Season Ender Column Comes Early

By Bud Wilkinson

In past years, RIDE-CT has pushed the riding season to the limit before packing it in. The routine has been to bundle up and stay on the road for as long as possible – often until mid-December. A ride on New Year’s Day has been an occasional treat. As I type these words on Friday morning (Nov. 4), the power’s still out from last weekend’s autumn nor’easter, there’s a crust of plowed snow at the end of the driveway and a plume of smoke is curling out of the chimney from the wood stove in the living room.

While my four bikes haven’t been winterized yet, a lengthy spell on the battery charger will likely be necessary if any more riding is to be done this year. I’m actually hoping to ride tomorrow, if only to clear the head from a week of filling the generator with gas and the wood stove with logs, from hauling water from the brook behind my house to flush the toilet, and from having to drive to the firehouse to shower. No complaints, though, except for the ridiculous earliness of the storm.

If the riding season were to be over now, I wouldn’t complain, either. In looking back over the many highways traveled this year, it’s surprising how many miles RIDE-CT logged and how many events near and far were attended – from Rolling Thunder (above) to Torrington Thunder. What better way to enjoy motorcycling than to go to gatherings where hundreds and even thousands of other riders assemble?

RIDE-CT went to the opening of the spacious Motorcyclepedia museum in Newburgh, N.Y. (pictured above) in April, gazed at the seemingly never-ending procession of motorcycles at Rolling Thunder in Washington, D.C. in May, made it to the Rhinebeck Grand National Meet in New York in June, and attended Indian Day in Springfield, Mass in July, Brit Jam in East Hampton in August, and Rice-O-Rama in North Brookfield, Mass. and the Concours d’Elegance in Westport (pictured below) in September.

Ironically, one of the most memorable events of the year did involve snow and ice. Back in January, RIDE-CT headed to Sturbridge, Mass. for the opening day of the ice racing season on a pond at the Hamilton Rod & Gun Club. The ice chips flew from studded tires as dirt bikes, quads and sidecar rigs raced around the frozen oval while spectators sipped hot chocolate and watched from atop snow banks. The soft winter sun, the crisp air and the daredevils on ice made for a relaxing and pleasurable day.

Another memorable event was Rolling Thunder. Hundreds of thousands of riders converged on the Nation’s Capitol over Memorial Day Weekend to promote the return of those MIAs and POWS who haven’t been accounted for over the decades. For veterans, the event is a ritual bonding. For non-veterans, it’s a reminder of the sacrifices of others. For any rider, it’s an event worth witnessing at least once. Next year, Rolling Thunder will mark 25 years.

Much closer to home was Torrington Thunder, the downtown motorcycle show in Torrington that was staged in July. RIDE-CT participated by rounding up some interesting bikes that appeared in the column over the years and putting them on display. It was a fun evening. Next year, Torrington Thunder will be Sept. 28 and I’m looking forward to it already.

Departing the garage this year was a 1985 BMW K100RS, while arriving were a 1982 BMW R65LS and a 1974 Honda CB750 Four (below). Temporary squatters included a 2011 Ducati Diavel, which the Italian bike-maker loaned for a week back in the spring and which proved to be a fast, sure-footed beast, and a 2011 Victory Cross Roads. The Victory was a recent loaner from Willows Motorsports in Cheshire and certainly proved that Victory makes bikes of the highest quality.

In a June column, I lamented the quality of blue jeans manufactured overseas today and beefed about how the left rear (wallet) pocket of so many brands fails all-too-soon. I touted two American-made brands, Draggin’ Jeans and Diamond Gusset jeans, both of which make Kevlar-lined jeans for riders. I even ordered a pair non-Kevlar, casual jeans from Diamond Gusset. Seven months later, with only minimal wear, the corner of left rear pocket on the Diamond Gusset jeans is failing as well. A pair of Draggin’ Jeans with Kevlar that I bought at least five years ago has proven sturdy, though.

A few bikes profiled the column this year stand out in my memory– a 1958 James Commando (above) owned by Mark Ruccio of Naugatuck, a customized 1941 Indian Four owned by “Wild Bill” Eggers of Goshen, and a custom trike using two four-cylinder engines from CB750s (below) owned by Ken Acker of Walton, N.Y.  Obscure bikes and bikes that exhibit imagination always make good subject matter.

A year-end column such as this is usually reserved for the end of the year, but the storm upset the calendar and life itself, forcing an early look back. My only other gripe about the storm is that I wish the $20 worth of gas that has gone in the generator every day this week could have gone into the bikes instead. If another storm lime this last one strikes in late December, be prepared – this column might get repeated.

(Originally published in “The Republican-American” on Nov. 5, 2011.)