From years past 2004

[wanabeguru]

Thanks lucky. I was riding a 1982 Yamaha 650 Seca. One of the few bikes I wish I still owned. 4 cyl, shaft drive, shim above bucket valve adj, a basic UJM for the late 70s and early 80s. People that started riding in the last 20 years don't realize how important UJMs were to the growth of the motorcycle industry. If you bought any 1980 Japanese street bike in 1980, there would be a better than 90% chance that the after market could supply you with:a fiberglass fairing (Vetter sold more than 600,000 Windjammers alone) one size fits all but he had other designs for smaller bikes. Saddle bags, hard or soft. Back rest or sissy bar. Luggage rack. Clear fairing/windshield

Other bikes I wish I still owned:

Honda Nighthawk 700S
1962 250 Yamaha twin
93 DR650 with kick start only
None of the other 40+ bikes

I have a 650 Nighthawk that needs tranny work and a good home

 

[wanabeguru]

Great pictures. Thanks for sharing. And sorry for your loss.

 

[humanrace]

I have a 650 Nighthawk that needs tranny work and a good home

Thanks, Wanabeguru.
The 650 was a nice bike but not even close to the 700S. Hydraulic valves, shaft drive, much larger bore and shorter stroke, oil cooler

 

[humanrace]

Hey Denny.....great pics. I'll call you before I head up to CO for some info.

Eric,
Call a little early. I have some books and maps that I can send you. Darin borrowed them and said he had a great time. For Jeep trails, I recomnmend 4WD Adventures Colorado by Peter Massey and Jeanne Wilson. Just remember that they leave out some of the more spectacular roads because they are short. Explore off the main trails.

 

[humanrace]

That "some pass around Ouray" looks a whole lot like the approach to Black Bear. I remember cause that's about the spot where I went "Aw heck, this ain't that bad. Whats all the hubub about?" Guess I could call it Epiphany Point. See, just beyond there is where entirely different thoughts began to shape up.

Keep 'em coming! Great pictures...we've ridden and stomped over a lot of the same ground.

I think you are right. Black Bear Pass is a piece of cake. It's going down to Telluride that leaves your seat with a ridge running down the middle.

 

[humanrace]

Another picture to date me. Elvis sang at my wedding

Looking back at this picture, I think Jeff was a little more excited about getting remarried than I. Look at the puddle by his left foot.

 

[wanabeguru]

The 650 was a nice bike but not even close to the 700S. Hydraulic valves, shaft drive, much larger bore and shorter stroke, oil cooler

Though not as strong as the 700, the 650 has hydraulic valves, dual Overhead cams, and...................shaft drive. 4 carbs and runs like the wind! I need to find her a good mechanical home as I don't have the room or time to fix her tranny[1st/2nd OK, won't upshift beyond that......and it was OK & parked before the winter hit and in the spring wouldn't shift beyond 2nd!]. About 65K on the clock; I'm second owner.

 

[humanrace]

2008-Strange group of bikes on a weekend ride to the hill country. Look at the load on the red Yamaha. We're going on a 2 day ride and he's riding solo!! 3 Harleys, 2 Yamahas, 1 old SOHC Honda 750 and a DRZ400

Open primary belt and chain drive shifter

father/son, brother/nephew, fake ponytail/real ponytail

Even Rusty's bike has a pony tail

TWS 1986. Never let a dyslexic friend make numbers for your newly painted RZ350. We rode an endurance race before we realized our number was backwards. Note home made rear stand. We were really cheap.

 

[humanrace]

Though not as strong as the 700, the 650 has hydraulic valves, dual Overhead cams, and...................shaft drive. 4 carbs and runs like the wind! I need to find her a good mechanical home as I don't have the room or time to fix her tranny[1st/2nd OK, won't upshift beyond that......and it was OK & parked before the winter hit and in the spring wouldn't shift beyond 2nd!]. About 65K on the clock; I'm second owner.

You are, of course, correct. For some reason I mixed up the 650 and the 750 nighthawks. Actually, I think the 700S was just a refinement of the 650 Nighthawk.


More coming as I get time

 

[humanrace]

Road Atlanta during the heyday of the RZ350 1985 I believe. Arrow points to me

Same race as above. It looks like I'm winning but, believe me, I'm not.

Pit stop during the 6 hour endurance race at Road Atlanta. Riders are BB Montemayor and John Davis. John later became national D production champion on the RZ and BB was at least a half second faster than John. We won our lightweight production class by many laps and came in 8th overall in a field of 73. Our grid was half way up to the bridge and we had to do the last turn before getting to the starting line. We beat all of the 600s and all of the open class production bikes except 2.

Everyone with a free hand pushes to start. That's me holding the quick fill.

Victory picture!

Turn 7 at the old Oak Hill track. 1984 I'm 345.

The grid at TWS in 1984. There were usually around 35 novices on RZs. Kevin Swantz rode one as an expert.

