Whooa baby, 32 hours to go

Until freaking Walt Ride 2012 - Black Hills and Ben Ash. Are you ready for this?

Why I Ride, part 4

     I blame Evel Knievel, doughnuts and adventure for my love of motorcycles. I grew up in the 60s and early 70s when Evel was the god of all that was cool and dangerous. When I’d see his red white and blue bike and red cape flying over a row of cars I became enchanted with anything on two wheels. First my brother and I tried clipping playing cards to our bicycle spokes and jumping curbs and dirt mounds. Sure, we got air, but not “Evel” air- and there was no growling sound. Then, we began to conspire a way to raise money to get our own motorcycle and discovered Spudnuts! Yes, little delicious doughnuts we could sell for a $1 a bag door to door and get .50 profits. Soon the 50cc Broncco mini-bike was ordered and we began riding over and thru everything imaginable. At 9 or 10 years old we didn’t weigh much so we did get air… and lots of road rash from crashing. In a couple years we outgrew the Broncco and moved on to a Yamaha Enduro 125. It was yellow with high white fenders and knobby tires. It wasn’t long before we had the Yamaha’s speedometer red lined in the little stretch of dirt road near our house. We had wheelie and jumping contests and stole a fair amount of plywood from new housing sites for our “Evel” ramps. About the same time my Dad bought a black street bike with seven gears - I think it was a 250 Bridgestone. During the day would take the long black fenders off and put them back on before 5 p.m. when he returned from work. This ruse worked most of the summer until we put the front one on backward and were busted.


After high school graduation I stepped into the big time buying a Kawasaki KZ 650. It was deep blue with a sissy bar and stepped seat. Looking back I took more pictures of that bike than my family or girlfriend at the time. I made it though two years of vocational school still owning the bike but when I entered college I had to choose between it and an education. Education won. Work, kids, a house and an ex-wife followed and for nearly 30 years I was bike less. Then I turned 50 and pulled the trigger on my current bike- a Honda VTX 1300 cruiser.

My bike’s not red white and blue and I rarely wear a cape but when I am riding I feel as free as Evel must have when he flew over those cars and buses in the 70s.

- Brett Groehler

Isle of Man action, right here in Coolsville, baby.

Catch all the Isle of Man action at the official website. Racing is currently underway across the pond. Will Guy Martin beat John McGuinness? Will Kawasaki beat Honda? Will Barbie ever love Ken after that cocaine fueled weekend in the Poconos? Stay tuned here for all the race action and drama:
http://www.iomtt.com/TT-2012/2012-TT-Results.aspx

Also, here is good read on the IOM from our Red Wing bretheren at Superbike Planet:
http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2012/Jun/120604--TT.htm

And for good reader's digest, straight to the point coverage of daily action and awesome photos, go here:
http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/498/13336/Motorcycle-Article/Isle-of-Man-Superstock-TT-Results-2012.aspx

Walt Ride departure details... pay attention

Here are the important things to know:

Leave Caribou in Red Wing at 7:00am.
- Have enough fuel for 100 miles.

- Show up earlier if you want to BS and drink coffee.



Meet at Emma Krumbee's in Bell Plaine at 9:00am.

- Have breakfast.

- Emma Krumbee's about 40 miles north of Mankato on Hwy 169, at the intersection with Hwy 3.

- There will be signs. If you found your way out of your mother's womb, you can find Emma Krumbee's.

Leave Emma Krumbees at 10:00am.

- Then we fuel up and RIDE!


Random notes:
It is 322 miles from Henderson to Gettysburg, SD. With a large group like we have, that will take all day. Figure 50 mph average speed, we'll need 6.5 hours to get to Gettysburg, should be there around 5pm. Gettysburg is still in CST, so no timezone freebies until the next day. Sunset is at 21:28 that day, If things get really screwed up that gives us 4.5 hours leeway until it is dark. Around 8pm we'll be riding into a sun low on the horizon and that sucks ass, thus the earlier departure.


This is a travel day. We are saving the touristy stuff for the ride home, when we're a bit more tired. We'll stop for a break every 75 miles or so, just to see how the gang is doing, get fuel, empty coffee, etc. I'm tempted to stick to gas station snacks (or bring your own) instead of lunch, to avoid the expense and time of stopping for an extended lunch. This will also prevent that "falling asleep after a meal" thing, and then we can plan on a decent dinner in Gettysburg

This just in from Euro Girl.... Please standby

Newest Ducati model revealed in Derka-Derkastan, and Euro Girl gets first test ride of the 2,500 cc Testosterone Power Scooter, Stay tuned for details at 10 p.m. on your local nightly news.