About a month ago I met a driver that works for the same company I do. He is a truck driver, but he is also a videographer. He made videos for a living before he decided to drive truck. His name is Marcell, and he has some very High Tech equipment. He told me that he has about 75 hours worth of video from on the road and that he wanted to interview some drivers to go with the video that he has filmed. I was not surprised when he told me that he was having trouble getting folks to talk to him, especially if he had his camera with him. I think I surprised him when I told him I would not mind talking to him. Well anyway we arranged a time for an interview, over the phone. I did this last night, and we talked for over an hour and half. He asked some great questions, and I gave him the answers that I had. It was interesting. He is trying to bring out a part of trucking that most people do not ever see. I wish him luck in his endeavor.
Bounce
Monday, May 17, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Runs to the Run have started
Well it has started again. Actually it started last week. Some of my Run Family have already arrived in CA. Others will get there today. Bones and his wife almost got snowed in in CO, but luckily Bones has a friend with a tow truck that has helped him out. I hope he is out of the snow. Of course I wish I could have caught him on Friday, cause two cents is a great price for a Gold Wing. The amazing part is that Bones mentioned that his wife has not complained. I told him she is just tougher than he is.
Krazy Karl, and Black Hat should be in CA today or early tomorrow. Shutterbug has been there for a week, Trunks lives there, so he just has a day trip to LA.
At any rate I hope the truckers are reading all the signs, and paying attention to the fact that a lot of motorcycles are on the road, heading west in small groups, and larger groups. I also hope that the bikers pay attention and stay upright and visible. As for the four wheelers, or cages, I hope both truckers and bikers stay out of their way and avoid any confrontation with them. A confrontation between a cage and a bike always ends badly, as does a confrontation between a truck and a 4 wheeler.
Be safe everyone. I will be posting what I can about the run here. Also the Motorcycle muse has a blog this year, I will link that here as soon as I can get the address.
Bounce
Krazy Karl, and Black Hat should be in CA today or early tomorrow. Shutterbug has been there for a week, Trunks lives there, so he just has a day trip to LA.
At any rate I hope the truckers are reading all the signs, and paying attention to the fact that a lot of motorcycles are on the road, heading west in small groups, and larger groups. I also hope that the bikers pay attention and stay upright and visible. As for the four wheelers, or cages, I hope both truckers and bikers stay out of their way and avoid any confrontation with them. A confrontation between a cage and a bike always ends badly, as does a confrontation between a truck and a 4 wheeler.
Be safe everyone. I will be posting what I can about the run here. Also the Motorcycle muse has a blog this year, I will link that here as soon as I can get the address.
Bounce
Friday, May 14, 2010
Video bar
I had to remove the video bar, it would not hold the videos I wanted it too, and after several attempts I decided it was just easier to pull the darn thing. Sorry, I am just not technically adept enough to do what I want with it. I will be trying again later. Gotta go for now.
Bounce
Bounce
Home at last
Yesterday I finally made it home after about four months on the road. Although happy to be here, there is a lot to do. Clyde is in the shop getting ready for my shortened Run For the Wall, and I have to pack, build a fence, get batteries for the big red truck, and on and on. Living at a small dog rescue is OK, but I will be using earplugs a lot. Rescuing puppies is a loud thing, but hopefully they will all be in forever homes soon, HOPEFULLY!
I have changed up the video bar a little, and there is one video about crossing the GW bridge from NJ to NY that has absolutely nothing to do with the Run, but I am just not smart enough to delete it. I sure hope the computer guy fixes my laptop soon, cause I miss writing here, and Clyde can not seem to channel on the home computer, might be he is afraid of all the puppies?
To all my friends on the Run I will see you again at Wentzville.
Ride safe and stay upright and visible. The weather is going to be great (yeah even if it isn't great we are going to do the mission.
I have changed up the video bar a little, and there is one video about crossing the GW bridge from NJ to NY that has absolutely nothing to do with the Run, but I am just not smart enough to delete it. I sure hope the computer guy fixes my laptop soon, cause I miss writing here, and Clyde can not seem to channel on the home computer, might be he is afraid of all the puppies?
To all my friends on the Run I will see you again at Wentzville.
