Amarillo to Albuquerque

I decided to stay in Amarillo. I arrived moments before some heavy rains. By the time I got my gear off the bike and into my room, it started pouring. From the local hotels, a place called The Big Texan Steak Ranch will pick you up in a limo, bring you to their restaurant and return you to the hotel.

This restaurant is famous for their 72 ounce steak deal. If you can eat the steak within an hour it’s free. Many try; very few succeed. 

The limo driver told me Joey Chestnut (the Nathan’s hot dog eating champion) finished a steak in  10 minutes.

If you choose to take on the challenge, they seat you on a stage with a time clock on the wall. The man on the far right is the only one that did not pay $72 for his meal. He finished!

I spoke to my dad that morning and he told me about a canyon near Amarillo. At dinner the guy at the next table talked about the canyon as well. Being tired from the crazy night of camping at the wildlife preserve I decided I would stay in Amarillo for an extra night. This would allow me to go see Palo Duro Canyon the next day and get some necessary rest. 

Below is Palo Duro Canyon. You are able to ride down into the canyon. Unfortunately I could only go part of the was on one of the roads as yesterdays rain had washed the out leaving silt on the crossings. Silt is a thin layer of wet clay that will take down any motorcycle. It is a super slick substance. But there is another road that was clear so I got a good look at the place.

I spotted this lizard chillin’ in some shade.

I saw this road runner sprint  across the road and hop up in the tree.

I climbed up into this small cave. It was wet inside and very slippery like the silt.

I had to return to Cadillac Ranch. I visited this place last year, but figured I could get some dramatic shots as the sun was going down. So I went back again. Glad I did.

The picture says it all.

Interstate 40 is the main artery between Amarillo and Albuquerque. However, dispersed between many of the exits are bits of the old Route 66. I hopped off the Interstate where I could to have a look at the magical road that once connected Chicago to Los Angeles.

A few of the motels of yesteryear still exist. Seeing this makes me dislike the Interstates even more. I realize many of the lonely, desolate towns I have passed through are a direct result of Interstates. These large roads robbed the towns of the traffic that once supported the local businesses.

I stopped by a car museum and said to the lady collecting the 5 bucks that I was hoping they had some motorcycles. She directed me to this wicker bike.

I veered Southwest on Route 54. Those few dead towns along the way also robbed me of vital fuel. I passed two closed gas stations and was getting desperate. 

I finally found an open station to fuel up in the town of Mountanaire. When you are out west, even if you have only gone 30 miles…if you see a gas station, top the tank off. It could really save your ass!

This is Quarai. Quarai is an interesting ruin and part of the Salinas Pueblo Missions. The natives had Pueblos here since the 1300’s. In the late 1500’s Franciscan Priests from Spain moved in with the native people and built churches in the pueblo style. This is what’s left of the church.

I had originally stopped at the ranger station in Mountanaire to ask about these sites. It was 5 o’clock and the sites closed at 6. The ranger told me I would have time to see only one. But when I spoke to Billy, the ranger at Quarai, he told be there were no gates at Abo 16 miles West. So I should feel free to check it out.

Here is Abo. I was very happy the sun held out. It disappeared behind some dark clouds a few minutes after these photos were taken.

I saw this little guy as I was leaving.

Illinois to Texas

It’s been a lot of miles since my last post. So, when I left off I had just crossed the Ohio River and gotten lost. I ended the night at a cheap motel in Harrisburg Illinios. Seems like ages ago. When I woke up that next morning, I wiped the bugs off my goggles, got some gas and was on my way. Before I turned to leave town I saw this old baby doing time on the side of the road.

Then it was back to my original path, South along the Ohio River. There is a place in Illinois called Garden of the Gods. What type amazing plants must grow there? I was curious. Many places I Google ahead of time. This place I had not researched. It’s one of those places you find marked on your map with a little red dot. And what plant did I find worthy of such a title. No plant at all. Buried within the forest is this magical range of rock formations. 

I road along steamy roads as I seemed to be just missing a passing storm. Along the Ohio River I went to a place called Cave-in-Rock. Appropriately named. It is just that. If you have ever seen ‘How the West Was Won’, then you know the cave. It’s just like that! In it’s history too. I read that Louis and Clark passed the cave without investigating because of it’s reputation as a hide out for robbers, thieves and gangs. Here is how is looks from the river.

And on this inside. Very Cool. Remember the East Coast heat wave? It was literally, very cool in there. Some needed relief.

