Weakened Warrior

Still Riding...

2011-11-10T21:25:00.000-08:00

I know I haven't been updating too much lately, but I have done a bit of riding.

I rode out to Slab City the weekend prior to the Slab City Riot with members from the Roadhouse Biker Church and the Black Sheep. We had about 13 bikes, a few trucks and SUVs, and about 45 people or so on the trip. Our goal was to deliver food, water, and some clothing to the locals.

It was a rewarding experience to be able to help out. We handed out around 100 bags of groceries to those in need, provided a generator for the church, and donated bags of clothing.

There are some people that are really in need out there. I was surprised to see the age ranges of the residents of the area of Niland, Ca known as Slab City. They varied from the elderly to the very young. One woman in her 70s lives in a car. Others are just as unfortunate.

If you can find it in your hearts, and your church or group would like to donate to a good cause, make your way out to Slab City and do some good.

Black Sheep State Rally in Oakhurst, Ca

2011-09-21T23:06:00.000-07:00

Wow! I am so glad that I attended the event. There were chapter members from all over. Even though I am not a member of the Black Sheep motorcycle ministry, I was still welcome to join in the festivities.

The ride out was a long one, about 325 miles. It was Friday and some traffic was present. Cars moved in and out like insects buzzing about, threatening harm with every mile of travel.

One good thing about the trip out was the gas mileage the Road King was attaining. It was getting on average 50 mpg. That's pretty dang good for a big heavy bike.

California has some great areas to ride. I didn't realize how great this state was until I traveled out of my local areas of riding. I know that there is great riding in other states, but it's wonderful to find other cool motorcycle-worthy roads exist not horribly far from me.

12 of us headed out, Pastor Denver, his wife Tracey, Arnold, his squeeze Carolynn, Owen, his gal Kathy, Mark, his fancy riding wife JoAnn, Christian music artist Brian Duncan, James, another Black Sheep member that I cannot remember his name (I think it was Stanley), and yours truly. We stopped here and there along the way, gassing up often and finding non-chain food establishments.

Once at Oakhurst, we made our way to our camping area - a KOA site. We setup our tents and unloaded gear, preparing for a stay lasting a few days.

The campground was great, with one complaint - we were placed too near the frequently traveled roadway. Traffic would wake us up daily around 5 a.m. After a few days of this, I was looking forward to sleeping in till 7.

Wildlife was also present. Woodpeckers, nearby roosters, and even donkeys would be making themselves heard.

We enjoyed services at the church that would be hosting the weekend's events. This would include a couple of performances by Bryan Duncan. Also included was a Black Jack run, raffle, and meals.

The scenery was something to be seen by everyone during their lifetime. We traveled around Bass Lake, Yosemite, Tahoe, and down the 395 through many lake areas. Winding roads and some of the coolest quaint towns were found along the way. A couple of us even spotted a pair of bears.

It was a great weekend. I'm truly glad I was able to getaway and bond with my Christian brothers and sisters in what would be one of the coolest weekend motorcycle trips I could have imagined.

Here are a few pics from the trip. I hope you enjoy.

The Gang

Arnold the Prez and First Lady Carolynn

Arnold, Owen, and Pastor Denver

Bear cub peeking over a stump.

The group during a pause of the black jack run.

A great view.

JoAnn prepared for some cold weather.

Mark cruising on his cool Springer.

Mark and JoAnn.

Me and the Prez.

The Group taking a much needed break.

Owen fixin' his boot.

Tracey and Pastor Denver.

Pastor Denver and Tracey cruisin' through one cool town.

Another shot of the group.

Run For the Grizzlies 2011

2011-09-10T19:39:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of, once again, joining the group for the annual Run For the Grizzlies in Big Bear, Ca today. The event is a poker run that leads the participants around the lake, stopping at various establishments.

The run is a charity ride, as most poker runs tend to be. This one benefits the Moonridge Animal Zoo located in Big Bear. This would also be the second stop, allowing poker run attendees to visit the zoo and peer into the cages of the many animals on display.