Ride safe and stay upright and visible. The weather is going to be great (yeah even if it isn't great we are going to do the mission.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
It is May and there are a lot of west bound Motorcycles
Today is May 2nd. In the last week I have seen a lot of motorcycles headed west. Today I am in PA, and yesterday I was in West Virginia. I saw two large groups of Motorcycles headed west. At least thirty bikes in total. I saw five RFTW vests, and quite a few Legion Riders in these packs. I hope they all get where they are going safe. The Run starts in a few days. For my truck driving friends remember not all of these folks on motorcycles are thinking about what happens when they cut a truck off. They are not doing it because they do not like trucks, or because they do not respect trucks, they just do not know.
Krazy Karl will be talking to trucks on I-40 and I-70 for the Central Route. I hope he has some help before Wentzville, but I will be there to help him as much as I can from there on out. Karl if you read this remember sending someone ahead for the tricky transitions (especially the ones not covered by cops) worked well last year. In Arizona where I-17 and I-40 come together is one of those places.
OK enough for today. I still have not fixed my computer, but I have been able to post now and then by borrowing other folks lap tops. It is amazing how many truck drivers are on the net.
I will be trying to post information here about the progress of the Run, but will be limited in my knowledge.
Thanks for reading
Bounce
Krazy Karl will be talking to trucks on I-40 and I-70 for the Central Route. I hope he has some help before Wentzville, but I will be there to help him as much as I can from there on out. Karl if you read this remember sending someone ahead for the tricky transitions (especially the ones not covered by cops) worked well last year. In Arizona where I-17 and I-40 come together is one of those places.
OK enough for today. I still have not fixed my computer, but I have been able to post now and then by borrowing other folks lap tops. It is amazing how many truck drivers are on the net.
I will be trying to post information here about the progress of the Run, but will be limited in my knowledge.
Thanks for reading
Bounce
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Lap top dies but bounce keeps writing, sort of
My lap top is dead. I hope to have it resurrected, or at least fixed soon, but I won't be posting much here until that happens. I am writing on paper (that sounds so last century doesn't it) and will be posting those thoughts as soon as the lap top is fixed or replaced.
I will be participating in Run for the Wall again this May, but cannot go all the way again this year. I hope to join the pack and my extended Family at Wentzville, MO. I will be trying to post information here about the Run and where to look for large groups of motorcycles. But only if the Lap Top is fixed. Amazing that I feel as though I have lost a limb or something because that piece of equipment is not working.
Clyde will be tuned, have his oil changed and all fuses repaired so that he is ready to haul me out and back for the mission again this year.
Bounce
I will be participating in Run for the Wall again this May, but cannot go all the way again this year. I hope to join the pack and my extended Family at Wentzville, MO. I will be trying to post information here about the Run and where to look for large groups of motorcycles. But only if the Lap Top is fixed. Amazing that I feel as though I have lost a limb or something because that piece of equipment is not working.
Clyde will be tuned, have his oil changed and all fuses repaired so that he is ready to haul me out and back for the mission again this year.
Bounce
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Found by an old friend
Today I received a message from an Old friend from Germany. A short while ago I got a request from a lovely German girl to be her friend on Face Book. She looked familiar, but I did not recognize her last name. Well I clicked on yes, and today I was rewarded with a message from my friend and mechanic from my days at Spangdahlem Speedway.
It reminded me of the first time I met this man. He had a race car that was pretty well built, and a motor that was just awesome. He had adapted some rims from a Peugeot, or some other french car so that he could have smaller rims on the back of his car. The purpose of this was to make the gear ratios on a Volkswagen transmission much better for a 1/4 mile dirt track. During the heat race he broke a rim. I am not sure how or why but I ended up helping him fix his car for our main event race. He of course beat the pants off me and just about everyone else that day. He and his friend ALF were there every race, and did really well that year. He was running a single port 1500 CC VW engine that was probably hopped up to well over 1800 CC's. But hey there was no way to prove that without tearing the engine down, and that was a costly protest. When I realized I could not beat this guy I joined him. We built a lot of race cars together, and in the process built a great friendship. I have mentioned Lothar before on this page. Rich Tilley will remember him, mostly because he translated for us when a certain President of a Certain Motorcycle Club was planning on killing us because of the Harley Rich sold him. Rich told the guy the thing was junk, but somehow that did not translate as well as "Pan Head" did. Lothar saved our bacon there. He also was responsible for me racing on the German track at Wolfsfeld Germany, and getting me into the Eiffel Meisters race club. All were rewarding times, and very good memories. In fact as I remember Lothar also convinced me to allow the Eiffel Meisters to race as Spangdahlem Speedway. Not really sure how we got that done as it involved getting several thousand local nationals permission to come onto an active Air Base, but hey it worked.
It truly is a small world.
