Fat Biking: A New Winter Pastime

The calendar shows that winter begins on December 21st, but it begins for me at varying times each year. In my mind, the sure sign that winter has arrived is the end of my two wheel riding. First, the Harley Lowrider gets put to bed, usually in October. Sometime in November, when the temperatures barely creep into the 40's or the first snow flurries appear, I winterize the BMW GSA and officially put and end to the motorcycling season.

In past years this has also meant an end to bicycling for the year. I live near the Fox River Trail and ride over 1000 miles each year, most of it on the trail. Riding a Trek road bike or a Trek hybrid, I spend many hours enjoying the riverside trail.

But once the cold weather comes I seldom visit trail until spring.

A couple of months ago I started thinking about the upcoming winter and what plans I had to make the most of it. Being retired for three winters now and not snow birding in Florida or another warmer clime, I knew that I needed to have something to keep me active. In past years I had done some cross country skiing. It was good exercise, but it meant loading up the equipment and driving to someplace to ski. The weather did not always cooperate, so in some years the skiing was not very good.

Over the summer I had seen more and more people riding what are called fat bikes. The bikes have 4.5 or 5 inch wide knobby tires and they are made to be ridden in soft sand or snow. Most of them are fitted with hydraulic disc brakes and one small front sprocket with ten or eleven gears on the rear wheel. Whenever I visited the local bike shops I would take a look at them. They appear to be tremendously heavy, but can be made fairly light with the right materials. I started thinking about the possibility of riding through the winter on one of these bikes.

One advantage of biking rather than skiing was that I could ride a bicycle on the trail I used all summer. The local municipalities had agreed to plow the trail, so I knew that as long as it did not ice up I would have a place to ride. One November night while downtown for dinner I visited a bike shop. As I was not dressed to ride it outside, the sales guy let me ride it around the shop. That pretty much set the hook for me and a couple of weeks later I was test riding one outside at a different shop.

This shop sells Trek bikes and their entry level fat bike is the Farley 5. It has a carbon fork and the other features mentioned earlier. The day after my test ride I called and told the salesman I wanted to pick up the bike later that day.

He said he would have it ready by mid afternoon and my wife gave me a ride to the shop so I could ride it home. After a quick rundown on the operation of the controls, a seat adjustment and a few maintenance tips, I was on my way.

The route home included a stretch along a county road without much of a shoulder. I was glad I had brought along my front and rear LED lights as the cars whizzed past me. The big tires on the bike allowed me to ride in the snow-covered gravel shoulder in a comfortable fashion. The air pressure in each tire was probably about 5 psi, and the big knobbies seemed to float over the track.

Once over the East River I turned north on the East River Bike Trail. It still had snow on it from the couple of inches that had fallen three days earlier, but it was a good chance to begin to get comfortable on the Farley.

I found myself looking for shortcuts through the woods when I reached Greene Isle Park. From there to my house it was mostly pavement except for a half mile or so on the Fox River Trail.

Later that evening I took my Schwinn Typhoon off the hooks in the garage and moved it to the basement. My intention was to hang the new Farley in its place, but those big fat wheels were not going to fit in those hooks. But after a quick stop at the local home improvement store I had bigger hooks and the fat bike had a new home. I have to put a tarp over the hood of my Toyota Tacoma now when the Farley is put away wet, but it is a small price to pay for the fun this new bike promises.

A Day Ride to the Kettle Moraine State Forest

Once the calendar gets to within a couple of weeks of Halloween, the riding season in northeast Wisconsin is nearing its end. Fortunately, the motorcycle gods smiled on us with 70 degree temperatures and bright sunshine last week.While this time of year means a lot of yard work, and family responsibilities continue year round, I did manage to get out for some beautiful fall riding.

My work as a part time employee at Road America was complete in August and I was last at the track for the Sports Car Vintage Racing Association weekend in September. But recently I noticed on someone's Twitter account that the track owners were making some improvements, so a ride down there was in order. The track is located near the Kettle Moraine State Forest and that is always a great area in which to ride.

When I work at Road America I normally ride down the back roads, so on this day I chose Highway 57. There was a bit more truck and farm vehicle traffic than I expected, but it was still an enjoyable ride. The small towns of Hilbert, Chilton, New Holstein and Kiel don't change much, but there is a big addition to the Sargento Cheese Company being built in Hilbert.

Just beyond New Holstein I turned south on County Road A. It winds through some hilly farm country and past a picturesque white church. I have been on quite a few of Wisconsin's Rustic Roads this summer and found myself wondering why this one had not received that designation.

Entering the resort and racing town of Elkhart Lake, I cruised past the newly opened Throttle Stop. Billed as a "car and cycle concierge", they are capable of hot rodding or restyling your car or bike in addition to offering consignment sales, storage, and detailing. The Throttle Stop, along with the recently built Motorsports Villas on the south end of town, have made Elkhart Lake even more of a mecca for the well-heeled car owner and racing fan.

As I entered the Road America facility it was apparent that it was a quiet day. Often there are car clubs or driving schools using the track, but today there were only the sounds of construction equipment and riding lawn mowers. After a brief conversation with the gate guard and showing him my employee identification card, I was waved through. At present the road from the tunnel up to the paddock area is being repaved and the motorplex track was resurfaced earlier this fall. I stopped for a snack and a picture in the Carousel before continuing south on 67.

The trail leading to the inside of Canada Corner is a popular viewing area.

About six miles south of Elkhart Lake is Plymouth. This is the home of Sargento Cheese and a nicely kept downtown area. Highway 67 leads into the Kettle Moraine State Forest. The name is drawn from the kettles and moraines formed by the receding glaciers. It makes for some great riding and spectacular views.

The view from Parnell fire tower in Sheboygan County

A little south of Plymouth the highway was closed due to bridge construction. By chance, the detour led past the Parnell Fire Tower. I had not heard of it, but took the opportunity to climb it. It was a clear day and the fall colors were almost in full swing.

The weather had warmed more than I had expected, and I felt it after my hike up the tower. I took the liner out of my Olympia AST jacket and stowed it in the pannier of my GSA. After an apple (a real apple) break I was on my way again.

The detour led me back to Highway 67 and I continued south to Highway 45. There I turned back north toward Fond du Lac. Lunch was at the McDonald's on Highway 23 and then I rode Interstate 41 back up to Green Bay. I was thankful for the great weather and for having the time to enjoy it.

