New motorcycle ride...IN THE WORKS!!

Wow!!! Long time since my last post, truth is I’ve been working on another blog
BIG ALS QUEST
for some time now trying to improve myself and I'm glad to say "it's working."

I got many; many stories to share with everyone here hope to start posting soon but for now let me tell you of and up and coming motorcycle trip.



It’s in the late planning stage now; as a matter of fact I head out this Friday. Where you ask? Arkansas

that’s where, just myself

and a long lost high school best buddy, Walter

reunite for a 1200 mile 3 ½ day trip around the mountains of Arkansas. The plan, around 12:00pm Friday I head out to Pine Bluff, AR from Hattiesburg, (from work) Mississippi.Walter will leave sometime that morning from his home in Huntsville, Alabama. Both of us will have around a 300 mile solo ride from different direction. Once there. we will get a room and head out on our journey early Saturday morning (see map of the ride)
RIDE MAP
looks to be around 650 miles, we will break that up over Saturday and Sunday ending at Helena AR, then making around another 300 solo mile ride home Monday.


I’ll post more about it once I get home, not sure yet if I’m going to carry my computer or not…I will have my camera and will be clicking at every stop.


More to come


Big Al

Eerie morning motorcycle ride.

January 19, 2011

Woke up this morning just like every other one, got dressed for work, checked the weather, mid 40’s, ten percent chance of rain. Perfect day for a motorcycle ride to work…Well, so I thought?


It had been around 4 days since my last ride due to rain and carrying my kids to school in the morning, but my bike fired right up and purred like a kitten as I put my gloves, helmet and sunglasses on.


Ok this is where things get a little strange…as I was pulling out of my driveway; this since of fear came over me for some reason.

I guess it left me wondering, "does this happen to other bikers from time to time, as it has happen to me two or three times over the years I’ve been riding. "


It’s hard to explain, but here goes… it’s really more of a strange feeling, more than fear, here are some examples; I normally roar


Yea, Right!!!


out of my driveway and fly down the streets in my neighborhood on my way to work. This morning I found myself looking at a small puddle

on the road at the end of the driveway and inching my way to it ever so slowly. Then once passed thinking to myself, wow I survived that,

then at each curve

found myself slowing to a crawl. To make matters worse it felt like the bike was fighting me the entire time and it was winning.

Things like dogs even the ones 100 yards from the road give me the feeling of uneasiness.

Then as I entered the hwy (this is a very straight road that takes me almost to work)

safe right…NOOO!!! First it seemed that the car behind me was tailgating

(it really was not) not to mention the cars waiting to pull out on the hwy just seemed like they were going to pull right out in front of me,

Sorry I could not help myself, been holding this photo to long.

It would cause me to lower my speed big time. As I went to turn off the hwy on to a city street, I found myself looking at the small pile of gravel in the middle of the road,

thinking I hope my front tire does not slide out in the turn. Then I crossed a railroad track, again I kept thinking I hope I don’t fall over while crossing the track. Finally I make it to the office and start backing my bike into its parking spot, again having the feeling of dropping my bike.


Whew, off the bike and safe inside my office. Hmmm strange right? I guess what puzzles me is this has never happen while doing anything else in life, like driving a car, a boat or just life in general. I guess the really strange thing is when I got back on my bike to go home, it was like it never happen, I was roaring down the roads like it had never happen before.

I talked to a biker co-worker once inside to see if he had ever experienced anything like this before, he told me he sometime had a fear of deer late in the evening sometimes…

my guess is we are talking about two different kind of fears… but not sure, maybe it’s the same.


Oh well


Till next time


Big AL

Dude…Where’s my motorcycle?

Friday December 10, 2010

Woke up this morning the birds were singing,

the sun was rising

and best of all the little wife was not yelling at me for any reason.

Ha-ha. She even got up early and cooked me a big breakfast before work.

Wow, what more could a guy want (ok there is that, but I keep this site PG-13, sorry no details on that)

Anyway back to my story. After breakfast, we had brief discussion on world events and up and coming Christmas, and then she went to get ready for work while I updated my blog. I then got dressed and went back into the den to get my boots on, as my wife went outside to the garage…THAT’S WHEN I GOT THE CALL!!!

I saw my wife pulling out of the driveway in her car… I felt my cell phone vibrate then ring, it was her. I found this to be a little strange…then those words that will make even the most hardcore biker shake in their boots…

DUDE, WHERE IS YOUR MOTORCYCLE???

I have to admit my heart sank, my hands shook and my breathing deepen.

My first thought was some Nar-do-Wellers had stopped by during the night and took it.

Second thought…repo man (I watch to much TV) I’d never let my baby get behind in payments.

Third thought…the little wife had gone blind and just did not see it.

Then it hit me like a TON OF BRICKS!!!

