I just decided, right now that I’m going to write a blog post every night till I get it back. This is the first.
I’m not sure why. To be honest, life has never been better, but I dare should say when i’ve been more involved and working. I’m in a spot now where, when this next goal is over, I’m going to take some time out and get me a ride in. I just can’t right now. Too many people are relying on me and a weekend off isn’t happening. All good. I’ve had the opposite before.
See you tomorrow. Motherfuck, I’ll get my mojo back. Even if just writing about it gets me to riding somewhere, smoking a fat cigar under the stars with my bike pinging and cooling down next to me.
I had a Danny Gray seat on my last bike. It was a great seat.
Sold the tour Pak from my street glide and bought a Danny Gray Speedcradle. Did a hundie on it today, and I gotta take my hat off. 2 thumbs up for Danny Gray. I posted a pic of it yesterday.
I’m on the same page with this bike now. I love it. It’s not a street glide, its not a softail. Its in between.
It’s time to take it touring. Work says I can’t, my soul is pulling me for a weekend ride. She’s rounding out, slowly but surely. It’s been a bit of an adjustment from what i’m used to riding. The street glide had bigger saddlebags. Had a faring, but I couldn’t take it off. She had a stereo and now I’ve got an ipod in my pocket and headphones in my ears. The street glide had a different soul, but this bike has a different soul as well.
It’s like getting a new pup. When you get a dog they’re all wild and do just about the same things… but you learn soon enough, because they grow into dogs pretty fast…. who they are. Thats a lame and dumb analogy, but I think it fits bikes. I can say that this dawg wants the same thing as my other dawg did. It want’s to run, and the experiences I take it to are what makes it what they are.
I sold the tour pak on my street glide on ebay and got her some accessories. Maybe to make her my own, maybe to round out what she already had. The floorboards where glaring at me. I got em cheap and used, but they shine like they came stock. The paint job on this bike I’m not sure I’ve fully appreciated yet. I see it, and I’m growing to appreciate how good it looks.
Rebuilding your life is a constant adjustment. From what you had, to what you have and what you are working toward. I have nothing to bitch about. My main things are intact. My wife is beautiful to me, and my kids are healthy and building their own lives. it’s what every man pictures early on. They’ve all rebuilt too, and more than likely faster than I have. What I see is all good. I’m pretty happy theyve stuck with me. Sure, I’d have moved on regardless, and been fine. I always think of the line from a movie I hate: meet joe black: there was a fumbling idiot in there somewhere, I forget the story because I’ve only seen it once. A guy who was referencing his wife and said “she’s seen the worst in me and it’s okay”. yeah, well…. any man who lives exposes his worst, and any woman who can’t stick with him for that isn’t worth taking care of. Even so, I get it’s a rare thing these days. The fact my woman has, makes me love her more.
What the fuck. It’s pretty early in the morning to be waxing all lovey dovey. Shit and damn and piss and fuck and hell.
here’s the pictures of my bike as of yesterday after work. Yah, i love this bike.
Danny Gray SpeedCradle Seat
Danny Gray SpeedCradle Seat1999 Harley Davidson Road King FLHR
I’ve had a chance to start getting this bike down on paper. What I like, and what I don’t like. The don’t likes are damn few. The only thing I miss is a bat wing stereo, but It’s overshadowed by the view I never had before on the street glide.
I think I’m done comparing. I love this road king.
It handles so nice. I drive a mountain canyon every day on the way to and from work, 30 miles. It begs to roll into a turn.
It also begs to get into higher RPM, which I’m getting used to.
My older brother called me today at at around 10 minutes after 1. He was driving back from phoenix, and called me to tell me to meet him at his house, he had my bike. I was pretty stoked, counted down the minutes. what man doesn’t get excited to say a Harley Davidson is coming is way? Maybe you’re more stoic than me.
I’m not sure most people would understand. You build a bike…. a pretty special and fast bike that hauls ass and is your design, from cams and crank to paint job. I’m not sure i’d turn that over to anyone.
Here’s the bike. It’s in the garage now, took the kids for a ride, washed her up and said goodbye to the cage till november. I can’t wait to take her down the canyon to work tomorrow morning in the cold.
My old bike was fast, but this girl is faster. Around 3500 RPM she starts to get demonic. Doesn’t like to idle, but open her up and its clear where she wants to be. Add in that 6 speed baker and I’m a happy man. I’ll put her to use.
