Vik gets on for second ride 2010

February 27, 2010
Fort Collins, CO

I think there comes a point in Winter where you get tired of thinking, it is not warm enough to ride... We never say it is too cold to ride - just it is not warm enough to ride. You look out the window, you see a weak sun trying to peek through the low gray ceiling, you know some of the streets still have patches of ice and snow but the main roads are clear (except for gravel), you know the weather forecast said the temps could reach the high 40s, you do the math and know that the wind chill will put the temps below freezing at a certain speed, you know better - but, there comes a time when you say screw all that - let's ride.

So this afternoon we layered up and rolled out of the driveway for a short ride. Really short. Tim, the numbers guy says 33.3 miles to be exact. I know, not much of a ride. This was my first ride of 2010. The last time Tim rode was January 30. You can get in short rides with temps in the 40s. Our biggest obstacle this year has been snow packed neighborhood streets. We've had snow pack in our neighborhood for most of the Winter.


Frozen Snow Crusted Lake Loveland


Frozen Creek Fort Collins

Our short ride took us along the highway 55-60 mph (pretty chilly) to Loveland where we ambled up and down country lanes past frozen creeks and snow-crusted lakes. The mountains were stunningly white even against gray skies. The ride lasted just over an hour, enough to get The Ride's juices flowing and to give us chapped cheeks (yeah - face and butt - Ha!).




Lots of riders were out today, all of us padded in black layers to make us look like burly michelin men from the dark side... Most of us were doing the same thing, riding country lanes at lower speeds, enjoying the best day we've had in weeks to ride, knowing that tomorrow will likely bring more clouds and more snow, knowing Winter is still very much a presence in northern Colorado.

Word is temps were in the 60s in Texas today. Many of our friends had rides planned and I look forward to their photos and blog posts. Dad is laid up for a few weeks after surgery but it won't be long before he's out tearing up the country roads of north Texas and southern Oklahoma again. Be well, Dad.

Below are a couple of shots of Tim.


He's not hard to please - 33.3 miles will do I reckon....

Riders Honor WWII Iwo Jima Veterans

February 20, 2010
Fort Collins, CO

Wichita Falls, TX -- Dad (Ted) and other biker friends rode with over 90 other riders who turned out today for the annual WWII Iwo Jima Reunion.

Nice going guys and gals... lookin' good...

Update: 02/21/2010 - Mom (Inez) sent a few more photos so I've added them to the slide show above.

Remember: This is why...

February 19, 2010
Fort Collins, CO

The raising of the American Flag on D-Day
February 19, 1945 on Mount Suribachim Japan.

JUST A COMMON SOLDIER
(A Soldier Died Today)
by A. Lawrence Vaincourt

He was getting old and paunchy and his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion, telling stories of the past.
Of a war that he had fought in and the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies; they were heroes, every one.

And tho' sometimes, to his neighbors, his tales became a joke,
All his Legion buddies listened, for they knew whereof he spoke.
But we'll hear his tales no longer for old Bill has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer, for a soldier died today.

He will not be mourned by many, just his children and his wife,
For he lived an ordinary and quite uneventful life.
Held a job and raised a family, quietly going his own way,
And the world won't note his passing, though a soldier died today.

When politicians leave this earth, their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing and proclaim that they were great.
Papers tell their whole life stories, from the time that they were young,
But the passing of a soldier goes unnoticed and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution to the welfare of our land
A guy who breaks his promises and cons his fellow man?
Or the ordinary fellow who, in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his Country and offers up his life?

A politician's stipend and the style in which he lives
Are sometimes disproportionate to the service that he gives.
While the ordinary soldier, who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal and perhaps, a pension small.

It's so easy to forget them for it was so long ago,
That the old Bills of our Country went to battle, but we know
It was not the politicians, with their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom that our Country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger, with your enemies at hand,
Would you want a politician with his ever-shifting stand?
Or would you prefer a soldier, who has sworn to defend
His home, his kin and Country and would fight until the end?

He was just a common soldier and his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us we may need his like again.
For when countries are in conflict, then we find the soldier's part
Is to clean up all the troubles that the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honor while he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage at the ending of his days.
Perhaps just a simple headline in a paper that would say,
Our Country is in mourning, for a soldier died today.

