tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65939530976870734412011-10-08T12:11:55.523-07:00drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.comBlogger371100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-64857716290633548482011-03-27T12:00:00.000-07:002011-03-27T12:00:39.358-07:00

I received an email from an old friend a few weeks ago. It was addressed to all of his riding buddies and it listed all but one of his motorcycles as being for sale. We'd caught up over lunch the week prior so this wasn't a total surprise but somehow, seeing the bikes and prices listed made the whole situation much more "real." Seems that after almost 40 years of riding, my friend Stan's health

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-772261590815654452011-03-12T08:33:00.000-08:002011-03-12T08:33:48.253-08:00

I promised myself I'd blog mostly moto related stuff and nothing else. Hence the big gap. I did have some cool motorcycle related stuff worth blogging from early last year but frankly, I just didn't feel like typing it up. Really, I didn't feel like doing much at all. If you're like me, you spend a lot of time thinking about your bikes, upgrades, repairs, tires...oh yeah, all manner of things

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-58231360175863738092009-12-28T17:49:00.000-08:002009-12-28T18:00:13.250-08:00

I make no secret of the fact that I like to buy Christmas gifts, it's fun to stumble onto something that seems like the perfect thing for a friend or family member. For me, the gift giving thing is the best part of the holiday and I really don't think much about the gifts I might get. That aside, sometimes you get a gift from someone that is very cool, unexpected and really fits.Enter the Lego

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-62040281202613956362009-12-20T12:36:00.000-08:002009-12-22T19:18:56.908-08:00

In order to get some forward momentum and have a hope of catching up to the present day, we'll try shorter, less wordy posts :DAfter getting the head onto to the workbench, I started to disassemble it. Am I the only person that hears "no disassemble number five!!" every time I type that word?Anyway, I got out my trusty valve spring compressor and went to work. I love this tool, if you are working

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-36169363653643513292009-12-12T08:41:00.000-08:002009-12-15T17:06:05.492-08:00

This story will start in the past tense and pick up here in the present day...this little restoration project has been lurking round my houses for some time, read on:About a thousand years ago, I bought a '77 CB400F from the original owner. It had just over 10,000 miles on the odometer and had been sitting in his shed for well over 20 years.I'd nearly bought one as my first bike...probably should

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-8843663403645266862009-11-15T15:50:00.000-08:002009-11-18T07:26:21.133-08:00

Some unusually warm weather afforded me the opportunity to go for a nice ride, no heated gear required. Since the Tuono offers little in the way of protection from the elements, it's not my first choice on cold, windy days. Today was not cold nor windy so playing with my Italian toy made perfect sense. It was also a great reminder that while California truly is an awesome riding location...I

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-69268765343425553852009-11-11T11:14:00.000-08:002009-11-11T17:23:46.589-08:00

Whew, good, bad or otherwise, I actually finished a ride report and within a month of the ride itself. You can't know how good that feels. It's not terribly good, but I can check it off as complete at least :DAfter I got back to Dubbelju, the process of unpacking the bike, pulling my GPS and generally getting my big duffle full of my stuff served to distract me from the little feelings of

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-23479418971789972712009-11-10T18:02:00.000-08:002009-11-10T20:14:37.026-08:00

Me "Ya know, it's really not too bad out there."Ed "Looks cold."Me "Nah, it looks worse than it is."I am a bit optimistic when I've had a good night's sleep, I will admit that. I'd woken up before the alarm feeling rested for once. A quick shower and I was prowling the parking lot in a pair of shorts. Pure momentum on my part as a second trip outdoors revealed a slightly less warm reality. Ok, so

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-91877889100969179512009-11-07T07:01:00.001-08:002009-11-14T09:03:13.456-08:00

I woke up on Wednesday early, even though we'd been out pretty late the night before. There's just something about a day on two wheels that makes getting out of bed so much easier. It's not that I was in a hurry, I was just up and ready. I loaded my rented pony as Ed collected a few things he'd need for an overnight. Milling around his garage, it would have been easy for me to drift into

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-48166818449576048522009-11-05T17:13:00.000-08:002009-11-05T17:31:09.297-08:00

Oh, I wish it would at least.We take a brief intermission from our California ride report to play along with Fuzzy @http://www.fuzzygalore.com/This was a nice ride, on a great day in central PA, a ride I took to honor two fallen riders. For them, the road is now eternal.

