5 Things You Have Done,,, Most Others Haven't...

[sherob]

OK... here's one for the books! Broke both of my wrists during summer of 77. Vacationed on the Big Island... my brother and I took lava rock from Kilauea, which is a BIG no no... Pele, the godess of Kilauea punishes those doing this. My brother broke his right arm skateboarding within a week after returning from vacation... 2 weeks later I was at teen rec center for last summer dance before school started... around midnight was outside goofing around on a big swing... flew out about 100 feet... voila... 2 broken wrists!

After getting out of Tripler Hospital, my brother and I packed up the rocks and sent them back to the monitoring station/park. :bow1: Sorry Pele!

 

[Kempo-STer]

I gotta tell ya..AGAIN..

This has got to be THE most interesting post I have ever read!...

YOU GUYS ROCK!!... :bow1:

and OH.. Georgeorge.....I want to see you on a Unicycle, juggling AND doing the rubiks cube all at the same time at the next campground talent show!!
(and so does Michele)

Now THAT would be entertainment.

 

[Putt]

Spangdhalem/Bitburg area.

Doggone,
I was at Bitburg in 68/69....
Put a bunch of miles on an old R-69S
when I was over there...


Putt... Ein Bit, Bitte!

 

[clmixon]

Spangdhalem/Bitburg area.

Cool, We never got around that way. Okinawa in 68, Italy in 70, Germany in 71 (split posting) with a lot of Ft. this and Ft. that in between.

Chris

 

[sherob]

You know... you kinda resemble a Ft. Hood type...

 

[basco]

North Dakota

 

[Simmons1]

1. Was in Munich at the summers Olympics in 1972 when the shootings took place. It was pretty scary for a 10 year old kid.

2. Ran into Tom Cruise at the concession stand at the 24 hours of Nelson Ledges in 1989.

3. Spent a week riding around in the Alps in 2004. Passo di Stelvio is real neat and a bit cool on top even in August.

4. Watched about 3 hours of the 24 Hours of Nelson Ledges in the middle of the night wearing only my birthday suit in 1989. Crawled out of the tent to pee and decided to watch some of the race. Yes large quantities of cold beer were involved.

5. Own and ride a 1979 Suzuki Wes Cooley Superbike Replica.

6. To make it an even 5 motorcycle items. I have a vintage Evel Knievel lunch box autographed by Evel.

 

[Carl_T]

Regularly drove a 49 Chevy standard transmission on private dirt road at 8yrs. old (sat on pillows and ducked under dash to push clutch and shift).

Friend and I welded up and built our own go Kart at 12 yrs. old (had help with front end geometry).

Did a little mountian climbing as a teen.

Been to Asia: Took a bad Hand Grenade wound in Viet Nam (8 months in hospital, years to recover dropped from 165 lbs. to 109lbs. of bones).

After the above, worked hard to get strength back. Worked up to Semi Pro MotoX and did OK.

Years after during Motorcycle Hair Scramble in woods hit opposite stream bank topped out in 5th gear, over bars, way up in air-landed square on head, paralyzed from neck down for 5-10 minutes (unusually frightening experience). After movement returned, another rider straightened forks and bars close to in line, and kick started bike (I couldn't). Pretty big ouch, but I managed to ride the bike back to the pits on my own, 4 or 5 miles through the rugged wooded terrain.

Pulled heavy scaffolding up hand over hand in wind, with rope, up on 150 ft. high Billboard while standing on wire grid see through platform 4ft. wide, no railing (had to lean over edge, pickup truck looked size of a quarter, I didn't like it when that job came around).

Walked 12 inch wide I beam on top of Billboard to set hooks (4 times per job did a dozen jobs there) 85 ft. in the air.

Got a hole in 1 on a 135 ft. hole, even though I truly suck at Golf.

Do paintings professionally

Momma stayed home with the kids while self employed.

Will be married 32 years in August and am damn happy about it.

Driven cross country (not on bike) and been North, Central, South in the East, Middle, and West of our fine country.

