Forgot to Post this

Earlier this fall, an unusually beautiful day created the opportunity to get in a bike ride. The leaves had changed, temperatures were chilly but not cold, and I knew the Delaware Reservoir Park would be relatively abandoned.

I rode some of the backroads to the park. There were deer all around the fields in the area. The sun warmed the ground and trees, and unfortunately brought out the bugs too. As I rode around, I noticed a couple that was taking a break at the crossroads of Lakeview and Briar Patch trails. They were sitting on top of the sign, just relaxing and taking in the sights.

I stopped and spoke with them for awhile. Her name was Snow Proof Safety Cone. His, Cheezy Rider. They were riding cross country, and his bike broke down, so they started hoofing it. They had found the park and decided to stay there a day or so to decide what to do next. Obviously, it was going to be too far to walk all the way to California from Ohio. They figured something would reveal itself if they were patient.

We talked for a long time about options that might pop up for them. Talked about renting a car, renting a bike, hitch-hiking. None of them seemed to be right for them. They were looking for something different, but I just could not figure out what it was.

I hit the restroom, and came out of the facilities to see Cheezy Rider in the saddle of my bike, and Snow Proof Safety Cone on the back seat! They were both laughing, seeing my face of surprise. They both told me that they were joking, but secretly I was happy that I had taken the key with me.

I took off, giving my new friends a lift into town. They both have been staying in my garage as they try to decide what to do next.

Winter is setting in

The temperatures have dropped, with good days approaching 50 degrees, and bad ones staying near freezing with rain/snow flurries. The engine guard chaps have been on the bike for a few weeks now. They protect the legs from the wind chills, and trap a little heat from the engines.

I have to get in whatever riding I can, eking out the last few miles of the year. With the unemployment approaching a year, and other personal issues looming, it is not clear that I will be able to keep Kermit (the Nomad) for riding next year.

Stuff is just that - stuff. I have owned other bikes, and have fond memories of this and previous bikes. And more importantly, I have the friends that I have made during this time. If it is His will, I can easily part with my Nomad.

Stay tuned - winter is coming, but the drama is still unrolling!

The season is closing

So much work in trying to find my next job, and have not had nearly the free time I would have thought. I had some errands to run, and decided that I really need to take advantage of these few remaining days before the snow flies. I put air in the tires, and the chaps on the motorcycle (Classic Chaps). Temperature was in the 50's, so it put a bit of a chill in the ride. But with the heavy leather jacket and the chaps blocking the wind on the feet/legs and capturing some of the engine heat, it was nice.

People seemed to have been in a haze as they were driving. A lady at the end of my street backed her car out in front of me. Then just a mile or so down the road, an elderly lady turns left in front of me.

Please watch out for motorcycles out on the road. Many of us ride into the winter. as long as there is no ice, snow, or salt on the roads. You share the road with us, and you can easily kill us if you don't watch what you are doing. Don't drive distracted; whether it is drugs, alcohol, cell phones, flipping the radio, or simply day dreaming.

Lives depend on you knowing what you are doing. We practice avoidance techniques, defensive riding techniques, and use various tools to increase visibility so you will see us. But if there is a collision, it is flesh and leather and fiberglass helmets against multi-ton steel vehicle. We loose every time, no matter who is at fault.

Fall is setting in

I needed some coffee, so I decided to take an hour and make a run to Hemisphere Coffee Roasters in Mechanicsberg, about 20 miles away. It was beautiful morning, sun shining and temps in the 60's.

What I did NOT expect to find was that fall has slipped overnight. The roads are lined with trees whose leaves are changing colors, corn fields of brown stalks, and soybean plants had bright yellow leaves.

Like an exclamation point on this observation, I found the roaster has offered a pumpkin spice decaff coffee for evening sipping.

Ahhh...the year is moving towards a close.

Interlochen '09

410 miles from home is a small town called Interlochen, MI. And just west of it is a place called Cycle-Moore, a motorcycle place that took a few acres of land, put up a bath house and covered cement pad, laid down some gravel to define "roads", and called it a motorcycle campground. At $12 a night and the hottest showers around, its a true bargain - and home for the VROC Interlochen rally.

