the falls can be heard long before it is seen. The morning sunlight and spray from the falls create an impressive rainbow. The spray creates a lush ecosystem on the side of the canyon below the forest. The secluded area was peaceful and crowd free. We saw various birds including an osprey and wildflowers.

We thought this rock at the base of the Upper Falls looked like a bear.

The falls are the last two major undisturbed waterfalls in Idaho. Most have been used for irrigation or hydroelectric projects. The pristine wilderness around the falls is a hikers paradise, although grizzly bear are in the area. There is a one mile hiking trailing from Upper Falls to Lower Falls. The trailhead is located at Upper Falls between the two parking lots on the east side.

Photo opp!

The river heading toward Lower Falls.

Lower Falls is not as high, but it sure is beautiful. Notice the hiking trail on the edge of the canyon.

When you are visiting Yellowstone taking some time to visit the Upper and Lower Mesa Falls well be very rewarding not to mention you will encounter a lot less congestion.

Honor Flight

2010-10-29T11:49:00.001-05:00

This post is not motorcycle specific, but I believe most motorcyclists will find it very interesting.

Honor Flight program started by Earl Morse in Ohio in 2005 for the purpose of flying World War II veterans to Washington DC to see the WWII Memorial that was not completed until 2004. Link to history of Honor Flight

The Honor Flight website states that in 2008 WWII vets were passing away at the rate of 1000+ per day and most had never seen the memorial to the brave men and women that freed Europe from the clutches of Nazi Germany and secured freedom in the Pacific from Japan.

The program provides the trip, all accommodations, and extras to the veterans at no cost to them. The volunteers that accompany and assist the vets (many need assistance with walkers, wheelchairs, medical equipment, etc) pay for their own expenses.

The program has grown quickly and is now in several states and cities. The waiting list of veterans is long and growing as more hear about the program. Please visit the Honor Flight website for more info.

Logo from Honor Flight website

In the spring of 2010 my father, a WWII vet and a Purple Heart recipient who served in Europe, was notified by Honor Flight that he was chosen for one of the trips with Honor Flight of Dallas. (One of my nieces had sent in an application for him). Dad asked if I would consider going with him - I was so honored and answered yes almost before he finished the question. (I had heard about Honor Flight so I knew what he was talking about).

Our trip to see the memorial was October 18 - 19, 2010. It was awesome!

Prior to departure the USO at the Dallas-Ft.Worth (DFW) airport served breakfast for the veterans in the Admirals Lounge. It was very nice and the veterans were treated great and will so much respect. As they boarded the plane the USO volunteers & passengers from other flights clapped and waved flags. Each vet was given an Honor Flight shirt, windbreaker, cap, bag of snacks, and a blanket made by one of the USO volunteers. There were many misty eyes.

As the plane taxied out the DFW firefighters gave a water cannon salute - one truck on each side of the plane. The firefighters at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport gave another water cannon salute after the plane landed.

My dad as he arrives in DC

When the veterans arrived a crowd was waiting for them with signs, flags, and a lot of cheering. One of our brave men in the Navy had asked if the Honor Flight vets would witness his reenlistment. The reenlistment ceremony took place at the terminal after the vets were situated. It was a moving moment for the vets, the crowd, and the navy solider.

The swearing in at the reenlistment ceremony

We loaded up on the two chartered buses and rode to our first stop, the WWII Memorial. The men (no female veterans on this particular Honor Flight) toured the memorial in reverence while memories of friends and loved ones came to them. The memorial pays tribute to the men and women who lost their lives, the families back home, the factory workers, the women who entered the work force for the first time, and all of the Americans who contributed to the ultimate victory. There is too much in the memorial to try to describe in a single post.

I was honored to visit the memorial with my dad PFC Wendell Osburn

The inscription is so fitting.

The 40 veterans on the trip at their memorial

The red shirt volunteers admiring the heroes.

The second stop on the trip was in Arlington Cemetery at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider. We witnessed the guard making his "rounds" as he guarded the tomb. Four of the vets were randomly chosen to place a wreath at the tomb. After the wreath was placed we were able to watch the changing of the guards.

Arlington Cemetery is a solemn reminder of the price of Freedom

Tomb of the Unknown Solider

An honored duty - guarding the tomb

Heroes of WWII placing a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider

Walkway in Arlington National Cemetery

Prior to loading the buses most of the vet walked to the nearby grave of Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier of WWII. Many left quarters on the tombstone in honor of his nickname, Two-bits.

That night a banquet was held at the hotel for the veterans and volunteers. A color guard from Ft. Myers presented the colors and led us in the singing of the national anthem. If you have never heard a room full of vets sign our national anthem you should! The pride and reverence of the vets is inspiring.

