I just finished writing the scripts for the tour guides for Easy Rider. I’ve compiled a lotta info over the years, and it was kinda tricky to me to know what people would want to know about. I’m so close to the trees, tracking down clues that sometimes I lose track of the forest.
Eaglerider lauched the tour. We start in october. here’s the link.
http://www.eaglerider.com/motorcycle-tours/guided-motorcycle-tour/easy-rider-movie-tour.aspx
Easy Rider Movie Tour Read More »
Andy Griffiths died this week. Man, the first I’d heard of it I was surprised he was still alive. He was 86 years old. I grew up watching the Andy Griffith Show. I’m a channel surfer to the point I drive my wife nuts, and I gotta admit, if that show is on I stop and watch. Other than the color ones. I don’t know why. I don’t like seeing Opie and Aunt B in color. Somehow it cheapened the whole thing.
Don Knotts died in 2006. We used to watch his movies in grade school assemblies. The apple Dumpling gang and “gus” if I remember right. Do you remember Gus? He was a donkey that made the football team. The prick could kick a football. Yeah, thats what a Utah grade school education gives me. I have no regrets.
Andy Griffith was one of a kid. Ever seen “a face in the crowd”? 1957 was right when rock and roll was peaking, and he held his guns to play that part. It was almost foreshadowing of a time we’re all too familiar with now. Ahead of its time.
Rest in Peace Andy Griffith. 86 is a ripe old age. For a whole lotta years I’ve wished I lived in mayberrry. I gotta think you were honest and good through all the hollywood bullshit. I hope others can keep your way. Those are the people we honor, right?
RIP, Andy Griffith Read More »
98 percent of all creation is accident, and 1 percent is intellect. At least that what Dennis Hopper said. I think thats an extremely humble way to describe natural talent and desire. Hell, mostly desire. But then again, Dennis Hopper smoked a lot of pot.
I’ve watched American Chopper since it came out. Jesse James makes some killer bikes. Been to bike shows and seen some really custom bikes that just blow my mind, and a few make me just wonder why. Anyone who fabricates something out of metal and it ends up rideable and 2 wheels tho, has my respect. I can’t do it. I never tried, and its always been this goal of mine to get to a place in life that I could try. I think I could make something cool. Maybe an old school bobber from the 40s or 50’s. I love that history; Guys came home from WWII, started cutting off fenders and lightening up their bikes so they’d go faster. Thats when the custom bike was born. But what is the most famous custom ever? To me, its pretty easy. I bet most people can tell you what this bike is.
Man, I double dog dare you to find me a more recognizable bike. I can’t figure what that bike would be. Evel Knevel? Steve McQueen in the Great Escape? Both are great bikes, but would you know em if you saw em? Whether or not you’ve seen the movie, that bike is an icon. It’s a 1950’s panhead motorcycle ripped from its police bike frame (peter Fonda bought 4 old police bikes from ranging from 1952 to 1954 for the movie) , and then someone got all freaky creative with it. The rake is crazy, the fender is gone, and there is no rear suspension. Hell, there’s no front brake. I am not a chopper guy, but you gotta respect that teardrop gas tank, the king and queen seat and you’ll find waldo faster than you can find the rear shocks. Maybe I’ve got my head lodged up Easy Rider’s ass (and that may be true), but tell me a more famous bike. Either way, you can’t tell me a bike that influenced more people to ride, and start customizing.
When The Easy Rider concept was quickly made into form, Peter Fonda set out to get him a couple of bikes for the movie. There’s lots of controversy about who built these bikes. Some say Dan Haggerty, who was in the movie. The guy who painted the bikes, his son says it was him (his dad, that is). Some say it was Peter Fonda.
But the guy who built them was a guy named Ben Hardy. Ben was an African american man who knew Harleys, and knew what he was doing. When Cliff Vaughs was asked by Fonda to oversee the building of the bikes, Vaugh’s turned to Hardy who was well known (if you were black) in Los Angeles as the go to guy to build a killer bike, and do it right.
Peter had only one thing he wanted on the bike. He wanted captain America to have a flag on his gas tank. Beyond that, the design was left to Vaughs. I gotta think tho… Peter was an experienced rider, and Dennis hopper wasn’t. That had to have come up in the conversation somewhere, because the Billy bike was a much easier bike to ride. I had a fat boy that was really close to the same configuration, and my brother has a friend with a Billy Bike replica. They’re easy bikes to ride. The captain America bike? Cut that steering head off and rake that bitch out like it is, throw in those long forks with no front brake and see how you fare. You don’t give that kind of bike to a beginner.
