Autumn Riding

It's been a couple of weeks since I was able or willing to ride.

After Labor Day, everything seemed to come to a quick, cool close. We did have one gorgeous hot weekend at the beginning of this month, but unfortunately I had to be in a massage class across the state, with my massage table, so we drove the car. I was in class all day — for three days — anyway. Grumble.

It's funny how this year one thing and another has curtailed the long rides I wanted to take. It's partly my own fault. My husband's been working weekends, and has much less vacation time to take than I do, but I could have gone alone. It's not that I feel I'm not up to it. It just isn't as much fun without him.

I count myself lucky to have a partner whose company I enjoy so much. But like anything, it has its downside, too.

This weekend was clear, with dry skies and temperatures in the low 60s. So we jumped on a late-season ride lasting all afternoon.

It was heaven.

The leaves were bright red and yellow, the lazy waters of the Huron River were sparkly and mesmerizing. I didn't even wear my insulated overpants, nor the liner in my jacket — or even my fleece. The cool air felt just right.

Even though I was a winter baby, I hate the cold. I hate BEING cold. But to my surprise, I've come to enjoy cool-weather riding better than warm.

As a passenger, I had to bundle up plenty. But riding my own, I'm OK.

A girlfriend mentioned that she also was cold riding behind her man, but as her own pilot, she never felt chilly. She speculated that it might be the adrenaline rush of riding her own. I also wondered if it was because her mind was on the road and not on the wind beating about my head. But when I started riding my own bike I realized another factor was at work: Engine heat between my knees. Not to mention I'm closer to the windshield, so the wind doesn't hit me square in the face.


My all-weather touring suit really helps, too, when it's damp and chilly. If you don't have one, I highly recommend you go shopping.

Time is growing short this year for we bikers in the northern climes, so get out there while you still can.

Motorcycle Freak Takes his First Ride

This is a sweet story I saw on the AP wire at work. It came from the Record-Eagle in Traverse City.

In this photo taken Oct 14, 2011, Richard Hermel, left, prepares for his first motorcycle ride with the assistance of Bruce Burry, center, and Jerry Orr in Summit City, Mich. (AP Photo/Traverse City Record-Eagle, Lisa Perkins)

Paraplegic takes first motorcycle ride

By LISA PERKINS
lperkins@record-eagle.com
SUMMIT CITY, Mich. (AP) — Richard Hermel considers himself a "motorcycle freak," even though until recently he had never had the opportunity to ride on one.

"I just love motorcycles and have always wanted to be able to ride," said Hermel, 42, a paraplegic since birth.

When Hermel's daughter, Rosie Pringle, mentioned her dad's dream to Bruce Burry, of Williamsburg, Burry — a biker himself — didn't see any reason why he couldn't make that dream come true.

"I just thought this is something that I can do, so why not?" said Burry, who arranged for a friend, Jerry Orr, to give Hermel a ride on the back of his Honda Gold Wing.

"I'm blessed, I couldn't imagine not being able to ride everyday," said Orr, who was more than willing to help Hermel take his first ride.

Accompanied by Burry on his own motorcycle, Orr and Hermel took a back roads color tour from Hermel's Summit City home, through Buckley and back again.

"I think he had a permanent smile on his face. It couldn't have gone any better, so much so that Richard tried to trade his wheelchair for Jerry's bike," Burry said.

While there was no trade to be made, Hermel said he appreciated the generosity of these men whom he had never met but now considers friends.

"This meant so much to me, I enjoyed every minute of it," Hermel said.

With her father's motorcycle dream realized, Pringle says she has another idea in mind.

"He was so very, very excited to do this. The next step is riding a horse," she said.

HD is Har'ly Keeping Up with Demand

The Harley-Davidson logo is displayed on a motorcycle Monday, Oct. 17, 2011 in Springfield, Ill. Harley-Davidson's third-quarter profit more than doubled as it posted its second-straight quarterly sales increase Tuesday, Oct. 18. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

Harley-Davidson reports its income doubled in the third quarter, but its stock price fell today because of production problems digging into profit margins.

Huh?

I'm have not much of a business mind, so this doesn't make a lot of sense to me. But The Associated Press is reporting that retail sales are skyrocketing in the U.S. But like the auto companies, most of the profit is in the high-end models — which in HD's case can run up to 30 grand.  These are the bikes the company is having trouble keeping up on.

"When the economy took a turn for the worse a few years ago, the company’s sales plunged and it embarked on a massive restructuring that shuttered plants and eliminated thousands of jobs," Bree Fowler reported today.

"The restructuring continued during the third quarter. Harley said it worked to consolidate production of more than 20 models of motorcycles on one assembly line at its York, Penn., plant and is retraining many of the plant’s workers.