And from the inside out. Imagine seeing Louis and Clark floating by.

I saw this guy sucking on the sand. He did not look like any of the butterfly brethren I have seen on the East Coast.

Before the railroad it was the waterways that transported commerce so rivers are lined with many old towns.

This beauty sat outside a general store in one of those old towns.

There were a few sites I was going to visit which I had traveled to before, then I decided against it. One of them was Portsmouth, Ohio. I went there last April with my brother. There are some great murals that line the river there. I wanted to see them again, but it was out of the way so I decided to move on. But much to my pleasant surprise, when I crossed into Paducah, Kentucky from Illinois the same muralist had created a similar wall of paintings depicting the history of the area.

Just beside the murals was this big locomotive.

I continued South on a road which goes through an area called Land Between the Lakes. I was hoping to ride through a preserve they have for elk and buffalo, but a sign at the entrance said “NO MOTORCYCLES”. I did see this old furnace. I see signs for furnaces throughout my travels, but this is the first one I’ve actually seen.

I rode through Paris, Kentucky where they have a mini Eifel Tower.

Then I rolled on down to Memphis. There was a huge storm headed toward Memphis coming from the West. It was remnants of the hurricane which hit the Gulf. I wasn’t sure if I would have time to see anything as I was determined to alter my course to avoid the impending storm. Fortunately the storm held off long enough for me to pass by a few sites.

My emotions got the best of me at the next place I stopped.

The Lorraine Motel was the place where Dr. Martin Luther King was killed. When I looked up at that balcony I got real choked up. I had seen it so many times in that iconic photograph of Dr. King laying there as his entourage points to the location of the shots fired. Seeing the location in person was powerful. The motel has since been converted to the Civil Rights Museum.

Then to Graceland. It was killing me that I did not have the time to go inside. I was told it would take at least 3 hours to complete the tour. That storm would have been all over me by then. So I just had my picture taken by a family of ‘little people’ (just stating a fact) and returned to my Bonnie.

Bonnie must have been upset about Graceland too as she would not start. UGH! I mean nothing. I turned the key and the console lit up, but when I push the starter…nothing. Not a sound. After about 10 or 15 tries she turned over, but this really stressed me out. When I stopped for gas the same thing happened. I figure it was a loose wire, but I just wasn’t sure. And being 102 degrees out I surely did not want to be stranded. Each time I stopped for gas was unsettling. But she would eventually start. I shot down into Mississippi to avoid the storm. The parts I rode through were poor and desolate. I saw many abandoned homes even a couple old churches decaying away.

I was surprised to see the piano still inside.

You know, I am not sure if I had ever been to Arkansas before. I know I’ve never seen Oklahoma and North Dakota. Maybe by the end of this trip I will have seen all the lower 48. So I crossed into Arkansas once I figured I was far enough South to stay dry.

Arkansas stated out looking much like Mississippi. Lonely towns with very few people.

As I moved West the flora became more lush and the population grew. When I passed this factory or mill it reminded me of a Sheeler painting.

There is a bayou country in these parts of Arkansas. I got a delicious catfish po-boy before seeking a place to camp. I decided to go to Lake Ouachita State Park. It occurred to me however that it was a Friday night. A campsite on a lake may be full. I pressed on just the same. When I arrived, sure enough it looked packed. I approached the area for tents and a nice guy named Sam came up and told me the people across from him bailed out fearing more rain. So I lucked out big time! A good site with good neighbors. Sam and his family even gave me pancakes and bacon in the morning before I left. They were good company and it was great to have some breakfast to start the day. Thanks again y’all!

When I went to the park office to pay for the site, I asked the girl if they ever see live armadillos because the only ones I see are dead on the side of the road. The man behind me in line interjected, “Why did the chicken cross the road?” “To show the armadillo how it’s done!” Nice!

It’s good when people appreciate the beauty of the past and preserve it for the future as someone did with this fine old Esso station in Mena, Arkansas.

At the end of main street in Mena begins a beautiful road through the mountains. I would compare it to Skyline Drive but more swooping hills and turns. In the photo below you can see how the road continues in the background.

And suddenly this road turned from Route 88 in Arkansas to Route 1 in Oklahoma. Really beautiful. I stopped at a vista where a bunch of members from the local Harley club were taking a rest.

I rode through small spurts of rain but the only thing that really got wet was my legs from drenched roads.

That beautiful mountain road ended so I stopped to check my maps. I don’t know what is says about me that I am so attracted to decaying old structures. But I sure do like em.