Owning an ST is odd enough to qualify as "not usual"

 

[Mellow]

Man, you guys are interesting... kinda makes me feel like I've led a sheltered life...

I took my mom for a Mother's day ride back in 2002. She was 73, hadn't been on a bike since she was 36 and I hadn't ever been on a bike 'til I was 36. I wrote a quick email to Wing World since their next issue would cover the month of May. I was surprised to get that issue and find they not only published my email as an article w/pic but DIDN'T edit it.. so, all the grammar and spelling mistakes were kept for all to see. (article below)

But, once my Mom saw the magazine she just about fell over crying and that was more than worth it... Maybe not all that much of a rare incident as lots of people take their mom, dad, children on MC rides but for me and my family it really was a rare occasion. She shows that article to everyone that comes by and one of the other reasons I got the wing was to be able to give her some more rides in the future, she's always asking if I brought the other helmet with me... I'm going to get her her own now.

The second thing that I can state is that I have, along with Charlie, helped in building site where a ST owners can communicate and those connections will build friendships that will last lifetimes.

That's about it for me... okay, I did see Barry Manilow in the DFW airport once a couple years ago ... but his people rushed him out like he was worried about being trampled by screaming fans... I don't remember seeing anyone sitting there but myself and an old guy reading a newspaper..

 

[Kempo-STer]

Very Nice Mellow!

We have something in common..I too had NEVER ridden a motorcycle until 35
OK..I know you said 36..close enough :

 

[STeve1300]

I was surprised to get that issue and find they not only published my email as an article w/pic but DIDN'T edit it.. so, all the grammar and spelling mistakes were kept for all to see. (article below)

Good article Joe. I bet it made alot of us guys who are unable to take our moms for a ride imagine what a great experience that would be.

We have something in common..I too had NEVER ridden a motorcycle until 35
OK..I know you said 36..close enough

Wow KE-STER, since you're only 36 now, does this mean your ST was your first bike? Impressive.

 

[rob.uk]

1. Had dinner with Sir Terry Matthews (owner of MITEL)
2. Flew an autorotation landing in a Hughes 300 helicopter
3. Nearly broke my back while learning to paraglide
4. Piloted a "Europa" light aircraft
5. Climbed to top of "Gran Paradis" in Italy - at 4000 metres, passed out in middle of snowstorm with altitude sickness!

 

[Kempo-STer]

Good article Joe. I bet it made alot of us guys who are unable to take our moms for a ride imagine what a great experience that would be.



Wow KE-STER, since you're only 36 now, does this mean your ST was your first bike? Impressive.

No..
My first bike was a 1990 Yam Virago 750 which I bought March 04. I put about 12,000 miles on her and sold it this past May. 2 weeks later I had my ST. I really enjoyed the Virago..Great beginner bike...

 

[sundug]

Follow your dreams

Most of my adult life, my dream was to design and build my own energy efficient country home. When I was 31, my wife and I moved to Tennessee, purchased 51 acres, and spent a year and a half building our dream home. It`s earth sheltered, passive solar, with solar water heating. It works well, is comfortable and low maintaince. We`ve been living in it for 20 years now, my next dream is to build a trike, so if anyone knows where I can get a complete front end from a large motorcycle, and a drive train from a small front engine 4 cyl, automatic transmission , rear wheel drive car, please let me know. Doug

Motorcycle and house-
http://community.webshots.com/user/sundug

http://www.countrysidemag.com/issues/2_1998.htm and go to the first,
featured article. The house looks totally different on the outside now.

 

[AgSTreak]

I was invited to get high with The Allman Brothers Band- turned it down

Did a cross country tour in 1976 for the Bicentenial. Caught the July 4th fireworks in Kings Canyon National Park- slides, since there was a serious drought at the time. The audience oohed and aahed just the same.

I was in an airliner that had to make an emergency landing in Indianapolis because of a bulge that developed in a wing. Al Unser was in the same line with us as the airline tried to arrange other flights for us. He was not a happy camper. Later that same trip we were stranded in Hot Springs Arkansas because of 9/11. Had to drive home in a rented car. Turned a four day trip into one that lasted 10 days.

