Ridin' with Double R

This morning I headed out for a motorcycle ride with my brother-in-law Robert Reyna aka Double R. Double R is a cool dude. So what do you do for a cool dude? You give them the key to your Moto Guzzi V11 LeMans and let them ride it for the day.

Giddy as a schoolchild Double R greedily accepted the key. I tell you what I couldn't scrub the smile off his face with all the Ajax in the world!

As we sat down for lunch at Parker's Smokehouse just west of Ashland, NE on Hwy 6, he told me that soon after he got on the bike and we were heading down the road he realized he had already developed a "crush" on the bike. Yup, I know the feeling brother!

Parker's Smokehouse was fantastic! Get the rib tips...oh my were they good. Thanks for lunch RR!

After lunch we rode through Gretna up Hwy 31 into Elkhorn and ended up at Dillon Brothers Motorsports. Double R wanted to see the latest and greatest GO-FAST bike from Kawasaki...the Ninja 1400. Oh yeah Double R...that bike has got you written all over it. I'm sure Mara won't mind you gettin' it.... :-)

Loess Hills ridin' with my pals

This morning I met up with a few friends for a spirited ride through some of the scenic and curvy roads in Iowa's Loess Hills area.

Along for the ride was Todd Lemke on his BMW 1200GT, Mike Willy on his Moto Guzzi California III and Mike "Stallion" Caniglia on his Moto Guzzi California EV.

We stampeded along some excellent roads and stopped in Pisgah, Iowa for lunch at a cafe once made famous by trucker CW McCall...the "Old Home Fill 'Er Up and Keep on Truckin' Cafe".

EXCELLENT hamburger and onion "petals". Man that was good. After lunch I swapped bikes with Mike W. and got to ride his 1991 Guzzi Cal III while he took my LeMans. We both liked each other's bike a lot.

I must say that LeMans is the best running and quickest Guzzi I have ever ridden. It holds the road like glue too!

Anyway we didn't stop much but here are a few pics I took.

Back from OZ

I got back this a.m. from a nice trip to Missouri and Kansas. About 550 miles on the Stelvio and it performed perfectly.

I went to Harper's Moto Guzzi in Greenwood, MO, a little SE of Kansas City. There they replaced a body part on the Stelvio which had some bubbling paint (under warranty). Great folks at Harper's. I really can't say enough about them.

After that I stopped at my folk's place neat Topeka, KS and my brother Greg and I mowed their property (several acres) and did some other chores.

Now today I am going to do a little maintenance on the Guzzi LeMans and get her out for a ride in the Loess Hills tomorrow.

Here are some pics from Harper's. This is just the tip of the iceberg re: the bikes they have there. There is another building LOADED with more bikes...hundreds of bikes there. Unbelievable!

Harper's Moto Guzzi pics

Back on the road

This weekend I am to ride down to Greenwood, MO to get a warrantied body part (bubbling paint) replaced on my Moto Guzzi Stelvio at Harper Moto Guzzi. It's about a 230 mile ride down there. Looking forward to the time on the bike.

After that is done I will ride west over to Harveyville, KS (near Topeka) to help do some chores around my folk's house.

Then back home Saturday afternoon. Fun little weekend jaunt on the Guzzi.

Moto Guzzi V11 Lemans - 2002

This is the "gentleman's express" as it was known by some. By no means the fastest or most agile bike in its class, but a locomotive engine that hugged the curves like it was on rails. Successor to the famous, fast and beautiful Moto Guzzi Lemans that first graced this planet in 1976.

Ah yes, I remember it well

Among the MULTITUDE of stupid decisions I have made in my life, and believe me there have been A LOT, was getting rid of my 2002 Moto Guzzi LeMans.

It's the only motorbike that made me sit in the garage and just stare at it. I thought it was a classic beauty.

Anyway here are a few pics of my old girl. I do miss that bike.

Riding with Stallion

I was able to get out for a short bit late Saturday a.m. on the Guzzi with my friend Mike "Stal" Caniglia on his Guzzi California EV. It's tough to get any riding time in with the Stallion as he is seemingly always on call. My friend Mike Willey was there too on his Guzzi California III.

Well it was super hot n humid outside. So we took a quick ride over to Ducati Omaha for their Open House. Some really neat bikes there, including the new 1200 Multistrada in pearl white.

After that we took a brief ride down to the Platte River. A good bit of fun packed into a short window of time.

There's only one!

Mountain Dew that is. I have grown tired of companies bastardizing a great product and using it's good name to apply to other inferior products they make.

Case in point...Mountain Dew. The greatest soda pop EVER made! A delightful mix of citrus (it actually contains orange juice!) and sweet and caffeine. An overall flavor sent down directly from the the sweet Lord above.

But NO, they could not leave well enough alone. First we had Diet Mountain Dew. Okay, I can see that I guess. Even though it is disgusting swill compared to Mountain Dew.

But then they had to take things too GD far! Mountain Dew Code Red? WTH is that? It certainly bears NO resemblance to Mountain Dew! Nor do some of the other gross creations which besmirch the good name of Mountain Dew.

Mountain Dew Livewire? Mountain Dew Baja Blast? Mountain Dew Voltage? What the hell is all this crap?

Listen Mountain Dew people...hear me now and hear me good!

This other swill you brand as Mountain Dew bears NO resemblance to the greatest soda pop ever made. I demand immediate re-branding of these pretender pops to clear the righteous Mountain Dew name!

Iowa Moto Guzzi Rally

Great day of riding yesterday. More to come today! Pics and comments below

CLICK HERE FOR PICS!

Riding with the Saddletramps

My friends Dennis, Scott, Glen, Marv and Doug formed a riding group a few years back called the "Saddletramps". Saturday we went for a ride in the Loess Hills. It was a fun time. Here are a few pics. Click on the pics to enlarge them.