Electra Glide In Blue

I finally entered my first vintage bike show after all these years of having a couple of bikes that when cleaned up, look pretty good. There were some nice looking bikes that rolled in before we staged for the show and the competition was looking strong. The bike show was just listing two classes of bikes, vintage and custom. I was riding my 49 pan and figured it to be a vintage custom. So when we rolled the bikes into the staging area I noticed my main competition going for the vintage class. Now I know any 1949 is of vintage grade, but there was no reason for me not to jump to the custom class so I did.
That turned out to be a good decision on my part, as I took first place in the custom class.
It was a rare 1941 Indian Military Model 841 that took first in the vintage class. This Indian was untouched with the exception of the owner replacing the cables and a little wiring. He told me the switch wiring was a bitch.

Bike Show First Place Vintage

The 1941 Indian Military Model 841

The American Legion Riders, District 4 from Colorado came up with one hell of an idea when they decided to sponsor this Vintage motorcycle show with the Collings Foundation Wings of Freedom Tour 2010. Thanks to the Legion Riders there were no trophy’s, just a set in an old war-bird. The first place bike owners were awarded a ride in one of the vintage aircraft. The gentleman that owned the Indian got the choice of flying in the B-17, which left me flying in the B-24, the plane I wanted to fly in anyway. The cost for a seat in one of these planes runs you $425 for a half hour, that’s one nice bike show prize. Second and third place in both classes picked up $20 gift cards. Funny thing is there were only a total of maybe twenty bikes in the whole show. If they do this next year with the same format and awards the place just could be a little crowded.

Bike Show First Place Custom

My 49 Pan

More on the Bike Show

I have to cut this post short. Stay tuned for more bike pic’s from the show and a full B-24 ride report.
Remember to click on the pics for a larger view.

With highs reported to be in the upper 60’s today, and a storm warning for Friday (5 to 10in of snow) I took off on the 49 Pan with no particular place to go. I headed west, when in doubt, head west young man. That’s what I’ve always been told.

Heading into the foothills on hwy 34, I was picking up the smells of spring. After crossing the Big Thompson River the second time and I hung a left onto County Road 29. Any farther west and I’d be dropping into the Big Thompson Canyon, which wasn’t a bad idea I thought, but I wanted to get high today and look to the east. A good place around here to get high enough to maybe see Kansas is the road up to Rattlesnake.

County Road 29 follows the foothills and is a nice curvy blacktop. If you run this for about two miles, you come up on County Road 18E, you can only turn west and it’s clearly marked for Carter Lake, Flatiron Reservoir, Pinewood Reservoir,
and Ramsay-Shockey Open Space.

When you run County Road 18E all the way up, you gain about 2640 ft in elevation. Trying too keep your eyes on the road is a challenge, for the views are breath taking. So is the thought of the small guardrail that separates you from nothing but air.

The road ends at Pinewood Reservoir, or Pinewood Lake as it is sometimes called, or Rattlesnake Reservoir as it is called locally. There is good fishing I have been told, and it’s a nice place to have a bagged lunch.

Built in 1951 and named Rattlesnake Reservoir because of its location in Rattlesnake Park, the names were officially changed to Pinewood in 1966. I think it had something to do with tourism.

I saved taking any road pictures for the trip down. This shot is at the highest point of the trip and looking west.

And all the rest are east bound pictures and you can click on them for a larger image.
On a clear day you can see Kansas…….

Going down……..

And curvy…….

More Kansas…….

Rock wall………..

Ride Safe and enjoy,

For the 2010 Harley Davidson catalog, Harley collected thousands of photos from around the world and put them on the front and back cover of their 2010 catalog. These photos were submitted to Harley through their website. I don’t know how many they received, but Two of my photos made it on the cover.

The picture of my 68 FLH, is the photo I use in the header on this site. It was taken on the loop in the Rocky Mountain National Park. You can find it on the front cover of the catalog, second row up from the bottom, nine photos over from the left.

The picture of my 49 Panhead you can find on the cover, second row down on the top, twelve pics over from the right.

You need some good eyes to see those pictures.

The on-line mosaic from Harley does not correspond with the photos on the printed catalog. The thing I like about the on-line mosaic is you can zoom in and out and see all the photos up close. Check it out, here is the link for my 68 FLH, click HERE.
To view my 49 FL on the mosaic click HERE.

Ride Safe, I am getting the hell out of town.

Whenever I am doing anything to my 68 FLH, I wish I had just one of these guys to hand me a wrench and offer some Harley tech advice. This picture was taken back in late 1940, at the one and only, Harley Davidson Mechanic School, Milwaukee WI. Just look at the smiles on those faces. Hanging on the wall, to the far right is the cut-away of the newly introduced Harley-Davidson Panhead motor.

This photo was emailed to me from Restoman, his dad is the forth one from the right in the front row.
Ride Safe.