Riding the Lake Michigan Shoreline

The end of the riding season in Wisconsin is near and I thought a ride up to the tip of Door County was in order. The weather on Sunday was forecast to be sunny and in the mid-70's, so I made plans to spend the afternoon on the peninsula. Those plans changed on Saturday morning when my wife met a friend at the local farmer's market who said she was going to some sort of pumpkin fest in Egg Harbor on Sunday.

Not wishing to compete for highway space with a multitude of minivans, crossovers and sport utility vehicles, I decide to ride only as far north as Sturgeon Bay. As I cruised north of Green Bay on Highway 57 I noticed the sign for Wequiock Falls County Park. I had not stopped there for years and wanted to take a look. The falls are just as I remembered and the county has moved the Jean Nicolet statue to the park. He is said to be the first European to set foot in northeast Wisconsin.

Jean Nicolet 

The traffic was not too heavy on the four lane heading up into the Door Peninsula. I was thankful for the fairing on my Lowrider S as the air temperature dropped nearer to Lake Michigan. Highways 42 and 57 meet just south of Sturgeon Bay and that's where I turned back to the south. Highway 42 follows the Lake Michigan shoreline pretty closely and there are many great views.

My next stop was the Ahnapee River dam at Forestville. There is a small park and boat landing there. There were no boat trailers there on Sunday but there was a family fishing off of the dock. Below the dam were quite a few people fly fishing for trout and salmon. I had brought along a snack and enjoyed it before mounting the big Harley Davidson and  continuing south.

Ahnapee River in Kewaunee County

The wind was out of the south and I was glad I had dressed warmly. The shoreline in Kewaunee County is marked by two cities that are about ten miles apart. Algoma is the northernmost and is known for, among other things, the Von Stiehl Winery. Von Stiehl has been in Algoma since 1967 and advertises itself as "Wisconsin's Oldest Licensed Winery". Bearcat's fresh fish is also pretty well known and hearkens back to the days when Algoma was a commercial fishing community. There is still a fishing industrty in the town, but it is now mostly sport fishing charters. There is a picturesque wayside south of Algoma and I stopped there to enjoy the lake view.

Lake Michigan south of Algoma

Back on the bike I was soon riding past the recently shuttered nuclear plant. The plant's owners could not justify keeping it open and it was an economic blow to the county when they announced the closing several years ago. There is still a skeleton crew employed maintaining the facility and doing what is necessary to safeguard the nuclear materials left there. The place does not have a welcoming appearance, but I stopped to take a couple of pictures.

The small town of Kewaunee is also a fishing community. The big pier is known for salmon and trout fishing in season and there are also charters available. The little community has a pretty good restaurant named Uncorked. I was there for dinner a few weeks ago. The prices are higher than I expected, but the menu is one you won't find anywhere else in the area.

The highway south of Kewaunee veers away from the Lake as it goes toward Two Rivers and Manitowoc. A detour led me a little farther west before taking me back into "Trivers", as it is called by the locals. Fortunately for me there was a Kwik Trip right on my route and I filled up the tank. The triple chocolate doughnut was calling me, but I was planning on a McDonald's stop soon.

Boats for sale in Two Rivers

I cruised through Two Rivers and down into the city of Manitowoc. It was time to start for home, so I followed the signs for Interstate 43. Once on the slab I set the cruise control at 70 and rode north. There is a McDonald's restaurant at the Denmark exit, so I stopped there for a late lunch.

Not knowing if this would be my last ride for the season or not, I enjoyed the last few miles home. It is a long winter here so I tried to capture the sights, smells and sounds that make motorcycling such an enjoyable experience.

As it turned out, I got out for one more ride before I decided to put the bike away for the winter. Yesterday I put the Sta Bil in the tank, attached the Battery Tender and put the cover on the bike.

Riding Fourteen Rustic Roads in Southeast Wisconsin

The calendar said that autumn had begun four days ago, but it was almost ninety degrees in southeast Wisconsin in late September. I had just ridden my sixth Rustic Road of the day and was looking forward to reaching my quarters for the night when the familiar brown and gold Rustic Road sign appeared. A quick check of my map and guidebook showed that I had stumbled upon one of the two designated Rustic Roads in Rock County. After a short and pleasant out and back ride on RR 35 I was off to the Super 8 in Whitewater, Wisconsin.

On the north end of Rustic Road 35

 My ride had begun at 7:00 am when I pulled out of the driveway in Green Bay. The goal was to ride thirteen Rustic Roads spread over six counties in southeast Wisconsin over the next two days. It would be a couple of hours before I reached the first road in Columbia County, so I settled in to enjoy the ride.

I got up to speed among the morning commuters on Interstate 41 south. The big BMW allowed me to travel comfortably with the traffic and I got off the slab at WIS 26 just south of Oshkosh. At Waupun, I went west on WIS 68. It leads through the little town of Fox Lake. I noticed that an old friend from my days in the Wisconsin National Guard had a real estate office there, so I stopped in for a visit. It was great to catch up with him, but soon it was time to get back on the road.

WIS 33 traverses the state in an east-west direction and it led me to Columbia County and my first three Rustic Roads of the day. The first one, Rustic Road 69, travels along the Portage Canal and leads up to the Indian Agency House. Built in 1832, it is open for tours on certain days of the week. Back on 33, I crossed the mighty Wisconsin River and turned onto RR 49. This road parallels the big river and travels through the Aldo Leopold Reserve.

The Indian Agency House on Rustic Road 69

My next road was still in Columbia County, but it was 20 miles south, near Lodi. By the time I got there it was after noon, so it was time to find some lunch and fuel. I had passed up a few of my beloved Kwik Trips, so I settled for a Mobil/A & W combination in Lodi. It turned out to be a good stop and the Wi Fi was appreciated.

I found RR 110 just northwest of Lodi and had three roads in the hopper as I cruised WIS 60 back to Interstate 39/90/94 south. Dane County holds three Rustic Roads and they were next on the list. The first is number 96 just south of Cottage Grove. Nora Road winds through some typical Wisconsin farmland and woods. The next two, Rustic Roads 19 and 20, are to the southeast of the state capital of Madison. RR 20 skirts Lake Kegonsa and includes a historic one lane bridge over the Yahara River.

One lane bridge over the Yahara

Number 19 leads north off of County B on Lalor Road and ends near Goodland Park on Lake Wabesa. I stopped and enjoyed the peacefulness of the deserted park before mounting up and continuing on.

View of Lake Wabesa from Goodland Park

Following my serendipitous capture of Rustic Road 35 I called it a day. Once I was checked into the hotel I took a walk around the little town of Whitewater. It is home to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, but does not really seem to have the feel of a "college town". Getting back to my room, I mapped out my ride for the next day.

