NOB 'Q Summer 2009

I know you guys are gettin' giddy! People in my house have started to dream about the trip, I think. The route looks cool, the stops will be exciting, and my cousin in Kansas is the best host. So to get the party started, I'm having fun planning NOB 'Q Summer 2009. You'll park your bikes in the garage...Jesse will love the look of a motorcycle dealership.....then head out back to enjoy some good old fashioned ribs, chicken, mac and cheese, etc. And yeah we're having dessert....7up cake, cobbler, ice cream...you'll be full! Even you big eaters....you know who you are! We've invited some local riders not making the trip so they can dream about riding out of the state some day. And it wouldn't be a 'Q without family....so I've invited my family and a few aunts from Mississippi! I'm sure you will have fun with them....go easy. But don't think of riding in by moonlight....or you'll be stuck eating tuna sandwiches. Goal: Get here before 7pm! Then for the evening, sit back, enjoy a drink or two or three and enjoy the 'local' entertainment....very local. It will be engaging and I'm sure you will have fun...no I'm not sharing...can't give away everything.

And just before hitting the road, and before the sunrises according to 'you know who', we'll have a hot country breakfast, coffee, cereal, etc. Make sure you eat something... the first stop appears to be Sioux City! Can't wait to see you guys....Ride Safe!

Americade 2K9 Continued Part 3

We woke up after staying at the Super 8 Motel to a great breakfast! We ate in a small room and provided entertainment for the other hotel guests that were dining in. We met a really nice woman Iris who ran the breakfast room. We talked to her for over an hour. Her parents emigrated to the United States from Germany after World War II. We said good bye to Iris and the Super 8 and set off for Stephen King's House. This of course was Erskine's idea. WOW! Stephen King's House is beautiful!

After leaving the 3 minute exterior tour of Stephen King's home, we departed for a remedial tour of Bangor, ME. This is Erskine's specialty, Erskine will go a certain route get lost, do a u-turn and retrace his route. Thus the remedial tour is born.

Once we got out of Bangor, ME we drove to Bar Harbor, ME. It was beautiful. We went to the top of Mt. Cadillac, which is located in Arcadia National Park. It was really beautiful at the top of the Mt. Cadillac.

For those who have not been there, Mt. Cadillac is a great place to ride a motorcycle. You have a 360 degree view of the coastline of Maine and beautiful views of the Atlantic Ocean. You can see a picture of Phil, Erskine and I at the top of the mountain. The added bonus is the ride to the top of the mountain. It was a good, challenging ride. From Arcadia National Park we rode to Lewiston, ME.

Americade 2K9 Continued

We said good bye to Battleboro and Ron Milon on Monday morning. Unfortunately, Ron had to go home (Detroit) early so that he can go back to work. Erskine, Phil and I continued our journey through Vermont into New Hampshire. We stopped and had lunch in Concord, NH. Did you know that the State House of New Hampshire is the oldest in the country in which the State Legislature has continuously used since 1819? After lunch we crossed into Maine and ended up in Freeport, ME. Freeport is a very quaint New England town. All of the buildings appear to be from the middle 1800's. Even the newer buildings appear to be from circa 1880s. However, the town is an outlet shopper's mecca. See the picture of Phil and me at the L.L. Bean outlet store. L.L. Bean has a campus of stores there in Freeport. Unfortunately, we only stayed in Freeport for about an hour. We had to drive another one and half hours north to our destination for the night of Bangor, ME. That entire area is so beautiful and desolate. I have never seen so many MOOSE CROSSING signs on highway. Thank God we did not see any Moose or car versus Moose accidents. We stayed at Super 8 Hotel in Bangor that evening.