It was Cliff who actually first offered the name “Easy Rider” to Fonda. It was a term he used in the day. Whats an Easy Rider? that depends on who you ask. In the 1900s it meant a freeloader. A guy who mooched off you. To Dennis hopper, it meant a man who lived off the money of a whore. He got it from an old Mae West movie. Whatever cliff meant by it, I’m not sure. All I know is he redefined the word. To this day I think it is associated to Harley riders. Maybe because of cliff, but most definitely because of the movie. When you say Easy Rider, I think of the movie. I think of Harley’s.
Vaugh’s quickly took the idea to Ben Hardy. Peter bought four 1950’s panhead police bikes from auction, and got them to Hardy and Vaughs. Jim Buchanan fabricated the frames, The engines were built by Hardy, Dean Lanza did the paint (his son is adamant he built the entire bikes). 2 bikes were for filming, 2 were for the final sequence of the movie, which I’m fucking assuming you know about, otherwise you wouldn’t be here reading this. Hardy went to work, and the rest is history.
Ben Died in 1994. Cliff is still alive today. Both men haven’t gotten the recognition they deserve— in my opinion, for building the most famous bikes in the world. Ben’s old shop is still around in Los Angeles if you want to see it.
The next time you’re at a gas station, and you’re staring down into your tank and pouring gasoline all over it, think of Ben Hardy and Cliff Vaughs. They made a killer movie as much as anyone else, and I dare say the most famous motorcycles ever built.
The Easy Rider Bikes – Built by Ben Hardy and Cliff Vaughs Read More »
Man, half way down the canyon this morning I realized I forgot a huge thing yesterday. Hell, maybe the the most important on the list. Sunglasses. What was I thinking?
You got a pair that you love? The pair I wear I’ve had 3 pairs of over the last several years. Only lost one pair, and the others just got too scratched up to see through so I replaced em. I don’t know the name of em, but when I see em in the dealership I snatch up a spare pair if I’ve got the money.
They have strong hinges and I’ve never had to do that thing where I stick a toothpick in where the screw worked out to keep em going. The shade is just right – not too dark and not too light. They’re tall enough they deflect a lot of wind. I hope I can keep finding pairs of these over the years.
For clears, I got some ones I really like for fathers day. Transitional lenses, and although not dark enough for my taste during the day, they’re killer at night. By panoptyx, before they got bought out by 7eye:
I have terrible night vision. I don’t know why, but cheap clears at night just fuck with my head. Like I can’t process the info thats getting thrown at me. Plus, to be honest I don’t want to die at night because I didnt see something. Your reaction time is so much shorter at night, so I’ll always stick with more expensive clears than regular glasses. These have the eye cups which are nice when you take the windshield off. I don’t get watery eyes so bad and have to stop from the wind. Ive had these for a few years, and they’re solid. Hats off to whoever you are now…. I like how you make glasses.
I really want a third pair. For rain. I’ve been eyeing those pugz goggles you see in Maverik’s and 7-11’s. They’re cheap, but I gotta think for rain glasses they’d be the best investment in the world. maybe I’ll get a pair for 13 bucks and have my kids hit me with the garden hose as I run up and down the street. They’d love that. Thats real life beta testing yah? Ya gotta think it’d work.
I have a few other pairs in my little hutch in the garage I keep my bike treasures. I got old maps in there, bungee cords of varying sizes, spare sunglass cases, I think a few toothbrushes and tools, and 2 more pairs of sunglasses that somehow I horse traded over the years with other bikers. One of em are expensive Vuarnet’s with these deep ass eye cups. I don’t know where he got them, but the lenses are great and you could eat a small bowl of cereal out of those eye cups. Great in the wind. Maybe good in the rain. I should give those a second try, maybe tomorrow. I also got a cheap pair that I keep when I missplace my good ones, and they’ll always be there when I get too impatient to keep looking and I just wanna get the bike out of the garage.
I think tomorrow I’ll talk about long ride saddle bag must-have’s. Most of what I need I’ve committed to memory, and about half of that I don’t bring because I get ants in my pants or just plain forget. Maybe my wife is right…. Maybe, but I’ll be damned if I ever admit that to her.
You got a preference on what kinda shades you wear when riding?
