Sunday, November 11, 2007
Get your FREE copy of Ride A2B on DVD
As many of you know, Peter & I filmed this trip. Over the last few months, Peter has spent countless hours editing the video and scoring it. I'm excited to report that Peter wrapped up production of the mini-movie and is making the DVD available absolutely free. I've seen a rough cut of it and think that if you enjoyed following our adventures here on RideA2B, you'll really like the movie. Here's a sneak peek...
Want one for yourself? It's as easy as 1-2-3. In fact, it's even easier than that!
A big thanks to all of you for following our ride.
The Ride A2B Trailer
Want one for yourself? It's as easy as 1-2-3. In fact, it's even easier than that!
- Email Mark with your Name & Address
- ...and Voilà! Expect your free Ride A2B DVD shortly thereafter!
A big thanks to all of you for following our ride.
Labels: DVD
Ride Postscript
Almost a year ago, Peter and I started to toss around the idea of taking an Edelweiss Tour after he made up his mind he was going to buy a new motorcycle. For those of you who don't know, Edelweiss is the world's leading motorcycle tour guide organization operating in every continent but Antarctica. Tours are generally done on BMW motorbikes for about a 2-week period. On the plus side, the tours are designed with motorcyclists in mind with switchbacks and sweepers along the most picturesque backdrops you could imagine. Finding hotels in a strange land is a non-issue as is arranging border crossings. All guess work is removed as all arrangements are taken care of, allowing you to maximize your riding experience by keeping you from wasting hours getting lost or worse. As a bonus, when it's all over you get a pretty cool looking t-shirt displaying a map of your trip to make all your friends jealous when you get back home. A very attractive package, indeed; however, a pre-bundled package like this doesn't exactly come cheap. Not only is the expense of taking one of these tours typically somewhere in the stratosphere for the average Joe, but there were some other negatives to these guided tours that just turned us off to the whole idea.
Firstly, you're riding a rented bike. This in itself has a whole host of reasons to polarize opinions, but as I see it, the bad outweighed the good. Not only does renting a bike mean you may be riding something you're unfamiliar with, but you have nothing to show for the miles logged on these trips, except for a t-shirt. For some, that works, but for me, I consider the miles earned on my bike a badge of honor, like battle scars, I suppose. "See that wear and tear? I did that." I didn't become one with my bike to leave it in a garage.
Secondly - and this was probably the biggest turn off for me - was the idea of riding in a pack of strangers. I don't do groups. Despite the flexibility to branch off, Peter and I wanted this to be about us and bonding as friends. Somehow I don't believe it would've been the same with strangers all wanting to one-up our stories or experiences. That's not why I ride. In the midst of this frustration, Peter suggested, "We can do this. Let's do our own Edelweiss." And so was born the early concept of Ride A2B.
I introduced the notion of filming the trip. Originally, the idea was to create a live mobile webcam that our friends could log in at any given time to see where we were and what we were doing. As it turns out, that would've required traveling with a satellite. Since that technology isn't available - at least not at a consumer level - the next best thing was to document our trip and then upload it. Setting up a Blog was the natural solution. It wasn't exactly the live interactive adventure I originally hoped for, but was as close to it as possible.
We discussed at length the destinations and then the purpose of the trip. How would this work with Peter living in Seattle, and I in Denver? What route would be the most equitable? Were we going to ride to raise money for a cause? Were we going to do this as an annual thing? Could we grow it to include friends or even strangers? Would they join for the whole ride or just legs of the trip? Should we interview people we meet? Would there be a third person to film us? What should we call this adventure? These were only some of the questions that we labored over for months. The answers to those questions eventually developed into a philosophy of riding without any real plans. Not completely certain this hair-brained idea of ours would work, we approached this as a "motoventure beta test", if you will.
And so we agreed June 1, 2007 would mark our official departure date. We'd meet up in Twin Falls, Idaho and then make it up as we went, filming, photographing, and blogging along the way. There were a few must-sees and must-dos we had in mind, but other than that, we were going to ride as the wind blows. As fate would have it, in the strangest of ironies, our journey began with both Peter and I being involved in two independent motorcycle-automobile collisions, effectively totaling both bikes. Our trip, as we knew it, was over before it began. We didn't get to see the must-sees or do the must-dos, but we got something more than we bargained for. It's a story that we didn't think we'd be telling, but it's a better one.
This experiment wasn't a failure by any means. It has given us a lot to think about as it won't be long before we'll be planning our next motoventure. We'll likely revisit the questions we faced a year ago and fine-tune our mission. We'll take what we felt worked to the next level and forego what didn't. Keep an eye out because this adventure may be done for now, but our journey continues...
Labels: recap
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Mark's Route
George Clooney Injured In Motorcycle Accident
I just saw this on CNN. It's a slow news day for Ride A2B, what can I say? The article doesn't state what kind of motorcycle he was riding at the time of the accident, but from digging around on the web, I suspect it may have been an Indian (Cruiser), as it seems he has an affinity for the marque.
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- George Clooney suffered a broken rib and some scrapes on Friday when the motorcycle he and a friend were riding collided with a car as the actor tried to pass the other vehicle, authorities said.
Actor George Clooney was in a motorcycle accident and broke his rib Friday.
Weehawken Police Sgt. Sean Kelly said the collision occurred at 3:30 p.m. as Clooney and friend Sarah Larson were traveling north on Boulevard East and sped up to pass on the right a 1999 Mazda Millenia that was preparing to make a right turn.
Kelly said it is not known if the driver of the other vehicle, who has not been identified, had used his turn signal. Boulevard East is a narrow road with sweeping views of the Manhattan skyline.
"It's a he-said, she-said right now, but you can't pass on the right in Weehawken or anywhere in Jersey," Kelly said.
Kelly said the accident remains under investigation and no summonses have been issued.
