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Sunday, 2 December 2007
Oh well...
Mood:  not sure

Terri and I have had to face a few things over the last few months. Our magazine, "Midnight Sun Rider" is not going to be a success. As a result of poor advertising revenue we have been forced to discontinue production. We are in the process of prorating refunds to our many subscribers and hope to have most done before the end of the year.

We currently have enough content to have produced two issues, unfortunately it is doubtful that it will ever be published. That is a true loss.

MSR received several kudos for its layout, quality content and community approach to covering the Alaska motorcycle scene. These compliments were very much appreciated by not only Terri and I, but the many contributing writers and photographers whose work we were proud to feature.

To say that this process has left me predisposed is both true and not true. I found myself unable to do much more than report to my job for the last several weeks. It is only as of late that I have found the gumption to sit down and make some of the many changes, and notifications necessary in this endeavor. Closing down a business that has touched every corner of this rather large state is no small task.

The good news in this is that new opportunities now present themselves, and we are starting a few things in motion that will eventually lead to some big changes in our lives. 

Winter winds leave evidence of their passing on the bare branches of Cottonwood and Birch. A ghostly hand raps mockingly on the garage door, where locked within are memories of summers past and promises of an awakened landscape now at rest beneath a white blanket of frost.

Depressed? I can't deny it, but we’ll be fine in time. 


Posted by wildbill at 2:27 AM YST
Updated: Sunday, 2 December 2007 2:35 AM YST
Saturday, 11 August 2007
Florida

After leaving Baltimore we traveled to Lake City Florida. Lake City is located in North Central Florida, and well connected to an extensive road system. The rider has a choice of traveling to a number of locations by interstate, or using the many scenic country roads in the area.

We picked up our rental, a 2007 Elecra Glide Ultra at Adamec Harley Davidson in Jacksonville on our arrival on August 5, 2007. It was hot and humid for our entire stay in the "Sunshine State." Fortunately Bob and Gayle, my brother and sister-in-law have a pool. It got a lot of use while we were there.

Bob rides a 2006 750 Shadow. He's new to riding, but is getting to know a lot on the subject.

The day after our arrival, we rode to Cedar Key on the gulf coast. Cedar Key is a local favorite destination. The area was a'floode with motorcycles visiting this biker friendly resort community. Dolphins could be seen just off the shore as fishing boats and kayaks moved about the bay.

The next day we rode south to Daytona visiting Rossmeyers Harley Davidson. It's a huge dealership with a number of other retail outlets sharing what has become a destination for bikers throughout the country. Victory, Ducati, and a number of custom chopper builders are located on the sprawling compound on the corner of I-95 and Florida HWY 1. JP Cycles has a huge outlet there, and you will find food and hotel accommodations as well.

After the visit, it was off to the beach. The Atlantic Ocean has a kind and inviting shoreline down the entire eastern coast of Florida. White sandy beaches fall gently into the warm waters. Soft swells followed by the occasional breaker make for a wonderful experience. Bob and I dove right in.

It was so much fun we lost track of time and ended up riding home in the dark. The trip back to Lake City was about ninety miles, and warm all the way.

The following day Bob and I took off together and found a little known spring called Little River. Florida is honeycombed with fresh water springs. Hundreds reach the surface in out of the way places throughout the state. These springs are crystal clear and offer a very cold respite from the August heat, at a temperature of about 73 degrees. Little River flows for about 50 yards before running into the Sewanee River, where the water is considerably warmer. We took a dip, and enjoyed the sun and company of another rider who was there with his grandchildren.

A complete story of our visit to Florida will be in the November issue of Midnight Sun Rider.

Terri and I arrived back in Alaska this afternoon. It was both bitter and sweet as we trully injoyed visiting with family down south. But return we must as both the magazine and work await. I hope we are able to get down that way again soon.

 


Posted by wildbill at 7:37 PM YDT
Updated: Sunday, 12 August 2007 10:23 AM YDT
Thursday, 2 August 2007
York Factory tour was great!

The last time we visited with Don and Shannon, we were reminded that York Pennsylvania is a mere 80 miles north of Baltimore. York; a small town in the Keystone State, is nestled between fields of golden corn. The area has a diverse economy of manufacturing and agriculture. A young man can grow up in this corner of America and never leave.  Good careers from farming to engineering or the many services that support a well established community have held families to this land for generations. In York however lies another uniquely American icon. A symbol with a history spanning over one hundred years found its way to York in 1973 and has become a major partner in this old town. Many of the people who have grown up in the region now aspire to do one thing; build motorcycles. A former munitions factory that was later converted into a plant to build golf carts by American Manufacturing and Foundry (AMF) is now home to the main manufacturing facilities of the Harley Davidson Motor Company.

