Yesterday Harley Davidson Unveiled its 2010 Models, with a few surprises. Quite a few actually, at least to me. 34 models all in all.
The trikes to me are kinda cool. I’ve heard they are funner than hell. Maybe something mrs Zip would enjoy riding with me on. Dave Grohl thinks they’re cool too.
Street Glide CVO Finally.
New Street Glides come in fire engine red now. Beautiful.
The rumor was that Harley was going to stop making the road Glide. Apparantly not yet? Its still on the menu.
The Rocker C is still the most retarded bike ever. It needs to go away. Let the other MOCO’s do that kind of crap.
Cross bones still have that jacked up rear fender and terrible seat pan. That bike is still 80% there. Fix that back fender, and that bike is the real deal. They set out making a bitchen old bobber, and got lazy or forgot what a bobber looks like toward the end. If I ever buy one, I’d take a torch to that back fender and buy an old school tractor seat, some longer apes and that bike would be right.
Electra Glide Limited. Gotta figure out what that’s all about. Pretty bike.
I still haven’t gotten used to the look of the 6 gallon tanks on the touring bikes. That was a mistake in my eyes.
I could totally get used to the new frame on the touring bikes.
I still think the Nightster is good looking. I could own one of those.
9 of these models are brand new, and 7 are under 10 grand. the Sportster Iron is under 8 grand.
Welcome back, dyna Wide Glide. You should have never left.
This morning first thing, our B.A.C.A. chapter went and made a presentation at the Local Chapter of the Exchange Club. Shots, our president did a great job of telling them about who we are and what we do. I’ll be honest, most people in my club don’t know that I have a lot of experience public speaking and I’m chomping at the bit to speak publicly about B.A.C.A. I’ve spoke in front of hundreds if not close to thousands of people before, and I love it. Someday, hopefully, Ill get my chance.
Anyway, my president did a great job and we found a great ally against child abuse in the Exchange club. Their platform is against child abuse as well, and they were very gracious. I’m really looking foward to working with them in the future.
I also got a pin which I have already put on my vest. I’m a bit proud to be part of the Iron Butt Association. I’ll be more proud when I’m patched into B.A.C.A. Maybe the proudest I’ve ever been. I’ve never felt more aligned with an organization than Bikers against Child Abuse. It fills my thoughts more often than not. I really want to make a difference there.
Mrs Zip and the kids are gone this weekend, so I’ve busted out all my Bike movies to watch this weekend while I work.
Here’s my top 10 biker movies of all time.
Easy Rider (1969) – Hands down the most influential movie in how I ride and what I like about riding. It needs no introduction or explanation. I must love it enough, much of this blog is dedicated to the movie. A must own.
World’s Fastest Indian (2005) – I’ll never get sick of this movie. 67 year old Burt Munro was the real deal, and the movie was made by the person who documented him when he was alive 40 years earlier. My attitude about biking is reflected in the line of the movie where the doctor tells Burt “unfortunately your motorcycling days are over” and he responds “like hell they are…”
Sons of Anarchy (series 2008 – present) – Not technically a movie, but a great TV series. Love the story lines, love the characters, and love the bikes. Can’t wait for season 2
Then Came Bronson (movie and series – 1969 – 1970) – there’s some days, I wished I was Jim Bronson. Travelling from town to town, living off my wits and riding wherever the wind blew me. Worth watching over and over.
Electra Glide in Blue (1973) – Story of a good cop in a world of bad ones. Great movie. Robert Blake and the photography is great, and the scenery is stuff I ride all the time. Stands on its own as a good movie, but add in motorcycles and its even better. The one negative I can say is that prick-cop named “zip”. He’s no Zip.
Hells angels on wheels (1967) – Actually, really a pretty decent low budget movie for its time. Sonny Barger is in some of the opening scenes, and Jack Nicholson starts to show his intensity as an actor. A pretty watered down glimpse of the Hells Angels, but I’m sure shocking for it’s time. Movies like this fueled the image of Motorcyclists that harley moco makes so much money on now. I actually quite like this movie.
Viva Knevel (1977) – When I was a kid, my principle told the school to be happy who they were. That they did not want to be anyone else. I raised my hand obnoxiously and told him that I in fact wanted to be Evel Knevel. I wasn’t lying. Not a great movie to be honest, and Evel was a terrible actor, but he was an American Original and was another big influence on me when I was young.
The motorcycle diaries (2004) – True story of Ernesto Che’ Guevara and his motorcycle trip with a friend across south America. I’m no fan of Che’ Guevara, but it’s an interesting movie of touring on an old motorcycle.
Wild Angels (1966) – Peter Fonda plays the leader of the hells angels in venice CA, and Bruce Dern plays his good buddy “loser”. the cheese stands on its own, but the music accelerates it. It’s good because its a 60’s period piece, has Peter Fonda and really cool bikes. Worth watching a couple of times. Just trip out on the bikes, the clothes and the roads.