Look at this old bank from the early 1900’s in Roff, OK. 

Last year I covered a lot of miles in Texas and was surprised that I didn’t see any Longhorns. But here in Oklahoma I did! Aren’t they impressive?

I was feeling tired and thought of finding a motel in Lawton, OK. Lawton however didn’t have much going on and I noticed a place called the Witchita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. They had a campsite there so I headed there. I needed gas a food before stopping for the night. I found this treasure on the way.

A 90 year old woman greeted me at the door. I  asked if there was somewhere nearby where I could get food. She said I could get food right there. I knew there was a sign for a restaurant, but it sure looked like an abandoned establishment. But nope. The lady told me they could could me dinner or breakfast anytime of the day and the had home made pies they baked daily. I ordered a chicken fried steak with three sides for $4.99. On the other side of the restaurant was the Indian Store. It smelled funny and had a dog in there that looked as old as the woman. There was also a sign outside for camping, but that was definitely a thing of the past.

From there it was on to the wildlife preserve. I pitched tent just before dark. I sat down and ate my meal. The only thing I had not eaten was the bread. Then I started a fire. While trying to get the fire started, I thought I heard someone sneaking up on me. I turned around but didn’t see anything. I figured I was just being paranoid. Then I heard it again. It was dark now so I flipped on the flashlight to see a huge raccoon opening the styrofoam container and making of with that slice of bread. I went to throw the rest of scraps away. When I returned the big raccoon came back. He jumped up on the picnic table saw the food was gone and left. I cozied up near the fire and began checking out some of the photos I had taken. Then I heard that damn coon again. This time he was in front of me but because of the computer screen I was blinded to the dark. So again I grabbed the flashlight to shine it on him, but it was no raccoon. Before me stood a huge bull. 15 feet away he just stared at me completely unfazed. This freaked me out! This thing was enormous! That night I didn’t sleep all that well. Besides being hot a sticky the sounds were incredible. The bugs were screaming, the coyotes were howling and the buffalo and cattle were moaning and grunting. But it was exciting!

The next morning I was talking to Donnie at another campsite. He told me some interesting facts. Facts about how the Wichita Mountains were formed, where the buffalo like to roam, and how to kill a man with I knife. He says he practices the move on his heavy bag at home.

The campsite was just across from this pond.

And here is some of the wildlife.

I kept creeping up closer on this guy. Eventually he let out a grunt to let me know that the next step I take could be my last.

And here is a longhorn hefer crossing the road.

I saw some cute prarie dogs too.

Their faces look like bunnies without ears.

I thought only humans were this creative.

I went to the top of one of the mountains and saw many vultures.

And more buffalo.

Now I’ve heard about those mushrooms that grow from the cow dung. Or buffalo dung for that matter.

My last stop in Oklahoma was this old house. 

From there it was a straight shot to Texas.

And so I was off…

I was pretty sure I was ready. The bike was fully loaded. I was itching to roll. Before I took off, I asked a passerby to snap a picture of me. It was at that moment that I realized I was wearing running shoes and my waterproof riding boots were still in my apartment. Oops. 

So then I was off. I wasn’t really sure how far I was going to go. I called my friend Dave in Frederick MD before I left. That was my first stop last year. How could I resist. We caught the crest of the fireworks in Frederick as his kids were getting ready for bed.

Dave and his wife Joi have a new addition to the family since my last visit. Say hello to Sam.

He’s a tiny little bugger and seems to wear a smile like it was a part of his skin. And then there is my favorite little biker girl Noa. A year older. 

She is darling. She made me feel good too. After dinner she sang a Pat song she made up, and before I left she did a Pat cheer! She kept telling me, “Pat, I like you!” I like you too kiddo!

The next morning it was time to venture to new lands. In Virginia I passed a house once owned by George Washington.

Then I road through the rolling hills of West Virginia. West Virginia Mountain Mamas served up some good riding through twisty foot peg scraping roads. It always freaks me out when those pegs scrape the ground, especially when I am fully loaded. Big Thrills! And lots of good old Americana along the way.

I went to Blackwater Falls. I had been here once before, many years ago. I remember a lot about that trip, but don’t remember the actual falls, so I had to check em out.

On tis journey I have seen a number of abandoned schools. I am assuming that’s because they built new schools. But after meeting some locals one has to wonder.

I woke up yesterday morning feeling a little queezy. Could be the heat. It’s been over 100 degrees in the daytime. Sometimes I am a little over eager to check things out without concern for thing like eating and drinking. I got up and want to investigate when I saw this sign.

