Anyway, one of the responsibilities of anyone leading a ride for the club is to pre-ride the route as needed to ensure that it’s safe, open, and appropriate for a motorcycle ride.   So, today was the day to pre-ride the route for the Covered Bridge Tour.

Dee and I set off in the afternoon to do just that.  In addition to all the beautiful fall colors and awesome country roads, we found a nice little Mom-and-Pop pizza shop serving a delicious hoagy!  Italian Sausage.  Yum.   If you find yourself in Lewisburg with a few minutes to spare, be sure to stop by Sarah’s Pizza and tell them Dee and I sent you.

Here’s a few snapshots from the run.  Try not to judge the photography too harshly.  Most of these were shooting left handed while rolling by holding the P&S over the bike windshield!

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www.tri-countyharleydavidson.com

Registration starts at 10.  Kickstands up at noon.  Food and music to follow the ride.  Single riders $10, couples $15.   Weigold Photography will be providing event and ride photography.  Sales of the images will benefit Donnie and his family.  Donnie is uninsured and battling mediastinal lymphoma.  Please join us for a worthy cause!

Donations are also being accepted at any First Financial Bank location.  Please tell them your contribution is for the Donnie Scott Benefit Fund.

My Bros were all nestled snug in their beds,
While visions of new chrome danced in their heads.
And I in my doo-rag, bike jacket and boots,
Out shoveling snow, and dreaming of scoots.

Then from the horizon there came such a clatter,
My shovel I dropped, what could be the matter?
Away up the hill, I slogged through the snow,
Looked up at the sky; where’d all that noise go?

A throb from the heavens like straight pipes so hearty,
Gave Summers’ good thoughts, a loud bikers’ party.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a Hog Ultra Classic, Red trailer in rear.

With a little old rider, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than Crotchies his Ultra came on,
And he whistled, and shouted, and sang out this song;

“Now, Harley! Now, Big Dog! On Honda and Beamer!
Now Vulcan! Now Injun! On Vict’ry and Trumpet!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now RIDE away! RIDE away! RIDE away all!”

As small bikes that from the semis do fly,
When they meet with the air blast, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top that Ultra it flew,
With a trailer of goodies, and ole’ St. Nick too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof,
The rumble and thunder of pipes that gave proof.
I ran to the house, boots thumping around,
And in came St. Nick all bearded and round.

Dressed all in black leather, from do-rag to boot,
His chaps were all tarnished with road grime and soot.
A T-bag of goodies he’d flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His shades — how they twinkled! his do-rag how scary!
With chains intertwined, through skulls that were cherry!
His droll little mouth had done many a row,
So the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
The smoke had a strange smell; it gave him relief!
He had a broad face and a large fat beer belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

He was tattooed and plump, a right jolly old rider,
So I offered a cold Bud, thought what could be righter?
A wink of his eye as he downed that cold beer,
Gave me to know I had nothing to fear.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to my ride,
And fixed it with Chrome, Horsepower and Pride!
And giving the peace sign with bikers’ good cheer,
Took off for his Ultra rumbling near.

He sprang on the saddle, his gloves on the bars,
A wheeley he threw then off towards the stars!
I heard him exclaim, as my chest swelled with pride…
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good ride!

(Author Unknown!)

For me, all it takes to enjoy a motorcycle ride is to be comfortable.  That is generally true in any weather.  One of the problems with the cold though is that I have an open face helmet.  That as you might imagine isn’t comfortable.  At least when the temperature drops anyway.  So, I decided to go helmet shopping.  I’ve been looking for one for a while, but couldn’t quite decide on a specific model.  I stopped into my favorite bike shop today to do some more looking and found one I liked.  A nice full face HJC with some decent features at a pretty good price.  Unfortunately I couldn’t quite find one to fit.  The sales rep and I talked through the various brands and even the various models in several of the brands.  He pointed out that not all sizes were the same.  I tried on the largest I could find of the brand I was interested in… an XXL.  Pretty snug.  I asked for a XXXL and he grinned.  He said “I think I have one in plain black”.  I said that was my preference anyway.

He pulled it out and blew off the dust on the box.  I tried it on and it was a perfect fit.  I said “this one is going home with me!”

He grinned again and replied that he was pretty sure that it was “the biggest helmet known to man…”

I wonder what he was trying to say…

It was a beautiful day recently and I was out on Maddy.  I needed to meet with the gentleman I do some consulting for to pick up some stuff.  Since that “stuff” included a logic analyzer, I had to do some creative strapping to get it back home…

We had a great time and can’t wait to go on another.  Here’s a link to the club site: Southern Cruisers Riding Club We’re a member of the Miami Valley Chapter and they have a chapter website: SCRC Miami Valley Chapter

And.. here’s some photos:

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