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Published: September 6th 2008
Inndianapolis
Leather clad me.....So after a short stint in New York I made my way to meet up with my dad and my uncle at Newark airport. Getting a $90 cab ride as I had to drop off my big backpack at a hotel and live the next 2 weeks out of my small day bag.... Met up with the old guys kinda strange seeing my dad for 1st time in 8months! Made our way to Liberty Harley-Davidson to get the rental bikes. Big Ultra glide classics. Steve having red and dad of course having Chelsea blue! With all our gear strapped on we headed off to our 1st destination, about a 250mile ride to York, Pennsylvania. It appears that I have some kind of allergy to something floating about in the air as my eyes soon became red raw and pretty painful. Having breakfast the next morning dad and Steve thought they saw “Willie G” not really being up on the Harley scene I soon learnt he is the great grandson of the founders of the famous bikes!
Ready to leave the next morning for another 250mile ride to Wheeling, West Virginia (no I didn’t hear the song) we were accosted by some
Brothers on a bench.........
Taking a much needed rest ridi........ng in the heat guy from the media who took our photos and information so we may end up in his magazine. Arriving at our hotel there were masses of police outside, as it turned out we were staying in same hotel as Willie and the police were escorting him and his family to the event at the local dealership. Seeing as the weather was extremely hot the tarmac was so soft that it started to melt under the stands of the bikes, so our claim to fame is saving the top dog’s bike from going over! We met a load of great people all wanting to chat to us as we were one of the few Europeans there.
Waking up the next morning my eyes had taken a turn for the worse and it now looked like I was possessed or very stoned. Coming back from the pharmacy with some drops I saw some more media guys around Steve and dad. This time it was a news crew from fox news Milwaukee. They shot a bit of footage then got us to ride over the oldest suspension bridge in the states and ride up the freeway, all whilst being filmed from a news
Flying the flag.......
Our home for 5 nights...... van!....very exciting!
With the news crew left behind we started another ride this time ending up in Dayton, Ohio. Here the event at the dealership was just around the corner so after a quick bite at hooters (which is always nice) we grabbed a beer at the dealership. Again met some quality people saw some amazing bikes and the odd stunner here and there. We met a couple guys who lived in New Jersey (where we started from) they were travelling with their wives who were following in their truck with a bike trailer on back. Really nice people and they suggested riding down to the next stop with them the following day. It was at this dealership that I fell in love....... with a Harley called the rocker for a mere $20’000 bucks it was mine but unfortunately I only have about $50....one day maybe........
So headed off with our NJ buddies deciding on the way to stop at Indianapolis racetrack. Whilst on route overtaking one of Americas many huge trucks dad goes to hit the indicator. Suddenly the engine dies we are rapidly slowing down in front of this truck and as luck would have it we pulled
Milwaukee skyline.....
Dad and Steve by the lake........... onto the shoulder without being crushed. Turns out hitting the off button instead of the indicator whilst doing 70mph has drastic effects! A bit of head shaking and dad probably feeling a bit of an arse we were back on our way. Unfortunately there were no races on at the track but we did manage to have a look around the museum which was pretty good. Seeing the state of my eyes, one of the guys gave me a brand new boxed pair of goggles/sunglasses to keep the crap out of my eyes. We found this kind of no worries helpfulness everywhere we went which was great! Arriving at Urbana, Illinois this time the event was a stones throw from the hotel, which it turns out the guys and their wives were staying too. Went our seperate ways that evening vowing to ride together again the next day. Had a few beers saw some pretty good live music and I drooled a bit more over the bike I wanted! HeWent over to a small family place for dinner where a couple of village idiot types kept talking to us!....very odd!
All set for another ride the next day Steve was
having problems with his shifter, borrowing some tools from their truck tried to tighten it up. This was no good and in the end we had to take it to the dealership to get it repaired. Meaning we’d be held up for 45mins we sent the guys on their way to Milwaukee. Seeing as my eyes were getting worse and one of the wives said I should get some antibiotics me and the old man headed for the local pharmacy whilst Steve waited for his bike to be fixed. Finding out we could not get antibiotics over the counter we were sent in the direction of the local hospital. Having to get Katy to e-mail the insurance details over I then had to be seen by no less than 6 people before I could finally get some drops! What a palava!
Eventually got back on the road and due to the hold ups we arrived too late to camp in the proper area and had to sleep one night in a temporary area. Caught the part of Lynnard Skynnard (for those of you that don’t know they’re famous for “sweet home Alabama” We were all pretty shattered so crashed out
3 Amigos.....
Just after the parade yet another well hot day...... in our tents. Next morning we headed to Veterans Park where there were bands and a load of stalls and stuff going on. On route we got lost (shocker) and ended up in a very plush area tree lined streets with gorgeous huge houses. Ended up getting a load of free stuff from some of the dealerships that were there and had a pretty good day. Later in the evening we went to Miller park home of the Brewers baseball team. Here we had a few beers watched a pretty lame stand-up and then ended it all with watching Kid Rock live who was also pretty lame!