The 46-year-old actor was treated at Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen and released, spokesman Stan Rosenfield said in a statement.
"He's doing fine," Rosenfield said. "He has a broken rib, it's very painful and it'll take a long time to heal."
Larson suffered a broken foot. Both she and Clooney were wearing helmets, Kelly said.
Clooney's latest film, "Michael Clayton," will be released next month.
Labels: accident, George Clooney, helmets, Indian
Friday, September 21, 2007
Ready Or Not, Washington, Here I Come!
I didn't want to leave Cannon Beach, but today marked the last day of my Ride A2B adventure. Peter has waited 3 long months for his baby and it's time he have her back. When I arrived at Cannon Beach yesterday afternoon, the keeper at the first inn I stopped at recommended I continue on to the town of Seaside if I was looking for a room in the $60 range. I was also told it was more touristy and that the beach didn't have any monoliths jutting out of the ocean. So choosing to stay in Cannon Beach was a no brainer and I have no regrets stopping there for the night. I wasn't so sure I wanted to see what Seaside was all about, but I was procrastinating and was really starting to enjoy this "turn down any road" philosophy I was just getting used to. So I made my way into Seaside after all and turned down Broadway St. which leads to a roundabout overlooking the beach. The inn keeper was right. Seaside's touristy feel was nothing like the slower-paced Cannon Beach with its New England influence. But that's not to say that it wasn't nice. It was just different. I stopped to take some photos and noticed the roundabout had a statue of Lewis and Clark with the words "End of The Trail". I hadn't realized that much of my trip was actually retracing the steps of their expedition.
I hadn't had a Starbucks since I left Denver and was craving one right about now. As I rode through Seaside, I thought for sure I'd see one being this close to Seattle, but it wasn't until I made it to Warrenton that I found one. I made a quick stop there and spoke with a couple about the different routes I could take through Washington getting to Seattle once I crossed over the Astoria Bridge. Spanning just over 4 miles, the Astoria Bridge which connects Astoria, OR and Point Ellice, WA at the mouth of the Columbia River is impossible to miss. It's huge! Yet somehow, I rode right past it. I'll blame it on the head injury.
I hadn't had a Starbucks since I left Denver and was craving one right about now. As I rode through Seaside, I thought for sure I'd see one being this close to Seattle, but it wasn't until I made it to Warrenton that I found one. I made a quick stop there and spoke with a couple about the different routes I could take through Washington getting to Seattle once I crossed over the Astoria Bridge. Spanning just over 4 miles, the Astoria Bridge which connects Astoria, OR and Point Ellice, WA at the mouth of the Columbia River is impossible to miss. It's huge! Yet somehow, I rode right past it. I'll blame it on the head injury.
Astoria Bridge
Washington was about 20 minutes late welcoming me in true Washington fashion. To make up for it, the rain didn't let up until I hit Tacoma. But before getting that far, there was one stop I wanted to make. I had learned only a few months ago the tragic news that the father of a girl I dated in high school and college had recently passed away unexpectedly. Her parents had been living in Olympia and since it was on my way, I really wanted to stop by and give my condolences. Unfortunately, her mother wasn't home. Before leaving I stopped to ask her neighbor, Virginia, if Mary Jo still lived there. What I learned was that Megan and her husband were now living in Washington and were the proud parents of 4 children. According to Virginia, the grandkids keep Mary Jo pretty busy. What a surprise! But how wonderful is that?
Lesson Learned: Phone First
Next stop: Seattle! With all my detours, I was a good 4 hours late getting to Peter's place. Once I got into Bothell, it took 3 more phone calls and 2 wrong turns before I found Peter waiting on the street corner. Second Chance got me there in one piece and after putting on a few extra miles, she's home at last!
Labels: Astoria, Cannon Beach, Washington
Thursday, September 20, 2007
The Edge Of The World
Me, my helmet hair, and Haystack.Just 80 miles west-northwest of Portland is the charming seafaring town of Cannon Beach. The many shops and inns that line downtown's main road built in the Colonial Cape Cod style indigenous to New England seemed somewhat unauthentic here along the Pacific Coast, but it is a lovely town, nonetheless. I had expected to pay upwards of $200 for a room, but I landed the last room at the Sea Breeze Court, which is just a stone's throw from the beach nearest Haystack, for a mere $80!
Cannon Beach, Oregon at Sunset
Something about being near this much water leaves me in just awesome wonder. Standing on the beach looking out over the ocean I have a theory that the planet is flat. So it's pretty darn cool when you realize you're standing at the edge of the world!
Once the sun set, I made my way back to my room and popped in a few DVDs from the office library while I caught up on some of my blogging about the previous day. They had "Pay It Forward" so I had to watch that after my serendipitous encounter with Jared and Clare. Most of the movie takes place in Las Vegas, but there's one scene filmed in Portland and it's of the St. John's Bridge where Jared had taken me that afternoon!
Once the sun set, I made my way back to my room and popped in a few DVDs from the office library while I caught up on some of my blogging about the previous day. They had "Pay It Forward" so I had to watch that after my serendipitous encounter with Jared and Clare. Most of the movie takes place in Las Vegas, but there's one scene filmed in Portland and it's of the St. John's Bridge where Jared had taken me that afternoon!
Cathedral Park with Jared (St. John's Bridge in background)Labels: Cannon Beach, Haystack, Jared, Pay It Forward, St. John's
How cool is Mark?
For some reason he's being quite humble about this, but Mark just won a contest, and a pretty cool one at that. His design was chosen from more than 400 entries to be the cover for the forthcoming Chicago 40th Anniversary CD. Here it is:
Read the press release here. Also check out the album description on the Rhino Records site.
Didn't know you were in the presence of greatness, did you?! Way to go, Mark!
P.S. This was a still-life photo shoot, not a Photoshop job. Yes, he dripped the candle wax into the heart by hand. All the more impressive in my book.