A cold front came through overnight and it was noticeably cooler on the bike in the morning. There are three Rustic Roads in Jefferson County and they were first on the list for the day. The first two, 87 and 88, were easy to find and I had ridden them both before 8:30 am. They took me through farmlands, woods, and past well-kept cemeteries. Finding number 84 along the Bark River in Fort Atkinson was a bit more difficult, but it was worth it. Halfway through the ride there is an artesian drinking fountain.

Artesian drinking fountain midway on Rustic Road 84

I needed to go east to Waukesha County, but a bridge was out on WIS 106. Following the detour, I found myself right back at the Super 8 in Whitewater. The detour led me to WIS 59, and I followed it through Palmyra and into Waukesha County. Turning north on WIS 67, I looked for Piper Road. Turning right on Piper I soon saw the sign for Rustic Road 86. It follows Waterville Road through the Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest. Its north end is at US 18 and I rode 18 west into the little town of Dousman.

My hope was to find a Kwik Trip, but there was none to be found. I fueled up at the Mobil station and bought a big chocolate muffin and coffee to get me through to lunch. WIS 67 intersects with US 18 in Dousman, and I went north on 67 in search of Rustic Road 10. This area is all part of the Kettle Moraine, so even the roads between the Rustic Roads are a joy to ride. The highway here is particularly scenic and winds over and through some beautiful topography.

Number 10 passes near the famous Pabst Farms and a couple of small lakes. The area near the road is still a little rustic, but the tentacles of suburbia are not far away. Following Pabst Farm Boulevard led me to Delafield, home of St. John's Northwestern Military Academy. Reaching WIS 83 on the east side of Delafield, I went north into Washington County.

The highway is also known as Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive, and it lived up to its name. Rustic Road 33 can be found north of the intersection of 83 and County Q. RR 33 is unique in that it is comprised of a myriad of Irish heritage named roads that you cannot ride in a linear fashion.

Holy Hill National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians

It is primarily an agricultural area, but there are some pretty impressive homes along the road. There is also a good view of the steeples on the Holy Hill National Shrine of Mary, which is located on the highest point in southeast Wisconsin. At the corner of County K and County Q I stopped by St Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church. It was a pretty flat piece of land in this hilly county and a nice place to take a quiet break.

St. Teresa of Calcutta in Washington County

The last road I had on the list was in far northeastern Washington County. I had to ride Interstate 41 north to get there and it was time for lunch. The McDonald's in Richfield was calling me, so I stopped there for a Big Mac Meal and the use of the Wi Fi. The day was turning colder as I was now closer to Lake Michigan, but my Olympia AST 2 jacket kept me comfortable on the bike.

Rustic Road 52 was the only one I rode over the two days that had any gravel. It coursed through some farmland and some farm houses that dated to the 1800's. Right after the Rustic Road ends, on Blue Goose Road, I passed a fenced in area that is designated as the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Field Station. It abuts the Cedarburg Bog and supports research, education, and public outreach. As a proud UWM Panther, I stopped to have a quick look around.

Entrance to UWM Field Station

Blue Goose Road led me north to WIS 33 and I realized that my first Rustic Roads the day before had intersected 33 just a few miles to the west. It was time to go home, so I rode east to Interstate 43 and eased into the late afternoon traffic. Over the next 80 miles I thought about all I had seen over the two days. Farmlands, woods, big and small rivers, lakes, bogs, cemeteries and churches all combined to make the trip one to cherish.

Rustic Roads in Central Wisconsin

If you read my 20 May post, you know all about Wisconsin's Rustic Roads. The thunderstorms that came up on my ride in May chased me away from one of them, so I made plans to get back to it this month. As long as I was making the trip, I found two other roads within striking distance.

The morning weather forecast showed rain showers to the west of Green Bay, so I left anticipating some wet riding. In order to get to the area where the Rustic Roads were I stayed on US 29, a 70 mile per hour four lane. At my first stop, in Shawano County, it looked pretty dark to the west. Checking the radar I only saw a few spots of rain and as I passed through Wausau the clouds cleared and the sun began to peek through.

My first goal was Rustic Road 73, which is located south of the little town of Curtiss. Following County E south, number 73 veers off the to west. It is a 2.5 ride over gravel through good old Wisconsin farm country. The most scenic part of the ride is an old bridge over a double set of railroad tracks. There is one intersection that is not marked, so it is important to study the map of the route or you could miss it.

Satisfied with grabbing my first Rustic Road of the day, I found a Kwik Trip and took a break. A Kona coffee and raspberry filled Danish was just enough to get me back on the trail. My plan was to go back east on 29 and north on Highway 13 out of Abbotsford. This would lead me to County D and Rustic Road 1.

By now the sun was shining brightly and the ride up 13 was as enjoyable as any ride this summer. The two lane is smooth as an opal and gently winds its way through woods and farmland. I passed through a couple of small towns before reaching Medford and crossing Highway 64. After another fifteen blissful miles I came to the small town of Westboro and the junction with County D. Turning right, the road winds through the little burg. Several miles past Westboro Rustic Road 1 leads off to the east.

This road is  gravel and five miles long. It passes through woodlands and a small lake. The area is known for hiking trails and the National Ice Age Trail is nearby. It connects with other hiking trails in central Wisconsin, but there were no hikers around on the day I visited. Some of the Rustic Roads in this area are approved for ATVs and I saw several of those during my ride.

I was getting hungry for lunch, but I had one more Rustic Road on the list. A better map recon and a belief in the "bridge out" signs would have saved me some time, but I made it to RR 78 soon after midday. This road mixes blacktop with gravel over a course of four miles. This ride involves a couple of unmarked turns and I was tempted to stop a couple of young ATV riders for guidance. But following what seemed to be the natural curves proved correct and I ended up back a little north of County E, which I had departed to ride Rustic Road 78.

Having successfully ridden the three roads and documented my accomplishment, I was ready to find lunch. I rode back down to Highway 64 and rode east toward Merrill. I was pretty confident that I would locate a McDonald's, but it wasn't until I was on the east end of town that I spotted the golden arches. After a predictably tasty Big Mac meal I mounted the big boxer and headed for home.

I decided to eschew the big slab as long as I could and followed Highway 64 all the way to Mountain. To be completely honest, I had ridden my Harley Davidson up through Mountain a week or so earlier. On that ride I noticed an ice cream sign at the junction of Highways 32 and 64. As long as I had the opportunity to ride past again I was not going to miss the ice cream again. A double vanilla and chocolate twist from a disinterested waitress was just what I needed to complete the last 60 miles of my ride.

