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Warning, this may bring tears to your eyes and bring joy to your Patriotic heart. It sure did for me. Read on please and share. Fuzzy :usa: Christmas Poem TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HE LIVED ALL ALONE, IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE. I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE, AND TO SEE JUST WHO IN THIS HOME DID LIVE. I LOOKED ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE, NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS, NOT EVEN A TREE. NO STOCKING BY MANTLE, JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND, ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES OF FAR DISTANT LANDS. WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS, A SOBER THOUGHT CAME THROUGH MY MIND. FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY, I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER, ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY. THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING, SILENT, ALONE, CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME. THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE, THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER, NOT HOW I PICTURED A UNITED STATES SOLDIER. WAS THIS THE HERO OF WHOM I'D JUST READ? CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED? I REALIZED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT, OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT. SOON ROUND THE WORLD, THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY, AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY. THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR, BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS, LIKE THIS ONE LYING HERE. I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY LAY ALONE, ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME. THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE, I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY. THE SOLDIER AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE, "SANTA DON'T CRY, THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE; I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, I DON'T ASK FOR MORE, MY LIFE IS MY GOD, MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS." THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP, I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, I CONTINUED TO WEEP. I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS, SO SILENT AND STILL AND WE BOTH SHIVERED FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL. I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT, THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR SO WILLING TO FIGHT. THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER, WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE, WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA, IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE." ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT. "MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT." This poem was written by a Marine. The following is his request. I think it is reasonable..... PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our U.S. service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities.
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Just lost the last of my brothers and sisters yesterday. Brother Jack was 15 years older than me.He has been in nursing home for past 10 years at least with alsimers and dimentcia (spell checker didn't correct these )He will be missed.
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As I have gotten older I am not into this time of year very much. But this year my son and his family will not be able to make it home ( going to his wifes family ). My daughter and her family have other plans for Christmas also, and my good friends are leaving town till after the first of the year. To top it all off, yesterday could not have been any worse. High demands, workflow issues and everything just going wrong. What a mess. And I knew that I would still have effects of it to look forward to today. Well, when I got home last night I'm sitting there thinking about everything that happened and the upcoming holidays. I became so depressed that I got up and walked over to the couch. I climbed all the way up on top of the back of it and I'm standing up there looking around ready to jump and end it all when I see a bottle of scotch sitting on the bar. I think why not. So I climb all the way down to have one last drink....... I'm fine now. Merry Christmas Everyone
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Okay, I'm home. The first thing I did was to strip off all my clothes , and then jump into the hot tub for about 45 minutes. That is a lot longer than normal use, but I needed to melt some of the Alaska ice I brought home with me. Ride was interesting, and an experience. The BMW sidecar rigs were fun, and it makes me think about conversion of one of my bikes. Fairbanks was colder than ^$#@*, and Prudhoe Bay was about 30 degrees warmer than Fairbanks, due to drier weather. It will be some time before I ride to Alaska again in the late Fall, just before Winter sets in. Have done it three previous times, but those were all in the Summer. Now I can say I have scratched that itch. If you want pictures, which I know is one of the first things some of you ask for... ... ...are you still waiting? Well, my brilliant riding partner on the R12GS had his camera in his tank bag, rather than his jacket. And, since he made certain that it was fully charged up before he left, he did not bother to bring his charger. By the time we got to Prudhoe Bay, his camera was almost frozen...to digital death...and would not function at all. We waited until the next morning to leave, and hoped the camera would be thawed out, but when he did try it the next morning, the battery was below functioning level. No way possible to charge his battery, so he...literally...threw his camera into the Arctic Ocean...he was so mad. Say goodbye to one Sony Cyber-shot. I did not take a camera with me, because he said he would bring his. The Super Tenere' again worked excellent, as did his (my old bike) R12GS. BTW, the total trip was 5120 miles, and was done in just under 8 days of riding. Close to half of the riding was done in the dark, meaning...at night, because it gets dark really early up there. Now time to get ready for Christmas. So, what have you folks been up to? Eh ?
