Another funny story

In 2003 my cousin and I went to the Daytona Beach Spring Rally. While we were there, we decided to get our first tattoos. We were staying over next to Orlando, so we had about a 180 mile round trip ride each day. I got my tattoo first. My cousin was too sunburned to get his the same day, so he would wait until the next day, and get one. Since it was our first tattoos we didn't know very much about taking care of them, the artist that gave me my tattoo told us that a new tattoo had to be kept moist. They make this stuff called Tattoo Goo, but it's about 15 dollars an ounce. The tattoo artist said any un-fragranced lotion did just as well. He recommended Lubri-derm.

On our way from Daytona to Orlando we stopped at a Wal-mart type store to grab something to eat, some beverages, and a bottle of Lubri-derm. It was about fifty five degrees that day and raining. We hadn't shaved in a couple of days and were in full leathers; jacket, chaps, etc. Of course the Lubri-derm was in the same aisle as the ladies cosmetics. You get the picture.

We located the Lubri-derm and started discussing what size to get. I picked up a large bottle, turned to my cousin and said " we might as well get a big bottle so it will last us all week". I noticed an odd look on his face and turn to see a woman with a small child down the aisle staring at us. Just as our eyes meet, she grabbed her child by the hand, and that poor little girls feet never touched the ground until they were out sight.

Needless to say we found it quite amusing. We finished our shopping, and got in line. You will never guess who was one aisle over. The lady and her little girl, eyeing us suspiciously. I told my cousin that I was going to say something to her. He said, "Just shut up, pay for the stuff, and let's get out of here".

Have a nice ride, and keep the shiny side up.

Funny Story

I got to thinking about my blog about tattoos, and it reminded me of a funny story. We were on a cruise four or five years ago. My wife a several other couples went on the "Hogs on the High Seas" cruise. On this cruise, half the ship is reserved by members of the motorcycle community. Thus the name. The problem with this is, that when the other passengers book their half of the ship, they are not informed of this.

On every cruise, a couple of times during the week they have formal night. This is where the normal passengers dress in formal attire ( tuxedos and ball gowns). You guessed it; the bikers wear leather. We were in the elevator on the way down to our six p.m. dinner seating, fully adorned in our (formal) leathers, when the door opens ,and on steps two tiny, little, older ladies. They were scared to death. Lord knows what they were thinking. They were whispering to each other about the terrors that were about to befall them, when I noticed they had cute little Irish accents. The door opened and we all got off, and I never thought any more about it.

A couple of nights later the same situation happened. We were on our way down to dinner, the door opens and on steps these two tiny, little older Irish ladies. One of them kept glancing at me like she was trying to get her courage up, and finally she asked me if my friends and I would do her a favor. I told her we would sure try. She informed me that she had called her best friend back in Ireland and told her, that her, and her sister were on the ship with a bunch of "Hells Angels". Her best friend didn't believe her. She was wondering if her sister and her could get their pictures taken with us to prove it.

When the elevator door open, we found a spot, put those two little Irish women between the six of us, and gave our meanest, baddest, grouchiest, arms crossed across our chest looks. My wife snapped the picture. The one sister looked up at us, thanked us, and said, in her little Irish accent, "By Gar, she'll have ta believe me now, I've got the picture ta prove it".

Have a nice ride, and keep the shiny side up.

Tattoos

In my last post we talked about loud pipes and how it sheds a bad light on all motorcycle enthusiasts. A gentleman that read my post told me that I should take the subject a little deeper, so I think I will (by the way, thanks Jim).

Tattoos seem to be an ever more prevalent part of our society. People that, ten years ago, would have never considered getting paint, now have tattoos (myself included). Even though they have become more common place, I believe they still carry a somewhat negative connotation. For example, all of my tattoos are in places that can be covered up by business casual attire. The gentleman that suggested this blog is a very professional, articulate, and well spoken person, and carries a tattoo on his shoulder that can easily be covered for a business situation. Since we are both in the job market I believe our conservative approach is appropriate.