Americade 2K9

NOB's Americade 2K9 trip went well this year. There was only four of us on this trip this year. Unfortunately, Ron Milon (BMW K 1200 GT) was only able to go as far as Vermont with us. The rest of the group comprised of Erskine Clinton (ZZR 1400), Phil Williams (Honda GL 1800)and your truly with a GL 1800. Our trip was awesome this year. A great deal of miles very low drama. We met in Olean, NY the first night. Phil had started his journey from Opelika, AL. I believe that Opelika, AL is where Sheriff Taylor's (Andy Griffith) grandfather was born. Phil rode to Erskine's home in Lexington, KY. They rode out from Lexington, KY to Olean, NY. I started my journey from Barrington, IL. I met Ron Milon in Toledo, OH. The two of us rode to Olean, NY. We had a great dinner at World Famous Beef 'n Barrel in Olean, NY. Phil ordered Halibut which was to die for. I say that because with the amount of salt that was on the Halibut a person would OD on salt.

The next day we left beautiful Olean for Syracuse, NY. Anyone that rides with us knows this is one of our few traditions to eat at this Motorcyle Friendly BBQ Joint. Of course Phil and Erskine lived in Syracuse for a long time and they called a few of their friends and we had a nice little reunion. We left Syracuse right after lunch and drove the backroads to Vermont. Erskine found some really nice back roads. Our journey ended day 2 in Battleboro, VT.

First Gear TPG Escape overpant

Hi NOBers,

For my birthday back in April I treated myself to a ride up to NJ to see our buddy Tony. We had a great weekend of riding and relaxing. While there I picked up a pair of FirstGear TPG Escape over pants. I mentioned to the dealer there that I have seen the pants for cheaper online and he matched the cheapest online price I had seen thus far!

About the pants. They are of course a fully water prof textile over pant made of Teramid fiber among other things. Fit is nice and loose. I can easily where them *over* jeans and work clothes. (guess that's why they are called over pants. They are lined and I can also where them sans pants.., err without under.., well you know what I mean, without jeans! Any way all of the zippers are waterproof and its got I nice heavy meta hook closure on the front. The legs have side zippers from ankle to about the knee. There are zippers on both ends so you can zip it down from the knee for extra ventilation. There is also dedicate ventilation zippers along the side of the thighs.

Velcro ankle closures and snaps round out the package along with a removable quilted thermal liner. If my ReVit mesh pants with wind stop liner was good down to the 40's then these will be good to below freezing.

They are a little on the warm side since they are not mesh but I really like them. I know reach for them most of the time unless I'm wearing Draggin jeans.

Overall a very good over pant. I paid just under $200 bucks with tax.

Now I just need that HI-VIZ jacket and a set of leathers with knee pucks and I'll be all set!

From Bridgestone to Michelin

Hi NOBers,

My 2008 FJR 1300 has a little over 6K on the clock now. This morning when I got to work the sun was shining brightly and I noticed something that I did not see in the dim light of my garage. My Bridgestone BATTLAX BT-021 front tire is wore out! Its down to the wear bars and then some. Not only that but the dual compound tire has worn out in an odd pattern. The harder compound center strip is squared off, but the softer compound sides have also worn flat. So the profile is no longer round but more like that of a blunt crayon. The rear looks like its got plenty of life left in it if not a little squared off. I find it odd that the front wore out so much faster then the rear. I watch my tire pressures carefully and run the front at 39-40 and the rear at about 42.

Well, on order is a set of Michelin Pilot Road II's. Also a dual compound sport touring tire. I can't say that I have been babying the bike so maybe the wear is reasonable but I would have expected the rear to be more worn or for the front an rear to have worn more evenly.

Anyway when I get the PR2's on there I will give an update as to how they compare. I've heard good things about them. Not so good on the BT-021's or the Dunlop Roadsmarts, but then again as with most things your mileage may vary.

Niehaus Open House May 16, 2009

Huey Tobias (Yamaha Star) and I went to Litchfield,IL yesterday. The round trip was approximately 555 miles. We attended the Niehaus Honda's Open House. It was a cold and very windy day. However, it was a great run. This was like a mini-Americade. We saw many bikes at the open house. There were quite an impressive number of vendors there too. I was able to find some more gloves; the gloves had a Goldwing logo on them. Huey purchased a Memphis Shade Windshield. I am not quite sure why he wanted to replace the "cute" shield that he has on his Star!

I read an article recently and the author of the article Ken Glassman has the right philosophy when it comes to riding his bike that I will be adopting. It is quite simply when you ride your motorcycle, "never be in a hurry". Enjoy this riding season.