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-62581538320245930732009-11-04T17:32:00.000-08:002009-11-04T20:31:39.711-08:00

Before I get on with day four, one side note. There is only one restaurant open in San Luis Obispo on a Monday night. It's the Mexican place right across the street from the Holiday Inn. Don't bother walking all the way downtown, getting a wicked charlie horse on the trip down, only to hobble your way back to the Mexican joint 75 meters from your hotel. Just sayin'I woke up early on Tuesday,

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-14534957957732148862009-11-03T19:34:00.000-08:002009-11-03T21:29:14.239-08:00

Day three really starts out the night before in Seaside. After a great day of riding, I parked for the night at the Holiday Inn Express. I'd avoided my computer for the previous nights but I was in need of a plan for the next day so I sat down and fired up Mapsource. Looking at routes for the next day led to scouting for things to see which combined with trying to catch up on emails and voice

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-36654871148520783232009-11-02T17:42:00.000-08:002009-11-02T20:09:09.791-08:00

After the first day in California, I could have gotten on a plane satisfied the ride had been worth the trip. It was that good a day. Day two started with breakfast ( no pictures :P ) and a little talk of the ride ahead. The weather folks were predicting another perfect day with sunny skies and moderate temps..what more could we ask for?We rode out of El Cerrito, through a local park which had

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-67143111100212013412009-11-01T17:03:00.000-08:002009-11-01T19:33:42.852-08:00

Once I'd gotten to San Francisco, the reality of six day to ride really hit home. In a good way... after a nice night spent in town, I loaded up my rental and got ready to head out. Cherie had arranged to have the weekend off which meant we had the next two days for her to show me some of the best roads in the bay area. We'd been chatting for a year about getting together for a ride and this

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-71550912932959298502009-10-31T13:49:00.000-07:002009-11-01T20:06:36.776-08:00

I am not one to buy into the notion of serendipity but some times life does give us opportunities if we are just notice them as such. I was lucky enough to see a week off "donated" to the company for cost cutting as just such an occasion. Ever since I'd had the chance to ride in California and Oregon last year, I have been itching to go back. I had business in Seattle during October so taking a

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-69170060224618743312009-07-05T17:50:00.000-07:002009-07-05T18:08:47.214-07:00

Every once in a while, you get the chance to blend work with pleasure...on a recent business trip to Pittsburgh, I managed to find enough time in my schedule to travel by bike, somewhat off the beaten path. I'd been meaning to check out Horseshoe Curve for a long time. Good stuff.... Check out that snazzy, bomb proof moto-briefcase :D

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-22237492566694765292009-05-25T16:47:00.000-07:002009-05-25T16:54:04.399-07:00

I've been fortunate enough to play with a lot of two wheeled toys but you just cannot over state the value of a simple, air cooled engine, basic steel frame and fresh knobbies :)See, look at that great big smile

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-76984391436128179432009-05-18T17:35:00.000-07:002009-05-18T17:45:51.572-07:00

100 mph on a bicycle...Seriously, those guys were awesome

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-35234858481393876852009-05-17T07:47:00.001-07:002009-05-17T08:14:45.849-07:00

...without a motorcycle.It's always fun telling a good story and it seems I never return from a trip on a motorcycle without a few enjoyable vignettes. Like having the second flat tire in one day...motoring into the parking lot at Smoke Hole Caverns, rain threatening to fall any minute...meeting the crew from Hillel's Angels ( a Jewish motorcycling club from New Jersey and a genuinely decent

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-69113705742530159702009-05-15T12:26:00.000-07:002009-05-15T12:37:50.211-07:00

Well, perhaps that statement is a bit strong but I find myself daydreaming about riding the west coast again. I just came back from a nice ride through Kentucky and West Virginia. A ride that cranked up my wanderlust to about '11'Kentucky was full of roads that looked like thisbut California looked like thisand thisand thisBe warned west coast, I will return :D

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-54988575255191569042009-04-25T20:20:00.000-07:002009-04-25T20:28:33.658-07:00

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-53452551607568056542009-04-23T17:52:00.001-07:002009-04-23T17:56:00.456-07:00

..gonna do it this time. I mean it I have my new touring rig, so I am ready to hit the highway in 2009

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-83280414499339731082009-02-02T19:46:00.000-08:002009-02-02T20:01:51.717-08:00

Yeah, if your 2008 was like a lot of folks, you were happy to see it in your rear view mirror. I'm not one for "the year in review" but it's been some time since I had a year that was as awesome/awful as this last one was. I had some great times, went on some excellent rides, travelled, had some "health issues," made new friends ....lost some folks that were near and dear and some that were about

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-90230771422243288872008-08-20T06:21:00.000-07:002008-08-20T06:22:28.286-07:00

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-72007105578056463312008-08-16T17:11:00.000-07:002008-08-16T17:15:11.093-07:00