Honor Guard at the banquet for the WWII vets

The second day Honor Flight visited Walter Reed Army Hospital where they spoke to wounded soldiers, medical staff, and had a surprise visit by Senator Bob Dole. The senator, the staff, and current soldiers showed a lot of respect and admiration towards the vets, shaking their hands and telling them "thank you for your service."

WWII Vets visited with staff and soliders at Walter Reed Army Hospital

We then visited the Marine Corps War Memorial a.k.a the Iwo Jima memorial. The bronze statue is the largest cast bronze statue in the world. It is very impressive and inspiring.

Marine Corps War Memorial - depicting the raising of the flag on Iwo Jima

Veterans and volunteers viewing the memorial

The final scheduled stop on the trip was the area where the vets could visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial National Monument. and the Korean War Veterans Memorial.

The sobering walkway into the Vietnam War Veterans Memorial

So many names

Three soldiers looking at the wall as if looking for their friends

Lincoln Memorial as seen from the WWII Memorial

Impressive

Korean War Memorial

The weather was great and there were no complications so we were able to make two unscheduled stops before heading for home. We stopped by the United States Navy Memorial and the Air Force Memorial.

The Lone Sailor at the Navy Memorial

Just one part of the Air Force Memorial that overlooks the Pentagon

The inscriptions at the Air Force Memorial seem so appropriate with the veterans in the foreground

While on the bus the vets were able to see the White House, the WWI Memorial, The SeaBees Memorial, the Pentagon, the Jefferson Memorial, the Washington Monument (the Washington Monument can be seen from a lot of locations), and various other historical sites. The bus driver also took us down "Embassy Row" where all the worlds embassies are located - that was interesting.

Once on the flight back to Dallas it was discovered that an Admiral from the USS Nimitz was on the flight heading back to San Diego and the USS Nimitz. He addressed the veterans and communicated his deep respect and admiration for them. The vets were very honored.

There is really no way to adequately describe the emotion, the atmosphere, the scene... as these heroes toured all of these memorials. They are such humble men and women with a heart for our country. If you know a WWII vet please tell them about the program. They deserve the honor and recognition.

Vets touring the WWII Memorial

If you see a veteran or current member of our armed forces please show them your appreciation. Every time I start my bike and I get to enjoy a ride I am reminded that this freedom was gained, protected, and continues to be protected at a great cost.

Everyone sacrificed and worked for victory and lasting freedom

The Washington Monument viewed from the WWII Memorial

The Capitol Building as seen from the bus (sorry about the glare)

I respectfully salute the Armed Forces of America - past, present, and future defenders of freedom.

TA Ranch a great place to park your bike.

2010-10-14T08:45:00.000-05:00

Go west young man. So west we went, actually from Texas we went more north than west as we rode to Yellowstone National Park. On the way we stayed most night in KOA Kabins, which we enjoyed, however; on our 2010 trip we spent one night at a historic ranch in Wyoming.

Ranch sign welcomes visitors

The TA Ranch has a rich history that goes back to the struggles between the landowners and the cowboys in the late 1800's. The TA Ranch is now a working Dude Ranch with lodging, horse riding, fishing, horseshoes, hiking, and a swing in a big tree.

The tree swing is a guest favorite.

The Ranch is west of I-25 on scenic WY 196, about 14 miles south of Buffalo, WY and east of the Big Horn Mountains. Along the way Pronghorn antelope can be seen near the roadside. Antelope are very common Wyoming and they are very quick - be careful when riding around these animals. Herds of pronghorn and deer roam the TA Ranch. In the evening we saw more antelope and several deer. Rick, our host, even saw a rattlesnake, but it got away before he could stop the truck to let us see it.

Antelope on the driveway to the ranch complex.

The ranch house, stables, and bunkhouse sit below a small ridge east of WY 196 about 1/5 mile off the highway. The buildings are shaded by large oak trees. The cool breeze and shade were welcomed by all of us after a day of riding.

The ranch houses sit below the ridge in a grove of Oak trees.

Guest can arrange to ride the horses (fees apply), petting is free.

The kitchen and dining house is on the left and the ranch hand house is on the right.

Our host and hostess made us feel right at home. The five bedroom bunkhouse that some of us stayed in had a living room, kitchenette, laundry facilities, and private bathrooms for each bedroom. The western decor was charming and not overstated. Each building is original from the 1880's and has been restored to the original design. The beds were comfortable and the quite country setting provided a great opportunity to rest and relax.

The dining room has multiple tables and room for a lot of guest

All of the guest gathered for dinner in the chow house. There were guest from France and Japan staying at the ranch when we arrived. Dinner was served buffet style - vegetables, corn on the cob, rolls, and brisket. The brisket was cooked with secret seasonings and it was awesome!

A great dinner with TA Ranch brisket was served and it was awesome!