I had moved it to the motorcycle shop the night before on the other side of her car to install a new seat. Crisis avoided, the bike was safe and sound just in a lot of pieces…let me explain, one of my bosses,Rick, has a 2008 Yamaha just like mine except with a larger motor, I think it is a 1700, mines a 1100 v-star. Anyway he had bought a new seat for his (mustang seat) and he gave me his driver backrest (old man seat as I like to call it)

to see if it would fit mine. I was planning on doing a most excellent post about the installation of the backrest on my bike, but to my dismay the backrest would not fit,

of course I found this out after I had taken everything off my bike…well no harm done, I’ll put it back together to night.

Till next time, ride safe and put some clothing on…IT’S COLD OUT THERE!!!
Big Al

Cold weather motorcycle riding???

On my ride to work the other day the temperature was some where in the low 30’s. I kept thinking to myself, why am I not cold? This went over and over in my mind, why am I not freezing? Then when I get to work,  I see everyone (car & truck people) running for what it looks like…their lives.

To get from their auto’s to the warmth of the building. Oh yea, I left out the part where they are screaming at me things like your crazy, it’s too cold to ride.

I have to wonder, what is it that keeps bikers warm…

Is it the adrenalin?

The motor producing heat?

Body goes numb?

The love of riding?

What is it, sure we have all been cold at one time or another while riding on longer trips,  but think about it…if you take your car somewhere in 30 degree weather you will find yourself almost dashing to the car, turning on the heater full blast and praying for heater gods

to heat the car up fast. Then once you reach your destination, you jump out, zip up your jacket tight and do the fast walk to the building you are going to. If you are on a bike, sure you may feel the first shock of the cold wind hitting your face but it seems only seconds later, you feel fine and having a great time even knowing with the wind chill it's got to be around 0 degrees.

So I ask you fellow bikers, what is it that keeps us from freezing? I need your help on this one.

Big Al

Twelve Important Things My Motorcycle Has Taught Me

1.The only good view of a thunderstorm is in your rear view mirror.



2.Four wheels move the body; two wheels move the soul.



3.I'd rather be riding my motorcycle and thinking about God, than sitting in church thinking about my bike.



4.Life may begin at 30, but it doesn't get real interesting until about 75 mph.



5. Midnight bugs taste just as bad as Noon time bugs.



6.Sometimes it takes a whole tank full of gas before you can think straight.



7.A bike on the road is worth two in the shed.



8.Young riders pick a destination and go; old riders pick a direction and go.



9.When you're riding lead, don't spit.



10..Catching a yellow jacket in your shirt at 75 mph can double your vocabulary.



11.If you can't get it going with bungee cords and duct tape, it's serious.



12.Only a biker knows why a dog sticks his head out of a car window.



I JUST FOUND THIS E-MAIL TO FUNNY, AND SO TRUE.



Big Al

Thanks for the e-mail david.

Wednesday…Day one…

Wednesday…Day one…well we made it to Natchez, somewhere around 150 miles. We ended up getting a room at the Isle of Capri Casino

right on the Mississippi river.

I decided to keep a running account of the money I spend along the way…I’ll post it at the end of the trip blog.

Ok here is how the day started…you know how it is when you’re trying to get away from work, the work just keeps coming.

Well Dave and I finally got our office work caught up so we were off…

to the motorcycle part store that is…no not Natchez yet. Dave had decided to invest in some highway pegs

for his bike (wise move on a long ride). Anyway after the purchase we went by my house so I could pack while David bolted on the pegs. Then we were off to Natchez…we ended up stopping at a little country store to get gas and a drink.

While we were having our drink and updating our Facebook page on our iphones, we noticed this guy and a girl staring at us while they filled up their car.

This guy turned out to be quite the character…once his wife went in the store to pay, he yelled out what kind of bikes are we riding. Then he began to tell us of his motorcycle adventures…he told us he had a 600 cc Yamaha, due to his small frame…he weighed in a good hundred pounds soaking wet. He told us about how he use to speed all around the country side (while all the time jumping around in a very excited manner…demonstrating his motorcycle moves). He loved riding, until he had a bad wreck breaking his prosthesis…Ahhh, did I forget to mention he was missing his right hand. David, being David, asked how in the world did he gas the bike with no right hand…the guy then told us how the prosthesis fit

and worked and how he could hold the gas with it…well until he crashed and destroyed it and the bike. This just goes to show,where there is a will to ride there is always a way. His wife then came back out, he wished us well on our trip and we were gone.

Then and hour or so later we cruised into the city of Natchez…David had been there about a year before for a wedding, so he had and idea on how to get to the river…the mighty Mississippi. The sky’s been looking a little dark, so we made a quick stop at the river, snapped a few photos,

the headed out to get our room. We ended up staying at the Isle of Capri Casino; it is located right on the river next to Natchez under the hill.

The room was not bad at 68 dollars a night…Warning we saw a posting in our room that said the rate was like 165 dollars a night on weekends…too much money for what you get. Due to the dark sky’s, we headed out for quick ride around town and snapped a few photos...

then a stop at Shoney’s to grab a quick dinner. (Not bad but our least favorite meal of the trip)

Then it was back to the room to get some sleep, for the big day on the trace Thursday.

Day two coming soon…
Big Al