Saturday, February 19, 2011

The Old Rides... Keep a Man Dreaming of New Rides...

Last summer I rode my Motorcycle Solo to Alaska... that time alone, splitting the wind on a ribbon of highway, soaking up the Freedom and the healing power of the open road...

... Ok... enough cliche's :o) but... you get my drift... That month on my Roadstar Raider couldn't have been a more glorious time...



We're returning to Alaska this summer... though this time, the Raider will be riding in it's place behind the cab of my truck, as we move between camps. We're taking the fifth wheel for a four month journey...

The Raider will have an easier time this year... making the majority of our day trips... I hope!

But... what getting ready for this trip has me remembering, is how I felt on all those long miles last summer... I was sitting... right where I belonged.

That remembering has me turning over future Solo Motorcycle Adventure Journeys I want to make... Yup.. Longer, Farther, and just... a lot more of 'em.

Only thing is... I've got a thing 'bout boats that get farther from shore than I can swim... and I swim like a Buick... and Airplanes...

I've flown all over the world... and I don't like flyin'... so... I don't.

Then there's another lil' issue... I personality defect I suppose...  Border Guards and tyrannical cops in "Foreign" places...  that think Travelers are a source of income to squeeze mordida out of... are... well... it's just best for me to avoid contact with 'em... which pretty much eliminates "The long way 'round" or "The Long way down" sorts of adventures for me! :o)

Spending a few weeks or months in a mexican jail 'cause I couldn't keep my big mouth shut is not my idea of a Fun adventure...

So... that narrows the scope of my Motorcycle adventures to... let's see... the United States... and... uh... Canada! :o)

Well... after spending a lil' while looking at a map of those two places... I've come to realize there's more long rides, into country I've not been in... then I have any hope of riding before I get too Old and Feeble to keep my Raider from falling over at stop signs.

The possible Motorcycle Touring rides seem endless...

A ride following the four borders of the United states... as closely as roads can be found to keep a bike there?... How about the Trans-America trail... On a Raider! :o) 

A Biker could roll his scooter through all 49 states on the continent... and every Canadian Province... in one Glorious Summer...

... or a Pass Bagging expedition... every pass over 7000 feet west of the Mississippi?...

Hell... right here in Arizona where I'm wintering... A rider could line out a hell of a ride visiting every National Monument, Park and a goodly number of Private sights and attractions... Not to mention just rolling down such roads as U.S. 191 between Guthrie and Alpine on a glorious summer day.

Thing is... adventure doesn't have to involve passports and bribing border guards... the best part of it... is people... meeting people and leaning about their worlds... and there's so many different sorts within' a few thousand miles of where I sit now... that a person doesn't have any absolute need to take himself across the oceans...

... The only absolute need... is to fuel up the tank, strap on your gear... and...

Grab Your Handles and Ride!
Brian

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Saturday, February 12, 2011

Guardian Bells... Gremlin Bells... and Evil Road Spirits?

Are you a superstitious Biker, or one who adheres to Motorcycle Legends?

Do you ride with a Guardian Bell or Gremlin Bell on your Motorcycle? Most folks know what they're about... do you?

What do you know about the Evil Road Spirits known as Road Gremlins?

If not... the quick story is the superstitious legend of Road Gremlins. There are gremlins out on the road waiting to jump on your bike as you roll by... and cause you all sorts of grief on a Motorcycle journey.

Unless... they jump up and get caught in the Guardian or Gremlin bell that you've got protecting you and your ride.

... Those damned Evil lil' Gremlins can't live in the presence of that Guardian Bell... They get caught in the hollow of the bell... Its steady ringing as you roll down the road drives 'em crazy and they finally fall off... to leave you safely rollin' on down the road... and some say... where the lil' buzzards hit the ground... is what causes potholes! :o)

Sounds kinda goofy... don't it? :o)

Yeah... well... I'm the superstitious sort... and there's been one wired to my Motorcycles for a long time... The bell, hanging as low to the road as I could find a place to hang it... was given to me by a most treasured friend... One of my own personal Guardian Angels...

Now... I ain't sayin' the bell is responsible... but... me and that Big Red Raider... went all the way to Alaska and back... without a burp... and that Bike has stayed upright a couple of times, as well as the V Star before it... before and after Alaska, when I was left scratching my head and wondering how?!

So... was it my riding?... or... was  that Gremlin Bell doin' its job and runnin' off all the Gremlins trying to haunt me? I know one thing... this Ol' Biker ain't gonna take any chances by not having one! :o)

*My Gremlin Bell, hanging Low on my Raider*
 Something to remember is... according to the legend, the power of the Gremlin Bell is supposed to be doubled when the bell is gifted to you by a friend... so if you're also the superstitious sort... and have some good friends you're wantin' to keep safe on their travels... make sure they've got a Gremlin Bell on their scooter!

Grab Your Handles and Ride!
Brian

Return to the Home page of Motorcycle Touring on Freedom Road
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Share your stories and opinions;
*Tell us Which you think is the... The Best Touring Motorcycle
*Share...  Your Personal Motorcycle Philosophy with us!
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Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Guess I'm Getting Spoiled... Easy Living on the Desert Might Not be Good for a Biker!

Been so warm and nice down here on the Desert this winter... I've gotten soft. 

I moved our camp a few days ago to a new BLM region to stay legal with the 14 day camp rule... Back just north of Quartzsite where we'd been parked, the truck hadn't moved for most of two weeks. If we went somewhere... we rolled on my Roadstar Raider.

It sure cuts a frugal Bikers cost of living when I don't do any $80 truck fill ups for a couple weeks at a time... just 7 or 8 bucks to top off the motorcycle for a ride stretches the dollar a long dang ways!  :o)

Kind of planning that here too... if the weather will co-operate... So far... I haven't even felt like gettin' that Big Cruiser off the truck... too dang windy and cool!

*Bikers Camp near Bouse, Arizona...*
You can't see the wind... but it's goin' about thirty miles an' hour... and I'm feelin' puny... so I'll wait another day or so... supposed to be back up near 60 tomorrow... and 75 by Saturday... and the wind is supposed to blow away... Sweet!

I'd say it's cold here ... if folks back home in Colorado weren't runnin' around in 19 below zero weather! Complaining 'cause it's gotten down to 30 here at night sounds purty weak by comparison, don't it? :o)

But... after several weeks of 70's and bumpin' on 80... it feels damn chilly when it's 35 degrees and the wind is honkin' across the Desert... to think... I used to ride, all winter long at 10 degrees on the Colorado Front range... wind just whistlin'... as long as the road wasn't iced up... and now...

... here I am, whinin', and holed up inside... 'cause the wind is blowin' and it's only gettin' to a high of 46! I think Easy living is bad for a Bikers constitution! :o)

Grab Your Handles and Ride!
Brian

Return to the Home page of Motorcycle Touring on Freedom Road
Visit our sister site goin' RV Boondocking

Share your stories and opinions;
*Tell us Which you think is the... The Best Touring Motorcycle
*Share...  Your Personal Motorcycle Philosophy with us!
*Tell us about your...  Great Motorcycle Roads