After dinner we toured the ranch while a couple of the guys in our group went horse riding. Our hostess, Kirsten, told the history of the ranch. The ranch welcomes a lot of school field trips because of the ranch's regional and state significance. The stables, tack room, and barn were really interesting.

One can see the bullet holes from the 1892 standoff at the ranch in the original part of the barn.

After the tour we sat on the porch and visited with other guests and the family of our host and hostess (Rick and Kirsten have two sons, Cody and Tucker and a daughter Katie) .

The youngest son, Tucker, treated us to his version of Jeff Dunham's Achmed the dead terrorist routine. Talk about a surprise treat! Make sure to ask Tucker for a performance - you will love it. Also, ask him "Why did the lady cross the road?" He will give you the answer, but for some reason his elementary teacher last year did not like the joke.

After laughing so hard and for so long it was time for bed and a good night's rest. In the morning we all awoke revived, but wishing we had scheduled two nights at the ranch. We were served a great breakfast casserole, fruit, bagels, toast, and coffee before we headed out on the next leg of our trip.

Another great meal.

Second and third from the left is our hosts - Rick and Kirsten Giles.

R-L Giles family members - Clarence (Rick's dad), Rick, Kirsten, Cody, Bryant (Rick's nephew), Katie, and Tucker

If you are traveling in Wyoming make plans to stay at least one night if not more at the TA Ranch. You will enjoy the accommodations, the food, the conversation, and if you are lucky a performance of an up and coming comedian :).

Four Season Riding Pants

2010-10-12T12:31:00.000-05:00

I ran into a dilemma a few years ago when planning my summer trip to Colorado. I knew we would start some mornings in the mountains with temperatures in the 30's and by afternoon I could be at riding at lower elevations with temps pushing the high 80's. I also knew that rain was a certainty. It rains every afternoon somewhere in the Colorado Rockies and I would end up riding in the rain at some point.

The dilemma was how to pack for the varying weather and temperatures within the capacity of my luggage (I also had to pack for my son who was 8 at the time). On that particular trip I ended up pulling a trailer behind the VStar 1100.

Waiting on construction on US 24 south of Leadville

The next two summers our trips took us to South Dakota and Kentucky/North Carolina respectfully. I did not need to pack for colder temperatures on those two trips.

Sunny day at Mt. Rushmore, 2007

About to ride the Dragon - July 2008

The summer of '09 we rode to Colorado and Utah. I once again had to figure out how to be prepared for the temperatures and rain/sleet/snow. I decided to leave the chaps at home and take thermal underpants, thermal undershirts, and rain gear. I would layer as needed. That worked OK, but was still a little bulky and it required stopping in locations where I could either take the thermals off or put them on and this method added to my laundry.

40 degrees on top of the Grand Mesa in Colorado - June 2009

Last October, at the recommendation of a friend, I decided to put up the money and purchase a pair of Tourmaster Flex Pants. I found out during the winter months that the 4 layers will keep you very warm.

Four layers?! Yes, The Flex pants has a rainproof liner, a insulated liner, a mesh shell, and zip-on rainproof material. Reflexive piping on increases night time visibility, thigh high zippers on the outside of the pants makes dressing easy, and adjustable waist belts and elastic waistband makes fitting customizable.

The pants come with removable knee and hip armor. The knee pad pocket allows for three different heights for the armor so that a rider can adjust the pad to fit his/her knee. There is also stretch material in the knees, inseam, and calf that provides a comfortable fit. You can read more about the features on the Riders Discount page

Reflective piping works extremely well.

My favorite feature is the zip on/off rainproof material. The crotch area is made with the rainproof material so only the leg portion of the pants zip on/off, but when off there is sufficient airflow.

The rainproof zip on/off portion of the Flex pants

The rainproof shell is secured with three zippers. After removing the rainproof zip-on/off and putting it back on a couple of times it all makes sense and is easy to use. The pants with the rainproof shell provides a great deal of wind protection and is warm enough for late spring and early fall riding.

Insulated lining

Rainproof lining (note the different colored snap loops on the bottom on the pants.)

Adding the thermal liner made the pants plenty warm for 98% of the North Texas winter. It would need to be very cold (25 degrees or lower) to warrant adding the rain liner with the thermal liner. The first time I rode in the colder weather I had both liners in and the rainproof zip-on/off - I was quite toasty!

The rainproof liner and the insulated liner are easy to add to the shell. Both have a white snap loop on the bottom of the left pant leg and a gray snap loop on the bottom of the right leg. The snaps are used to secure the bottom of the pants and the color of the loop matches the loop on the inside of the shell - this is to help those of us that have difficulty putting things together. :)

I took the pants with the rainproof zip-ons on my 2010 trip to Yellowstone and had all the weather protection I needed. When crossing the Powder River Pass (9,666ft) in Wyoming, riding the Beartooth Pass 10,947 in Montana & Wyoming, or when sleet got us on Mt. Evans (14,264) the pants worked perfectly.

