Remembering Ruby 1928-2009

March 26, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

Remembering Lloyd Ruby, a Hero from my hometown...


A post on Vik's Blog: http://coloradowning.blogspot.com/2009/03/remembering-ruby-1928-2009.html

The Ride gets a Snow Day

March 26, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

Five to Six inches of snow and counting with somewhere around a foot or so by the time all is said and done means The Ride gets a rest and a weekend or more off. Pooh! We have drifts of over two feet due to the winds which are howling. This is the big Spring storm we've been expecting. We can't get on with the business of Spring until said storm has come and gone. So... we'll throw another log on the fire and stir the stew and... I guess we'll spend our weekend doing domestic stuff YIKTH! and thinking about where the road will take us when warm weather returns.

Weekend Rides

March 22, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

The first weekend of Spring in Colorado brought warmer than average temperatures. Every motorcycle in Colorado was on the road. We would have been hard-pressed to drive the space of a mile without seeing a fellow biker. Count among us every convertible (yes, tops down) and classic car not to mention all other two, three and four wheel vehicles. The foothills were swarming with people trying to shake off cabin fever and make the best of a weekend before Ol' Man Winter returns.

Saturday Morning, as soon as the temperature hit near 50, we were out and ready to roll. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, the leaves on the trees were unfurling and The Ride was humming at the end of the drive. We were eager to put some miles between us and the garage.

We rode in a southerly direction, down the country lanes that dissect this area, eventually ending up near Johnson's Corner which seemed like a logical stop for a cup of coffee and a bite to eat. I've mentioned Johnson's corner before. It's one of the few really good stops along I-25 and if you are headed into Wyoming without a planned stop elsewhere (there's not much else) it is a must. They are known for their giant cinnamon rolls. Below is a picture... served warm, dripping in glaze with a side of whipped butter. That's a dinner plate it is sitting on, not a saucer. And the best part, it is priced at $2.49!

We rode on the east side of I-25 for a little while. It was dusty and many of the farmers and ranchers were burning off winter's brush in the drainage ditches and the fields. We rode through some of the smoke... cough, cough, sneeze, sneeze. Soon I was saying, head south, then west. We can ride on the flat lands any day. OK, says Tim. We took Hwy 66 straight into Lyons, commonly known as the Gateway to the Rockies. Now there are many drives that will get you into the mountains, all of them great, but few match the ride due west into Lyons. It is one of the best views of Longs Peak from the Front Range. Longs Peak, a fourteener, sits near the heart of Rocky Mountain National Park. There are two canyon rides from Lyons that will get you to the peak-to-peak Highway and/or Estes Park. That's why Lyons is a biker favorite. As usual, we stopped at the park for a cup of coffee and to stretch our legs. Lyons is also the home of the very popular Red Hill Motorcycles, known as one of the best custom and performance shops in the Rocky Mountain area.

The next leg of our journey found us heading south on the North Foothills Hwy (aka Hwy 36/93) toward Boulder. In between is a biker stop, called the Rocky Flats Lounge, that has sort of an interesting history. Boulder is a busy town. If you go straight through on Broadway, you will pass downtown Boulder, the square known as Pearl Street Mall and the University of Colorado. We rarely stop in Boulder - too many people (or should I say liberals). Boulder politics are well - different. That's being abnormally polite, on my part. We passed one of the many picket corners where a couple of young men with apparently no imagination about how to spend a weekend in glorious Colorado were picketing - picketing. Yes, that's what I said. I read on a banner as we were passing through that 2009 marks Boulder's 150th anniversary, which really doesn't mean that much to us, other than we'll need to check for events before the next time we swing through there. The traffic is a nightmare on a normal day and the considerable foot traffic has the right of way. Boulder Canyon will also get you up to Nederland and the peak-to-peak highway or down from it but the canyon drive is really steep, with plenty of tight curves and lots of traffic. Boulder Falls is about 7 or 8 miles west of town on the canyon drive.

Probably the best thing about the Boulder area is the ever-changing view of the rocky-faced mountains know as the Flatirons. The Flatirons were named by pioneer women after the flat, metal irons used to press their clothes.