Read the press release here. Also check out the album description on the Rhino Records site.
Didn't know you were in the presence of greatness, did you?! Way to go, Mark!
P.S. This was a still-life photo shoot, not a Photoshop job. Yes, he dripped the candle wax into the heart by hand. All the more impressive in my book.
Labels: Chicago, photoshoot
The Details, Pt. 2 - The Best Day
As Peter L and Karson were waiting inside the shop for the GS repairs, I stood outside speaking with Jared about his trip to Alaska on the KLR. I asked what I thought was a loaded question: "Did you take any pictures?" Surprisingly, his answer was, "No, not one." I was taken aback by his response. This was Alaska, for God's sake! Wouldn't you want to show anyone? If anything, for proof that you did it? But he went on to explain that by not taking photos or blogging, the trip and memories were all his. Jared, who is originally from Kansas, works as a sound engineer for the band Soular and has toured twice through all of the lower 48. Oregon, he said, was the prettiest state and for that reason settled there with his girlfriend Clare. I remember my grandmother saying the same thing. After riding along the Columbia river, I'd have to agree. Seeing the Gorge and the waterfalls made me think I was journeying through some exotic land. It's a shame I didn't get to spend more time there soaking it all in.
The most direct route to Seattle from Portland is only 3 hours and it was still early enough in the day for me to get there before sundown, but I was done racing from point to point. Since Peter T wasn't expecting me for another day, Jared encouraged me to spend the day exploring Portland and Cannon Beach. Without a map, I wasn't certain of my bearings so he offered to take me to his place where I could regroup.We made it over to his house which was in the process of being remodeled while the band was on a break from their touring schedule. Over coffee we started to talk about the music industry, motorcycle touring, religion, his relationship with Clare, and their remodel. Before we knew it, the day was shot and his plans to complete the roof over his front porch had to be postponed. He then asked me to join them for dinner and offered a place to stay for the night. I remember thinking I shouldn't - I had to go ride some more. But then a light came on and I just told myself, "Slow down, this is what it's all about - allow these kind of encounters and be enriched by them." Once I realized that I was no longer in a hurry to get somewhere, it was easy for me to just take it as it came.
My Sleeping QuartersThe next morning, I insisted that I help him catch up on the remodeling, so we spent the morning framing and sheathing his front porch roof. It felt great to repay the favor in some small way. When we got to a stopping point, we hopped on the bikes and went downtown for lunch on the 30th floor of the US Bank building. It was a clear afternoon and the 360-degree view of the city was spectacular. Jared said, "If there's one thing I would want you to take away from this experience, it is to help out another motorcyclist who might one day need a place to rest or food or tools. Don't force it. When the time comes, recognize it." There were times on his trip to Alaska where he needed help and strangers took him in. After a year and a half, he was finally able to pay it forward by helping me.
Will Work For Food
I couldn't talk Jared into joining me out to the Coast but he did eventually lead me to the right highway after getting lost for an hour. But I was in the moment and didn't mind one bit. My Portland experience was nothing like what I expected yet was exactly everything I had hoped for.
Will Work For FoodI couldn't talk Jared into joining me out to the Coast but he did eventually lead me to the right highway after getting lost for an hour. But I was in the moment and didn't mind one bit. My Portland experience was nothing like what I expected yet was exactly everything I had hoped for.
Labels: Clare, House, Jared, Portland
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
The Details, Pt. 1 - The Worst Day
So it's Wednesday night, my fourth day on the road, and I should be in Seattle already, but there's been a slight change in plans. Right now I'm blogging from my hotel room on the Oregon coast. Cannon Beach to be precise. The Pacific Ocean, baby!!! It was recommended by my new friend Jared from Portland. Speaking of Jared, I guess I owe you a story, so I'll explain...As many of you are aware, Peter and I had intended on riding side by side on our motorcycles, state to state exploring new places and meeting interesting people along the way without having a predetermined route. If a road looked interesting, we'd head down it to see where it would lead and then make it up as we went along. Without deadlines, we could never be late for anything. It's the whole "the journey is the destination" philosophy. Despite the common misconception that Ride A2B is a motorcycle blog - and I can understand why one would think so with all the posts and pictures about motorcycles - I'd like to think that this is really about discovery. Discovery of places, people, friendships and ourselves. It just so happens that motorcycles are just the means because riding is something I'm passionate about and I believe the experiences on a bike are uniquely involving. The filming and blogging is intended not only document our adventures but to bring them to you, our family and friends, so that you can watch it as it unfolds so that you feel you're a part of the trip. Peter and I have had long discussions about the Ride A2B philosophy and I'd like to think we are on the same page. I like that Peter and I understand that it's not about showboating or posturing.
If you've followed along these last four days, you know that Karson and I made our way to Billings, then met up with his brother-in-law in Coeur D'Alene, and then the three of us traveled together to Portland. Getting through Eastern Wyoming and Eastern Montana in a hurry was fine by me because there's not much there really. It wasn't until we hit Western Montana that I was just thinking "Wow, this is just beautiful!" I regret that I didn't stop to photograph it because I won't be passing through there again on this journey and saying "you'll just have to take my word for it" sounds like a lame excuse to anyone following the blog. But that's how it goes sometimes when you're in the moment. Unfortunately, because we took our sweet time making stops at the dealerships, we missed Highway 12 which is said to be one of the most beautiful rides in America. We also missed seeing Coeur D'Alene because we rode through there at night. So I can't share any stories or photos from there either. But the good news is you'll live.
