Richard Machida (motoblogger and rider) and his wife Bridget put aside -18F temperatures in Alaska to make there way to the sticks to say hello. I have to apologize to Bridget for not paying closer attention to the inherent wide angle distortion when making this photograph and trying to get them and the tower at Penn State’s Old Main building in the photo.
We strolled across campus and talked about riding, motorcycles with sidecars, traveling and work as I tried to point out a few highlights on the University Park campus of Penn State.
Dinner time found us in front of Duffy’s Tavern in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania. This is turning into a pilgrimage location for URAL riders — Richard on this night and not long ago Dom Chang, author of “A Redleg’s Rides“, had dinner with me here.
The conversation took turns and traveled through many topics including Richard suggesting more than once the addition of a side car rig to my riding choices. I politely declined adding I’ve given close friends orders to shoot me if they see me wearing a white belt with white shoes, or if they see me towing a side car.
I’m certain Dom Chang put him up to the side car suggestions.
Day turned into night and Richard and his wife had to get on the road. One last picture which brought, “No flash?”. With the Canon G15 with its fast 1.8 lens and ISO 6400 you can shoot in low light without a flash.
This is the third time our paths have crossed — once at the BMW rally in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, once in the Denver airport, and now here in Boalsburg.
It’s a small world.
Before leaving Bridget reminded Richard that he had a present for me — a fine jar of Alaskan Moosetard. Their website suggests a person goes wild with this stuff. I hope I don’t wake up with a headache and discover I bought a URAL.
Seriously though, I want to thank Richard and Bridget for taking time from their trip to the East from Alaska to drive up to see me. I’ve met a lot of fine people through blogging.
Have a safe trip back to Alaska and I hope the temperature rises above 0F for you!
What a cool meet-up, Steve, but your suspicion does sound valid. That Moosetard probably IS laced with some sort of exotic, Russian spice that leads its consumers to loosen their purse strings and abandon their reason: “Hmm, maybe URALs aren’t really as high-maintenance as the interwebs would have us believe.” Or perhaps it’s just heavy on the vodka. That stuff certainly has its own way of causing its consumers to behave, well, irrationally, if not a bit irresponsibly (but just a bit 😉 ).
It’s a global problem Ry. The elements contained in the little jar are powerful. I found myself looking at URAL photos this morning when I got up. I’ll do a little desktop research to see if I have to store the Moosetard in a lead lined box…
Ry has a point, and you might find yourself on a Ural one day 😉 What a great meet-up.
Well, to be completely honest and embracing transparency, the thought of a URAL has crossed my mind once or twice. Just not yet.
The URAL is a rainy day option with “rainy” not yet clearly defined…
Great post and pics. I’m thinking Bridget will appreciate your explaining the wide angle distortion.
“I hope I don’t wake up with a headache and discover I bought a URAL.” LOL!!!
I’m glad y’all got to reconnect in person. I look forward to meeting you one day soon. I’ll have some excitement to share tomorrow. ?
Yeah, my bad on the photo. I was paying more attention to the faces and tower and not the whole frame.
No URAL now! A good chant.
Good read for a chilly Sat. Morn.
I’m so done with the cold. I guess there’s a little more to endure.
Two wheel riding and flying have a lot in common. The Wright brothers figured that out….so did I.
Constant operator input, ever so miniscule, is required to keep you straight and level, and to get you and the machine where you want to go.
After years of experience the input becomes unconsious in many ways.
You do things you dont even know you do to stay upright… Unconsiously.
That frame of mind is part of the addiction…..athletes call it zone.
A third wheel takes away part of the joy….Old age makes you think about the balance assist though.
BEWARE of shiny convertibles…old guy sanctuaries.
I keep my eye sharp for balance assistance. Saw a beautiful black Harley Davidson trike this morning. Sleek and not a big fat frump. I could see myself riding one if I need that kind of balance. A sidecar rig seems a lot more functional though.
I will beware of shiny convertibles. That’s a #fail.
When I grew up…trikes were beer trucks…right her in Happy Valley.
Beer trucks? Here in Happy Valley? That must of been before my time. I remember Meadow Pride milk trucks but that’s about it.
You could order beer to your home, from distibutoes.
Local beer distributor “Nittany ” had a Harley trike for the task. Just call and put the money in the milk box. Case of beer on the porch when u get home. My dad partook of those services…probably til early late 50’s. After that the trike became parade fodder.
That’s back when State College was a small town. Things have changed a bit since then.
It was great meeting you and I enjoyed the walk around campus. Thank you
(Note to friends: he says “towing a sidecar”. Apparently, he can drive one all he wants without risk)
Perhaps next time you come this way I’ll have a couple machines so we can take a ride together.
Sidecars…
It’s always fun when bloggers get to meet.
I swear I felt a kind of warp in space time shudder by me. It must have been an orbital disturbance triggered when Alaska swung around to meet State College.
That sounds like the nicest kind of get-together!
As far as URALs go: if, after substituting your usual spread with the Moosetard, your wife finds you perusing full-on sidecar rigs with unusual concentration, do what I do and steal a line from the first Iron Man flick: “Look, this isn’t the worst thing you’ve caught me doing.”
Up until recently I was thinking Ural has really done a good job on working out the bugs, then I saw Dom is having to get his transmission replaced. If I were to venture into the land of tugs & hacks it would be connected to another machine. Dreams of a /2 and Steib…..
I think the URAL still demands a wrenching demeanor if you are going to do any long distance touring. Or so I gather from reading a lot about them. Hacks with a HD, new BMW or Goldwing might be the more reliable beast.
I always enjoy reading of blogger meet-ups. I am glad you all got the chance to get together and visit.
Having been on the receiving end of some Alaskan moostard, I can vouch for its tastiness.
A lot of people don’t understand the online connections that are made through blogging. It’s nice to cross paths in the world.
The Moostard is awaiting a special occasion!