Summerfest was the following day a big park place with various stages with live bands. Seeing as the Foo Fighters were somewhere different and clashed with ZZ top we stuck with ZZ top. Turned out to be a very good show (even if I’d never heard a single song before) Feeling peckish after we sampled some of the Buttered corn which surprisingly beat the stuff we had in Thailand! Heading home a bit late our usual gate was shut. Stopping the bike kind of abruptly feet slipping on the gravel our bike started
Lush....
I want it.......... to slowly topple over with us still on it. I managed to put my feet down and grab part of the (flipping heavy bike) to hold it whilst Steve came flying to our aid and pushed it back up. A close shave but we got over it.
The following morning was the parade where 10’000 bikes travel through the streets of downtown Milwaukee. We got up really early with no food in our bellies and managed to get an awesome spot. Steve propping his camera on the traffic lights got the whole thing on film. 2 long hours later we headed off to eat. The parade was pretty cool each bike having a flag from their country or their chapter flag but not being an enthusiast after 10’000 bikes a Harley is a Harley and I was happy to go eat! Later that day we went to Hals Dealership it had loads of stalls and things going on. We were chatting to a few Americans who wanted some English money. One of their lads took a 50p coin and they wanted to pay for it. Telling them its stupid just take it they assumed it was worth a lot and
Bruce springsteen...........
Moments later the smiles faded....where's my keys? were trying to give us $10 for it! We then headed for another dealership which was right next to a strip club. So of course all the bartenders were bikini clad stunners and there were all sorts of models mincing around it wasn’t so bad. That evening we headed back to Veterans Park this time to see Bruce Springsteen. His concert was awesome and again not knowing the songs but soon joined in. However near the end of the concert dad announces that he can’t find his bike keys anywhere...... we look on floor.... we look where we stood earlier...... we ask police...... dad goes to lost and found office...... I go back to check where we parked....... 3 Guesses for where they were? Sitting on top of the seat in broad view..... We were lucky the bike was still there!
Our last day in Milwaukee we headed for our MASSIVE American breakfast (at a diner we’d visited 3 times) this set us up for nearly the whole day.... I was soon dumped on side of road video camera in hand ready to film the 2 brothers riding over the hill crest side by side. Once we’d got the correct
Rivet time.....
Steve finding his rivet at the museum..... footage for the big kids we headed to the birthplace of Harley-Davidson. A few snaps with some other riders we met there and then we were on our way to a very long ride to Windsor, Canada. Finding the tunnel easy enough we were told we’d have to take the bridge no bikes permitted! So late at night in lovely Detroit we had to find the bride crossing. Missed our turning then the road was closed so had to follow some dodgy diversions trying to avoid the pot holes scattering the road. Eventually we made it to Canada to stay in a very nice B&B. Following morning got a few quick snaps of Detroit’s skyline and headed to Niagara but not before stopping off at a Harley shop for a fuel cap thing as dad had left his at a petrol station (don’t know where I get it from)
We were staying at the Marriott at the falls and had a suite so all 3 of us were in same room. Arriving at 16th floor (18 is top) we all stood by window ready to pull back curtains to see whether or not we’d get a good view. We didn’t
get a good view however we did get a spectacular view, Never had a view that good from a hotel room! With only one day in Canada we were up early to go on the Maid of the Mist ferry. Seemed to walk an eternity to get there. The ride was pretty funny got absolutely battered by the water at one point we couldn’t see anything as the water was in our faces. Luckily we were all wearing our fetching blue ponchos!!!
With Niagara done we headed off for a mammoth final 400mile trip back to New Jersey. Me almost not being let back into the states as I’d misplaced my green card.
So my two weeks with Steve and dad were awesome. Not one day could we relax as we were constantly on the go? Met some great people who couldn’t do enough for you. Ended up on TV swapped emails with tons of people fell in love with the Harley Rocker bike and generally had an awesome time....Next stop New York City .......... then home!!!!!!!!!!!
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The Ride Home.....then the flight home.....
Good blog Greg! It was great to have you along with us "old boys"and finish up what must have been a great 8 months for you and Katy. Half of the stuff you both did I wouldn't have the bottle to do so I take my hat off to you both! I don't think our ride on the Harleys would have been as easy without you. The Sat Nav worked very well with you on the back, riding "bitch" and pointing the way to each stop. We would have been stop, starting all the time so it really worked well. Enjoy your return home before "reality" kicks in, i.e. new job, travel bills, etc, etc. Great to have you home..............!