The ride starts out at Chad's Place, a tavern of sorts in the area of Big Bear known as the Village. On the premises, one would find many vendors hawking their wares, music, and food.

The first few stops had me thinking I might win something. I had a couple of cards printed with the sign of clubs, a ten and a queen. The second stop, Big Bear Choppers, dealt me the queen. The third stop would deal me a 9 of a suit other than clubs. Still, I'm looking at a straight. I continued getting decent cards, short only a king for a straight.

The final stop, a return to Chad's Place, doused my hopes of winning. It was a best of seven run, my favorite. I had a 9, 10, J, two queens, and an ace. All I needed was an 8 or a king - an open-ended straight, sort of. I felt lucky and reached for the card that caught my attention. This would be it. Nope. It was another jack. If I hadn't already heard that someone already had a jack-high straight, I would have turned in my card for a possible reward.

Although I did not win the poker run, I did have a good time. I enjoyed the company of others, a very good Mexican meal that a friend paid for (thanks, Jose!), and a nice ride.

Along the route, I had come upon a rare site - a group of VW trikes. Among them was also a couple of V8 trikes. Enjoy the pics.

The group

VW Trike

V8 Trike

A Couple of Bikes Spotted Near My Place of Employment

2011-08-30T22:35:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while I spot a nice bike near work and do my best to get the best possible picture with my Blackberry phone. Most of the time the pictures aren't of the best quality - usually far from it.

One day while at work, one of my coworkers asked me if I had seen the bike parked outside. It was a 1948 Harley-Davidson Panhead owned and operated by a police officer from Colton P.D. in So. Cal.

The owner of the bike was in uniform and the bike itself is an old police bike. It had the lights and siren that was engaged by the rear wheel in order to make it's familiar alarm. The officer had stated that he can legally use the bike for police business and could pull a law breaker over if need be.

As the officer rode away, he engaged the siren. It was too cool. I wish I had captured an audio file of it in order to share it with you. All I managed to get is the picture found below.

That air breather looking thing under the saddle bag near the rear wheel is actually the siren. Cool, right?

The other cool bike that I had spotted was parked outside the IRS building in downtown San Bernardino. The owner was outside and joked that he was turning it over to the IRS in lieu of cash for overdue taxes. Good thing he was joking.

This is one cool Road King.

Roadhouse Biker Church in the Local Paper

2011-08-30T22:22:00.000-07:00

The San Bernardino Sun ran a feature on the Roadhouse Biker Church after attending last week. You'll find a great write-up accompanied with some outstanding photos and a video that was posted on Youtube.

The video, as you'll find below, shows what the Roadhouse Biker Church is all about - fellowshaping (as the pastor likes to refer to it), bikes, and just having fun. When watching the video, you'll spot one of the activities that often take place at the church - a bike burnout in the rear section of the church.

There are many burnout marks on the rear concrete section of the church. Names and dates of the rider and event are often scribed next to the remnants of lost rubber.

Here's the video that was taken by the Sun's photographer. Enjoy.

150 Mile Jaunt

2011-08-13T18:22:00.000-07:00

Well, to give my kids a break from me for a bit after forcing them to tag along with me for the last week, I decided to go for a ride. After several stops and 150 miles, I'm back home.

The first stop was out across the 215 freeway in order to get some better pics of rock formations for The Chopper Underground's Photo Scavenger Hunt. I thought that the first images that I took may not have been the best examples of natural rock formations.

It took about 20 - 30 minutes to reach my destination and snap a few pics. There was some off road areas that I was tempted to take, but I was afraid of dropping my bike in the sand and having trouble picking the beast back up. I settled for a few images with the rock formations in the distant background. You'll see a couple below.

The second stop was in Fontana. The local ROTC Marine group was hosting a car, motorcycle, and bicycle show. I checked it out a bit and shot a few snapshots of some of the entries and made my way back onto the road.

The third stop was back up in the mountains - Running Springs to be exact. A small shop was having somewhat of an art show and I stopped to check it out. There were many types of art mediums on display, pen, photograph, painting on tile, wood cutting and carving, and others. I perused the artwork and spoke to a few of the artists about their works. I bought a few packages of Harry Potter Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans for the kids (truly disgusting). Bought a burger, chips, and drink from the provided barbeque and headed out.

