NorCal Mild Hogs

America the Beautiful

Any of you that know me, know that we plan to return to the United States as soon as we retire. For you progressives in the bunch, California is not part of the United States, not as I know them. More to come on that. Today we rode from Winnemucca to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. What a ride. 538 miles! Much of it was freeway through Nevada, which I can take or leave, but then we got onto a two lane road to head to Twin Falls. It was a beautiful ride with vast prairies on either side and regular reminders that herds of deer migrate across the road. We kept a vigilant eye, but never spotted a deer, thankfully. As much as I like seeing them, I do not enjoy the thought of them in the roadway, particularly in herds... The fences on the sides of the road must have been 12 feet high and we even came across 2 bridges specifically for migrating herds.

Bridge for herds of deer to cross the highway.

We stopped for lunch in Twin Fall, Idaho, the beginning of the United States. Of course we ate at Subway. Every time we stopped in Idaho, someone would come up, comment on the bikes, as where we were going, offer directions, etc. At first it freaked us out a bit, being from California, but eventually we calmed down and enjoyed the attention. At one stop, Ray left his credit card in the store. As we rehydrated and chatted in the parking lot, the young lady came out to give Ray back his card. I'm fairly confident he will not find any unusual charges on it, after all, it is America. I'm trying to cut Ray some slack since he is a Prospect, but he seems to forget a lot of things. Let's see, no sunscreen...no bike lock, no cover... I didn't ask about rain gear.... Welcome to the club, Ray!

Pam and Ray

The ride from Twin Falls to Jackson Hole was spectacular. Beautiful fields of golden grain, large fields of something green...we were going 75 miles per hour. It reminded me that our nation is not just the cities, but has a large heart land that produces an abundance of food, so much the we feed the world, and still have enough left over to burn in our cars. If I was bringing someone from outside the country to see the U.S., I would avoid S.F. and New York and bring them to Idaho so they can see the immenseness of our farming capability. Everywhere you look, huge John Deere equipment plowing and reaping. America at its finest.

As we entered Teton County, there were signs to watch for moose on the road. Needless to say, this captured my full attention as I was both excited and fearful all at the same time. No luck, or perhaps great luck as no moose were spotted. As you come into Jackson, there are full size metal silhouettes of moose on the side of the road. We all thought they were real a distance.

As day 2 draws to an end, we are not far from Yellowstone as seen on Disney or the National Geographic channel. See you on the road.

Where the Mucca is Winnefucca?

Day 1 - Sturgis 2012
Day one went without a hitch. Really, we did not tow the bikes! This is our first time time to make the trip without towing our bikes. In Sturgis you can buy patches for your vest that say "I rode mine". I looked and looked for "I towed mine" patches, but sadly never saw one. It is a different feeling to ride all the way to Sturgis. We saw a lot of bikes being trailered, and can only assume they were heading to the largest Harley gathering in the world. As we passed them on the bikes, I would sneer at them in their cushy trucks with air condition, cup holders, heated seats, XM radios...ok, that does sound a lot like my motorcycle. Anyway, we sneered and uttered "pussy" under our breath. How good it is to be so righteous.

We left this morning at the crack of dawn, actually 8:45, from the Starbucks in Benicia. The weather was overcast and cool, perfect riding conditions, but unfortunately did not last for long.

L to R: Kirk, Patty, Pam, Ray, Julie, Dave

Today's journey took us from Benicia to Truckee where we made our first gas stop. It was also a good opportunity to shed the jackets as the sun and temperature were both on the rise. Julie was on the bike for the first leg with Patty and Pam, manning (womanning) the truck as we have a 2 person in the truck rule. We met shortly thereafter for lunch in Verde, Nevada. It was a lovely lunch at the Jack in the Box. This was clearly a break in Mild Hog tradition as we eat strictly at Subways while on the road. Oh well, I suspect we will be breaking many traditions with the women on board. After lunch, it was a boys only ride to Winnemucca. Wow was it ever hot! The temp was 96 when we finally stopped.

Jerry has been on our minds constantly. We've never been on this run without him. We have been filling in as best we can. I rode in the back and tried to look out for all the riders, just as Jerry always did without ridiculing anyone's riding, at least not where they can hear. Kirk even spotted a deer! It had been hit by a tractor trailer, but none the less, he did spot it.

It is good to have new prospects, Ray and Pam on the ride. Their stories are new, at least for now, so it helps.

Tomorrow we head for Jackson Hole which is 60 miles outside of Yellowstone. It will be a long day so I will close for now. I promise more pictures tomorrow. Ansul Adams (Julie) took a few pictures today, but to be honest with you, Nevada is not exactly picturesque, after all, it is the smoking section of California.

More tomorrow! See you on the road.

Jerry Macauley

July 30, 1953 - June 29, 2012

Repo Man

We are all saddened by the sudden passing of our dear friend, bother and co-founding member of the NorCal Mild Hogs, Jerry Macauley. While this has been a few rough weeks for everyone who knew and loved Jerry, we can take comfort in knowing without a doubt that he is in heaven and waiting for the first opportunity when we can all ride together again.

