cowpuc

Tip, that brave wife of mine - think about it - would YOU climb on the back of a bike with me at the helm, and I do a fair amount of long hour riding.. Admittingly, we usually only ride sun up till sun down and find that a 12 to 14 hour day in the saddle is enough.. When Tip started her tour of duty in the saddle of our bike, Tweeks, three years ago she was really excited about it.. She took to Tweeks ol saddle like a duck to water.. She found out within her first couple thousand miles years ago that the kids weren't joking that they never got soreness from those prior to Tweeks 1st Gens they straddled many years ago.. Tip found the same comfort in these big ol seats the Yamaha Company had chosen to use on the bikes we have come to love so much.. As many of you know,, saddle soreness,, monkey butt and cramps arent the only issues that long distance riders have to contend with.. There is also the issue of just plain getting sleepy.. When I was younger,, much younger, I could easily spend 24 hours straight up in the saddle, sleep for a few and go right back at it.. In Harescrambling (its a brutal form of racing - kinda like motocross mixed with enduro racing mixed with hill climbing) most race venues offer your choice of 1, 2 or 3 hour races to the riders.. I always chose the 3 hour scrambles cause I just couldnt get enough of the wonderful stuff.. I did really really well in the 3 hour 250cc class back then cause I spent the time when I wasnt racing out playing on my dirtbike.. A 3 hour Harescrambles was actually a picnic for me back than.. Today,, not so much.. I LOVE the last two hours of daylight riding when out on our bike,, I call em Magic Hours.. My daughter used to say that riding cross country on the back of that big ol Yamaha was like being the Movie that people were watching and we were just looking at em watching them watch us.. I gotta say that I have always loved her comment and totally get it.. That being said, the last two hours of the ride day have always been like the end of a good movie,, the part that makes ya cry or laugh or finally get the answer of that notorious question of "wonder how its gonna end".. Now adays, after the show is over I am TIRED.. An additional couple hours of riding makes me even more tired and if I stretch it to far I can literally fall asleep about anywhere once I get horizonal,,, like a cat who just ate a big mouse,, completely satisfied at the day I just ate.. The kids used to nod out on the back of the bike,, lay there head down on whatever we had on the trunk and out they would go.. This is fairly common with lots of passengers.. I once saw a guy riding a Wing down a four lane highway out in California with his wife nodded out on the back of his bike.. Dont know how she could do it but there she was,, sawing logs right in bumper to bumper high speed traffic.. Tip doesnt do that.. She likes to stay awake and watch the action.. Its not like she doesnt get tired but her need for sleep seems to be an almost perfect match for that of my own.. She will climb on the bike at sun up, climb off at gas stops,, wonder around the station a little but usually by the time I get Tweeks fed she is right there waiting to climb back on and continue the movie,,, gosh I love that woman... Whats really cool is that both of our batterys seem to run out at about the same time.. If we get into a situation where we cant find a place to drop our tent its usually her now that will say something like,, hey - theres a bale of hay we could sleep behind or, there's an old campground right there while pointing at a local cemetery,, she's a keeper that Tippy.. For those of you movie goers,, you ever tie into a longggg movie that just keeps going and going,, like Lord of Rings or War and Peace or something along that line? Well,, sometimes riding long distance is like that for us.. There are times that the show is just soooooo good ya simply cant stop watching it!! We did an all dayer last year and found ourselves entering into Death Valley at 1 in the morning on a moon lit night.. Werent no way weren't no how we were gonna miss that gorgeous opportunity!! We rode till about 5 a.m. before we HAD to camp next to a gas pump cause we were bone dry!! It does happen from time to time!! This year while we had a little issue with sleep deprevation on the way to the VentureWest Rally at The Dalles Oregon.. When we finally found the place we were tired and really needed that much missed sleep.. Tweeks found her own place to park away from the cars and other bikes and we didnt even bother hauling out our traveling motel,, or tent if you prefer.. Just another nights rest for a couple of tired bikers and one tired ol bike.. Puc

I will say one thing for you Canucks,, you are some of the kindest, most thoughtful people I have ever met.. Had I of responded with that answer I would have made sure I said something along the line of big "bald" bird that wont be soaring alone with that one.. :rotf: Ooppsss,, there goes ol Pucs longest distance award right out the window.. Oh well,, just stay being such a decent champ Doug and you wont have to suffer the consequences like I do!!! Brother,, you are right,, that Harley is one GORGEOUS bike!!!

