The NEW Adventures of SCREAMIN' MIMI

Hell's Kitchen, LA

2010-02-06T18:35:00.006-05:00

I was in LA the past week, working on promos for the show "Hell's Kitchen". I'm a big fan of Gordon Ramsey's shows, and to be honest, never working with him didn't know what to expect... would someone be humiliated? Maybe a crew member would be the victim of a raging tantrum? Maybe I would be lucky enough to have him throw something at me? A knife perhaps??? None of which happened.

What did happen? Gordon was amazing, often helping my assistant and I with prepping each shot, very respectful and humble. We had him crushing tomatoes with his bare hands, tossing large handfuls of spaghetti into camera, posing with pitchforks, spattering him down with chocolate sauce, nothing too crazy... until the FIRE!

I'm not a Pyrotech, nor do I promote myself as such. In the past I have been asked to work with fire barrels, smoke pots, flame bars, things that would be the equivalent to using a common BBQ. In NYC, they have very strict policies in regards to using open flame or flammable objects on set, LA is even worse.

I was introduced to the "Safety Advisor" to the show, a 17 year veteran of the LA fire department. At the Producers request I reluctantly explained what it was that we needed to do (light props on fire, large open flames, that Gordon himself was going to handle). Turns out he was very cool about it (or appeared to be) and appreciated that I took the precautions of having a 5 gallon pail of water and TWO fire extinguishers on set.

Some of the gags included torches, road flares, oversized lighters, then there was my "Bone" shot. I thought it would be cool to have Gordon hold an an oversized thigh bone, while its was on fire, like a torch. I doused one end in lighter fluid and my assist lit it, with only the fuel burning off (and not burning the actual bone) it worked perfectly. I showed the creatives my idea and they loved it. It worked perfectly on set, with Gordon asking for more fuel each time, making the flames larger. He was very into it. Then Gordon held the oversized bone in his teeth (let me make this clear, this was HIS idea) and asked if I could light BOTH ends. We tried it a few times, each time adding more fuel to sustain a larger flame. With the fuel dripping all over the bone I lit it again, Gordon gripping it in his teeth, the ENTIRE bone went up in flames, including Gordon's face! The crew gasped as Gordon muffled "MMUUTHRFUKKRRRGFF", flaming bone gripped in his teeth.

He spit out the bone immediately, luckily no injuries were sustained. One of Gordon's "handlers" jokingly yelled "That's A Wrap!!!". Gordon answered back "NO NO NO, ONE MORE TIME!!!", everyone laughed. He's one tough dude!

I'll be getting some shots for my portfolio at some point, you should be seeing them around town on the web, billboards, commercials, etc very soon. Until enjoy enjoy these "behind the scenes" shots....

Winter, Enough Is Enough....

2010-01-21T11:33:00.008-05:00

It's been a while since I posted to the blog. Reason being my moto is in the garage for the season, it's too cold to ride. I hate winter, and its only just begun.

My neighborhood looks like a desolate wasteland. Unfinished construction projects, barren trees, the sun low on the horizon. A mound of blackened snow mixed with garbage stands at 4' high, frozen solid where a great parking spot used to be.

I'm on set today, reading the NY times, and I came across this article about people who CHOOSE to live without heat, "Chilled By Choice". The article highlights a group of artists, some landscape designer, a "cat lady" and a few other idiots... The one thing they all have in common (besides frozen toothpaste) is the fact they don't have kids. Eco friendly, "clarifying", "non-isothermal", whatever the case... There is nothing "cool"(no pun intended) about NOT having heat. Utterly ridiculous. Back in the day if you didn't have heat you weren't "saving the planet", you were just POOR. I know this because growing up my family struggled with money. Being poor is not cool either.

The way I see it is that these people choose to live this way because of financial circumstance, the domiciles in which they live are not inhabitable by normal standards, lousy landlords or owners who would rather not invest the time and money of proper maintenance. It's sad that people have to live this way. Just because you live in a summer home during the winter doesn't make you a martyr, it makes you cold. Besides, who wants 5 roomates??? Good luck with that.

Game 2, World Series in the Bronx!!!

2009-10-29T20:47:00.000-04:00

Our seats would be great if it weren't for this big yellow pole!!!!

"Seriously dude, it's 3am"

2009-10-23T10:16:00.008-04:00

I was flattered when Peter told me his Mom reads the blog, so I'm posting this pic. You're welcome!

Unfortunately you can't see Peter's very expensive black thermal tech suit. Kind of looked like a member of Mummenschanz.

Behold!!! The Human Onion!!

2009-10-19T18:08:00.003-04:00

Many, many layers... Cue the striptease music!

DAY 6... the end

2009-10-19T16:31:00.013-04:00

Peter headed for NYC late last night. Screaming down the road at 80mph in the dark cold on i95 didn't seem very appealing at the time, especially with the pace this trip has been going, trying to get in as much riding as possible, I feel the toll on my body. I'm sore all over. I woke up with a call at 6am, the concierge said I needed to move my motorcycle. I left it in the roundabout in an unmarked spot in front of the hotel where it would be safe and out of the way, as I have done with EVERY hotel I've stayed at. He told me "you parked in the boss' spot", not realizing that hotels had "boss parking", as this was just an unmarked driveway. 2 minutes later someone came knocking on the hotel door. "Are you the guy with the motorcycle?"..."Yeah I'm moving it....". The hotel clerk said that "Homeland Security" was pissed that I left my bike where I did. I thought he was making a joke about the management... sure enough there were about a dozen black Suburban SUV's with lights flashing, door panels marked with the "Homeland Security" logo. WTH??? There were 50 guys in ball caps milling about with their black duffel bags, video cameras, stage lights... I was still half asleep, in my flip flops and pajamas. Actually I could of been sleepwalking, maybe I dreamt all of this. I walked the bike over to the street and left it, 10ft from its original spot. I was so annoyed. I later found out that the building hosts a small branch of "Homeland Security".

It was so cold this morning, what an ugly day. Did my best to stay comfortable. I wore everything I packed (all at once) to keep warm. It took a while for the bike to warm up too. Once it did I headed for Bob's BMW in Jessup MD, about 30 minutes away.

They have a few really cool vintage bikes on display. I bought a new pair of super warm gloves and a few T-shirts. My old gloves didn't survive the trip. I put them in a microwave hoping to dry out the dampness, I ended up cooking them like bacon... they shrank and bubbled into a leathery mess.

I made it to the Lewes ferry in Delaware, it was so cold and gray. The ride was flat, passing farms, fields of tall grass. Long and boring ride. Made it in under 3hrs, felt like an eternity. My hands were toasty, other than that... freeeezing. It totally sucked.

The plan for the rest of the day was to get to NJ and ride up the parkway along the coast. I was so exhausted, I had a quick beer and found a bench to crawl up into and took a nap. I woke up an hour later, feeling like human origami, managing to fit my 6'+ frame into 3' bench. It must of looked ridiculous.

I mounted the bike, it took a while to get her started. I was the only person dumb enough to ride a motorcycle and the first to get off the ferry. I was holding everyone up trying to get her started... FINALLY! I role off the platform onto solid ground, the engine cuts off. I roll to the side to let everyone pass, pretending everything is OK, I set the GPS to home. I try it again and again, eventually the bike starts up but won't hold, I have to constantly engage the engine. I don't feel like troubleshooting, too cold. I decide to move on, it starts to rain, lightly. Just perfect.

I stopped for gas, took a bathroom break. The rain stopped, it's been dark for a while now. I was close, just an hour out of the city. I headed back on the road, traffic moving pretty well, before I knew it I was on Staten Island.... "well that wasn't so bad!". All I could think about was being home with Michelle, I knew she would be cooking dinner for me. The miles seemed to melt the closer I got to home. Crossing the Verrazano Bridge to the BQE...."BROOKLYN"!!!