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Today is an adventure day. Two years ago on last month, I flew to Ohio to buy & drive home with my current motorcycle. Today I'm taking a bus to Louisville, KY. At 7AM tomorrow, the seller is picking me up. I should be buying it & on the road by 10AM for a 10 hour ride back home. Late Saturday or Sunday I'll be home with the new MC Trike (depending on temp & weather). Two years ago when I flew in to Ohio, A VentureRider.org member met me there. He had just conversed with me when I newly became a member & talked about buying a RSV from Adventure HD. He & his wife picked me up at the airport, took me to the HD dealer, invited me to their house for pizza & beer, helped me change the rear tire & then escorted me 20 miles to get me started. I will never forget that HummingBird. Thanks! BTW - This seller is a previous VentureRider.org member. JohnB
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On the way home from Daytona, the two red lights in the bottom corners started flickering. One is oil & the other is temp. They flicker at the same rate. When I turn the key on, every now and then the engine starts without the starter button being pressed and I have to rev it to get the starter to disingage. The lights flicker eradic and different brightness. They never blink unless in gear.A dealer service manager thought it might be a loose ground, but bumps don't effect the flickers. Some days this happens and some days it doesn't. I rode over a 1000 miles to get home and the engine is fine. I feel it may be a switch since I've proded, giggled, poked everything I can think of. I think it has to have the lights, starter and tranny in common. Any thing like this happen to anyone? Anyone have any ideas where to start? I'm afraid to get far from home. Thanks Richard
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Well I got up early this morning and decided to get right on my "honey do" list. There were a couple of trees that needed cutting down, some trimming to do, some firewood to cut. Pulled out my old Poulan Wild Thing chainsaw and began the always pain in the butt task of TRYING to get it started. Got it started and cut about half way through the first tree and it quit again. I then spend about an hour trying to get it started again. Wouldn't even start with starting fluid even though it has spark. I about wore myself out trying to get the stupid thing started and so.....off to the store. I had already done a little research and had it narrowed down to either a Stihl or a Husqvarna. I had come to the conclusion that the Stihl was a slightly better saw but there is a Husqvarna dealer just down the road from me so I decided to give one a try. I don't use a saw that much. Probably less than a cord of wood a year and some light trimming and etc. I almost spent the extra money and stepped up to the heavier duty farm and ranch model but instead, saved the cash and went with the best home use model that they had. It is a model 445 with 18" bar. Got it home and it made quick work of the cutting that i had to do today. I just hope that it lasts for a few years and remains fairly easy to start. I'm getting old and don't like being worn out before I even get one started.
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I installed an HID kit sometime back. Say 6 months or so. It has been fine. Tonight the wife and I came home from my sisters place in the dark. It didnt seem to shine where it should, even with high beam. I know some is due to being 2 up but it didnt seem to be this bad last time we came home in the dark. Then it dawned on me I changed tires. I mounted up a Michelin Commander II on the front and it is the taller I think what are they 130/90 instead of the the OEM 150/80. Do you all think maybe this could be it?