 

 

This 232 acre modern facility has seen many changes over the years. The factory has 1.5 million square feet of room under roof. The York plant builds Softail’s, supply’s Harley Davidson’s dealer network with the company’s touring models and is home to the Custom Vehicle Operations. “The Painting facility is 5.16 miles long” said Cheryl our tour guide at the factory. “Much of the paint work is still done by hand, but most of it is automated today” she said.

 

 

The sheet metal used in fenders, tanks and brackets is run through giant presses that exert several tons of pressure in the cold steel molding process. Robotics is utilized throughout most of this work. From the shaping of sheet metal to stamping precision holes for brackets and eventually putting a clean finish on the metal, robots now stand where men once did. “Not one employee lost their job to a robot here” Cheryl pointedly told us. “Many of the people who were doing these jobs now program the machines, or maintain them” she said. York also supplies all the kickstands for Harley Davidson. Some of the hardest metal in a motorcycle will be found in this small rod attached at the base of every frame.

 

The rest of this story will be in the November issue of  Midnight Sun Rider.


Posted by wildbill at 9:31 AM YDT
Updated: Sunday, 12 August 2007 9:35 AM YDT
Sunday, 29 July 2007
A vist to the factory? Good idea!

We may drive up to York PA. and visit the Harley Davidson factory there as long as we are in the neighborhood. Shannon suggested it on the way back from doing a little shopping for the little one. Shopping for grand kids is a right, not a privilege. We exercised that right today.

 

Kate is a beautiful little girl. She is fortunate to have a great set of parents as well. She has a very good start in life with her mom and dad.

 


Posted by wildbill at 5:57 PM YDT
Saturday, 28 July 2007
Bad hotels and family...
Terri and I arrived in Washington D.C. a little before 11:00PM going directly to our hotel. We had paid for our room in advance, seeing the charge against our account come through. Terri called the night before, and they assured her our room was safe. Upon our arrival much to our surprise they sent us to the wrong room. We ended up walking in on another couple. We then found out they had allowed our room to go to another guest who had paid more for it, leaving us with a much smaller room, on a lower floor. As it turned out, they were booked, and simply left us out in the cold. Eventually they found us a room on the sixth floor, rather than the Club Floor we had paid for. Sorry, if you prepay, you're just out of luck. No refunds.

The Sheraton Crystal City in Arlington Virginia is not recommended. I found the lobby to be dirty when we arrived, and the noise after midnight on the sixth floor was not acceptable for the amount of money we paid for the accommodations. Frankly they sucked. Oh yea, lets not forget that they gave our room to another person after we pre-paid. Had this been a mistake or an accident of some kind it would be forgivable, unfortunately that was not the case. They gave our room away because they found someone who would pay more. Bad business, bad policy, unethical and no refunds.

The next day was much better. Don and Shannon came by, picked us up and introduced us to our new granddaughter Kate. She is a beauty!

Posted by wildbill at 7:46 PM YDT
Updated: Sunday, 29 July 2007 5:45 PM YDT
Sunday, 22 July 2007
To ride or not to ride, that is the question.

Well I finally did it. I allowed the rain to drive me into a cage this morning. I don't know if I should be ashamed, or merely worried that I am getting old. Perhaps it was the outstanding weather of the last week that got me. It has been glorious. Perhaps it was because I had taken some time with the motorcycle yesterday just cleaning her up. She needed a lot of care. Perhaps however it was simply that I am finding that it is no longer fun to ride in the rain. Hmmm...

I suspect it was a combination of the above. I may have gotten a little picky after the sun of the last several days. It was dark this morning, damp and cold. I thought back on the last time I drove the truck in the wet, dwelling on how good the heater felt, and the reassuring lights and windshield wipers as they did their job oscillating to and fro clearing my vision as quickly as the rain would try to blind me. I suspect it was that picture aside the scene of water filled ruts on the freeway. Headlights creating a colorful display before my eyes as light reflected off the beaded water streaming off the lexon shield with miles of scratches. Passing cars and trucks creating rooster tails of water that settles on my glasses. Hmmm... Yup, not a pretty picture.