Tattoos are kind of like eating potato chips, once you start, it's hard to stop. I believe, like anything else, it can be overdone. I also believe, a person should not run out and get a tattoo, just to be getting one. A tattoo should have a special meaning to the person getting it, because it will be with you a long time.

The parlor that you get your tattoo is just as important as the tattoo itself. It needs to be researched for cleanliness and sanitation. The artist you choose should be researched, and some of his work looked at. Just like everything else, there is good and bad.

Ten years ago I was probably judgemental about people wearing tattoos, and now look. I guess the old saying is true. "You can't judge a book by it's cover" (unless it's a western).

Have a good ride, and keep the shiny side up.

Turn Signals

Boy, if you want to talk about writers block, I can, because I've had it.

Our friends B-O-B and his wife Deborah Sue came out the other night. We grilled kabobs (chicken and steak) and sat around the fire pit talking. I asked them what I should write about, and B-O-B said turn signals. So, here we go.

Does everyone realize how easy it is to use your turn signals. Reach to the steering column on the left side and pull down on the lever to signal a left turn, and pull up on the lever to signal a right turn. Then everyone knows what your doing, and don't have to guess.

While were in the car , can anyone out there tell me why some people get out in the left lane and stay there, irregardless of how fast they are driving. Normally a good indicator is their license plate. I think everyone knows what I mean.

Another thing that puzzles me. I thought cruise control came standard on most cars nowadays. If it does, there are only about 10% of the people that use it. This option is really easy to use. Just get to the desired speed and push the button. That way you don't drive 65 mph for a little while, then 75 mph for a little while, and then 65 mph. You also don't zoom up behind someone, swing out to pass, and then run right beside a car for miles. You don't pass someone on a downhill, pull in front of them and then lose 10 mph, on the uphill, so the car you just passed has to pass you, only to be passed again on the next downhill.

Thanks for the idea B-O-B.

Have a good ride and keep the shiny side up.

Loud Pipes

Last month when we were coming back from Murfreesboro, TN, we were heading north on I 81 when some guy passed us on some kind of Hardly a Davidson. The pipes on that thing were so loud it actually hurt our ears. Now mind you, we were running about 80 miles an hour with the juke box on, so things weren't exactly quiet. I'm a firm believer in "to each his own, but that was crazy! I wish someone would tell me why people do this. It certainly doesn't sound good. It's too loud to know what it sounds like.

I have Screamin' Eagle pipes on a couple of my bikes, and a set of Sampson Short Shot drag pipes on another one. The Sampsons are about as loud as I want to go. Yes they are baffled and, you can carry on a conversation standing beside the bike while it's running.

I ride with people that have Kirkers, Bub Reinhardt's, and Vance and Hines on their bikes and they sound good. They have that deep low rumble that makes a V-Twin sound like it's supposed to. I could ride behind them all day.

In defense of louder than stock pipes, I have been riding down a city street and see a car pull up to an intersection, and start to pull out in front of me. I pull in the clutch, rev the motor (I've tried the horn, but I always turn on my left turn signal, go figure), and they see me. You have to understand my big bike has a head light, two spots, and two Motolight running lights, but for some reason, people don't see you until they hear you. So I suppose you could say "loud pipes save lives", but use a little common sense. Please.

The biggest problem is that a few "look at me, look at me" people are going to have all of us riding bikes that sound like sewing machines (you know the ones I mean).
Have a good ride and keep the shiney side up.

Helmet Laws

In 2004, my cousin and I were riding to Murfreesboro, TN. It was early April, and about 30 degrees that morning. I had on my leathers and my fullface helmet. At mile-marker 138 on interstate 77 south, a young lady from New Jersey decided to flip her car in front of me. Before it was all said and done, I flew about 25 feet through the air, at a height of 6 to 8 feet, and landed on my butt. The force of the landing broke my boot heal off and caused the back of my head to slam into the concrete. If I would have had the little egg shell helmet on that I normally wore, I wouldn't be writting this today. This little incident change the way I looked at wearing helmets.

