Winter Reads... biker style...

Have you seen that biker? Where did he disappear to… Hey, over here…. No over here, on the couch.

So you ask, what the hell does a biker do in the wintertime… well they read biker books. Read, why yes… you only can look at pictures of barely dressed chics on chrome for so long, and then you got to resort to reading adventures of other bikers. Thank god this winter I found some good books to read and have been blazing through them. I want to know why these books were not on the sixth grade reading list, maybe I would of gotten better grades then, ha, or better yet my mom would of got a break from writing my book reports that I didn’t read…opps, did I say that. Ok, for you bored riders out there I will give a brief review of each book I have read so far and what I thought of it… maybe there is something you might want to read to pass the rest of winter. I will start with my favorites and end with the ones that would be better used for training a puppy.


Under and Alone, by William Queen
Great book about an undercover agent that infiltrated the Outlaw Motorcycle Gang. I loved this book, felt like you where right there with him, especially if you have ever experienced ridding into some shady bars or biker parties. Recommend this, actually my copy is quite tattered and worn seeing I let it to six of my riding buds and they all loved it.

Leanings & Leaning II, both by Peter Egan
Absolutely great books containing short stories all about Peter’s life eating, sleeping, and breathing motorcycles. I think all true gasoline asses out there can relate to all of his stories and adventures. You probably recognize his name and some stories from Cycle World Magazine.

Hell’s Angel, by Ralph “Sonny” Barger
Great book about Sonny’s life and the Hell’s Angels. Another one everyone should read and will enjoy.

Ridin’ High Living Free, Ralph “Sonny” Barger
Suburb collections of short stories that make you feel like you’re along for the ride.

Freedom, by Ralph “Sonny” Barger
A book about Sonny’s way of life and views of freedom in America. Good book to read and make you think about things.

Long Way Round, by Ewan McGregor & Charley Boorman
Well… umm… can’t really report on the book. I got the book started reading it and was enjoying it, but was struggling a little bit. Then found out about the movie and got that… Awesome! I have watched it six times even though it is very bad for my health. It makes me just want to quit my job and ride around the world for a couple years… I mean, really… is life really about working 9-5 each day…Hell NO! I am working towards that adventure… someday soon.

Friends in a Hundred Places, by William F. Mason
A simple book about the authors 43 years of traveling the rack roads of the US and Canada. I liked this book a lot and use it to find neat places to check out when traveling the country by motorcycle.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Robert M. Pirsig
Holy suck, oh, pardon me. I only made 1/3 thru this book and could not take it anymore, I tried, I really tried but just could not. I guess I would compare it to trying to have a conversation with a psitzafrentic with multiple personalities, or with someone with alziemers… just as I would get into it and feel like it was working… bam it goes off in a mad rambling about something irrelevant I am sure some out there like this book, but personally it sucked.

Alrighty then, I better get back to reading, hopefully this helps someone find a book to pass the winter by.

Marias new baby! It was priceless to see the neighbors stop to read the signs the gang put up!

Pauls crab cakes at malones

Ready to head home and meet his siblings.

So there it goes into the trailer. Maria is a harley owner for three minutes and she turns into chola biker girl! A side i have not seen yet! What is it about these bikes? Just because the keys are missing! We can fix this tough girl! Now we are but first we must stop to eat pauls crab cakes!

When the pressure is on go 2 the bah!

The pressure is on to post each day. So here is your tuesday post, they don`t stand a chance against wendell`s but their all i got. Every tuesday is wing day, just figured i would share with you curious folks.

Sign, Sign, Everywhere a sign...

So there we were, four bikers in a cab of a truck, laughing it up, making jokes when the most innocent one of the bunch pipes up... Ha, ha check out that sign... we all quick look, as our minds register what we just read we start laughing... Now I am sure all you travelers out there have heard of the pickle parks that line our countries highways... but check this one out.

And the sign said

Since we needed gas anyway we got off this exit... as we sat at the end of the ramp waiting for the green light, Maria starts laughing again... "look... look what road the Big Bone Lick Park is on".... no way... yes it is....ha....

Then the icing on the cake was, we quickly examine the map and find out that the other end of the road leads to Beaverlick, Kentucky...