How bout this one.. Heyyyyy,,, wait a minute,, this guys on a Harley,, aint no body gonna know who he is..

Chasing the wind has its price,, DOG GONE IT I MISSED THE CHANCE TO GREET A NEW RIDER, Rats!! While I do agree with others who mentioned that a Magna is a pretty good sized bike to start out on, I like to hear about folks starting on an XR100 or something small, I TOTALLY wish you nothing but the best on your new endeavor Heather!!! Practice practice practice (sounds like you have been) and the world is your oyster!! Hope your having fun out there!! Be safe! Puc

Beeeeeutiful!

Not sure Jim,, ya gotta ask EasyRider,, I am just the glue-ee or is that glue-er.. GLAD TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR RECENT ENDEAVOR - ROCK AN ROLL BROTHER!! Indeed,, I too hope our paths cross in the near future, would LOVE to shake the hand and get another signature of a mile eating brother!! Eat To Ride. Ride To Eat Puc

And if its lead acid you might wanna check your cell acid levels before sticking a charger on it.. The last battery I bought was a cheapy lead acid off Amazon. If memory serves me, I paid 32 dollars for it shipped, had to buy acid for it at Autozone, about another 8 bucks.. For 40 dollars I was into a new battery.. BUT,, there are certainly MUCH better batteries available that I am sure you will hear about.. I would be careful starting your bike on a weak battery,, the hardest thing on a starter, IMHO, is a low level battery.. Just an FYI.. Good luck and glad to hear your getting back on two wheels! Puc

That comment I keep hearing about Tweeks running out of sticker area could not be further from the truth.. Take a look where some more of my very favorite stickers ended up! A dear new friend of ours, Sargent Coffey of Nellis Air Base found out that the area 51, Nellis Air Base museum located on the Extra Terrestrial Highway was closed when we rode that 150 stretch of no gas highway that passes right thru Nellis so we were unable to stickerize Tweeks so he personally took it upon his broad soldiers shoulders to make sure Tweeks got her just reward.. Now located right next to our sticker from Travis AFB, the base we visited last year, the sticker n patch are proudly worn by Tweeks Sargent Coffey! Also note, a reminder to stop and say hi next time we come thru is clearly visible! THANK YOU CMCOFFEY, WE WILL BROTHER! Puc PS,, if you look close enough you can see in the picture a sticker from the Camp Ground Host at the Oregon State Park where BikerJohn, CMCoffey, the Shuttlebugs (thats MR. Shuttlebug to you LOL) and Tip n I stayed.. Sargent Coffey also made sure that the sticker that this wonderfully understanding gentleman wanted to present us with got safely into our hands!! The sticker is located in the bottom right of the pic right beside the Nellis patch..

EasyRider presented Tippy n I with a very special patch at the Meet n Greet we hosted a couple days ago in Elk Grove California. Tweeks, our beat up ol 83 Venture has never had music come thru those speaker screens but now she does thanks to you EasyRider! Although the music playing is one lonely song, a simple a song with only 6 words, it has been and forever more shall be close to my heart! And more important, very close to my stomach! RIDE TO EAT, EAT TO RIDE! THANKS EASYRIDER, n please pass the Banana Nut ice cream! Puc

Hey you butt kickin Texas Cowboy you,, glad to hear your still kickin em!! No hurry on the fuse block, probably wont get at it till Winter (just typing that word is give me goose bumps).. Wondered if you could PM me your home address though, would like to update my database.. BikerJohn, if you happen to be reading this could you do the same please.. That open door invite swings both ways Squidley!! Give Lonna a hug for us, toss Brownie and Pinky a hunk of chicken for me and THANKS for the compliment on the song,, GLAD YOU ENJOYED IT!! Puc

Puc's sleeping and left his puter on and left us,, his fingers laying on the keyboard.. We just had to fill in the ...... that Dan left in his quote above,, teeeheeeheeheee

Humming,, back in college I took all my typing, keyboarding and CIS classes first.. Later several of my professors told me I should have taken them last as my fingers seem to have a mind of their own.. My final GPA after 4 years of hard labor was 3.96 meaning Summa instead of Magna Cum Laude (4.0),, I was heartbroken.. After pouring over my records I discovered that these goofy, mind of their own fingers had cost me 40 thousandth (once a gear head always a gear head) of my final GPA.. In other words,, there are some things that I really cant blame on my computer or the ink in the keyboard thereof.. Hi,, these are Pucs fingers taking over,, just wanted to say in our own defense (all ten of us),, he's lucky to have us.. We didnt do to bad at that University considering he was a greasy gear headed motorcycle bum in High School who finished that portion of academia way back then by the skin of his teeth with a 1.98 GPA.. Oh, and even our little bothers, Pucs two pinkies KNOW that 1st Gens are BY FAR,, the fastest, bestest of ANY of the Ventures..