An hour or so later I was parking the GSA in my garage. I had a feeling of accomplishment while realizing that I have still ridden less than half of the state's Rustic Roads. It is all the more reason to keep my unstoppable BMW GSA and plan more rides.

The Race of Gentlemen at the Harley Museum

The Harley Davidson Museum has become one of Wisconsin's most well known and popular attractions. Opened in 2008, it has brought visitors from around the world to the Milwaukee area. Many of those visitors are motorcycle riders, but many more come to learn the history of this iconic motorcycle. While strolling around the museum it is common to see families in shorts and flip flops mingling with bikers in leather, boots and do-rags.

As a Harley Owners Group member I receive free admission, so I have been there many times. I go once in January or February to get little mid-winter motorcycle buzz and then ride my Harley down once in the summer. Yesterday was the summer trip.

Wisconsin has received a lot of rain this summer, but yesterday was dry. As I rolled onto Interstate 43 south, the sun was shining and it was a comfortable 70 degrees. I had not filled the tank after my last ride, so I stopped in Manitowoc for a fill up and my daily banana snack. Road construction between Manitowoc and Sheboygan slowed the pace, so I was thankful that I was not on anyone's schedule but my own. Once south of Sheboygan it was a easy cruise into Milwaukee and the Harley Davidson Museum parking lot.

The Garage is a separate building from the rest of the museum and houses special exhibits. In June of this year an exhibit titled "The Race of Gentlemen" opened. It closes in September, so I was happy that I was able to work in this trip.

The Race of Gentlemen, or TROG, as it is known, is an event held each June on the beach in New Jersey. It is for cars built in the 1930's and for motorcycles built prior to 1947. The organizers insist on the authenticity of all parts, although the vehicles can be modified. The event itself is not a recreation, but an entirely new concept developed by a group of old car buffs about twelve years ago.

This group was interested in the car racing culture that developed in Southern California after World War II. Returning service members modified motorcycles and cars and raced them in the desert around Carlsbad. These WW II veterans and their vehicles were the inspiration for the group that began TROG. The connection between the veterans and the current racers is explained in great detail within the exhibit.

The Harley Davidson Museum managed to collect an interesting sample of vehicles for this temporary exhibit. The Number 4 Horseshoe Tavern roadster was recreated by a father and son team after finding a picture of the car a a rally in the late 1940's. The 1931 Model A they built eventually raced against another car that had the original Horseshoe Tavern engine installed in it.

Among the motorcycles, my favorite was a WLA bobber. These vehicles all have stories that are as interesting to read as the bikes and cars are enjoyable to look at. This bobber was built by a young man who had to overcome some adversity in his life. The bike project helped him get through it and he rode the old WLA 500 miles to participate in TROG.

If you are interested in taking in this excellent exhibit you have to hurry as it will close September 4, 2017.

Shuttles and Flats

After about a twelve year hiatus in which the Indy Car series went through several major changes it returned to Road America in June of 2016. It arrived at Road America for the 2017 season late last month. The track officials were ready for a big crowd and I was ready for a busy weekend driving a spectator shuttle around the huge grounds.

Road America is referred to as the National Park of Speed for good reason. The track itself is just over four miles long and it is spread over 700 acres of the Kettle Moraine in east central Wisconsin. Spectators can choose to walk the hilly grounds and many do. But there are several options available if you would rather ride. Cars are allowed into or near most of the popular viewing areas. If race fans have planned ahead and are willing to pay, they will have a golf cart rented and waiting for them when they arrive. But many fans choose to walk until they cannot anymore and those are my customers.

The shuttles take spectators on a route around the inside part of the track where only authorized vehicle are allowed. They also bring fans to some of the best vantage points to watch the races. Most of these are near one of the fourteen turns on the race track. In addition, the shuttle routes take riders into the paddock area and to the newly renovated Road America shop. The shop itself is worth the trip to the track. It would rival any store in Door County for the number of items and art work you can peruse. Instead of barns and sailboats, these items all revolve around racing at Road America.

I worked Friday, Saturday and Sunday on race weekend and rode my BMW R1200 GSA to Elkhart Lake each day. The big panniers allow me to carry rain gear, snacks, a lunch, extra water and anything else I might need when working outside for eight to ten hours. The weather was a little cool, but still great for motorcycle riding and open wheel car racing. I rode through a little rain on the way home on Sunday, but otherwise the weekend was dry.

When I got home Sunday night I put the bike in the garage and did not get back on it until Thursday morning. I had just pulled out of the driveway when the red light on the dash starting flashing and the Tire Pressure Monitoring System light was on. A closer look alerted me to the fact that my rear tire only had seventeen pounds of pressure. I nursed the bike around the block and put it back in the garage. I needed to be somewhere, so I closed the door and took my truck.

When I got home I put the bike on the centerstand and spun the wheel. It did not take long to identify the problem. There was a nail embedded in the tire tread. A call to my BMW dealer confirmed that their recommendation was a new tire rather than a plug. They had a Metzeler Tourance Next in the correct size in stock, so I was able to make an appointment for late Friday afternoon. It seemed that the tire held air pretty well, so I filled it and marked the time.

The next day I checked the tire and it had only leaked about six pounds of pressure in fourteen hours. So before I left for the ten mile ride to the dealership I filled the tire. According to the monitor it did not lose any pressure on the ride. An hour later I had a new tire mounted and was ready to ride again.

Two Days on Wisconsin's Rustic Roads

Motorcycle riding is often thought of as a "the journey is the reward" type of activity. The romantic notion of just getting on the bike and riding is part of the lore and legend of biking. But sometimes there is no destination and the journey truly is the reward. This week I spent a couple of days traveling some of the most scenic roads my home state has to offer.

Wisconsin has designated over one hundred of its roads as Rustic Roads. They vary in length and surface, but all have been deemed rustic due to their unique topography or historical significance. After I got my BMW GSA in 2012, I began seeking them out and keeping track of the ones I have ridden. Within the first three years I had ridden all of them within a day's ride of home. After a two year hiatus, I decided I needed to schedule a two day trip to ride some that are a little farther afield.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation publishes a booklet that describes each of the Rustic Roads and includes a map of each one. The state is divided into four sections and they are listed by county. I selected seven in the southwest region of the state that are located in four adjoining counties. I would begin with a Rustic Road in Jackson County and the others were in Trempeleau, La Crosse, and Vernon Counties.

The range of weather possibilities in May in Wisconsin is quite large, but there appeared to be a two day window of opportunity this week. So on Monday I loaded the bike and got an early start. It was only about 58 degrees when I left, but the forecast in the western part of the state was for the high 70's and a chance of thunderstorms.