Riding on the BQE I see the downtown Manhattan skyline, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Manhattan Bridge, then signs for Flushing Ave... my exit. As I pull up to our apartment I park behind our car, look up and see Michelle's silhouette hard at work in the kitchen. I rev the engine, honk the horn and she appears, waving her arms in the air. Rolling up the window she yells "YOU MADE IT"!! I start to unpack the bike for the last time, when she appears running across the street and jumps into my arms.

I'm finally home!!

DAY 5...contd.

2009-10-19T16:24:00.004-04:00

DAY 5...

2009-10-19T14:04:00.013-04:00

Woke up around 9 am, the idea of getting on the bike again weighed over me like a chore. I checked the weather forecast, 70 degrees and clear blue skies!! For most of the ride its been really cold, even spending time in the rain. 70 degrees and blue skies, we deserved this. Getting dressed took half the time, I only need 4 layers today as opposed to 20....

After packing the bikes we went back into the hotel to have breakfast and discuss the days ride. We decided to eat quick and make the most of the day, settling on the buffet. We headed into the food area and was told the buffet wasn't ready yet, 5 minutes. As we sat back down at the table a busload of silver haired geriatrics strolled in and filled the dining hall. I felt like it was bingo night in a retirement home. Within minutes the dinning hall was full and the line at the buffet 50 people long, bottlenecking at the plate and silverware station. So much for a quick breakfast.... We ordered off the menu instead, 2 bloody marys later I didn't care that at any second someone would offer me a hard candy from their purse. My "breakfast" turkey wrap sucked... I was anxious to leave.
Peter said he wanted to be back in Brooklyn in the evening, which means we would basically have to get on the highway at full throttle. Not exactly what I had in mind considering the amazing weather. We agreed to stop at Bob's BMW in Maryland on the way and play it by ear regarding getting to NYC that night, meaning I would stay overnight in Baltimore. I set the GPS for Bob's in Jessup Maryland, AVOID HIGHWAYS. We eventually arrived on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
This road has it all, long stretches of straight, soft bends, tight "S" curves, tons of scenic overviews. This is exactly what I had in mind when I organized this trip. Combined with the incredible weather and fall colors this was my favorite day of riding. Peter rode ahead while I stopped every few miles to take some pictures. The images don't do it justice. After a few hours I had my fix and set the GPS to head towards the interstate. I seemed to of lost Peter again. I waited at a crossroad, hoping that he would double back at some point. After 15 minutes I rode off towards the interstate via a back road that was equally as beautiful, stopping at the first town I came to. Finally a cell phone signal! I was in a town called "Buena Vista". I confirmed this with a local, when asked if this was "Buena Vista" he replied "yes, but you say it like a FOREIGNER"... comparing it to NYC's "Howsten" and Hughston" street in my head. "Yeah, I'm not from here"... I replied.
I met up with Peter at the first gas station off the interstate. The skies were still blue, however I could feel the temp starting to drop. I added on a few layers, gassed up, and we both headed on the highway towards Baltimore where we would meet Peter's representative from Bob's BMW (Peter owns a motorcycle repair shop in Red Hook, Brooklyn).
We arrived in Baltimore around 9pm. I've been there before for work, not remembering anything special about the city other than the downtown marina area. There was quite a bit of construction going on and tons of traffic. We met his rep at her art studio in the Camden area of Baltimore, which reminded me a bit of Greenpoint or Red Hook. I was inspired by the architecture of the building, which was an old cotton mill. We had dinner not far away at some local restaurant. It felt familiar, sinking into the banquet. I was really looking forward to a good meal considering the lousy breakfast I had. I was not disappointed, ordering a well prepared NY strip with herbed truffle butter and some roasted brussel sprouts. They also had my favorite beer, Schneider Weisse. I didn't want to leave...
After dinner we road the bikes to some bar for a quick drink before heading out. The scene was pretty funny, some local "B-boys" were battling each other on the dance floor, I'm guessing for the "Lamest Dance Crew" award. It was awful, we took our drinks outside. It was getting late, Peter decided he would go back to NYC tonight. Considering how cold it was and my level of fatigue, I was staying in Baltimore. Besides, I had plenty of miles ahead to milk this trip for a whole day of riding, not to mention the support of my wife telling me to take my time and enjoy myself (reminding me this was possibly my last ride until the spring).
Peter was off to Brooklyn via Rt95, I was off to a warm bed. Peter told me the following day that the ride home was cold and miserable. He also received a $145 ticket for riding in the break down lane, trying to avoid traffic. He eventually made it home at 5:30 am. I think I chose wisely.

DAY 4... contd.

2009-10-16T15:46:00.010-04:00

My ride through "magical" Fog Mountain....

DAY 4...

2009-10-16T14:17:00.009-04:00

Woke up around 10am on Monday to a cold gray day. As we were packing up the bikes it started to lightly rain, not a good sign. We hung out at the camp a little while in hopes the rain would clear up and to do some work on the bikes. We ate some reheated pancakes and discussed the route with Brent, the owner of the camp. The weather was a real problem, the entire country was covered in greens, yellows and red. We learned there was a tiny window of clear weather to the northeast towards Baltimore, but we had to hurry. The rain was coming down pretty hard now, but we knew it would eventually clear up. We mounted up and headed to Boone for some lunch, via the back roads.

The roads were incredible, winding through woods, leaves changing. Crossing rivers, small hand crafted cabins with rusted steel corrugated roofs. The rain let up a bit. I noticed I was riding alone! Where the hell is Peter??? I double backed about 15min, no sign. No signal on my phone. I waited on the side of the road for another 10 minutes. We both know to meet in Boone, I decided to move forward. The GPS took me deeper into the backwoods, through the mountains. I was on a road called "Jake's Mountain Pass" going uphill. The pavement disappeared, turning into a tight winding path with potholes filled with muddy water, wet with slippery leaves and large loose stone. Then there was the fog. The higher I climbed the foggier it became. It got pretty bad. Peter and I were joking days before about secret meth labs and toothless mountain people with sharp objects.... all of this started to cross my mind. I started to feel like I was putting myself into a bad situation. I stopped to take some pictures, this made me feel better. I kept climbing, the road becoming worse. I was big muddy mess, my goggles fogging up the entire time. Then the GPS loses its signal.... I kept going forward, 1st gear, slow and steady. Trying my best not to have the bike slip out from under me and over the sides. The road I was on was now a 3ft wide path!

Another 20 minutes of this pass through the fog. Out of nowhere I come to an intersection! Solid road, a GPS signal! I was in Boone! I guess I went over the mountain rather than around it. The road to the main street was still pretty thick with fog. I got a text from Peter saying he was at the bagel shop. I was only 10 minutes away.

It took 2 cups of hot chocolate and bagel with whitefish salad to calm my nerves.... Peter had gotten there 20m minutes earlier. He explained he thought his tires were low and pulled over to check out his bike. I was long gone. We discussed the route and weather. The rain wasn't letting up. We headed out, continuing northeast, figuring we would leave it up to the GPS where we stayed the night.

We rode for hours, cold and wet. The fog was really bad on the highway, visibility was about 20ft. We left our signals on and rode at a steady 30mph until it finally cleared up, seemed like we were driving in the foulness forever. We stopped at a gas station, I changed into dryer clothes. Peter and I stopped for a quick snapshot, it was FREEZING. After a few sips from my flask for warmth (which would become empty by the end of the night) we made it to Roanoke Virginia.

DAY 3...

