Random Thoughts

Harley Tour Pak

The tour pak came in yesterday.   Its on the bike, and its killer.    The last few weeks ive been selling crap on ebay and buying things for the bike, including:  The tour pak, tour pak liner, tour pak lid organizer, front saddlebag bars with storage and water bottles, new panoptx dark glasses, and a new helmet.

The rest of the money im gonna go riding with tomorrow.   I havent been to tonopah nevada for 20 or more years, so tomorrow ill head out.   Camping for 10 bucks, ill ride and eat cheap.    Hopefully I can do my blog from my tent tomorrow night.   Its 300 miles to Tonopah, im going to try and head out around 3.

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Welcome to the family, FatBoy

In 1990 when Harley was struggling to bring their company name back and sell motorcycles again, they introduced the fatboy.   They wont publicly admit this, but the japanese we’re kicking their ass and rumor has it they named the fatboy after the 2 atomic bombs that were dropped on japan:  Fat Man, and Little Boy.

Ive got a new member of the family.

2006 Fatboy.   In the garage.  Has a windshield, but this bike isnt for touring, its for bombing (hah, get it?) around town.   Its not mine officially untill monday, and a few things have to happen but if they do (and they look like they will, the fatboy is gonna have a home in the garage and on the road.

Its a nice driving bike.  Low to the ground, and the straightbars are comfortable.   Im a bagger at heart, but you can never have too many bikes, and hopefully this will help keep the ol’ road rage from getting too many miles on it.

Im pretty pumped.

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Funerals, Ebay and Tour Pak's

Kevins funeral was yesterday.    It started around 10 and the funeral and eulogies were great.  Erik Officiated, and I gotta say did a great job from start to finish.   Lots of funny stories and it made me and Robyn realize how short life is.   Kevin had a lot of friends.

Anyway, took a few pictures and robyn made a movie on the back of my bike.   Im not sure she even realized she made the movie, even so its on the back of a bike so its kinda rough:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ij2Cuh0OuG0]

The after funeral party was good, shot some pool, drank some beer.   met a few people.   Good evening.

This week i sold around 1500 bucks worth of stuff on ebay, so I ordered my tour pak.  SHould be here in a month.   I also got 2 saddlebag bars and bar bags.

Erik and I are going riding again sunday.   Cedar mountainish stuff.   should be good.

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Kevin Flowers

My good friend Erik’s dad died saturday.    I remember kevin as a guy who woke up at 4 in the morning, and when I’d ride by his house in the AM he had his garage open hanging out in his garage.   I’d pull up, and hed say “tell me a story”.   He was a character, and I’d have to say one of a kind.   I did some excavating for his Dad, Buck flowers.    Kevin will be missed.

Kevin Ray Flowers, 52, of St. George Utah passed on to the next realm Saturday, June 21st, 2008. It was the first day of summer and Kevin was up and out early, as usual.

Kevin was born on January 22nd 1956 in Van Nuys, California, to Elmer Ray “Buck” Flowers and Lola Platts Flowers.

Kevin is survived by his mother Lola (Buck), brother Craig (Linda), sister Lana (Frank Emerson), sister Lori (Ed Burgess), son Erik (Nicole) and grandson Patton, son Colt, their mother Glenda (Sterling Fox), his beloved partner Teri Jo Vernlund and her sons Tyler and Shane, and an endless list of friends and well-wishers too numerous to name.

Kevin is preceded in death by his father Buck (1998), constant canine companions Snoop, Buddy, and Buster.

If you knew Kevin, you knew what he liked. He didn’t have hobbies, he had lifestyles. Boating, biking, customizing, modifying, joking, laughing, and being around people were his favorite things. He spent the last decade of his life doing exactly what he wanted, whenever he wanted. Few people dedicate themselves to their passions as fully as Kevin did. He spent a great deal of his time and energy helping his friends and family accomplish and solve the various goals and problems they brought to him, looking to him for guidance and leadership. There was no one else like him. Impossible to adequately describe, but instantly recognizable.

Viewing will be held at the Spilsbury Mortuary on 110 South Bluff, Wednesday June 25th at 6pm to 8pm and Thursday June 26th at 9am to 10am. Funeral Services will be held at Spilsbury Mortuary at 10 AM, followed by the Last Motorcycle Ride with Kevin to the burial site at Tonaquint Cemetery. Casual dress is encouraged. Guests are encouraged and asked to bring their motorcycles and join the procession as we all take one Last Ride with Kevin to his final resting place.

