2011 Adventure, etc.

The picture's about right to serve as this blog post theme....destination not totally clear... etc. I guess that sets the stage:

Had a busy damn week at work, but busy in a fun sort of way. I enjoy the big-business stuff, and I like strategic planning...feels like a game sometimes, albeit with a lot on the line. And I also joined the Tea Party Movement and the Washington Sports Club gym. And I had some family business in Texas to work on. So how's that for a full week?

I joined the Tea Party mostly because I think Sarah Palin would look just great on the back of my Harley, and I've also written in asking her to wear shorter skirts. And yeah, I like the political stance of that organization too.

The gym thing was a long-time coming, mostly because I ain't liking some of the pictures I've seen of myself lately. And that lady at Delmarva last weekend (who told me that I needed a larger size vest that was more "forgiving") pushed me over the edge. So we'll see how this gym membership works out. There will either be a trimmed down me for 2011, or just a bunch of wasted money on the gym dues.

And I'm struggling to figure out what to do with a little house in Texas that's in dire need of repair, but that's an entirely different story, best left for another forum.

But the big thing on my mind.......

Southern Comfort was far more fun that I could have imagined, and two month's later, I still haven't settled completely back into work-sleep-work-sleep mode of the corporate world. Sure, I mixed some fun with work before, but the Southern Comfort ride gave me a taste of personal freedom I'd never experienced before. So! What to do next year?!

At the risk of much-hated "plan making", I'm considering my options....What can I do...where can I go...in just a couple weeks?!?!

John and I talked about a ride out West, but I just don't see how that works in a 2-week schedule, and running longer isn't an option for me. That's a shame since a western ride would be awesome, but I've got a max window of about 16 days, and I don't want to be riding every day. I like the idea of spending some time at a stop or two along the way. That worked well last time, so I'll do something like it again.

I've looked at one trip that takes me to Daytona for a few days, and onto Key West for a few more. After that, maybe up the Gulf Coast of Florida. The sucky part about that trip is the almost unavoidable I-95 at the beginning and end of the ride. I-95 is the worst motorcycle road in the US. 

Come to think of it, I-10 is no prize either. My ride in July, between DeFuniak Springs, FL, and Jacksonville, partially in the rain, was easily the longest, most boring leg of the entire 3,140 mile trip. At least 95 is scary, since it has the nifty added element of 18-wheelers and tourists in large quantities. Let's hear it for Minivans in the Fast Lane!

The second route I've considered takes me up through New York state, over to Toronto, and around to Montreal and Quebec, finally getting to Nova Scotia. I'd come back through Maine and other parts of New England. Seems like a cooler ride from a temperature perspective, but then I hear stories about the dreaded black flies up in the Canadian woods! I hear those little bastards will eat you alive, and I damn sure ain't battling critters for a week. Need to think some more about that route, though I am aware of a few pleasant distractions in Rochester, New York.

Whatever I do, there will not be a rigid route planned and no fucking itinerary. It's supposed to be fun, right?

As I've mentioned before, the best part about the Southern Comfort trip was not having a plan, and there was no one along to bitch about my frequent decisions to take different routes, just to see what was down those less-traveled side roads. I was also fortunate enough to share part of the trip with friends Linda and Charlie who also didn't want to be joined at the hip. We were able to be together in New Orleans without any set plan; we explored N'awlins independently, hooking up here and there as circumstances presented themselves. That was nice.

So I'm up for suggestions for a ride in July 2011. Also up for company for all or part of it, but only as long as my style of travel works for you. If it doesn't, I'll send you a postcard.

Cowboy

Delmarva, Post-Mortem

Ok, so I wrapped things up a little earlier than expected at the office on Friday, shedding my corporate persona somewhere between the 3rd floor and the parking garage's lower level. Soon after, I rode out of the garage on the Harley, hauling ass outa town on New York Avenue. Kinda like one of those super-hero transformations, 'cept mine takes just a second or two, needing only a Harley, leather jacket, jeans, boots, and a t-shirt. No capes or spandex for me, thanks.

Traffic wasn't too bad after the DC city limits, and soon I was on Rt 50 eastbound, running about 80, enjoying the fresh air and the roar of the bike....The Harley sounded just awesome that day for some reason, which could either be because of sonic vibrations or the new hearing aid batteries! LOL. 

Soon I was running over the Severn River, past Annapolis, and across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to Kent Island. And when I hit Kent Island, I get hungry for seafood. It's a uncontrollable urge, which I refuse to fight. 

