| Author | Message | ||
     Court |
Stand by for major picture action tomorrow...I already have collect 70..starting at the Statue of Liberty and all states in between...GORGEOUS here..hospitality unbeleivable....one of the Primo Planned Buell events of all time...BONUS...Music Festival in town Saturday.  Court | ||
| Court |
 Lady Liberty fades into the haze and fog….off to put faces with all those “none’-de-net” folks I’ve come to enjoy so much.  As we broke out into the sunshine, I couldn’t help but draw the parallels with Buell and the new products that all of us are anticipating. I’m seeing bright sunshine ahead.  I’d see this sight about 108 times commuting twixt East Troy and New York City…..never ceases to evoke wonderment about the geographic diversity. I was itching to fly over my native Kansas and see if the landscape was still as fascinating…  Ahhhhhhhhhhhh…..Just like I left it……  Ditto…..Eastern Colorado. By now I was chopping at the bit to hit the ground and RIDE!  Is it just me, or is there something wrong with being able to fly halfway across the country in a couple hours and then stand in line to rent a car for 90 minutes? Like a motorcycle, a system can never be any stronger than it’s weakest part. This makes a strong case for the “Hertz #1, car waiting with keys in it “ service.  Ok……anyone remember Tom Cruise in Top Gun? The part where he is on the bike, parallel to the runway and the F-15 is taking off? He goes WFO, screaming at the top of his lungs… Ok, I get in here, they give me a rental rocket and point me out of the lot onto a 4 mile straight that parallels the main runway…SWEET TEMPTATION.  The good news is that sometimes age and experience kicks in, reminding you…if it looks to good to be true….it likely is.  Arriving in Breckenridge, at long last, I found the smiling faces of Cheryle and Cil who were handling registration at what must certainly be one of the best organized Buell events EVER.  Cheryle and Susan check out Susan’s new ride, a 2000 URAL that slips into 2-wheel drive, has reverse AND a seat for her and Kim’s two dogs!  Well, as I write this, the sun is coming up and I am ready to roll. Look for some ride pictures and mug shots of the guilty parties coming up. Ride safe, lean much and smile more, Court | ||
| Blake |
Thanks Court! | ||
| Bartimus |
Nice pics, Court. Can't wait to see everyone. I'm leaving in about two hours from Phoenix, will probably hook up with the gang in Silverton first and see the rest of ya on Sunday. Hope the weather holds up. Ride hard, ride free, and keep the rubber side down!! | ||
| Court |
Bartimus: Thanks. Yu ain't gonna beleive today's story....sleet, rain, MUDSLIDES (I-70 is closed until 10pm) and one of the Buellers (Al Lighton) GOT CAUGHT in it as it was coming down and rode, knee deep, in the wheel tracks of a semi! I'll post pics later tonight. Court | ||
| Bartimus |
Court, Well THAT doesn't sound like a good weather report! Glad that Lighton made it in ok, smart thinkin' following the Semi tracks... I'll try to bring some Arizona sun and warmth with me.  Keep on Buellin' | ||
| Court |
The day, like the event, was off to a GREAT start. The Buellers had gathered in numbers that “exceeded expectations” and Colorado was showing off the gorgeous scenery that make the place as attractive in summer as in winter…….  Happy Buellers check out the map  The craftwork and ingenuity always amazes….   Getting Ready  Our hosts – Phil Poindexter, Kim and Cheryl Beres  Let’s Roll! | ||
| Court |
Soon the group is gathered and headed for America’s Highest Paved Road to the 14,300’+ summit of Mt. Evans. Note the clear skies in evidence.  Easing through Frisco under clear skies On the way, we took the Highway 9, the “scenic route”, that led us over the Continental Divide.  Aaron Wilson and a pristine Parkway Blue 1992 S2-T – Note shadows on Mountains   Josh, looking towards group, fails to notice Black Helicopter lingering, awaiting group’s departure, to seed clouds OK…we leave the Continental Divide and head toward….  Note….increasing cloudiness as Black Helicopter disappears The views and the ride UP Mt. Evans are spectacular.  View from the top – check out those roads…the teensy ribbons below.  The view of Denver International Airport, when I picked up my “baby” last night, should have been “fair” warning….er, “unfair” warning of what was to come.  Black skies over DIA | ||
| Court |
 Well boys and girls…..the sleet and freezing rain on the final leg of the ascent should have bid fair warning. By the time we started our descent, the rain had begun in earnest. Rain?…did I say Rain? Make that Monsoon.   Like I said….”Could this be a sign?” Al Lighton had gone ahead of the group and was the only one caught in the developing 10” mudslide as it began. Fortunately, quick thinking kicked in and he followed in the wheel path of a semi through knee deep mud. An excerpt from the local news… Interstate 70 has re-opened this evening after a 10-foot-deep mudslide forced the closure of westbound lanes near Empire shortly after noon. Heavy rains also flooded the southeast Aurora area, causing road closures.  This, I ask you, look like the face of a happy camper? By the time the sunset, all Buellers were accounted for and safe. How do you describe a day riding Buells with your friends in sleet, rain, gusting winds and mudslides? | ||