Rebel Rousers (1970) – Watch it once, then you don’t need to watch it ever again. It’s good because it was Jack Nicholsons follow up movie to Easy Rider. Really corny, but the bikes in it are pretty bitchen. It’s the kind of movie you used to watch at 3AM on saturday morning before we invented late night infomercials.
Now I realize the historical significance of the Wild One, but I can’t stomach the movie. It’s overly corny and Inaccurate in what really happened at Hollister. Once they hit the town and stop riding, I quit watching. I left it off the list, because quite honestly I don’t like it. The only thing I can say good about it is I love those post war-era bobbers. I’ve never made it more than 3/4 of the way through that show.
Also, Wild hogs made me throw up in my mouth. Couldn’t even muster a smile.
Skeezix says I should listen to more country. Honest to God, I’ve tried. I just can’t stomach it. I love its simplicty, patriotism and sometimes even beat. But more often than not, you need to eat it with a big spoon because its so fucking corny. It’s almost embarrassing. Somewhere in my ego, I think I’m smarter than that. Skeezix certainly is smart, but good Lord, how many times can you wrap a song around a canned line, your truck, a tractor, or that your woman left you?
Now somehow I’ve managed to make a few exceptions, and the exceptions I truly Love. Johnny Cash, Glen Campbell and Maybe an Alabama song here or there. Here’s 2 more, and I’ll play the videos for you.
I love the Maveriks. Have a listen:
How in the world could you not just love that song? Great Riding song.
Dwight Yoakam is the 2nd Exception. I have no idea, because he reeks of twangy guitars and crying voice. I don’t know if it’s because dwight cut his teeth opening up for punk bands in the late 80s, or if his music just resonates with me because of songs like this: (I tend to think its the latter)
At 70 mph out in the nevada or Arizona desert, drinking water by the gallon and going over my week, how could that song not hit home? I own a whole lot of Dwight Yoakam. Can someone please tell me the difference?
All rides are good. Anything over 200 miles where you sleep somewhere new is memorable. Some are more memorable than most.
Early Friday afternoon I rode north to meet my brother Pat at Beryl Junction, about 50 miles away. He rode down from Salt Lake and it’d been a while since we’d ridden together. A few months. I was pretty glad to see him. I’ve said this before, but it’s pretty effortless to ride with him. We’ve settled into a good mixture of fun, beers, an occasional cigar, and busting each others chops. It’s always good company, and Pat is a rider to the core.
We rode the 50 miles to Caliente and stopped at the Knotty Pine for a brew and some burgers. We thought about staying in Caliente for the night, but decided to head on into Rachel Nevada, and I’m glad we did. We rode, Wyatt Earp Style. Great Fun.
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Rachel was great. we had supper there and a few more beers and The Little A’Le’Inn was a nice place to stay. Good Service, cheap prices and interesting people. We we smoked cuban cigars and drank 18 year old scotch as the sun set on the nevada desert. We crashed pretty early, watching Soylent Green on the VCR. Soylent Green, as you know, is people.
I gotta tell you, if you can’t have a good time riding to the UFO capital of the world on the edge of Area 51, smoking cuban cigars, 18 year old scotch and staying in a single wide trailer converted into a motel room watching Soylent Green…. well, your wick is wet. Have If you haven’t seen it, here’s a preview:
Chuck heston is the Shit. I swear the man does his own stunts, in a leisure suit no less! Charleton Heston is my president. I’m gonna be a dick and give you the spoiler right now. If you don’t want to know it, then don’t click this one:
Side note: There, I found the cure for a sore throat at 11 pm at night. A “Nuclear Bomb” is 3/4 shotglass of Tobasco sauce, and 1/4 shotglass of tequila. Instant cure.
The next morning we woke up, skipped breakfast and headed 50 miles to warm springs. Warm Springs Nevada i’ve been to a few times, but this time we checked out the hot springs and some of the old structures. Lots of ghosts there with some unknown stories. I’d still love to hear of someone who knows when warm springs was alive and kicking.
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From warm Springs we went into Tonopah and finally had cell service again, called our wives and had lunch, then moved onto Beatty.
Then we found Goldfield. I wished we’d spent more time there. At one time it was a town of 30,000 people as a Nevada Boom town from the turn of the 20th century. 400 people live there now, mostly because it’s still the county seat. Some neat old artifacts and really old buildings in great shape. I want to go back. Supposedly, the hotel is haunted, and we just drove right by it, not knowing.
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From there on, it was just hot. Well over 100, we opened up and made time. We still had to get to what was our loose destination, the Ghost town of Ryolite Nevada. We pulled in around 1:30 and gassed up, and found us a good bar to settle into to decide what was next. We decided to stay for the night. Our original plan was to ride to Mt Charleston, 100 miles away and tent for the night. We both realized that the 4th of july weekend would make it rough to get a camp spot. Besides, this was a pretty good bar! and there was 3 more next to it, and a hotel across the street where we could park the bikes and walk. We got a room, and then headed into Rhyolite.