The final stop was The Village in Big Bear. They were having a car show and had a sold out participation of over 300 cars. I made my way through the lots filled with rods, classics, and extreme customs, taking pictures of many of the vehicles on display. There were even a few bikes present.

After all was said and done, it was a nice day of getting out and about, getting some fresh air, and just relaxing a bit while enjoying displays of cool vehicles.

Here's a few images to whet your appetite and perhaps use as some desktop wallpaper.


72 Ferrari GTS

I love these old Panteras

I believe this is a California Special Mustang.

Very cool Studebaker.

Even a couple of Ford GT40s were on hand.

Reminds me of my favorite Hot Wheels car I had as a kid.

Best laid plans...

2011-08-12T17:05:00.000-07:00

Well, my ride plans kind of got ruined today. A friend I was supposed to ride with today thought it would be better to go on Sunday. We were going to head up to Cold Springs Tavern near Santa Barbara, but things just weren't meant to be.

So, I spent the day hanging out with my boys while the wife and daughter went out back-to-school shopping with a friend from church. We kind of all just goofed around, doing our own thing until we started watching some episodes of The IT Crowd, a British comedy series.

Once the wife returned, I remembered about a Photo Scavenger Hunt on The Chopper Underground in which I've participated before. The object is a natural rock formation. The idea is to ride out to the object chosen, take a picture of your bike in front, on, behind, in, or around the object, post it on the forum, and then select the next backdrop. I hopped on my trusty steel steed and rode a bit around the neighboring mountain regions in search of the right spot, recalling a couple from a ride not long ago.

I snapped a couple of images of my bike and here they are for your viewing pleasure.

Be sure to check out The Chopper Underground and get in some of the action. The next spot that I chose is an old church. I just love old church architecture.

Roadhouse Biker Church Ride to Oak Glenn

2011-08-11T09:47:00.000-07:00

The Roadhouse Biker Church usually has a couple of rides a month and for some reason or another, I can't make them all. This week was one that I was thankful that I could attend.

With my wife sitting on the rear, we made our way down the mountain to what is known as the hideout. Quickly grabbing a bite to eat at the nearby Baker's Drive Thru, we met up with the group gathered for the ride.

We were led by Pastor Denver through San Timoteo Canyon toward our destination. I've been through San Timoteo Canyon many times, but this was the first time that I didn't branch off, taking another fork. We followed the path which hooked toward Beuamont, Ca. Along the way, I spotted a small fishing lake, some horses, and other fine sights to see off the road. Others had spotted a zebra - that's right, a zebra. There was also a very cool bridge that allowed vehicles and pedestrians to cross over the railways below.

After a bit of a ride, we arrived at Los Rios Rancho, where we would delight ourselves in the consuming of apple crisp and ice cream.

From the ranch, we would make our way back to the church. We followed along the winding road from Oak Glen, heading west. From there, we made our way onto the freeway where we would confirm the rumors of motorcyclists being insane, riding like maniacs in and out of traffic.

Once back at the church, we began the barbeque that was scheduled. Mmmm...hot dogs and burgers with sides and drinks.

It was a great day of hanging out with some very good and humorous people. I look forward to the next one.

Run to the Springs

2011-08-01T20:55:00.000-07:00

Soldiers for Jesus MC put on a bash at Calvary Chapel in Running Springs, Ca on Saturday and it was a great showing of people, bikes, music, and blessings.

There were many different Christian clubs in attendance, as well as some riders not affiliated with any clubs and a few outlaws.

Great entertainment was provided by a couple of bands. One of them was The Anonymous Band. They put on a great show as usual, with the lead guitarist on the wireless airwaves rocking the crowd from a remote location in relation to the stage. I've seen this guy cross the street at another event and rock the pedestrians on the sidewalk. It's really a cool sight.