2009-10-15T17:18:00.011-04:00

Slept late, missed breakfast. Almost everyone in the camp was gone for the day, the old guys tend to get up earlier. We decided we would ride the "Snake" via Rt 421 into Tennessee, then head to Ashville, NC for dinner. This would turn out to be another extremely long day of riding.

Riding "the Snake" was an exhilarating yet humbling experience. I realized how little I know about the dynamics of motorcycle riding. The constant downshifting, allowing the the engine to slow you down, upshifting. Always watching for oncoming traffic, watching for road hazards (oils slicks, roadkill, rocks). Peter, who is by far a more experienced rider than I went ahead and carved through the endless "S" curves and tight corners. I've never experienced roads like these, one side mountain wall, the other a steep drop off and no buffer or rails to protect you. The scenery is amazing, yet I had no time to look or take pictures, eyes fixated on the road ahead. For hours nothing but pure concentration, one bad move and you eat it. Visibility was low due to all the curves, one after another. I was happy when it was over. Not my favorite type of riding, especially when my bike kept bottoming out on every turn. I even scraped my engine bars while taking a turn too tight. Looks cool while you're riding, but bad for the chrome....

We stopped at a cross roads were we found a local "diner" biker hangout, full of Harley's, assorted japanese racing bikes and guys in full leathers. We had the only BMW's. It was great to catch my breath. From there we decided to headed south from Tennessee to Ashville, North Carolina for dinner. We set the GPS and headed for The Grove Inn, one of the oldest hotels in in North Carolina.

As the sun went down the temp dropped. I put on my rain gear to help protect me from the wind. We arrived at the Grove expecting to eat dinner. The building was amazing, kind of what I would expect from a mountain inn. Oversized stone fireplaces, rocking chairs, lots of tourists, a guy playing James Taylor cover songs at the bar, roaming bridal parties. Not really my scene. Peter and I sat amongst all the chaos, had a martini and discussed our next move. From my phone I googled the keywords "ashville restaurant hipster" and "The Admiral" came up. I read some brief reviews, when the words "foie gras" came up I knew I had found the right place. We pounded our drinks and headed off.

On the west side of Ashville, The Admiral was exactly the kind of place my wife and I would eat at in Williamsburg. The building was unassuming, even kind of divey. It looked like it was a converted garage. The crowd was an eclectic mix of young and old. We sat at the bar which over looked the kitchen prep area. The menu looked great, almost half of what they had was sold out (frustrating, but a good sign). I settled on the bangers and mash, peter had the pork chop. I ordered the wrong thing..... the pork chop came 2 inches thick with a side of sauteed greens, looked incredible. My plate was prepared well, but nothing compared to the pork. I had some serious food envy. I washed it down with a well priced bottle of Tuscan red, all was right again. Peter talked shop with the bartender, who himself owned a motorcycle. This meal was probably the best of the trip, and we had been eating pretty well! With a nice warmth going from the wine, I geared up, piling on as many layers as I had. I set the GPS for the camp, we headed out into the night stopping once for gas and beer. It was still a cold, damp ride.

We made it back to the camp, no campfire to greet us, everyone was a sleep. I opened a can of beer, had 2 sips and put on a DVD. I was asleep before the opening credits rolled.

DAY 2...

2009-10-15T16:11:00.008-04:00

We made good time on the highway, no visible police, traffic moved well. We averaged roughly 70 to 80 mph the whole way down. The sky cleared up, lending itself to an incredible sunset. The sky was on fire with hues of pinks, purples, and blue. I could feel pockets of warm air as we rode through the valleys. By this point I had totally gotten over losing my sunglasses. The mountains started to appear, we were very close.

It was well after dark when we made it to North Carolina. The camp was just a few hours away. I set the GPS for the camp, it gave us two addresses, neither of which were correct. I improvised, choosing the address that was further away (there was a 400 marker, and a 1000 marker... we needed to go to 732) thinking we would eventually pass it on the way. There were a few roads into the park, I chose the road that was on the campsites address thinking it would take us there directly, Stony Fork Road. Little did I know this would turn out to be the "back way". Turning off the Highway, the road immediately tuned into a gravel road. Not small pebbles, but baseball and golf ball sized stones... It was pitch black with nothing but what our headlights could make out. With me taking the lead, I pushed forward through snaking "S" turns, slipping and sliding across loose rocks and wet leaves, coming extremely close to the edge at times. Of course we couldn't see what was over the edge, we found out later that was for the better. This went on for about and hour, until finally we see signs.... not for the camp, but for "ROAD CLOSED". My stomach turned... Peter and I stopped. There was no way I was going to turn around. I knew the camp was on this road, the signs must of been wrong (so I told myself). We rode on for about another mile when we saw more signs, eventually coming across a construction site. There lie before us a concrete slab, rebar poking out everywhere. Mounds of dirt and rocks. These were the later stages of a bridge, it wasn't pretty. We sat there for a few minutes, Peter cursing the GPS. I was certain we could get across this thing. I slipped into 1st gear and slowly made my way blindly across the slab, I could hear loud water moving on both sides....... I make it across!!! YES!! I honked my horn a few times to signal Peter. He reluctantly followed, slowly navigating the steel and concrete structure. With both of us safely on the other side we took a minute to catch our breath. The road across was exactly the same. Another 20 minutes of slipping and sliding we finally reached solid pavement.... and the camp!

I rode into camp with a feeling relief and a great sense of accomplishment. The first thing we did was pop open a few cans of the Tecate beer we bought at a local gas station and toasted, "We finally made it!! There was a group of people sitting by a camp fire. We introduced ourselves to the "old timers", we made quite an entrance arriving 4 hours late and from the WRONG direction. "We're the guys from Brooklyn"!! We told them about our ride in, they all kind of chuckled at the fact we came in from the backside, the "closed road". "Heck, I guess that bridge is open NOW?" said one of the guys. Another guy, who happened to be one of the founding members of "Airheads BMW Club" heard our story and said we were TRUE Airheads. "Hell, if you guys did that ride in the daylight, I guarantee you would of turned around"! Apparently the sides drop off pretty steep... Score 2 for Brooklyn!!

Right after we settled in to the cabin we were off again, headed to Boone (over an hour away), where we could eat and grab a drink. The Airheads people though we were INSANE... "So THAT'S how you guys do it in NYC". We took the CORRECT road this time, made it to Boone a "college" town (Appalachian College??) had dinner and a few drinks. We got back to camp around 3am. My sleeping bag never felt so good!!

DAY 1...

2009-10-11T14:25:00.003-04:00

We left Brooklyn pretty late in the day, taking the Holland Tunnel heading south through New Jersey for Virginia where we would stay overnight. The weather was great, blue skies, however the temp started dropping as the sun went down. 55 degrees feels great when you're standing still, however on a bike doing 80 mph, it feels closer to 30. To make matters worse, it started to rain. We made it to Harrisburg PA around 8pm and decided to stay the night. It's not as far as I would of liked to have gone on the first day, but considering the time and weather it was the wisest decision. Using my GPS we found a cheap hotel and a place to eat. The next morning the streets were wet from the night before. As we racked up the bikes I noticed I was missing my sunglasses, my VERY expensive Belstaff sunglasses (that I should of left home, but didn't because I'm an IDIOT). I searched everywhere and assumed the eyeglass case must of flew off my tank bag the night before. Peter reminded me not to dwell on it, sh*t happens... This turned out to be my mantra during the entire trip.

We spent about and hour looking for a place where Peter could get decent coffee. Driving in circles, we finally found a Starbucks. It was cool to drive around Harrisburg during the day, it's actually kind of charming. Built near the river, old buildings, a few bridges. Peter referred to it as the "Gateway to the South". We finally made it through that gateway around noon.... day two starts now.

