The Road to Nowhere

Where the hell have I been!

2010-01-15T16:23:00.006-05:00

Not that there is anyone reading this thing, but I feel I should update more often than I have. Slacker.

As each riding season begins, I make a mental list of the places I wish to see and reasons to ride. This year I hope to hit Michigan and Alabama. Simple.

Having always been a fan of photography, this year I will also aim to do more local rides with photography as the goal. To kick this off, I managed 50 miles today looking for interesting places to photograph the Valkyrie. Below are a couple shots I took. Not bad for the first outing. Perhaps taking more photos will allow me to update this blog more often. Or not.

Time for a change?

2009-04-02T20:50:00.003-04:00

I have new bike fever. This should not be confused with my continual desire to add another bike to the garage, but is truly a want for something new. What to do. A new ride off the showroom floor is not an option and there is little out there I would buy used to replace the Valkyrie. Hmmm. I think new paint might be the solution.

Several months ago one of my hard saddle bags decided to leave the bike at speed and slide down the road all alone. Fun. Needless to say this bag is in need of some mending and paint. If I am going through the trouble to fix this, maybe it is the right time to rethink the theme I currently have. The wheels are in motion and certainly one can see smoke coming from my ears.

I am very particular about how a bike looks, not how clean it is necessarily, but how the tin colors work with the chrome and other color surfaces of the bike. The Valkyrie has a big black frame and I find lots of colors do not work well with this much frame showing. I am not stripping it down to bare frame, so that rules out some colors for me. I like a black bike, but do not wish to just redo the stock color. I have red brake lines to the front wheel, this has to play into my decision as I am not wanting to replace them. The batwing paint has some blemishes after being abused for 20k miles... I could touch it up but that is not "me". So, the quest is on to find a paint scheme that will not cost a fortune, look good on such a large bike and will be unique. Should not be so difficult, I hope.

I am trying to determine what I want and get it done before the VRCC Cheaha ride in May, time is ticking away quickly. Will I make it? Doubtful.

To try out the embedding of google maps, below is my ride to Cheaha, assuming I take the interstate all the way.... not likely.

View Larger Map

Ferrous Posteriors

2008-08-05T19:50:00.005-04:00

Several months ago I blogged about places I wanted to go which got me to thinking about ways to accomplish this goal. I knew I would need several days of riding but the family would never agree to me taking off for fun.... hmmmm. To my surprise, I stumbled on some cheap tickets for Jill and the girls to go spend 10 days in Oregon... Sweet. Let the planning begin!

I had seem to have forgotten about setting personal goals since having kids. What gets me going... What am I capable of..... well, I had read many stories about friends attaining their SaddleSore 1k certification, riding 1000 miles in under 24 hours. This ride is certified by the Iron Butt Association, yup, this is actually an organization. This goal played perfectly into my on road illness. My problem? I get on the road and want to just keep going. This has cost me at least one great friendship but I continue to be this way. What better time to feed this illness than when the family is away!

After soliciting route suggestions from friends, I settled on a fairly straight shot west on I-40 to Oklahoma City. This ride would let me attempt a SS1K, see friends in OKC and check a few more states off my "states ridden map".

Here we go!

Leaving the house at just after 5am on July 18th I head to the nearest pen gas station to obtain my time stamped departure receipt.

My route took me north from Greenville, SC on Highway 25 into NC where I jumped on I-26 then I-40 for the long haul. I-40 west of Asheville, NC is some of the most curvaceous pavement to be called an Interstate. The photo below is the moon setting over the Smokey Mountains of Western North Carolina. What a way to start a 1000 mile day.

My plan was to stop every 200 miles for gas, food and a stretch. I got the requisite time stamped gas receipt at each stop and a photo of my GPS. The shot below, I am somewhere.... ummmm 205 miles from home! ha!

My fuel for the day would be a banana and a zone bar at each stop plus a Camelbak full of water to be used ALL day. So far, I had not covered any roads which were new to me, same old Interstate through TN to Nashville. After Nashville, hello new roads and scenery. Does it look HOT yet? It was. If I was not so disturbed in my effort to ride, I would have stopped for a better photo, nope, not me! Here is my only shot of Nashville.

Next gas stop has me 410 miles into the day and feeling quite good about my chances of 1000 miles in 24 hours.

By the time I get to Memphis I am questioning why I would do this ride when it is supposed to be about 100 degrees for most of my day... next time, no. Did I get a picture of Memphis you ask? Yup, several. All taken while riding and none of them very good.

Crossing the Mississippi in to Arkansas, my first new state of this trip.

Woohoo.... Arkansas

Me, all geared up and in Arkansas. It is hot.