I took a few bucks with me, not knowing what to expect for expenses - poker run, food, raffles, etc. With no poker run, I had a little cash to spend on my usual raffle tickets in support of the event. I bought $10 of raffle item tickets and $10 worth of 50/50 tickets. Sometimes, I'm a lucky man and walk away with something, but it's been a while. This time, however, I managed to walk away with a couple of items. First item was a pocket knife (the wife says I don't need another one and we'll re-gift it, but I always tell her that you never know when you'll need to stab someone). The second item was the one that was worth every ticket I had. It was a pair of hand guards used to protect your hands from the elements and small flying objects, such as bugs and rocks. These were made by a member of the Soldiers for Jesus MC out of Bakersfield (I think) that goes by the moniker JD.

All in all, it was a cool event with a lot of cool people to socialize with and enjoy the beautiful weather that would only last throughout the day - it would rain heavily on Sunday, with thunderstorms in the area.

Check out the cool video below. I managed to put this one together using some of the photos and videos I took at the event. It's been a few years since I've done any editing, so be kind.

Church Invasion

2011-07-24T22:14:00.000-07:00

Today, I did something different. I rode with members of the Roadhouse Biker Church and the Black Sheep Motorcycle Ministry for what they refer to as a "church invasion." Basically, we meet up at the hideout and, as a group, ride out to the predetermined destination.

Today, that destination was a church in Perris, Ca known as Free Indeed. They manage to have a decent turn out without counting the two-wheeled guests. I suppose it's due to the excellent testimonies, Word, and music.

I cannot say enough about how excellent the house band was. They played oldies, but changed some of the lyrics up to incorporate some good old fashioned worship notes. They had a brass section with a horn and sax. A man and two women provided excellent vocals. The women sang with such soul you'd be as amazed as I was if you were to hear them. Joe Jamez was on the drums. Keyboard and guitars were also used with such musical perfection. Our group was on its feet nearly the whole time - only during the offering did we sit.

The ride out was fun. We had around 35 people in attendance and it made for some interesting navigation through Southern California highways.

After service, we gathered at a nearby diner named Harry's Cafe for some socializing and good food. The food portions were large and the price was more than fair.

All in all, it was a great day of hanging out and having a good time.

AMC Gremlin

2011-07-16T14:01:00.000-07:00

While out and about today, I found this AMC Gremlin sitting on a corner. It was a very nice looking Gremlin - as far as good looking Gremlins go.

My dad had a couple of these monstrosities when I was a kid. He loved them. He swore by their reliability and if he could, I'm sure that he would own another today.

I have some memories of this car myself. I actually learned to operate a manual transmission in one of these. I would put it's 6 cylinder through some serious tests, nearly taking out a mailbox one time - a feat that I heard much about for quite some time while "growing up."

When I was younger, we used to go to Ontario, Ca, a nearby city, to drag race our cars on the streets in an industrial area. There was an older gentleman with one of these on what appeared to be stock wheels a tires - a real sleeper. This thing had guts. He would race often and I'd see him win plenty. My friend had a 67 Mustang and would soon be humiliated by the old guy with the Gremlin and we wouldn't let him live it down.

Those Gremlins were something else. They weren't pretty, but some loved them.

If you think the Gremlin was bad, I even drove my mom's pinto around for a while.

Here's a photo of the one on the corner in Big Bear Lake, Ca. All that I had was my Blackberry. Therefore, the image quality is not great.

What to do?

2011-07-08T18:49:00.000-07:00

This time of year, there seems to be more rides and events than you have time to attend. If only you could be in 3 or 4 places at once. Perhaps with time travel we'll be able to enjoy life that much more. Doc Brown, where the hell are ya?

It's getting tough to decide which ones to attend. There are many factors in making the decision - the ride itself, the venue, the company, etc. I seem to be struggling with this as of late.

There are also rides that I want to do alone or with just the wife, such as a trip to San Francisco.

I shouldn't complain. It's actually nice to have choices. I suppose it would be boring to do the same old thing every weekend.

I hope you are all having the same struggle as it's not really a bad thing. Keep having fun and enjoying it while you can.

Born Free 3

2011-07-08T18:40:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks back (I know. And I'm just posting now?!?), I went to Born Free 3. What a cool event with tons of cool bikes, parts, and garments.