I took two days getting up there, enjoying the scenery and the area. Stayed at a Red Roof just outside of Lansing, working my way into the more basic accommodations that would soon follow. When I got to the rally on Friday afternoon, there were dozens of people already there! By the end of the weekend, over 50 people attended the rally staying in tents and motorcycle camper trailers.

Each night, we had a small bonfire. Most would wander their way to a circle about the fire, bringing chairs or picnic tables to sit on, and share their stories. There are never any "new" people at the rally, just those who have never been before and are welcomed in as quickly as the old timers. Probably 75% are return VROCers, with 25% first timers. People will ride over 1,000 miles each way to spend the weekend there.

During the day, small groups and individuals go about their site seeing, riding, or just kicking back at the campgrounds. The only rule for VROC is that "there are no rules." So everyone is free to organize group rides, participate in them, or go their merry way. I prefer the latter.

Each year, the rally is besieged by rain. Sometimes during the rally itself, sometimes on the rides back home. This year was no different. We sat around the fire on Friday night, watched the clouds darken, and eventually was inundated by waves of rain. Many suffered at the hands of the weather; some with soaked camping gear, others with damp gear that could be dried in the sun the next morning. Many took for shelter, playing cards and continuing the discussions into the wee hours of the morning.

I took two excursions over the weekend. One was to a place called The Cherry Hut. The best cherry pie known to man. And their food, while on the pricey side, tasted wonderful with large portions. It is an institution in the area, now in its 87th year and even recognized by bon appétit Magazine. The other was to take some curvy back roads into Frankfort, a town that sits on the tip of a peninsula jutting into Lake Michigan. Lots of activity, arts show, antique cars, and other touristy things. But my favorite, at the end of main street, is the sandy beach and lighthouse.

I rode back home on Sunday, getting packed and on the road by 8:30am. 420 miles later, I found myself in the garage at about 7:30. Eleven hours of riding with several stops to rehydrate and get out of the stifling heat. And true to its tradition, I dodged storms the whole way back.

It was a great time, wonderful to see people I have not seen in years. And I found that I CAN ride 400 miles in a day, if I have to. It still hurts to sit down, but such a small price to pay for the freedom and the excitement of being on the road and exposed to all there is to see.

For more pictures, some of them extraordinary, check out the Great Lakes VROC Picture blog at http://glvroc.blogspot.com/

Back from Interlochen

Made it back from Interlochen Rally. Great time. Left Thursday and took two days to get up there. Left this morning at 8:30 and pulled into home about 7:30 pm. Rode 920 miles. Great time seeing VROCers. Pics to be posted tomorrow.

What is VROC - "No Rules" is just one answer

Copied without permission, but with credit. Thank you Mr. Greenblatt

From "Club Corner", September 2009 issue, RoadBike magazine, titled, "VROC: Vulcan Riders and Owners Club", by Tyler Greenblatt

Vulcan riders must be among the most technologically skilled motorcycle enthusiasts. The Vulcan Riders and Owners Club(VROC) is a group of over 30,100 riders who mostly use the Internet for club communication and VROC is open to any Vulcan owner.

VROC started with just a few Vulcan owners e-mailing each other. Eventually, two separate e-mail lists caught wind of one another and joined forces. Finally, the list grew large enough to warrant automation of the proceedings and the founding of the official VROC online club.

Part of VROC is operated similarly to an online forum. Some of the main subjects of discussion are ways to customize the bikes and how to enhance the Vulcan's performance. However, discussion topics can range from rides to politics. VROC members make friends and share stories and experiences with the same passion as they have for actually riding their machines.

VROC is not a club in the traditional sense. It is essentially run by its members, and rules are basically the online "terms of use" agreement. But this isn't to say that these guys and gals sit in front of their computers all weekend. There are 21 "local" chapters, each in a different state or province. There are also another 20 chapters, each of which spans multiple states or even entire countries. There are VROC's in Germany, Italy, and New Englend, to name a few. The web site, or, more appropriately, clubhouse, has a calendar section with the specific details of each event, and a sign-up button. Members are designated with numbers based on their order of joining, as well as a nickname that is used as a forum ID. They get access to discounts at member-owned businesses and facilities, as well as VROC-friendly bulinesses and facilities. Joining VROC is free, but the recommended yearly contribution is $25 to help pay for server space and servicing."

