TRAVELING CHOPPER

According to Websters dictionary solitude is a state or situation in which you are alone usually because you want to be.  I don't completely agree with this. I believe that solitude is a state of mind. I believe that one can be in a state of solitude even in a crowded room, even a room full of friends. I also think that, contrary to Websters, we are not always in a state of solitude because we want to be. I also believe that solitude can be both enlightening and scary simultaneaously. I believe that solitude itself can be your friend, therefore making complete solitude an impossibilty.  Why am I writing about this you ask? Well, as an avid traveler, most aften alone, I have spent more time then I care to admit in a state of solitude. Motorcycling is inherintally a solo activity. Many use it as a form of therapy, a little time alone to sort out your thoughts. Some use it as an escape, a way to run and hide from problems at home or at work.  I'll admit that I have been on b...

I lay there awake, 2am, fantasizing of twisty mountain roads, desert black top stretching miles ahead and the warm breaze whistling through my ears. I walk to my garage to find it empty. I curse the 60 degree day in the dead of winter. I long for the throttle in my hand, the thunderous roar of my Harley-Davidson and the thrill of the open road. Life of a biker without a bike.              Yeah, I know, its for the better. I'll get her back with a fresh motor, paint and even working lights...weird! But, that doesn't mean I have to like it. The flip-side of this though is that at least I know I'll be in a comfortable bed each night. Life on the road isn't so predictable. There comes a point in everyday where you have to figure out where exactly you will be laying your head that night.  If you aren't careful you will find the sun below the horizon and your self on a lonely road with quickly falling temperatures. But, if you use our head and your map ...

Theres something about crossing a state line that just feels good.  I'm not entirely sure what it is, i mean, It's not like your crossing into a foreign coutry with a different language or something (Texas excluded) but there is a small sense of accomplishment. I suppose with some states (Texas included), there's a feeling a relief because maybe the roads were in terrible shape, like louisiana. Or Maybe you just didn't find it all that exciting...Oklahoma for example. Or, you are looking forward to the next state. I know I was excited to see the North Carolina state line because I was looking forward to roads such as the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Tail of the Dragon!  Whatever it is, I always feel the need to pull over and snap a picture. Now, whats interesting about this is that it isnt always as easy as it sounds. Sure, crossing into North Dakota on a 2 lane backroad was a piece of cake. Hell, there was even a parking area in front of it that I found a little funny co...

There are very few stretches of road where a guy can roll the throttle up to 100mph and just hold it there until you are out of fuel, US Hwy 50 across Nevada is one of those places. The day started in Shingletown, Ca. This day marked the return back to Colorado after hitting the 48th state of the summer(california). The morning was cold, not unbearable but cold, maybe 40degrees. Heading east out of Shingletown the road dipped, climbed, twisted and weaved - a beautiful ride. As the road descended its final descent I rolled into a small town and found a gas station. At the station I happened upon another couple also on a motorcycle trip (I forget there names and the name of the town), quickly made friends with them and we decided to grab breakfast. Meeting folks on the road is always a great experiance. We sat for nearly an hour, traded stories and they even bought me breakfast, a really nice way to start the day!  After finishing our meals we said our goodbyes in the parking lot and...

Big changes are happening on the bike right now. After thoroughly abusing it this summer it was time to give it a little lov'n. First off, get the motor back in shape. Currently the motor is an 88 cubic inch Harley Davidson Twin Cam B motor with 131,000 miles. Over the summer it developed some leaks and in general sounded pretty rough. Last week, with the help of Mark at Frontline Cycles in Longmont, CO the motor was torn down. Upon tear down we discovered small chunks missing in the cams, worn out rings and way to much end play on the flywheels (enough to measure with a tape measure). Obviously, Its a good thing we are doing this!  The motor will get rebuilt with new S&S flywheels, bored out to 95" cubic inches, new pistons, cams, lifters, oil pump, etc. Basically, everything that can be replaced will be replaced. Next, the new motor will be complimented by a new Baker 6spd transmission with an overdrive to lower my rpms and save the motor a bit when cruising at 90-95mph ...

Its not to often you get to cross a bridge as impressive as the chesapeake bay bridge. I was lucky enough to get the oppportunity earlier this year and must say that it is every bit as impressive as everything you've ever heard about it. At nearly 4.5 miles end to end with a tunnel in the middle, yeah a tunnel, you truly get the feeling of being in the middle of the ocean. On a motorcycle, in the elements, this can give you a rather uneasy feeling. As I approached the bridge the weather was cold, grey and windy...not optimum crossing conditions. As I rolled through the toll booth and approached the first leg of the crossing my concerns washed away and were replaced with excitement. There I was, crossing an absolute engineering marvel with a cold and aggressive crosswind to guide me.  Everything was going smooth, just rolling along enjoying the view. Ocean as far as you could see, shipping boats in the distance carrying cargo to far away lands, and sea gulls spiraling overhead when ...

In effort to tell some "stories from the road" here's a quick one from when I was back up in Maine this spring. It started out by noticing that my foot clutch was feeling pretty loose, loose as in barely engaging. So, there I was cruising north on highway 1 along the coast when I noticed that my clutch wasnt feeling right. I'd step on it and the clutch would barely engage. looking down at the cable as i'm  cruising along I realize that the problem is in the cable...its barely there! Quickly deciding that stopping, therefore having to step on the clutch, is probably a bad idea, especially considering that I am no where near a town.  Pressing on, not shifting, I do eventually find a town and quickly spot an auto parts store, seems like a good spot to stop.  I went in, explained my situation and asked if there might be somebody in town that could help. The nice fellow directed me to the "red" auto repair shop a few miles up the road, a little vague but wort...

Once again it has been a while since i've posted anything so I figure its about time for an update. since my last update I completed riding to all 48 states, all three coasts with a total of 31,000 miles.  Received a feature article in Cycle Source magazine, met countless amazing people and road an incredible amount of amazing roads. Folks ask me all the time: "what were the best roads", "whats the prettiest part of the country" and so on. I have this to say- Every part of this country has something worth seeing and people worth meeting, I have yet to ride through and "ugly" area and there is no area and wouldn't happily return to. That being said, here are some pics to check out. Also, I've updated my technology in order to ease my ability to maintain this blog so keep checking back!

I'll be leaving Friday morning for a quick 4 day ride to North Dakota. I'm hoping to spend a couple of days seeing what they have to offer up there! I'm looking forward to riding through Theodore Roosevelt national park and hopefully finding a nice lake or two to camp next to! Check back for some pics!

So far this summer I've ridden through 31 states and rolled 13,000 miles...here's a few pics. 

A little winter trip took me and a good friend out to Milwaukee to check out the Harley Davidson museum! 

It was time for a change, my 2003 heritage softail was tired and in dire need of some lovn'. Still in progress this is how it looks now. The frame was hard tailed and raked to 60 deg. The idea is to make this thing as road worthy and reliable as possible while still being able to turn heads anywhere I take it, I think we're just about there. Stay tuned for more progress!