Finally for those who care I am sitting in Wyoming waiting for snow plows to clear the road (not holding my breath) so I can roll on to California for a delivery.
Bounce
It reminded me of the first time I met this man. He had a race car that was pretty well built, and a motor that was just awesome. He had adapted some rims from a Peugeot, or some other french car so that he could have smaller rims on the back of his car. The purpose of this was to make the gear ratios on a Volkswagen transmission much better for a 1/4 mile dirt track. During the heat race he broke a rim. I am not sure how or why but I ended up helping him fix his car for our main event race. He of course beat the pants off me and just about everyone else that day. He and his friend ALF were there every race, and did really well that year. He was running a single port 1500 CC VW engine that was probably hopped up to well over 1800 CC's. But hey there was no way to prove that without tearing the engine down, and that was a costly protest. When I realized I could not beat this guy I joined him. We built a lot of race cars together, and in the process built a great friendship. I have mentioned Lothar before on this page. Rich Tilley will remember him, mostly because he translated for us when a certain President of a Certain Motorcycle Club was planning on killing us because of the Harley Rich sold him. Rich told the guy the thing was junk, but somehow that did not translate as well as "Pan Head" did. Lothar saved our bacon there. He also was responsible for me racing on the German track at Wolfsfeld Germany, and getting me into the Eiffel Meisters race club. All were rewarding times, and very good memories. In fact as I remember Lothar also convinced me to allow the Eiffel Meisters to race as Spangdahlem Speedway. Not really sure how we got that done as it involved getting several thousand local nationals permission to come onto an active Air Base, but hey it worked.
It truly is a small world.
Finally for those who care I am sitting in Wyoming waiting for snow plows to clear the road (not holding my breath) so I can roll on to California for a delivery.
Bounce
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Here is a Poll about DC's new Ride
Please vote frequently and nicely on this question. I will forward the results to DC. You can pick multiple answers too. Speak up and let the man know how you feel about his ride.
Clyde the Motorcycle....
Clyde to Bounce....I need new oil, and a my valves set.....not to mention a bath.
Clyde the Motorcycle....
Clyde to Bounce....I need new oil, and a my valves set.....not to mention a bath.
Spring will get here Eventually
Today I am waiting for roads to clear in Missouri. Boonville, MO to be exact. It is really cold, and there was a 6 inch snow storm last night. But I cannot blame the state as they are working to clean up the roads as much as they can. I just cannot drive on ice. I learned that lesson on Christmas Eve when I got stuck in of all places Fort Worth Texas on ice.
A quick shout out to Velcroe, she does a great job on the RFTW news letters.
I have a friend that does the Run, his nickname is DC. Not sure why but it fits, we call him Day Care, cause he is pretty young. This year he bought a new bike for the run. My first reaction to it was that he had grown up and bought an adult bike. Then of course he modified the darn thing, and now it looks just like his old bike, with hard bags instead of soft ones. He may even put the spikes on it and it will really be a reincarnation of his old bike. He did put Ape Hanger handle bars on it, so it sort of resembles Pato's bike now, minus the googly eyes (but of course that might be coming). DC is the guy that fixed Clyde after he got hit by the truck, and he is really a great guy. Some folks are giving him static over his "Retrofitting, and reverse engineering" of his new bike, but hey it looks pretty good.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
We ride for those who Can't
I have said here many times before that this blog is not dedicated to the Run for The Wall, but the writer certainly is.
The title of this post is the main motto of RFTW.org. We ride for those who Can't. Not just those that cannot make the trip, not just the guys that were left behind in Viet Nam, but for those who are serving now and cannot ride from Coast to Coast and see the support that this Country truly gives its Serving men and women, and its Veterans.
Every year that I ride with the Run, and I have done it five years in a row, I am constantly amazed by the dedication of the Volunteers that organize and keep us safe. The road guards have an amazing job, as does the fuel crew and the staging crew, and the platoon leaders. There are well over 100 Volunteers just with the Run, then there are thousands of folks that organize the overpasses that we ride under (and there are two routes so you have to multiply all numbers by 2) and arrange to feed over 400 folks three times a day. On the Central route we also have Monsoon and his team making sure that no one runs out of water along the way, and Grumpy and the chase team, and No Chute and the sound trailer, the list is just amazing. These people are really dedicated to the Run, and the family that is has become. When riding with the pack at first it can be a little scary. No it is a lot scary. Highway speeds (we run 5mph under the posted speed limit) with trucks and cars passing us and riding in formation is rough.