---

Source: I get this poem in my email periodically, often often not attributed to the actual author or attributed as unknown. But the poem was written in 1987 and appeared in the author's newspaper column at that time. Vaincourt now offers a selection of poetry in print - check it out. Common Soldier.com
---------------------
Iwo Jima

Mother Nature not playing fair

February 18, 2010
Fort Collins, CO

The scene in Texas today -- 66 degrees with the sun shining. Dad walks in after a 150 mile ride. He traveled to Vernon and on to Seymour where he made the mandatory biker stop at the Dairy Queen for some fries and a chocolate milk shake. YUM!



The scene in Northern Colorado today -- 32 degrees and more freekin' snow!



'Nuff said...

Riding weather in Texas

February 17, 2010
Fort Collins, CO

Wichita Falls, Tx -- Mom writes that the sun was shining and temps were in the 50s in Texas today. Perfect for a February ride. We'd kill to see a clear day in the 50s in Northern Colorado this year.

Dad rode to Bowie and back, then north on Hwy 287 where some friendly bikers waved him over. He stopped and visited for a while before riding home.

Dad says Hi and wishes you were here. Tomorrow is to be another beautiful day to ride. Yep, wish we were there, too.



Lookin' good, Dad.

If I didn't like my HDTV so much I'd shoot the weatherman. We have snow in the forecast for the next three days - sigh!

Happy Birthday TJr - aka Lil' Bro'!

February 15, 2010
Fort Collins, CO

Biker Valentine

February 14, 2010
Fort Collins, CO

Happy Birthday Kenny!

February 13, 2010
Fort Collins, CO

You make my heart go vroom...

February 12, 2010
Fort Collins, CO

Got a little Harley Valentine Fun in the mail today from Dad (and Mom) in Texas. Now if Mother Nature will just cooperate long enough for me to get that Valentine Ride... I'll take that instead of a box of chocolates (and you never hear me place anything over chocolate).

Is anyone out there riding?

February 11, 2010
Fort Collins, CO

Wichita Falls, TX -- Oh me! No riding in North Texas today. This is a photo of snow coming down where the Folks live this morning. No riding in Southwest Oklahoma today as a friend is reporting snow falling there as well. No riding in Ohio or New York where friends are reporting lots and lots of snow. I reckon there's no riding in Virginia and points north and east of the capitol either. No riding in Northern Colorado today. We have sun and a few, high clouds, but about the time the day warms to a still chilly 41 degrees, the man of the house is off to work. We have snow in the forecast for the weekend - again.


I really wanted a Valentine Ride.

I ask again... is anyone out there riding?

More snow...

February 8, 2010
Fort Collins, CO

Mother Nature is not cooperating with our motorcycle ride agenda this year.

We had snow again over the weekend. It is still snowing today. And, it is cold. Below freezing and it's going to stay there. You say - Big Deal - you live in Colorado. That would be correct and snow is part of living in beautiful Colorado.

See, our usual deal is we get snow, then we get sun and it melts, then we get a ride before it snows again. We normally do not get cold (below freezing) and stay cold.

I think Mother Nature is a bit peeved at all this talk of man controlling Global Warming and/or Climate Change. Mother Nature is proving just how little we know about her true power... power beyond the control of man. And, she's going to continue to remind us of it until we get it or somebody puts Algore in snow shoes and makes him walk the Himalayas. Sigh!

Good going, Dad...

February 5, 2010
Fort Collins, CO

Dad is off for a ride on a sunny, pleasant Texas afternoon. Mom reports it is 53 degrees and the sun is shining.



It is 39 degrees here and we have snow in our forecast - sigh!

Vet rides again for the first time...

February 3, 2010
Fort Collins, CO

A friend shared this with me today. It is from 2008 but, this is the first time I have viewed it. If it's the first time for you - you might want to grab a kleenex...

Jake Keeslar rides a motorcycle for the first time since he lost both his legs in Iraq. It's the motorcycle of his dreams, built especially for him by Bill Hattan (also missing both his legs), owner of Cool City Customs in Lyons, Michigan.
I checked for the website for cool city customs, but it is no longer available.

Thanks fo sharing G.