It took about three hours of riding west on US Highway 54 to reach Rustic Road 54. It runs south from 54 to Interstate 94 in Millston. At each road I take a picture of my bike in front of the official Rustic Road sign and then post it on the advrider.com website. There is a thread on the site named Rustic Road Century where riders post photos. After taking the picture and eating a quick snack I headed south on North Settlement Road. It was paved and an easy ride to the interstate. I was planning to ride seven Rustic Roads that day and was happy to get the first one in the hopper.

The end came out right at the interstate and I went northwest toward the Black River Falls exit that would put me back on 54 west. Rustic Road 91 is in Trempeleau County and is a short five mile loop. While stopping to get the picture, a red county truck parked right behind me. Once underway, I found that it was paved even though the booklet listed it as unpaved. After about a mile I saw another county truck on the side of the road. At this point the surface turned to gravel and went steeply downhill. I am not very experienced riding on unpaved surfaces, so I descended slowly. A couple of deer peeked out to see what was making all the noise in their forest as I picked my way along the gravel trail. Soon Highway 54 appeared and I was back on the asphalt. I knew there would be more gravel in my future, so I was glad to have navigated this one successfully.

The weather was still surprisingly beautiful. The forecast had been for some thunderstorms, but none seemed to be in the offing. I turned south on US Highway 53 and entered La Crosse County. After riding Rustic Road 64, a paved loop off of 53, I rode south to take US Highway 16 east to the little town of West Salem. My map reconnaissance was not as thorough as it should have been however, and I ended up riding through a good portion of La Crosse as the temperature began to rise. I followed the 16 east signs and was soon on my way out of town.

Just as I entered West Salem I found myself passing Veterans Memorial Park and stopped there to eat the lunch I had brought along. It felt good to take off my helmet and jacket as it was now well over 70 degrees. After lunch I switched out my gloves for a lighter pair and took the liner out of my Olympia AST jacket. I was not sure how I was going to get from West Salem to the next Rustic Road, so I spent some time studying the map before I left the park. After a nice break I went off in search of number 31. It was easy to find and it led me through some streets in West Salem where there are a few historically noteworthy homes. Leaving West Salem on County Road M, I realized I was more than halfway to my goal for the day.

The weather was now looking more threatening, so I decided to take what appeared to be the shortest, although more convoluted route, to Rustic Road 26. This proved to be a very good decision as the first route I contemplated would have taken at least another 30 minutes. Raindrops were falling as I took the picture at number 26. This beautiful route wound southeast of La Crosse and over Brinkman's Ridge. This provided a good view of the surrounding area and I took a picture from the top of the ridge.

Rustic Road 26 dropped me out on US Highway 14/61 and I had two more Rustic Roads to ride. As I motored toward Ontario the rainfall increased in intensity. Fortunately, I was on good highways and the traffic was light. I passed a few Amish buggies and usually exchanged a wave. The horses were getting wet, but those buggies seemed to be keeping their passengers pretty dry. By this time I was looking for some gas, but discovered that some of the little towns in the area do not have stations. There was no fuel to be had in Ontario, so I continued south on Wisconsin Highway 131 to the start of Rustic Road 56.

The paved Road winds its way through some beautiful contoured farmland. It was a little difficult to really appreciate it as the rain continued, although a little more lightly. There was no signpost at the north end of the Road, so I took this picture at the south end. I continued south on 131 hoping that La Farge would have a gas station where I could fill up before taking on my last Rustic Road of the day.

La Farge offered a Gulf station, but they did not have any high octane gas, which my motorcycle requires. I was not in danger of running out, so I moved on. Rustic Road 55 is off of 131 also and has paved and gravel portions. I was feeling better riding on the gravel and enjoyed this short three mile ride. Turning onto Wisconsin Highway 82 east, I was on my way to my overnight accommodations in Mauston.

The route to Mauston led through Hillsboro and I stopped at the Kwik Trip there to fill my tank. I enjoyed a cup of coffee and thought back over the many sights I had seen. The rain had stopped, but it was still threatening, so I mounted back up and rode north and east toward Elroy. The town is the home of Wisconsin's former Governor Tommy Thompson and this is proclaimed by a big sign as you enter. The highway leads right down the main street and it seemed that there were a lot of boarded up storefronts.

After a steak dinner Monday night and good night's sleep I was on my way by 8:30 Tuesday morning. I had plans to ride the two Rustic Roads in Clark County. This would mean about an hour's ride north on I-94 and then a short ride up US Highway 27 to the little town of Humbird.

The sun was out and temperature was about 70 degrees. It looked a little dark to the north, but it was difficult to tell how far north the clouds were. Mostly I was thinking about my destination, Rustic Road 76. This was to be a nine mile ride on all gravel. It had rained hard all through the southwestern part of the state the night before and I didn't know what kind of shape this road would be in.

Turning east on County B in Humbird, I rode through deep woods while keeping a sharp eye out for the now familiar brown and gold signs. Once I made the turn south onto Rustic Road 76, I saw that it was as advertised. A narrow corridor of wet gravel stretched out before me. I took the necessary photograph and gingerly started out. There was a sandy patch about a half mile in that tried to wash out my front wheel, but I kept on. Following the sign, I turned east at Sand Road and found a bridge over Five Mile Creek. South of the bridge I crossed is an abandoned trestle bridge that made a nice spot for a picture and a break. The last couple of miles went north on Columbia Road, and I came out on US Highway 10.

My plan was to ride County Roads K and P up to Rustic Road 73, which is just south of US Highway 29. But the road was closed on K at the little town of Loyal, and the detour went back west. It was looking pretty dark in that direction, so I stopped to check the radar using my smartphone. The radar confirmed what I was seeing and I decided to leave RR 73 for another day. I went back south to 10 and went east toward Waupaca. I turned onto highway 54 in Waupaca and retraced the route I had ridden the previous morning. The rain stayed to the north and the ride home was windy but dry. The two days of riding had garnered eight Rustic Roads and put about 640 wonderful miles on my BMW.

Once I got home and entered the eight newly ridden Rustic Roads into my notebook I noted that I have now ridden 39 of the 100 plus roads. It seems like a daunting task to ride them all, but I am never in need of a destination when it's time to ride.

NWTC Car Show and Swap Meet

The Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) Car Show and Swap Meet was held on May 17th under sunny but cool skies. This is the 31st year for the show held on the campus of NWTC. The event is organized by the NWTC Auto Club and the proceeds are used to benefit the students and the club's service learning projects.