In 2005 my first year doing this at one of our lunch stops a guy was getting off his bike when a lady asked him "How many bikes do you guys have?" I cannot remember his exact words, but he told her very seriously and truthfully that he knew there was a bike next to him, and one in front of him, so we had at least three bikes counting his. That lady probably thought this guy was a smart mouth. But he was telling the truth. If you do the Run right all you see is the license plate in front of you and your wing man. After a while you do not concentrate on anything but that. You are aware of the traffic around you, but you are not concentrating on it, you are taking care of the folks around you.
In 2007 Straight Arrow asked me to ride in his slot. I was honored, but tried to get out of it because I did not feel that I had paid my dues. This was in Gallup NM the day that we go to Angel Fire NM. I was suddenly in the Gang of 6, or the head shed. These are folks that are called on to get things done for the route coordinator, and they ride in the first platoon right behind the assistant route coordinator.
In 07 the assistant was Shooter, Straight Arrow was pulling road guard duty, and Hammer wanted me there to do whatever Shooter needed I guess. I was OK with it but did not feel that I rode well enough to be up there. Of the six bikes in that group I was the only rider I was worried about going into Angel Fire. I had been on this road once before, and knew it well. Everyone was riding well, and we were probably going a little fast, and running a little tight, but it was fun. Bones later told me that he felt like something was going to happen for miles, but the riding was fun.
Then it happened. We were rounding the last turn on the mountain, and Shooter hit his brakes (my first thought was hey he never does that, this is going to be bad, real bad) I slowed down, and tried to find Bones in my mirror, he was on my right wing, and I had lost him when Shooter hit his brakes. Now normally central route rides side by side, but not in construction zones, or on mountains. As I started to round the corner I saw a Frito Lay eighteen wheeler coming at me. Her trailer was off tracking behind the tractor and was about 6 feet into my 8 foot lane. I moved as far right as I could, but left room for Bones just in case. I did not want to crowd him into the ditch. As the trailer passed me my highway peg on the left side of Clyde (for those who have not read here before Clyde is the motorcycle I ride...long story I will let him tell it) hit the trailer tires and I was being sucked under the truck. I pushed off the trailer with my right hand, and Clyde popped back up onto his wheels, I turned on my blinker and moved off the road. When I dropped off into the dirt next to the road Clyde sunk in the dirt to his axles. I just stood up, and the bike was standing too. Never went down, I think I amazed Bones and the guy behind me cause they both thought I was dead. Two Lane told me that my new road name was "Dances with Semi's" I liked it a great deal. Bones said that I should be called "Semi Slayer" because the truck got towed away (OK when the driver saw the rest of the bikes she pulled off onto the shoulder on her side and got stuck in the same dirt Clyde and I got stuck in). In truth I liked both those new road names, but neither worked on the CB, the first one was too long, and the second one, well Krazy Karl and I talk trucks past the pack. I could just imagine how that conversation would go...."OK big truck you have one more pack of bikes and then a missing man formation to pass and you are done with us...thanks for you patience and professionalism!" and the answer "Thanks, who am I talking to any way?"
"they call me Semi Slayer." It just did not work. Well old Two lane told me no problem, for the radio they would call me Bounce. At first I did not like this one, but it sort of stuck. I did ride in that spot behind Shooter several more times. After one stop Shooter got held up and Tanker and Girlfriend told me that if he was not there when we rolled I had to cover his slot. I did and ti was a parade leg. I was really grateful when Shooter came roaring up and slid into his spot.
Welcome to any and all FNG's and all the rest of the RFTW family that may read this.
Thanks for putting up with me for five years.
Bounce
We ride for those who Can't
P.S. $3200.00 damage to my Yamaha, and it was all cracked plastic, thanks to DC and the maintenance crew at the Angel Fire Resort all bent mechanical parts were fixed and straightened in about ten minutes. I rode Clyde all the way to DC and then home after being hit by a truck. Say what you will about Yamaha, they make a tough Dave proof motorcycle.
The title of this post is the main motto of RFTW.org. We ride for those who Can't. Not just those that cannot make the trip, not just the guys that were left behind in Viet Nam, but for those who are serving now and cannot ride from Coast to Coast and see the support that this Country truly gives its Serving men and women, and its Veterans.