As I say, we rarely stop in Boulder and this time was no exception. We rode straight on through to Golden. In Golden, we saw paragliders or sky surfers around Lookout Mountain. Apparently, the thermals in this area make for great gliding. It is rare to go through Golden without seeing them. Lookout Mountain is home to many antennas (a source of contention with the locals) and Buffalo Bill's grave site and a Wild West Museum. The view of Denver from this vantage point is spectacular. Golden is also home to Coors Brewery. Our ride took us through Golden to the southern outskirts of Denver (Arvada and Lakewood). This is our old stomping grounds, having lived in Littleton and Lakewood for several years, and we would have lingered at some of our old haunts but the skies began to change rather rapidly. We stopped for gas and ice cream before meandering our way back to Fort Collins. We managed to make a whole day out of 200 miles and just over a tank of gas. We finished out the day, by parking The Ride and hopping in the Tahoe for a short drive to Serious Texas BBQ. We opted for four wheels so we could have a beer with our BBQ. Again, we do not drink and ride.

Sunday morning, the weather was better (much warmer). Sadly, this is the only picture of Sunday's ride, as the batteries in the camera died and I could not find replacements at the one store open in the canyon. I know, lack of planning. Yesterday we rode in leather jackets. Today, we lit out in lighter jackets. We knew high winds were forecast so the sooner we got out, the better. We rode up the Poudre Canyon to the Stove Prairie cut-off. The Poudre River was low as we have yet to get runoff from the mountain snow melt. The ride was fine. We were itching to go further up the canyon, but we saved it for another day, later in the year. The Stove Prairie cutoff is on the high side of Rist Canyon. Stove Prairie is the oldest (established 1896), operating one room school (K-6) in Colorado. It has expanded a bit and has a current enrollment of something like 40-50 kids. The road had not improved since we rode the lower side of the canyon a few weeks ago. There was still too much pea gravel on the road, but no ice this time. No matter, we took it slow and easy into Masonville where we stopped for a stretch.

We rode back into Fort Collins around the south side of Horsetooth Reservoir, and decided to stop at the house for a bite of lunch. This was a longer than scheduled break because we visited with our neighbors, the Browns who had just returned home from their Spring Break vacation at Disney World in Florida. We have Harley-Davidson shirts from Orlando, Florida now. Kool!

After our break, we headed out once more but we didn't stay out long, or venture very far as the wicked winds had arrived and we could see the snow clouds building over the mountains. It wasn't long before the clouds were rolling down the foothills. With the way the weather looks, it will be a week or so before we're out on The Ride again.

I cannot remember when we have had so much fun riding the roads of Colorado. We have been up and down lots of roads, from one end of the state to another in our cages (4 wheel vehicles), but it is different now, in ways I cannot begin to adequately describe. We are discovering anew why we came here and why we stayed.

The haze from smoke, smog and cloud this weekend didn't allow for great pictures, and we can't wait for it to green up here in Colorado but here's a slide show of our rambles on Saturday.

DAD - No Helmet Head

March 21, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

Wichita Falls TX -- Mom sent this photo of Dad's hair. Says Mom, HE DID NOT WEAR HIS HELMET AND HIS DO RAG WOULD NOT STAY ON HIS HEAD BECAUSE OF THE WIND. SO THIS IS WHAT YOU CALL "NO HELMET HEAD". Ha! He was getting in rather late after a day of riding to Graham, TX and around Possum Kingdom Lake. Tim and I got a good chuckle out of Dad's biker head and forehead stripe. Tim is sporting a healthy forehead stripe himself. What is the biker term for that I wonder?

They [Dad, Kenny and some others] stopped for a root beer in a frosted mug at the K&N which is an old-fashion drive-in joint in Graham. Tim and I were surprised the K&N was still in business as it was one of our favorite places when we lived in Graham back in the early eighties. The K&N had been around for a good many years at that time. We remember the tater tots with cheese, the homemade onion rings and Tim remembers fondly the chili-cheese burger. The next stop was in Bryson TX where they grabbed a burger at a cafe (name unknown). Dad said his small burger was pretty darn good. Kenny had a larger burger that had three pieces of meat on it. Oh me! Tim would love that!