Time brings growth

A common notion, in time there is growth. It applies to riding as well. With riding comes experience and confidence. I just updated my "visited States" map with selecting the states in which I rode one of my motorcycles.

I think I have picked off the easy states, those nearby Ohio. Now I will have to consider putting some real time in the saddle to expand this map. New York and Poconos? Wisconsin Dells? Time will tell. Hopefully, it will not happen because of the time commitment at a new job. ;-)

What does coffee and riding have in common?

I enjoy a good cup of coffee. Dark roast but lower acid. I even was considering buying my own roaster and buying green beans. The problem with roasted beans is that they have a couple week shelf life until they start loosing their flavor. And ground coffee is loses its flavor quicker than the time it takes to read this post! Its not that coffee is bad after that, but it is deteriorating.

There are a few roasters in Columbus, but who wants to drive 30-40 miles to downtown Columbus to pick up a pound of coffee? Then I was told about a micro-roaster in a small town. I looked them up, they were exactly as billed - a small roaster supplying mostly local coffee houses. What I did not know was their business mission (click on mission below to go to their website).

"Fresh Roasted Coffee - If you are looking for fresh roasted coffee that benefits the Christian Church in coffee growing regions, you have come to the right place. Hemisphere Coffee Roasters is on a mission: to assist the Christian Church in coffee growing countries by purchasing coffee directly from farmers who will be a blessing to entire communities.

We do this by working through farming-partners who have demonstrated their care for the community and by paying honest prices for the best coffee our partners grow. These prices are not fixed and are not tied to the commodities (NYBOT) market. Through relationships of trust, respect and transparency, we agree on a price. Last year our average price paid directly to the farmer before shipping was .30 higher than certified Fair Trade coffee."

"Nice" you say, "but what does this have to do with riding?" Well, I took the 20 mile ride to their shop this afternoon. Five minutes to get out of time, and all the rest was on rural roads. Most of it straight and flat, but a few 25mph 90 degree twisties just to wake you up. Run through a few small towns, one of which actually has a traffic light. And then into Mechanicsburg. One traffic light and street signs that have seen better days and no longer match the roads they mark.

The HEMISPHERE COFFEE ROASTERS is a small shop hidden on main street, very easy to miss. I did! I finally gave up, parked the bike, and walked the street. The shop was homey and cute, and the owners were very friendly and helpful. I brought my camera, but forgot to actually use it!

The ride back was just as fun as the ride down. As I turned into my neighborhood, a trailer/SUV had stopped in the middle of the road. A young couple just moving into their new-to-them house had lost several pieces of furniture off the trailer. I pulled off to the side of the road, helped them reload their furniture, wished them happiness in their new home, and headed off for the last 1/2 mile to the garage.

Its amazing the people you meet when you ride. That is what is great about riding - the people I meet. Sometimes they are in the stores and restaurants, sometimes they are running the hotels and campgrounds, and often those I just meet on the road. And that is what coffee and riding have in common - the people.

Great Lakes VROC Rally

Last weekend was the third annual GLVROC rally. Imagine 30+ people riding motorcycles converging on one property in Swanton, a town in the northwestern corner of Ohio. That is what we did this year, pitching tents and taking advantage of Boomer and Shannon's generosity by sleeping on the floor, couches, and spare bedrooms in their home.

It was well represented from as one rider coming from South Carolina, and several from Canada. It truly was an International event!

I rode nearly 300 miles over the weekend. For the evening, I opted for the small blue tent (misplacing the tent poles for the larger tent), and had to sleep corner to corner! But with the king size air mattress pushing against the sides of the tent, I was fairly comfortable and stayed dry despite a couple rain storms.

With high temps, each night we sat around a large circle and shared each others' company and stories. As the sun set, we moved to the fire and continued the laughing and stories until late in the evening...ok, really around 11:00 or midnight - most of us are old folks!

