2009 International Motorcycle Show

Well, we are FINALLY home! Home Sweet Home. After all the hupla, prepurchased tickets, talking about the trip, making plans and months of waiting, we were able to attend the International Motorcycle Show in Greenville, South Carolina. For added pleasure, our long time good friends J.T. and 'Becca met us there for the weekend.

All good things come to those that wait. :o)

So, lock on your helmet and hold onto the handle bars ... here we go with a quick tour of the show!!


Show Room Floor

There were more motorcycles, scooters, vendors, vintage bikes, museum displays, observed trials, demo rides and whatnot than you can shake a stick at. This is only a small part of the show room floor. It did take us 3 days to see everything.


'Becca eyeing the 2009 Honda DN-01

It's a scooter ... she is new to motorcycling and prefers automatics at the moment.

Me ... I head for the dirt and adventure bikes!


2009 Honda CRF 230 Motard


2009 Honda CRF 230 L

But want I really, really, really would like to have is ...


2009 Triumph Bonneville T100

And just a little ...


Bling! Bling!

But ... none of that this trip. What I did buy was a new helmet. In white. Instead of trying to match my bike and jacket, I'm gonna 'trash it up' with a few custom made decals.

HJC Symax II

Yeah, it was worth the wait ... but I'm still happy to be back home.

For more about the show with lots of motorcycle photos, feel free to peruse all my photos on-line at MyPhotoAlbum. Enjoy Y'all!!

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Opportunity To Witness A Green Comet Monday

Comet Lulin

I enjoy astronomy.

Usually, I can't remember the stars or what galaxy is where but I do enjoy sitting out under the night sky with binoculars or our telescope and watching the heavens. Living so far out in the country we get many opportunities to do this. That's one of many reasons we don't have a yard light plus they contribute to the light pollution.

Tomorrow night (Monday 23rd) there is a very special event. Let's let the experts explain further ...

"WASHINGTON — An odd, greenish backward-flying comet is zipping by Earth this month, as it takes its only trip toward the sun from the farthest edges of the solar system.

The comet is called Lulin, and there's a chance it can be seen with the naked eye — far from city lights, astronomers say. But you'll most likely need a telescope, or at least binoculars, to spot it.

The best opportunity is just before dawn one-third of the way up the southern sky. It should be near Saturn and two bright stars, Spica and Regula.

On Monday at 10:43 p.m. EST, it will be 38 million miles from Earth, the closest it will ever get, according to Donald Yeomans, manager of NASA's Near Earth Object program.

The story behind the comet is more intriguing than its appearance — the greenish tinge may be hard for many to discern. The color comes from a type of carbon and cyanogen, a poisonous gas.

Lulin was discovered by a Chinese teenager two years ago. It still has many of its original gases — gases that are usually stripped away as comets near the sun. Unlike most comets viewable from Earth, this one hasn't been this close to the sun before, Yeomans said.

While all the planets and most of the other objects in the solar system circle the sun counterclockwise, Lulin circles clockwise, said NASA astronomer Stephen Edberg.

Thanks to an optical illusion, from Earth it appears as if the comet's tail is in the front as the comet approaches Earth and the sun.

"It essentially is going backwards through the solar system," he said.

It came from the outskirts of the solar system, 18 trillion miles away. Once it's made the journey around the sun, Lulin will gain enough speed to escape the solar system, Edberg said.

"If you are interested in comets, make sure you see it," he said. "But it's not going to be a real great blast for the general public."

Source: FoxNews Article

I couldn't find the star "Regula" referred to above (I believe it's a typo) but I did find a Regulus.

So, let's watch the heavens tomorrow evening. Who knows what wonders we'll experience!?

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2007 International Motorcycle Show

We are at the current International Motorcycle Show with friends in Greenville, South Carolina this weekend.

Below are photos of our 2007 trip (click for larger photo in new window). New ones from this years event will be posted as time permits:



Steve in our hotel room


Demo rides from various manufacturers are usually offered at these events


Buying our tickets to enter


HUH??!! What is it?