The next to last turn at Green Valley Raceway in Fort Worth. This is a 3rd gear turn at about 70MPH when it is dry. The start of the final turn can also be seen. It is a long sweeping turn with a concrete barrier at the edge of the pavement. There were also trees right at the outside edge of some of the turns. The most dangerous track that I ever raced.

Also 1984 but on a 920 Yamaha Seca. Note size of trout. You may have to get out the magnifying glass but they sure were tasty.

We ate lunch while resting our rear ends, tired from riding 140 miles on the DRZ, beside this creek in Colorado. 2009?

Again, Im not sure where this picture was taken but it is probably southwest of Telluride.

The cliffs at Wolf Creek Pass.

 

[ed29]

The Green Vally shot brings back memories of a day spent photographing a WERA endurance race there. I was racing flat track at the time, but interested in asphalt. Safety was not a priority at that place. They allowed me free access to anywhere around the track as long as I did not cross during the race.

It is now a suburban neighborhood with houses jammed right up next to each other and tall spiky roofs mostly all the same color. Nothing is left of the course or the drag strip. Sad.

 

[humanrace]

ed29,

I'm glad it's not being used as a roadrace track. Same with Riverside, Ca. It was the second most dangerous track that I raced.

 

[humanrace]

One of my favorites from the Blue Ridge Parkway. I left it out of the above post. If you go into the gift shop near this water powered sawmill, you will find postcards and brochures from other states. Why? Because they have pictures of this sawmill advertising their states. It's clearly in NC.

 

[tricepilot]

This is GREAT, keep it coming!

 

[humanrace]

I'm going to scan some more today if work is slow. I'm missing an album, from Hawaii no less. I spent a couple of years there in the 70s and the only pictures I have are from a more recent trip a few years ago.

 

[humanrace]

Above St. Elmo. Photographed by everyone that comes near.

I went on a hike 8 years ago. This is where I started. This is the large burned out area near Denver that was burned by a distraught woman forest service employee. She was burning letters and pictures of an ex. There was a burn ban in effect.

My 18 year old niece went with me for the 1st 42 miles. She had never hiked (neither had I) before and had never slept in a tent until the night before when we slept in a Forest Service campground.

This is the 2 of us after walking 8 miles. My wife found a jeep road and followed it until it intersected the Colorado Trail. She thought Carol might want to quit. She didn't. 4 days later we met up with my wife again and she and Carol came back to Texas. 24 days later and 335 miles later, I came back to Texas.

A marker for the trail, placed strategically along the 478 mile route.

A bench we found as we neared Kenosha Pass (about 40 miles into the hike)

My Statement on Life by Jason Sealy Age 17
"Life is too short to waste away.
Be glad. That's all I have to say.
Just wear a smile from ear to ear.
Just show you're happy, make it clear.

My point is that life has it's good sides and it's bad ones.
But always look for the good side.
If you go through life always looking down,
You're not living, just passing by.
What you are doing is wasting a life...yours

Life is a blessing not a curse.
You've got to see the sunsets as the birth
of a new night, not the death of a day.
I see the sunrise as the birth of a new day,
not the death of the night.

I think happiness can be compared to a lit torch
in the darkness, the darkness being the lives
of those who are sad.
The darkness does not vanquish the torch.
It's quite the opposite.
It has the ability to light the lives of others
and maybe light their torches.

I'm in the U.S. and life is great.
There is a God and I think he likes me.
I am an optimist and every day is a great day.
I always look to the upside of things.
Life is too short and sweet to waste
away feeling sad
I always have a smile on my face
even when I might feel down.

Life has it's highs and it's lows.
Look past the downs...look up I say.
If you are happy, it will show.
Slap on a smile...It will pay


We continued our walk, blisters and all. Next up: motorcycle pictures, I promise.

A teaser.

 

[james.cain]

My Statement on Life by Jason Sealy Age 17
"Life is too short to waste away.
Be glad. That's all I have to say.
Just wear a smile from ear to ear.
Just show you're happy, make it clear.

My point is that life has it's good sides and it's bad ones.
But always look for the good side.
If you go through life always looking down,
You're not living, just passing by.
What you are doing is wasting a life...yours

Life is a blessing not a curse.
You've got to see the sunsets as the birth
of a new night, not the death of a day.
I see the sunrise as the birth of a new day,
not the death of the night.

I think happiness can be compared to a lit torch
in the darkness, the darkness being the lives
of those who are sad.
The darkness does not vanquish the torch.
It's quite the opposite.
It has the ability to light the lives of others
and maybe light their torches.

I'm in the U.S. and life is great.
There is a God and I think he likes me.
I am an optimist and every day is a great day.
I always look to the upside of things.
Life is too short and sweet to waste
away feeling sad
I always have a smile on my face
even when I might feel down.

Life has it's highs and it's lows.
Look past the downs...look up I say.
If you are happy, it will show.
Slap on a smile...It will pay

 

[achesley]

I saw you did time on a XV920RH or J. Mine in '82 on top of Pike's Peak with cuz on '82 Suzuki 1000G with windjammer.