Sorry about not posting

I got to the Rally in Richmond KY, and spent time exploring the area and the rally. Got carried away and did not post for awhile.

Today, I left around 10:30 or so in the morning and got home a few hours ago, safe and sound! Ended up just 15 miles short of 1,000 mile trip. With newer tires, there is some rounding error, so I am claiming it as my first 1,000 mile trip!!!

Lots of pictures to post....will add them in the next day or two.

Day three - Two states, rain, thunderstorms, rain, and Bob

The ride started in Hurricane, WV in hot, sticky weather that smelled of rain. Within about 40 miles, a light rain started and I pulled off to a Bob Evans. Then the sky opened up, and down came the rain in buckets. Thanks to the nice waitress and manager, I was able to sit for a couple hours sipping coffee and waiting for a break in the weather. Finally, it came, and I took off in a light shower.

That quickly changed back to downpours, at times so hard it was difficult to see. I pulled off at this gas station, filled up the tank, and waited until the heavy stuff passed, and then I was off again. I kept thinking of those cowboys from years ago, trudging for days on horseback with no protection and days between towns.



It stormed almost the entire way - 150+ miles of ugly rain, thunder, and lightening. But I finally got to Richmond KY and met up with a couple of VROCers who had just pulled in. They had rain for about 30 mins....me, over several hours! The map below is the route that I took, and the red hashes are where I ran into storms.



I know someone is saying "why didn't you wait until it passed?' The forecast called for worse weather tonight and yet worse for tomorrow. As I am sitting here in the hotel looking out the window, I see blue sky and sun shine. I hate weather forecasters.... 8^(

Day 2 - Asylum, aliens, thunderstorms, hail, and 2 states

Took another 200 day trip. This time from Washington, PA to Hurricane, WV. Two states, and a lot of beautiful roads.

The first stop was the Trans Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston WV. Constructed between 1858 and 1881, is the largest hand-cut stone masonry building in North America, and is purportedly the second largest in the world, next to the Kremlin. It was renamed Weston Hospital.

Then a stop in Flatwoods, WV to see the "Green Monster." I was a little disappointed in trying to find a souvenir of the monster. Just some big ugly plastic things. What's the Green Monster?

"September 12, 1952 the United States Government was shocked when a damaged UFO penetrated this country’s airspace and crash-landed on a farm in the small town of Flatwoods, West Virginia among the Allegheny Mountains. "

Stopping for lunch, a thunderstorm ran through the town. I figured it would pass -and it did. But it was followed by lightening, thunder, and hail. After it all passed, the sun came out and I resumed the trip. About 10 miles down the road I ran into another thunderstorm. It was ugly and the curves became a little unnerving. But eventually made it to Charleston, WV - in rush hour. A multi-car accident on the highway made the final miles of the trip miserable, but I finally made it to Hurricane, WV where I am spending the night. My butt is sore, and I am soaked and tired. But that is nothing that a couple of beers and a shower wont fix!

Tomorrow, I am planning on making it to Richmond, KY which is where the rally is being held.

Day 1 of WWR trip, three states

As typical of most of my adventures, getting started was a true challenge. Got the dogs to the vets, but the little one was petrified. So scared that he actually threw up! Then I got back home and thunderstorms and lightening crashed in about the area. I thought I would have to cancel and start a day late.

But all turned good and I finally got on the road. Kermit (my motorcycle) handled great, and I had no rain. Put on just a little over 200 miles which will be my intended average. Not a lot of miles, but with high temps (in the 80's) and high humidity, it will beat ya down!

This picture came as I crossed the Ohio River, going from Ohio into West Virginia. I missed the welcome to WV sign, but thought it was a good idea to focus on my riding instead! ;-)


Here is a pic as I entered into PA from WV. This one, I pulled off the road to get a decent picture - so don't yell at me on this one! OK, so I did have to step into the road, but I looked first!