Peter L, Karson's brother-in-law, had mapped out each leg of their journey as they had many miles to cover each day to keep their tight schedule. We left promptly at 7 a.m. the next morning without stopping for breakfast. I like that because I hate starting a ride on a full stomach because it usually means stopping shortly afterwards, if you know what I mean. It was 50 degrees and raining when we hit morning traffic in Spokane. I hadn't put the visor back on the helmet so it felt like I was getting sandblasted in the face. It was miserable. I couldn't see and so I was holding up the show. Once we made it out of the city, we hit the open road at speeds so fast Karson was burning through fuel almost faster than we could find gas stations between tanks. Slowing down to 90 mph felt slow if that gives you any idea. We crossed over the Columbia River that divides Oregon from Washington. If you've never been through the Columbia Valley, you owe it to yourself to check it out. This is Wine Country. To the east, the hillsides are dry and golden and as you get further west it becomes lush with waterfalls everywhere. It is also abundant in State Troopers.
The sign said I-84...so how is it that I was speeding?When we hit The Dalles, I was riding in the middle. Peter L had hit his brakes and with a delayed reaction, I hit mine, but it was already too late. Peter L and I were clocked by an Oregon State Trooper going in excess of the speed limit and were pulled over. Luckily for Karson, he wasn't tagged and so he kept going down the highway. Because I delayed putting on the brakes, I was going 10 mph faster than Peter's speed at the moment we were clocked. This was my first speeding ticket and let me say that it's a BIG one! And I'm not proud of that. Somehow Peter L managed to get away without a ticket. Lucky bastard.
We grabbed a bite together and then made our way to Portland to the BMW shop there for an unplanned visit due to a malfunction with Peter's headlight relay. So much for planning! While Peter's R1150GS was getting repaired, I met Jared Hobaugh. I saw that his Kawasaki KLR had Alaska plates so we struck up a conversation. An hour later, Peter L's bike was complete and we said our goodbyes. I wish them a safe, enjoyable journey!Tuesday, September 18, 2007
The Worst & Best Day Yet!
It's pretty late right now. Normally, getting to bed around midnight is considered early for me, but when you're on the road pushing nearly 600 miles of non-stop riding through all the sorts of weather mother nature throws at you and then getting up at the buttcrack of dawn the next morning only to do it all over again, midnight suddenly seems late to be putting my thoughts together for a blog.
There is so much I need to share with you about today's adventures that I don't know where to start and I'm afraid I may not have the energy to put it all down in words, so forgive me if I end up posting this without getting it all out.
Suffice it to say that today started as the absolute worst day of this trip and the antithesis of our whole Ride A2B philosophy only to end up being the most incredible, inspiring story yet that is at the very core of what this is all about.
Let me at least explain that I arrived safely in Portland, Oregon and I am now writing not from a hotel room or a relative's place, but from the home of a couple who, before this afternoon, were complete strangers. Karson and Peter are now on their own 10-day adventure without me. Hopefully, we'll hear from them as they progress. But don't hold your breath as they are without a laptop.
Let me at least explain that I arrived safely in Portland, Oregon and I am now writing not from a hotel room or a relative's place, but from the home of a couple who, before this afternoon, were complete strangers. Karson and Peter are now on their own 10-day adventure without me. Hopefully, we'll hear from them as they progress. But don't hold your breath as they are without a laptop.
Okay, enough about them - back to me. I'm going to bed. Sorry for making this a teaser. But hang in there and I'll post pictures and all the juicy details shortly!
Labels: Best, Oregon, Portland, Worst
Monday, September 17, 2007
A Long Day to Coeur D'Alene
No wonder it took so long to get there!
So today turned out to be a very different day than yesterday. Yesterday, we were working with a tight schedule so that we'd get to Karson's parent's place in time to watch the Broncos/Raiders game. But today we had a pretty loose schedule that only included stopping at Beartooth Harley-Davidson H-D dealership in Billings and Big Sky BMW in Missoula, and riding up the 100-plus out-of-the-way scenic miles of Highway 12 to Coeur D'Alene.As it turned out, we were off to a pretty late start, leaving around 11 a.m. Our delays just snowballed from there. We had hoped to make it to Peter's by 7 p.m., but we didn't arrive until 9 - and that was without getting to ride Highway 12. We only logged 537 miles today and it took a long 11 hours to do it! I was pretty disappointed in missing Highway 12, but thought we might be able to catch it tomorrow morning instead. Turns out that won't work with Peter's plans for our ride. Oh well.
Did you catch that I mentioned our plans included stopping at a H-D dealership? Yep, you heard right! But before you get your panties all in a bunch, it was only to stop in to see a former fellow motorcross riding buddy of Karson's who owns the joint. Karson chatted for a while while I got stuck yapping with a guy who was admiring the GT. I was in a pretty grumpy mood today, so I wasn't particularly interested in shooting the shit with some stranger about all his bikes and all the rallies he's attended. Thankfully, a service guy had to talk to him right as Karson wrapped up his visit so I didn't have to say some awkward goodbye.
I have to say that I was just in awe of how picturesque Montana is. But as impressive as it is, I never stopped to take any photos to back my claim. I did, however, get to take some shots of a beautiful brand new yellow Ducati 1098 Superbike being trailered. Hours later we ended up at the same gas station with the driver and so we chatted for a bit...probably about bikes and rallies, I don't recall.
We stopped in at the BMW dealership in Missoula just to check out the shop and to see if they had any strap clips for one of Karson's bags. The shop was pretty unimpressive as was their inventory. They did have a pair of new KTM 990 Adventures that caught my eye, but other than that, it was a case of been there, done that, so we pressed on.
The sun was falling fast and we still had a good 165 miles left to go, so we scrapped plans on riding Highway 12 and just booked it up I-90. We were a bit nervous because the last words from the guys at BMW were to watch out for deer and fallen rock since this was the season. It wasn't long before it was dark out and the temperature dropped to a very chilly 34 windchill degrees. There was so much bug splatter on my helmet visor that I ended up just removing it altogether just so I could see. We were so far behind schedule and just eager to get to Peter's that we hightailed it the rest of the way. I set the cruise control at 90 mph - even through the twisties - and threw caution to the wind.