RIP, PATRICK SWAYZE

2009-09-16T02:54:00.005-04:00

Just out of curiosity I've been reading a lot about this man. I'm finding it odd that the media isn't making a bigger deal over his death.What I didn't know about Patrick Swayze was that he loved to ride motorcycles, and has since he was a kid. Although not the "greatest" of actors, he has been in some pretty cool films, my favorite being "ROADHOUSE". Oh yeah, Patrick kicks major ass as the tiniest "Bouncer" in the world, it's just so "BELIEVABLE"! And don't forget that sweet (almost) mullet! (Left boot....)

I'll never forget his appearances on SNL, that "Chippendales" skit with Chris Farley still makes me laugh. "Red Dawn", "Too Wong Fu......", "Uncommon Valor", "Point Break", "Ghost", "Donnie Darko", and of course "The Outsiders". All of which are pretty solid films. I did NOT include "Dirty Dancing", I HATED that film. Hated, hated, HATED that film. I have yet to even see the entire movie! Just catching a glimpse of it or hearing that offensive soundtrack makes me want to throw myself under an ice cream truck! It's not Patrick's fault, I just don't get it.

North Carolina, nothing could be finer.

2009-09-16T02:14:00.004-04:00

YEEEEHAW! READ THAT INVITE! I'm in the process of of rounding up some fellow enthusiasts for a few days of riding the Blue Ridge Mountains. Very excited! To be honest, I have been a bit depressed with the idea that my riding season is coming to an end (I'm not a fan of riding in anything below 49 degrees). Before you KNOW, the streets of NYC will be covered in SNOW... white snow, gray snow, yellow snow, black snow.... snow with chunks of vomit frozen in it, dog turd snow, rat turd snow... ok, ok, WE get it! (Dead pigeon snow.... sorry). So yeah, I'm a bit excited for this ride. I'm off to LA for the week to work on some promos for FOX, shooting some of their cast members. I'm also working on a promo campaign for their new show "Sons of Tucson", which is basically an updated version of "Malcom in the Middle". I'm creating the Arizona desert on a soundstage, should be a fun challenge.

2009-09-07T13:26:00.001-04:00

Here's a link I found to a film from 1920, Indian motorcycles dominating the board track.
There is no sound, however the picture quality is pretty good. I can't imagine what it must of been like to ride at high speed on a wooden race track wearing what was the only safety gear available at the time. A heavy wool sweater, leather pants, a leather helmet, and some work gloves was all that separated you from life and death from "splinters".... No full face helmets or leather track suits with skeletal plate supports for these guys. Pretty impressive.

more bikes... AND a guy wearing all leather in 90 degree weather (with humidity)

2009-08-26T00:43:00.005-04:00

Michelle wants to buy the white yamaha 250.....

"Brand X" Brooklyn, the bikes...

2009-08-26T00:39:00.001-04:00

BRAND X MOTORCYCLE EVENT, BROOKLYN NY

2009-08-25T12:38:00.006-04:00

Free Asahi beer, free BBQ, live music, and a horde of vintage motorcycles... what a perfect way to spend a Sunday! Michelle and Molly met me for the festivities. We hung out at my friend Peter's booth (Moto Borgotaro) to hand out some free stickers and get out of the sun. Molly tried the BBQ (pig on a spit) and said it was a bit "pink", in a bad raw kind of way. She is still alive and doing well. Michelle now wants to buy a motorcycle... and if she had just ONE more beer I think she would have.
Soon after the event we made our way to our favorite BBQ joint in Brooklyn, Fette Sau (Fat Pig in German) to make our pork quota. Our friends Dave and Lauren joined us as we consumed a gallon and a half of liquid gold, smoked brisket, pulled pork, a rack of ribs, pork infused baked beans, potato salad, smoked lamb shank (which was special that day and amazing), spicy broccoli, and a smoked sausage link.

Ava's Birthday

2009-08-10T20:41:00.005-04:00

This weekend Michelle and I took the bike to Fairfield for our niece Ava's birthday (she turned 4). We left Saturday morning, the weather for the ride up was fantastic, low humidity and warm with blue skies. We avoided I-95 as much as we could, taking Hwy 1 through the Bronx, Pelhams, and Westchester. I'm not that familiar with the area northeast of the city, but was very impressed. The positive, there were tons of marinas, curvy roads, old architecture. The negative, WAY too many traffic lights and congestion.

Ava and her cousin (our nephew) Dominic were all over the motorcycle, they have no fear at all!! They simply climbed on and wanted to go! I gave them a tutorial on how to start the bike, twist the throttle, use the the signal lights, and how to use the horn. The horn honking was fun for about 2 seconds. The rest of the day we sat by the pool and ate until we couldn't move, or at least I did... My sister made the most amazing tray of sausage and peppers I have EVER HAD! She is turning out to be a really great cook.

The ride back on Sunday afternoon was miserable for about 4 exits. Michelle and I were not prepared for the weather and ended up getting soaked, with me in the front taking the worst of it. I could feel the water dripping down my legs into my socks, slowly filling my shoes. It was time to stop. We pulled over and had a glass of wine at the bar at some Italian restaurant in Darien CT and discussed our options. We asked the bartender to turn on the weather channel and as we watched we saw a dry patch that stretched from our location all the way to NYC. We left at the perfect time, the ride home was a bit nerve wracking with the slick roads, however the sunset that awaited us from the BQE over looking the Manhattan skyline was incredible, like nothing I've ever seen before. It was a nice welcome.

New Pic.

2009-08-10T20:07:00.005-04:00

Here's another from the the Triumph photo shoot. My friend James (the photographer) thinks I look like a pirate...

The LA, NYC Connection is.....

2009-07-29T03:18:00.005-04:00

JEWISH DELI!!

Cantor's is LA's version of Second Ave Deli (a lower east side destination for 50 years , which sadly closed shortly after owner Abe Lebewohl was robbed and killed outside his establishment). Cantor's appearance is more diner than deli, brightly lit, vinyl banquet seats, cookies and pies in a rotating case, and a ceiling that's so uncomfortable to look at you feel like you're tripping on some sort of drug, which is exactly how felt after I ate an entire pastrami sandwich, a plate of latkes with sour cream and apple sauce, some pickles, and a side of potato salad. I started with a chocolate egg cream, and finished with a Dr. Brown's (cream soda OF COURSE). I felt like a kid, anticipating my first glance at the menu, even though I already knew what I was going to order. I told the waitress how excited I was, that it was my first time. She asked "where ya from"? I told her I was from NYC, she said "Ugh oh... let me know how we measure up". The food was pretty, pretty, pretty good. ALMOST as good as Katz's (but not quite). The pastrami lost a few points when it came back a little on the dry side. But other than that... just what I needed. Who cares if it will make you fat... I wasn't homesick for the entire hour I was there, total comfort food. If you are ever in LA and have a craving for cured meats at 3am (open 24hrs), this is the spot to go.

ROSCOE'S!

2009-07-28T12:53:00.006-04:00

I saw this place years ago on "No Reservations". The "LA" episode wasn't very good, and the reason why I'm guessing is because there isn't anything very unique or exciting about the food in LA. I mean, I've had some really good Mexican, something lacking in NYC, but other than that there are very few places I have found that have across the board great food, great service, and an attention to detail without being too "exclusive" or connected with a restaurant chain. If you know of a place, please tell me. I feel like NYC has multiple dozens of such establishments. Chicago too, even Des Moines!! (Ok, a small handful in Des Moines, NOT including the State Fair).

I stopped in for a late lunch at Roscoe's in West Hollywood, which IS a chain (I feel more than 2 locations constitutes a chain). I love fried chicken... and I love waffles. Finally a place where I can have both!! The chicken was greasy, fried crispy, and even a little dry. The waffles tasted like waffles. Exactly what I was expecting. It was still a fun place to go.