Oh yea,, I hate snow even worse,,,, and am beginning to not think to highly of grass either.. Hey Sleepy,, sounds to me like you done did a GREAT job of keeping it all together!! GOOD ON YA BRO!!

Indeed,, BUT,, I agree and yet disagree and agree and yet disagree Lets use Dragonslayer for a recent example, ITS ONLY AN EXAMPLE, I know he has thick skin.. Bob posted a bike up for sale that didnt belong to him, he stated that the bike would probably be sold at a wholesale price and that he was getting nothing for the sale.. To me, his intent was to help someone in OUR family find a really good deal on something that would make one of his family happy.. Personally I like the idea of having 12000 plus family members out there looking out for each other too,,, like a family does.. Doesnt make any difference to me whether its a Craigslist ad or Ebay or just something you know is available and one of us may be interested in,,, I like being treated like I am part of a family.. I also KNOW that if I had something I had advertised on here and nobody seemed interested, family first, and Bob knew of some non family member that was looking for what I was selling that I could count on him to mention the item to the outside person.. Brothers,, or family members, do that kinda stuff for each other.. Nipping it completely can be a double edged sword, especially if your the one who gets caught paying 4 times the price for something because we cant help each other.. On the same token though,, I totally understand your point Hummingbird,, friends selling things for friends thru taking advantage of our privacy just leaves a bad taste in my mouth too.. Perhaps just keeping it out of the Watering Hole and into an area where we have to choose to visit would help those feelings.. Reading all the great replies in this thread gives me a tiny little taste of the frustrations that our leader has to face on a daily bases with this kind of stuff.. It also helps me realize the importants of making sure what ever we are posting up is going in the right spot on the board.. Not that I dont LOVE the people outside of our family BUT,, there are things around here that we really do need to keep within our family cause we're special AND we are worth a buck a month if someone wants to look deeper in to being part of us.. I really really do see Don's point in the intent of this thread.. In order to keep things organized AND to keep the selling and buying of stuff accessible to "family" members (just another perk of being a member), us monitoring our selves is manditory,, he's our boss NOT our mommy,,,, good grief, could you imagine being the mother of over 12000 kids Hey Don,, thought just occurred to me,, there were lots of times that my Mom had to be the tough guy and not be nice too.. She ended up being deeply respected and loved by all that knows her, especially her 7 children.. YOU, my friend, are on that same path,,, no ya bunch of lop eared varmints I aint referring to being on a MOM path... Puc

Indeed,, sharp!!!

WOE,,, WAY WAY COOL!!! The journey Snag,, not this little episode in the park bro,,, THAT is bummer!! THANK THE GOOD LORD FOR THEM MARINES - GOTTA LOVE EM!! Sounds like your having a really really super time in spite of this one incident,, good on ya!! To bad those jarheads didnt catch the culprits in the act eay Try to stay dry somehow and hopefully the stuff will recover with minimal damage!! Good to hear your ok,, and good luck on the next leg of what sounds like an epic journey!! Buy the way,, if your travels take you up into Montana (you probably already been there) keep this in mind,, Grizzlies dont usually carry lighter fluid so you should be ok!! RIDE SAFE and with the wind at your back!! Puc

BUT,,, summers just gettin started AND my camera and tablet are still functional ALSO I happen to have a written invite to come camp in your yard SO on our way to Pork In The Pines you never know what might happen... Plus,, and this is a BIG PLUS,,, the whole true story about our summer riding doesnt even begin until you crank that machine up again this winter SO you are far far from safe!!! Oh yea,, also,, Tip has given me the thumbs up to sneak over on the War Bike and let her sniff around her home town a little late this fall,,, I figure if NOTHING else - she oughta be able to distract a Cheesehead away from his cheese long enough to snap a pic or two of em!!! Andddd another winner,,, a super winner being one of my heroes I might add!! While those other yahoo's arque about who was hittin on who in Cody,, lets try another one of mine.... Heres the deal,, I am looking at the blue bike in the center with the two riders on it BUT,, special honor given to the person who can guess the person on the bike behind them AND double SPECIAL SPECIAL honor for identifying the person on the bike that only the tail section is shown!!! Identifying the person in the car behind the blue bike will also earn double special special honor!! Seeeeee,, arent cha glad you decided to play the game after all!!!