My bike having a chat with a Ferrari

You just can't get near the Eastern Shore of Maryland without sampling the Maryland-style seafood, so I figured I'd get the weekend off to the right start. And for me, if I'm even close, a stop at the Harris Crab House in Piney Narrows is mandatory. I've been eating crabs and other Chesapeake Bay seafood there for over 30 years, and Friday wasn't going to be an exception.

Yum....

Burp.........

So after a great lunch, I find myself just east of Kent Island, and getting serious....Burp.... about getting to Ocean City, Maryland, to attend the last days of the Delmarva Bike Week, which is really only 5 days, but who's counting......

I hadn't seen many cops yet, but that was about to change. From Kent Island on, I began noticing an unusually high number of police cars patrolling US Route 50...They weren't as thick as last year, but there were enough to keep me cruising under my usual 75-80........Hell, I was down to 74 at times!

And I reckon I need to add a word of gratitude to a couple girlies driving on RT 50 who took pity on this biker, making damn sure (it was no accident) there was a lot more leg showing than their boyfriends/husbands would have approved of. Amazing how short those skirts seemed to get....and that's all I'm saying on the subject.

Hell, now that I think about it, there was the other two gals in the Yukon who played leap-frog with me from Cambridge on down to OC, who I ended up having a "riding" date with, but we never were able to find each other again after we got into town. "Lisa, where the hell did you go!?!?!"

But I'm getting ahead of myself....

A couple hours, and about 15 more cops later, I rode over the InterCoastal Bridge connecting the mainland to Ocean City, Maryland, and there were motorcycles EVERYWHERE! All the hotels, bars, and restaurants had full parking lots, which hold far more motorcycles than cars, and I bet no business owners were bitching about "them Goddamn bikers". No Vacancy signs were the norm, and I was immediately glad I'd made my hotel reservations earlier in the week.

After checking in, I hit the grocery store for milk and coffee, and after getting the room situated, I rearranged the bike a little, making sure there was room on the back seat....ya never know!.....finally hitting Coastal Highway to see what was up. And yes, I had my eye out for Lisa and that Silver Yukon.

Unlike other biker events, Delmarva is spread out all over the fucking place, and no one venue has everything. Some locations were lame, with just a few overflow vendors, while others were packed solid with cool vendors, cool people, food, and lots of laughter. One location, bizarrely, was set up 26 miles east in Salisbury, MD, and I never made it there. Getting to Salisbury meant running the State Police gauntlet on 50, not just once, but going both ways!

Everywhere I went, there was a informal motorcycle show. Everyone was riding their latest creations, and I couldn't possibly have seen them all, but I did manage to see some awesome motorcycles.

Aside from the near-showroom-stock Harleys, like mine, there were a lot of crazy choppers, lots of cool bobbers, and an unusually large percentage of old Sportsters which are now, without question, in style. And it seemed the grittier and older those Sportsters were, the more folks liked them.

Actually, that gritty theme went across other bikes, and I saw a lot of older Harleys like this 46 Knucklehead that looked like they were found in a barn, gassed up, the battery charged, and then ridden to Delmarva, dust and all. I would have been one bit surprised to find a bird's nest tucked into a frame.

The absolute, undisputed Grand Prize in the "Cool" department, however, went to a very strange bike I spotted in Hooters parking lot. (Yeah, even at Hooters, I look at motorcycles. Keeps my eyes calibrated) After I parked, I looked to the side, seeing a half-size bobber. At first I thought it was some kind of junk toy out of China, but looking closer, I could see someone went to a lot of trouble hand-machining the springer front end, and almost all the other parts, assembling them around a Harley Sprint (might have been a Bennelli or ??) engine, even including a side shifter. Basically, this was a little chopper/bobber, just like someone shrunk a big one. The real question was whether it ran.

 So a few minutes later, this little midget biker-guy strolls out of Hooters with his crew, fires up the bike and away they ride. Fucking great...I loved it! The bike fit him perfectly and he looked good on it. He also looked like he didn't take any shit from big people..... Look at the guy on the right rear of this bunch in the pic below...there he is! My #1 pick for Coolest Bike/Rider of the Delmarva

I also got to hang with my daughter and grandson while there...yes, biking is in the Robinson blood.....which made the weekend even more fun. And I rode endlessly all weekend, in and out of town, buying stuff and enjoying the scenery. Lots of cute girls, but not a lot of skin showing down there, by the way. It's far more reserved (a relative term) than other biker events, but that's 'cause the normal people get mixed in, and they just wouldn't understand, but I'll bet Junior or Dad wouldn't complain...

