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WHERE THE HIGHWAY MEETS THE SKY– A sultry Saturday in August. Steam rising off the asphalt. Toofriggin hot to ride, right?How about spending the day on a runway surrounded by airplanes andmotorcycles spewing fireand smoke?Before you think the old Bear has finally got heat stroke, I?m talkingabout the Antique Motorcycle Show thrown at the Old Rhinebeck Areodromein Rhinebeck, NY. This tiny grass landing field, located about 100miles up the Hudson River north of New York City was the perfect placeto get away for the day. My 16 year old niece, Katie, was up from LongIsland for the weekend. She just got her motorcycle learners permit andwas itching for her first lesson from her crazy ?biker? uncle. I threwher on my old panhead, called a few of the local boys and headed down tothe aerodrome for a little history lesson first.
Danny rolled out his 1932 Indian Chief and Jim rode his 44 knuck. Wefigured we?d put on quite a show tooling in on the three old beauties.When we got there, our thoughts of glory soon faded. ?Man, I feel likeGeneral Custer? Jim said. ? Look at all them friggin Indians!!!? Oh,there were about 15 Indians. Ranging from 1910 through 1930. There wereExclesior-Hendersons, Scots, and Ducati?s. Crockers and one truly sweetBrough-Superior SS-100 and an Ariel Square 4 with an original side hack.
And then there were the old airplanes…Now, my love of the open roadis only equaled by my love of that wild blue yonder. Rhinebeck is proudto boast one of the largest collection of antique airplanes this side ofthe Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and they were all ready on theflight line for close inspection. They have a Curtis Jenny, a TigerMoth, a 1903 Wright Flyer and a 1939 Stampe SV-4 to name but a few andthe best thing is that they fly em every weekend from April throughOctober, weather permitting.They also have a large museum with an old WW I Fokker Triplane and aSopwith Camel that was used in the movie ?DAWN PATROL? with Errol Flynn.Sundays the Aerodrome puts on mock WWI dogfights as well. If you?relooking for a place to ride to on a weekend in NY, This place is wellworth the trip.You cab find out more about the ?Old Rhinebeck Areodrome? atwww.oldrhinebeck.org. It?s definitely worth the ride.
–Teddy Bear
BANDIT’S STURGIS SAGA SUMMARY–Good read on your Sturgis story. You bring up an interesting perspective in between those lines. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I wonder about the value of the annual Sturgis run, IF it is the only run a person makes each year. You make mention of riders heading other directions in pursuit of bigger adventures. The towns and hangouts you frequented along the way do not seem to enhance the spirit. Even the run has become a “family activity” in your words. “SOON TO COME BLACK HILLS BIKERWORLD” I see someday.
I would rather read your words as you cross Italy and Spain on the Buell, read your description of the Australian Barrier Reef as you pull up to it on your TC88 FXR. A howl of pleasure at the sight of the beautiful Latin beauties as you ride the beach of Rio on your rigid Evo.
I see a bigger opportunity for the Bandit literary spirit as I view the world. Heed the call bossmanand take the longer ride.All respect,
–Anson
Brother, I’m all for it.–Bandit
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CUCKOO CLOCK INVESTIGATION– The other night I was invited out for a night with “the boys”. Itold my wife that I would be home by midnight ..promise! Well, the hours passed and the beer was going down way too easy.
At around 2:30 a.m., drunk as a skunk, I headed for home. Just as I got inthe door, the cuckoo clock in the hall started up and cuckooed 3 times. Quickly, I realized she’d probably wake up, so I cuckooed another 9 times. I was really proud of myself, having a quick-witted solution, even when smashed, to escape a possible conflict.
The next morning my wife asked me what time I got in, and I told her twelve o’clock. She didn’t seem disturbed at all. Whew! Got awaywith that one!
She then told me that we needed a new cuckoo clock. When I asked her why, she said, “Well, last night our clock cuckooed three times, thensaid “oh shit,” cuckooed 4 more times, cleared its throat, cuckooed another 3 times, giggled, cuckooed twice more, and then farted.”
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TWO DRAG RACES LEFT THIS SEASON–DON’T MISS ‘EM–There are only two races left on the West Coast AHDRA (All Harley Drag Racing Association) circuit this season. The next is my favorite track, Woodburn, OR (30 miles south of Portland on I-5) on September 8th & 9th. Its out in farm country and the track has a character all its own. Records have been set there.?
When you pay your $35 for the whole weekend (or $25 per day) you get access to the entire track area including the pits.?(HOG members get $5 off.) ?You can ask the racers questions (if the wrenches aren’t flying) or just watch them?get the bikes ready to race. Some of the racers have flyer handouts they might even sign if you ask them to. Just don’t touch the bikes, even though you can get close enough to.
After that race, there?will be the big season finale at Las Vegas on October 20th & 21st. This is where a LOT of big name, fast racers show up including those from the East coast, trying to better their scores for one last time.??Only the?top 8 out of 13 races get counted toward the winners’ national points total. If you?score high and have raced over 8 times this season, your lowest score is thrown out and your higher score replaces it. So it gets very interesting.
Last year in Top Fuel at Vegas, if you weren’t one of the 16 racers who went over 200 miles per hour, you didn’t make the ladder for the eliminations on Sunday. Fast? Loud? Powerful? Oh yeah. You can get your nitro fix here. Odds are, the weather will be great. Its a new track with all the modern conveniences – take a gamble and check it out!
–Helen Wolfe
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