On a side note. In Adam Sandler's new film "Funny People", he wears a "Roscoe's" T-shirt. I think the local restaurant T-shirt craze is in full effect. So if you want appear cool, the more local or "underground" the eatery, the "hipper" the the T-shirt you will have. Anthony Bourdain is definitely a victim of this in his "Sammy's" and "Katz's Deli" apparel. Then again he IS a chef so it's ok. OR if you win a local BBQ contest and get a t-shirt because you kicked ass, it's TOTALLY appropriate to wear it, because you earned it.

So to sum it up.... a t-shirt from "Nathan's of Coney Island", cool. "Outback Steakhouse", not so much.

Triumph NYC

2009-07-26T01:46:00.003-04:00

Our friend james is working on a concept book for Triumph based on NYC bikers. He invited Michelle and I to come down and have our portraits taken. This the first of many, I'll get to post more very soon.

What's in heaven molesting angels???

2009-07-24T13:09:00.007-04:00

I saw this as I was propping at Bed Bath Beyond.... I moonwalked back to the car.

Lighthouse?

2009-07-24T12:52:00.003-04:00

I can't wait to be home, been in LA for almost 2 weeks now, seems like forever. I was going through some pics and found these from our ride to Montauk in late spring. As you can see, we really love the lighthouse.

Catching Up With.......

2009-07-15T02:30:00.011-04:00

It's been a while since I've updated the blog, MIMI is in the shop, the adventures are on hiatus. So NOW what??? Write about something "biker" related???

My friend Brent sent me this photo he took during this years NYC Gay Pride Parade. Unfortunately the biker guy from the Village People couldn't attend, (I guess his bike is in the shop too), but plenty of his friends did.

Michelle greeted me with SIGNS!

2009-06-26T13:46:00.000-04:00

The Last Day, The Worst Day

2009-06-26T12:53:00.016-04:00

I woke up around 8am in the Pittsburgh hotel room, overwhelmed with anxiety. My body sore, head to toe. Everything ached. I was so close to home, yet the idea of packing up my gear, rigging the bike, and riding for hours on the highway seemed so incredibly laborious and unappealing. Had I known what kind of day I was about to have, I would of stayed in bed.

10am, I finally get out of bed. Pack my bag, rig the gear, start the bike. There was something wrong, the engine sounded weird, there was a hot smell of metal, not in a good way. I made it 2 blocks when the bike started to lose power, backfiring, then shutting off completely. Perfect.

I called my mechanic in Brooklyn, extremely frustrated. I had this problem before and as far as I knew it was fixed. He explained that because of the amount of riding I was doing that the points closed up, creating the misfiring. Fair enough. He talked me through a quick fix, taking off the engine cover I delicately sanded the build up from the points. That seemed to work, the engine started right up. 2 seconds later the bike shut down, dead. Calling Peter I explained what happened, "sounds like you blew a fuse, you can reset it"... great... I open the headlight to see a jumble of wires. I made sure that everything was connected, nothing looked suspicious, yet again I had no idea what I was looking for. A little tap here, a little tap there, and the bike started right up, back to life!! I fixed it!! I was so proud of myself. The ordeal lasted TWO HOURS, yet the sense of accomplishment I had made me forget that part.

Riding out of town, in heavy traffic, literally right outside the entrance to the freeway, the bike loses power, AGAIN. I lose it... GOD DA#$&@, MOTHER F$#*%!!!! I stopped traffic, pushed myself up the off ramp to a "safe" spot on the edge of the freeway. I accepted the idea of staying in Pittsburgh one more day and researched my options. The BMW shop's number was disconnected. I started calling anyone that was affiliated with "motorcycle repair". After 30 minutes without any leads I started to feel helpless, which is something I am not used to. I approached the bike prepared to push her back into town when I noticed the choke was engaged. I was using the choke to warm her up and never set it back. DUH!!!! The bike started right up, I was finally on my way!!!

The rest of the day went well, riding through the mountains of Pennsylvania I forgot about the mornings ordeal. I would be home in a few more hours. I don't think I will ever be as excited again to see signs for New Jersey!! Made it onto the turnpike around 9pm, about 2 miles from the toll I noticed the generator light flashing... WTF! I waved my hand over the handlebars into the headlight. I had no lights!! No signals!! That also means that if my engine cuts off I won't be able to start her up, assuming the electronics are fried. Sure enough, I get to the toll booth, take my hand off the throttle to get some money.... the engine shuts off.

I pushed the bike over 4 lanes into the Turnpike's employee parking lot. I texted Michelle and told her not to worry. Emailed her my location and tried to get in touch with my mechanic. When I engaged the ignition the bike would jerk in spasms, not good but at least it's something. I opened up the headlight thinking maybe I blew a fuse (again). All the wires were melted together. My heart sank at the sight of it, I felt like vomiting... Now what do I do?? This is something WAY beyond a quick fix. I could literally see the Manhattan skyline in the distance. I called Peter for a pick up and again got his voice mail. I called Michelle and told her "I THINK I can push start this, I'll call you back".

There was a ramp that led to another parking lot down below. Away I rolled, not knowing what to do I put the bike into first gear... It WORKED!! Then it died. Rolled her back up the hill, second time was a charm. Called Michelle, "I DID IT!!". Made it to the Holland Tunnel, no lights. Leaving the toll I was stopped by a Jersey trooper, "your headlights!!!" I explained that my lights were fried.. he said "You ought to get dat fixed".. thanks buddy, ya think????

MANHATTAN!!! Home! Now to make my way across town. Not stopping at lights, I made it to Grand Street which leads right to the Willy B Bridge. Stuck at the light the engine dies... yet again. I pushed her to Chrystie Street, the street slopes, perfect!! Running along side the bike I got her up to speed and jumped on. My foot got caught up on my bag and over the handlebars I went doing a perfect tumblesault onto the pavement. I DROPPED the bike!!!! I lifted her up, all 500lbs, got back on and pushed myself down the sloping street. Popped 1st gear, engine starts! Crossing the Williamsburg Bridge, I took the "back roads" home.

I made it, in one piece.... What a day.

I love....

2009-06-25T19:01:00.003-04:00

that I have a family with a sense of humor. your comments will get me through the rest of the day. Farrah and now MJ??? I heard about Ed last night, to be honest I was surprised he was still ALIVE!

ps. still not one Bear.

ROADKILL

2009-06-25T02:37:00.014-04:00

In just 5 days of travel from the Midwest to the Northeast, via US Interstate and County roads I witnessed an extraordinary amount of mammal murder. I documented, created a very specific, organized tally. The numbers don't lie people. Perhaps there's something more to this? What do you think?

Deer- 22
Possum- 6
Badger- 2
Porcupine- 1
Skunk- 4
Squirrel- 6
Porcupine-3
Armadillo- 2
Muskrat/Gopher/Groundhog- 8
Cat- 3
Dog- 1
Blown out truck tires that I mistook for an animal- 28
Animals that I mistook for blown out truck tires-8

BEARS- 0

That's right, not ONE, single bear. You know what that means? Bears are REALLY smart, think about it. If they are smart enough to avoid a pair of bright lights coming at them at tremendous speed, there's NO telling what they are capable of. Total world domination. I predict Bears will soon take over the world. Think about it, a Bear City reality!

Last Day...

2009-06-25T00:09:00.010-04:00

In Pittsburgh, celebrating my last day with a bottle of wine purchased from the restaurant where I had dinner, the hotel does not have a bar.
Can you BELIEVE it??? NO BAR!