Peter's garage.
We arrived safely and now I'm blogging from Peter's computer while Karson and Peter play poker and have a few drinks.
Labels: Big Sky, Coeur D'Alene, H-D, night ride, windchill
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Mile High to Big Sky
I don't think I even got a full hour of sleep last night. I was up until about 3 a.m. blogging and repacking all my gear. When I was done, I just couldn't fall asleep. I must've dozed off for a bit because I do remember being wakened by the alarm. It was already 5:00 a.m. We had to hit the road by 5:45 in order to meet Mark Kitchen in time, so there was no time to snooze or dilly dally. We were a little behind schedule, but we still hit the road before the sun came up which was a first for me. We reached town and stopped for gas shortly after 6 a.m. and then met up with Mark at a Sears parking lot. From there, we made our way north to Johnson's Corner for some breakfast, passing a H-D dealership along the way. Mark claims to be a lover of all motorcycles, not just the BMW kind, but I did see the one-finger wave as we rode past. Maybe it's more of a love-hate feeling.
While gearing up in Johnson's parking lot after breakfast, the strangest looking motorcycle-hybrid mobile rode past us and parked. It was part H-D, part POS, and so unique I had to snap a shot.
I tried talking Mark into joining us at least to Casper, WY since Cheyenne was only about 40 minutes away. We made it to Cheyenne in no time but Mark decided to break off from the group at that point after all and made his way back home via Nebraska. Karson and I pressed on and eventually stopped in Casper for lunch. I saw a billboard sign for Free WiFi at the Comfort Inn so we stopped at IHOP next door. I was hoping to blog from the road mid-day, but it turned out I needed a room number and password from the Comfort Inn to access the free WiFi. We sat at a table with a clear view of our bikes to keep an eye on our gear. It was amazing to see how much attention our bikes drew from passersby.
Karson and I decided to swap lead position on every quarter hour to keep an eye on each other's gear, etc., but it ended up being a great way to break up the monotony and helped pass the time quickly. We also covered lots of ground averaging 90 mph most of the way. As Karson mentioned, we hit some serious white-knuckle, butt cheek-clenching moments for a good 50-mile stretch after Casper with the wicked crosswinds. Why is it that it was at those precise moments that I had an itch on my face that I just had to scratch or the desire to hit the Next button on the iPod remote? So I kept thinking about Peter's post about being the wind, though I honestly had more visions of being toppled by a strong gust. But traveling with another rider really challenges you to push your limits. I don't know that I'd have been so bold to have gone that fast if not for riding with Karson. Maybe it's a macho thing trying not to look like a wimp to your friends or something.
Tomorrow is supposed to be another long day, so I'm going to call it a night and catch up on some much needed sleep. Maybe we'll get a chance to post from the road.
Labels: crosswinds, IHOP, Johnson's Corner
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Second Chance
The one thing Peter asked that I take care of now that Chance has been rebuilt was to change her name to "Second Chance". Tomorrow I begin my leg of the journey, riding from Denver to Seattle to return Peter's bike and finally getting the opportunity to see the country as we had intended over three months ago. The both of us were fortunate to have this second chance at riding and just life in general. Not everyone is as lucky as we were to be able to walk away from a motorcycle-car accident as each of us did, so I think the new name is fitting. Let's just hope we never have to rename her "Last Chance"!
Labels: Second Chance
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Chance Visits Chicago
Chance encounter with Chicago
Anyone who knows me knows that my favorite band for over 20 years has been Chicago. They were performing tonight at Denver's Fillmore Auditorium, but I hadn't planned on going to the concert with all my time dedicated to preparing for my upcoming trip to Seattle. But I got off work early and rode by just to see if I could get a sneak peek of the band warming up. I didn't see the band, but I did see two 45-ft. million-dollar Prevost tour busses parked in the back. I gave my friend, Adam, a call and chatted for a bit before giving up hope on spotting the band.
I hopped back on the bike and headed down the coned-off alleyway. On the street corner was a ticket scalper so I asked how much for the tickets. "Forty dollars," he replied. The tickets were $50 at the box office so I was tempted to buy one, but I rarely ever carry cash so I told him I didn't think I had the money. "How much do you have?" he asked. I said, "Well, doubtful I have forty," as I pulled a wad of cash out of my pocket. Certain I didn't have that much money on me, I confidently began to unfold the cash in front of him. As it turned out, I had forty-five dollars on me and he saw that I had that much money on me. There went my bargaining chip. "Well why not?" I thought to myself and handed over the cash.
He recommended that I return in an hour since the venue seats on a first come first serve basis. Because I hadn't planned on attending, I was in the middle of running errands. I now had to go home and pick up my camera, buy batteries, and stop at the bank to deposit a check that I had been sitting on for about 3 weeks. I ended up cashing the check so that I'd have money to park. I returned at 5 to see about 20 people already in line even though the doors weren't opening for another 2 hours. I snapped a quick shot of Chance in front of the Fillmore and then quickly parked her.
Kool 105 Backstage Pass Giveaway
In line I befriended lifelong Chicago fan, Gaylan Kindschy (his first Chicago concert was in 1973), and his wife Suzanna. As 7 pm approached, Kool 105's DJ announced that one of the backstage passes to meet the members of Chicago hadn't been claimed and would be given out to someone in line with "105" on the serial number of a bill.
The Winning "105" Twenty-Dollar Bill
Remember, I rarely carry cash, but now I had $150 in cash in my pocket! And as luck would have it, I actually had a twenty dollar bill with the numbers "105" in the serial number and so I won the unclaimed backstage pass! How crazy is that?! Not only do I never carry cash, but I never, ever win anything...ever! I just don't have that kind of luck. It turns out that the pass was good for two and since I came alone, I naturally selected my new friend Gaylan to join me. Don't believe me? Watch the video above!