Dad's rides came to around 200 miles over the weekend which has his mileage near 11,000 on the Dyna. Coming up in the Wichita Falls area is the Compassion Run next weekend and the Medal of Honor run in Gainesville the first weekend of April.

First Day of Spring Ride

March 20, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

The first day of Spring dawned cool and gray in our neck of the woods. Yeah, we were really looking forward to the sunny skies and warm temperatures that were in our forecast. It will have to work hard to reach temperatures in the 70s. It is near 3 pm, still mostly gray. It isn't going to happen.

So, our first day of Spring ride evolved into a lunch before Tim goes to work ride, instead of the longer ride we had in mind. We rode the short distance to Loveland and decided on The Cracker Barrel. It is Fish Friday. The catfish strips tasted OK. Just OK. We suffer from catfish deprivation, but we are not so far gone that we were impressed with the minimal quantity offered for the price we paid. Yep, they will hear about it. The ride over was a bit on the cool side, but not unbearable. We were glad we slipped into our leather jackets before heading out.


Overcast skies do not lend themselves well to photography, but here's a mountain shot. We are getting snow melt in the high country now, which means soon the rivers and creeks will be raging.

Loveland is home to several Bronze factories and world famous sculptors. The city's collection of artwork is rather phenomenal. It is worth the side trip just off I-25 to roam the city streets and parks to see the remarkable work.

Loveland Lake was like glass, today. With the winds that whistle down the mountain corridors in this area, it is very rare to view a still lake.

Our first day of Spring ride was short, but we take them as they come and enjoy them all. We have the whole weekend ahead of us and if it can be believed - the weather might just cooperate.

For shame! American Flag not American Made!

March 18, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

FYI: This is a cross-over post from my other blog...
My brother called me earlier today. This is important because, neither one of us is big on phone conversations... I call him on his birthday. He calls me on my birthday. Otherwise, phone calls between us are mostly reserved for emergencies. Needless to say, I immediately returned his call.

Here's the gist of our conversation. Howya doing? Fine. You? Fine. Everything OK? Yeah. Whatsup?

My brother says: The reason I called is something was bothering me and well you're better at this stuff than I am (stuff: meaning I am more prone to rant than he). He continues: You know I rode with Dad and other Patriot Guard Riders to welcome home a soldier returning from Iraq. While I was standing in the flag line waiting for the approach of the soldier, I happened to glance at the tag on the flag. It said Made in China. I mean, I'm there, doing my patriotic duty, honoring an American soldier returning home from Iraq and I'm holding an American flag made in China!

My brother is an easy-going guy who rarely gets rattled or loses his kool. He is the least politically outspoken among us. I could tell the more he talked about it, how disgusted and offended he was over the incident. He made it clear I should say something, write something, do something.

OK. Where is the commentary that makes sense of it? Is it truly outrageous that an American flag is produced anywhere other than the USA? Is it outrageous that just about everything we buy in the USA bears the made in some other country label?

It could be argued that Ol' Glory is still Ol' Glory no matter where she is made. To the contrary, it could be argued that the manufacture of Ol' Glory should never be outsourced to a foreign country, much less a Communist country. But couldn't the same be said for any American product that is outsourced to another country? And shouldn't the real question be WHY our product, along with our jobs, is being outsourced to other countries? And shouldn't the next question be WHY are Americans buying the product once it returns from across the seas?

Now, the Patriot Guard is about as patriotic a group as exists in the USA these days. They do extraordinary work. We are all proud to be members of such a fine organization -- but -- without a doubt, the majority of the flags flying from the back of the motorcycles and the flags used to form the proud flag lines are made anywhere but in the good ol' USA. In fact, I challenge you to find bumper stickers, window decals, Support Our Troop ribbon magnets, patriotic lapel buttons and pins, biker patches or anything of the sort that actually bear a Made in the USA label.

