Spring at Wheels Through Time

I seriously don't like the new format for writing the blogs. I guess I'm a dinosaur. But what's to do?  Get over it and move along.

Yes, sir...

On Saturday, April 14th, I loaded the bike and headed down to my favorite museum, Wheels Through Time in Maggie Valley, North Carolina.  The ride down was an eye opener. It appears that at least 2 of the old buildings I admire have been brought down and devoured by the demons that scour the countryside paying well for "old barn wood".  Two of the buildings I would stop to grab a few snap shots of my bike in front of are GONE.  The first one is nothing but a rubble of concreate from the foundation being ripped up. Everything else that even suggested there was a great old wood building there was gone.  Amazing.

This is now nothing but concrete rubble

The next building was a very strange one. I have featured it here before, with the question of "What would this have been used for?"  It too is totally gone. Not a stick of wood is left. Not a shred of evidence that it stood in the place I last saw it at remains.  Not even old plumbing, windows, NOTHING. It's just gone. An empty field there now. How sad.

As I drive along on my way to Maggie Valley, I'm comforted to find that SOME of the great scenery is still intact, but I have noticed that there are 3 of the old trucks that were "abandoned" on the roadside are GONE!  But there are a few still here:

Thank goodness, some things are still here...

Luckily, some things don't change....LUCK N.C.

I arrive at Maggie Valley at about 12 PM.  As I sit in the filling parking lot, I see this very cool little "car" on a trailer.

This is the engine in that "car" Cool eh?

I walk around this vehicle and realize how lucky I am to see it. We will never see another one, I'm sure of this.  But lingering around this car won't get me more photos. I'm inside and paying the entry fee. I pass through the entryway and turn to my left. I've learned to go the oppisite direction of the suggested traffic pattern.  You see the last of the museum with fresh eyes.  This is beautiful museum that holds more things one can view is just a few visits.  I come as often as I can. I love this place. So much to see, so much to do, so many cool people to meet.  Life is good!

This one cylinder Apache greets you

Now this: Do ya know what it is?  

The Mighty Thor...

I've seen this a couple of times over near the "Chopper Graveyard" display. I never thought to photograph it.  I did this time.  It's so reflective of the late 60's and early 70's. My time line...I "GET" this paint job on this...do you?

After grabbing the mushroom photo, I walk down the path a ways...I walk between and behind the beauties on display and take this photo.

This is another shot I've been wanting to grab, yet never seemed to be able to get it JUST RIGHT.  Even now...it's not "JUST RIGHT"  but it's better then the rest of the previous shots.

I turn around and walk into the next display. I believe this is "Swim's Harley Davidson".

What do ya think of the POLITICALLY INCORRECT gas tank? Me? I'm a product  of this time period, and I think it's GREAT!

I will never tire of this view. It's from the Mezzanine, looking down.

And this shot...is now one of my most favorite shots.  It's a new work room for our hosts: Matt and Dale Walksler.  Of course, it's not meant to replace the REAL work area with the modern lifts and such, but...don't ya think this is cool?

Loads of cool displays for us all to check out. Thousands...too many to show you in just one or two postings.

But all good days end...as does this one. I rode in the dark to my next destination from here.  Good night my friends.

SPRING: IT'S COMING...I can feel the drums!

Actually, it's only early February,but here in North East Tennessee we've had a very mild winter and bikes have been out more than they have been put up. NICE! 

The weather has been in the high 50's with a few days where the mercury has soared into the low sixties! This is the kind winter weather we as riders pray for. It's a blessing from ... well if you have God, it's from God. If you have something else such as Karma .... perhaps it's just that this region has been blessed with good Karma? How ever you choose to garner your blessings, it's what it is. I'm happy to have what I got. Yes, the days can be a bit damp and cold, but I'm still riding. Life is good. 

I have been planning to ride to Columbia, TN for Mule Days. This is a celebration of the animal that started our trek across America as the pioneers started to make their way from East to West. The event continues for the entire Spring season! It's amazing. 


Starting on Feb. 25,2012 You can start your day watching mules in the Tennessee state pulling contest, and close the day with a beauty pagent. OK, so the gals are dressed in blue jeans and plaid shirts not bikinis. It's still pretty girls contesting one another on stage. It could be fun...maybe? But the real fun starts with the wagon train that wends it's way through middle Tennessee on the back roads for 2 days of slow mule paced plodding. Still, it has to be quite the sight. You can join for a ride and a night of camping for only $60 bucks! If you choose to come to the park and forego the mule train, admission for the day is 8 bucks or you can get a weekend pass for 15 dollars. Don't forget you can also camp for the weekend. I want to do this. Even if I can only stay one day. I'd better let my boss know I need a day off for this event. 