The drive into town worried me. I feared the weather would take a turn for the better, and I would miss an afternoon commute in the sun. It was not to be however. I rode quietly nessled into the dry warm upholstery of my 1993 Chevy truck with over 230,000 miles on it. It was warm, dry and decadent. Rain continued throughout the day and followed me home. I know it's a little crazy to many people out there, but this actually worries me a little. Glad it was raining on the drive home? Crazy.


Posted by wildbill at 9:06 PM YDT
Updated: Sunday, 22 July 2007 9:10 PM YDT
Saturday, 21 July 2007
Old friends and magazines...

I received an email from an old friend the other day. Charlie and I had not seen one another for about thirty years. It's amazing he took the time and trouble while in a mood of nostalgia to look us up.

He found Terri and I through Midnight Sun Rider's website. Catching up with him has been great. I've had an opportunity to peek into thirty years of history and adventure, while reflecting on my own.

In the end, has life been good? Yes it has. I can't think of many things I would change about what has made me what I am. You see, if you change even one bad thing in your life, it could and in some cases definitely would have changed a myriad of good things that followed as a result. So, here is to the bad and the good!


On another note, the fall issue of Midnight Sun Rider is now off to the printer. We'll get the proofs sometime next week. This will be a great issue. I'm looking forward to it. Terri has again done a great job, the lay out is splended. I was pleased to see so many out of state letters to the editor in this issue. I's nice to know that the magazine means so much to not just Alaska riders, but to many "outside" as we say.


Posted by wildbill at 8:54 PM YDT
Updated: Saturday, 21 July 2007 9:21 PM YDT
Sunday, 15 July 2007
Money and Speed; Both Required to Race AMA Events

 Earlier this season, Anchorage racer Ben Thompson discovered that his financial backer would not be able to come through. Ben has kept his chin up and continued to keep in shape by racing enduroes, sprints and the occasional WERA (Western Eastern Racing Association) sanctioned event. In 2005 Thompson sported the #1 plate in that circuit.  

Thompson is no stranger to running with the big dogs. He earned the pole at the AMA Superbike Shootout at Mid-Ohio last season making a good showing for old number 907. 

His goal for the balance of this season is to make the last four AMA Superbike races of the year. “He's already gotten two 07 GSXR 1000's donated, and is working with his mechanics in Tucson to bring them up to Superbike status.  He's also floated a loan to cover transportation, gas and other expenses. The one thing he needs help with is his supply of racing tires for these last four races” said Eileen Thompson, Ben’s mother. 

It takes three sets of tires to compete in an AMA sanctioned Superbike race. “He's got a pretty good deal with Dunlop, though nothing like when Ben Spies leaned on them to fix him up the last few races in 2006” Eileen told us. 

A set of tires will cost $380.00. Thompson needs three sets per venue, for a total of $1,140 per race. With a goal of racing in the last four AMA sanctioned events of the season, that will require $4,560. 

Been needs sponsors for these last four races. He has always acknowledged sponsorship, and this would be no exception. If you can help put rubber on Ben's bike with a small sponsorship, visit his website at www.benthompsonracing.com or call him at (687) 360-8901


Posted by wildbill at 9:51 PM YDT
Updated: Sunday, 15 July 2007 9:57 PM YDT
Well now, this is new...

 

This is my first stab at a blog. I hope it serves the visitors to Wild Bill's Culture Corner well. I'll try to keep folks abreast of what's happening here. Occasionally you may find a muse, or a new piece of poetry.

Terri and I are excited about our new grandaughter born to Don and Shannon in Baltimore MD. We'll be visiting them later this month, then dropping in on my brother and mother in Florida. While there we'll rent a bike and check out the coast.

Another major happening is that we are in layout for the fall issue of Midnight Sun Rider. It's shaping up to be a great issue. We'll have coverage of the Alaska State HOG Rally, an interview with Jim Ziemer, President and CEO of Harley Davidson and coverage of other news from around the state, along with ideas for folks who would like to ride in the "Land of the Midnight Sun." The motocross season will be covered by Aaron Athanas, we'll have a new recipe from the "Kick Stand Kitchen" from Dennis Bibe, and safety tips for riders and passengers alike.

The fall issue is due for release around the end of August. If you live in Alaska, you can pick a copy up at most newsstands and motorcycle shops. If you are outside of Alaska, you may want to subsribe.

 

 

 

 


Posted by wildbill at 7:55 AM YDT
Updated: Sunday, 15 July 2007 10:30 AM YDT

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