How do you fix it? I'm sure the flags are purchased in the most cost-effective manner. Barring that, they are purchased from whomever makes it a matter of convenience. Perhaps a more savvy sort than I could work up a cost comparison and present it to the higher ups of the Patriot Guard. Perhaps, they are not aware of the issue. Short of donating American-made flags to your local PGR chapter, I'm not positive you can fix it. PGR members do not pay dues, although we support the organization by purchasing PGR related paraphernalia and we get to PGR events under our own power. I'm open to suggestions.

So why are we not waving American made flags in the pursuit of our patriotic duty? Why are we not buying American-made product? Why are we not asking - no demanding American-made product? It is out there. I propose a few factors to consider: Cost. Availability. Apathy. Complacency. Heaven forbid - could it be Ignorance? How about All-of-the-Above? Not to mention, I-Have-To-Shop-At-Walmart-Syndrome.

I, along with a good many others, over the last few years, was surprised to learn that most of our toys, clothing, linens, leathers, tools, electronics, automotive parts, vehicles, drugs, health care products, food, and hell, even dog food is made somewhere other than the land lying between the shining seas.

Reality check: hold onto your Pakistani hats people because if we don't start standing against those who have outsourced our product along with our livelihoods and our liberties, not to mention our Democracy, you can bank that there will be little if anything left other than the idea of Ol'Glory that represents anything even remotely close to Americanism. The stock market has rebounded somewhat - who do you think is buying up all that cheap stock? Is it you? Cuz, it ain't me.

What can we do? First of all, in regards to this issue - we can choose to be conscious of what we buy. Don't like the cost of American-made product? Maybe we can buy less and buy better (meaning: Buy American). Don't like your China-made flag? Buy an American-made flag. Be proud of your purchase and encourage others to do the same. Feel like investing? Buy Harley-Davidson stock instead of GE. Second, we can vote the blood-suckers who are selling us down the Yangtze River (biggest river in China) out of office and demand better representation. Third, we can choose to be more active, more responsible, more accountable in our own lives with our own money. We can choose NOT to do business with companies affiliated with the sordid likes of Chase and AIG. It is time we adopted higher standards for ourselves and choose to hold those with whom we associate to those same standards. Fourth, SAY something, WRITE something, DO something about what does not set well with you. Fifth, be more than just a closet-American. Fly Ol' Glory. Look for Made in the USA labels. Join the Patriot Guard. Host a tea party. Vote! BE 100% AMERICAN - ALL THE TIME.

With that said, can you buy an American Flag, actually made in the USA? Most assuredly you can. See:

American Flags Express

Flag Store USA

United States Flag Store

I wrote a post similar to this one last year entitled, Keeping it in the USA where I listed sources of a good many companies still producing in the USA. I've reproduced the list at the end of this post.

---

Here are a few web sites pointing in the right direction.

Still Made in the USA - an on-line shopping resource for American-made products for the home and family

U.S. Stuff - say YES to USA!

Made in the USA Forever

Made in the USA - Understand the Power of Patriotic Spending

Toys Made in America

Alliance for American Manufacturing

How to Buy American

All American Clothing Company

A long list of All-American Goods

Here's a sample listing:

Harley Davidson Motorcycles: William Harley and Arthur Davidson build a new motorcycle in 1903, the same year the Wrights successfully test their flying machine. The demand for Harleys and their many custom designs grows over the years to become one of the world's most recognizable brands.
Recipe for Success:Set up assembly lines where 100 people build motorcycles one kickstand, spoke, tire and custom chrome piece at time.
Ratz's Facts:Avg. time to build a Harley = 2 to 2 1/2 hours. The York, Penn. Harley plant is big enough to turn out a fleet of 747s. More than 3,000 men and women work round the clock to meet demand.

Listed below are a few items that will make it easy to get started buying made in the USA:

3M Scotch Tape, Ball Mason Jars, Burt's Bees products, Campbell's Soup, Coca-Cola, Craftsman Tools, Dr Pepper, Frito-Lay, General Mills, Harley Davidson, Jack Daniels, John Deere, Kellogg's, Knotts Berry Farm, Kohler, Merle Normon Cosmetics, National Cash Register, Oscar Meyer Weiners, Pendleton Woolen Mills, Pepsi, Rubbermaid, Serta, Shawnee Mills, Slinky Toys, Spam, Starbucks, Tillamook Cheese, Whitman's Chocolates, Yankee Candles, Zippo Lighters... Like I said -- easier than you think.

