Ashfall Fossil Bed

Just as it was coffee time in Nebraska this morning, I came across Ashfall Fossil Beds state park. It was only 7 miles off the two-lane US 20 I've been traveling so I thought I'd take a peek. If nothing else, the coffee stop would make the detour worthwhile. With legal two-lane speeds of 65 mph, this was a short jaunt.

 The place has an entire warehouse-sized building built over the excavations. Amazing. Plus, I shared the picnic pavilion with two grad students working there. Got the real scoop. Enjoy the pix.

Roadside entrance

Visitor's center and museum

Building over the fossil dig

Hows this for a great fossil digging environment?

Exposed fossils

More fossils

Road Seen

Finally on my way to meet brother Paul in the Rockies! After a cold 38 degree Wisconsin start, things are warming up in Western Nebraska. After droning along through Iowa and Nebraska, (states I like to ride through by the way) I've decided motorcycle cruise control is the best thing the manufacturers have ever added. All that stuff like engine maps, wheelie control, traction control, active suspension (OK, keep this one) the cruise is the best by far. Set and forget then just enjoy the scenery. The entire portion of attention budget spent on maintaining safe speed is now free for other riding necessities. Sweet.

With that rant out of the way, here are some views from the saddle over the last couple days.

Windmill blade on a truck. The size of these things always amazes me.

Oscar at the entrance to a recycling center

Windmill collection

Oncoming locomotive. Nothing special, it just looked cool.

I had lunch at this lake. I've never seen an overflow designed like this.

Someone's bell collection in their yard.

Little friend sunning on the road (Nebraska)

First Ride 2015

There was actually a 40 degree sunny Wisconsin day in the middle of January! Is there truly Global Warming? The preceding days were warm enough to melt the snow from the roadways (mostly) and shake the mid-winter riding monkey, if for only an afternoon. Bike bonding was complete in the evening with a scraping and rinsing session for caked salt/gravel. Not as bad as the Bonneville or Dalton Highway muck, but a close third.

The Barber Museum

I took a ride to the Barber Motorsports Museum near Birmingham, AL, purported to be the largest motorcycle museum in the world.  Can't argue.  Paul J. from NC met me there to spend the whole day. Opened the place up and closed 'em down!  I could post a hundred amazing photos (if you're into bikes), but I've only placed a few that I think are weird or significant, if only to me.

Grand Entrance

Cool sculpture near the entrance

Yep. Got that right.

Yes, motorcycles

And more and more . . .

The grounds include the Porche Driving School

Not my 1st bike, but the one I took my 1st cross-country trip on (PA to CA/OR). Left with $150, returned with $13.

I WANTED one of these so badly!

So high-tech at the time.  Still is?

Unique

The Jet Age

I thought Suzuki sold the first Wankel MC

More Jet styling

And who knew Vincent (of Black Shadow fame) also made Jet Skis

And lawn mowers???

Mamma Tried Bike Show

Still trying to tide over into riding season . . .
This Saturday was the Mamma Tried Bike Show, held across the river from the Harley Davidson museum in Milwaukee.  It was a low-key event held indoors (thankfully) in an old warehouse building that was pretty neat in itself.  It reminded me of Aerostich's old candy factory in Duluth, MN.  It was just a good old walk around tire kicking show with the make and owner written on pine boards leaned against the front tires of each bike.  Lot's of Milwaukee Iron, of course, in interesting states of time and condition, from post-WWII, through the death-trap chopper days into the semi-present.  Plenty of other bikes to look at, too.  Most were unique and interesting.  There was more beer than bikes and everyone seemed to know each other (not me).  It was a cordial and friendly time.

A few select photos to get an idea:

Custom Triumph with what looks like an aircraft magneto ignition

Nice engine case on another Triumph

Ice-racing studded tires

Custom Honda Dream

The most adjustable lever I've ever seen

"Custom" steering stop

Marking it's spot

Nice Harley old timer.  I got the feeling this was on load from the museum because it was just perfect

The Harley old timer's exposed valve train

I liked the profile of this simple Harley.  Sorry for the trashcan in the background.

Post-WWII Harley with an interesting linkage

And just in case . . .

The people were as interesting as the bikes

Bike Show 2014

Here's a mid-winter installment for those who have blasted me for not adding anything to this blog.  I didn't know you cared!

It was off to the International Motorcycle Show in Chicago this weekend.  Every year in February, riders who live in the upper mid-west have gotten pretty tired of looking at our same old bikes in the garage. Covered in salt dust and sucking sustenance from chilled Battery Tenders, they remind us of warmer seasons ahead - months ahead.   Enter the Bike Show.  It's a pain to drive to, there are tolls and parking fees, but piling, giddy with anticipation, into a car full of other two-wheel-starved souls has morphed into a stepping stone to the riding season.

Terry P. and his son-in-law, Zack led the forward charge in the Ridgeline, with me and Sabas G. providing covering fire.  Susan H. and Cindy G. womanned (can't say "manned" here) our retreat.  The biggest news wasn't the new bikes and having the women rejoin us (although that was really at the top of the list), but rather that no one spent any money!  Well, there's Zack's ear plugs.  But since this was his first time at the show maybe it doesn't count.  It is pretty hard to leave there with wallet intact, but those of us wise in the way of the Bike Show kept our money securely fastened down.  We'll see how Zack fares next year.

Some photo highlights:

Cindy gets sticker shock. 

Good thing the AED was even more shocking.

Terry considers some heavy iron.

Then reconsiders with something he can throw 

in the back seat of the Ridgeline.

JR is off to Tanzania.

It's a mental thing. 

Cindy knows this one just won't go fast enough.

But this one WILL!

The SV is back!

Susan skipped right over Tanzania and headed to Italy.

Then she realized she could put two cases of Labatt's 

and a whole cheese wheel under the seat.

In the "Totally Unridable Customs" category 

was this Steampunk jewel.

With the best ignition switch I've ever seen on a bike.

And the last photo is for JT, who 

couldn't make it this year. We missed you!