WHY HARLEY-DAVIDSON?

My tribute to Sturgis and Harley-Davidson

WHY HARLEY-DAVIDSON?

Native Americans call it “The Iron Pony,” a description well put. When you straddle the leather seat, there is a feeling not unlike when a cowboy mounts a bucking bronco at a rodeo. You know something awesome is about to happen, but you’re not quite sure what.

Starting a hog for the first time is part of a love affair that will last forever. When that “Twin V” engine comes to life between your legs, you will have an idea of how that bronco rider must feel.

Nothing on the planet sounds like a Harley. At an idle, it has a low chugging beat, slow and strong like a rhinoceros just before the charge. The weight and massiveness of the machine is deceptive, even a little intimidating. Your first thought is that if this bike falls, it’s all over but the crying. Oh, well, either ride it or sell it! Once you let the clutch out and start to move, magic happens. The ponderous, chrome hog becomes a graceful lady, responsive to your every touch. Each gear is a different dimension to her character. Every mile per hour faster is a study in stability.

You look at your companion riders in front, on the side and behind. A knowing smile spreads quickly. You are part of an American legend. Ride your “Iron Pony” into the sunset. A great adventure waits!

Mitt Winstead 1996

Write on,

Mittster

Sunny Saturday

OK, I promise not to rub it in that we were riding Harleys during sunny, 73 degree weather in Phoenix, Arizona, Saturday. We ended up at Arrowhead Haley-Davidson just in time for a great swap meet. Later the four of us had a fabulous lunch at a great Italian restaurant across the street.

Today (Sunday) we are heading back to Phoenix to visit Buddy Stubbs Harley-Davidson so my son Jay can shop for a bike. He is ready to buy another Harley after selling his 1979 Shovelhead almost ten years ago. He has been riding, shall we say, “other” bikes ever since. He has finally decided to retire his 1975 first-year Honda Gold Wing and join us in the 21st century. I knew he couldn’t stay away forever.

Arrowhead Harley-Davidson

Swap meet

Bikers taking advantage of warm weather

Mark and Julie's Super Glides

Hoppy and his V-Rod in the back ground

Mark (right) holding down the fort while the rest of us take a pee break

Hoppy strolling back from checking out all the wall pictures

Mark and Julie

Hoppy and yours truly (no, we are not an item - our wives don't ride! lol)

When this body finally wears out - I plan on jacking it up and putting a new one under it so I can ride for another 50 years!

Saturday's Sunday Funnies

OK, it’s time to purge the memory banks of all the cartoons accumulated from Facebook Tomfoolery. I hope all have a very wonderful Saturday and I will think of you as I am riding the Harley in Phoenix while touring all the dealers and drooling over the new 2012 models! Oh, by the way, did I mention it will be 73 degrees today and sunny? So sorry....

My redneck Harley riding bud

Little House of Trikes

Last Saturday in northern Arizona was truly a magnificent fall day. The air was clean and sweet smelling from all the rain we had the previous week. The mountain peaks appeared so close that reaching out and touching them seemed possible. All summer long we had suffered from the smoke of prescribed fires filling the Verde Valley with thick, smelly and lung choking filthy air. One deep breath Saturday and we knew it was going to be a fantastic motorcycle day.

I met up with two other riding buds and one budette in Sedona. It’s nice having a woman rider along. Julie keeps us civil (sort of) and she is one of the guys when it comes right down to it. She belongs with our group of ragtag riders who don’t take life too seriously and love to laugh. Teasing one another is par for the course and it helps to learn that laughing is contagious and good for the soul. Jay, Hoppy, Julie and I all smiled and hugged at our meeting. We are great friends one and all.

Julie

Hoppy

Jay

Mittster

After some hot coffee and sweet pastry in the Village of Oak Creek, we saddled up for the ride to Mayer and a look-see at a terrific trike and classic bike shop we had heard about from Adrian, who owns a tattoo shop named Physical Graffiti in the Village. We had met at his shop because my wife Sandy wanted a small tattoo, but she was unable to be with our group that day. We met in the parking lot and Adrian was able to check out our bikes, which consisted of two Harley V-Rods, a 1975 first-year Honda Goldwing and a Harley Super-Glide.

As we headed south toward Interstate 17, it became apparent that the day was special and smiles spread wide as we negotiated the last round-about and headed for Mayer. Even though the air was crisp and cold, it felt good after a hot and long summer. Traffic was light going south, but northbound was heavy as the tourists flocked toward Sedona. Thank God we were going the other way; Sedona can become a zoo and no place to be riding a motorcycle when the car traffic becomes heavy.

We soon turned on the I-17 south and cranked up the scooters to 75 mph with wind in our faces and brilliant sun lighting up the fantastic vistas. It didn’t take long to reach Cherry Road and we then headed west toward Prescott until we reached Highway 69 and turned south again toward Mayer and The Trike Shop. We arrive to the sight of two beautiful trikes outside for display. We rode around to the back of the shop, parked, shed coats and gloves, and headed inside to the best motorcycle shop I have seen in years.

I only took pictures of the Harley trike conversions this time and the pictures I took of all of us meeting in Sedona didn’t turn out because I am an idiot (don’t ask).

My V-Rod when I get too old to ride two wheels.

We are planning another trip soon so I can photograph the many classic Harleys, Indians, Hondas, and other fantastic one-of-a-kind bikes in the museum. Thank you, "Scruf," for being the perfect host during our visit!

To be continued….

Write on,

Mittster