Sign Sign everywhere a sign

Blocking out the scenery breaking my mind

Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign

Cold, Snow and Couch...or Drive, Truck and Bike

It was just another mundane Friday in the office. The weatherman was all over the radio announcing that it was going to be extremely cold and snowy all weekend, I was dreading spending the weekend on the couch. Then suddenly out of cyberspace an email arrives just as I am getting ready to shut down my computer. Seeing that it is from my buddy Diek, I instantly check it out. Hmmm, he is looking at a bike for his girl Maria and has found this one that just appeared on eBay and wants me to check out the pictures to see if I notice anything wrong or questionable because the deal is almost too good to be true. I had to get the whole scoop so I immediately rung his cell. He explained the situation and was giving serious thought to driving down to Kentucky to check it out. While conversing for a few minutes about the bike, the price, and the place, one thing led to the next, you know what that meant, ROAD TRIP! I hung up, called Betina telling her to leave work ASAP cause we are heading to Kentucky, of course she was all over that and promised to be home by 5:45. I sped home and packed a quick bag and had everything ready to go. Of course, Mother Nature wasn’t going to let us escape Michigan with out a fight. While backing out of the garage to head to the Double D Ranch the white shit started flyin’. It took longer than normal to get to the ranch but he had the truck warm and ready to go. The plan was simple, get as far south as we could before 11, find a hotel, crash, hit the road early on Saturday. Since the plan was simple the driving had to be challenging, two tracks in the snow, white outs, and fools that can’t drive. We spent the night in Peru… no not that Peru, Peru Indiana.

Saturday, we awoke around 6 am and showered up, grabbed some java and daringly ran out into the parking lot. The mercury was reading 2 degrees, but thank god we where out of the snow belt. We continued down Rt 31 merging onto 465 then onto 74 east with the sky opening up for a great sunrise. Around Cinci and down 75 we head. This is where the fun really started and we had all sorts of laughs. I will share them at the bottom, first lets take care of this bike.
We arrive at Central Kentucky Truck and Trailer Sales about 1:30 and crawl all over the bike to find some reason for the great price… we can’t find anything… it mine as well be brand new. It’s a 2006 Deluxe, Black Paint, Security, Windshield, Crash Guard w/ Highway pegs and only 1211 on the odometer, and even better its still under factory warranty until August. Betina and I go for a walk around the lot checking out the trailers leaving Maria and Diek to wheel and deal, I do not know what happened with the dealing but next thing you know I see Diek wheeling down the road… WTF, that bastard… I want to ride too!!!

Once Diek is back the finalize the deal and we hit the road to Lexington to the Harley Shop and then a celebration dinner for Maria and her new Deluxe. We try this joint called Malone’s….wow! If you’re ever in Lexington Kentucky you must go here…to die for crab cakes!

After eating the plan was to try and get back up to Indianapolis early, find a hotel and maybe catch a movie or something. Well Diek was haulin’ ass so we made it north of Indy before 8 pm… which then led us to discussing one shotting it home, only 210 miles that’s a walk in the park. We all agree that we are going for it, so we pull into a gas station, Diek fills up the truck while I get a extra jumbo coffee and adjust the cockpit for my turn behind the wheel. It was great cruising until we hit that damn Michigan border again, snowing even harder than last nite. The last 100 miles was a pucker of a time, about a half foot of snow on the highway, you couldn’t make out the sides of the road and every five minutes there would be a complete white out… like all you could see was the windshield wipers. We managed to finally pull back into the Double D Ranch at 1 am.
All in all… it was a great trip. I didn’t have to sit on the couch, and Maria got her first Harley, you go girl!!!

Home Sweet Home

Hey Folks,

Over the Thanksgiving holiday Diek and Maria are on a trip to see her family. Has anyone seen the movie "Fools Rush In" or "Meet the Parents" that is whats going to happen down there in Texas this weekend. They are going to post pictures here there adventures and I am going to try and narrate it the best I can using my imagination. Should be good for a chuckle or two.

Here they are, obviously there plane made it there and they got the bikes. You go Maria... ride that chrome steed!!! Good luck Diek, only a couple of hours before "the meeting"

Here we go!

On The Road Again!

I had some vacation time left so I rallied up the boys and we hit the road. Left GR at noon with 46 degrees showing on the dash. Light rain dampen the road but not our spirits. Once mid way thru Illinois the temps climbed into the 60's & full sun. Making great time until my damn engine light illuminated. No fear, we push on with no cruise. Spending the night in Ullin IL. More humor tomorrow.