The ride out was interesting. Most of the way was a breeze. Unfortunately, there was an accident near our exit and backed traffic up for a few miles. Fortunately, this is California and splitting lanes is perfectly legal for motorcyclists.

Once we exited the freeway, we proceeded through various surface streets to arrive at our destination. We saw several cool bikes along the way.

Upon arrival, it exceeded my expectations. The parking lot was filling with some of the coolest bikes I've laid my eyes upon in quite some time. They were coming in constantly and my senses were being overloaded.

We walked through the vendor area, checking out many sweet bikes and perusing the goods being sold.

We proceeded to the bike show. Most of the bikes were amazing, but I would bet some were there because the parking was good and it must have been cheap or free to enter the show.

I could not believe the creativity on display on the entire site - parking and vendor areas included. Some of the most radical custom, home-built choppers and bobbers were on hand - some of which are currently featured in magazines and on some of the forums I visit.

After we left the event, we rode to Cook's Corner. At Cook's, we enjoyed a chili cook-off taking place. I also snapped a few more shots of some bikes in the lot.

Here are a few pics (of over 400 taken that day) to whet your appetites for cool custom rides. This is the probably the most photos I've posted for a single blog entry. That's a testament to the fact that there were so many cool bikes on hand.

This one was taken at Cook's Corner.

I recently spotted this one in a magazine.

I believe this one belongs to Gilby Clark of Guns N Roses.


Kind of steampunkish. Jules Verne would love it!


This one seemed to run fine.

This one was also recently spotted in a magazine.

Overall cool bike. Love everything.

Tons of engraving on this one.

This was only the bike show area.

Currently on the cover of a magazine.

Daytec Cycle Center's Bike Shop Instructional

2011-06-22T21:07:00.000-07:00

Every week, Daytec Cycle Center in Hesperia, Ca holds a shop night. After many weeks of working late and being unable to attend, I finally had a break and made the trek out there tonight.

As luck would have it, they were giving some instruction on lowering a bike. The bike to be lowered was none other than a sportster. How fortuitous. It would seem that I may be doing this myself soon.

The instruction was very informal, allowing people such as myself to ask many dumb questions. I did. I asked about everything that I wasn't familiar with and nobody noticeably wanted me to shut my trap. The instructors, employees of Daytec, were more than encouraging. They made it seem somewhat easy.

During the event, food and drinks were provided. They also held a raffle for some shirts, polish, and other objects of which I wouldn't win.

All of this was free. That's right - of no cost to the attendees.

Check out there website for events and other information regarding services they provide. This shop tends to do it all - service, powder coating, fabrication, etc.

Thanks again, Daytec!

Skip Fordyce's Bike Night June 2011

2011-06-22T20:57:00.000-07:00

Skip Fordyce Harley-Davidson of Riverside held a bike night last Friday night. Many riders came out in support of the event.

There were many people in attendance. I don't think it was quite as big as the last one, but it still had a larger crowd than that of last year's events.

There were a few vendors on hand with booths setup on the lawn. The Roadhouse Biker Church had a booth setup as well.

Overall it was a cool event. I socialized with many people there in attendance and enjoyed the night there with the wife sans kids.

Here's a few snapshots I managed to gather.

As you can see from the crowd, it was a pretty happening spot.

This was a nice softail. Too bad it was a night shot.

As you may have noticed, I have a soft spot for hardtails.

More money in chrome than I make in a year.

I don't post many baggers, but this one needed to be shown.

Big Bear Choppers Ride the Mountain 2011

2011-06-14T22:02:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of riding up to Big Bear for the annual Big Bear Choppers event.

The ride up the mountain was wild, with an incredible amount of bicyclists making their way up the mountain from a city in the valley down below. They would pass each other, forcing cars to veer across the double yellow line into oncoming traffic. There were more than I could or would want to count.

Many members of the Roadhouse Biker Church made the trek as I followed. We made it to our destination without incident.

The weather was nearly perfect. Many of us even managed to get sun burned.