Steve LOVES Ducati's!
"Put the checkbook DOWN honey!!"


Engine Cutaway Diagram
There are interesting displays.


Show Room Floor


Some bikes are impractical but certainly creative!


One vender brought his cute little dog "Bear". He was a big hit!


Hey, guys, this is NOT a motorcycle ... !!


I like the vintage bikes personally.


There's always time for lunch ...

Well, that's it for that Motorcycle Show part of the vacation. On the way home we toured the Natchez Trace in Mississippi. Very pretty parkway but not as pretty as the Blue Ridge in North Carolina / Virginia. The speed limits are not being enforced on the Natchez Trace and there were too many speeders. My opinion is that distracted from the beauty of the area.


Start Of Natchez Trace


The actual trail still exists in many areas.

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you enjoyed the tour.

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Postcard Friendship Friday (02/20)

Ok, raise your hand if you scribble notations and do math on the backs of old scrap papers? I knew it! Ah, we're all guilty. Writing on something that may be worth lots of money one day.

Well, my contribution this week is another historical piece.

Interestingly, I am related to some of the Moore and Bird / Byrd family in Georgia. I don't know if these are any of my kin, but I'd be willing to bet even money that we're related somehow. It's such a small world here.


"The front of the postcard shows a 1916 postal mark and the back elaborates on the qualities of the “Boss” cane stripper. Note that this design differs from those made by the Brinley-Hardy Company."

Source: Southern Matters Sugar Cane Operations

Hosted by my friend Marie at Voila! Vintage Postcards.


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Motorcycle Show Preparations

Today we are making preparations to attend the annual International Motorcycle Show. This year the event is in lovely Greenville, South Carolina!! WAHOO!! It's finally here! We've had tickets to this thing for 6 months, no lie.




In years past, these events were held in a very nice area of Atlanta, Georgia. But then the Powers That Be moved the event into the darkest of dark sections and it eventually crashed and burned ...apparently others voted with their feet like we did because last year, we had quit going. We traveled two days to get to Houston, Texas just to attend the show. Now, the one in the eastern USA has been moved to a nicer area in western South Carolina and we are back to staying in the Southeast.

We won't be able to ride to the event due to the fact I am still recovering from neck surgery and they're calling for snow there! [sigh] Oh well. So, after dropping our three 'babies' (dogs) at the kennel, we are free! FREE!!

Then the following weekend, World Superbike starts for the season. The first race of the season is in lovely Phillip Island Australia. I would like to attend that one some day.

Then, American Superbike starts for the season, then my personal favorite, MotoGP. To see some very exciting racing, go to this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfPM77TsGaA. It's only a couple of minutes. These young fellas are real athletes.

Motorcycle racing is back for the year! Professional racing takes the winter months to rest and train.

The world is turning in greased grooves again.

So stay tuned for photos and updates y'all! I'm so glad that all these hotels have internet access now. I'm so spoiled. :o) And who knows, I may come home with a new Triumph Bonneville after all ... I really like that two-tone green and cream ... uh, just doing my part to stimulate the economy. [tee hee]

Cheers y'all,

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Wordless Wednesday (02/18)

Best served with ACORN squash and pulled pork

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Just Joshin' Around

In honor of my 150th post (wow ... have I been having that much fun!!??) here's a few jokes I found at the Triumph 1050 Forum to lighten the mood. Enjoy! :o)


WHATEVER HITS THE FAN WILL
NOT BE DISTRIBUTED EVENLY.

I have kleptomania,
but when it gets bad,
I take something for it.

FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS!
Except that one where you're naked in church.

Sometimes too much to drink isn't enough.

Kinky is using a feather.
Perverted is using the whole chicken.

Heaven is Where:
The Police are British,
The Chefs are Italian,
The Mechanics are German,
The Lovers are French
and
It's all organized by the Swiss.