Cool, right. So without breakfast I headed up this path. It was a steep uphill climb. With each turn of the switchback there were interesting facts to wet your appetite for what was to come.

And so I continued that climb. Upward to the fort I ignored my yearning for the basic needs like water. The forested path opened up as I reach the top. Tall brush prevented me from seeing the fort. I still needed to round one more turn. And then…this.

A canon and a porta a potty is all that marks this landmark where apparently a fort once stood. Not a great way to start the day.

So I rolled along. I got a hardy breakfast at a Waffle House and chugged a lot of iced tea. I had one of those good ol’ Southern stye waitresses who overflowed with “darlins” and “babys”. “OK darlin, can I get ya some more tea baby!” 

There were lots of signs in Kentucky to visit the many bourbon distilleries. I road by just one that wasn’t open for tours.

It is inevitable that some local at a pitsop will ask me the same question once we get to talking and they find out I am traveling and camping out alone. “Are you packing?” It seems everyone is but me. I told this guy Earl that I cross too many state lines to be packing. He said he doesn’t go anywhere without his 38 under the seat. I asked Earl about some road as I had gotten lost after a truck jack knifed on my desired route. He suggested 93 South. He said he has taken it when he enters the Bass fishing tournaments down there. So what is the great appeal with the guns. Maybe I should find out.

When I stepped inside the gun range I immediately heard the guy behind the counter talking to this old dude sitting on a chair. “All I know is I feel sorry for the poor bastard that enters my house unwelcome.” Beside him was a box of posters of Obama they use for target practice and on the fence outside a political poster for Rand Paul. Every time I hear that Rand Paul I expect him to be selling chickens. So I thought about renting a gun to fire off a few rounds, but I don’t really know what I’m doing and these fellers didn’t seem like they were the type for teaching me. So I just grabbed a cold drink and some jerky and moved on.

I road along the Ohio River as I headed west. It’s a beautiful ride.

I had planned on camping out once I crossed into Illinois, but I got lost again. I ended up on a road that turned to dirt as the sun was going down. Bugs were everywhere. The dirt road eventually lead to a paved road which dead ended at the river. But there was this grand old bank at the river side.

The sun dropped and I was still lost. I rode like a mad man to Harrisburg to get a room. I must have killed a thousand bugs with my face on the way there. But I got a cheap room and had a good night’s sleep. Tonight I should be in Memphis.

Coast to Coast 2010

OK, OK, part 3 begins today. With near 100 degree weather headed to the East Coast I will head West. I wanted to head out on July 4th, the last two years, but there were problems. The first year the guys at the shop downtown were still giving me the run around. Last year my bike was stolen on Memorial Day weekend. This year I will hit that July 4th target. I think I have all my gear together. I never installed the cigarette lighter power cord, but I have it with me and will install it on the way. I have some new gear and much of the same. My Bonnie is ready. I hope I am too. All I can say for now is…LET”S GO! There is a lot more to come!

A sad reminder

It was a year ago on the Friday before Memorial Day that I arrived home from work to find my ’07 Bonnie missing. She had been stolen. That Bonnie was then totaled and the thief was arrested in his hospital bed. He was denied parole last month.

This Friday before Memorial Day I had to visit a school in Harlem. I parked my ’09 Bonnie outside the school. When it was time to go home, I got on the bike and turned the key….no start. It had juice, but she wouldn’t turn over. I guess I am not meant to be on the road Memorial Day Weekend.

I called AMA to get some service. They wanted to know where to have it towed. The closet place would be the guys downtown at Corsa Motor Sports. I called them to see if they could take it. They said they were too busy. I should have known. I am glad they couldn’t take it. I don’t want to give them my business. They have always been a problem when I’ve dealt with them in the past. I bought my first bike from them. It seems most of there business comes from affluent city kids buying Ducati’s. They never have time to work on bikes. It’s always a rush to even have a conversation with these guys. And when they have worked on my bike, it always took a lot longer than they said it would.

So I called the guys at Gold Coast Motor Sports in Long Island. They were real nice on the phone. They told me there was no way a tow would get to them before closing. They recommended another company who could tow my bike and store it for the night then bring it to the shop the next morning. So that’s what I did. I even was able to work it out with AMA to have the whole thing covered under my plan. If you ride you should definitely be a member of AMA.