In its first few years the show used only a small portion of the campus' parking area but it has steadily grown. It now features over 800 cars, trucks and motorcycles. Food and beverages are available, but the lines are long. The swap meet part of the show is pretty small and seems to be sort of an afterthought. I think if they decided not to offer it very few people would notice.

I always consider this show the unofficial kickoff of car show season. The exhibitors come from mainly Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, but there are many fine examples of automotive excellence. The cars are not arranged by category, but the owners seem to organize themselves when they can.

One group of young enthusiasts were proudly displaying their "Fast and Furious" type of cars. There were well tuned Honda Sis and a fast looking Toyota FRS. One of the cars had a high powered audio system that was being demonstrated to the joy of some and dismay of others. One of my favorite Japanese offerings was a Subaru WRX Sti. This car took part in the exhaust competition in the four cylinder category.

The majority of the cars in the show were of domestic origin. There were the old Chevys, Fords and Dodges along with a few nice Cadillacs and Plymouths. There was a small group of owners of the discontinued Pontiac G8. There were about six of them and looking at those cars one wonders how Pontiac ever went out of production.

There were not many old Corvettes, but a good number of C6 and C7 models. Newer Mustangs and Camaros were plentiful. One car I had hoped to see but did not was Ford Mustang Boss 302 that was in production in 2012 and 2013. There was a nice green late model Mustang that excelled in the eight cylinder exhaust contest.

There were a few motorcycles on display. A couple were very highly customized, but most were pretty ordinary. This show does not cater to motorcycles, so it doesn't draw very many of them. The two most noticeable bikes had the usual big tricycle front wheel and the stretched bags

There is a dedicated group of bicyclists in the Green Bay area and some of them are trying to get bicycles into the show as a new category. It hasn't happened yet, but a few bike owners brought their human powered vehicles out for the day. One of them is a more customized version of my Schwinn Typhoon that I wrote about a few months ago. It is owned by the gentleman who worked on my bike at Pete's Garage on Broadway in Green Bay.

Over the course of a couple of hours I took a good tour of the grounds, listened to the exhaust competition, and went back to see a few favorite cars. It was an outstanding way to begin the car show season for 2017.

My BMW GSA's Most Excellent Week in the Shop

Since my last post early this month the weather has not been very kind to riders of two wheeled vehicles. If it has not been cold it has been raining. The only motorcycle riding I have done has been running a few errands and fulfilling my caregiving responsibilities for my dad. I have gotten out on my bicycle a few times, but those have been cold and windy rides.

When I wrote in early April I noted that I had made an appointment to get the 24,000 mile service done on the GSA. I brought it in on the morning of April 4th and my wife picked me up in her Camry. The quote for the service and the installation of new Metzeler Tournance Next tires was just over $1000.00. We were not even home when my cell phone rang. The BMW technician had found a leaking cam chain tensioner bolt gasket. The gasket itself cost $1.50, but installing it would involve one and a half hours of labor at $95.00 per hour. This was the beginning of a long week of phone calls with Tytler's Cycle.

The bike was supposed to be ready for pickup the next day. I had agreed to volunteer at the library book sale that morning and figured to get the bike that afternoon. At about 9:30 that morning Tytler was calling again. The battery in my bike had been on the charger all night and was still not fully charged. The service representative said I needed a new one. He said the battery they recommend cost $150.00 The battery was the original and had lasted through five riding seasons, so it was reasonable to expect that it needed to be replaced. In truth, the bike started very hard on its first start this spring and seemed to struggle at times when I pressed the starter button.

So now the bill has increased at least $300.00. Later that afternoon I noticed Tytler's number coming up on my cell phone again. With much trepidation I answered. This time the service rep reported that the new battery they had intended to install in my GSA was defective and they would have to order a new one. At least this call did not cost me any more money.

The next day was Thursday and I did not hear anything from the dealer. I was happy to let them keep the bike and make sure all was right. After lunch on Friday I called and Aaron, the service writer, said the bike was ready. He said the bill was $1405.00, which was somewhat less than I had feared it might be. I had found a $50.00 service coupon on the BMW Motorrad website and after he applied that I was down to $1355.00 including the tax. I drove my Tacoma out there, picked up the bike and went for a little test ride. When I got home and reviewed the bill I noticed that the battery cost $50.00 less than I was quoted, so that was a pleasant surprise.

About two days later I got an email from Tytler's informing me that I had earned enough points to qualify for $60.00 in gift cards that could be used in their store. I did not have the oil and filter changed during this appointment as I had done it myself about 2200 miles earlier. So now with the gift cards I will have almost enough money to buy the four quarts of synthetic oil and a filter I will need to make the change.

The service was not inexpensive and the week was rather stressful, but in the end I was happy with the experience. The dealership was fair and made the repairs that were necessary. These bikes are expensive to purchase and it is important that they be maintained correctly from a safety as well as a longevity standpoint. I have no intentions of buying another new BMW motorcycle, so this is money well spent.

Now I just need some decent riding weather to enjoy my refreshed BMW R1200 GSA.

A Ride to Sand Country

The day dawned clear and cold with the promise of an afternoon warm up. After getting a few little jobs done around the house and eating a good lunch I went up to the man cave to get out the big German beast.

Before donning my riding gear I disconnected the charger and walked the bike into the sunshine. It always warms the seat enough to make me forget that BMW did not offer heated seats on the 2011 model GSAs. My plan was to make a stop at my dealer to schedule the 24,000 mile service and then take that trip to Waupaca. The sand country of Waushara County is usually the warmest part of the state, so my early spring and late fall rides will tend to go in that direction.

The Beemer started right up and soon I was cruising into Tytler's Cycle in De Pere. I talked to the service representative about what needed to be done to the bike. Frustratingly for me, BMW does not publish a maintenance schedule in their owner's manuals. It is possible to find schedules online, but it still ends up being a discussion with the service department as to what needs to be done at the recommended 6000 mile service intervals. Once we had that part of the work scheduled we took a look at my Metzeler Tourance Next tires. They have 12,000 miles on them and appeared to have a bit of life left. But after he checked them with the depth gauge we decided that they will be replaced next week. I cannot complain about getting that many miles out of a set of bike tires and the dealer will put Tourance Nexts on again.

Before leaving I stopped in the showroom. Tytler is a Victory dealer  and they have a few left in stock. My salesman said there are discounts available and people are interested in buying them. It was announced in January that Victory motorcycles will no longer be manufactured by Polaris and some buyers see it as an opportunity that won't come again. Polaris has promised to provide parts and service for ten years, so that gives new owners a certain sense of comfort, I suppose.