Rhyolite Nevada is a ghost town I’d seen on the history channel a week earlier, and realizing it was not all that far away, wanted to go see it. We headed the 4 miles up the road to go check it out.
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Rhyolite started in 1904 when gold was discovered. by 1908 Rhyolite had 10,000 people, forty-five saloons, 3 of the most modern banks in the state, an opera house, a Stock Exchange, a slaughterhouse, two railroad depots, three public swimming pools and dozens of businesses. Rhyolite supported over 85 mining companies. It had power, piped water, telephones, sidewalks and entertainment.
By 1909, it had less than 1,000 people. By 1915, 20 people. by 1924 it’s last remaining resident died.
All that’s left is some of the most bitchen ruins I’ve ever seen. Including a house made up entirely of bottles, a full train depot, and crumbling buildings.
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We stopped and had a beer in the heat, and tripped out over the history and archetecture of a city who’s time had long since passed. It’s amazing to see that in only 100 years a town can disappear. Monolith’s to the history of man.
We took a dirt road deeper into Rhyolite to check out the old jail. When we pulled up, a woman approached us and explained she was making a movie and asked if she could use one of our bikes. I said no. I did not know this woman, and quite honestly, noone sits on my bike but me unless I know them pretty well. Pat was much more open and talked me into letting them use it in their movie.
So a girl got out of her car, walked up to my bike, and started taking off her clothes. It got pretty interesting, and I found that I was hasty in saying no so quickly. I’m a happily married man who is loyal to my wife. This was also not what I thought I’d find at Rhyolite. They were 5 kids from UCLA making a movie about a muslim woman. I started up the bike so they could get the full effect. I will say this, they have good taste in motorcycles. Fast women I think, can sense speed.
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We shook hands, got a picture or two and headed back to the bar to have dinner.
Beatty nevada was a pretty cool town for a town of 1100 people. We found a good spot that served a mean sandwitch, the right kind of beer, and listened to a classic rock band play songs directly from my Ipod and had a great time. Even the fireworks in beatty we’re pretty good. You could sense the town pride.
We staggered back to the motel and crashed. Pat headed out around 7 to make the long ride back to Salt Lake. Thats another nice thing about riding with my brother – we don’t get get butt hurt — either one of us — if we split off to do our thing. We’re both pretty self-contained. I realized he had to go, and he realized I was probably a bit hung over and was 3 hours from home. Around 9 I headed out of town, and made it home.
Great ride. Quite honestly, the whole weekend was great. Maybe my favorite ride I’ve done. Always wanted to stay in Rachel, and being with my bro just made it fun.
Got this in my Email today:
Dear MrZip,
You are receiving this e-mail because of your application for a ride
certification. This note is to let you know that your ride has been
approved and although your ride documents may take a few more weeks to
arrive, your membership has also been approved and entered into the
Iron Butt Association’s member database.
I’ve had the flu all week. I’ve felt like shit. Was originally planning to go with my brother Pat through Nevada to test our our tents and do some riding, but it wasn’t meant to be. I’m still not anywhere near 100% and it was raining in Salt Lake we blew that off and made big plans to hit route 66 up next week.
4th of july weekend. Pat will come down thursday night to St George, then friday morning the 4th we’ll blitz to kingman and show him some of my favorite places on route 66 toward Albuqerque. I’m pretty stoked. Pat is my brother, he’s blood, and he’s a damn good friend. We get each other, and we ride like banshees.
More to come….
Ever since I first saw the movie Rocky with my parents in 1975, its been my favorite movie. Not the rocky sequels, and the jokes that its become, but the movie Rocky. I remember driving home with my mother and father from salt lake at 8 years old and basking in the emotion that this movie made me feel. To this day, I still remember the feeling, sitting in back of our station wagon on the way home and how I felt. I felt determined. I got in the fight on the playground the very next day… haha, its funny thinking back on that now.
Sylvester Stallone in my eyes has earned his knocks. He was a starving actor with an idea for a movie back in 1974 and wrote a script for a movie while living out of his car and wondering where he’d eat next. He was offered hundreds of thousands of dollars for the script if he walked away and didn’t act in it. Think of that: You’re starving, and offered six figures in a world you’re not sure you can make it in. He didn’t take it. He stuck by his guns, and took less to act in his own creation. The movie was rocky. To me, the movie is a testament to the underdogs of the world and their dreams. He didn’t want to win, he just wanted to go the distance, and he did. You might laugh, but the original rocky brings a tear to my eye every time I watch it. It’s a man making his way through the world. A man with a whole world of fears and doubts and naysayers, yet he gets in the ring and powers it out. Powerful.
So I’m watching Rocky Balboa tonight on Cable. You may think the movie was a joke by a guy trying to cash in on his franchise, but you can’t say Stallone, who is not the brightest bulb in the package doesn’t understand EXACTLY what he’s saying here:
“The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. Nobody’s gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”
– Rocky Balboa
No matter where you are in the world: Take your punch. Take all of them. Then, move foward.
