Memorial Day 2014

Jo and I rode over to the Memorial Day Service in Memorial Park, here in Colorado Springs. They have several monuments to different services and service groups and lay a wreath at each during the event. Here's a few photo's:

After the service we headed out for a short but sweet 100 miles, enjoying the "FREEDOM" that many paid for with their LIVES, we thank them for their service and sacrifice! Memorial Day isn't about Picnic's and SALES as portraied on the Television! It's a time to REMEMBER the fallen and thank them. Pls. put down the BBQ rib long enough to say a little prayer of thanks, hope you had a Good Memorial Day! PS: yes, we did get rained on before we got home so it took awhile to get the Sporty clean and shiny! :)

2nd. HOG Meeting

Well Jo finally got to go to a HOG meeting after being sick for last months meeting we headed out and got to the meeting "just in time", LOL, need to leave a bit more early! ;)

Us, somehow we got shuffled to the front row and they snaped a photo of us!

We decided not to go on the group ride as they were going longer than we had time for so we headed out on our own, took a ride down to Outpost Harley-Davidson in Pueblo, CO. as there's a certian H-D Eagle, "tin sign" we wanted to get for our "home" H-D shrine, (lol, just kidding) .  Pikes Peak H-D told us they were discontinued.  Luckly Outpost had one and we picked it up and go a free lunch as they had the grill fired up and we scrafed down a couple of very good cheese burgers and chips!! We headed back the long way, headed west out of Pueblo, CO. on CO Hwy. 50 West, then a small side trip on CO. 20, a sweet old, two lane road thru Portland, CO. and heading towards Florence but we picked up 115 N. and stopped at Penrose, CO. for a ice cold rootbeer!!  :)

Our machine, Midnight at Pensrose Store, May 3, 2014

Hopped back on Midnight and headed back to Colorado Springs, finally pulling into the barn (storeage area), did a bit of clean up on the bike as it's finally Spring here in So. CO. and we killed many a bug, LOL! Had a great day, hope you got out on the ROAD! :)

Pikes Peak Chapter of HOG, first meeting

Last Saturday, I went to our first meeting at the local area chapter of HOG, the Harley Owners Group, here in Colorado Springs, CO. Pikes Peak HOG chapter is #405 and has about 300 members. It was a good experiance, very friendly folks and they make you feel welcome asap! They put out a spread of dounuts and muffin's, drinks, etc, which was nice.  Jo couldn't make it she got a bad case of sinusitits and the starting of broncitits so I rode the sporty by myself.  I've been very impressed on the way the Harley folks treat a newbie, even if our machine is the "cheapest" H-D you can buy, they never treat you any different that anyone else!

The weather was iffy so I just put on a short 60 mile ride after the meeting on local backroads so I could get the mileage up to 1000 by Weds., got the sporty scheduled in for it's "1st. service". Most of the Japaneese cruisers I've owned did the 1st. service by 500 or 600 miles so it's different being at 1000. The only concern is that the bike seem to be running a bit ruff when you apply the throttle so hopefully a small adjustment will bring back the "very smooth" I had up to about 600 miles. One nice thing is that they have a (pay for, of course) pick up service which I won't need but it's great to know it's there since we don't have a pick up truck or car with a trailer!

I think it's going to be great FUN to be a member of HOG, so if you'd been on the fence about joining up, come on down! :)

B.J. 



2014 Super Show and Swap

The unoffical start of the Riding Season, here in Southern Colorado seems to begin with the local Super Show and Swap Meet, usually held in March. It's a gathering of clubs, a time to show off your ride and tat's and just be seen with all the clan that makes up area motorcycling from 1% er Clubs to Christian Motorcycle Association! Jo wasn't feeling well so I went to the show myself and just hung out, listened to music, bought a good hot dog and chips and soaked in the enviorment! LOL, I'm only good for a couple of hours, then I just want to RIDE! Here's a few photo's of the event, sorry I'm using the camera in my phone and it doesn't have a flash so I could only take photo's of machines that were backlighted, ENJOY!

Break in miles done, now the FUN begins! ;)

March in Southern CO. is a crap-shoot at best as far as getting in rides on the scoot! The only BAD thing about a new bike is the "break in miles", 500 miles of not going over certain RPM's and having to vairy speeds, ie: not being able to drone on for lot's of miles at a single speed! The first 50 miles your not suppose to go over 3000 rpm in any gear, then the next 450 miles you can't go over 3500 rpms. In 5th. gear that equals out to 62.1 mph. so no "Interstate" riding!  Well we finally got in the 500 miles so now the FUN really starts, we can now go any speed and the only rpm limit is 6000 rpm which is "insanity" or as Dark Helmet says, Ludicrous Speed! LOL! ;)

So far the Sportster has been a great ride, the only PIA, item is the rear shocks, they come with WHIMPY springs and with Jo and I double up they are over loaded. :(  So we will have to come up with $300 for a set of Progressive Suspension 412 series Heavy Duty shocks and $60 bucks to have them installed at Pike Peak Harley-Davidson, OUCH!  Still the scoot has such a nice feel out on the road, it's worth the funds to upgrade! :)  Luckly Colorado Springs is surrounded by lot's of low volume country roads so getting the 500 miles wasn't a terrible thing, the rides I really enjoyed!  We don't get real Spring weather till the end of May so there's a lot of short rides left till we can really let the Sporty streach it's legs out on the open road.  Heading to the New Owners Party a PPHD, Thursday night, H-D really makes you feel welcome! Well hope where ever you are you are getting to RIDE! :)