Hell is Where:
The Police are German,
The Chefs are British,
The Mechanics are French,
The Lovers are Swiss
and
It's all organized by the Italians.

Suicidal twin kills sister by mistake!

My short-term memory is not as sharp as it used to be.
Also, my short-term memory's not as sharp as it used to be.

In just two days from now,
tomorrow will be yesterday.

A bartender is just a pharmacist
with a limited inventory

The statement below is true.
The statement above is false.

I may be schizophrenic,
but at least I have each other.

I am a Nobody.
Nobody is Perfect.
Therefore I am Perfect.

KENTUCKY:
Five million people,
Fifteen last names.

Dyslexics Have More Nuf

I LOVE COOKING WITH WINE
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

Preserve the Spotted Owl
(in formaldehyde)

Reality is only an illusion
that occurs due to a lack of alcohol.

I like cats too.
Let's exchange recipes.

Red meat is not bad for you
Fuzzy green meat is bad for you.

I am having an out-of-money experience.

As a senior citizen was driving down the freeway, his car phone rang. Answering, he heard his wife's voice urgently warning him, "Herman, I just heard on the news that there's a car going the wrong way on 280 Interstate. Please be careful!"
"It's not just one car," said Herman. "It's hundreds of them!"

Don't sweat the petty things.
and don't ever pet the sweaty things.

Corduroy pillows are making headlines!

I want to die while asleep like my grandfather,
not screaming in terror like the passengers in his car.

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Another Federal Holiday And A Recap

And, as if you must be reminded, this is paid-in-full by ALL taxpayers.

Is there any way we Americans can renegotiate this 'contract'??



I Want All Your Money

And now for a re-cap of Mr. Obama's first two weeks.

1, The American people elect a black president with a total of 42 days experience as a U. S. Senator from the most politically corrupt state in America whose governor is ousted from office. The President's first official act is to close Gitmo and make sure Terrorists civil rights are not violated.

2, The U.S. Congress rushes to confirm an Attorney General, Eric Holder, whose law firm we later find out represents seventeen Gitmo Terrorists.

3, The CIA Boss, Leon Panetta, with absolutely no experience and anti-CIA leanings, has a daughter Linda we find out, that is a true radical anti-American activist who is a supporter of all the Anti-American regimes in the western hemisphere.

4. We got the most corrupt female in America as Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton; bought and paid for.

5. We got a tax cheat, Tim Geithner, for Treasury Secretary who files his own taxes.

6. Bill Richardson, a Commerce Secretary nominee who withdrew due to corruption charges.

7. A Tax cheat nominee for Chief Performance Officer who withdrew under charges.

8. A Labor Secretary nominee who withdrew under charges of unethical conduct.

9. A Secretary Health and Human Services nominee who withdrew under charges of cheating on his taxes.

And that's just the first two weeks ... but who's counting. Not the liberal news media, that's for sure!


America is being run by the modern-day Three Stooges ~ Barack, Nancy and Harry ~ and they are still trying to define "stimulus". Maybe they could put it in pill form to make it easier to swallow?

Stimulus is where the government gives a smidgen of your tax dollars back to you making you feel so good about yourself [stimulated] that you want to run out to Wal-Mart and buy a new Chinese-made HDTV and go home and watch Telemundo!

One Big Aching Mistake America

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The Chalk Garden (1964)

The Chalk Garden
I so enjoy old movies. One of my favorite actresses is Deborah Kerr and for me her best movie was "The Chalk Garden" (January 1964).

The movie in a nutshell is about Madrigal (Deborah Kerr), an Englishwoman recently released from prison after serving time for murder, arrives at the home of Mrs. St. Maugham (Edith Evans) to apply for the position of governess and companion to the elderly woman's 16-year-old granddaughter, Laurel (Hayley Mills).