July 2010 and it is sleeting on Mt. Evans! (Tourmaster pants 2nd from the left)

The pants rolled up and packed easily. I used a small strap to keep the roll tight which made it packable and accessible. The pants are sturdy, well-made, versatile, and usable year round. I highly recommend the Tourmaster Flex Pants for riders that enjoy riding year-round.

Beartooth Highway - looking west.

Seeing Osprey Falls in Yellowstone National Park

2010-10-04T13:11:00.000-05:00

Part of the biker experience is the wind in the face, the sights, sounds, smells, and the weather. I love getting out away from the crowds and experiencing the outdoors with as little human interference as possible.

While riding in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) I could see a lot of geothermal features, wildlife, and natural features from the bike and I was able to park and take short walks to many of the famous sites such as Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic, the Upper and Lower Fall, and the Morning Glory Pool, but I wanted to see and experience YNP from less crowded vantage points.

The pools have such vivid color.

One of the most famous sites in America - Old Faithful Geyser.

At nearly 370 in diameter the Grand Prismatic is the largest hot spring

in the USA and third in the world.

I wanted to get away from the crowds to see some of the more remote sites and two other men in our group were willing to do some hiking with me and my son. The most enjoyable of the three hikes we took was also the longest and the most rewarding - the hike to Osprey Falls.

We left the West Yellowstone KOA early that morning grabbing breakfast at Ernie's Bakery (more about Ernie's later) and then road to the Old Bunsen Peak Road Trail trailhead - 5 miles south of Mammoth.

On the ride to the trailhead we saw two different coyotes (including one crossing the road near the trailhead), bison, elk, and a swan. Of course we saw steam from numerous geothermal features that are otherwise hidden behind trees and hills far away from the areas were visitors are allowed. The ride was great - so little traffic and crisp cold air (approx 45 - 55 degrees - July 19, 2010).

Coyote near the trailhead early in the morning.

Once on the trail we were totally alone, just four of us. It was quite peaceful and well worth the early ride. We headed southeast along the Old Bunsen Peak Road past burnt forest, through grassland, and past Sheepeaters Cliffs.

Sheepeaters Cliffs were named after a sub-band of Shoshone Indians.

After passing the Sheepeaters Cliffs and Bunsen Peak we turned south on the Osprey Falls spur and entered the forest (still recovering from a fire years ago). We could hear the roar of the falls and see Gardner River long before we could see Osprey Falls. The last 1/4 mile we descended a series of 14 switchbacks and 800 feet of elevation down into the Sheepeaters Canyon.

My son heading down the series of switchbacks as the trail nears the falls.

Osprey Falls and the trail - we are nearly there.

Osprey Falls - 150 foot falls.

The vertical cliffs rise over 500 feet straight up. Sheepeaters Canyon is one of the deepest in YNP according to the National Parks Service website. Our hike was 9.1 miles (round trip) with an elevation change of about 1100 with 800 of the change within 1/4-1/2 miles of the falls.

I had been working out prior to the trip and felt ready for the hike, but I will tell you the hike back up those 14 switchbacks was tough. We were in a hurry to meet the rest of the group for a 1/2 day river rafting trip in Gardiner, Montana so we had to push it.

It was well worth it. I highly recommend the hike or any of the hikes in YNP. You will see so much more when you get away from the crowds. Be prepared and take water & snacks as well as other hiking type supplies. Make sure you have comfortable shoes and go take a hike!

A totally different ride

2010-09-22T07:56:00.000-05:00

In May I purchased a 2010 Yamaha Venture and loved it. I rode it to Des Moines, IO in June and then to Yellowstone in July. Then in August the bike was totaled after when a lady ran a traffic light. Four weeks after my accident the insurance company finally gave me a reasonable settlement offer, but only after I had a couple of dealerships submit values for the Venture.

The Venture is a great bike. I really enjoyed it. The finishing touches and amenities were top notch and the comfort on long rides was awesome. It had plenty of power to carry my son and I along with all our belonging for the Yellowstone trip up the mountain passes in Colorado and Wyoming.

The Venture comes standard with CB, radio, cassette, and 6 disc CD changer. The stereo/CB controls were easy to use and easily reached. I realize the cassette is outdated and the CD changer took up a lot of space. I actually removed the CD changer (anyone need one let me know I will sell it to you at a great price).

Even though I really liked the bike I had been thinking for a couple of years of trying something different, but I was not sure the wife would go for it. During the 4 weeks of being without a bike I had time to research and look at a lot of bikes. I decided on one that I wanted. I knew that Martha would have to be happy with it so I asked her to test ride it with me. She did and we discussed out we could make it more comfortable for the passenger. She was OK with my choice - OH BOY!!