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New to me 09 to replace the 05 RSV/Tri-wing trike I totaled out a while back. By spring time it will be converted into a trike by Hannigan. First pic is loaded up for the trip home. Rest are taken today at home. Let the modding begin. Larry
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Hi All Quick history, kids all finally grew up and left so the wife and I took the summer and rode off on the bike. We call our bike "tweekers" cause I am always tweekin on it, hey dont laugh its old like me.. Anyway, we left in late june for the Dragon, piece of steel 2"x1" went thru brand new back tire on highway - tweekers on roadside, 100 degrees plus, bike and I both sweating, - tire repaired at a place called "Jims" in Johnson City Virginia - great work, showed me their upstairs FULL of really cool vintage bikes - should be a museum.. toured a week in dem dar Southen mountains of Georgia - Tennessee - Alabama - Kentucky and some coal mine ghost town type stuff in Virginia, came back via the Blue Ridge Pk Way, across the yupper mi, thru the upper states, did sturgis before the rally, down the west coast to Baydoga bay, shot over to Sacramento to see 2 of our kids living there - let them support us for 2 weeks while we toured Cali - another new rear tire - took both kids on 3 day trips to the National Parks, headed home - clutch died in Yosimite - more tweekin, found GOLD in Kings Canyon, huge traffic backup between Kings Canyon and Seqoyia NP doing MILES of road repair, down thru Death Valley - FANTASTIC moon lit night - nite riding Death Valley is AWESOME, tweeks LOVED the heat - it WAS hot there, more national parks, still headed for home , made it back to Utah, RAN THE BIKE ON THE BONNEVILLE SALT FLATS - 127 MPH FULLY LOADED WITH TENT AND ALL - wife took a video cause I knew my friends wouldnt believe me, still headed home via the sturgis rally. Needles Hwy, Custer, Deadwood, Lead, Hwy 16a all NOT as much fun with all the other bikes around - conjestion like California! Helped fix 3 broken bikes - all had Oil Pump Chain Tensioner problems - weird but true!! If I rode a new HD I would definitly go gear drive.. Main power wire for ignition on tweeks came unplugged, died on 90, HD rider I helped earlier stopped while I was dismantling bike, little more tweeking.. Sturgis was good again, I thought lower count than years past. Fun to hang out at sturgis on an old venture covered in NP stickers and dirt and tent on back and water jug hanging from antenna cause everyone stares at you and thats the point of the ralley hahahahaha.. Another week of camping (never been a hotel kinda guy, my WIFE spent almost 2 months living out of a tent with me on this one - over 17 thousand miles and only complained a couple times - about the heat..) Finally got back to Michigan at end of August, did some more tweekin and went chasing the REAL old bikes that were doing the "Cannonball".. Great summer!! Got "told" about Venturerider out at Sturgis of all places, wrote it down and just found it in my notes so here I am,, and the above is my story... NICE SITE HERE FOLKS!!! From what I have read and seen here it looks like my kinda place.. Scott -
Well I finally got the bug to get a helmet cam after visiting Hockings Hills in Ohio for the second time this year. Went down the 11th, 12th and came back on the 13th of this month. What a great place to ride. Took 3 other riders with me this time. Just the guys and no wifes. They all want to do it every year. We road 200 miles in the area before coming back home. Anyway I would like to get a helmet cam. Been looking and reading about the "Replay XD 1080" and "Go Pro HD Hero 2". Anyone have one of these? Any thoughts. Thanks
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I halted my series of LD Riding posts for a few days simply because I have had my hands full arguing about the Scavenger Hunt , but more importantly preparing for a Rally. The Big Tex Rally is a 36 Hour Rally all within Texas. My start point is in Denison, TX, and I will be visiting El Paso, Big Bend and various other places before returning to Dallas. The Rally begins at 6 am tomorrow (friday) and the finish is at 6 PM Saturday. I have a route that covers about 1650 miles. I will have to add 200 miles from home to the start, and about 250 miles home afterwards. Here is an overview of the full route: http://twigg.smugmug.com/photos/i-NjjQ229/0/L/i-NjjQ229-L.jpg For anyone curious about following progress, the following link goes directly to the SPOT location page: http://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=5955507f422e33e1a That link will go active at 5 pm central and stay on until I am home again. I will be sleeping so it will not move all of the time. There are close to fifty riders starting this event from four different locations. About half the field is starting from Denison.
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Just when you think you are done riding for the season...we get one more nice weekend. Didn't matter that I had a ton of things to do at home. Working all week doesn't give me alot of time for chores at home...but then I hear the "B2" calling....wanna ride? wanna ride? And to heck with the "to do list"...and off we go. 70 degrees out, turning into a gorgeous "leaf looker ride"...and then I wonder...is THIS the last ride of the season? Hope not..but weather forecast does not look good for next weekend.