The Winning "105" Twenty-Dollar Bill
Gaylan and I backstage with Chicago.(L to R: Jimmy Pankow (trombone) stand-in, Tris Imboden (drums), Lee Loughnane (trumpet, flugelhorn, acoustic guitar, vocals), Gaylan Kindschy, Robert Lamm (keyboard, acoustic guitar, vocals), me, Jason Scheff (bass, vocals), Keith Howland (guitars, vocals), Bill Champlin (organ) stand-in, Walter Parazaider (saxophone, flute) stand-in.)
Me with the only females that night who couldn't take advantage of the senior citizen discount.
Me with the only females that night who couldn't take advantage of the senior citizen discount.
Labels: Chicago
Saturday, September 1, 2007
It's About Time!
It's been almost 3 months since Peter's motorcycle met the acquaintance of the front side of a 17-year old girl's Saturn. And in the course of eight days, in an unprecedented act of God, the two of us managed to become involved in independent motorcycle accidents that would total two pristine, not-so-cheap BMW motorcycles. Well, that's what we thought until we heard the insurance company had other plans...
The estimate to repair Peter's bike was just shy of labeling her a total loss, so she was to be rebuilt from the ground up instead, replacing almost every major component you could think of including the frame, the entire front end, new plastics, and exhaust.
Once completely disassembled, she didn't resemble a motorcycle at all but rather a heap of parts. And it was only then, after the work had already commenced, that it was discovered many other parts were needed, likely qualifying the bike as a total loss after all. But with labor hours already accruing, the decision had already been set. With many of the parts not available anywhere in the U.S., "Chance" spent weeks strapped to a lift until one day UPS arrived with a slough of big boxes full of GT parts. It was like Christmas in July, only I certainly didn't envy the technician who had all that work before him.
The painstaking task of rebuilding her piece by piece fell upon BMW of Denver technician, James Lenard. After nearly 40 hours dedicated to making her good as new, James was finally ready to test ride his handiwork, but only after suiting up from top to bottom.
The estimate to repair Peter's bike was just shy of labeling her a total loss, so she was to be rebuilt from the ground up instead, replacing almost every major component you could think of including the frame, the entire front end, new plastics, and exhaust.
Once completely disassembled, she didn't resemble a motorcycle at all but rather a heap of parts. And it was only then, after the work had already commenced, that it was discovered many other parts were needed, likely qualifying the bike as a total loss after all. But with labor hours already accruing, the decision had already been set. With many of the parts not available anywhere in the U.S., "Chance" spent weeks strapped to a lift until one day UPS arrived with a slough of big boxes full of GT parts. It was like Christmas in July, only I certainly didn't envy the technician who had all that work before him.
Pictures: Peter and I discussed possibly making a time lapse video of the repair process, but the logistics proved to be too complicated. I did, however, manage to capture photos of some key moments.
The painstaking task of rebuilding her piece by piece fell upon BMW of Denver technician, James Lenard. After nearly 40 hours dedicated to making her good as new, James was finally ready to test ride his handiwork, but only after suiting up from top to bottom.
Videos: Tuesday, August 28th, 2007. BMW of Denver technician, James Lenard in full gear cautiously test rides the newly rebuilt "Chance" sans side panels.
Returning to the dealership.
With my pending trip to Seattle just weeks away I became increasingly nervous as they hit more snags in the rebuild. After over a week of missed promise dates, I was also getting pretty irritated. BMW of Denver wasn't willing to release the bike until it spent a full day being test ridden by a few of the technicians as well as Bob Creger, the General Manager. But I guess I'd rather be safe than sorry. Over $14,000 later, she is finally complete! On Friday, August 31st, "Chance" was deemed ride-ready and was released to my care. There is still some baked-on bug splatter on the remaining original panels that I'll try to scrub off, but she looks pretty and she rides like a champ. I wonder if I was to slap a GT decal on "Beasty" (my Yamaha 650) if Peter would notice. It has been 3 months, afterall.
Labels: rebuild, repair, test ride
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Out On Good Behavior
Jerry, Karson & Sarah, and I rode 275 miles on Sunday, making it to Canon City and back. It took us a total of 8 hours. The highlight of our trip was seeing the United States Penitentiary Administrative Maximum Facility (ADX) in Florence. Here are pictures from the trip.
Labels: prison
Monday, August 6, 2007
Two Years Today
I was cleaning up my place the other night and came across the receipts from when I purchased my K1200R - exactly two years ago today. Alas...
Labels: K1200R
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Interesting Motorcycle Accident Statistics
I really did not intend to have so much to say about motorcycle safety on this blog, but it does seem that that's what I've turned this into. I apologize for all the "preaching" but since this has now become the go-to spot for rider safety information, I wanted to share some statistical information with you that I recently came across.
Also, I want to remind everyone that Colorado passed a new helmet law that went into effect this past Sunday, July 1, 2007 requiring all minors to wear helmets while riding motorcycles.
One final word on the issue of rider safety. My new motto has become "My helmet saved my life, but my gear saved my quality of life." Maybe it'll catch on.
Now for those stats I promised you. The following is a snippet taken from the Insurance Information Institute website.
Also, I want to remind everyone that Colorado passed a new helmet law that went into effect this past Sunday, July 1, 2007 requiring all minors to wear helmets while riding motorcycles.
One final word on the issue of rider safety. My new motto has become "My helmet saved my life, but my gear saved my quality of life." Maybe it'll catch on.
Now for those stats I promised you. The following is a snippet taken from the Insurance Information Institute website.
KEY FACTS
- In 2006, motorcyclists accounted for 11.1 percent of all traffic fatalities - the highest level since 1981 - up 5.4 percent from 2005.
- Motorcycle crash fatalities have increased for nine years in a row.
- There were 5.8 million motorcycles on U.S. roads in 2004, according to latest data available, compared with 133.3 million passenger cars.