I purchased a 2010 Yamaha FJR 1300!

Waiting to go riding!

The FJR is a sports tourer. At 1298cc & 145 Horsepower! WOW! I had a huge grin after taking the bike out on the road. It is fuel injected, liquid cooled, and crazy fast! I love the easy detachable saddlebags. With just the key I can take the saddlebags off. This will be great when traveling or if I just want to go on a local ride.

I picked it up this past Thursday (Sept. 16). It was pre-owed and had only 757 miles on it. I rode this weekend and put 300+ miles on it. I am still smiling!

The "grin factor" on the FJR is 10 of 10!

I have ordered the truck with backrest, touring windshield, Corbin seat, and a J&M CB (jmcb-2003). Now I am trying to find some floorboards for the passenger. Martha really wants them.

Saddlebags removed

One great feature is the quick detach saddlebags. With the turn of the key the bags can be lifted off and carried in. Make it convenient when traveling or when I want to look more sporty. The instrument panel features a temperature, instant MPG, average MPG, tach, speedo (goes up to 180, but I don't plan to test it), time, two trip odometers, and the regular odometer. The FJR has a 6.6 gallon gas tank - that will be great on long trips. On my most recent 200 miles the MPG average is 44.1 and that was with a few quick accelerations up above the speed limit (just a little :) ). The electronically adjustable windshield is a nice feature allowing me to customize the riding experience.

The ride is completely different, but so far I am loving it. I know that if I would have been on the FJR I would have gotten out of the way of that Tahoe.

I am looking forward to posting a review after I get to the 10,000 mile mark. It sure feels good to be back riding.

Kay's - a good way to start the day.

2010-09-09T18:44:00.000-05:00

If you have read many of my posts you know that I am a sucker for a good breakfast. During the regular work days I have cereal 95% of the time, but when I am out riding I love to have a big breakfast and then just snack or eat a light lunch.

While riding from Texas to Des Moines, Iowa my lifelong friend Don and I camped at the Lake of the Ozarks State Park near Osage Beach, MO. After packing up the next morning we stopped for gas and asked the attendant for a recommendation for breakfast. She told us where to find Kay's Restaurant - 4196 Hwy 54 - just up the road a little from where we were.

Sunny June morning at Kay's

When we arrived there were several vehicles in the parking lot which is usually a good sign. When we entered we were greeted with a friendly smile and southern hospitality. The hostess/waitress seated us and asked if we wanted coffee, juice, or something else.

While she prepared our drinks we scoped out the menu and there were a lot of good sounding choices. For the last 4-5 months I had been eating French toast instead of pancakes, but this time the order included French toast & pancakes with one scrambled egg, hash-browns, and a sausage patty

Breakfast arrived warm and looked great!

The eggs were scrambled just right, not too dry and not runny. The hash-browns were a golden brown and tasty. The sausage was a good old fashion patty with good flavor without being over seasoned. The French toast was great! Whole slices covered with the egg mixture, cook thoroughly, but not burnt, and ample butter and maple syrup were provided.

Fluffy old-fashioned pancakes.

The pancakes where fluffy and tasted great. They were above average and big without being huge! I finished my breakfast and I was ready to ride and would not need a snack or meal for quite some time.

If you are ever north of Branson, MO stop by Kay's. You will find a great staff, a good atmosphere and delicious food. If lunch or dinner are anything like the breakfast you will not go away hungry or disappointed.

Pig Trail Scenic Byway - WOW!

2010-09-06T15:54:00.000-05:00

Arkansas has a lot of great roads with numerous twisties, tall trees, great vistas, and plenty of potential wildlife sightings. One of the well know roads is a 19 mile stretch of AR 23 in the Northwest part of the state. This section of AR 23 is designated The Pig Trail Scenic Byway and once you ride it you will understand why it is a Scenic Byway.

Northern end of the Pig Trail Scenic Byway

The Pig Trail runs between the towns of Ozark on the southern end and Brashears on the northern end. The Pig Trail runs through the Ozark National Forest and at times the trees create tunnels of green which to ride through. There is always the potential of wildlife sights, especially deer. One crossed our path shortly after this taking this picture, but could not get the camera out fast enough to photograph it.

The foliage is awesome.

It was late June, 2010 when I road the trail my second time. The grass was green, the trees full, the sun high, and the temperature in the low 90's. It was a great day for riding and the Pig Trail made for a great ride.

The road curves and twists through the Boston Mountain region of the Ozarks. There are sweeping curves, curves on hills, and tight twisties. Not the kind of road for a newbie or the timid. This LINK will give you a mile by mile account of the Pig Trail.