Took the back roads out of Indiana into Ohio. I don't know how it happened buy I ended up in West Virginia... I reset the GPS and made to Pittsburgh via "National Historic Route 40", which sounds a lot nicer than it actually was. There were dozens of markers detailing significant historical events, however if you ever needed to unload a dozen used tires, a refrigerator, and an abandoned trailor home... this would be the place (this marks where George Washington had his first fort... oh look there's a pile of burning phone books). Something like that.

Back Roads

2009-06-24T10:57:00.002-04:00

Took the back roads through a bit of Illinois to Indianapolis. Once the sun started going down it cooled off dramatically. I jumped on the interstate after dark to make up time. Rolled into town a little after 10pm. I took a trip to the Steak and Shake (2 bacon cheeseburgers, chicken fingers, and a chocolate shake) and checked in at the Holiday Inn, where I ate myself into a junk food coma.
Off to Pennsylvania!!

2009-06-24T10:12:00.000-04:00

2009-06-24T10:10:00.000-04:00

INDIANA!!

2009-06-23T21:07:00.000-04:00

via the backroads.

middle of nowhere

2009-06-23T19:58:00.000-04:00

Indiana here I come!!

2009-06-23T16:49:00.001-04:00

$42 later, I'm finally off. Throttle cable adjustment, timing
adjustment. I didn't mind, the dealership turned out to be a great
place to get stuck!!

Classic Motorcycle Museum, St. Louis

2009-06-23T16:13:00.001-04:00

Classic French, German, Italian, and Scandinavian motorcycles. These
were my favorites.

2009-06-23T16:09:00.001-04:00

2009-06-23T15:54:00.003-04:00

2009-06-23T15:54:00.001-04:00

2009-06-23T15:53:00.003-04:00

2009-06-23T15:53:00.001-04:00

2009-06-23T15:52:00.001-04:00

2009-06-23T15:50:00.001-04:00

Waiting....

2009-06-23T11:02:00.003-04:00

Called for an appointment with the local BMW shop, of course they are slammed, waiting for the mechanic to call me back. I tried my mechanic in Brooklyn, waiting for him as well...
In the meantime, enjoy this pic of Jaxson at the Iowa Cubs game. We left after the 5th inning due to the unbearable heat and a breakout of swamp butt.

St. Louis, and a much needed shower.

2009-06-23T10:40:00.003-04:00

Arrived at the hotel around 9:30pm, tired, smelly, and hungry. The ride from Iowa was so pretty, if it wasn't for the temp being in the 90's, I would have enjoyed it a whole lot more. The stop in Kansas City put me back 3 hours. After my BBQ lunch I had to sit through some pretty major traffic. For an air cooled bike this not good. I split the lane for a good 30 min, the whole time people honking at me, it was either that or overheat. The hotel is nice, it's only been open for 3 months and is located in "the loop" of a collegiate section of town. Everything was closed at 11pm, and even worse, nothing is open on Monday. I spent the night at the bar chatting with staff and talking motorcycle shop. After my 3rd Chimay (they have a great beer selection) and a few tequila shots I managed to buy 2 of the bartenders CD's (he said he was a "singer/songwriter", seems to have good taste in music) and gave my "foodie" waitress who is visiting NYC a list of every great place to eat, including my "club connected" friend Lou's # in case she wanted to go out (sorry Lou). I'm anxious to get back on the road to Cincinnati, which seems SO far away. The bike is idling really low and is shutting off when I downshift. I did everything I could to figure it out, no luck. Fortunately there is a great mechanic here in town. I would like to get the oil changed in the AM anyway, so we'll see, hopefully it's an easy fix.

Interior of Joe's, KC.

2009-06-23T10:11:00.000-04:00

Kansas City BBQ!!!

2009-06-23T10:06:00.001-04:00

Oklahoma Joe's is on Anthony Bourdain's 13 places to eat before you die and supposedly THE best Q in the world (it's located in a GAS station, pretty cool). I had only been there for 5 minutes when the entire kitchen staff picked up on my accent and started doing a re-enactment of the Soprano's... don't they know that's NEW JERSEY??

I ordered the pulled pork and brisket. The beef was amazing, I enjoyed the pork more. Luckily I remembered to get a photo right before I swallowed the plate.... the fork is not a prop.

2009-06-22T14:52:00.000-04:00

Current Itinerary, Weather Permitting

2009-06-22T02:48:00.004-04:00

Times are based on a combination of local and interstate routes. Host cities subject to change due to weather, fatigue or boredom. I've decided not go as far south as I had originally planned, I'm anxious to get home. Right now I don't really feel like being on the road alone for 5 or 6 days, we'll see if that changes once things get underway. Any suggestions on things to do, see, hear, or eat would be welcome and greatly appreciated.

MONDAY
Des Moines to St. Louis (6 hours 34 mins, via Kansas City, route I-35 South) LOCAL/ INTER

TUESDAY
St. Louis to Cincinnati (7 hours 49 mins) LOCAL/ INTER

WEDNESDAY
Cincinnati to Harrisburg, PA (11 hours 42 mins) LOCAL

THURSDAY
Harrisburg, PA to BROOKLYN, NYC (3 hours 4 mins) INTER

So far looks like the weather is going to be good, extremely HOT and HUMID... but at least no rain.
........ More about the LA job and the Iowa Cubs game (my day in Iowa withOUT Michelle) at a later date, big day of riding tomorrow.

Dallas Airport

2009-06-21T08:18:00.001-04:00

12:55am flight to Des Moines with a layover in Dallas. It's funny, you can't always tell a real "new yorker" from a Yankees cap, but I'll bet ANY amount of money that somebody wearing an "Iowa" t shirt is actually from Iowa.

The First Mass Produced Motorcycle

2009-06-12T18:07:00.014-04:00

At lunch today Michelle's uncle (who I THINK rides a Victory) commented on Harley Davidson to be the first mass produced motorcycle (I believed this the same way I believe Al Gore invented the internet). This led me to do a bit of research (it's raining and I have nothing better to do, besides I wanted to know for myself). I actually found quite a bit of interesting info on the history of motorcycles, I thought I'd share.

In 1889, Heinrich and Wilhelm Hildebrand of Munich made a prototype motorcycle using a small steam engine. After their prototype steam motorcycle, the brothers joined with Alois Wolfmuller to manufacture a design patented by Wolfmuller and Hans Geisenhoff in 1894. It is considered to be the first production motorcycle, it was made in both Germany and France until 1896. The engine was a twin cylinder, water cooled, four stroke with 1488cc. The pistons traveled together (firing alternately) with their connecting rods pushing cranks on the rear wheel, like a locomotive engine. The rear wheel acted like a flywheel and it used rubber bands to pull the pistons back up the cylinders.

The first really successful production two-wheeler, it had a step-through frame, with its fuel tank mounted on the downtube. The engine was a parallel-twin, mounted low on the frame, with its cylinders going fore-and-aft. The connecting rods connected directly to a crank on the rear axle, and instead of using heavy flywheels for energy storage between cylinder-firing, it used a pair of stout elastic bands, one on each side outboard of the cylinders, to help out on the compression strokes. It was water-cooled, and had a water tank/radiator built into the top of the rear fender.

The first mass-production motor driven cycle to be manufactured in the United States was the 1900 Orient Motor Cycle designed by Charles H. Metz of the Waltham Manufacturing Company in Waltham, Massachusetts.

1902, First Indian motorcycles, featuring innovative belt-drives and streamlined styling, sold to public. Indian is America's oldest motorcycle brand and was once the largest manufacturer of motorcycles in the world. The most popular models were the Scout, made prior to WWII, and the Chief, which had its heyday from 1922-53.