It was a good day for the church to set up their booth and spread the good word. Prayers were offered for those present in need.

Here's a picture of my friends Gary and Amy of the Roadhouse Biker Church. I was waiting at a turnout for them to arrive and captured this image.

Attendance seemed to be down this year compared to last, but as you can see in the photo below, there was still a decent turnout.

Here's a few of the cool bikes that were on hand.

This is actually the second Porche-powered trike that I've seen in recent weeks. How cool is this?

I've seen some very tall apes in popular pictures on the web. These may be the tallest that I've seen in person. Photoshop was not used to enhance this image.

This is probably my favorite bike. And it wasn't even in the show. It belongs to Pete "Hot Dog" Finlan, a former employee of West Coast Choppers.

The bike is a WCC CFL (Choppers For Life) model. It was built and painted by Pete and looked amazing.

My final image to post of the day is of one of the Hoka Hey challengers. I didn't get his name, but he had some cool and interesting stories to tell. It was great to talk to this guy and hear his views of the event and its obstacles.

He rode the event on a non-touring bike without a windshield. That's right - no windshield!

I hope you enjoyed the words and pictures. Ride safe.

Wife's New Helmet

2011-06-05T10:19:00.000-07:00

A while back, I attended an event at Quaid Harley-Davidson in Loma Linda, Ca. Due to the weather, the poker run was canceled. Instead, they held a poker walk. This walk was five bucks and included a lunch provided by In & Out Burger. As usual, I also participated in other raffles being offered on site.

As luck would have it, I won a free helmet painting by Jerry from JRT Image Graphics. The downside was that I was riding away as the winner was announced. I was told that he would still honor it, although I wasn't present. Jerry upheld his end and I picked up a shiny new helmet for the wife and allowed her to have it painted.

The wife didn't really know what she wanted on the helmet, other than it being green - her favorite color. We searched the internet for some cool photos of some religious subjects, as she really wanted a Christian message or theme to be represented.

One of the pictures she chose was of the famous Christ statue in Brazil. She also selected a dove to be painted on the opposite side. On the rear, she asked for the text "Jesus loves me."

Here's a couple photos of the helmet.

Thanks, Jerry!

It Was A Beautiful Day in So Cal Today

2011-06-04T23:05:00.000-07:00

The weather was inviting for many car and motorcycle aficionados today. It seemed especially so in the mountains. I spotted many motorcycles and classic cars today. Unfortunately, I only managed to get a couple of pictures.

Here's what I believe to be a 62 Chevy for sale. The owner was asking $12k.

The car below is a 1969 Saab. It's powered by a V4. This is the first of its kind I believe I have ever seen. Cool car.

Bike Back From Slim's Fab

2011-06-04T22:59:00.000-07:00

A while back, I dropped my newly acquired Sportster off at Slim's Fabrication for a little hardtail modification. With said hardtail, I requested an oil tank, seat pan, battery box, and sissy bar. The price was very reasonable.

I got the bike back this past weekend. It's still in need of some paint, minor clean-up, and a few odds and ends.

I'm looking forward to getting this thing back on the road. I dropped off the seat pan to get it covered with some fabric. I also plan on giving it some attention tomorrow, preparing everything for some rattle can paint.

Here it is when we brought it home.

Check out that sissy bar!

West Coast Thunder 2011

2011-06-04T22:49:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a few days since West Coast Thunder and I'm finally getting to posting some information on it. I know it's been almost a week, but I've been quite busy with work and life in general.

West Coast Thunder happened on Memorial Day. It was a great ride that left Skip Fordyce Harley-Davidson in Riverside, Ca.

The ride departed from the dealership at 9:11 a.m. to recognize the tragic date the U.S. was attacked by terrorists. Attendees rode out to Soboba Casino, passing the Riverside National Cemetery, where many riders would stop to pay respect to the dead. A concert and vendors would be waiting for the riders.

The ride was just as cool as last year. I still got a bit choked up seeing all of the people lining the streets saluting, waving, and forming peace signs with their fingers. Some showing respect to the former members of the armed forces taking part in the parade. While others were there to see some cool bikes.