Every year that I ride with the Run, and I have done it five years in a row, I am constantly amazed by the dedication of the Volunteers that organize and keep us safe. The road guards have an amazing job, as does the fuel crew and the staging crew, and the platoon leaders. There are well over 100 Volunteers just with the Run, then there are thousands of folks that organize the overpasses that we ride under (and there are two routes so you have to multiply all numbers by 2) and arrange to feed over 400 folks three times a day. On the Central route we also have Monsoon and his team making sure that no one runs out of water along the way, and Grumpy and the chase team, and No Chute and the sound trailer, the list is just amazing. These people are really dedicated to the Run, and the family that is has become. When riding with the pack at first it can be a little scary. No it is a lot scary. Highway speeds (we run 5mph under the posted speed limit) with trucks and cars passing us and riding in formation is rough.
In 2005 my first year doing this at one of our lunch stops a guy was getting off his bike when a lady asked him "How many bikes do you guys have?" I cannot remember his exact words, but he told her very seriously and truthfully that he knew there was a bike next to him, and one in front of him, so we had at least three bikes counting his. That lady probably thought this guy was a smart mouth. But he was telling the truth. If you do the Run right all you see is the license plate in front of you and your wing man. After a while you do not concentrate on anything but that. You are aware of the traffic around you, but you are not concentrating on it, you are taking care of the folks around you.
In 2007 Straight Arrow asked me to ride in his slot. I was honored, but tried to get out of it because I did not feel that I had paid my dues. This was in Gallup NM the day that we go to Angel Fire NM. I was suddenly in the Gang of 6, or the head shed. These are folks that are called on to get things done for the route coordinator, and they ride in the first platoon right behind the assistant route coordinator.
In 07 the assistant was Shooter, Straight Arrow was pulling road guard duty, and Hammer wanted me there to do whatever Shooter needed I guess. I was OK with it but did not feel that I rode well enough to be up there. Of the six bikes in that group I was the only rider I was worried about going into Angel Fire. I had been on this road once before, and knew it well. Everyone was riding well, and we were probably going a little fast, and running a little tight, but it was fun. Bones later told me that he felt like something was going to happen for miles, but the riding was fun.
Then it happened. We were rounding the last turn on the mountain, and Shooter hit his brakes (my first thought was hey he never does that, this is going to be bad, real bad) I slowed down, and tried to find Bones in my mirror, he was on my right wing, and I had lost him when Shooter hit his brakes. Now normally central route rides side by side, but not in construction zones, or on mountains. As I started to round the corner I saw a Frito Lay eighteen wheeler coming at me. Her trailer was off tracking behind the tractor and was about 6 feet into my 8 foot lane. I moved as far right as I could, but left room for Bones just in case. I did not want to crowd him into the ditch. As the trailer passed me my highway peg on the left side of Clyde (for those who have not read here before Clyde is the motorcycle I ride...long story I will let him tell it) hit the trailer tires and I was being sucked under the truck. I pushed off the trailer with my right hand, and Clyde popped back up onto his wheels, I turned on my blinker and moved off the road. When I dropped off into the dirt next to the road Clyde sunk in the dirt to his axles. I just stood up, and the bike was standing too. Never went down, I think I amazed Bones and the guy behind me cause they both thought I was dead. Two Lane told me that my new road name was "Dances with Semi's" I liked it a great deal. Bones said that I should be called "Semi Slayer" because the truck got towed away (OK when the driver saw the rest of the bikes she pulled off onto the shoulder on her side and got stuck in the same dirt Clyde and I got stuck in). In truth I liked both those new road names, but neither worked on the CB, the first one was too long, and the second one, well Krazy Karl and I talk trucks past the pack. I could just imagine how that conversation would go...."OK big truck you have one more pack of bikes and then a missing man formation to pass and you are done with us...thanks for you patience and professionalism!" and the answer "Thanks, who am I talking to any way?"
"they call me Semi Slayer." It just did not work. Well old Two lane told me no problem, for the radio they would call me Bounce. At first I did not like this one, but it sort of stuck. I did ride in that spot behind Shooter several more times. After one stop Shooter got held up and Tanker and Girlfriend told me that if he was not there when we rolled I had to cover his slot. I did and ti was a parade leg. I was really grateful when Shooter came roaring up and slid into his spot.
Welcome to any and all FNG's and all the rest of the RFTW family that may read this.
Thanks for putting up with me for five years.
Bounce
We ride for those who Can't
P.S. $3200.00 damage to my Yamaha, and it was all cracked plastic, thanks to DC and the maintenance crew at the Angel Fire Resort all bent mechanical parts were fixed and straightened in about ten minutes. I rode Clyde all the way to DC and then home after being hit by a truck. Say what you will about Yamaha, they make a tough Dave proof motorcycle.
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