Watch for deer. We had one cross, but no picture of it.

According to others I have visited with the wildflowers in the Spring are numerous. The first time I road the Pig Trail was in October 2008 and the fall leave colors was spectacular.

There are plenty of curves on the Pig Trail.

If you are headed up to Eureka Springs, AR or Branson, Missouri plan your route to include the Pig Trail Scenic Byway. You will enjoy it and you may even want to turn around and ride it again!

Venture vs. Tahoe

2010-09-01T09:58:00.000-05:00

I have not been very consistent this month with my post, even after riding to Iowa and then later to Yellowstone National Park. I have a lot of topics to post about.

I will tell you that I did recently get side tracked and I think you will all understand. Although, I have been reading and commenting on many other blogs especially USA Tour on a Harley-Davidson. If you have not seen this blog check it out. A Brit shipped his Road King over and is touring the USA. Very interesting and he takes great pictures.

On August 17, 2010 I was running an errand from my campus (I am an elementary assistant principal) to the Administration Building. It was just after 2:00 so I decided to go by the local Sonic for a "Happy Hour" Diet Coke. (I work in Princeton, TX.)

After getting the drink I proceeded to the traffic light. I had to cross over US 380 - a very busy road. Once the light turned green I started through the intersection. I noticed the red SUV (Tahoe) was not going to stop! I looked ahead and rolled on the throttle! I really thought I was going to get out of her way but, I could not.

The Tahoe clipped the back 18-24 inches of my bike send the bike on a spin and me flying. The flight was not bad but the landing was rough. No, I was not wearing my helmet - when I go on these quick short errands I normally don't wear my helmet - I will from now on.

I never lost consciousness. I did hit my head and had to be taken to the hospital. I took 15 stitches in the back of the head. When they tried to send me home, about 3 hours after the wreck, I got dressed and then sat down and passed out.

Side of impact. Can not see from hear but tailpipe and fender were messed up.

I ended up staying in the hospital two nights. I had a mild concussion and a lot of soreness. Actually I still have some soreness (15 days later). The stitches were removed on August 27th. My head is still tender and has some healing to do.

Front fairing took a beating.

The bike has officially "totaled". Oh well, I will heal and I now have to go bike shopping. It is a shame since I had the Venture for less than 4 months.

Side of impact.

I will be getting some more post out soon. Thanks for your patience and willingness to read.

Country store on Arkansas 7 - Great place to stop.

2010-08-01T20:21:00.000-05:00

While riding it is always nice to stop for a little break and some nice refreshment, it is a nice bonus when you get some good service and conversation. I found such a store in northern Arkansas.

At the intersection of Hwy 7 (Scenic Byway) and State Hwy 16/123 you will find the Blue Mountain Bakery & Deli (formerly Hankins Country Store) near Pelson, AR. The store has been there for many years and had closed sometime in 2009, but has recently been reopened (2010) with new owners and the new name.

The new owners were very friendly and hospitable. The wife is the store's baker and she was putting the final touches on her homemade cinnamon rolls when we walked in. The items in the bakery display all looked delicious.

My friend tried the strawberry muffin and I got a cherry fried pie. Both items were fresh and tasty. The fried pie was full of cherries and was dusted with cinnamon. I really liked it. The muffin had chucks of reak strawberries. We sat out on the porch and enjoyed our snacks.

You can also purchase firewood, camping supplies, drinks, and other food items at the store. From this intersection you have great options. No matter which direction you go you will enjoy nice twisties, great scenery, and light traffic. So if you are in the north central area of Arkansas stop by the Blue Mountain Bakery & Deli. You will find it refreshing.

Trips.

2010-07-08T15:41:00.000-05:00

A friend and I recently rode our motorcycles up to Des Moines, Iowa and we camped on the way up. My son competed in the National Junior Forensic League tournament in Des Moines. This was my first long trip on my new motorcycle, Yamaha Venture.

We will be camped in Petit Jean State Park and Mount Magazine State Park in Arkansas, Lake of the Ozarks State Park and Stockton State Park in Missouri, and staying in a motel while in Des Moines. On Saturday June 26th we visited J and P Cycles in Anamosa, Iowa. They were host their "Open House" that Saturday and Sunday. We picked up some good deals!

On July 10th my son and I along with 7 others will depart on our trip to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. We have not been there or ridden a great deal in Wyoming. It will be a 14 day trip with lots of great roads and places.

Picture of Yellowstone Falls borrowed from http://grandcanyon.free.fr/images/cascade/original/

We are trailering through Texas and New Mexico to Pueblo, Colorado. From there we will be riding the rest of the time. We are spending 5 nights in West Yellowstone before heading back. We have plans for a rafting trip, a visit to a gold mine, some hiking, and visits to some museums.