Riders Honor Veteran - Temple, OK

February 2, 2010
Fort Collins, CO

Dad pays his respects with other Veteran Riders and stands the flag line for US Navy Veteran.


Texas -- Charlie 'Hoot' Gibson USN, Korea, Vietnam (1932-2010) Temple, OK. United States Navy, Korea. Four tours of duty, including two stat teams, Vietnam, Reserves 10 years.

---

This is what some Veteran Riders do. They respect veterans and the families of veterans. This is the mission. They don't stand around whining about the color of a patch on some other person's back because when all is said and done the whole point is about real colors, colors that don't run, and the people who have defended those colors and the freedoms we enjoy.

Dear Mr Groundhog

February 2, 2010
Fort Collins, CO

For some reason Winter seems especially looooonnnngggg and cooolllddd this year. So, Mr Groundhog - I'm hoping you do not see your shadow... which will foretell six more weeks of Winter. I'm hoping for an early and warm Spring... and I'm hoping you see things the way I do - no shadow.

What! OK - the Groundhog says six more weeks of Winter... but I am going to take it up with the motorcycle gods -- sigh! In the meantime you better get with the program because I have two words for you - road kill.

Hilarious!

February 1, 2010
Fort Collins, CO

Mirroring a post by Mr Motorcycle here:

MC invites animal rights activist to "Party"

Johnstown, PA (GlossyNews) – Local and state police scoured the hills outside rural Johnstown, Pennsylvania, after reports of three animal rights activists going missing after attempting to protest the wearing of leather at a large motorcycle gang rally this weekend. Two others, previously reported missing, were discovered by fast food workers “duct taped inside several fast food restaurant dumpsters,” according to police officials.

“Something just went wrong,” said a still visibly shaken organizer of the protest. “Something just went horribly, horribly, wrong.”
The organizer said a group of concerned animal rights activist groups, “growing tired of throwing fake blood and shouting profanities at older women wearing leather or fur coats,” decided to protest the annual motorcycle club event “in a hope to show them our outrage at their wanton use of leather in their clothing and motor bike seats.” “In fact,” said the organizer, “motorcycle gangs are one of the biggest abusers of wearing leather, and we decided it was high time that we let them know that we disagree with them using it…ergo, they should stop.”
According to witnesses, protesters arrived at the event in a vintage 1960’s era Volkswagen van and began to pelt the gang members with balloons filled with red colored water, simulating blood, and shouting “you’re murderers” to passers by. This, evidently, is when the brouhaha began.

“They peed on me!!!” charged one activist. “They grabbed me, said I looked like I was French, started calling me ‘La Trene’, and duct taped me to a tree so they could pee on me all day!”

“I…I was trying to show my outrage at a man with a heavy leather jacket, and he…he didn’t even care. I called him a murderer, and all he said was, ‘You can’t prove that.’ Next thing I know he forced me to ride on the back of his motorcycle all day, and would not let me off, because his girl friend was out of town and I was almost a woman.”

Still others claimed they were forced to eat hamburgers and hot dogs under duress. Those who resisted were allegedly held down while several bikers “farted on their heads.”

Police officials declined comments on any leads or arrests due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, however, organizers for the motorcycle club rally expressed “surprise” at the allegations.

“That’s preposterous,” said one high-ranking member of the biker organizing committee. “We were having a party, and these people showed up and were very rude to us. They threw things at us, called us names, and tried to ruin the entire event. So, what did we do? We invited them to the party! What could be more friendly than that? You know, just because we are all members of motorcycle clubs does not mean we do not care about inclusiveness. Personally, I think it shows a lack of character for them to be saying such nasty things about us after we bent over backwards to make them feel welcome.”

When confronted with the allegations of force-feeding the activists meat, using them as ad hoc latrines, leaving them incapacitated in fast food restaurant dumpsters, and ‘farting on their heads,’ the organizer declined to comment in detail. “That’s just our secret handshake,” assured the organizer.

Click on the link below for the original post and an excellent blog and read it for a good chuckle...

Johnstown, PA (GlossyNews) – Local and state police scoured the hills outside rural Johnstown, Pennsylvania, after reports of three animal rights activists going missing after attempting to protest the wearing of leather at a large motorcycle gang rally this weekend.

Source: Mr. Motorcycle: MC invites animal rights activist to "Party"