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guys/gals if you can make this ride it's a great ride for a GREAT cause!!! they come from 4 directions that join in at the children's home....lots of fun and lots of bikers.. Staging Places with Kickstands Up If you do not want to ride in a group just Join us at the home at NOON Amory, Mississippi--Wal-Mart--10:00 am Hamilton, Alabama --Exit 14 River Road Citgo--10:00 am Jasper, Alabama--Berean Christian Book Store--10:30 am Russellville, Tuscumbia and Florence Area Meet at Customized Cyclez 1110 Hwy 72 west Tuscumbia AL 8 am. Leave at 9 am Hwy 72 east to Hwy 43 turn right on Hwy 43 to Russellville. Arrive in Russellville AL. at 9:30 am Fred's,Old Food World parking lot 13150 Hwy 43 s Leave Russellville at 10:00 am for Haleyville AL. Hwy 43 s to Hwy 5. Be in Haleyville AL.10:30 am No stops. Natural Bridge at 10:40 am No stops turn right Hwy 278 go about 500 yds turn left on Hwy 13 to Eldridge Children`s Home by 11:30 am. Sulligent, Alabama--Piggly Wiggly Parking Lot--10:15 am Sumiton, Alabama--Alfa Ins./Wal-Mart--10:00 am Tuscaloosa, Alabama--Northport Civic Center--10:00 am Winfield/Guin, Alabama--Plaza BBQ Parking Lot--10:30 am http://www.alchaptertgwrra.org/page.asp?tab=19&category=66&page=175 http://www.echbenefit.com/
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My fuel pump won't run on it's own. Does fine when wired direct, but won't run in the circuit. The positive wire has momentary power when I turn the key on with the pump disconnected. So where might be my issue. It actually left me stuck just one block away from home tonight.... not nice, although it sure was quiet riding it downhill for about half the distance.
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OK folks I want to go to the East TN to camp out next so I need to fix this quick. Back in March I started out to Norfolk on my bike got about 75 miles away and it stopped charging had the wife bring me the battery out of my other bike so I could get back home. Got back home and the bike was not charging took all the connectors apart cleaned them and the bike was charging just fine went another thousand miles and the bike was fine until I rode it to work one day and it was dead by the time I got to work. Charged the battery at work to get me back home, when I got home it was charging I checked the rectifier and it seemed to be a little out of specs so I replaced it with one Steel Horse Cowboy sent me (thanks again). Well today I pulled my trailer around for about 60 miles and I noticed at the red light I was not charging however when I turned off my driving lights it was charging again got it home and it was still charging but only about 13 volts. I have an extra stator (that Steel Horse Cowboy sent me) but I would like some confirmation before I dig into it. The voltages test fine when I have it loose but its not under load at that point. Thanks all and it sure is nice to be riding again. Joe
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Charlene and I just arrived home from a great visit to St. Jude. We didnt have a really big turnout, I think the weather hurt our attendance. We had as many NARR members as we did Ventureriders. We had 6 bikes and 4 vehicles. Our donation was a total of $4,220.00. Again each group had almost equal donations. Many thanks to the members of the North Alabama Road Riders for joining with us in our fundraising for the kids at St. Jude. As an added note we were shown a new video produced and filmed at St. Jude, its very moving and really shows the family spirit at St. Jude. K Bran has it posted in the watering hole. http://www.venturerider.org/modules/Jig/index.php
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Anyone hear about the guy in Virginia who traded in his car on a new Chevy Traverse? He originally bought a black one but brought it back the next day for a blue one. He paid in full, took it home, and left the next day on a cruise. He got home to find a large number of calls on his home and work phones, and mail. When he contacted the dealership, it seems they had made a mistake on his paperwork and the blue Traverse was worth more so they wanted him to come in and sign a new contract for the higher price, $39k instead of $33k. He refused as he had already paid in full for the vehicle at the stated price. Well, the dingbats had him arrested for GTA. He had to bail himself out of jail and walk home [5 miles]. They continued to demand he come in and sign the higher priced contract even after they dropped the charges. The president of the dealership has finally apologized for the situation and offered him the vehicle at the stated price, $33k. His reply: No Thanks. He's suing them for $2.2M for a variety of reasons due to their screw up. MHO? They had better settle now while they can. I can think of a few juries that would be of the opinion that $2.2M is not enough!