| Blake |
I'm way jealous of everyone in the mountains. Thanks for the pictures! Keep 'em comin'. Blake PS: The "little" one is not only better lookin', he appears smarter too. | ||
| Court |
He is. The messsage that came from this GREAT gathering was that the BADWEATHERBIKERS have EARNED their name! Court | ||
| Blake |
Do ya think Erik will be impressed enough to christen the next new model a "BWB10 Mudslide"? | ||
| Ccryder |
Just a few more picts:        This last picture was just as it started to sleet and rain and hail. Time 2 head down the mountain NOW. Enough slick stuff to cause my front end to try and wash out and Al to take the better path of laying down his S3T vs. going over the edge! | ||
| Blake |
Neil, thanks! But... Captions! We need captions! Please? Al: Yikes! Ron: Nice Bike old man! Blake (allowedtobegrouchysincehe'smissingoutonallthefundangit!) | ||
| Jima4media |
Wow, great pictures and stories guys, I really wish I could have made it there. Keep them coming... This is what Buelling is all about. Jim X-2.5 | ||
| Iamike |
Hi all, Here's one om ny pics from the Mt.Evans ride (that we couldn't finish due to the rain).  | ||
| Blake |
Okay, someone needs to post recounts of the weekend's Canfield stories. | ||
| Buellx1nc |
CO Riders Looks like everyone had a great time. I was not aware the Buell had developed a 4 -Wheel drive mus mobile. RIDE SAFE PROTECT YOUR 6 Tom | ||
| Aaron |
 Tat, Susan, Al, MikeJ, and others  Our first pitstop, on the way to Steamboat ... Bob Wilcox's bike had a flaky starter button.  On the way up to Mt. Evans the next day, we stopped at the top of Loveland pass. The road up was great, excellent condition and almost no traffic and very twisty uphill. This is Josh & Mariabelen's bike.  Another Thunderbolt on top of Loveland pass  Parked at the top of Mt Evans, 14,264 feet. We had only been there maybe 10 minutes and it started hailing, after having perfect weather all the way there.  On the way down Mt. Evans, at first it was just drizzle. Then it was HAIL. I stopped to put on my rain gear while Al and Ron and Joe continued down. I caught up with Ron and Joe parked by the side of the road because it was too icy and they were sliding all over. About then it was becoming slush, this pic was taken as we were getting going again. Around the next turn, we found Al trying to start his S3 after he had dropped it on the ice.  It poured rain all the way down from there. We all gathered at the lodge at the entrance to Mt. Evans road and waited for it to get worse, which it did, before we headed down to Idaho Springs. Al headed straight back to fix his bike and order parts.  Neil, Bryce, Bob, Roger, Mark, Court, Ron, and Joe (flashing).  We ate pizza and drank beer at BeauJo's in Idaho Springs, waiting for the weather to clear. Here Court is engaging in storytelling to Mariabelen, Josh, and Bryce. But, while we were waiting, there was a major mudslide and they completely closed westbound I-70. Al got caught in the mudslide and had to follow the tire tracks of a tractor-trailer rig through knee deep mud with giant boulders crashing all around him. Or so I hear! We bypassed I-70 on the adjacent 2-lane highway, which was also packed with cars, but some of us went lane splitting and got through pretty quick. We emerged at Georgetown, past the slide, and the freeway was both open and virtually empty. We had a good time from there, going up to the Eisenhower tunnel and down the other side at very illegal speeds. Good weather until we got to Frisco, then it rained from there into Breckenridge, 10 miles away. The next day we went to Camp Hale. It was a great ride including a stop in Leadville, a town with an elevation of something like 10,000 feet. No rain at all the whole ride. As we swooped down the twisty roads into Camp Hale, we came on two Buellers who had been pulled over by Colorado's finest. Then we cruised into Minturn. My radar detector went nuts, and sure enough, a cop was approaching us. We all slowed. He pulled a u-turn and caught back up to us and followed us through town. I saw it all happening and slowed way down, holding back Joe and Cheryl, while the rest of the group sped through town. Once we shook him, we did 100+ to catch back up to the group.  That afternoon we had a BS session in the underground parking lot of the condo's, and I put the race bike on display. Here's Joe and Ron showing off their work. Except there's no motor in the bike. Details.  That night, we went to a music festival in the streets of Frisco and saw Commander Cody. It was a good time, lots of beer drinking and BS'ing. Perfect weather.  Eric, Travis, Donna, and Susan  Cil and (Buellie)Dan  As the beer flowed, Al's story of the mudslide was getting pretty animated. The mud was 6 feet deep by then. Not sure it was mud anymore. My impressions of the event: I had a great time, mainly because of all the terrific people I got to hang with. Seems like I say that after every Buell event, but it's true. What a terrific bunch of people, every one of them. AW | ||
| Aaron |
Oh yeah ...  Studying the constellation Buell, shaped like a Pegasus |