 

[Louie Louie]

Fascinating thread! One of the best in my opinion.
I met Sinatra! :chat1: :new:

 

[daveman]

Just though of a couple more interesting experiences I had:

6. Was shopping at Neiman Marcus in Tysons Corner, Virginia, when Simon Cowell (American Idol judge) strolled by. He was in town because they were doing auditions for the 2005 season in Washington, DC at the time.

7. Served on a jury - was elected foreman. We found the defendant innocent. We wished we could have found the plaintiffs guilty, because they had obviously faked injuries in order to get cash from the defendant. They lied and contradicted themselves so many times during that trial - what a poorly prepared case.

 

[Carl_T]

Some very sharp thorns amongst the roses Craig. I hope the puctures heal passably.

 

[vossman]

1. Have the unfortunate memory of shooting and killing a man no more than 10 feet from me when I was a cop.

2. Was in the movie Armageddon. Got to spend a week with all the major stars of the film. Bruce Willis is an ass!

3. Flown faster than the speed of sound in a current AF inventory fighter, Didn't pass out or puke.

4. Recieved a commendation from the US Secret Service for finding a small cache of weapons that a Turkish aide was trying to sneak out of the country with.

5. Have a wife and daughter that are the best thing in the world.

 

[Bones]

In no particular order...



1. The editor-in-chief of the Oxford English Dictionary bought me a pint of ale. He spoke at Trinity College, Oxford University where I was a student (on scholarship!). During his opening remarks, he asked if anyone in the audience knew the longest non-scientific word in the OED. I raised my hand. (When your father is a Professor of English you pick up some interesting bits of knowledge). He asked if I could pronounce the word, define it, and use it in a sentence. I did all three. [floccinaucinihilipilification (noun), the estimation of something as worthless; "His floccinaucinihilipilification of money led him to seek spiritual fulfillment."] He looked surprised, said I was correct, and asked if he could buy me a pint later. I said OK. Pretty cool experience for someone who went on to make his living with words.



2. For my 40th birthday my wife threw me a surprise party (first one of my life -- totally surprised!) at one of the best restaurants in New England, full of my friends and family. But for my birthday present she said, "You're 40 and you have a new bike. Just go. Call me once in a while and let me know where you are." I spent 9 days solo in Maine and Nova Scotia, then published my experience in Rider so I even made money on the trip!



3. One day while I was rock climbing in Connecticut, a group from a summer camp came to the rock. Part way up the rock a young camper freaked at the height she'd attained and froze. She wanted to get down but wouldn't grab onto the rope so she could be slowly lowered to the ground. The group leader yelled at her to let go of the rock, which only got her more frightened. How this guy got to be in charge of kids participating in such an activity I'll never know. I opened my lunch bag, clenched a bunch of grapes between my teeth, and free climbed up next to the girl. I said, "Hi, I'm Bones, want some grapes?" She said OK. I held out the bunch and she pulled off a grape. As she reached for another I said, "See? You can let go of the rock. When you're done eating grapes, put your hands on the rope and they'll help you down." With two feet back on the ground the girl was fine. In front of everyone there, I suggested to the group leader that he get some training.



4. I coached my wife through 37 hours of labor (I had the easy job), saw my daughter enter the world, then cut the cord. Greatest experience of my life. (Monica, our delivery nurse, rode a GSXR600.)



5. My Dad and I took a father/son vacation when he was 64 and I was 38. It was little more than relaxing in the Florida sunshine, but we learned things about each other we'd never have known without that time together. Gentlemen, go with your Dad (or your son) on such a vacation -- no spouses, no siblings, no buddies, just you two. My Dad died unexpectedly two years later...you never know. At his funeral I told the story of our father/son vacation and suggested that members of the congregation do the same while there was still time. One of my buddies (a motorcyclist) left the ceremony. Later he apologized for leaving but explained that he went to book reservations for a vacation with his father. They had a great time; his Dad died a few months later. Don't put it off...you never know.