In 1906, Harley and the Davidsons built their first factory, that year around 50 motorcycles were produced. In 1969, American Machinery and Foundry (AMF, the bowling lane people) bought the company, streamlined production, and slashed the workforce. This tactic resulted in a labor strike and a lower quality of bikes. The bikes were expensive and inferior in performance, handling, and quality to Japanese motorcycles. Sales declined, quality plummeted, and the company almost went bankrupt.[31] The "Harley-Davidson" name was mocked as "Hardly Ableson", "Hardly Driveable," and "Hogly Ferguson",[32][33] and the nickname "Hog" became pejorative.

The first motorcycle powered by an internal combustion (gas) engine was built by Gottlieb Daimler (1834-1900) and Wilhelm Maybach (1846-1929) in 1885, and called the "Einspur." Their company, the Daimler Motor Company of Stuttgart, Germany was formed after the two left their employment at Deutz Gasmotorenfabrik AG, where Daimler worked as their technical director. Daimler's engine was based on the "Otto-Cycle" engine, designed three years earlier by Eugen Langen and Dr. Nikolaus Otto, who was a co-owner of Deutz Gasmotorenfabrik. Otto's engine was based on the earlier work of Alphonse Beau de Rochas in the early 1860s.

source: the interweb

Spent Two Hours.....

2009-06-12T15:38:00.000-04:00

in Dave and Jamie's driveway scraping bug guts and deep cleaning the
bike today. Cleaned the carbs, topped it off with some oil. Swapped
out the sissy bar for the seat rail. Not long after this pic was taken
it started to rain... I guess no riding today.

Iowa City!!

2009-06-11T10:23:00.009-04:00

We made it to Iowa!! Somehow we managed to evade the rain!! Stayed in Iowa City for the night, had dinner with Michelle's friend Summer. Not long after Michelle and I were back on the bike for a little night time tour of her old college stomping grounds, where she proceeded to show me every place she and her friends have ever lived, ate, drank, studied, went for coffee, partied, etc. etc...

Just a few more hours and we'll be at our final destination, Des Moines. I'm really anxious to give the bike a proper wash, so Dave have the hose and buckets ready!! I'll be flying to LA on Sunday from Des Moines for work, so the blog will be on hiatus for a week. Sadly Michelle will not be taking the ride back to NYC with me. I'm finding it hard to imagine doing the return trip without her. I'm going to miss the shoulder rubs and the weight of her body against my back. We are both having so much fun, I don't want this to end. It will be two weeks before we are together again, which I think is the longest we have been apart in 5 years!! Taking that sissy bar off is going to suck.

The BEST sandwich EVER....

2009-06-11T10:11:00.004-04:00

is called the "3 Little Pigs". You can only get it at The Silver Palm, thick cut smoked ham, panko breaded pork cutlet, two strips of bacon, a fried egg, and melted gruyere on a brioche bun.

I miss you sandwich! Clogged in my arteries forever... I will never forget you.

Bloody Mary

2009-06-11T10:05:00.006-04:00

The best Bloody Mary I have ever had (besides my own) was in Chicago. The Twisted Spoke has a decent one, not the best, but pretty, pretty, pretty good. The beer chaser (Genesee Cream Ale) scores it HUGE points. The interior and exterior is decorated with motorcycles and has the largest selection of whiskeys I have ever seen in one place.

Chicago, day two

2009-06-11T09:18:00.005-04:00

Chicago may not have the best Pizza, but the best HOT DOG??!!
We slept in, it was nice not to have to pack up the bike that morning. We left the apartment around lunch time and headed to "Hot Doug's". As we pulled up I noticed a bit of a line... then we turned the corner, the line wrapped around the building. I hate lines, I have never waited on line to get into a club, why the hell would I wait for hot dogs?? After being online for about an hour we finally made it inside. Doug himself was behind the counter taking orders. The menu on the wall was incredible, the list of ingrediants and combinations made it extremely difficult to choose. I settled on the "Jim Barley" (Jack Daniels Infused Smoked Pork Sausage with Fennel, Piquillo Pepper Sauce, and Burning Nettles Cheese), the "Duck" (Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage with Truffle Aioli, Foie Gras Mousse and Sel Gris), and the "Classic" (Chicago-Style Hot Dog with all the trimmings). The dogs were cooked perfectly, they looked perfect, they tasted perfect. My favorite of the three was the duck with the foie gras.

Worth the wait.

Chicago, day one.

2009-06-11T00:03:00.009-04:00

I've come to the realization that I love Chicago... I love NYC (MORE), but I can say I really love Chicago.
After Calumet Fisheries we made our way to Ann's apartment, as Michelle unpacked I took a much needed nap. A few hours later we decided to go out for deep dish "pizza". In my opinion there is no debating who has the best pizza, (New York reigns supreme in that area). I don't consider deep dish "pizza", therefore why compare it to the classic NY style. IT'S GOOD, don't get me wrong... but I believe if you can't fold it, it aint pizza! I have found Chicago-ins feel as passionate about their pizza as any New Yorker... when we stopped in at a local bar Michelle asked the barkeep to recommend "the best" deep dish in Chicago, sure enough we received a roar of different opinions from everyone within earshot. Burt's Place, Gino's East, Uno, and Due were all debated over. We ended up at Lou Malnati's, a Chicago institution (and a chain). The "pizza" was good, however I feel a lot more research needs to be done in this area. :)

Chicago, Calumet Fisheries

2009-06-09T12:06:00.006-04:00

Calumet Fisheries is located on Chicago's south side, right below the Skyway Bridge. It was featured on Anthony Bourdain's (my culinary hero) episode on Chicago. They specialize in smoked treats from the local waters and not so local (the salmon is from Canada).

As we parked the bike I noticed all these faces staring at us through the window. I was thinking "what the F are all these people looking at ??". Needless to say we were both a bit road weary and cranky from riding in the rain that morning.... when riding rain drops feel like little needles on your face, not fun. ANYWAY, as we walked in the man behind the counter said to me "do me a favor... say TARTER SAUCE"... I grinned knowing EXACTLY what he was getting at (NY license plate). So in my best New YAWK accent (with a hint of Long Island) I said "TARDA SAWCE". Everyone laughed. My mood changed instantly.

We met Carlos, the beautifully obese man behind the counter. He greeted us with a sample of their smoked shrimp and asked if we were friends of Anthony Bourdain. Regardless he treated us like we were VIP's. Imediatley we asked for recomendations. "Anthony had the smoked trout, but I recommend the salmon"... we took Carlos' recomendation. Afterall he has been working there for 13 years and by the look of him probably knows a few things about the joy of food.

I can't emphasize enough, the smoked fish is AMAZING!!! We had the fried smelts and the recommended smoked salmon with garlic and peppercorn. We sat curbside (you won't find tables and chairs) and ate like the ravenous little travelers we were, tearing apart huge chucks of smoked fish with our hands. We dipped the fried smelts in hot sauce, eating them bones and all. They were perfect, not greasy at all. Afterwards Carlos gave us a tour of the smoker and we discussed the process. He was extremely knowledgable and proud of the product they produce, he seemed to really love what he does. I found him to be very inspiring.

Sidenotes: I asked Carlos if could buy a baseball hat so I could "represent" (they sell t-shirts and hats). He gave it to me "on the house". I love this place!!!

The drawbridge in the background was featured in the film "The Blues Brothers". There is a scene in the movie were they jumped the bridge to get away from the cops. There are original pictures from the 70's documenting the stunt coordination, along with the cast. The walls of the shop illustrate all of their acknowledgments and history through the years.

