I stole this video from my sister's MySpace page. Cameron is my nephew who is almost a year old and lives in North Carolina. Some day he may be as cute as I am.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Sunday, August 26, 2007
First Motorcycle
My first motorcycle was a 1983 Honda CM250C. I bought it when I was 16 from a guy in high school who hit a bird with his chest while riding this bike. The bird not only knocked the wind out of him but also scared him so bad that he swore he would never ride again. He delivered the bike to my parent's driveway and we exchanged cash for the title. As he was riding away in a buddy's car my father came out of the house. Dad asked "What is that?" "My new motorcycle!" I replied. "Your new WHAT!!" My parents were not impressed.
My parents insisted that I always wear a helmet while riding my motorcycle a practice that I continue still. My father also drove me to and from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic Rider Course to ensure that I had proper training before I got my motorcycle license.
At first my parents seemed to be very much against motorcycles but eventually Dad tried riding my bike and found out it wasn't so bad after all. He even has a scooter of his own now.
This motorcycle was really too small for me but I didn't know the difference yet. I rode this motorcycle for several years all over the place sometimes with a passenger. People sometimes make fun when I ride my Sportster which has an engine nearly five times larger. But this motorcycle had a full size frame and seat and it was good transportation even if it was a bit underpowered. One way to look at it is that at least it had five times the engine of the moped I had before this bike.
These photos were taken in 1988 as part of my senor pictures.
My parents insisted that I always wear a helmet while riding my motorcycle a practice that I continue still. My father also drove me to and from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic Rider Course to ensure that I had proper training before I got my motorcycle license.
At first my parents seemed to be very much against motorcycles but eventually Dad tried riding my bike and found out it wasn't so bad after all. He even has a scooter of his own now.
This motorcycle was really too small for me but I didn't know the difference yet. I rode this motorcycle for several years all over the place sometimes with a passenger. People sometimes make fun when I ride my Sportster which has an engine nearly five times larger. But this motorcycle had a full size frame and seat and it was good transportation even if it was a bit underpowered. One way to look at it is that at least it had five times the engine of the moped I had before this bike.
These photos were taken in 1988 as part of my senor pictures.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
I-Cubs Game
I went to the I-Cubs Game with my cousin Linda Kay, her husband Mark and their family. The Cubs lost 7 to 6 in a pretty good game but for me the spectacle of the game and atmosphere of the park is so much more than the athletic contest anyway. And I had a great time visiting with Linda Kay and her family. The game highlight for the kids may have been getting to meet IPTV's Dan Wardell who sat a few rows behind us. Everyone got his autograph.
HOG Ride to the State Fair
Today I lead several members of the Route 65 HOG Chapter and their guests to Bike Day at the Iowa State Fair.
Jill Olsen and Dean Lambert discuss the impracticality of the OCC E85 Bike.
Jill Olsen and Dean Lambert discuss the impracticality of the OCC E85 Bike.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
El Rojo the 2004 Roadster
El Rojo is a 2004 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200R. Rojo means "Red" in Spanish and the motorcycle was given this name while I lived in New Mexico because of the overwhelming use of the color red. Most people dress up their motorcycles with extra chrome but on this bike I have taken parts that were originally black, gray cast or silver and either painted or powder coated in red. I still have a few more parts to powder coat before I'm done.
Sportsters have the reputation of being beginner bikers, or starter Harleys, or girl's motorcycles, but this reputation is undeserved. This is a very small nimble bike with plenty of power. It isn't a great motorcycle for carrying a passenger and it isn't a touring bike, but it is a great short range bike and perfect for riding around town and commuting to work. I often find myself choosing this motorcycle from the garage when I don't want the work of riding the larger heaver Road Glide.
The Sportster being a lighter weight motorcycle is a much quicker motorcycle than the Harley-Davidson Big Twins. Over short distances and in curves they can be faster than their bigger brothers. When the Sportster was first introduced in 1957 it was the Superbike of the day designed to compete against the smaller and faster British and European motorcycles, not against the larger Harley FLs or Indians.
It's all a matter of expectations. The Sportster is a wonderful motorcycle for what it can do well, and maybe it simply wasn't designed to do the things it doesn't do as well.