Corn Beef & Cabbage Ride

March 17, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

Bright Irish Blessings and Top O' the Day to Ya! The first part of our day found us working in the yard and gardens, clearing the last of the leaves, dried vegetation and stalks away. We normally do this work in the Fall, but last year we were too busy riding during the long Indian Summer we enjoyed on the front range to worry about leaves and stalks. Our Scarlet O'Hara mentality had us saying fiddle-dee-dee - we won't think about that today - we'll think about that tomorrow. Alas! Tomorrow came this week with the first really warm weather of the year, so there we were raking and snipping, bending and stooping.

About 11:00 I entered the house with the the intent of bringing us a cup of coffee out for a short break. I was suddenly attacked by Blarney Brain! I decided to free Tim from the bonds of yard duty. I exited the house a few minutes later, dressed to ride, complete with a bit o' green attached to my hoody. I thought Tim was going to hurt himself, closing gates, rounding up the leaf blower and turning off the water. HaHa!

Shortly after that, we were rolling. I was comfortable riding in the Harley Hoody today and Tim rode in his denim. The weather was fine! We were thinking where would be a good place to have a Saint Patrick's Day ride and lunch before Tim heads to work. As usual, we instantly knew what the other was thinking - let's see what Vern's Special is today. Oh boy! You guessed it, that means another DAM ride. As luck would have it, the Saint Patty's Day special at Vern's was Corn Beef and Cabbage (I can see Dad making a yuk face). In the spirit of the day, we ordered up two specials. I am not a big fan of corn beef, meaning I will eat it once or twice a year. It was good today, though. Vern's served it up right with cabbage, mashed potatoes and brown gravy.

May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow;

And may trouble avoid you wherever you go.

PGR Riders Welcome Soldier Home

March 15, 2009
Fort Collins, Co

Wichita Falls, Texas -- Dad (Ted-right), my brother (TedJr-left) and my Dad's buddy (Kenny-center) rode with other friends and Patriot Guard Riders to welcome a soldier (SPC Fred Hughes of Iowa Park, TX) home from Iraq. About thirty or so riders attended and formed a flag line along the street leading to the home of the soldier's in-laws. Neighbors and friends soon joined the flag line.

Slide show of the event is MIA.

War Memorial - Loveland, CO

March 15, 2009
Fort Collins, Co

While we were out and about Sunday, we stopped at the park across from the Lake in Loveland, to rest, have a sandwich and finally see up close the war memorial we've ridden past hundreds of times without stopping.

What follows is the inscription carved into part of the memorial...

• If you are able, save for them a place inside of you and save one backward glance when you are leaving for the places they can no longer go. Be not ashamed to say you loved them, though you may or may not have always. Take what they have left and what they have taught you with their dying and keep it with your own. And in that time when men decide and feel safe to call the war insane, take one moment to embrace those gentle heroes you left behind. -- Major Michael Davis O'Donnell, Dak To, Vietnam, January, 1970.

Sunday Out and About Ride

March 15, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

Long about noon Sunday, we rolled out The Ride with the idea we would spend the afternoon out and away from our mundane existence. It's peculiar how easily the stress and concerns of life can be cast off once we are rolling.

The road north, took us over the dam of course. Again, it's just more fun than riding the city streets that run in the same direction. We thought we would check out The Forks in Livermore, just in case it has come under new ownership. Last time we were there, the place was closed and up for sale. Still is.