You can find more information here: MULE DAYS 


Did y'all hear? Last week I was riding around the Mars Hill N.C. area,

 and I stopped for gas. As I was in the store pre-paying for my fuel, some guy shouts "Hey! That guy just knocked that bike over at the pumps!" I fly out the door to give the joker some of my well earned ass chewing and to pick up my bike when he slides out from under my bike and jumps into a waiting pickup truck and takes off. 
I pick the bike up and check for damage. Not seeing any I go back inside to pay for the gas. The guy inside (whose ethnicity I shall not get into) is laughing his ass off at my predicament. I quietly tell him that he should remember me the next time he is facing down the barrel of a gun while some yahoo is robbing his store. It's the same feeling of helplessness and anger. That kind of shut him up. 

I fueled up and rolled out to the road, only to realize I didn't have a front brake. OK, Fred Flintstone panic stop before I get my wits and use the rear brake. Scary stuff. The front brake line had broken at the banjo fitting on the master cylinder. I'm ducking fluid as it squirts toward my face. Yeah, that was the muckiest part of it all (next almost dying.) My bike was down for a week, but the great guys at Smith Brothers Harley Davidson took care of me (as they always do) with compassion and speed. I love ya, Willard, Big John, and Tim.

So boys and girls, this is the start of a new year of riding.  I love the ride, rain or cold, sun or clouds, it's the ride that counts and the sights along the way!  Get yer dreams dusted and come on...let's ride!  

A Biker, A Baker, A Candlestick Maker...Or it's SPRING!

Biker, Baker, Candle Stick Maker….



What’s in a personal type of identification anyway? How is it we learn to identify ourselves as a member of this societal grouping or that one? Why is it important to us and our feeling of well being?



Hell I don’t know, when I was in college, I thought to explore these questions once. I never got very far on those questions after I discovered in my Sociology class that this kind of inquiry had been explored by others before me. I’ve read their findings and thought them to be full of shit, so, I guess it’s an easy question to ask, harder to answer, and impossible to understand why the human race even needs to classify who we are, what we do, and where we do it at…in order to accommodate a feeling of well being among ourselves.



All I know, is I’m a biker. I used to be this kind of biker; back in the day…I was about 12 when those days ended.



When I was 14, I became one of these kinds of biker. Cute huh?



Today however, I’m still a biker, just harder to define. This is me today. It’s cold outside, and I’m covered from head to toe, ready to do battle with Sir Winter. Each year, he forces me to encase my body in more armor to protect myself from his attacks to my joints, mind and body in general.



I don’t think I’m winning the war the old fashioned way. Perhaps I should give in and start using more technology against this foe who never seems to tire in strength, grow old, or weary of beating me up to a near frozen death. I’ve been fighting the heated throttle, heated seat, wind shield, electric vests, socks, new techno fabrics that somehow keep you warm at below freezing temperatures. I still don’t own any of those things, in fact even my gloves are the old standards that were around about the same time as say the Knights of Mid Evil times. Only they aren’t made of steel.



I’m a throwback of what I remember as easier times. At least that’s what I tell myself, and others who ask me “WHY?” Its way too none of your business, that I…as a journalist can’t earn enough money to afford those kinds of benefits. You know how most biker journalists get those cool things? They are asked to write a review on the product. So the manufacturer gives them the product to install, wear, what ever…in order to get a glowing report from the journalist. We pimp ourselves out like your basic street corner whore. I used to do this from time to time, but I’ve discovered I don’t like myself after I’ve done it.



So these days, I really don’t get asked to review too much anymore. I kind of regret it when I see pictures like these of myself!

Ahhh, but you know what? I don’t have to worry about it for about six months or so! It’s spring! The clocks have all sprung forward,
the bulbous plants have bloomed around here, and some have started to fade already…still waiting for the tulips though…



it’s getting warmer everyday…I think I’ve seen the last of the single digit numbers for at least six months! So away go the thoughts that plague me during winter, away go the feelings of wistfulness regarding warmth. I get to ride through the forests and watch as the invisible and industrious elves of the woodland dress the trees in buds of glory…I get to watch the young nubile leaves come out and dance in the dappled light of spring. I watch as they mature into their preteens, a wild and undulating dance unleashes their bodies as they salsa in breezes too light or too high for us mere earth bound humans to feel or comprehend their joy of life. Don’t you love spring?



I’ll let you know what I think about summer as soon as it comes around…right now, I’m too busy admiring spring!



Editors’ note: Most all the journalists I know who do this pick and choose the products carefully...so they are not forced to write things that go against the grain of their nature and feelings regarding the product. NOT ALL JOURNALISTS WILL SAY GOOD THINGS ABOUT A PRODUCT THEY ABHOR!

(photos 1. Chessie
2. Army Arch
3. Jake Perks
4. Chessie
5. Chessie
6. Extra medium
7. Candy trash
8. Unknown
9. Jeff Kubina
10. Mr. La Rue
11. Bobesh
12. Whisperbee
13. Edward Dullard