Sunday was a great day. I still haven’t gotten over her. This is one sick engine. I need to take her touring next weekend.
My brother left for Arizona this morning, and he’s bringing back my Road King. I wished I could have gone and rode her home, but with work busting out a new software in 2 weeks, I didn’t even ask because I have too much to do. I can’t hold a thought in my head thinking about it. Having her in the garage, sitting next to it and examining every inch. Popping a beer, washing her down, fiddling around and turning a few screws. The weather is still pretty cold up here in the mornings, but fuckit. I won’t be caging for a while now. Man, I can’t wait. I’m hoping monday, but maybe tuesday.
I’ve ridden this bike. shes a 1999, fuel injected FLHRC Road King Classic. Custom Paint, Custom wheels, Custom brakes, handlebars that look like they belong on a brahma bull they’re so wide. 103 Cubic Inch Engine. S&S cams, ported heads, stroker crank, roller rocker arms. Rhinehart exhaust. Baker 6 speed tranny. Starts cold, and those cams lope long and hard. The kind of bike you start and go eat breakfast, then when she’s warm she begs you to run her with your wrist twisted low, because that’s where she was meant to be. This bike begs to run. My street glide was quicker, but this bike is faster by a long shot. She’s loud, deep blue, and built right.
I feel like a man in an arranged marriage, waiting for the day. All I know, is no matter what, its the start of a beautiful relationship. Theres things to see, places to ride, and fun to have.
God I can’t wait. First ride with be a 2 nighter, dialing her in. I don’t know that I remember all the little things that a saddle bag has to have in it. Round up my maps, my ipod, that grungy toothbrush holder that served me all those years. What a killer problem to have! Man, I’m this close to being back in the saddle.
“Around here, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious…and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
– Walt Disney
I just like that quote. I’ve always liked Walt Disney. I’d almost rather go to see his history building there, when you first walk into the park then ride pirates of the Caribbean (even tho its pretty close. Pirates is pretty cool, and my kids love it).
I am starting to plan rides. Pour over maps. Calculate mileage, Find Gas Stations, KOA’s, Motels, and places I can just crash for the night. I haven’t ridden since last October. next weekend, I’ll have a bike again. A permanent one. A hulluva fast one.
I’m really fucking curious as to what’s out there.
This fucking blog is about to get back to what it’s intended for.
Will be here may 5th. Road King. 103 screamin’ Eagle engine. Baker 6 speed tranny. Heads are ported. Rhinehart Exhaust. Custom paint and wheels. Lots of torque, Lots of horses. Man, I am counting the days. I’ll make a full report from the road. it’s time to ride.
way interesting. Made me realize: It’s the same reason why I ride. James Cameron got Titanic in his craw, because he wanted to know what happened, and spent so much of his own money to find out: Archaeology leaves clues that beg to be answered for the curious. He just got curious. Without scientific training, without a government grant…. he had to know. It’s like riding a harley by an abandoned Anasazi ruin, or an 1850’s cobblestone footing from pioneers you didn’t know about. Or a neon Route 66 sign in a back alley, from a cafe back in it’s heyday. James Cameron, brotha…. I can relate.
He wanted to know the stories, and couldn’t resist the mysteries.
When I was a kid, I used to draw pictures of the titanic as she might look on the bottom of the Atlantic. I even bought a model of her in 1977 when I was 10 and cut her hull with a hot exacto knife so I could imagine how she sank.
Fast forward. Yeah, I’m a fan. There’s lots of history all around you, and you’re not seeing it on a cage, you’re on a bike. Feel the winds they felt, feel the terrain they experienced. Get a little curious, and the world opens up. At least it does for me.
You know what you’ll find? 100 or 1000 years ago, they had the same concerns as us. Staying alive. Worrying about kids. Keeping them safe and providing for them. And they were curious too. I love history.
Bikes have been hitting the canyon for almost a couple months now. I don’t miss a single one. I notice the bike, the helmet, the leathers…. hell, the snow suit. Been wishing for month’s they were following me down the mountain. I’d follow them. I just wish I was riding.
I’m thinking next week. This is a new climate and new terrain. Can’t wait to gas up with a fuel pump in one hand, and a hot dog in the other. Hoping the pump would hurry, so I can keep exploring. new ground. Mysteries to figure out.
Very soon. Pretty sure I was born to do this. Can’t wait to put it all my blog.