Livermore is at the cut-off for the Red Feathers (series of small lakes) area, a favorite spot with campers and fisherman. The Forks was named for its location at a major split in the Overland Trail. The original owners (from Chicago) built the tavern in 1874. Local workers carted timber from the mountains, made shingles by hand and insulated the walls with sheep's wool. After a massive 1904 flood swallowed The Forks, the structure was never rebuilt to its original form, but the modern reincarnation of the Forks sits on the original site and was a favorite stop with tourists and fisherman on the way to Red Feathers or Wyoming. We have camped a few times up at Red Feathers but there's only one way in and out of the area that is paved highway. Red Feathers sits at over 8000 in elevation so we know it is still cold and there is likely snow on the ground up there. The other roads in the Red Feathers area are for off-road vehicles only. Hwy 287 past Livermore leads to Laramie Wyoming. We decided against the Laramie ride, because the further north we went, the colder it was and the winds were kicking up. We lived in Wyoming for a couple of years. It could be said for certain that if you don't ride in the wind, you don't ride in Wyoming. What few people realize is how vicious the winds can be in that neck of the woods.

Side Note: The Forks asking price is $475,000 for just over 4700 sqft, three levels, includes all furnishings and equipment. Hmmm... now with a little stimulus money... you know the free, no strings attached kind like AIG has in their pocket... there's no telling what real Americans could do with an opportunity and some cold, hard, cash... :) Being mature, white, responsible, tax-paying types though - we'd likely have better luck pursuing the LOTTO route. Still, with a little bit of work and lots of imagination, this place would make one helluva biker stop.

So, we rode the 21 miles back to Fort Collins, stopped by the house for a few minutes, to warm up and had a quick cup of coffee. The next leg of our ride today took us east on Carpenter Road out of Fort Collins, across I-25 to the small bedroom community of Windsor. Windsor wasn't always a bedroom community. We can remember when it was a really small town, home to ranchers and farmers. The huge Kodak plant is at Windsor. We rode past the complex on Eastman Blvd that once employed about 800-1000 people. Now it employs about 100. Most of the windows in the complex are blocked out or covered because no sunlight is allowed to penetrate. Just beyond Kodak is a wind turbine company, that looked busy as it was the only place we noticed working a crew on a Sunday. Working there has one other benefit - the view west is miraculous.

Ultimately, the road took us to Greeley where we followed the signs to Centennial Village, a Victorian museum of some sort. We found it, but it doesn't open until mid-April. We stopped for a cup of coffee in a nice park next to the rodeo grounds. Soon we were cruising around Greeley and eventually rode Hwy 34 west into Loveland. Finally highway speed says Tim. Sixth gear! Highway speed and then some says I. Ha!

On the way home, we stopped in a park across from the lake in Loveland. There's a war memorial there I've always wanted to see up close. We had a picnic, and watched with some amusement a group of guys playing Conan, for lack of a better description. They were dressed in a variety of odd costumes (from Scottish kilts to makeshift jerkins to sumo wrestler) and whacking each other with rubber swords and clubs.

We spent some time paying our respects at the war memorial, before heading out once again. Photos coming up in the next post. The big question at that time was long way or short way home... it should come as no surprise -- long way we decided. We spent about five or so hours, ambling through about 140 miles of the countryside, having a great time being out and about on a Sunday in March.

Saturday Supper Ride

March 14, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

Tim rode in from work shortly after 3 pm this Saturday afternoon. I was suited up and ready to ride somewhere, anywhere. The day was fine, but we knew we'd only get a couple of hours riding in before losing the heat of the day.

The general idea was head toward Loveland of course, because the roads in and around Loveland are fun to ride and we more-or-less had a new BBQ place in mind for supper. We took as long and circuitous route as possible to Serious Texas BBQ, located between Loveland and Fort Collins on Hwy 287.

Normally, we avoid Texas-theme restaurants up here because they usually fall well short of the mark. When we first moved to Colorado in 1998, we went to a popular with the locals restaurant called the Lone Star Steakhouse. Oh me! The waitresses, dressed in fringe and chaps, line-danced in the aisles between the tables to cheesy C&W tunes like achy-breaky heart. In all our years in Texas, being born and bred Texans, we never had that happen. It was embarrassing. The over-priced, hardly Texas-size steaks left something to be desired, too. Lesson learned. Since then, we have visited few other steak or BBQ places here. Truthfully, we prefer to cook our steak and smoke a brisket or prepare pulled pork at home.