The bike is in a covered area at the Red Roof Inn (there was room at the inn, of course it is not Christmas yet). The rain just started coming down, and a bunch of construction workers who were planning on a cookout have scrambled into their rooms. Tomorrow, if the weather holds, it is back into WV to stay in Charleston - another 200 mile day. Hopefully it will be a little cooler, but just as dry.

From Here to Kingdom Come

Whether you call it the WWR (Wolfman Wondering Rally), the KY rally, or the "From Here to Kingdom Come" rally, its all the same. A couple hundred motorcycles from all over the continent converging on the small town of Richmond KY.

Images of Hell's Angels come to mind, but would be so far from wrong. We are all members of the internet-based riding club called VROC (Vulcan Riders and Owners Club). Vulcans are a brand of motorcycles manufactured by Kawasaki. Over 30,000 people have joined the club at www.vroc.org and exchange technical information, and more often connect on a personal level sharing personal successes, tragedies, and request for support and prayers to overcome our daily challenges.

So members often stage get-togethers (rallys) where we can actually meet those we share our lives with in the virtual world. Most are smaller, local rides and rallys. But there are some larger get-togethers as well, and this is one of them.

Instead of riding directly to the event, I am planning a more circuitous route - including WV, PA, OH, KY and maybe TN if the weather holds (map below). I am taking the blackberry and laptop with me, and hoping to do some posting of the pictures taken along the way.

For more info, check here: http://www.heretokingdomcome.com/

Brandy Winfield Memorial Poker Run this Saturday

Brandy Winfield Memorial Poker Run this Saturday, and I plan to be there!

On October 14th, 2004 Deputy Brandy Winfield was murdered in the line of duty. He paid the ultimate sacrifice to his community while assisting a disabled motorist. He died doing what he loved. Brandy was also a beloved father, husband, son, brother, and friend to anyone that had the pleasure to meet him.

We continue his spirit of giving back to his community. The proceeds from this ride will benefit RICHWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT K-9 UNIT FUND and Fraternal Order of Police, Steve Young Memorial Lodge #24, Marion, OH.

Since the first run on June 4, 2005, the Brandy Winfield Memorial Poker Run has raised $68,400. The groups and organizations that have benefited from this are the Winfield Children Trust Fund, The Brandy Winfield Memorial Scholarship Fund, Ridgedale High School Athletic Department, Concerns of Police Survivors – Ohio Chapter, Concerns of Police Survivors – Kids Camp Program, Tri-Rivers Joint Vocational School Law Enforcement Program, Marion Safety City Program and Marion City Police Officer Cory Winfield's Recovery Effort.

--- http://www.brandywinfieldrun.org/index.html

Ride to Portsmouth Oh

On Saturday, Henry, Rita, and I took off for Portsmouth which is on the border of Ohio and KY, sitting on the Ohio River. The sun was shining, and temps were in the 80's - hot for April. It was a great ride, and the companionship was great.

The intended destination was the floodwall along the river. The wall has a series of murals painted directly on the concrete. Vibrant and 3D, the images were amazing. The scenes all depicted things local to Portsmouth.

The overall ride was 270 miles, a great medium distant ride. I finally got the saddle adjusted and had no pain throughout the entire ride! The heat was pretty tough as I foolishly wore my leather coat. And of course, the full face helmet, cloves, boots. But we drank a lot of water to stay hydrated. When we hit home, we had to stop for a couple of cold ones to celebrate a great ride!

Here are a few shots just to give you an idea on what the wall looks like. It is definitely worth a day trip for anyone nearby.

Short but enjoyable

Got out for a little over 100 miles today - a HD Sportster, HD Superglide, and my Nomad. Helped a guy pick out a Harley emblem for his passenger backrest. Then stopped at Cracker Barrel for lunch. But we had to get back so one of the group could get to work.

My partners in crime today...



Here is the route we took. Same way back as we took out.

Early summer days

It was beautiful weather the last few days, and I took advantage of them! Tuesday, I ran up to a local reservoir and then through the country to Delaware, and then back home. My intent was to get some pictures of the bike in a cool location. But was not impressed with anything I found.