She is hired, despite her lack of references, primarily for her knowledge of gardening because Mrs. St. Maugham has difficulty raising anything in the chalky earth of her garden. Madrigal keeps her past a secret, but Laurel, who lives in a partial fantasy world (she hates her mother whom she believes abandoned her when she divorced and remarried) tries to uncover the secrets of her new governess. Maitland (John Mills), the butler, becomes attracted to Madrigal and tells her that Laurel's wild tales are untrue. When the judge (Felix Aylmer) who convicted Madrigal comes to lunch, he does not recognize her, but they get into a heated discussion about the case.

Laurel suspects that Madrigal is the murderess in question but makes a pact with Maitland never to reveal her suspicion. Madrigal realizes that Laurel is much the same as she was at 16 and fears that Laurel might make the same mistakes if she is not told the truth about her mother. She tells Mrs. St. Maugham that Laurel's mother should be allowed to have her, and Laurel, overhearing them, realizes that she was never abandoned. When her mother arrives, Laurel is ready to go with her, and Madrigal remains at the house as companion to Mrs. St. Maugham.

Synopsis Courtesy of Turner Classic Movies



The Chalk Garden is an intense, wonderful psychological game of cat and mouse. It has excellent performances from all involved and the writing and direction is superb. I want so much to order it on DVD. (It's $30 new ... OUCH!!)

"At our last meeting, I died. It alters the appearance." A quote from the character from Madrigal/Constance speaking to the judge in a chance meeting. I can so relate to her character. I've never been jailed, of course, but I was in a mental jail from an abusive parent. My mother died in 1966 and my father tore up his parent card. When I allowed Christ to come into my life at the age of 14, God mercifully gave me the Key to get out ... and I did. I ran to that mental door and freedom!

Anyway, The Chalk Garden speaks volumes to me. Does anyone else enjoy this movie? Or are there any others you'd like to recommend?

I also like the old horror movies from the 1960's and 1970's. It's fun to curl up on the sofa with husband and watch them with popcorn on Halloween. Reminds me of when I was a little kid, mom was still alive, and I would watch those old movies on our 'big' 12 inch console TV that sat on the floor. Such delightful memories. :o)

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Happy Valentines Day

Like you know I had to have something with 2 wheels and a motor in it ... 'k???!! So don't pretend to be shocked ...

[snort]

Definate ((Hugs)) all around from your goofy bloggy friend!

Happy Valentine's Day Y'all!

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Postcard Friendship Friday (02/13)

“MOUNTAIN OX SLED-- A Blue Ridge mountaineer hauls fodder from the fields on his primitive sled, which oxen drag over the roads without benefit of wheels. North Carolina hill people retain the flavor and atmosphere of their distinctive country.”

Source: Image and caption from "Mountain Ox Sled," postcard NC 4 in Variety Vacation Land, Raleigh, N.C.: Department of Conservation and Development, [1939]. North Carolina Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. VCp917 N87c.

Source: University of North Carolina Library

Hosted by: My good friend Marie at Voila! Vintage Postcards


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A Drive Down Memory Lane

As I was surveying a local cemetery close to home recently (i.e. snapping photos of tombstones for family genealogists to use at FindAGrave) I happened to glance off into the mature pinewoods and there was another kind of graveyard. I found old abandoned 'skeletons' of vehicles and farm equipment.

When I happened upon the Chevy pickup, a flood of memories hit me. It was the memory of my father and I building an antique 1949 pickup together.


Abandoned Chevrolet Pickup
In the early 1970's, while I was still in High School, my Dad bought two 1949 Chevrolet pickup's. One was for parts and one to actually rebuild. Previously, Dad had built a large workshop on our 1 acre of land, so, there was plenty of room. We pulled motors, scavenged oil soaked parts to find something usable, spent many an hour down at NAPA Auto Parts, haunted junk yards. Finally, it was ready for the finishing touches: the paint job. Dad took it somewhere locally and cheap and had it painted the original Dark Green.

Everybody in our small town of Titusville talked about Don Ackman's truck.

