Electric Harley?
Electric Harley Davidson Spotted?
The folks over at “Asphalt and Rubber” posted this article about how an apparent electric Harley Davidson was spotted on the set of the next Avengers movie.
If you look close at the pics you get the clues that it might be real:
Looks like a Daymaker headlight on the bike.
Safety reflectors on a one off movie prop?
Plus the other items pointed out in the article.
Park Entrance
This past weekend Debbie, our friends Tim and Karma and I took a motorcycle ride to the Flight 93, 9/11 Memorial and National Park.
We mounted our bikes and had kickstands up at about 9AM, headed north and west on Interstate 70. WOW, the traffic on I70 was very heavy; it was like a Friday afternoon on a holiday weekend heavy. I understand why everyone wants out of the Washington DC metro area, but come on guys; did you not know I wanted the highway to myself?!?!
The first point where the traffic begins to thin, but only slightly, was as we passed the Hagerstown Outlet Mall. But traffic did not really become light until we reached the I70 and I68 intersection, from that point on things were calm and smooth. At least until the temperature began to drop the further north and the higher elevation we made.
While I was comfy behind the fairing on the Ultra Limited the others were quite cool and in the mood for warmth and food. We stopped for breakfast about 10:30 at “Cathie’s County Store” near the intersection of I70 and PA 915. Debbie declared that Cathie’s home fries were the best she ever had! Pulling back out onto the interstate it was not long before we were onto US 30, also known as the Lincoln Highway.
Just a short way before the actual park entrance we crested a ridge and saw dozens of wind turbines and at the same time understood why they were there. From the time we crested that ridge until we nearly reached the interstate again there was a constant wind, sometimes enough to cause the bikes to move a bit in our lane.
When we reached the Flight 93 Memorial I was pleasantly surprised how full the parking lot was for a cool, overcast Saturday. We arrived at the park just as a park ranger began a presentation of the events of that day. His presentation was a pointed reminder of the events of 9/11 and the courage of the crew and passengers of Flight 93 knowing that the terrorists were intending to crash the plane into a building. While their efforts cost the lives of 40 they likely saved the lives of hundreds if not thousands.
After that solemn stop we rode south stopping at Highland Harley Davidson in Somerset, PA. Tim needed to buy a heavier shirt for the trip back. While he claims otherwise, I am sure he bought one off the women’s rack as the shirt he bought had thumb holes “to hold it in place”…. 🙂
From Somerset we rode south to Cumberland, MD and I68 then back towards home. We stopped for diner at the Longhorn Steak House in Frederick, MD. After a good diner we said out goodbyes and head for the house.
C&O Canal Lock 38
Location – Lock 38
Mile Marker – 72.7 and 72.8
Historical Comments – Near two Civil War Battle Fields Harpers Ferry and Shepherdstown, WV. Also nearby is the former headquarters for the National Park Service’s C&O Canal division, Ferry Hill, which is now a restored plantation museum.
Ride to Site – Lock 38 has two separate areas both assessable from Canal Road. Canal road is a paved but not well marked byway, pay attention to traffic.
Amenities – the lock areas have restrooms but nothing else. Shepherdstown is nearby with full amenities.
Road Conditions (from main road) – paved
Railway Situation – underpass, very spectacular when a train is passing overhead
Parking Lot Conditions – Paved
Main Attraction – The remains of the lock and the nearby Ferry Hill Plantation.
My Thoughts – A major trail head for folks hiking and bicycling on the Canal Trail but not a lot to see here for the motorcyclist EXCEPT for railroad overpass. The overpass has to be about 50 yards about the roadway and canal. When a trail is crossing the view is spectacular.
Map:
Lock 38
Get up and ride on the 16th!!!
After watching the first two episodes of this season I am….disappointed.
After a first season of decent shows I expected a second season of great shows. I don’t know if they have a new director or producer (I could look that up, but I won’t) but the overall implementation of the show leaves me wanting to go back to last year.
In the first show Dale was sent to a GPS location to find an old Excelsior. He had received a hand written note, which looked like a third grader was the author, with directions to the “secret location”. Along the way Dale grabs a deep pocket friend to pay for the bike, if they can find it. When they reach the secret location of the bike they find a garage of old parts and Harleys but no Excelsior, then they look in the rafters before “discovering” a door to the other part of the garage. Each time they enter the rooms for the first time a camera team seems to have magically appeared inside. In the end they find another third grade level note asking for $80,000 dollars for the bike. They put the money in a cigar box and leave. It was a corny as it sounds.
The second episode was not any better. Here Dale was on the hunt for the long lost “Road Dog”, the largest, ridable motorcycle built. Except it was not really lost, and shots of Dale peering through holes in a barn wall going “is that it” were almost cartoonish (again the camera team magically gets their firs). Turns out that a local Harley Davidson dealer had already bought the bike for his dealership (oh, and it started right up). The story behind the bike is very interesting and watching Dale ride it at the end was worthwhile.