Jerry went by many names, Jerry, Jerald, Dad, Grandpa, Scout, Tail Gate and Repo Man. But we will remember him as our friend, riding buddy and moral compass for the club, and heaven only knows we needed the last one.

Jerry was an enthusiastic rider, always ready for the next trip. On our last outing, Jerry asked if we would be wearing our colors. I told him we were laying low due to some squabbles with the Angels and therefore not wearing our colors that day. Jerry just said okay, not knowing if I was joking or not, which of course I was. That was just like Jerry, easy going, easy to get along with.

We've reflected over the past several weeks on all the good times we had together, especially on our trips to Sturgis. We thought it might be nice to share some photos of Jerry from our past trips.

Jerry at Custer National Park

Jerry loved the great outdoors. He was an avid fisherman and hunter. He could spot an antelope a mile away, and boy did he ever spot them on our trip across Wyoming. One after one, after one he would point them out until Jersey snapped "Okay!, We get it!". Jerry and I had an ongoing debate about a particular animal we spotted under a tree, I still say it was an elk. That was how our rides would go, constant joking, teasing and laughter. One of my favorite recollections of Jerry was when we were putting together our "Know your Mild Hog" quiz on our last trip. When asked who you would like to take to Sturgis, Jerry blurted out, "John Wayne". Kirk said Halle Bary, I said Angeline Jolie. After hearing our proposed riding partners, Jerry quickly wanted to change his decision. We of course would not let him... We all laughed, including Jerry at the thought of us with chicks on the back of our bikes, and Jerry with a cowboy on his. Regardless, I know John Wayne would have had fun with Jerry.

One talent that Jerry had that did not get as much credit as it deserved was Jerry's skill at "Air Drums". A good song would come on the radio and Jerry would pick up his air sticks and play along. He was amazing, never missing a beat. I personally watched him play along at several concerts including the Eagles. He was the best!

Jerry in the Badlands

On our trip to the Badlands, Jerry led the way. He did not often lead, so it was a treat for all of us. Jerry almost always rode last. "So those who are last now will be first then, and those are first will be last". There was a great deal of comfort having Jerry guarding the back of the pack. He provided early warning of bogey's coming up from behind, he would block traffic so we could all move over a lane, but best of all, he quietly watched the rest of us make our occasional bone head moves without a word. On one particular occasion I was looking at an electric motorcycle on the side of the road when I hit a raised manhole cover straight on. I looked back only to see Jerry smiling. Yep, he saw it all happen from his vantage point. Only once can I remember Jerry getting caught off guard. We were in Sturgis of course when a Bandito (not the Frito Lay kind) came screaming up on the shoulder of the road passing us all on the right, scaring the crap out of us with his stupid, reckless riding. I remember we were all going to go after him, but Kirk's bike was low on gas so we called it off... Lucky for him.

Jerry enjoying a cool one

Jerry loved riding, a road trip, music, the outdoors, but especially his family and especially his wife and best friend, Doni. Jerry loved having Doni on the back of his motorcycle sharing the open road and all the adventures life had to offer.

Doni and Jerry in Las Vegas

Tres Amigos and co-founder of the NorCal Mild Hogs

Needless to say, we will all miss Jerry and will think about him each time we ride. The NorCal Mild Hogs will forever have a missing piece.

See you on the Road, Jer. Rest in Peace until we ride again.

Newest Mild Hog Arrives!

Denise, Born April 23, 2012, 6:50 AM, 6 lb. 11 oz.
The NorCal Mild Hogs welcomes its newest member! She already has proud Grandpa Kirk wrapped around her tiny finger.

She is also sporting the latest in HD baby attire.

Congratulations, Kirk and Patty, Kelli and Todd!

Big Foot and other mythical creatures

I know what you are thinking...what are the Mild Hogs up to now? Well, it was a balmy day in January and perfect for a ride. It had been several weeks since we rode and we were getting claustrophobic and antsy to ride. The girls were busy with more important things like clothes shopping so Kirk and I decided to hit the road and visit our ailing friend Jerry. I know it is hard to imagine Mild Hogs being compassionate enough to check on one of our own, but we are not entirely about brawling, drinking and womanizing... Actually, we are not about any of that, except perhaps the drinking, when not driving. Any way, Jerry has had a nasty bout of bronchitis, so we thought we would meet him at the Brentwood Starbucks (club house #2) and see how he was doing before we rode to the Eagles Nest in Lodi.

Rare photo of Big Foot

This is where the Big Foot comes in...

Equally rare, Jerry!

