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Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 08:57 pm: | 
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FBRAT, Friday 9/2/05:
i just KNEW today was going to be epic. today i would be visiting the Buell factory in East Troy, Wisconsin for the first time, and then going to lunch with Erik and a few friends.
nope, the prospect of the day ahead did not suck, not at all.
the Wizard and i launched early for the 150-mile ride to the Buell birthing facility, but first we had some business to take care of:
Kandie (Mrs. Wizard) is addicted to Starbucks. i'm not in her league, but will seldom pass up the opportunity for an early-morning double mocha given half a chance.
suitably juiced we headed for a local Wal-Mart (alas, the only emporium open at this hour), in search of a baseball.
yep, a baseball. more on this later.
well, being the Hooligans we are, we "broke in" the wrong door to Wal-Mart (the doors, apparently, open automatically, providing YOU provide the automation).
the aisle marked baseballs, etc., was devoid of anything resembling America's first pastime, but was chock-a-block full of items related to America's SECOND pastime: Hunting.
when we asked if there might be a baseball in the house, we got The Look big time, and knew it was time to retreat.
as we neared the door we'd pried open to gain entry just moments earlier, all manner of alarms and sirens fired off, and i instinctively held my hands in the air.
a Wal-Mart associate was on us in a flash, and stated that THIS entry was closed (why, we beg to differ...), and directed us clear to the other end of the store.
which meant running a gauntlet of highly suspicious eyes, taking in our leathers and 'Stich and overall road-worthy appearance. yep, we felt mighty conspicuous at this point.
we were ALMOST to the Door of Freedom when Associate Brumhilda homed in on us with an intercepting vector. her beady, narrow eyes strafed us with question and doubt, and she was VERY interested in my tank bag, which i'd opted to bring with me instead of leaving on the bike.
she nabbed us at the door, and her manner meant she was all business.
"Um," i stammered, "would you like to look in my tank bag?"
"Yes," she replied sternly, "it's company policy."
i doubt it, i thought, but i had nothing to hide and opened the bag for her inspection. she found nothing of interest, and we were set free.
as we suited up the Wizard opined that our temporary detention was all on account of his long hair, a point i didn't (and couldn't) argue. HIPPIE FREAK!!!
freedom never felt so good, and with that we were off to East Troy, Hooligans thru and thru.
(Message edited by jerry_haughton on September 16, 2005) |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 08:58 pm: |
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in the wind (kiss THIS, Wal-Mart!), East Troy or bust.
(Message edited by jerry_haughton on September 16, 2005) |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 08:59 pm: |
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the Wizard, rightfully wondering whether riding in close proximity to someone who is steering and working the throttle with their left hand is such a good idea. 
(Message edited by jerry_haughton on September 16, 2005) |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 09:00 pm: |
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this view from the freeway screams Wisconsin.
(Message edited by jerry_haughton on September 16, 2005) |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 09:01 pm: |
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certainly not a quality photo (YOU try riding along at 80 mph, peering at a tiny digital camera display in bright sunlight, while providing steering and throttle inputs with your left hand!  ), but seeing the word "Oshkosh" on this water tower was exciting.
anyone with even a passing interest in aviation will know why.
(Message edited by jerry_haughton on September 16, 2005) |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 09:02 pm: |
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the Maple Inn Supper Club in Old Ashippun, Wisconsin.
it's late enough in the morning that the light is already too hot; the ambience of this grand old building would best come to life in the golden minutes just before sunset.
i bet a fine, leisurely supper here would be long remembered.
(Message edited by jerry_haughton on September 16, 2005) |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 09:13 pm: |
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aaaah, the holy land!
(Message edited by jerry_haughton on September 16, 2005) |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 09:14 pm: |
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Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 09:15 pm: |
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cool, or what?!?
(Message edited by jerry_haughton on September 16, 2005) |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 09:16 pm: |
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Madduck, here's where it all began!
(Message edited by jerry_haughton on September 16, 2005) |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 09:17 pm: |
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Ferris in Wonderland!
(Message edited by jerry_haughton on September 16, 2005) |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 09:18 pm: |
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moments after we arrived this young gentleman finished a tour of the plant, and was eyeballing our two Ulys.
they don't call Dave Stueve the Wizard for nothing, and moments later the young man was off on Dave's Uly on a test ride.
bet he never imagined THIS at the end of a factory tour.
(Message edited by jerry_haughton on September 16, 2005) |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 09:19 pm: |
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you get one guess where he'll buy his Buell, even tho Appleton is 150 miles away.
(Message edited by jerry_haughton on September 16, 2005) |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 09:20 pm: |
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wow! Erik Buell and John Flickinger!!! this, my friends, was absolutely too cool.
it was great to see Mr. Buell again - it'd been several years and many miles - and Mr. Flickinger, President of the Buell Motorcycle Company, could not have been more gracious and warm.
both these guys knew all about FBRAT, and seemed almost as stoked as i was about the upcoming ride.
gotta tell you, the Wizard and i were only several hours into this day, and it was already epic.
(ps: LOVE the dress code at BMC. )
(Message edited by jerry_haughton on September 16, 2005) |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 09:21 pm: |
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Erik on the phone with Denise.
(Message edited by jerry_haughton on September 16, 2005) |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 09:23 pm: |
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one of my favorite photos from the entire trip.
thank you Erik, this meant the world to me.
(Message edited by jerry_haughton on September 16, 2005) |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 10:10 pm: |
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we were not allowed to take pictures in most of the Buell plant, which was entirely cool, so here we see a finished Buell being put thru its paces just moments after the assembly process.
(Message edited by jerry_haughton on September 16, 2005) |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 10:11 pm: |
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the fellow on the bike first hooks up a temporary fuel connection (no fuel enters the tank) and an exhaust hose, then calibrates the TPS before firing up the finished bike for the very first time and checking out all the operating parameters on a set of rolling drums, enabling him to run the bike up thru the gears and test clutch, tranny, throttle, brakes, etc., along with the operation of all controls, switches, lights, etc.
(Message edited by jerry_haughton on September 16, 2005) |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 10:12 pm: |
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here another bike has just been rolled onto a revolving platform...
(Message edited by jerry_haughton on September 16, 2005) |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 10:14 pm: |
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...which raises the bike as it rotates...
(Message edited by jerry_haughton on September 16, 2005) |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 10:15 pm: |
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...finally pointing the bike the right direction, and at the right level, to continue on its journey.
(Message edited by jerry_haughton on September 16, 2005) |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 10:16 pm: |
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Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 10:17 pm: |
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here a new Uly gets ready for the table dance.
(Message edited by jerry_haughton on September 16, 2005) |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 10:18 pm: |
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Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 10:19 pm: |
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Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 10:20 pm: |
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Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 10:22 pm: |
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here's the beginning of the crating process.
(Message edited by jerry_haughton on September 16, 2005) |
Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 10:23 pm: |
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Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 10:24 pm: |
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Jerry_haughton
| | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 10:25 pm: |
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