The only drawback to this year was the lack of overhead flybys performed by the local military institutions and the freeways not being held at bay by law enforcement. Last year there were several aircraft making their way overhead, including a Bell helicopter, Huey, and a C130. The freeway was also reserved for just motorcycles, forcing automobiles to wait at the on ramps for the end of the convoy of bikes.

I can understand not having the freeways blocked this year. I'm sure it costs a pretty penny to have the law enforcement agencies to block access for other motorists. Poor publicity may also be a concern. But it sure was cool to have all four lanes to ourselves last year.

There were many cool bikes in attendance. I don't know what the final numbers were, but they were expecting more than the 7500 accounted for in the previous year.

I managed to take over 300 pictures. Here are a few of them.


Check out this crowd!

1978 Daily Rider.

One of many Indians present.

Chevy V8-powered trike.

Love the stance of this bike.


Bring your own bar stool.

Puch-powered bikes.


Cool Kawasaki drag bike.


With the right paint, this would rock!


Cool pipes.

5th Annual Ray "Eagle" Ramirez Benefit Poker Run

2011-05-21T17:51:00.000-07:00

Weather predictions for today claimed that we were going to get a bit of rain. I thought, "Great. It's going to ruin my weekend." Fortunately, as has been the case lately, the highly-paid professional prophets of precipitation have failed us, yet again.

I woke up, took a gander out my bedroom window toward what would have been dark grey clouds of doom, and spotted a welcoming blue sky. I donned my appropriate cold weather riding gear - long-sleeved thermal top, t-shirt, coat, gloves, and jeans (don't worry; undergarments were present, too).

I quickly rode down to the biker church in order to register for the event, topping off my tank at one of the cheapest gas spots in town - a Circle K. Upon arrival, I spotted many familiar faces and some not-so-familiar ones.

I paid, got on my steel steed, and followed a group out for the poker run. Like the typical smart guy that I am, I forgot to draw my first card at the Roadhouse Biker Church. I didn't realize it until we were a ways down the road, pulled over and waiting for others to join.

We proceeded onto the freeway, exiting at the base of the mountains. Our directions pointed us back up the local mountains, past where I left this morning.

The weather was nice and cool. I kept most of my gear on - except gloves. Drew my first card at Calvary Chapel in Running Springs - a jack of some face I cannot remember. I pulled my second card at a fire station in Fawn Skin - a king. Things are looking good - other than the fact that I still don't have a card from the starting location.

I split off from the group, hoping to make it back to the origin of the ride and pick what should have been my first card. The church lot was empty. Everyone seemingly went to the destination of the ride. I continued onward.

The next stop was a Starbuck's location in Colton. I grabbed a nine from the deck. Things aren't looking too bad. I have a chance of a straight.

I push onward and head to the final location - the party spot. BBQ, music, raffles, and socializing await.

I get to the Park and head toward the booth to pull my final card and, hopefully, the one that I didn't get before heading out. I spin the wheel of cards and get a jack. Sweet! I have a pair of them now. I spin again. A nine! Two pairs! Not bad.

After all was said and done, I didn't win the poker run. This is starting to become a trend. I did, however, have a good time. I managed to hang out with some good people, enjoy some entertainment, and be a part of something special.

The reason this was special is that the "Eagle Run" is a benefit run that provides support for a selected fallen rider's family. It really is an altruistic event.

Here are a few pics from the event. I hope you enjoy.

Bike at Dayco's First Swap Meet

2011-05-21T17:16:00.000-07:00

While at the swap meet, there were many bikes coming and going. That surprised me as I would think if you needed to pick up something bulky, it would have been easier to fit it in a trunk or bed of a pickup. I did meet a guy who purchased a tire and strapped it to the seat behind him on his Electra Glide.

Out of the many bikes there, I only captured the one image below. This young man claims he has less than $3k into this bike and it was totally cool. It's a Paughco frame hosting a Sportster power plant.