Once back outside I suited up and headed south on I 41. The mid day traffic moved smoothly and it was easy to keep a 70 mile per hour pace without a lot of lane changing. There is a big flyover under construction near Neenah, but otherwise the ride to Oshkosh was uneventful. I turned west on State Highway 21 and felt the wind from the north become a crosswind.

After passing through Omro and Redgranite I saw a sign for Lake Alpine County Park. Turning right, I went less than a mile before pulling into an empty parking lot. Late March and mid-week there was no one around to enjoy the beautiful setting. The lake was deep blue and it was easy to imagine the this as a great place for a summer picnic.

Back on the bike, I made a gas and beverage stop at the Kwik Trip in Wautoma. The place was busy, but they always have enough checkouts open to live up to the name on the building. When I pulled back out onto 21 the dash on my bike showed 58 degrees, about 10 more than it was back in Green Bay. The bright sunshine felt wonderful as I powered north onto State Highway 22 in Wautoma.

I instinctively slowed to the posted speed limit in Wild Rose and continued on toward Waupaca. It was getting progressively cooler as I got further north and the late afternoon sun began to slant. I had enjoyed the ride and kept the boxer engine purring north and east until I arrived back in the garage. The odometer indicated a ride of about 180 miles. Almost unbelievably more snow is forecast, so the bike is under cover until further notice.

Campsites and Airports

The always unpredictable spring weather in Wisconsin provided a window of opportunity to ride today and I did not waste it. I was finishing a turkey sandwich as the thermometer crept up toward the magic 50 degree mark. My BMW GSA was already out in the thin, late morning sunshine soaking in whatever warmth was available.

As I cleaned up after lunch, my thoughts were on how hard the bike had worked to turn over last week. I had already decided that I was going to pack the Battery Tender again today just in case it was needed.

I keep my bikes and riding gear about three blocks from my house, at a duplex that I own. One side of it is sort of a man cave and I rent out the other side. There is a two stall garage with a wall between the two and I keep the bikes on one side. With an arrangement like this I have to remember to bring what I need from my house to the duplex. As I put on my riding gear I realized that last fall I did not leave any of the thick socks that I usually wear with my Sidi Canyon riding boots there. A little thing, but something to remember for the next ride.

After securing the snaps on my Olympia AST 2 I went out to crank up the big boxer engine. Today it turned over with no problem and I smiled as I pulled on my helmet and gloves. In a few minutes I was merging into noon day traffic on Highway 172.

I had planned to go west toward Waupaca, but the radar showed a batch of rain coming down from the northwest, to I decided to go up toward Door County. It was a little more windy than I anticipated, but I was comfortable as I took the Sturgeon Bay exit. I was not certain how far I wanted to get from Green Bay with the rain coming, but it felt so good to be out on the road.

Bayshore County Park is a good place to stop and take a short break. There are campsites and picnic tables available. Today there were only a couple of hardy souls out getting some fresh spring air. The road down to the boat landing was still off limits as the county barricade was across the road leading to the steep hill down to the bay. After taking a couple of pictures and returning a voice mail message, I rode east.

The wind was now a crosswind and was stronger than it had seemed as I was riding into it on the way north. The roads in Kewaunee County are familiar, but I usually turn south at Frog Station. Today I continued east into Rio Creek. I was quite surprised to note that there is an airport in Rio Creek. The county road here meets Wisconsin 54 and I turned back to the west here.

The ride to Green Bay was cool and windy, but it looked like the rain was going to miss northeast Wisconsin. So once I got back to town I took a quick ride out to Austin Straubel International Airport to see the new hangar going up on the east side of the terminal. It is being built to house the corporate jets of one of the local paper companies. They have two Dassault Falcon 2000 EX aircraft and it looks like they will have a comfortable new home.

As I headed for home I was glad to have had the bike out of town and stopped and started it a few times without any issues. It is due for service soon and I will be more confident in it once that is completed. The weather does not look too promising in the coming days, so the big Beemer is under cover and on the Battery Tender once again.

The 2017 Riding Season Underway

Two days ago I opened the garage door and began the motorcycling season. The thermometer read 25 degrees Fahrenheit, but the calendar said it's time to ride. My BMW R1200 GSA had been under cover and attached to a trickle charger for four long, dark and cold months. Enough was enough.

Last fall I had cleaned up the bike and removed the aluminum panniers so I could give them a good cleaning. Taking them off also left me more room in the garage for the snow removal equipment. All I needed to do to prepare the bike for riding was do a few checks and install the panniers. I used the portable air compressor to bring the tires up to the correct pressure and locked the panniers into place.

Yesterday dawned clear, sunny and cold. At 8 am it was only 22 degrees, but the forecast was for the high 30's. The roads were clear, although the local municipalities had treated them with something in anticipation of snow overnight. I had to go to my dad's for a few hours, so it was a great reason to get the bike out for it's 2017 debut.

Before I donned my jacket and helmet, I wheeled the big Beemer out into the bright sunshine. Once I had my riding gear on I came out to start it up and let it warm for a few minutes. It started harder than I thought it would, so I threw the charger into one of the bags in case I needed it. I checked the lights front and rear, brake light and turn signals before toeing the German beast into first gear.

The dash was flashing 33 and the little snowflake was pictured as I turned right out of the driveway. If you are not a rider, or you are able to ride year round, it is difficult to describe the euphoria involved in the first few miles each spring. The winter sometimes gives way to doubts about my riding capability, especially knowing that my Medicare card will turn up in my mailbox before Independence Day. So each year I get a warm glow as once again I experience the sheer joy of motorcycling.

Each spring, or technically, late winter, I never really know how much different the bike will feel after a few months off of it. The GSA is a big, heavy bike. I spend the winter pushing around the weights at the YMCA just to keep some semblance of muscle tone, but there will come a time when the bike is too big for me. Happily, that time is not now. There is also the issue of the motorcycle itself. It is great to hear the iconic boxer engine start, but then I find myself listening closely to make sure it sounds just as sweet as it did in November. I pay attention to handling and cornering, aware that I am riding on cold tires on cold roads. The local dealer warned me of this after one of his salesman dropped a bike leading a potential customer on an early season ride.

After a few city miles, I opened up the 1200 cc powerplant on the local interstate highway. It merged easily into traffic as I yanked the face shield on my Shoei Neotec to the closed position. The motor purred as the needle rushed past 75 miles per hour. All too soon I was at my exit and headed back into town to put in a shift caring for my dad.