These photos were taken in my back yard in New Mexico.
Sportsters have the reputation of being beginner bikers, or starter Harleys, or girl's motorcycles, but this reputation is undeserved. This is a very small nimble bike with plenty of power. It isn't a great motorcycle for carrying a passenger and it isn't a touring bike, but it is a great short range bike and perfect for riding around town and commuting to work. I often find myself choosing this motorcycle from the garage when I don't want the work of riding the larger heaver Road Glide.
The Sportster being a lighter weight motorcycle is a much quicker motorcycle than the Harley-Davidson Big Twins. Over short distances and in curves they can be faster than their bigger brothers. When the Sportster was first introduced in 1957 it was the Superbike of the day designed to compete against the smaller and faster British and European motorcycles, not against the larger Harley FLs or Indians.
It's all a matter of expectations. The Sportster is a wonderful motorcycle for what it can do well, and maybe it simply wasn't designed to do the things it doesn't do as well.
These photos were taken in my back yard in New Mexico.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Jill's Birthday
In honor of my wife's birthday I am posting a slide show of some of my favorite pictures of her.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Uncle Brad's 1919 Harley-Davidson
Writing about Uncle Brad in Sturgis reminded me that I needed to post a picture of his 1919 Harley-Davidson,
perhaps one of the coolest motorcycles I have ever seen.
perhaps one of the coolest motorcycles I have ever seen.
Sturgis
The 2007 Sturgis Black Hills Rally officially starts today. I am not going this year but I did get the chance to attend in 2005. I bummed a couple of free nights lodging from some of the wonderful members of the Des Moines HOG Group and rode with them for several days. We camped in Custer and rode to Devils Tower, Hulett WY, Spearfish Canyon, Iron Mountain Road and all around the Black Hills. I met some new friends from Mexico and had a wonderful time riding with the Des Moines HOG Group.
After I parted company with the Des Moines folks I met up with my uncle Brad and aunt Marlene in Sturgis. Brad goes to Sturgis quite often, always stopping at my Grandmother's house along the way. On this particular trip they suggested to Grandma that she should come along to Sturgis with them. Grandma stated that she would be afraid of "all those bikers". When they pointed out that she had 5 grandsons who are bikers they managed to persuade Grandma and her best friend Babe to go along with them. Probably not many people have a picture of their Grandmother at Sturgis.
After I parted company with the Des Moines folks I met up with my uncle Brad and aunt Marlene in Sturgis. Brad goes to Sturgis quite often, always stopping at my Grandmother's house along the way. On this particular trip they suggested to Grandma that she should come along to Sturgis with them. Grandma stated that she would be afraid of "all those bikers". When they pointed out that she had 5 grandsons who are bikers they managed to persuade Grandma and her best friend Babe to go along with them. Probably not many people have a picture of their Grandmother at Sturgis.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Red Molly, Jill's 1988 Sportster 883
These pictures show the progress from really ugly "Ketchup & Mustard with rust" to Rich Red & Back. It's still an old bike but it's in much better shape than we found it. I stripped this bike down to the bare frame all by myself, had the frame sandblasted & powder coated, and re-assembled the bike. I cleaned everything up as best as I could, polished all of the aluminum and what little chrome there is on the motorcycle, and painted several parts wrinkle black. (Don't ask Jill about the ruined cookie sheet or the fumes from baking the wrinkle black parts in her oven.) I found many take-off parts at the dealership that I could use which made the project much more economical. The front fender and fuel tank are from a 2000 Sportster with the rear fender painted to match. I think overall it turned out very well.
Cousins September 1973
When my parents recently moved I inherited a large box of slides
that I have been slowly trying to scan and sort. I found a few
pictures of myself with my cousins Linda Kay and Brenda at
their farm near Ruthven Ia.
Pulling Linda Kay
Brenda, Linda Kay & Ole
that I have been slowly trying to scan and sort. I found a few
pictures of myself with my cousins Linda Kay and Brenda at
their farm near Ruthven Ia.
Pulling Linda Kay
Brenda, Linda Kay & Ole
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