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Today was a beautifull day in the Cascade mountains of WA state, and my sweetie and I rode our '88VR from home here in the Tacoma WA area, over Chinook Pass (Hwy 410) and down the eastern slopes stopping at Whistlin Jacks Lodge for a huge fish and chips lunch, then on a little farther on to see the newly realigned highway replacing the one that was buried in Americas biggest landslide on record, then turning around and came back home the same route. 264 miles round trip and achieved 49.63 mpg by keeping to the posted speed limits, and running mostly on cruise control. Amazing..... for me that is. I think my bike is running well........ and I just might squeeze a 245 mile range out of a tankfull of 89 grade fuel. Just sayin...... -Pete, in Tacoma WA USA '83,88 Venture -
After 23 years we say goodbye to our old house. Its going to be different, considering we are only moving 1/2 mile away. Its going to be nice out here at the family farm again, but I am going to miss our old home. Lots of memories and 3 kids there. But we will make memories here as well.
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I just can't figure this one out. My bike is going thru gas like crazy. There are no puddles or even spots on the ground. There is no gas in the oil. There are no wet spots on anything. I live 20.2 miles from where I work. I had to stop for gas twice on the way home yesterday. Temps were in the 60s with the sun shining. I get off work at 4:30pm. It was almost 11:00pm when I finally made it home. The leaves are sure getting pretty this time of year. I just can't figure out where all the gas went.......
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We are going to Janesville WI, to pick a 1992 Blue Venture today, sure hope that this ends up being a better one than the one I got three weeks ago, that was doctored up with stop leak. Looks from the pics to be in very nice shape everything is there still has the cargo bags . All of the plastic is is good shape. The PO said its been a very good cycle and that he doesnt ride much anymore and wanted to get his daughter a nice scooter to cruze around town on. I will get some pics on here when I get it home and all cleaned up. Orlin
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I have put about 300 miles, 25 miles one way to work, mostly freeway on my '83 standard since getting it back together recently. Today on my way home, it started feeling like it was running on 3 cylinders (again), then got progressively worse. It was barely running on the off ramp, wouldn't rev and died at the light. It would crank, but not run. I pushed it about 200 yards to a parking lot and called work for a tow truck (I am a dispatcher for AAA- nice perk --free tows). After waiting about 30 mins, i tried to start it and it fired right up. It ran like it had up to that point. I made it the last 2 miles or so home. I do have the replacement TCI, mounted on top of the airbox. Any ideas? I am thinking fuel pump/filter? It felt like it was running out of gas. -
Got my 1990 Venture home today. It will need some tlc, tires, battery, the normal stuff. It also has a leak at the thermostat housing. Why would this leak? One of the worst things is the handling. It has a Dunlop CruiseMax on the front, and an Elite on the rear. When coming to a stop, the whole front end shudders like it has an octagonal shaped tire or something. Whole bike feels just generally wobbly and mushy. A cursory inspection reveals a few loose bolts. So I think I'm gonna strip off the bodywork and tighten EVERYTHING. And maybe some solid or urethane motor mounts. Combing through the forums looking for a plan of attack. Otherwise, I think the Venture and I are going to make lots of memories.
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My rear tire lost a chunk approx 8 to 10" long today! My wife and I were on the interstate at approx 70ish when I felt her go! I pulled over right away and once my wife told me what was wrong, she rode home with a fellow rider and since it lost no air, I puttsed it home max 25mph for approx 10 miles. Now I don't know What to do. We plan on converting to a Trike this winter, so I don't want to buy a new tire, but I also don't want to stop riding for the year! I'd really like to get a used tire for next to nothing, just to ride the rest of the season. I know that an Angel was looking over us and kept the tire from blowing completely! We could've very easily have gone down. I plan to take a pic and email it to Dunlop, for wat it is worth. They are 2 years old with Im guessing 10K on them, so I'm sure Dunlop won't care, but I am going to send the Pic anyway. This should never happen. Craigr