There was a time when the beauty of this scene would have been lost on me... tied up in agony over dirt and mud and the horrible unknown. Thank whatever deity you like that I am past that.... a little closer to the start of my trip to/from WV..... and truly wonderful

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-56097991341899790522008-08-10T19:42:00.000-07:002008-08-20T16:15:54.734-07:00

In addition to bikes, I have a thing for cameras and to a lesser extent, old radios. In the days before Ebay, finding old cameras, parts for old radios and other arcane bits often meant some sort of mini adventure. I restored a mid fifties 45rpm record player as a gift and I had so much fun popping into odd little shops finding parts. Most of these places were run by the folks that started them,

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-10059062176342596302008-08-10T18:34:00.000-07:002008-08-10T18:46:22.881-07:00

I seem to have trouble with this whole chronological story telling blog thing. But, I figure I will just take it a bit at a time and build momentum.So, here we have my Daytona along the route home from a trip to ride West Virginia. On the way home? Yeah, I'm gonna tell this story backwards :D

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-75806122598776245152008-07-31T20:40:00.000-07:002009-12-15T12:18:42.689-08:00

LOL....good for them, no?

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-56937377133980935552008-07-31T20:20:00.000-07:002008-07-31T20:30:43.334-07:00

June 12th 2008...... me and my friends Crudmop and Fuzzygalore..nearly the middle of nowhere.It's early in the trip but even now, I can feel myself breathing easier. There is no over rating the beauty of a motorcycle and miles of asphalt going somewhere but nowhere in particular

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-79221445887166001632008-07-31T13:35:00.000-07:002008-07-31T13:46:35.344-07:00

I say that a lot these days. Thing is, I really seem to mean it. Oh, this has been such a topsy turvy year, all good and bad and confusing but some things are just simple.I love to ride. Riding well matters to me and the best way to get better is to go and ride your limits. I've wanted to hit the track for so long and...if not now, when? So, yesterday, I brought this home. A 600 cc bike for track

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-34610166800385999842008-01-31T17:09:00.000-08:002008-01-31T19:37:20.105-08:00

Can you feel the breeze in your face? I can.. This is shaping up to be a great year for riding and I cannot wait to get started. Everytime I look at this painting, I picture myself standing next to a bike, stopped just long enough to really be there, at that moment. It's hard to explain, but riding makes everything so much more real...even this painting. C'mon riding season 2008I stashed this

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-10959281892622389542008-01-20T07:12:00.000-08:002008-01-20T09:33:29.839-08:00

I've been a very bad blogger... sometime I'll need to sort out a mobile solution, all of my clearest compositions seem to occur in my head while I am on the move.Still, the thoughts do happen so at least I haven't succumbed fully to modern day anesthesia. I don't spend most of my day discussing American Idol or Brittney Spears, at least not yet. I think a lot of us aren't all that comfortable

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-35144620338068746782007-12-16T13:52:00.000-08:002007-12-16T15:07:42.443-08:00

I must have a dozen posts in draft but I can't seem to get myself to finish them. It's that time of year, you know. Gotta get accounting set to close the books, finish performance reviews, finalize the 2008 business plan, set first quarter action plans...What's that you say? That's not what you think of this time of year? Good for you. I'm trying, now, more than ever to get into the spirit of the

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-49334861446546039762007-11-14T19:02:00.000-08:002007-11-14T19:29:23.265-08:00

So.... what does an image like this say to you? Problem? Work? Interuption? Yeah, it's probably all of those but it just doesn't feel negative to me.My trusty Daytona traveled nearly 18,000 miles on the original chain and sprockets. Good times, every mile but in the end, the old chain was looser than.... ok, I'll spare you the uncomfortable analogy. Bottom line, we needed a new chain.Funny thing

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-14587005050604642152007-10-06T07:06:00.000-07:002007-10-06T15:43:31.702-07:00

Periodically, life in general seems to reach toxic levels and I need to disconnect for a bit. Everyone has their escapes, some people veg out in front of the TV, some people play video games, others make their way down to the local sports bar and toss back a few. For me, the most effective way to wash away the mental gunk that builds up is a nice, long overnight on two wheels. Riding a motorcycle

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-28934953209764557092007-10-01T16:37:00.000-07:002007-10-01T16:52:26.471-07:00

I've been sitting on this blog site for over a month. Well, actually, I wrote a lot of things that most likely will never see the page. Perhaps in time but for now, let's worry about the stuff I will post...Look for motorcycle trip reports, wild ramblings on things mechanical and the odd thought on life in general.Things like this make me a happy boy ;)

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6593953097687073441.post-23138386698517317792007-08-19T12:55:00.000-07:002007-08-19T13:05:59.986-07:00

drdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230013496386196489noreply@blogger.com0