My Dad Called me MrZip.
When I was a kid, my father bought me a turtle. Days later, he noticed the turtles legs we’re gone. Not knowing much about turtles, he took it back to the pet shop and got another turtle. A few days later, he noticed yet again, no legs. Took it back to the pet shop, and the man told my father to watch his kid to find out what was going on. My father came home from work and heard a VROOM VROOOOM! sound in my bedroom, and came home to see me playing with the turtle like a race car across the carpet.
My father then named me Mister Zip. This story isn’t true, but my father liked to tell that story.
I started this blog in my 40s — I’m now in my 50s, and have a few things in my life I couldn’t do without. One is my wife. The other are my 3 beautiful daughters. The last is my motorcycle. This blog is to document, hopefully a life time of memories with all 5 of those things.
I’ve been riding motorcycles since I was 10 years old, when I got my first dirt bike. a 1972 XR 75 that I rode to death, before at age 14 I thought I was a mechanic and tore it all apart to upgrade it and never got it back together again. Owned several dirt bikes since then, and they were fun, but never really felt all that passionate about them.
Then, when I was 22 years old, in 1989 I bought a 1984 Honda Magna Street bike for 750 bucks in California when I was living there, and fell in love. I wore that bike out, till finally it needed a complete rebuild and the transmission started throwing gears. I bought a wrecked one at a junkyard, swapped out the engine but that didn’t last too much longer.
For about 10 years I didn’t have a street bike. I was busy building various businesses, and raising my kids and for some reason, it left my consciousness how much I loved riding. In august of 2006 my business partner and I walked into the Harley dealership to take a look, and walked out with the 2 most expensive bikes in the shop 3 hours later. It was retarded. He bought a stripped down, lowered and unrecognizable Fat boy with a killer custom paint job and drag bars. Pure style. I bought a Bagger, with double the horsepower of a stock Harley and all the engine that you’d ever need in a harley. Even then I didn’t know what I’d done. I’d reawakened the Road tripper in me.
I got a tattoo to remind me never to be without a bike again. I love it. I love everything about it. I love the open road, the smells, the cold and warm temperatures. When you drive in a car, its like watching TV. You see things going on through a rectangle sized screen, but you’re not in the picture. When you ride, youre PART of the picture. The road whizzing by your feet is 5 inches away. The dust storm hurts and makes you squint. The alfalfa that was just cut you can smell. The farmer watering his field you can feel it cool down the air around you. Racing storms puts adventure into the whole picture, rather than just slowing down.
Ill never be without a Motorcycle again. That’s what this blog is about. Documenting my trips with me, and my family on a motorcycle.
As far as work goes, I’m a consultant and Guide for EagleRider Motorcycle Tours for their Easy Rider tour, and a Business Consultant for Bluehost.
I can’t get off this website….I too started out with the xr 75 , xl 125’s, the 2 stroke Elsinores, 900 and 1000 Kawi kz’s, larger dual sports….and finally in 85 bought my 1st shovelhead (79 FLH), I went threw 3 shovels…..I took a 5 year brake from bikes ,dumdest thing I ever did. Now 2 years ago I bought me a 03 road king…just love it, I won’t be without again…thanks again for the great website….greetings from British Columbia, Canada 🙂
I’m a new rider. I bought my Sportster about 2 years ago, after wanting a motorcycle for a couple decades.
I’ve already taken a couple of solo day-long roadtrips. Enjoyed every minute of them. The only thing that would have made them perfect would be if my wife were on the back with me.
On a bike, I feel the temperature changes from place to place. I smell the grass, the dirt, the flowers (I don’t need to stop and smell the flowers, I can smell them as I pass by), and, yes, that skunk that was just run over. But, I love every minute of it.
Need to make a slight route change on 89 leaving Flagstaff. They picked up the hitch-hiker on road 395 that doubles back into 89 just north of Scared Mountain store. Been there many times. You have done a great job on this site. I've studied the movie since the 70's to find exact places. God bless. keith.mclaurin@jci.com
Its in there. If you turn at sunset crater, and head to Waputki thats the road. I know it like the back of my hand. Probably ridden it 20 times….
Hi, MrZip,
I'm a Japanese living in Japan and sometimes travel around the US by a Rental-RV.
And an RVer of US Class C Motorhome and Rider of 2010 Yamaha V-MAX as well.
Your blog is awsome! Especially about the Route Easy Rider! I have been in or at the place of the ER. And now, learn a lot from your articles.
Thanks
Thanks for the help (on your day job). Thanks, also, for the pointer to this website! My motorcycling days are behind me, alas. But I’ve taken this route in my imagination (and may soon do SOME of it in my old-man’s motorhome!)
Thanks JF!!
Absolutely love your blog posts, you keep me inspired. Just bought my third Harley, this time a 2012 Electra Glide Police Edition. I plan on wearing out the new tires this Summer, and by golly, I’m gonna come find you and help drink the beers you will buy us.
Thank you sir
Mr. Zip. Great breakdown of Easy Rider. Having grown up in NM I always loved many of the scenes. You did a great job. I used to have a Heritage Softail painted by Attitude Custom Painting that resembled your bike, small world. Again, thanks brother. Cheers, Bill
Thanks for the message Bill, Ride safe brother!
hi there, i am from Germany and use to ride Harleys since 1979!! and still goes on. Thank You for your blog. I did several trips in your beautyfull country during the last 30 years. Now I am retired and the “easy rider” trip is still missing. The movie startet in Germany as I was 14 years old and it formed my life. I just found your blog and say “Thank you so much”. You will help me to do my trip in 2021….hopefully.
enjoy yourself and ride free bro!! …sorry for my “rusty” english ;-))
Thanks for the note! I’m riding the route right now with several guests from Germany. Hope to see you over here soon!
Mr Zip,
Just found your blog and its a great resource. I am doing a couple of weeks on my motorcycle in the last couple of weeks of September. I will be spending a few days between Winslow, AZ and Barstow, CA with plans to see some of the sights on Route 66. I’ll dig in to your archives for places to see. My question to you is about how some of the places on the old route have deteriorated since you posted about them over the past 10 years or so. Are there any that simply no longer exist or are not worth the effort anymore?
I’ve done my own blog of my motorcycle adventures, (https://pennyandmythoughts.wordpress.com), which I don’t update nearly enough so I admire you consistency, even if it’s just a quick random thought,
Thanks.
JOhn
I have questions for you about Easy Rider Tour. How does one get an email address for you?
Hey Paul — mrzip66@gmail.com