- Motorcyclists were 34 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a crash in 2005, per vehicle mile traveled, and 8 times more likely to be injured.
- The fatality rate for motorcyclists in 2005 was 4.8 times the fatality rate for passenger car occupants per registered vehicle in 2004.
- In 2005, the majority of motorcycle fatalities occurred between 3 pm to 6 pm on weekdays and 6 pm to 9 pm on weekends.
- In 2005, the majority of motorcycle injuries occurred between 3 pm to 6 pm on both weekdays and weekends.
- In 2005, 47 percent of motorcycle riders killed in crashes were age 40 or over. In contrast, fatalities among young motorcycle riders have declined in the past 10 years, relative to other age groups.
- In 2005, 34 percent of all motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes were speeding.
- Twenty-four percent of motorcycle operators who were involved in fatal crashes were riding without a valid license in 2005.
- In 2005 motorcycle helmets saved 1,546 lives. Helmets are estimated to be 37 percent effective in preventing fatal injuries.
- Motorcycles accounted for 2.4 percent of all registered motor vehicles and 0.3 percent of vehicle miles traveled in 2004.
- Some 88,000 motorcycles were involved in crashes in 2004.
- 27 percent of motorcycle operators involved in fatal crashes had a blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) over 0.08 compared with 22 percent of drivers of passenger cars.
- Since 1973 about 3.2 million motorcyclists have taken MSF training courses.
Labels: accident, helmets, insurance, safety
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Back In The Saddle
I can't tell you the number of times I've been asked if I'd ever ride again. After the first accident, all I wanted to do was pick my bike off the street and ride like nothing had happened. I just wanted to press on with my plans to meet Peter in Twin Falls two days later.
Close friends told me I'd be crazy to get back on another bike and encouraged me to give it up, saying I should count my lucky stars and accept that I had a good run of it. But I blew off the naysaying and said I'd be back at the top of my game again soon. And then Peter's accident happened just days later. People were saying it was a sign that I shouldn't be riding. I don't think of myself as superstitious, but I couldn't deny that maybe there was something to it all.
After Peter's accident, I'll be honest, I had some serious reservations about riding. My eagerness to replace my bike was surprisingly replaced with feelings of disinterest in the sport. I just wasn't in a rush to buy another bike anymore.
It was a terrible conclusion because I loved to ride. All the world is right when I'm on two wheels. I've felt that way from the days of riding my bicycle down my grandparents' hill at top speed. I love everything about motorcycling - the wind-in-face freedom, the camaraderie between friends and strangers alike of the same fraternal order or the solitude for self-discovery, exploring the country and getting in touch with nature and the elements, flying down long stretches like a bat out of hell, and dipping into sweepers or twisties like a day at the track, and just getting away from life and common surroundings sometimes. There's nothing like it and it can't be explained - only experienced - to fully understand. It's in my blood and I was disappointed at my own reaction.
Thankfully, it was a fleeting notion. As you're already aware, I purchased a Cruiser a few weeks ago to get me around town. The first week on it, I was horn-happy. I made sure to let people around me know of their slightest infractions, usually followed by muttering four-letter words inside my helmet. Everyone around me was a stupid driver.
Unfortunately, my Yamaha is not much of a sport-tourer. In fact, it's more akin to my Vespa scooter than a motorcycle. I don't trust it over 65 mph and I can't keep pace with my riding buddies. On a few occassions I've had to pass on offers for joining them on rides. It just wouldn't have been fun for anybody.
But today, however, I put in an 8-hour day and rode 300 miles with my friends, Karson, Sarah, and Jerry, and actually kept up the whole time! It was my first real ride in a month and my bum wasn't sore and my hands weren't still buzzing at the stops. I didn't miss a beat with the turns and the straight-aways. It was amazing fun! I was on cloud nine...and my Yamaha never left the garage. Jerry let me take out his other bike, the BMW K1200S, for the ride! It's a gesture that simply floored me. I'd never let ANYONE ride my bike. Most riders don't. But Jerry is of a different breed and I consider myself very fortunate to have such generous friends.
Our first pitstop was in Monument but Karson and Sarah had to turn around because of an emergency. It was just Jerry and I and his two bikes now and we continued onward, modifying our plan slightly. Instead of reaching Canon City, we worked our way past Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, through Manitou Springs past Cave of the Winds and onto our new destination point, Buena Vista.
The last twenty miles to Buena Vista were pure torture for me. I had an itch under my helmet that I couldn't reach and I didn't want to interrupt Jerry's rhythm of passing cars by pulling over. The best I could do was grab my helmet by the "jaw" and move it up and down fiercely as a way of scratching my head.
When we made it to town, I couldn't help but notice the Paradise Restaurant in passing. On Memorial Weekend 2006, Karson, Sarah and I rode out to Buena Vista together and stopped for a bite there before I continued on with the rest of my abbreviated journey alone (I lost my driver's license and had to turn around after 3 days). The marquee read "STEAKS BURGERS CHICKEN ISH" which I found pretty hilarious. One might assume "Ish" was really "Fish", but I took it to mean that pretty much no matter what you ordered you were getting a mystery meat of some sort, like a Chicken-ish Sandwich. But that was cleared up this time around. Now the marquee reads "Steaks, Burgers, Chicken, Fish" and it's good to know I was wrong.
Nonetheless, Jerry and I stopped for lunch at K's Dairy Delite, a pleasant cross between In-and-Out Burger and Dairy Queen. When you order, you're given a celebrity name instead of a number. Pretty nifty I thought, but Jerry was Kevin Costner and I was Seth Green. I asked for a better celebrity, but the name stuck. Oh well. K's must be a tourist spot because there were buses of high school missionaries, dozens of H-D riders, and families all waiting in line for a taste of K's. Inside was a map of the US and one of the world for dotting your place of origin. There were people from as far away as Africa who have visited K's. Then again, there's a high probability that kids were playing around with the maps.