Even in my hotel, there was an interesting mix of guests. I saw one East Coast 1%-er wearing colors, a load of other bikers, and a fair number of families, with all the kiddies, trying very hard not to stare at the bikers. Well, except the ladies. They always seem to sneak a peek when the old man isn't looking, and a sly little smile isn't uncommon......

On the bad side of things, some kid and his girlfriend (in a car) pulled out right in front of me Friday night. If that wasn't bad enough, they both had the nerve to laugh at me when I came up alongside. I erased that laugh in a hurry, getting a little support from some other bikers riding nearby. That car got surrounded by Harleys in about 10 seconds, and it stayed surrounded for about 2 blocks. Blondie stopped smiling, and her smart-ass little boyfriend looked like he was going to cry. After they got home, they had a boot print to buff out of the paint on the driver's door. That print might even match the right boot in my closet. Asshole drivers.....that's one of the problems down there. Bikers and cars mixed together.

And one more bad thing....I was at one of the vendors, buying a new leather vest to replace the one my daughter doesn't approve of (too many patches), and the lady suggested I try on a larger size....Hmmm. I did, and while I was checking it out in the mirror, she patted my belly saying that size was more "forgiving". Now, I gotta tell ya, that ain't what I needed to hear.....Damn! But I bought it anyway, getting two patches quickly sewed on before Marianne could complain. 

Forgiving.....Now that's one I hadn't heard before....

After such a traumatic event, I needed to get re-calibrated, requiring another stop at Hooters which works like a charm. If I only understood how that happens.......

And folks, that's about it. Traffic sucked on the way home, but a couple miles of riding on the shoulder cured the worst of it, much to the chagrin of other motorists sitting in trucks and cars. Fuck 'em...that Harley was about to melt down moving at a crawl. Also saw even more cops coming home, making me wonder if I'll do it again next year. It sucks when you're trying to have fun, not really running hard, and there's a cop just waiting in the weeds, literally, for you to run a little too hard.

Got home in time for NASCAR, and to watch my Dallas Cowboys lose. Again. But the weekend was good. Nice riding. 

Cowboy

Delmarva: Let the Games Begin!

Mini-vans and countless cops be damned, I'm going anyway. Delmarva Bike Week or Bust!

Of course, I've been on-again, off-again for a month or so about going back for this event, but anything worth doing once that you didn't like is worth doing twice, just to make sure, right?

It's gone downhill already, actually. I lucked into a hotel in town that didn't have a 3-day minimum and for a good price. Awesome, and that was actually what made my mind up. Then, about an hour after confirming reservations, I read the hotel reviews, finding out it's either the world's most worn-out hotel, or it's got the worst staff this side of the Ozarks. Or both. And of course, two reviews rated it 5-Star, so those folks were either drunk or they own the place.

Other interesting tid-bits:

It's totally cool that my daughter will be there, and she's staying with her Mom. Wait! Could that mean my Ex will be there? Yes, that's exactly what it means........

Stay tuned....this can only get better....or at least more interesting.

Cowboy

PS If you were expecting skin in this post, I've got you spoiled.......But I'll have the trusty camera in my back pocket, ready for those flashes!

Labor Day Weekend, 2010, Sunday and Monday

 Labor Day continued with a ride from Alexandria to Annapolis to visit Cathy and John, and Whitehall near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, which just so happens to be where they live.... Amazing place.

Cathy and John were kind enough to give Linda and Charlie a tour of the grounds, and I tagged along. I never get tired of seeing Whitehall, and each time I visit I see and learn something new. I won't attempt a history lesson, but the estate dates back to Colonial Maryland, built in 1760 by Provisional Governor Horatio Sharpe for his main squeeze. Or something like that. Check out the Whitehall link above, or Google it for more information. Interesting stuff and worth a little digging. Hell, for a few bucks or new set of tires for the Harley, I can get you a private tour!

But what's that got to do with motorcycles, right? (Horatio!? Yikes! Glad that ain't my name.)

So from there, off to Bamboo Bernie's Biker Bash and Bike Show and a blind date. Yes, I do it all. Both were a complete bust...I was late, the date got lost, and the event wasn't what it was pumped up to be. And there was an awful lot of bullshit going on that made it even more of a bust, but you gotta keep going, right? One foot in front of the other, and all that.....

So from there, off to Nabb's Creek Cafe to see Daddy's girl...my daughter Marianne! That's always good for a smile, and it worked like a charm. Cute ain't she. Now stay away! My pistol is always loaded.

If that wasn't cheery enough, Dana lit me up with a smile and very warm welcome, which I may never get over....LOL! And yes, the girls just gotta have fun.