I was still a little nervous because of how difficult it was to get the bike started, so after a couple of hours I went out and pressed the starter button. It started just like the day I bought it five years ago. I took this opportunity to reset the clock so it would reflect the change to Daylight Savings Time last week.

On my way back home I took the big twin out over the Tower Drive bridge and onto I 43. The weather had warmed into the high thirties and the sun was blissfully bright. As I pulled off the highway I wished that I had more time to enjoy this first day of riding.

Today I woke to snow covered streets and cloudy skies. There is an old saying about making hay when the sun shines and it applies to motorcycling here in America's Dairyland.

BMWs from Brazil and Harleys from India

Once the calendar turns to March I expect the weather to allow me to get out my two wheeled treasures and put on some early season miles. This year the bikes are still in storage, but my motorcycling passion has led me to researching some information on where my favorite brands of bikes are produced. President Trump has made a lot of racket about bringing manufacturing jobs back to America and imposing steep tariffs on imports, so I wanted to learn more about BMW and Harley Davidson motorcycle production.

BMW made news last fall with the announcement of its first assembly plant in South America. BMW Motorrad is building several variations of their high end bikes in Manaus, Brazil. I only learned of it while paging through a magazine at Barnes and Noble this week. The German bike builder will begin by building the F 700 GS at the new plant. However, there are plans to add manufacturing of the F800R, F800GS, R1200GS, R1200GSA, S1000R and possibly the S1000XR. The company employs 175 workers and will produce 10,000 bikes annually. At this time the bikes are being built for the local market. BMW is building the G310 in India and sources parts from plants throughout Europe, but this is their first production facility in South America.

This is an example of how the global economy operates and how manufacturers cannot be bound by national borders. The demand for BMW motorcycles is strong in South America and the company is responding to meet that demand. Peter Vogel, Production Director of BMW Motorrad in Manaus stated that, "BMW Motorrad Brazil is focusing its strategy on sustainable growth, based on domestic market potential. With our local production, we hope to increase sales significantly. Domestic production, starting with the F 700 GS, guarantees even more availability and fast response to local demand, which is important to the success of our business in Brazil."

The American Motorcycle Association Flat Track season is just around the corner and Harley Davidson has a completely new motorcycle for the popular series. After many seasons racing and winning with the venerable XR 750, the new entry is the water cooled XG 750 R. The new racebike is based on Harley's entry level motorcycle, the Street 750. When the Street was announced a few years ago, it made headlines because it was being produced in India. However, Harley executives made it clear that those bikes would only be sold in India and several countries in Europe. The Street 750 bikes for North American sales are built in Kansas City.

Harley offers 13 different models from each of their Street, Sportster, Dyna, Softail and Touring lines of motorcycles. More than half of these models are produced at the assembly unit at Bawal, in Haryana. These bikes are for local markets and allow Harley Davidson to avoid the high tariffs that India imposes on heavyweight motorcycles.

Anoop Prokash is now the managing director Harley Davidson Canada, but he was the man who spearheaded Harley's introduction of heavyweight motorcycles to India in 2009. He overcame the Indian skepticism of big bikes by organizing rides and parades throughout the country. By showing people that Harleys were meant for Indian roads and the Indian people, Prokash was successful in selling the brand.

Reading about motorcycle manufacturing, wherever it occurs, is interesting. But it is no substitute for riding and I hope to be able write about my first ride of 2017 soon.

Mama Tried Motorcycle Show

The Mama Tried Motorcycle Show attracted over 100 bikes to a warehouse in Milwaukee just a few blocks from the Harley Davidson Museum. In fact, there were a couple of bikes at the Mama Tried show that would not have been out of place in Harley's showcase.

Mama Tried is a three day event that brings together bike builders of all types. The bikes are displayed on an upper floor of a warehouse that is a perfect venue for these creations. There are choppers, hill climbers, drag bikes and antique motorcycles. The weekend also includes a night of indoor flat track racing at the BMO Harris Center in downtown Milwaukee. There was ice racing scheduled for Sunday, but the unseasonably warm weather forced its cancellation.

I arrived in Milwaukee shortly after the venue opened late on Sunday morning and found a parking spot several blocks away. The area around the warehouse is becoming gentrified and some of the other former warehouses advertised loft apartments for rent. Locals sat outside nearby restaurants enjoying the sunshine as they waited for a table to open up. Motorcycles were backed up to the curbs, an unlikely site during February in Wisconsin.

Upon entering the big old building I was impressed with the ambience and how it seemed the perfect place to display these heavily modified bikes. I was reminded of the scene in the Discovery Channel's recent history of early years of Harley Davidson and people working on their bikes in an abandoned warehouse.This seemed like just the place you would find people who could earn a living making things with their hands.

The first display I visited featured Harley racing machines. One of them was the new flat tracker based on Harley's XG 750 Street. The new racer will be facing off against an equally new entry from Indian this summer in the America Motorcycle Association's Flat Track race series this summer. Their first head to head meeting will be at the Arizona Mile on 13 May. There were several examples of this bike in the show. One was at the Vance and Hines exhibit as V & H provides the exhaust system for the racing editions of the XG 750.

After spending a few moments imagining the new Harley racebike tearing up the Springfield Mile, I walked into the vendor area. Along with the usual suspects like Vance and Hines and S & S Motors, there were a lot of vendors I had never heard of. They were all there to provide items that promised to make your motorcycle different from anyone else's. Exhausts, pegs, various types of lighting, and engine upgrades were all on offer. One thing I noticed was that most all of the vendors are selling shirts, hats, and other items with the company's name and logo. There is a big market for these and the companies make a good percentage of their profits selling the merch.

But the real attraction of Mama Tried is the ingenuity builders demonstrate when using any of these products. It was a 180 degree turn from what I saw last week at the Chicago Motorcycle Show. In Chicago the manufacturers exhibited bikes that were engineered to within an inch of their lives and then test marketed to a particular demographic. Only after what could be years of development did the bikes see the light of day. These bikes were the product of one person's imagination and his or her determination to bring the motorcycle from dream to reality.

Some of the owners were available to answer questions and talk about their creations. They varied from bikes that used off the shelf parts to some that looked to be made with whatever parts happened to be available at the time. No matter how they were pieced together, there was a story behind each one. One of my favorites was a BMW airhead that had been massaged by Analog Motorcycles.

Mama Tried has only been around for three years , but it already has the feel of an important event for builders and riders. It is an opportunity for builders and potential customers to get together in an informal environment and share ideas. It is through those conversations that imaginations are fired and dreams begin to become reality.