"As a result, it wasn’t able to produce as many of the larger touring and custom bikes dealers needed, shifting customers to smaller, less profitable models and reducing the average amount of money made on each bike sold."

You can read more of this story here.

1,000 Miles Non-Stop at 89!

I don't know Ward Blanchard, but I bet he's a heck of a guy. At age 89, he had the balls to ride 1,000 miles in 1 day without rest.  I wonder how a guy his age could do such a thing — especially when I, a woman half his age, could not. Of course, he was riding a Can-Am, but that extra wheel has nothing to do with his stamina.

The Grand Rapids Press reported about him, and The Associated Press picked up the story:

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — This summer, Ward Blanchard rode his motorcycle more than 1,000 miles without sleep, grinding out the distance in less than 24 hours.
Next July, Blanchard turns 90.
Not that you could tell. He's got the facial features of a guy in his 60s. And he could be a hand model for dish detergent.
Not that he's got the time or inclination. He's too busy busting his butt on a three-wheeled cycle known as a Can-Am Roadster, setting records for long-distance motorcycling while some of his cronies are probably having trouble — let's face it — gathering up enough steam for a spirited game of cribbage.
"Don't let your age tell you what you can do," says Blanchard, who worked full-time until he was 87, mostly as a factory laborer and window washer. "Just forget about your age and do it."

You can read the rest at the GR Press, or at my employer's site: The Oakland Presss.com.

Cheers to Ward for inspiring us all.

Good Things Happen on a Honda

Just came across this fun vintage commercial. See if you can spot the teenage future "Wild Hog."

The Journey IS the Goal

An update on the no-hands ride for TeamFox: No Hand Man Phil Comar fell short of his goal yesterday.

But that doesn't matter. He took on a challenge and he gave it his all. And that's what really matters.

Most of us need goals in life or we never really grow. I know that's true of me. If I don't have something to aspire to, I lack the inspiration that makes my life exciting and worthwhile.

Anyway, Comar did set another record. Maybe he just took on more than he could reasonably handle. That's OK too. If we set our goals high and fall short, we're still farther along than we would have been otherwise. And that's what matters.

One of my favorite quotes, from "Auntie Mame," is this: Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death.

So get out and try something new, willya?

Look, Ma — No Hands!

Phil Comar, world record holder.

I just learned about a man who's performing a motorcycle feat to raise $10,000 for Parkinson's research.

Phil Comar was on Fox Channel 2 in Detroit this morning while I was sitting in the lobby of Belle Tire, getting my automobile tires rotated.
I was leafing through a Rider magazine when I spotted his '97 Harley-Davidson Dyna on the tube, and of course I put the mag down and paid attention.

The Fox of this charity is not Fox 2 but Michael J. Fox, who has Parkinson's disease. He set up a foundation to study and try to find a cure for the paralyzing disorder.

Comar plans to make a Mackinac “Bridge to the Border Ride II” run no-handed on Sunday. So far he's raised a little over a quarter of his goal, which is why I guess he was on TV — to raise a little more interest.

" For the second time in two years I will attempt to set a World Record!!" the 62-year-old from Adrian, Mich., says on his mission page. "This will be a 'No Handed', 'Non Stop' ride from the Mackinac Bridge to Covington, Kentucky, and will cover approximately 525 miles. The route will be down I-75 to US-23 and then back to I-75 and will break the current World Record that I set last year of 314 miles. I am doing this in honor of my father, who died of complications from Parkinson's Disease.
 
"Please join me in the fight against Parkinson's disease. By supporting my Team Fox efforts, you are helping The Michael J. Fox Foundation achieve its mission to bring better treatments and, ultimately, a cure to people living with Parkinson's disease."


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My brother has Parkinson's. It is a debilitating, progressive nerve disorder that robs you of your ability to control voluntary muscles. That's why when you see Michael J. Fox these days, you think he can't stand still. He really can't anymore.

It can also cause memory loss, dementia, confusion and depression because the cells that make dopamine die off. Dopamine is one of the chemicals in our brain that transmits signals between the brain and muscles. It has important functions in mood, motivation and memory. Drugs including cocaine and nicotine increase the effects of dopamine, giving the user a feeling of pleasure. Without it, life has no pleasure.

David Frownfelder of The Daily Telegram in Adrian did a story about Phil Comar, stating his practiced his no-hands technique for 20 years. (But don't tell David that leaning doesn't really turn the wheels).

That's one reason that Parkinson's is such a horrible disease. If you want to help Phil Comar's cause, visit www.teamfox.org. You can also Friend him on Facebook: No Hand Man.