Daytec Cycle Center's First Motorcycle Swap Meet

2011-05-19T20:51:00.000-07:00

Saturday started off looking like awful riding weather - clouds overhead, some mild sprinkling, and just miserable looking skies in my area. I got in my car, fastened my seat belt, and headed toward the high desert in hopes of some secondhand scores.

I arrived at Daytec Cycle Center in Hesperia, Ca. I walked through the lot of new, gently-used, and some overly-abused goods. There were many bargains to be had, including tires, rims, frames, rollers, helmets, miscellaneous parts.

I managed to score a few items: helmet, grips, tail light, and a small skull to be mounted to something I haven't yet decided. I felt I made out pretty good and left with money still in my pockets.

There were many cool people in attendance. I even ran into a former coworker that I haven't seen in quite some time. It was cool to see her and meet her husband.

All in all, it was a really good experience. I appreciated Daytec putting on the event and look forward to the next.

Yuma Prison Run 50th

2011-04-18T22:09:00.000-07:00

This weekend was the 50th anniversary of the Yuma Prison Run in warm and sunny Arizona.

My friend Kris, his wife Donna, his cousin Janet, her friend Tara, and I headed out early Saturday morning. We made great time and followed an unbelievable route through parts of California that reminded me of New Mexico. I think the residents of the towns of Brawley, El Centro, and Salton City owe us big time for our efforts of reducing the population of gnats and other pests in the area - we were each taking time to clean our windshields, fenders, headlights, and other parts that had taken the lives of the flying insects. The bug carcasses were event to be found all down our pants legs.

This was my first year attending this event. I had no idea what to expect. A mere $25 covers the entrance fee. This allows you to camp at the fairgrounds, gets you a pin and some other small goodies, enjoy live music, includes BBQ, and much more.

The bikes weren't the glamour types you'd typically see at large events. There were only a couple of choppers found at the site. What you did see were plenty of VW powered trikes, Honda Goldwing Trikes, Harley Trikes, and some two-wheeled variety bikes meant to be ridden. I even spotted a '78 BMW with side car. There were a few side cars on display as well as plenty of tent and utility trailers being pulled by the many bikes.

The people were just people who wanted to get out and have a great time. Some were obviously veterans of the Prison Run. You can tell by the setups they had. Bikes packed full of all of the necessary equipment needed for several days of camping.

There was a bike show, a traditional ride to the Yuma Territorial Prison, a stunt show provided by The Victor McLaglen Motor Corps, music provided by Sam Morrison Band, bike and trike games, and so much more.

The Sam Morrison Band put on a great performance. They are a cover band with some real talent. The band covered a wide range of popular music.

We didn't get there until after the bike games had been completed. I heard rumor of a trike wheelie contest. The best part was that one of the contestants of the wheelie contest was over 90 years old!

Another cool thing we were able to cast our eyes upon was the cool air vehicles leaving the nearby military facility. There were jets, choppers of the aerial kind, and big propeller sporting birds making their way overhead throughout the day.

Well, I guess that's enough chatter. Let me show you some of the things I was fortunate enough to witness in Arizona.

Unlike other posts, I want to take this time to represent some of the less-featured motorcycles and equipment.

Part Corvette, Part Bike

Not a motorcyle, but a cool barbeque!

What creativity!

Skip Fordyce's First Bike Night of 2011

2011-04-18T21:06:00.000-07:00

Skip Fordyce Harley-Davidson graciously hosted their first bike night of the year Friday night. What a bike night it was. There were more bikes than I could count, a BBQ, burnout contest, and more.

I volunteered to take the Roadhouse Biker Church booth and equipment to the site of the event. Therefore, I wasn't fortunate enough to have my bike present.

There were plenty of familiar faces on hand. I spoke with many of the attendees and enjoyed the social event. I felt it was the best one yet.

The burnout contest ended with the winner burning rubber until the inevitable "pop!" That was the sound of victory and the contestant was given a new tire for his display. There were a couple of others who had put on an awesome show, but they walked away with a discount on some new tread.

The bike show had a large number of custom painted bikes. Some of these easily worth $40k or more. One guy owned 3 of them. That reminds me - I need to get into the music industry.

Here are a few images from the event. I hope you enjoy.