:bighug::dancefool::thumbsup: ANOTHER ONE SAVED FROM THOSE NASTY LITTLE TOTALLY DESTRUCTIVE TIME GREMLINS!! GOOD ON YA EDS! Also, very very thankful your alright from your Close Encounter of the 1st Gen Kind!! By the way,, there is this little forum rule that most of us try to abide by,, lets see if I can find it in the VR Bylines,, oh yea,, here it is Wont be long and we'll hear about ya meet n greetin out west or down south or up north and every where in between on it!! Congrats on the find my friend, ya done been blessed!! Puc

And people ask me why I would rather camp in the boonies or beyond a hay bale,, sheesh Snag,, thats terrible.. WHere ya at Snag,, any where near the Michigan west coast? I gotta a spare tent I will give ya and can probably dig up some foam rubber like we use in our bikin tent.. Also gotta spare bedroom here at the house your welcome to and we could deal with it all in the daylight.. Man THAT is a bummer,,, hope they catch the rotten sucker(s) who did such a thing and squirt some lighter fluid on their,, never mind.. Wonder if taking it all into the shower room and soaking it all down really really good,, maybe even some shampoo scrubbing and than rinsing real good with hot water would slow down the delamination.. Then let it sun dry or, catch the guy who did it and make him blow on it all till it dried!! Might be worth a try.. Front doors open! Puc

Like others and yourself Gary, I dont do well with surgery recoveries either.. Spent over a year in a body cast (shell) after 5 back surgeries back in 03.. Than almost another year going thru PT to regain mobility.. IT SUCKED but the alternative was a wheel chair so I did like you - worked through it.. I can really feel for you my friend but trust me,, you will be GLAD you did it once your thru it.. Hang it there, vent here (ya got friends and family here that care) all ya need to and than, when its over, lets meet n greet for ice cream before we ride off into the sunset with bodies that dont hurt no more!! Puc

Hey,, Sea Puppy,, ROCK ON BROTHER!! That is GORGEOUS!! Gotta say,, wondered if you noticed what looked like a very small reflector on the tab of the seat rail right below the center of the bottom of the seat at 2.22 in the first video.. I thought to myself,, now that is subtle and perfect and thought,, be really cool if it was were one tiny little subtle led brake light.. Than I noticed at about 2.50 that it was gone,, the tab is still there but chrome, not red reflective as it appears at 2.22.... Eyes playing tricks on me maybe.. Anyway,, beautiful, just flat beautiful!! Gotta go with the music too,, loves the Blues/Jazz.. Makes me wanna RIDE... Thanks for posting! Puc

Maybe a problem on the west coast there EasyRider but around here we have the ice cream BEFORE dinner,, and before breakfast,,, and in the middle of the night so that remark is really not pertinent that fix ya...

Dont know nuttin about pulling no trailer with a bike BUT everybody and their brother has been hounding me to give it try.. TxSturgis suggested trying a single wheel trailer and that got my attention.. He also mentioned a different apparatus replacing the traditional ball on that setup.. Because of this, I started watching for such an arrangement as such and got a chance to see one in Dead Wood this year.. I snapped a few photo's and tried to get one of the attaching device,, it appears as TX had mentioned,, to be along the order of a Universal Joint connector.. Might,, or might not, be something to consider even for a two wheeled trailer..

Man,, I dont see nuttin,, I must be going blind,, HELP TIPPY,,,, THE LIGHTS IS GOING OUT...

Gotta be one in there somewhere to post of for us to guess at Joe... Talk is cheap:detective: Oh man,, thats kind of a hit below the preverbial ice cream belt line there Eusa,, my cravings are very strong to collect but we already got plans to be at Raggys party on the 19th.. Any chance you could stick it in a box and ship it to Raggys house?? I promise I will share it and will be careful with it around his 69 Goat that I am dieing to see!! THANKS FOR THE OFFER THOUGH!! and another winner!! and,, how bout this one..