Wisconsin Weekend- we had a night away trip to the Dairyland of America. Staying at a cool guesthouse in the Bay View district of South Milwaukee. A magazine had an article about this year being the 115th anniversary of Brew Town’s Harley Davidson. A snippet mentioned a scenic route through S Wisconsin that I need to put on my ride list.
Dempster Street – passed a couple of parked American bikes as I drove between job sites today. Hefty Milwaukee Iron owned by garage mechanics. Well, when you spend all day crammed under an automobile, swingin’ your leg over a motorcycle at the end of the day is a perfect antidote.
Incredible – Lou Ferrigno better known as The Hulk from the 70’s TV series is 66 today. Here he is as bearded Hercules in Gold’s Gym garb making a full dresser Harley Davidson look like a scooter.
Oval Dirt – history in color! The greats Dick Mann (2) BSA, Gene Romero (20) Triumph, and Mart Lawwill (18) H-D, look beat after what will have been a ‘edge-of-your-seats race.
Century Art – today would have been the great Jack Kirby’s One Hundredth Birthday. A fluid line work always added a dynamism to his creations. Known for Hulk, Thor, X-Men, and The Silver Surfer to name a few here is the cover of a collaboration with Joe Simon (Captain America) for Boy Commandos. One particular character ‘Brooklyn’ seems to be the adventurous rake with wool sweater and bowler hat. The red Harley lookalikes seem a bit garish but the energy is there!
MAD Grinning imp Alfred E. Neuman takes to the streets on his choppered trike whilst the Harley riding gang of Captain America, Billy, and Jim Bronson rumble on in cool style… Born to be Wild.
Hell’s Angel – we stopped in to an Irving Penn exhibition at the Frick Museum Pittsburgh. One of his series was capturing the late sixties counterculture, and in particular the Californian Biker gangs. This platinum palladium print from ’67 captures a surly Panhead chopper owner in an evocative portrait.
Ed & Erv’s – just shuttered up in the last couple of years this local Chicago convenience store has a timeless mid-20th Century vibe going on. So when I saw this Harley Davidson standing lazily outside I had to get a photo. A hint of vintage filter to sharpen the shadows and an evocative scene is created.
Pink Lady – Proud Helen Kiss Main on a her delightfully colorful Indian Scout. She was the first treasurer and one of the first 51 charter members of Motor Maids the oldest continually operated women’s motorcycling organization established in 1940.
(Bike make and model corrected)
Let’s Go! A destination to get beer, burger and ink. Halfway between Dubuque and the Quad Cities it sits on the east bank of Old Man River Mississippi… 3 hours by hog from Chicago: pure Americana by the looks of it.
Big Opposing Twins – whether from Springfield MA, Milwaukee WI, Berlin Germany, or Mandello del Lario in Italy; these beauties all have a pair of cylinders in flat or vee form, longitudinal or transverse. But, the all make good power and each have individualistic looks, sounds, and heritage. Dang! This is all good stuff! Current motorcycle models on offer make the prospective owners spoilt for choice.
Foo Fighter! Dave Grohl is 48 today; hope he gets to take one of his motorcycle’s out for a spin. Drummer, guitarist, lead singer; he is rock’s Lord Commander.
“I think people should feel encouraged to be themselves.”
Honky Birthday Harpo – the silent harp playing Marx was born on this day in 1888. Arthur was an essential sight gag goofy foil against the pun laden high jinx of his brothers: Groucho & Chico.
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