All in all I am not a big fan of the new product. I will still watch the show as the content is good but the attempted “made for TV reality show hype” needs to stop as you DO NOT NEED IT.
Same rating as last year 3 out of 5 stars.
According to my DVR there are two new episodes of this show starting tonight (June 10th). A check of the Velocity Channel’s website did not indicate that a new season was starting, or I overlooked it.
What is What’s In The Barn… “WHAT’S IN THE BARN? brings viewers on a quest that crisscrosses the U.S. for vintage motorcycles and cars. Wheels Through Time Museum curator Dale Walksler hosts this one-of-a-kind journey through America’s barns where yesterday’s junk becomes automotive Americana that he will bring back to life and sell”
The first two shows (according to DirecTV) are:
A Diamond In Dodge City – Dale is hired to buy an Excelsior but may buy if for himself.
Biker Lore – Dale is on the trail of the largest motorcycle ever built.
I reviewed the show last season and gave it 4 out of 5 stars (you can read that review here). I would expect that the production values have only went up so it might get to 5 stars this year. It would be nice if the Velocity Channel would update their website.
Pulling out for the NF ride!
My daughter and I rode in a charity ride supporting Neurofibromatosis (NF). The ride was hosted by NFmidatlantic.org and the Baltimore Ramblers Motorcycle Club.
NF is the most common of the “rare” diseases. Neurofibromatosis is extraordinarily complicated. It comes in many forms, is often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, and presents in a myriad of forms. Read more about the different types of NF here.
The event began with a pancake breakfast at Applebee’s in Timonium, MD. After everyone had their fill of pancakes the riders, about 50 or so, broke into smaller groups for the ride.
Members of the Ramblers guided us through the back country of Maryland for about an hour and a half before we finished at their clubhouse. The ride itself was quite nice, we only had to dodge giant farm tractors twice! 🙂
There were a few vendors and food available at the clubhouse along with door prizes and 50/50 draws. There was also several vintage motorcycle to look at including an old Indian and a 1953 BMW. After hanging out for a while and talking with the volunteers from the Mid-Atlantic NF and the Ramblers Eryn and I headed for home. BTW the Ramblers are one of the oldest AMA motorcycle clubs in America, founded in 1929.
Much to my worry, the sky started to darken and the closer to Leesburg the more rain drops we felt. Luckily we missed the down poor by a bit and made it to the garage dry.
The NTN Radio studio (Phil in the fore and Chis on the board)
I was asked back to guest host on the DWAGHOUSE motorcycle radio again. That make two weeks in a rows! The show is broadcast live on the internet Tuesday 6-8PM EST.
This past weeks show is now up in podcast form (available at the link above and iTunes). So if you have time check it out and drop me a note if you like it…if you don’t like it well, grandma said if you can’t say something nice don’t say anything! 🙂
You can also get linked to the podcast on the DawgHouse Facebook page.
I am sure there are more but here are a few Northern Virginia and surrounding area events of which I am aware. If you know of any others please add them in the comments.
Ride for NF – June 8th
Back of the Dragon Days – June 13th – 15th
Ride your bike to work day – June 16th
Maryland/Delaware HOG Rally – June 19th-22nd
ABATE of Virginia Rally – June 20th – 22nd
HOG Worldwide Ride – June 22nd – 23rd
Virginia HOG Rally – June 26th – 28th
Rolling Thunder 2014
Debbie had to work Saturday so I was out on the motorcycle by myself. I rode the Army bike as I was planning on entering a bike show that afternoon (see Part Deux).
The first stop of the day was the HOG Pin Stop at Washington HD. Getting there from Leesburg takes a while and it involves some of the most trafficked roads in the DC Metro area; I495 and I95.
With Rolling Thunder the next day I was surprised that there were so few bikes out and about. From home to exit for the dealership I counted 17 bikes, much much fewer than I have noticed in the past.
I arrived at the dealership about a little before 10 and was surprised again at the number of bikes. In the past, at about the same time, the parking lots were packed and the vendor areas were standing room only. Not this year, I had no issue what so ever getting a parking spot and had a leisurely stool through the vendors. I saw nothing I could live without among the tents, although I am becoming intrigued with center stands, and decided to go inside and check out the remodeled digs.
The dealership has been in this building for a long time and was looking very “long in tooth”. The remodeling was, I have to say, was underwhelming. IMHO there was no real improvement at all. The one area of the store that I though was better was a display of older bikes with large period photos behind them.
I did speak to a person, who claimed to be an employee, stated that the dealership was about to change hands and that the new owner was going to build a new building. In the DC area, and especially Maryland, that can be an expensive proposition (hey, Maryland even taxes the rain).
Mounting my bike I was back on the road in less than a minute, still no heavy bike traffic.
I JUST WANT 2 RIDE!! 