So I spoke to Alex, the guy who as coming to get my bike. He too was very pleasant on the phone. He said he could be there in just over an hour. For a Friday on this particular weekend, that ain’t bad. So Alex was going to pick Bonnie up with his pick up truck. I have had a pick up truck come get my bike in the past. They guy laid down a ramp from the bed of the truck and two of us had to push it up on to the truck. When Alex got out of his black pick up truck he looked as if he could lift the bike up on his own. He’s a big dude. But no, he has a flat bed mechanism that lowers down to street level. He just had to roll it on to the platform then securely strap it down. The whole bed is then lifted up to the bed of the truck by wench. Easy. Alex has a company Motomorphic New York L.L.C. I highly recommend them for your towing needs. They also have reasonable rates for storing bikes in the winter (if that’s your thing). You can see photos of Alex’s rig HERE.

This morning I got a call from Alex telling me my Bonnie was delivered safely. I then called Gold Coast Motor Sports to discuss the work that needed to be done. I’ll let you know haw things go with Gold Coast. I want my Bonnie ready for some serious miles this Summer.

Get ready for another epic ride with me and my Bonnie.

Bring on the technology

So for a couple years now I have done my traveling with only paper maps to guide me. However, as you know I like to share my travels online. This means I need to power up! Another thing I needed was internet signals. This means I would need a public library or a coffee shop with WIFI. I still may need the occasional outlet for the laptop and camera batteries, but I am now investigating ways of juicing things up with a cigarette lighter. All of this is inspired because of the purchase of a new phone. I bought the Palm Pre Plus. I was emailed an offer for this phone. The thing that sold me on it was that it can be used as a WIFI hotspot and with the offer the $40 a month fee was waived. So now I can get WIFI anywhere I can get a Verizon signal. I can also write on my blog from the phone when I am on the fly, but I prefer the laptop for writing and uploading photos. Now I can do both. The phone also has a Google map location app. It can depict where I am in any location. Bonus! I have gone many miles out of my way because I am too stubborn to stop and pull a map out of the bag. Now I can push a button. The purist in me likes the old way, but this is pretty damn cool.

So now I am looking for that cigarette lighter hook up. I found a cool article a guy wrote about doing it yourself. I don’t have any fairing to poke holes in on my Bonnie, but his instructions are simple enough. He also linked to www.powerletproducts.com. They have a cool kit for $29.95 that you can easily pop off and throw in your bag when not in use. There is also a section on the site called The Powerlet University Learning Center with videos showing the installation process. Very cool.

Just thought I’d share this. If anyone has any other suggestions for keeping juiced up on the road, please send me a message. Thanks.

PS- the do it yourself guide came from this site: http://www.pashnit.com
There is a lot more to that site. I recommend further exploration!

Freehold Triumph

I love when my questions suddenly appear as if by some divine intervention (or something). In my last post I expressed my disappointment that Freehold Triumph had closed it’s doors. It was the dealership where I bought my last Bonneville in May 2009. I brought it there for numerous maintenance checks and to be repaired after a little bang up. I ended that passage with this statement, “if anyone has suggestions for good service in the NYC area leave me a message please!”

Today I opened my mail to find a letter from Triumph. This is what was written:

Freehold Triumph in Freehold, NJ is no longer an Authorized Triumph Motorcycles Dealership. It is important to us that Triumph Customers continue to receive the service they deserve. In an effort to ensure your Triumph Motorcycle needs are met, you will find a list of Factory Authorized Dealers that offer sales, service, genuine parts, clothing and accessories for Triumph Motorcycles in your local area.

Triumph Metuchen
911 Middlesex Ave.
Metuchen, NJ  08840
(732) 906-9292

Green Brook Cycle & Marine
367 U.S. Hwy 22 E.
Greenbrook, NJ 08812
(732) 356-1193

Mt. Holly Triumph
2044 Route 206
Vincentown, NJ 08088
(609) 859-0333

Triumph NYC
155 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10013

We invite you to visit one of these local Triumph dealers. They are ready to assist you with all of your Triumph needs. For a complete dealer listing please visit our website at http://www.TriumphMotorcycles.com. We apologize for any inconveinience this may cause you.

Sincerely,
Mike Cunningham
Vice President
Dealer Development
Triumph Motorcycles (America)

So there you have it. Thanks Triumph.