After eating our lunch in the park behind the restaurant, Jerry and I swapped bikes. I was now riding the earth-eating BMW R1200GS Adventure - the Humvee of motorcycles. That thing can go 450 miles before needing to fill up! This was my first time ever spending any real time on a GSA, so I was pretty excited. BMW makes a collection of superb bikes for every occasion. The GS bikes are known for being great all-rounders, and particularly good for globe-trotting or just farm roads for the less adventurous. Because of its versatility and touring prowess it was easily a contender for my next motorcycle. The opportunity to put some real miles on one was a real treat because it was the kind of test ride I needed to know if the GSA would make the final round.
My impression of the bike is that it is a great machine and a real joy to ride. Despite all the whining from critics about the vibration from the traditional boxer engine, I found the engine to be smooth with a little bit of soul and with sportbike intentions due to all of its torque. You want to know vibration, ride my bike for 10 minutes! Now about that torque...this bike is no slow poke. I'd blip the throttle at any RPM and the front suspension would fully extend! You can also cruise comfortably at 80 miles an hour without working the engine. The boxer engine is a real gem.
Speaking of Hummers, with its extra suspension travel, the commanding riding position of the GSA puts you at least at eye level with drivers of big SUVs. The curvature of the seat (GS seat on a GSA) allows you to pick virtually any riding stance you want and it holds you in place comfortably. I never found myself unintentionally riding up on the tank as is what happens on sportbikes and even the GT. I was surprised to find that the bars were relatively flat like my hooligan K1200R and not set back like a touring bike, such as the RT.
My only real complaint was just the massiveness of the bike. I thought it was a bit clumsy around town at slower speeds. So for every day riding, I think it fails the test. Like any bike, more time on it would increase my confidence, but it didn't feel as spot-on as the K1200S did when I rode that. The K1200S is a precision machine with which I find very little fault. The technology, handling, speed, braking power, and comfort of the bike is astounding. I took naturally to the K-bike and believe I may find myself on one of 3 bikes: another naked K1200R/R-Sport, the full-fairing K1200S sportbike or the award-winning GT sport-tourer. Time will tell.
I digress. Jerry and I left Buena Vista, but not before my eye caught a thermometer reading on the way out of town: 97 degrees. Any doubts about wanting to ride again were wiped from my mind as we made our way from Buena Vista to Copper. The views were just spectacular. I thought about pulling over to take photos, but I knew there was no way to capture the essence of the views. You'll just have to take my word for it or go for yourself to see. We made one last stop when we reached Frisco. I threw the rule book out the window and decided to live on the edge by ordering a Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream on a cone. By the way, that's another advantage of having a motorcycle - being lactose intolerant doesn't offend anyone...well, unless you have a passenger.
We swapped bikes once again when we left Frisco, so I was now back on the S. When we hit Idaho Falls the traffic was stop and go, well, more stop than go. I was now riding on my wrists and balancing Jerry's $18,000 bike at speeds of 1 mph in 100 degree heat. I was hating life right about now. Then we saw a fellow on his BMW RT zip past everyone riding on the shoulder. Out of pure jealousy, I shook my head declaring, "What an asshole!" Just as soon as I finished saying that I look over and see Jerry booking it down the shoulder, too! "Ahh, hell with it!" I thought and joined the rebel gang - it was great!
The traffic went as far as the eye could see so we took an exit and wound our way through Idaho Falls, ending up behind two burly H-D 'ladies'. Not our typical crowd, but they seemed to know the way, so we invited ourselves along for the ride. Well, the pavement ended and we had no choice but to ride in gravel for a couple of miles until we hit the highway again. The S actually managed just fine, but if it weren't so miserable out, there's no way I'd choose to ride down that path.
Safely back in Denver, I had to surrender the keys of the K1200S to Jerry and have a reality check by hopping back on my 83 Heritage Classic. Riding home with a stupid smile on my face and my visor open, I was paid a visit by a bee that made a crash landing on my face. My head instantly felt like it was going to explode. I was swatting at my helmet franticly all the while screaming like a 12-year old girl with a scraped knee. The people in the cars next to me must've thought I was a lunatic - which in hindsight may not be such a bad way to keep people from driving into me. Anyway, I raced my way over to Starbucks and ran into their bathroom to pull out the stinger and inspect my eye. I then went to the counter, explained what had just happened and asked the Barista for some ice for my eye. His response was, "Oh, I just thought you had to pee real bad."
Despite the mishaps along the way, today was just an incredible day. It was an awesome first ride since my accident and I look forward to the many miles ahead on two wheels of my own. It's good to be back in the saddle again.
Safely back in Denver, I had to surrender the keys of the K1200S to Jerry and have a reality check by hopping back on my 83 Heritage Classic. Riding home with a stupid smile on my face and my visor open, I was paid a visit by a bee that made a crash landing on my face. My head instantly felt like it was going to explode. I was swatting at my helmet franticly all the while screaming like a 12-year old girl with a scraped knee. The people in the cars next to me must've thought I was a lunatic - which in hindsight may not be such a bad way to keep people from driving into me. Anyway, I raced my way over to Starbucks and ran into their bathroom to pull out the stinger and inspect my eye. I then went to the counter, explained what had just happened and asked the Barista for some ice for my eye. His response was, "Oh, I just thought you had to pee real bad."
Despite the mishaps along the way, today was just an incredible day. It was an awesome first ride since my accident and I look forward to the many miles ahead on two wheels of my own. It's good to be back in the saddle again.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Old News Coming Soon...
I've been meaning to blog about a few things that have taken place over this past week. I started a few posts but was too exhausted to follow through. The drafts were saved but never published. So, I'm going to wrap up those thoughts and just get them out there before I just don't care anymore.
Labels: updates
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