Afterwards, we followed the GPS to Ann's apartment (more like a palace, this place is HUGE!!) in the Wicker Park section, north west of where we were. The GPS had us driving through some of the more "scenic" neighborhoods of Chicago's notorious "South Side". I had no idea you could push all of your living room furniture onto the sidewalk when you host a BBQ?! At everylight we were met with confused stares.. I even think I heard someone say "WHAT THE F' ARE YOU DOING IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD". One driver next to us offered Michelle a 40oz... Another commented about our "face masks" asking if we were WHITE... Oh sweet South Side, I will always remember you as the "murder capital of the US".

suiting up for rain

2009-06-08T18:38:00.002-04:00

the stone

2009-06-08T18:28:00.002-04:00

...or part of it at least!

view from the back

2009-06-08T18:22:00.002-04:00

lucky weather

2009-06-08T18:09:00.002-04:00

roadsters

2009-06-08T18:07:00.002-04:00

Applebees, Sandusky Ohio

2009-06-08T00:13:00.002-04:00

What a great day. We had some incredible weather right after we left
Wellsboro. Rolling hills, a warm breeze, and beautiful scenery. About
2 hours into the ride the rain drops started to fall. We pulled over,
suited up in our rain gear, got back on the bike for literally 2
minutes... then the sun came out. We took all local roads today,
traffic was non existent. I shut off the GPS and just drove west. I
have no idea how we ended up in Sandusky. We had roughly 12 hours of
riding today, zig zagging north and south. Funny enough there's some
motorcycle fest here in Sandusky (Ohio bike week). The place is
overrun with Harleys. The more Harleys I see the more I feel they all
look the same. Doesn't mean I would pass up an opportunity to test
ride one. I'm just saying where is the individuality? And why so f'ing
loud? I get the concept of loud pipes "saving lives" and all, but is
it necessary that I feel like my bowels are going to explode everytime
one rumbles by?? seriously.
Tomorrows forecast does not look good. I'm really hoping the rain
passes, if not I guess we'll be right back here at Applebees blogging
and throwing back shots of tequila. We'll always have that, Sandusky.
And yes, Applebees is the best this place has to offer.... god how we
tried!

Here is a list of things we have experienced over the last few days,
not in any particular order; michelle accurately compared us to the
Griswalds.

While riding Michelle was stung by a bee (twice). I had a bee in my
beard. The bees are crazy here. Michelle's lip started to look weird,
allergic reaction? There are dead bug guts over EVERYTHING!! The
carnage is unbelievable.

Some crazy old drunk guy kissed michelle's hand, and then proceeded to
apologize to me. Chilvary is alive and well in Sandusky. He was
talking to himself the entire night.

We befreinded a lovely older couple from Scranton, PA. They are
motorcyle enthusiasts. They think Obama is a Muslim and a Terrorist.

I finally came face to face with my kidney stone. In a diner restroom
urinal, it literally shot out with a "ping" against the porcelain
wall. I fished it out for evaluation with my bare hands (pictures to
follow).

Day Two...

2009-06-07T08:12:00.001-04:00

We woke up this morning (7am) with a loud bang at the hotel room door.
"Hello?... are you the person that parked on the sidewalk??? They are
going to tow your bike within the hour!"

As we ate lunch the GPS drained the bikes battery, I never unplugged
it from my homemade charger. The battery was dead. Thanks to the
kidness of strangers (and 2 jump starts later) we made it to the
hotel. I parked the bike on the sidewalk... as we do in NYC.. took the
battery out and charged it in our room. Good news, the battery is as
good as new. Bad news, I received a $10 summons for illegally parking.
Even though I spent $70 on a plate puller the the fuzz was still able
to acquire my license plate number. The lovely people at the Penn Wells
Hotel were kind enough to help the officer with my very personal and
private information, which included the plate #. Great detective work!!
(Jerks).

Lessons learned. Do not park on the sidewalk, do not give out your
plate info. Hope the rest of the day goes well.

First Stop.

2009-06-06T14:08:00.000-04:00

We left Brooklyn around 10:30am, been on the road for a few hours. Our
first stop... the Snydersville Diner. We hear it's a Pocono Tradition.

packed and ready...

2009-06-06T13:58:00.000-04:00

Just waiting for michelle...

The new tank bag!

2009-06-04T18:01:00.002-04:00

Sissy Bar or no Sissy Bar.... that is the question.

2009-06-04T16:49:00.010-04:00

For those who don't know, a sissy bar is nothing more than a back support and in my opinion, really, really ugly. There, I said it.... Oh, and fairings too (with exception to the R90S)..... OK, I just don't like "cruisers" in general, aka "2 wheeled minivans". Unless a sissy bar is used as a design element on a custom chopper, I find them to make the bike look kind of "matronly" . I totally get the comfort issue, if I were riding on the back for any extended amount of time I would probably want the extra support. So with that said, I put the sissy bar on last weekend for our ride out to Shelter Island, just to see how Michelle would feel. Surprisingly enough there were mixed reviews. Although she felt secure on the bike, we were kind of crammed together, it didn't offer her much room to move so I don't think we'll be taking it. Huge mistake? Maybe... at least we'll look cool? Our friend Molly seemed to think the sissy bar made it look "luxurious". She knows not of what she speaks.

Waiting...

2009-06-03T10:50:00.008-04:00

My lovely wife Michelle won a SWEET vintage Harro tank bag via Ebay (hooray for Mimi!!). Michelle is tactical with Ebay... serious bidding skills. The "Elefantenboy" was the classic tank bag for Airheads back in the day, canvas and leather. I'm "patiently" waiting for it to arrive today via UPS..... in the meantime feel free to enjoy these fun motorcycle inspired pics.

The Route ( & The Rain!!!)

2009-06-03T03:01:00.005-04:00

The plan is to take all back roads from Brooklyn NY, traveling northwest via route 6 through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and finally IOWA. We'll most likely stay in the "quaint" town of Wellsboro the first night, about 5hrs outside of NYC. Then possibly with family in Cleveland and friends in Chicago, spread across 6 days of travel. The only big problem now is RAIN. According to the weather channel, weather.com, my Iphone, and NY1 the entire north central section of the continental United States (literally) is covered in green, orange, and red... rain and hale. Assuming the weather holds its course we may be able to slip by, traveling north just above the foulness below. Whatever happened to "April showers", this is June dammit!

In the meantime I'll be closely monitoring, packing our rain gear, bag covers, boots. After doing tons of research I'm having the new tires installed tomorrow, Bridgestone Battlax BT45. They've received great reviews, especially in bad weather, really sticky tires. Although I prefer the looks of the Metzeler Lasertec's, my mechanic swears by the Bridgestone, he has a pair on his BWM as well. I'll try them out, if anything I could always go back to the Lasertec in a season or two.

Step one... create the blog.

2009-05-31T22:46:00.003-04:00

Ok, step one is done. NOW what?

I'll never forget the day Michelle (my wife) said to me "why don't we get a motorcycle". Two years of persistent bike talk finally paid off. It was on a Sunday night, Thursday I had my bike.

I found the BMW, a 1976 R 75/6 (AKA Screamin' Mimi) via Craigslist from a retired guy named Jack. I drove a rented cargo van out to eastern Connecticut with absolutely no expectations, and no idea what I was getting myself into. No license to ride, no permit. I didn't really know how to ride a motorcycle... but I new I wanted one, and by the end of the day I knew I wanted this one. She was gorgeous, the paint and chrome was near perfect. Jack really cared for her. He was the second owner. The fist owner was another retired guy from Pennsylvania. I have come to learn these older guys really know how to take care of their bikes. Now the responsibility would soon be mine.

I asked him to start her up, the engine hummed as he took it for a test ride doing figure eights in the parking lot of his condo. We talked for about an hour, going over all the history and details of the bike, he showed me a hand written "bible" of every part, oil change, and tune up she has ever had since 1976, receipts and all. Jack threw in a set of spare tires, a sissy bar, some luggage cases, a huge stack of Airhead magazines, and the deal was done.