Monday, January 30, 2012

Slimey Crud May 2011

The Slimey Crud Run motorcycle event happens each year on the first Sunday of both May and October as it has since the early '70's. The first weekend of May, 2011 I changed things up a bit and instead of riding the ~450 miles round trip to the event on Sunday, I trailered my Honda Ascot (Tran Zalp) over to Reedsburg very early on Saturday so that I could do some early season riding in beautiful Sauk County.

It was a very cool (cold) weekend, there was frost every morning so I wasn't starting my riding quite as early as I'd have liked.  Late Saturday morning at the Reedsburg motel......


Camp Hill Road.....


The switchbacks on Camp Hill Road, steeper than they look......


Sunday morning, very crisp and cool, on my way to Pine Bluff.....


Brotherhood Lane, almost to Pine Bluff.....


Made it....





On to Leland, nice to see that the pond is back.  Some of the first arrivals.......








About as crowded as it got.....


I left Leland and found some great roads on the way back to Reedsburg.  I put the bike back on the trailer and headed towards home.......


Saturday, January 28, 2012

Highest Point in Iowa

It's most definitely true......Iowa does indeed have a 'Highest Point' and we've been there.  Last June, daughter Hanna and I were on our way home from Lincoln, NE with some extra time on our hands and since extra time is in fact what it would require to stop at Iowa's greatest gap from sea level, we made use of it......extra time.  Hawkeye Point in the northwestern corner of the state.


The wind she was a'blowin'......  These signs mark both the distances and names of the highest points in each of the other states.


The actual Spot......


....and finally, half of the famous couple......


Sunday, January 22, 2012

35 years of RFD in Wisc.

With all of the traveling for work and wandering for adventure that my grandfather accomplished in his early years, after his trip to Montana on his HD sidecar rig, he married and settled down in St. Paul, MN.  He worked at the (now closed) Ford Plant building Model T's, then and just about his favorite job ever, at the Twin City Rapid Transit Company.  His job was Motorman, the driver and he piloted the Streetcars in the city, but his normal route was the Interurban Route between St. Paul and Stillwater.  Best of all was the weekend duty hauling young couples and families to the Wildwood Amusement Park in Mahtomedi, on the shores of White Bear Lake, where the Company had their own amusement park.

Before long, Gramp and Gram moved back to his homeland in Barron County, WI where Gramp carried mail for the USPS until his retirement in the early 60's.  Getting the mail delivered no matter the conditions, on those roads, in those years, proved to often be a challenge, one easily forgotten today now that we've got paved roads and better, more suited vehicles.  Even modern day gravel is a huge improvement on the road surfaces that carriers faced in the 40's and 50's.

After trying various Model A based snowmobile modded machines and achieving less than perfect results, he and a machine shop friend built their own rough road machine.  Based on a '32 Model A, the front axle was turned upside down, a truck transmission and rearend were installed, held high with tractor wheels and chevron treaded tires.  The cab compartment was boxed in to provide shelter and protection for the mail sacks.  It was the first machine larger than a riding lawnmower that I ever drove requiring a clutch (and it pushed really hard at 12 years old).


Gramp stopped to help the Milk Truck......


Not a problem, you just drive through......


Easy from here........


I smile when I see this photo; the road now paved, tourists from the Twin Cities use it to enjoy a B&B.  I'd have turned around and gone back home.....


I'm going to assume that he crested the hill and made the next box.....


One of his "seemed like a good idea at the time" attempts with the Snowmobiles that didn't work as hoped....


As I remember him telling it, soft snow and steering were major issues......


With chains, differential dragging.......


Plowing.....




Friday, January 20, 2012

1980 Honda CB750F and a few more

Home from the East Coast and working again after my summer-long Maritime trip, I found a used 750F Honda, the bike's styling a strong favorite of mine.  That was December of 1979 and this was one of our milder winters.


The first and last time I ran modified exhaust......


In March I flew down for Bike Week in Daytona.  In June, I traded the GS850 Suzuki for a 1980 Moto Guzzi SP1000.