It has been so long since we had seen Jerry, we were beginning to wonder if he truly existed, or if he was actually some mythical creature like Big Foot or the Abominable Snow Man. Well , we can tell you that he does exist, although he is still somewhat under the weather. We wanted to know if he was up to a ride, but said something about coughing up a lung and riding a motorcycle being incompatible. Any way, it was great to see Jerry, catch up on everything he has been doing and discuss the Sturgis trip this summer. Jerry is mapping out the drive since he is retired with too much time on his hands. After catching up and some coffee, it was off to the Eagle Nest in Lodi. The Eagles Nest is the HD store in Lodi. It is large, well stocked with bikes and has a sitting area with coffee, cushy seating and a tv. Sort of a man cave away from home. We browsed the store, checked out the latest bikes and ended up buying rain suits for the Sturgis trip. While we generally do not ride in the rain, there will be no avoiding the afternoon showers that are common during the summer in South Dakota and Wyoming. The ride home was uneventful, thank goodness and unfortunately mostly into the sun.

It was great to be out on the bikes, even for a short ride. It will be nice when the weather warms up and we have the girls on the back again.

See you on the road.

Healdsburg Ride

It was a spectacular fall day in Northern California, one of those days with sunshine, but cool enough for chaps. As we left, the sun was shining, but we faced thick fog as we crossed the Benicia bridge. It was the first long ride on the new bike. As the damp fog surrounded us on the bridge, I suddenly felt my butt getting warm... It was not my imagination, Julie had cranked up the heat on the seats, one of the features of the new bike I had forgotten about, but obviously she had not. As we got closer to Kirk's place, the fog broke and the sunshine gradually warmed us up.

After meeting up with Kirk and Patty, we headed up to Healdsburg, crossing 37 and turning up Lakeville Highway to Petaluma. then up 101 to Windsor where we ate lunch at the Downtown Grill. It is a nice little place with outdoor seating and a 50's era interior with lots of unique signs, Marilyn Monroe and Jimmy Dean posters and various other entertaining decorations. The menu is basic Americana, our kind of place. We've also had breakfast there, but I believe they stop serving it at 11:00. The service was good, the food was good and the company was great. Next to the ride itself, it is always wonderful to catch up with old friends over good food. It had been a few days since we had seen each other so naturally there was a lot of catching up to do.

Downtown Grill - Windsor

Windsor is a quaint town that looks like it was either entirely remodeled as all the main buildings are similar in design, or it was all built new in the past few years. I honestly don't have enough interest to look it up, but enjoyed the visit. Just as a note, there is a candy store that has all the old candy we had as kids such as the flat wide strips of taffy, the paper with the candy dots and many candy bars that are no longer available in regular stores. I have to wonder if they are really old candy bars, unlikely, or just reproductions done on a smaller scale to meet a niche market.

Just one view of the Francis Ford Coppula Winery

After lunch we rode to the Francis Ford Coppula winery off of Independence Ave. It is a beautiful winery and the grounds are exquisite (please note that I will not be using that term ever again, but thought it was appropriate). We stopped and walked around. There is large swimming pool that can be used by visitors to the winery for a fee. We all decided that we would ride up there next summer, enjoy some time lounging around the pool, sipping wine and then ride back. I got my Speedo out just to make sure it is ready to go... There was also a tee-pee on the property. I have no idea why it was there or what purpose it served, but perhaps it was to recognized the contributions of the Native Americans to our country. After all, they were living in tents when Europeans who sailed across the ocean in wooden ships discovered this fine land. They were also using sticks dragged by horses to carry materials, rather than the clunky wheel that the Europeans had used for hundreds of years. Come to think of it, I don't know why the tee-pee was there, but it was...

Dave mugging for the camera

On the way out of the winery, we stopped to take some glamour shots of our bikes... Hard to beat the setting and we thought the fall colors would go well with our paint, so here they are....

Dave and Julie's Bike

Kirk and Patty's Bike

After visiting the winery, we road the back roads of Healdsburg following the same route that Dave and Julie ran during a recent half marathon. The ride was beautiful with the grape leaves having turned orange and red and the smell of remaining grapes fermenting on the vine. Fall is a great time in wine country, particularly on a motorcycle. The ride home was almost as nice since we cut over the hills to Calistoga and took the Silverado Trail through the Napa Valley. After a quick stop at Kirk and Patty's it was back over the bridge and a quick ride home.

A great day in all. See you on the road.

Kirk and Patty Wedding

The Happy Couple

September 10, 2011 - It was a wonderful weekend with friends and family, lots of friends and family...more than we could imagine. It may have been the beautiful setting, the scrumptious food, or the free booze, but was most likely the wedding of two wonderful and loved members of our Mildhog family getting married. Kirk and Patty, The Outlaws, finally tied the knot. As in typical Outlaw style, the wedding was a gigantic party beginning with the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner on Friday night, into the wedding and finally the reception.

"OK, Kirk, first you slip your arm around her..."

The wedding went off without a hitch, unless of course you count Patty getting hitched.... There were some tense moments, late arrivals for the photo shoot, should the groomsmen place their hand in front or to the side, the first dance, the old man's toast...

Without a doubt, it was a wonderful celebration of two friends who eventually fell in love.