You know, I love my ride to work. It’s 20 miles down a canyon paralleling the river that cut it, pine trees and a lot of waterfalls. I get a great chance to gear up for work, and gear down on my way home. Couldn’t ask for a better ride to start and end my day. Good thinking time. Lately, I been thinking mostly about the software update the company is doing, and the problems I gotta solve. But in the background, I been thinking about biking gear.
I don’t go to harley message boards. I swear to god, every third thread is about if they should wave to other bikers or not, or if fingerless gloves and assless chaps are ok to be seen in. When I ride, yep… my wallet is attached to me with a chain. I take my chaps off when its no longer cold. I got something to say about the subject. I’ve ridden all over the place, and like most riders you figure out a gear system. Here’s mine. I’m not gonna be humble here. Its good, and its mostly from epic failures.
The gear DO’s:
This list is making me think of all kinds of other crap i put in my saddle bags for a trip. Maybe thats the ride thought for tomorrow.
Seems like I’ve been working a lot lately. Things hit a break, just in time for my wifes annual family reunion. We’ve been since before we were married, and now that I live closer I figured it a good time to see if I could find some back roads to the annual event.
I was the guy in st george who knew every single road for 500 miles. The guy who planned poker runs, weekend trips and went nuts to see where that road jutted out from a backroad, and where it went. Man, I’m not up here. It kind of drives me nuts. Up here, I ask a lot of questions, Mostly to the old timers, who are glad to tell you their stories and tell you some background that’s interesting to me. I’ts nice to learn a whole new set of roads, do some exploring and hopefully share it with someone else down the road. Summers are short here, so you gotta make hay while the sun shines.
Been riding with some of the locals lately, so was able to stay off the interstate and mozy toward my goal. I found a lot of historical markers I passed, some railway markers, and even hit a short spurt of the old Lincoln Highway. Things I’ll explore later, because they’ll fill in the blanks and make the ride more exciting later. Right now, I was going macro. We’ll go micro later.
Riding alone, for me is relaxing. I set my own pace, worry about my own shit and stop at random curiosities when I want. The weather is nice now. It’s time to step it up.
Kamas utah is an old utah farming town and is just a great ride. Oakley, Peoa, all great riding. Coalville needs to be explored, but I just rubbernecked through it and see its alive and kicking, much like an old route 66 town. I rounded rockport lake, at what what was clearly the old road (Spotting old, per interstate highways has become old hat), crossed under the freeway that goes to Evanston Wyoming and soon I was in Echo Utah.
Echo was a significant place during the heyday of the railroad. It held coal, and helper trains up the Wasatch. It was at the mouth of the main artery from Wyoming, and Salt Lake. Echo still holds rail cars at its junction, but not much else. As you ride by, you can smell the unique grease and metal that only railroads produce. It told me that something interesting was coming up, and escorted me out of town. It was US Route 30, and It’s high point was world war II. As of now, its just a trailer park. it has ghosts. Man, I felt like I was on route 66. this cafe was just full of questions for me. . I figured my inlaws who were born in this area would have some stories.
I hit the reunion with my phone pictures, and I did get a few stories. Mostly they were surprised I thought so much of the place. To them, it was just a place growing up. it’s 200 yards from the interstate, and a mile of backroads to get to it for no reason. The fact that the Kozy survived so many years later is a testament to itself. Former employees claim its haunted. The last thing I found was that it was open as late as 2009. I wished I’d have ate there. I’d have swung wide to help keep a place like this open. Kinda sad.
After the reunion I doubled back with my oldest daughter on the back of the bike, and my wife and other kids following. We found a new road, and I noticed some junctions I need to chase down, with some local advice on where they go and how beautiful they are. These are my next road goals. I’m going to find em, take some pictures and post em on the blog. I got no doubt I’ll come back with something good.
The Kozy Cafe, in Echo Utah Read More »
Man, I’ve been in a writing funk for months.
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 can die now. I’ve been to Tabiona.
Went with a couple guys from my BACA chapter on a ride. Great road. Maybe the best I’ve been to since I’ve been up here. Had lunch and a couple of beers in Hanna, got to know friends a little better and had a great time. Did some shooting and the cops showed up. He was cool. Ya gotta love wasatch County. I’ll do this ride again and take pictures next time. It really was a good one.
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.
Danny Gray Speedcradle seats. Read More »
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.
1999 Harley Davidson FLHR Road King Read More »