And let's see....what was I writing.....er.......? Oh yeah!, after Nabb's, we hit Reckless Rics for more fun, and fun is what we had! Or at least I did. Some days you eat the bear and some days the bear eats you. BB's had some bad moments, but Nabbs and Rics took the sting out.

And from there, off to the Howard County legend, Daniels Restaurant, an outdoor biker bar that has outlived time  itself, openly thumbing its nose at a lot of county rules since it was there and operational as a biker bar, long before it was illegal to drink outdoors, etc.

From Daniels, it was a long and chilly ride back to Virginia to get ready for the Monday ride....

For Monday.....sorry, no pics.

So it was down to just two of us: Angel and I. Everyone else had other things going on, so Angel was kind enough to show me some of her and Jim's secret spots, including a ride past the ultra-secret Mount Weather west of Purcellville, VA. I was warned that super electro-magnetic forces might be energized which pulled motorcycles off the road and into the woods. Fortunately I escaped the effects of this exciting diversion, probably due to Angel's remarkable speed and riding skills. Following Angel is fun, but it's not for the timid. That girl can RIDE!

We also hit a nice country road along the Shenandoah River (yes, River Road...trick name, right?) and then an even twistier one called Snickersville Turnpike. Turnpike? 5MPH corners, guys! One hairpin curve managed to suck my front wheel off the asphalt! How the hell did that happen?

And we ended the day checking out Jerry's 55 Chevy Pickup which was just too cool. And no, no pix of that either. Sorry.

And a great weekend, and a great summer, ends with a couple loads of laundry, a few chores around the house, and a lot of  truly great memories I'll have forever. Got tighter with old friends, made some terrific new friends, and saw some places I never thought I'd see. Most of all, I got a chance to take a ride that most folks just dream about. That Southern Comfort ride was easily one of the best things I ever did.

Lots of pics in here (the blog) of friends.....I really hope it's OK with you guys to use your pics. If not, let me know and I'll find more that are even more embarrassing to post.

Cowboy

9/6/2010

Labor Day Weekend, 2010, Saturday

I had no damn plans a week ago, and now the weekend is now jam-packed with stuff to do, places to go, people to see, etc.....having to make some tough choices, here and believe me, I'm not complaining! It's all good.

Today, Linda and Charlie, along with John and Cathy, met me here in Alexandria, and after a few "starter" beverages, we hit the road, running west on Route 50 through Aldie and into Middleburg to meet Angel at the Red Horse Tavern, which is a pretty cool biker hangout, improbably located in a high-end Virginia horse-country town. But bikers have money too, right?

All of us were just at East Coast Sturgis, so it was good to have a reunion so soon. We could compare notes! "Did you see those people?" LOL.

Angel is the newest of our crew, and she is soooo cool . We just had to adopt her.

Unfortunately, husband Jim was out of town, but Angel invited us over anyway to see one heck of a collection of cool bikes she and Jim have put together. So off we went to Purcellville!

Angel and Jim live in a great house, tucked in next to a dairy farm, with a basement full of surprises....motorcycles everywhere....and a tractor! Angel gave us a bike-by-bike tour, telling the story of each one, including obscure details that made them even more interesting. It's cool to see interesting old bikes and hear all about them from a rider's perspective.

But hey, it wasn't all about bikes....Angel suggested we get some target practice in and she broke out the guns! The kitchen was quickly converted to a firing range and the games began. No squirrel was safe! (Ok, so the target was actually a metal squirrel, but you get the idea, right?)

So after target practice, I started drooling all over the Panster again......

...., and then allowed to pick my new ride....but only if it was a tractor! The face-saving moment came when the lady of the house agreed to a photo op!

After another tour of the bikes (I could have looked for hours), we decided to roll out, but not before failing miserably to convince Angel to join us for Sunday's ride into the Baltimore area. Down the road we went.

Thanks to Angel for being an Angel and making the day special. We had a great time. How often do you run into someone so cute who also is a heck of a rider and also knows so much about cool bikes.

Cowboy

PS Stay tuned for pix of Bamboo Bernie's Biker Bash, Labor Day, 2010.

Reader Stats, for those who were wondering. All three of you.

So here's the statisitics of who's reading Southern Comfort! I really think the UK support is dreadful, and I want some quick answers from Linda and Charlie about readership over there. Don't people in the UK care about anything but fox hunting!?!?! And China ahead of Canada? Geez. And I won't quickly forget that South African dropout. Here today, gone tomorrow.....

United States 1,144
Germany 29
China 26
Canada 18
Japan 18
Denmark 2
Australia 1
Switzerland 1
United Kingdom 1
Israel 1