 

[humanrace]

Yes, I had an RH. I loved that it was chain drive and only had to have the chain adjusted every tire change. I don't tell people how many miles I got on the original non O-ring chain because it seems too far fetched. I noticed that your friend had a Vetter Windjammer aftermarket fairing on his Suzuki. One of 600,000 sold.

In 82, the road up Pikes peak was a long dirt road. It must have been "fun" in the mud and slush. We rode up in the dry in 1980 and the women passengers in the group opted to go down on the cog train. They said it was because of the cold but I think fear had a little to do with their decision.

My wife just looked over my shoulder at your picture and said, "WOW."

 

[wanabeguru]

Great report! More, more!!

 

[humanrace]

Great report! More, more!!

I have quite a few more coming. I said earlier that I was missing an album from Hawaii. I'm also missing one from a trip through death valley, up the coast highway, Cascades and Glacier. Maybe I'll find the box they are stored in. Right now, I'm posting pictures at random from a drawer.

 

[humanrace]

Around 1994, 7 guys, 9days, Western Co. Eastern Utah. I didn't take a camera. These pictures were given to me by others.

GS 1100 (with Vetter fairing and saddlebags), FZR1000, 700Maxim X, Seca II, Intercepter 500, FJ 1100, and ?

Our first camp-across the road from Animas Fork. Yes I was chastised for leading sport bikes 10 miles up a dirt road. In my defense, I was on the FZR1000. The next morning, Mark tried to walk across a snow bank and busted through the crust that had frozen the night before. He was up to his waist and had to be rescued. He might have still been a little drunk since they consumed large quantities of beer and liquor every night while I went to bed early. They never complained when I got them up at daylight.

We were going past Mesa Verde NP and Phillip suggested we go in and look around. I said that I had seen all the adobe houses that I needed to see and he went into one of his signature tirades. We ended up going in Mesa Verde and spent 3 days. Now, I can't get enough of it. The riding alone is worth the price of admission.

Our campsite near Canyonlands NP. Another area that I am pulled toward.

Another view of the same campground. That's my camera that he's using to shoot video. It cost me $1500 in the early 90s and has filmed many graduations, births, birthdays and vacations. I don't have a single video from the camera. It's now outdated but it's still loaned out.

I split up with the rest of the group, borrowed a camera and came back to Bryan by way of Mexico. I believe this is a bridge at Del Rio. Not the border bridge but I'm not sure what it's going over.

 

[humanrace]

Some pictures from this year at Gulf Coast Kartway (Katy) taken by lindsey (Linz) leard.

The start of a sprint

Ryan Cooley on his KLX110

The next 3 are practice, not a race

Mark Tuttle XR100

Me! XR100

Alan Phillips KX65, I think

 

[humanrace]

A few Misc. If I have posted them before, I apologize.

1994 or 1995 We saw a doe and fawn about to cross the road. The doe made it and stopped in the trees,barely in sight. The fawn laid down and remained still. We took a couple of pictures and left.

A cold and brave woman, about 1984 near Aspen, July

View across the wetlands in Silverton

If you look real close, you can see a line of deer headed to lower ground. Usually wildlife run when I stop but these must have been cold and hungry because they didn't even look at me.

Riding on the single track west of I-25 between Denver and Colorado springs. There are literally hundreds of miles of single track in this area. If anyone is interrested, I'll look it up and give you directions. The dirt road that runs beside it is over 50 miles long. Rampart Range Road.

Same trip, different area. Near St. Elmo

Eating lunch. The table might not be the greatest but the view makes it worthwhile.

Last gas before entering Mexico. 1990? XT550 and Ninja 600. It's cold. We're going to Monterrey to watch races. Ray, on the ninja, had never been more than 90 miles away from home. His Ninja slept in the motel rooms. My XT Remained outside.

Fairly common mode of transportation in Mexico. I once asked my friend Javier, while we were driving along a multi lane highway, if there were any freeways in Mexico. He looked at me like I was crazy and asked, "What do you think this is." I pointed to the donkey cart and he said, "Yeah, but he's in the slow lane."

Our first cafe. Yummy. I love eating street food in Mexico, especially the corn on the cob with mayonaise and red pepper. The best drink is the melon drink usually sold by venders on bicycles.

 

[humanrace]

1993. Left out from a previous post. Solo 31 day ride.
It's about to get good. Pagosa Springs straight ahead.

Commercial campsite. My notes say I needed a bath, badly.

Southern Utah.

Day hike in the needles area of Canyonlands NP.

Looking down on a balanced rock. I wish there was something in the picture for scale. It's tall!

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

Another view of the lower falls, Yellowstone.

Old faithful. Not my favorite spot in Yellowstone.

Bison along a river, still in Yellowstone.

As I rode into this small town town in northwest Colorado, I saw a sign that said camping was free in the city park. I stayed 2 nights and was the only camper. Dinosaur NP is just down the road.