Brrrrrr!!

Boy, was it cold this morning. 38 when I went by the bank at 415am. I've got to remember to throw on an extra layer if I'm going to ride to work. Ride home was beautiful, complete with a trip through SUNY Cortland campus to admire the "scenery". Scenery was ok, I'm sure it'll get better in a couple weeks.

So far, I've got 2 bike trips planned. 16-17 May I'm taking my girlfriend, Annie, her dad, Otie, and his gf, Joyce, my mom, Sally and step-dad, Pete, Bobbo and Cindy (Bob works with Pete), and Annie's brother Ray and we're all taking a trip up through Old Forge, into Blue Mountain Lake, then back through Speculator and staying in Utica for the night. We'll be having dinner with a friend of mine from college, Tracy and her husband. Sunday we'll head south through Cooperstown, Oneonta, Delhi, Walton, Deposit and Binghamton then head home.

My 2nd trip, Annie and I are heading to the AMA Pro Motocross National at High Point Raceway in Mount Morris, PA. This is the first of 6 Nationals I'm hitting this summer. I don't know how many Annie is going to make it to, due to her work schedule. For High Point, we're meeting her friend from college, Lex (Alexia), and taking her to her first National. OMG, what am I thinking? Taking two girls to a National who've never been. I must be insane. I'm also hitting Red Bud, Unadilla, Budds Creek, Southwick, and Steel City.

A Quick History

The first time I remember being on a motorcycle wasn't all that much fun. I'd been fascinated with my father's motorcycle for quite a while, but was never allowed to go near it, for fear of burning myself on the hot motor and pipes. It was 1983, and it was my 3rd birthday. I remember Dad setting me on his bike, and I vroom vroom'ed for a few minutes, pretending I was actually riding. I inadvertantly hit the start button and the engine came to life. That's pretty much all I remember. I've been told that I burst out in tears and, despite my crying, I didn't want to be removed from the bike.

Fast forward 3 years to 1988. Being too inexperienced for a motorcycle, Dad bought me a Suzuki 50cc four-wheeler. We had a track laid out around the property that dad rode his dirt bikes with his buddies. It wasn't very technical, but it got the job done. Every weekend, when I'd visit Dad's, I was consumed with riding my quad, which is ironic, because now I can't stand quads. I wouldn't ride when he was out there, but as soon as he'd pull off, I was out on the track doing laps.

It wasn't long before I was ready for a motorcycle. I had outgrown the quad, so Dad bought me a 1986 Honda XR80. It wasn't a motocross bike, but it got the job done. I rode the wheels off that thing, almost literally. I learned so much on that bike; how to shift, throttle control, cornering. Skills I still lean on to this very day.

Through high school, I drifted away from motorcycles for a bit. Dad had gotten rid of his street bike years ago; traded it to his buddy Bill for a 1984 CR250 that still sits in the cellar waiting for me to restore it and race it, I had long since outgrown the XR. Dad's current dirt bike, a 92 RM 250 sits along side the old CR in the cellar. I was more concerned with running Cross Country in high school, Dad was racing stock cars at the local ovals, motorcycles just took a back seat.

In 1998, I enlisted in the Army National Guard. After graduating High School in 1999, I volunteered for every mission that came down the pipe. Especially after 9/11. It was relatively easy duty and I still hadn't decided on a career. I eventually bought a 1998 Suzuki Intruder 800 from a guy I served with who was getting a divorce and needed to get rid of it. I sold it back to him over the winter, but I was hooked. I knew I had to have a street bike. I scraped and saved every dime I could, just hoping to have a bike the next spring.

In 2003, Dad bought Honda's new power cruise, the VTX 1800. Man was that a big bike!!! I liked the bike but it was just too big for my liking, but I was still saving, just in case a good deal came down the line.

The good deal happened in Spring of 2006. I wandered into the local Honda dealership, just to look. I saw a brand new 2003 leftover VTX 1300S sitting on the floor, and I was hooked. It was candy orange and had that retro look. I bought it that day. 2 weeks later, Dad and I were off on our first trip. We headed to Southwick, Mass for the Pro Motocross National. Bill's son, Thomas had turned pro the year before and was trying to qualify, and I was to be his mechanic.

Dad and I have rode to many races since then, and I'll chronicle some of them here in a few days.

I got the bike out of storage a few weeks ago and have been doing my pre-season maintenance. I finally rode to work this morning. It was a bit brisk, but it was really nice on the way home. Looks to be about the same tomorrow. I have a feeling the truck is going to be getting lonely soon.

Thanks for letting me intorduce myself. I look forward to sharing some more of my experiences with you soon.