Serious Texas BBQ looked like our kind of place though so we decided to give it a shot. The outside of the place is plain and unassuming. The first thing you notice as you walk up is the size of the windows. They are huge. Once inside, you have a better idea of the windows which are rigged like garage doors with glass panes. It has the feel of an open air pavilion. Kool! The decor is roadhouse-industrial. Picnic tables and smaller versions of heavy cafe tables with folding chairs make the dining picnic casual. We loved it.

We ordered pulled pork sandwiches with cherry chipotle salsa, cheesy potatoes and soft drinks (we don't drink and ride). The sandwiches are huge and downright tasty. The pork was cooked to perfection and the salsa was tangy. Serious Texas BBQ is not a misnomer. We left the place pleasantly plump with the notion we have found a new favorite dining spot.

We took the long way home...

Serious Texas BBQ

Brrrr...

March 13, 2009
Fort Collins, Co

Tim rode to work today, unable to resist riding on a sunny, almost warm day. It is in the 40's here, lots of sun and no wind. Come midnight, the ride home will be chilly, in the 20s but it is only a couple of miles so he'll be fine.

I thought about the Friday the 13th ride in Port Dover, Ontario today... I mentioned it in the last Friday 13th post which was in February. So, I checked the weather in that neck of the woods. Yikes! I don't think so. Zero degrees, 43% humidity. Brrr... I don't mind cold weather. In fact, one of the reasons we love Colorado so much is -- the weather. Still, there's something to be said for warmer climes more conducive to riding more often. Then again, given our tendency to say - let's ride - at the drop of a hat - I can purt near guarantee that we would never get anything done if we lived where we could ride almost every day. Because we would ride every day. Ha!

With that said, when the job goes away we'll be relocating to wherever we find a job. I'm thinking the next place we live should be a garage with a bedroom and shower attached. No grass to mow, no house to clean, no gardens to tend... hmmmm... sounds pretty good to me. I could give a whole new meaning to the term down-size.

Patriot Guard Mission

March 8, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

Wichita Falls, TX -- Dad (Ted) rode to Breckenridge, TX with the Patriot Guard today in honor of Ivan Campbell, Private First Class, United States Army; Korean War Era Veteran.

It was a long day, but the weather was fine for a ride. Says Mom in a late afternoon phone call, your Dad finally came dragging his butt in. That's not a comment concerning the Patriot Guard run. Whatever is required in the way of a ride to honor veterans is a no-excuses, must-do thing with Dad. Rather Mom's comment is more about how many miles (500 or so) Dad put on his Harley over the weekend which included a rather extensive ride with Kenny through north Texas and southern Oklahoma Saturday.

Sunday in March Ride

March 8, 2009
Fort Collins, Co

The snow storm that rolled in yesterday, didn't last long. The minor accumulation melted quickly when the sun came out. It was cold overnight and we had a heavy frost but long about noon the day began to warm up nicely. At least about as nice as it is going to be for several days. About 2 pm... we had enough of domesticity and headed out for what turned out to be about three hour ride. Up and over the dam of course and up one rural road and then another. We rode by the Budweiser plant, a smelly sheep lot, around Terry Lake and past the Stonehenge rock garden. We stopped for coffee and hot fudge sundaes at the McDonald's across from Thunder Mountain's Custom Cycle shop. It was a nice day. We picked up a stout wind about the time we turned The Ride toward home.

I say again... Too cold to ride?

March 7, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

This time I'd have to say - yes, it was too damn cold to ride but we rode for about an hour anyway, just to show how tough we are. The clear blue skies we enjoy in Colorado most days can be deceiving. Such was the case, today. Tim kept going to the door, sniffing the air, feeling a little warmth on his face and wondering aloud if it was warm enough to ride. Says Tim, I think it is warm enough. Me and the thermometer know better. I suit up anyway and a couple of miles out, when he asks is it too cold - for obvious reasons - I say hell no - let's ride. LOL!

Ever wonder what I'm talking about when I say a snow storm is rolling in over the mountains? Well, take a look!