Yesterday, I rode the bike to run some errands, including going to Batteries Plus in Hilliard for a new battery for my son's phone (nope, did not fix the problem). I decided to take a run into Dublin and took some shots at the Field of Corn. It is located in the Sam and Eulalia Frantz Park in Dublin, Oh at the corner of Rings Road and Franz Road. All-in-all, spent around 120 miles over the two days.

Temps have been in the low 70's, a rarity this time of year. Today, we are going back to seasonal temperatures of low 50's. Now I am planning on a bike trip (first of the year), leaving on Friday afternoon and returning Sunday.

the Bike Bug

Friday morning, I put on my jacket, boots, helmet, thinsulate gloves and got on the bike. I did not even put on chaps or the neck protector thing. Yeah, it was cold. Temps were in the 20's (F) and there was heavy frost on the vehicles. Windchills of riding at 70mph were near zero when adjusted for the windshield and engine guard chaps. The wind stung my neck, legs were cold, and fingers started to get numb. Damn, it felt good.

The looks on the faces of some of the cagers was priceless as I passed them on a country 2 lane road. As I passed an 18-wheeler, I saw him pick up his CB mike, looking at me the whole time. About 1/2 mile behind him was another truck, and he was watching me and laughing and talking on his radio. A third was doing the same. It could have been my imagination, but I bet those guys were getting one heck of a chuckle out of the ice sickle on two wheels.

Today (Monday), I took an hour and washed my bike. Tomorrow is supposed to be near 70 degrees, and I am going for a ride and to take some pictures. Not sure where yet. And if the weather turns nice for Wed, I might even do an over-nighter to spend some time drinking green beer!

Beautiful Ride on Saturday

Went for a beautiful ride on Saturday. Up to Findlay, an espresso at cafe amici, and a walk around the river. Only 130 miles, but each mile was glorious. A little windy, but still a great ride with temperatures going over 70!

This picture is from a walking bridge that spans the river. From a distance, it looks like a derelict railroad trestle, but it is actually part of a bike trail.

First ride of the season just around the corner?

The weather has been cold and cruel. The few days where temps exceeded freezing were preceded by snow and ice storms. That left piles of salt and pools of highly corrosive salt water. But we have had some rain washing the salt away, and the temperatures are supposed to be warmer this weekend. Maybe a ride? Maybe?? Please????

Oh yeah...and I still have to tidy up the wires on the light bar, and aim the lights. Guess I better get on that since I finished the install back in early January!

Update on Lightbar, and Detroit Motorcycle Show

Detroit Show was right after New Years in Novi, Michigan. It was an exceptional show, in my opinion. The attendee turnout ended up being relatively light, so I was able to sit on a lot of bikes, and do a lot of close looking on others, and talking with the various factory reps.

I was very disappointed in the new Kawasaki voyager as well as the nomad. The bags were flimsy - very flimsy. The seating area was cramped. There were several other aspects that just did not appeal to me. I sat on a voyager and just did not feel right - like it was smaller than my Nomad.

I spent some time with one of the reps (probably close to 1/2 hour), and she agreed that there has been "mixed" customer reaction. Asked about the red color, and she believes it is not coming out this year.

I asked about the engine, why they came out with a completely new engine, and not use either the 4 cyl or the 1600 or 2000. She said that they wanted to keep the V-Twin (we were discussion the Nomad mostly at that point). She indicated that what they did was use the top of the 1600 and mated it to the bottom of the 2000. So it really was not a completely new engine.

We also talked about why the belt as opposed to the drive shaft. She started with weight and increased angle flexibility, but ultimately came to what I considered to be the real truth - it was a marketing decision based on what other bikes in this group were doing.

As a side note, I looked at the Victory Vision. Hated the looks...then I sat on one. I am in LOVE. It felt like the bike was made for me - with room to stretch out, great reach, low seating, and a decent size engine (1731cc). Lots of protection in a huge batwing and fiberglass lowers. Kind of tight between the boot toe and the shifter when upshifting, but a protective film would prevent any potential scuffing.


Oh - and as a followup to the wiring on spots, I just extended the wires and everything is installed. Need to tidy the wires up a bit, but all the hard work is done!