I’d also like to plug a blog again, “The Selvedge Yard”. The most recent article deals with a chopper designer fom the 70’s Jeff McCann. It’s a great blog. I highly recommend it!

http://theselvedgeyard.wordpress.com

Happy Anniversary Bonnie (2 Years)

It’s nearly impossible for me to fathom that it has only been 2 years since I first rode my Bonnie from the showroom floor. With nearly 32,000 miles of adventure under my belt I must say it’s been a great 2 years. There would would have been more miles than that if not for a couple hiccups along the way. My first Bonnie was stolen last May. I got an automated courtesy call the other day informing me that the guy who stole it was denied parole. Good. So that was a month off the road. I got my second Bonnie (a 2009 T100) just in time to take off on another cross country adventure. A week after returning from that adventure I was side swiped by a lady pulling out from a parking spot here in NYC. That was another month without riding. Those 2 months were difficult as riding has become an important part of my life and spiritual well being.

I missed a month of posting here. Work has been brutal but that’s not a story for this place. I made a couple of boasting posts in January and February, but to tell you the truth the winter made riding difficult. I got out there a few of times, but nothing to brag about. The only reason I mention work being such a drag is because it has prevented me from sharing a couple of good rides with ya. We had some serious snow here as well which slowed things down. But the snow melted and Bonnie and I were back on the road.

A disappointing thing happened during the winter months. Freehold Triumph closed it’s doors. I bought my new Bonnie there and have been using them for all my maintenance needs. It’s kind of like having a doctor. You want someone who knows you and you can establish a history with. So I guess I am in search of a new dealer to work on my bike while it is still under warranty. I have heard good things about the guys up in Suffern, NY but I don’t know how convenient it is to get there by bus or train once I drop off my bike. I am hesitant to bring it back to the guys here in the city. A friendly demeanor goes a long way with me and that’s one thing the shop downtown does not provide. Plus I never get my bike back in a timely fashion. Oh well, if anyone has suggestions for good service in the NYC area leave me a message please!

In mid March a glorious weekend popped out. It started on Friday. I rode downtown to have dinner with mom. We then walked to the river and upon seeing this beautiful sunset I knew I needed to take off and go somewhere the following day.

I hopped on Bonnie and headed down to Philadelphia. I figured I’d go surprise an old college room mate. It was a good reunion.

This is me and my buddy Gral in his office that has a flavor similar to my memories of our dorm rooms and the apartment we shared. We lived in the basement of these boxy brick buildings known as Knox Boxes at the University of Maryland. Good Times! After making a pit stop to see Gral’s wife and kids I headed into Philly. I figured I would try one of these famous Pat’s Cheese Steaks. After seeing this line I opted for seafood down the street a bit.

It was a good trip and a simple one. I will be returning to Philly soon. It’s a great city and I have some good friends down there.

This past weekend was a beauty as well. I hopped on the bike and rode up to Bear Mountain and vicinity. It’s an easy ride from the city up the Palisade Parkway to Bear mountain. When I arrived at the top of the mountain, many bikes had already overflowed from the legal parking spots and I was happy to join them.

If you click and enlarge this photo, you can actually see the silhouette of NYC center left top and Bonnie center left bottom.

There are beautiful views of the Hudson as you wind your way down the mountain.

And finally as I have recommended in the past is Seven Lakes Drive just southwest of Bear Mountain. It is a quiet scenic road. This time I took a little off shoot from it which brought me to this small waterfall. The road then leads to Route 17 as does Seven Lakes Road.

Ah, it feels good to post again. I look forward to sharing more adventures here in the future with me and my Bonnie. I do know that the next 2 and a half months are going to be difficult at work, but if I survive, a glorious summer is sure to follow. Happy anniversary Bonnie. It’s been 2 wonderful years of riding.

February

Yeah February. I know I was talking big in January. Not so much this month. It’s not the best time of year if you live in New York and you like to ride. The weather has been cold and now we’ve been hit with lots of snow. I was able to ride around a bit in the city. Just enough to keep my tires fresh and the juices flowing. I am planning a trip at the end of March. Gonna ride to Miami if all works out.

I didn’t want to let the month pass without posting something. So let me hip you to a cool blog I came across. The Selvege Yard has some great vintage photos and articles on a variety of subjects. Some of the best stuff on the site in my opinion relates to motorcycles. Have a look:

http://theselvedgeyard.wordpress.com/2009/07/15/a-legacy-of-rebellion-triumph-motorcycles/

Click around on the photo menu on the right side of the blog. I think you’ll dig it. May the Spring arrive soon. See ya on the road!

Note to self…

Just because it’s nice outside in NYC

Doesn’t mean it’s nice outside of NYC

Add a little latitude with some altitude and baby it’s cold outside!