Last night Erik, Joey and I rode the bikes to mesquite.   I’m dead positive wherever Kevin Flowers is, he’s proud of his sons.    Proof that the beat goes on:

Kevin flowers genuinely inspires me like noone has in a long time.  He lived pretty simply, but lived exactly how he wanted like his obit says.   Thats gotta be how life is supposed to be.
I enjoyed the ride last night.   It was a tribute I felt to eriks Dad.

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halfway there….

Well, my palmtop sold on ebay the first night for just under 1k.    Thats enough to get a tour pak.    I sold one of my Zunes to make sure, then went down and cashed in 320 bucks in change down at albertsons to shore it up even more.   I should be good.  Now I gotta find a tour pak.

Harley takes 6-8 weeks to get a tour pak out of milwaukee.   I cant wait that long.  Found a black cherry one in Calgary Canada, negotiating now with the guy to try and get it down here by this weekend.   Hopefully I can pull it off.

Robyn is going up north thursday night.  If i can get what I gotta get done at work, im gonna make a shot at hitting texas and back.

halfway there…. Read More »

Tour Pak – Black Cherry

I havent ridden a long ride since my last post 2 weeks ago.   Monday I had a wild fantasy that I would go across the texas panhandle and back to utah in 4 days, but I didnt do it.   Im jonesing for a ride.   Riding to work and back doesnt count, and to be honest day rides dont seem that great to me.  for some reason, its only fun when you sleep in another town, wake up and ride.  I dont know why.

So since im not riding, ive got a new goal.  I need a tour pak:

Its detachable, and will allow me to take it on and off.  I can throw my laptop in there, throw on a luggage rack on top so i can take a tent and a sleeping bag.   The nicest thing is the backrest, the taller backrest.   Should make it so the wife and kids enjoy the ride more.

Selling my palmtop on ebay to get one.  I dont want to spend money to get it, and this is funner.   in 5 days I should know.

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FLHTCUSE

Ive been reading the scoot 66 blog. This guy is riding 10k miles on a vespa for god’s sake. I would never do that, just because I dont have a real interest in scooters, but I admire this guy’s drive and passion for what he loves. He’s the real Deal.  Its made me want to do it on my harley even more. I will. I have to now. Its no longer an option.
So I need a plan. I had an email from another dealership in Pittsburgh who had an FLHTCUSE3, which is the ultimate touring bike for me. The only problem is its white, and I’m not going to do it untill I can pay cash for it.

So this is the bike, and here’s why. Its loaded. Heated seats, chrome throughout, navigation, storage to take my laptop. Its also a screamin’ eagle 110 with about 100 horsepower and would be comfortable for my wife or kids to ride with me, and not have to worry about them. Something I can put miles on.

It comes in 3 colors. The one to shown, an orange and silver, and a white. Not going to do white. Don’t want to look like a cop. Theres a ton out there, so I’m not worried about finding one. If I wait long enough I could probably get an 09, but I don’t know If I can wait that long. I want to make this run in June or July.

Its also got a 160 watt speaker system. My FLHXI is 40 watt, So i’d imagine this thing thumps, which would be nice. I could listen to NHL radio at 80 mph. Its just built for miles and comfort. I might never go back to work again.

Need to get this plan together. Gonna pay off a few bills, and buy this bike and take megan to Pittsburgh, do some roller coasters, and head home. It’ll be the trip of a lifetime for both of us. She’s growing up too fast. This should be soemthing she’d remember.

This is the bike. THE bike.

More to come.

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FLHX Harley-Davidson Street Glide

This is my 2006 FLHXI Harley Street Glide. 120 Horsepower, 113 ft lbs of torque. I’m really proud and love this bike. I believe it came stock around 65-70 Horsepower, and the guy who built my engine tells me its the fastest harley he’s ever built, and he’s built them for years. Im not into the speed, but the power is nice pulling hills. Either way, I love it.

My goal is to get a second bike here in the next month or so from Pittsburgh and ride it back with my daughter Megan, along route 66. This blog is to document that and to maybe remember it and share it. I ride quite a lot, and my street glide is pretty unique to me in the fact that its almost double the horses of a stock harley, and its my first real harley after a couple different japanese cruisers. She’s like part of the family.

2006 Harley Davidson FLHXI Street Glide

I love riding. Ive not found another activity in life that I enjoy more. Its a stress reliever, its travel, its exposure to the elements. I love it. Love it when my wife and kids can go, so I’d like to get a full dresser to make alot of miles on this year. Riding it from Pittsburgh would be a good break in and a great ride. Im also looking forward to spending time with my oldest daughter on the trip. Its something not alot of people say theyve done: Ride a harley across America.

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