Of course there will be plenty of eating and a lot of sights. I will be posting about many of these items.

Stay hydrated or at least wet your whistle.

2010-06-16T14:43:00.000-05:00

I resisted at first. I thought, "I don't need a drink when riding." Well, last summer I rode on a friends bike for a few days and he had a cup holder. Before I knew it I started using it and I liked having a beverage available while riding.

After I gave his bike back I started missing the convenience of having a readily available drink. I ordered an inexpensive black plastic cup holder and it worked great.

After purchasing the Venture in May I put the cup holder on the bike, but it sure did not look quite right on the new shiny Venture. After looking at some other options I ran across a great deal on a Kuryakyn universal cup holder while at the Jeff Williams Motorcycle Swap Meet in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

The cup holder mounts on either clutch or break perch mounts, or if you use a clamp it can mount to the handlebars. The cup holder accepts a wide range of cup/bottle sizes. The chrome C-ring has rubber nipples that accommodate various sizes and keeps a good grip on the cups. A sturdy nylon mesh net with leather-like material makes up the bottom portion of the cup holder.

The chrome ring, attachment, and bolts look good and are very sturdy. Kuryakyn provides three pairs of extra bolts and two bushings to make mounting easy. I chose to use one bolt and not have the cup as high up as it would be if both perch mounts bolts were used.

I have found the cup holder convenient, reliable on corners, and good looking. I recommend the Kuryakyn universal cup holder for your bike. I think you will like it.

Comfortable Protective Jeans & Bobster Sunglasses

2010-06-09T11:43:00.001-05:00

Two years ago I read about jeans that had strategic Kevlar reinforcement. I bought a pair of jeans that had the reinforcement and stretch material in the crotch and above the knees. They were OK, but not as comfortable as I had hoped.

Well, I decided to give a different brand and style of the protective jeans a chance. I visited the Riders Discount and ordered a pair of Shift Lodown Street Jeans.

The Lodown jeans come in "dark indigo" (lightly faded black) and "light indigo" (faded blue). I ordered the dark indigo. The jeans have five pockets, two front pockets, two back pockets, and one key pocket. Kevlar reinforcement is included in the knees, butt, and hips. The seams for the extra protection is not too noticeable so the jeans have a traditional look.

Quality of the fabric and the stitching is very good. Snaps and zipper looked good and worked great. There are limited waist sizes (30 - 40) and no options for the inseam length. When I received the jeans they had to be cut and hemmed (I am 5'6").

Once I had them altered I was ready to test them. I have worn them on 4 different rides of various distances and I have found them much more comfortable than the other jeans. The Lodown Jeans have a loose and comfortable fit. The pockets are slightly bigger than traditional Levi or Wrangler jeans. I was able to move and squat/sit without any problems or discomfort.

Time will tell, but the jeans seem very well made and durable. I know that I love them and will be purchasing more. They look good enough to wear even when I am not riding. I highly recommend the Shift lowdown street jeans.

I also took a chance on some "transition" sunglasses, they are suppose to go from near clear to dark based on the amount of light. I ordered the Bobster Phontochromic Hooligan Sunglasses from Riders Discount.

The glasses are very comfortable and the workmanship is top-notch. The glasses fit well and protect my eyes from the wind when riding. I really like them for evening and/or night riding. They do not get dark enough for me in the bright sunlight. I found that the glasses were slow in darkening and that they just did not block enough of the bright light.

I keep the glasses on the bike to use when riding at dusk, dawn, and night. Bobster makes comfortable sunglasses, but I would not recommend the Hooligan Sunglasses for everyday usage, but they are great for the times when the light is low.

Announcement

2010-05-25T14:50:00.000-05:00

I have posted a review on my V Star 1100 and I posted when the V Star hit 100,000 miles. I now want to announce that the very reliable, ridable, maneuverable machine has been replaced.

After a lot of looking and research I am now riding a Yamaha Royal Star Venture. I looked at almost every bagger out there. One of the big factors in my decision is that the Venture comes with a 5 year unlimited miles warranty. That is hard to turn down, especially considering how much I ride.

I picked up the bike Saturday May 22, 2010 from Motion CycleSports and I am looking forward to riding it for 100,000+ miles.

I got up early Sunday morning and went riding prior to attending church. I stopped on CO 331 aka Woodlawn Road on the east side of McKinney and took these pictures of my bike.

Needless to say I am pretty excited and I am really enjoying the Venture. Later on when I get 10,000+ miles on the bike I will post my thoughts and impressions. In the mean time I am riding every chance I get.

Amazing formations

2010-05-17T12:13:00.001-05:00

I know that there has been a lot written about Arches National Park in Utah, but I am going to share my thoughts anyway.