Flat, really really flat. I expected nothing else from this stretch of I-40 in Arkansas.

before I know it, 200 more miles have clicked off and I need food and fuel. At this point I am thinking it has been easy so far and it should be a cake walk to finish.. That is until I start thinking and realize I am barely half way done and have been on the road for over 9 hours. Whatever Iron may be in my ass was apparently trying to let me know the stock seat on my 2000 Valkyrie was not intended for this kind of riding. Here I am, stopped in Arkansas for gas. Here comes my first oops of the trip. I busted my throttle sleeve as this stop and would have to spend my remaining miles of the day making sure the grip did not slide off the throttle sleeve. All things considered, a very minor mishap.

I had heard great things about the landscape in western Arkansas and from what I see on I-40, there must be good roads out here. I will be back.

Last fuel stop has me in Alma, AR and just ready to get this day over. I take a bit longer st this stop to call Jill to let her know I am alive and well and to call Scott in OKC to let him know of my arrival time. Zone bar finished, banana gone and Camelbak filled with cold water, I am ready to set off for another new state and my destination.

Getting ready to enter my second new state of the day, I get a second wind. This ride is nearly over and even though I am hot and a little sore, the thought of finishing about 8 hours ahead of the maximum allowed time keeps me motivated. This road presented something of a challenge as there were more road gators along this stretch than I have ever seen. Just enough to challenge my concentration 900 miles into the day.

Perhaps it was my frame of mind, or something else, but I find I-40 in Oklahoma quite scenic.

Oklahoma City, OK. My destination is in site and I am excited.

to make sure I got my 1000 miles in and knowing odometers are typically inaccurate, I planned for a few extra. 1029 miles and 15 hours and 35 minutes after departing the gas station in SC, I arrived on the west side of Oklahoma City. Scott and Joni find me a bit tired but coherent enough to say lets get some food.

And there we have it. I set out with the intention of running an Iron Butt certified SaddleSore 1000 mile ride in 24 hours and find that it was not as hard as I had imagined. I busted a throttle sleeve, killed a few million bugs and I think I broke my ass. Good times. And after all that, I decided I would rather not spend the money on a certificate to tell me I am capable of 1000 miles in 24 hours.

Next update... toll roads piss me off, so I seek out and find a couple hundred miles of the Mother Road. Rt. 66. In short. Awesome. Stay tuned

Damn those turns are steep!

2008-05-08T20:41:00.001-04:00

I rode a racetrack, it was fun.

addicted - to devote or surrender to something habitually or obsessively

2008-04-06T20:29:00.008-04:00

Perhaps I have been denying this for a while. I believe I am addicted to motorcycles. Currently I own one, but think frequently about ways in which to increase my stable. I have tried to explain to Jill that I need 5 motorcycles. Yes, need. Unlike others I have met who own various motorcycles for differing riding environments, I find I want each simply for aesthetic reasons. Each will get me from A to B, though admittedly in various states of speed and comfort. Below are several bikes I wish to own, each has a standing rule in my house. Should I find a good example of any of these for a great price, I can buy it. Now I need to determine who is defining "great price".
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Aprilia RST Futura

I have wanted this Motorcycle since I first saw one at the IMS show in Seattle years ago. Sitting on one at Moto Corsa in Portland cements the Futura's place on this list. No bike I have sat on has fit me like this one. Likely the next addition to my "collection". I have passed on a couple as they were not the color in the example below. Anyone know where I can find a fire red Futura to satisfy my want of an Italian V-twin?

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SPS Bobber

This bike has no purpose other than aesthetic. I find a well executed bobber to embody all that is essential of a motorcycle. SPS in Ohio has developed what I believe to be the cleanest bobbers available for purchase, the photo below just one example I like. Although I would like to own one anytime, I will not own a bobber unless it is one I can build/design in my garage. Luckily for me, SPS sells a rolling chassis from which to start. Should I stumble upon a wrecked HD with no motor or transmission damage, I may find myself thrown into the beginning of a bobber build.

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Honda CBR 1100XX

1997, somewhere in North Carolina. During a business trip dinner outing, I see a beautiful black bike swooping into the parking lot, amber signals in the mirrors ablaze. This is the first bike I can recall to make me stop in my tracks and stare. Being a Honda, I am certain I will be able to find a clean example of a 1997 still in perfect condition. This is likely the only inline 4 cylinder bike I would own.

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Triumph Speedmaster

Similar in simplicity to the SPS bobber, the Speedmaster catches my eye frequently. The simplicity combined with the wonderfully distinct vertical twin cadence earns the Speedmaster a spot on my current list.

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Harley Davidson Road Glide

I am NOT a fan of the "Harley lifestyle". I do not understand the lemming mentality, the need to be an individual in a sea of identical individuals. Their marketing is to be applauded. Any manufacturer who can claim to have the most tattooed logo in the world has to be doing something the masses like. Not for me. However; I love the lines of the Road Glide. Adding this to my stable is likely to NEVER happen as I will not part with the asking price. Even the asking price for a well used example is stupid. But, should someone offer me a Harley, this would be my choice.