I quite often drove it to school. It was a pickle to handle too. The 3 speed gear shift was on the column. The starter was on the floor ... it was quite a trick to hold down the starter and crank the motor at the same time, it took a little finesse. There was no power steering or power windows. The seats were the hard, uncomfortable, bench-style. The windshield wipers were horrible. I recall driving home from a friends house one night in one of our frog strangler Central Florida thunderstorms and the vacuum-driven windshield wipers would slow down as I applied the gas! So, in order to see, when I thought it was safe enough I would get going as fast as possible then let off the gas and coast so the wipers would speed up, then I could see well enough to proceed a little farther.

It was an experience.

Then one day Dad just up and sold the truck many years ago. Just broke my heart.

I thought I'd had a photo of it but it must be hidden in some boxes somewhere. So here's one from the Internet that is similar:


216 C.I.D. V-6, 3 speed, 5 window
Source: Larry Chapman
The only difference between the one above and Dad's truck was he had an oval window in the back. It was quaint but rendered watching traffic behind you an exercise in futility.

It wasn't comfortable or really very practical, but, oh, if that old truck could talk ... it would have such happy memories of growing up to regale.

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Dream Vehicle Sporty Tag

I was tagged by my new bloggy friend Maria went to Chicago. Thanks Maria! She chose the Bugatti Veyron. Wow. Excellent choice there girlfriend!

Here's the rules:
1. Just state what kind of sports car will you buy if you have a ton of money at the moment.
2. Don't spoil the fun y'all, please get back to me if you are done posting it and leave a comment stating the name and kind of the vehicle.
3. If you could link me to the post, it would be awesome!

Here's one of my dream vehicle .... it's a motorcycle! DUH!! Sorry, I don't like or want any cars.

1959 Triumph Bonneville

Technical Data
Engine: 649cc (40 cu. in.) parallel twin making 46 BHP at 6,500 RPM
Compression ratio: 8.5:1
Ignition: Magneto
Front tire: 3.25 x 19 in.
Rear tire: 3.50 x 19 in.
Gas tank capacity: 4 Imp gallons
Oil tank capacity: 5 Imp pints
Wheelbase: 55.75 in.
Weight: 404 lbs.
Front brakes: 8-inch single-leading-shoe drum
Rear brakes: 7-inch single-leading-shoe drum

"Named in honor of Johnny Allen’s 193 mph run aboard a Triumph-powered streamliner at the famed salt flats in 1955, the twin-carb Bonneville was officially launched at the 1959 Earl’s Court Motorcycle Show in Great Britain.

The versatile and fast Bonneville was a hit from the start, and the nameplate would remain in the Triumph lineup until the company closed its Meriden factory in 1983. Following the company’s reorganization in 1991, the Bonneville returned in 2000.

Manufactured in October, 1958, this particular Bonneville features a host of details unique to the first series of 1959 models, including the distinctive headlight nacelle, a pearl grey and tangerine paint scheme, a two-level twinseat and tall touring handlebars.

Jaye Strait of Britech New England Inc. restored this bike using only refinished original or new old stock parts. The engine and frame numbers match. It was restored to be ridden and reliable. It is a strong-running machine that has traveled only 410 careful miles since the restoration.

This Bonneville has been owned since 1991 by Robert H. Whitney and has won numerous bike show trophies. In addition, it was featured in Lindsey Brooke's 2002 book, Triumph Motorcycles: A Century of Passion and Power.

Best of all, you can win this Triumph and a new 2009 T100 50th Anniversary Bonneville in the Museum's raffle."

Now all I need is a Sugar Daddy to pay for it or excellent luck in the raffle ... I bought two tickets! Y'all can't enter the contest. It's mine, I tells ya, all MINE!! LOL

It doesn't designate how many people I should pick on, uh, tag. So I'm tagging just three victims ... friends:

JBA at In Good Shape
Lanny at It's The Dirt
Li'L Cindi at Muse Swings

I gotta see what they will do with this. Visit their blogs as they'll have you rollin' in the aisles before you leave, guar-an-tee. Enjoy!

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Wordless Wednesday (02/11)

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