In June 2009 part of our 4 state trip included a day of riding from SW Colorado into Utah and up to Moab to visit Arches NP. As we rode up US 191 from Monticello, UT we saw many formations that gave us a small preview of what was in store for us.

Church Rock lies to the east of US 191, south of Moab, UT

Along the way we stopped at Wilson Arch, a popular formation right beside the highway with paved parking provided on both sides of the road. Hiking to the arch is allowed and the view from the arch is great.

Wilson Arch

The boys on the arch, what a view!

View from Wilson Arch and one of the group on the arch.

Parking lot as seen from the arch

The hike up the arch is short, but steep. We made the hike in our riding boots and I am glad I went up. It was really neat.

We continued to Moab and then to Arches NP. The park is just north of Moab on US 191. There is a gift shop with facilities at the entrance of the park. We rode 17.7 miles to the farthest part of the park, Devils Garden Trailhead. Along the way we viewed the desert landscape and the saw many of the 2000+ arches in the park.

One of the arches along the way.

There is numerous trails and we had limited time, so we decided to visit this area the most. One arch we hiked to was Pine Tree Arch. There were many in the area, but the hikes to them are longer.

Look closely and you can see me and my son at Pine Tree Arch.

There are many unique formations that are not arches. The Devils Garden area had some neat formations.

Elephant Rock - not the best angle, but you can see the elephant head and top of his truck.

Another unique formation.

We left Devils Garden Trailhead and road to Delicate Arch Viewpoint. Due to time we did not hike to the famous arch, but we hiked a short distance to a great viewpoint just south of the arch. It is an impressive site.

The iconic Delicate Arch

Delicate Arch

After view Delicate Arch we headed out of the park and on to Grand Junction, CO by way of an awesome road UT 128 (see previous post about the road).

Arches National Park is a worthy destination. Allot plenty of time to hike to some of the sites. Take plenty water, snacks, and sunscreen. I look forward to visiting the park again in the future.

Awesome customer service

2010-05-03T12:23:00.000-05:00

Review furnished by avid rider, trusted friend, and JAOB blog reader. See J. Horn's first review about a quality jacket and his review about riding the Alpine Loop.

Custom Accessories - An Example of Great Customer Support

My used VStrom 650 came with a 12-volt weather proof power socket made by Custom Accessories that had been installed by the previous owner. However, there was no power at the socket. I traced the problem to a bad ground connection. I removed the socket and found that the connection between the ground sleeve and the connector pin was open.

I emailed Custom Accessories about the problem, and they responded the next day with instructions to return the socket to them. So, a couple of days later, I boxed it up and sent it with a note explaining that I was not the original purchaser and would gladly pay for a replacement, since I had not been able to find a local supplier who had one in stock.

To my surprise, on the following day, I received a UPS package, containing a brand new socket! They must have sent a replacement before receiving the one I sent in. This is what I would call EXEMPLARY CUSTOMER SERVICE, and STANDING BEHIND A PRODUCT!!

Custom Accessories markets various kinds of automobile accessories, from HID light kits to seat belt pads and steering wheel covers. They will be at the top of my list of suppliers when I need any of these kinds of items.

Custom Accessories does not sell direct to end users, but you can find a list of retailers who carries their products at their web site.

J. Horn on the Alpine Loop - California Pass elevation 12,930

Milestone

2010-04-27T08:26:00.000-05:00

On Saturday April 24, 2010 at 10:20 on TX 5 at the south edge of Howe, TX my 2003 VStar 1100 reached 100,000 miles!

100,000 miles on an air-cooled v-twin

It was a pretty spring day in Texas

Just wanted to share the milestone. Bike is running great although I have a small oil leak that I am trying to track down. I think I know where it is and how to fix it, now I just need to do it.

I decided to "celebrate" by take one the best roads in our area to Sherman, where I had a scheduled meeting with the area Christian Motorcyclists Association (CMA) leadership. I continued north on TX 5 into Howe where I turned east on FM 902. There is a nice duo of sweeping curves a little way out of Howe and the small country road is in good shape and lightly traveled.

FM 902 end in Tom Bean where in intersects TX 11. I turned east for one block and then turned north on FM 2729 and head to FM 697 known as Old Ida road. Old Ida road is an eleven mile stretch of great curves and hills with some great views of the area. I missed about 3-4 miles of the eastern most part of FM 697 but I greatly enjoyed the ride.

It was a pretty day and there was no traffic. I even pulled a U-turn to go back and take some pictures of the donkeys that were grazing. There was a herd of about 20. I have seen a lot of donkey, but it just seemed like a good time for a photo.

Momma and baby away from the herd

FM 697 a great road in the NT area.

FM 697 is not the Tail of the Dragon, but it is a great road and I enjoyed the celebration of the milestone by dragging some floorboards on the curves and enjoying the scenery.