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Honda Valkyrie

Own this one with NO plans to sell as this bike is a bit of everything in my mind. Want to cruise? Done. 800 miles/day touring? Without question. Hustle around mountain curves and backroads? Yup. This last one has caught some poorly ridden sportbikes by surprise. Yes Mr. Yamaha FZ1 I chased around the foothills a few weeks back... that look you gave me at the stoplight spoke volumes. She is big and curvy, yet able to get around fine. Perhaps a bit like Serena Williams!

Get out and have some fun in the community!

2008-04-03T21:30:00.006-04:00

I need to ride more, at least that is what the map above makes me think. With this in mind I have gathered a list of places I would like to visit via motorcycle, maybe my map will be more colorful this time next year!

In no particular order and certainly not a complete list:

New Orleans - Never been, love the food and I know some great people from the area. This one is a possibility on my way to an event in May.... if I take the LONG way.

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Colorado - I have been all around Colorado in my car and really want to experience it on my bike. Interstate travel can be avoided, but when necessary, I do not think there is any stretch of Interstate better than I-70 from Grand Junction to Denver.

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New England - I grew up in southern New Hampshire and have not been back much at all as an adult. I have ridden briefly in NH and MA on a borrowed bike and only for a short distance. I would like to explore the cool air in the mountains and the salty coastline. Spent a bit of time as a teen visiting family on Long Lake in Maine, I wish to ride this area with my uncle sometime. Uncle Keith, did you hear me?

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Arkansas - This area really never held any interest for me until I read a fellow riders ride report and saw the photos. I have never even been to Arkansas and hope to get this one during 2008. Someone give me a reason and I will listen!

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Michigan - During college I had the chance to spend a long weekend at a house on the lake in Charlevoix. What really struck me was the size of the bluffs and the lake. Simply immense. Even though I was there in the dead of winter and got snowed in, I feel the need to return and ride the area. I passed up an opportunity to work a semester in Escanaba in the UP. I would like to go see what I missed.

Speak to me

2008-02-05T22:07:00.000-05:00

If you have ridden for any amount of time, perhaps even if you have not, you likely have found there are motorcycles which speak to you. I ride because of the way I feel when riding. I ride what I ride because it speaks to me. It likely was me you saw sitting alone in the BBQ joint eating my lunch staring at my motorcycle. I need help.

I can find something to admire about most any motorcycle, but some will make me slow my roll to have a look. I have been known to turn the radio off in the family car, roll the windows down and listen to the sound of a motorcycle near me. I am listening.

Although I enjoy the sensory stimulation of a motorcycle, I long for none. I bring this up because a recent trip to the Cycle World International Motorcycle Show in Atlanta, left me feeling... well nothing. In a sea of amazing offerings, I found nothing which held my interest long enough to consider upgrading my ride. Sitting on the latest offerings from several continents did nothing more than make me realize that my Valkyrie speaks to me loudest. Mine is not heavily customized or even all that special. Accessories were chosen first for function and aesthetics second, if at all. Most of my chrome is dirty.

I have zero artistic ability, but I know what I think looks good. Like an artist working on a sculpture never to be finished, I tweak my ride. Sometimes her voice tells me exactly what to do next, other times eerily silent making me work for the next alteration. She begs me to learn new skills and try new things. Most have worked, one to date has not. oops.

Having spewed forth the garbage above, I will end this with some photos of motorcycles which speak to me, though the words I choose not to understand. Though I am sure each of these has loyalists, I refuse to listen to their words. I reserve the right to not explain my reasons.

Honda Pacific Coast

Buell Blast

Ducati Multistrada

BMW R1200CL

Big bike, bigger rock

2008-01-07T20:48:00.000-05:00

That smell. That almost indescribable musty sweet scent of spring was calling and I had to answer. In the garage under a fine layer of neglect she waited, without an ounce of complaint. Dust, dirt, bugs and grease are of no concern right now. I need a ride. You know the voice that tells you these things, somehow more in tune with your needs than you can believe.

Pre-ride check complete, I open the door and let the warmth rush in. The sky a perfect blue with wisps of white and a temperature scratching at 65, could it really be the 6th of January? Who cares! The roads are clear and I've been given the afternoon to myself. Twelve holes laced tight, I threw my leg over and jerked her upright. Together we roll to the drive and close the door behind. A slight warm breeze sweeps that scent of spring off the grass and into my helmet. I cannot help but take several slow deep breaths. Nice. I tug the choke lever, thumb the starter. The sound is nearly perfect, the reason there are no headphones in my helmet. After a brief warm-up for me and the bike and the pleasingly familiar "click" of the shield closing on my helmet, we are off.

I have no destination and aim for nothing more than a few miles to clear my mind. Success with a couple beautiful vistas along the way. Just what was needed. We roll silently back into the garage, dust and dirt seemingly undisturbed by the excessive winds to which they were subjected. Maybe next time I'll try harder to dislodge them.

Roe Ford Road

Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway

Table Rock State Park