Until my 2004 trip I wore a little eggshell half helmet, or none at all. An eggshell is nothing more that a piece of plastic with about a 1/4 inch of padding. Just enough to satisfy law enforcement. Mine had all the cool stickers on it; "bite me", I'm wearing this helmet under protest", "if you can read this sticker, my female passenger fell off" (how's that for political correcness), you all know the ones.

Now, I wear a carbon fiber half helmet (I ordered mine from carbonfiberhelmet.com). It doesn't weight much more than my eggshell, but it is DOT approved. People have all kinds of options as far as choices of helmets. Half helmets, 3/4 hemets, and fullface helmets. Helmets are being made out of new materials that make them a lot lighter than they use to be. Ther eis also new venting designs that help keep you cool. Some friends of mine just purchased new 3/4 helmets with a new venting system, and really enjoy them. You can view a large variety of helmets at a site like harleydavidson.com.

After saying all of this, I still belive the choice to wear a helmet, or not, should be the the motorclcle drivers and the passengers. I do belive there should be laws governing minors' use of helmets.

Motorcycles and Friends

I guess unless you ride you wouldn't understand what it's like to have a couple of your family on the bench (not able to ride). We have a couple of guys ailing right now and it doesn't feel good. "Wild Bill" and "Brother Stu". We missed you guys, Sandra C and Sis, on the Kentucky/ Tennessee ride. Whoever said "Gettin' old ain't for sissies" hit it on the head. You guys get well and get back in the saddle. We miss ya.

Cruisin Kentucky and Tennesse

On Memorial Day weekend, my wife and I joined and three other couples to take a motorcycle ride to Lexington, Kentucky, then to Bowling Green, Kentucky. The third day we ended up in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and on the fourth day we landed in Bristol, Virginia.

The ride down Rt. 68 in Kentucky was absolutely fascinating. I would recommend it to anyone, scooter (motorcycle) or a car. The route was planned by this trips’ Road Captain, B-O-B (that’s B-O-B spelled backwards). No one really knows how hard it is to be a road captain until you have experienced it, but that’s a story for another day. It was B-O-B’s first try, but he did a fabulous job, except the four and a half hours in Meigs County, but again, that’s for another day. If you ever want to see how the other half lives, ride through Kentucky horse country. You will find absolutely spectacular farms, surrounded by stone walls with gated entries. These went on for miles. The morning we were getting ready to leave Lexington, we talked to a gentleman (a fellow Harley driver) that got to tour one of the farms. He said he was told that stud fee at these farms were anywhere from 10,000 to 90,000 dollars a shot, so to speak. I guess I got into the wrong occupation. I guess I should have started breeding horses when I was young. Let me rephrase that, I guess I should have been a horse breeder. I guess to make absolutely sure there are no misunderstandings, I should say I wish I would have owned one of the horses involved in the process. All kidding aside it was something to see.

After we left Lexington, we turned left on rt. 60. We stopped and saw Martin Castle, and, yes we were still in Kentucky. Well worth the stop (for more info, www.dupontcastle.com).

After that stop we continued on to the Corvette Museum (corvettemuseum.com) in Bowling Green. Two of the guys have Vettes and Harleys; I still say I’m in the wrong business. After leaving there we stayed the night in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Since we were short on time, we had to come back Interstate 40, 81 then 77. Coming through Knoxville on I-40 was a treat. Rain nearly drowned us coming through Charleston, WV. It rained so hard that our road captain had to pull over because his contacts were being washed out. We turned on our flashers and continued home safely. By the way thanks to the guy in the SUV who followed us, turned his flashers on and kept the wolves off our backs (had to be another scooter driver). Next week let’s talk about helmet laws. Yaahhoo!