Lunch at Vern's

March 4, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

Our before-Tim-goes-to-work ride today took us to Vern's for lunch. We inadvertently chose Vern's, not because that's where we were headed but because it is the farthest place from the house to grab lunch and still make it back in time for Tim to get to work on time.

With the exception of the red flag warning (very high winds), the day is sunny and warm. This is the first time we've ridden without our leather jackets. We still wore our chaps, but we ride with chaps most of the time. Tim rode in his denim jacket. I rode in my Harley hoody. It was a great day to be out as long as we stayed out of the wide open spaces where the wind was fearsome. We saw a good many other people out enjoying the day on their bikes. Yep - we thought about playing hooky - but with a job on the line, that's not a good idea. Check that. The idea is good, the timing is not.

Tim had the special (meatball sub) today. I had a cheeseburger. Vern's is comfort food dining. They serve breakfast all day. I mentioned in an earlier post that Vern's has been in business since 1946. It sits on the site of an old stagecoach stop in the tiny town of LaPorte. On the same corner is Vern's liquor store and a Shell station and Vern's trailer park. We just discovered today that premium does not contain ethanol at this Shell station... just one more reason for the ride over.

The decor is mostly DEAD. The following are a few shots of that decor.

DAD Logs Over 10,000

March 3, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

Wichita Falls, TX -- DAD (Ted) had the Harley in today for the 10,000 mile maintenance workup. The work done at Red River Harley Davidson (a top ten dealership) has Dad's ride running like new and the detail job has it shining and ready for the road. Dad has logged 10,040 miles on his red Dyna since he got back in the saddle in May 2007.

Of course, Dad is the reason for the Harley fever in our family. Tim noticed the odometer on the Heritage as he was pulling out of the drive today . He (We) have logged 5656 miles since June 2008 and have enjoyed every minute, every mile of it.

Blue Sky Monday Ride

March 2, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

Yes, the sky was blue and the temperature great as we took a short before-Tim-goes-to-work ride. We were sorry to turn The Ride toward home.

Shadow Riders Strike Again

March 1, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

As the shadows grew long on our way home, I caught the Shadow Riders in this short but fun video clip. No, that's not me zooming the riders in and out -- it's the tilt of the sun and the lay of the land.

Shadow Riders

March is Here!

March 1, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

Any day in the 60s, when the sun is trying to peak through and the winds are nearly calm and the roads are clear is a day to ride in Colorado. If your bike was in the garage today -- we have just one question - WHY?

We behaved ourselves for as long as we could and managed to finish the chores that needed to get done today. The fence that blew down in our last good wind storm is standing again.

We rolled out of the neighborhood about noon. Granted, it was chilly on and off throughout the day because the sun had trouble burning through the low cloud cover, but for the most part the riding weather was fine and we were eager to be out a bit farther than we've ventured most of the winter.

Our ride today took us west and south, mostly south. We rode the back roads to one of our favorite destinations (even before we had the Harley) and the favorite destination of most bikers who live in this area. Lyons, Colorado. Lyons is a tiny town at the base of two roads leading into the mountains, either to the peak-to-peak highway or Estes Park. It is the home of Oskar Blues Grill & Brew. Lyons is the host of many musical events throughout the year including a huge bluegrass festival in July. We like the park across from Oskar's and stop there often.

The second part of our ride took us further south to the roads in and around Boulder and Longmont where most of the world was outside, on motorcycles, bicycles, in convertibles, walking, jogging, fishing, wind-surfing - you name it.

Eventually, as the shadows grew long, we knew it was time to head back. The question was - take the quick route or amble back sort of the way we came? Of course, we chose the latter, daring the sun to dip behind the mountains before we were ready to call it a day. The road home took us through Lyons again where we stopped at the park and munched on the picnic lunch I packed in a hurry before we left out. We dined on b'loney sandwiches, chips, brownies and bananas.

We rolled into Fort Collins about a half hour before the sun set and just as the temperature was dipping below what was comfortable. What a great day!



Tim feeling a little frisky as we're heading out...


OK - maybe I'm feeling a little frisky, myself...