In 1982, I bought this 1975 CB400F from friend Ken; he'd used it to commute to/from school, racing it on weekends at B.I.R.  This was what it look like as it ran around the track........


Then Dan recovered the seat and Ernie repainted......


Somewhere in time frame, I found (and brought home) some '64-'66 Puch 250's, an entire brood......



In 1983, Gramp, still riding, decided to upgrade from his '78 Yamaha 100 Enduro to an '83 Yamaha 250 Exciter.  Thinking his 100 Enduro would be a fun thing to commute on, I bought it and did just that; using it to go back and forth to work every day.


And the 100 Enduro that he sold to me.....


A number of bikes had been sold at this point; the Ducati, the Yamaha 125 Enduro, the 750F, etc.  Here's what the collection looked like in '83........


Girlfriend Peg always liked it best when I'd ride over on the red Yamaha since it was so "cute" (which meant I was way too big for it).  She was a very experienced 5 speed Toyota driver at the time and more than once took the Yamaha around her quiet suburban block.  Before long, the Honda 400F became hers, the MSF course was taken and passed.


Mom, dad and Peg on a 'family' ride to the Eau Galle Reservoir in Spring Valley, WI.........


Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Coffee....Washington Island May, 2010

Almost exactly two years ago, Prubert (from Sport-Touring.Net) called a 'Coffee' on Washington Island, May 16 2010.  The Milwaukee/Chicago area guys call 'Coffee's' often but I seldom get to go because I'm normally too far away.  I did make a Sunday morning coffee gathering in Dubuque that summer before but the group usually makes them without me and they make them often.  Since I've been to Door County, WI numerous times and never made the ferry ride up to the island off the most northern tip, Prubert's call was the perfect excuse to make a weekend of it.

Deciding to ignore the fastest and most direct route, I chose to make the ride over a ride based on a theme, namely taking WI #54 the entire width of the state.  I left bright and early on a Friday morning, a nicer morning than many mid-May mornings might be.  This was the west end at the Mississippi River.....


Here I am in Algoma, Lake Michigan in the distance.....


Taking #42 north along the shore of the big lake, Potawatomi State Park, site #10 was my destination.  I set up camp, then went back into Sturgeon Bay to do some sight seeing.  When I got back to the campsite, friends from the Eau Claire area had arrived and set up in the adjacent campsite.


Saturday morning I got up early and headed out for some riding around the State Park's Loop Road.  One of the stops was the Lookout Tower.


View from the tower.....


Sugar Creek County Park, on the Green Bay side of the peninsula.  This was a lovely spot I'll definitely visit again.


Bob's approval.....


Cave Point Park, Lake Michigan side....


Young Seth, Chris and Seth's dad, Mike at the lighthouse.....


Chris and I.....


Back to Sturgeon Bay from there, a bit of grocery shopping, then back to the campground for dinner around the campfire.  Scott and Steve had arrived from the Milwaukee area, spending the day doing some mountain bike riding on the way up, so our group was complete.  It was cool that night, so the fire, fine company and discussion topics all made up the perfect end of the day.

Sunday morning, early (as is my custom....ask anyone).  Scott's Wee and mountain bike racked up ......


Steve brought his on this very cool trailer.....


Breakfast time.....



The Bicycling Brothers left for home, Mike, Seth and Chris decided they'd not head over to the island and spend more time on the mainland exploring instead.  I left and headed north up through the rest of Door County, trying to budget the right amount of time to get on the ferry in time for late morning coffee on Washington Island.

Just happened to be on the same ferry with IL friends Dean and Alisha......


My intent was to arrive early enough to do some exploring on the island before the rest of the group gathered at the coffee house.  This is the ferry departure point for Rock Island State Park, the island even further out into Lake Michigan.


Schoolhouse Beach......


And finally it's Coffee Time, 13 bikes in all.  It was early enough in the season that The Red Cup was officially closing about the time we arrived.  Seeing our large group, they were kind enough to stay open and serve us.


All of us ready to board the 1PM ferry....


Ed shooting me shooting him.....


Lake Pepin and almost home.  7 hours ago we were boarding the ferry for the trip off from the island and back to Gills Rock......A fantastic weekend!