Friday, November 30, 2007

Read the Diagnostic Codes

We can't say we haven't been riding due to bad weather because the weather has been fairly good.  It's just the time of year and the altered schedules among friends and oh yeah, the monstrous amount of leaves. Time to mulch them up since they have passed their photographic best.

I started using Windows Live Writer to do the Blog entries and it works fairly well.  So far I like the finished appearance in the last few posts.

Map image

It lets me insert maps from Microsoft Virtual Earth as you see here.  This will be easier than importing the Google maps but there may be the issue of plotting the trip.

I started using IceRocket to count visitors to the site and Geobytes to see where the visitor IP might be located.  It's very interesting to see who hits the site.

We just had the 5000 miles service done on the Ultra so at least she's ready to ride.  One reason for the service, besides the mileage, was the engine light.  On a recent trip the engine light would periodically and briefly illuminate.  I knew it wasn't oil or heat so I checked for diagnostic codes. 

Here's how to do it:  Reading the Harley codes 

or here Reading the Harley codes

My codes indicated that there were front and rear O2 sensor issues.  How could that be with the Power Commander O2 bypass plugs installed?  Could have been connection issues so we'll give it some time.  I also discovered that the Power Commander folks were coming to train the New Bern Harley mechanics.  That may come in handy one day.

 

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Thanksgiving

ThanksgivingOur boys are home and Chad and Lynn's son is home from the military so there is indeed a lot to be thankful for.  We celebrate our good friends and family as well as be thankful for everything we have.

 

 

O God of all Creation: You have cared for the earth, and have filled it with your riches. Abundance flows in your steppes, through the pastures and wilderness. You provide for our land, softening it with showers, bathing it in light, and blessing it with growth.

The hills sing with joy; the meadows are covered with flocks; the fields deck themselves with wheat; and together they glorify your name!

On this occasion of our Thanksgiving, we as a nation take rest from our labors to consider your many blessings. We thank you for our freedoms, and for the opportunity to contribute our skills, our attributes and our values toward the good of society.

We thank you for the mixture of our cultures, blending us into one people under God. Help us to be a light unto other nations, and to further the cause of freedom and justice all over the world.

We remember those who are less fortunate than we. We lift up in prayer the victims of poverty and racism, and all those who suffer from forms of political and economic oppression. Let the word that goes forth from our mouths speak of your peace, and let us proclaim our hope in Christ as Savior of all humankind.

We pray that you will bless all those who gather here, as we have come to experience your presence among us. Give us your guidance, O God, and empower us for your work. For we claim nothing for ourselves, but return all honor and glory unto you, and offer our thanks and praise. Amen.

From "Prayers for God's People"
Thomas P. Roberts, editor

 

Though our mouths were full of song as the sea,
and our tongues of exultation as the multitude of its waves,
and our lips of praise as the wide-extended firmament;
though our eyes shone with light like the sun and the moon,
and our hands were spread forth like the eagles of heaven,
and our feet were swift as hinds,
we should still be unable to thank thee and bless thy name,
O Lord our God and God of our fathers,
for one thousandth or one ten thousandth part of the bounties which thou has bestowed upon our fathers and upon us.

- from the Hebrew Prayer Book

Monday, November 19, 2007

We've all seen it.

  We've all seen it.  The car squarely "parked", blocking traffic in the parking lot lane, waiting until hell freezes over or the car to vacate the spot. parking Usually some one is loading packages into their car while this parking lot hunter wastes time and expensive fuel idling the car just to assume this desired slot.  In reality the walk would do them some good (take notice of the physical attributes of the parking lot hunter) and there would be less anger produced by the drivers of the cars piling up behind them. 

We've all seen it.  The cart squarely "parked", blocking traffic in the aisle.  Is the cart to one side?  Certainly not.  It's smack dab in the middle of the aisle and it will stay there until the person finishes reading the fine print on the shampoo bottle.  grocerycartBetter yet get behind the spot when two people meet and are oblivious to the fact that they are holding up people while they discuss such matters of importance as the various usages of Preparation H, Vaseline and Platinum Blonde hair coloring.  Sometimes I think Jerry Springer is having auditions in the store.  How about the family out on a shopping spree that doesn't know what single file is all about.  So you have Bubba, Violet, Bubba Junior and an Inlaw or two that seem to be some form of defensive line doing a sweep down the aisle.

We've all seen it.  Heaven forbid if you give them a different amount of money once they open the cash register drawer.  If so, you're done for and may have a meeting with the most feared of all creatures: The Customer Service Representative or.... The Manager.  cashierDuring the meeting you will be secretly photographed,  tattooed with a infrared reflective symbol and your Visa card will be everywhere you want to be.  But then I get in the line with the older lady at the register and from my $12.37 purchase I hear: "$12.37, $13.00 and seven makes twenty. Thanks and I hope you have a great day."  She didn't need the register to indicate to her how much money to return. There is still hope for analog intelligence in a digital world.

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Leaves

I was in the yard early Saturday morning joining Buster on his morning constitutional when I noticed the leaves. The temperature had been below freezing during the night and as the morning sun warmed portions of the poplar trees it caused large volumes of leaves to be Dscf7330released in a slow dizzying race to the ground. There was no wind to be noticed and it was so silent as to be almost eerie. As the leaves came to rest on the ground and each other there was a sound not unlike that of large damp snowflakes, that soft plop of a noise, as they hit the ground. There were hundreds of leaves in the air at any given instant and I stood there for a while, mesmerized by the event, but it only lasted for a few moments. The only evidence of the incident was a rather thick golden carpet under these particular trees. I find it interesting that I was in the precise location at that particular time to witness the leaf flurry. Buster didn't share my interest in the least.

Monday, November 5, 2007

From Trenton to Swansboro


Lynn asked "Have you ever been to Mallardtown?"

"That's near Trenton, right?" I replied.

And we had the start of a Sunday ride.....




I liked the fact that we could park the bikes on the grass and not the gravel parking lot. Did I mention I hate gravel roads and parking lots?








Such photographic opportunities upon arrival that I couldn't believe my eyes.





Z.A.K.'s of Mallardtown is located at 1553 Ten Mile Fork Road just outside of Trenton, NC. They can be reached at 252-448-1920 and if you drop by you will probably have reason to call. This is a very interesting shop with such an array of items inside you just can't take it all in on one trip.




From wall to wall and floor to ceiling there is an amazing variety and amount of items on display.









Highly desirable and collectible items are on display in every nook and cranny...









Various areas seem to separate you from time and create an almost children's story book setting.







Well it's time to collect our treasures and settle up with the proprietor. Vast selection, good prices and I even had the opportunity to meet the owner who happens to be a jeweler.





With a high of 67 it was one of those fall days where it's hard to determine what to wear; Starts out cool and cools quickly in the late afternoon. The temperature difference in the areas in the shade and the sunshine is quite drastic this time of year so Debbie and I rode in chaps and leather jackets and were glad we did. We would have been OK in nylon or light leather as Chad and Lynn wore but hey that's what zippers are for. I like cold weather but I really hate getting cold.

We leave Trenton on 58 and head back to 17 South to pick up 58 again in Maysville with Swansboro and a late lunch on our minds.

Swansboro. What can I say. We are so lucky in eastern NC to have places like this. Yeah there is the main drag with hardware stores and the local Hardees but there is the fantastic waterfront area with all the shops and local restaurants.






Upon arrival we head to the Icehouse Waterfront Restaurant. A place that Debbie and I enjoyed on an earlier ride. Inside or outside the view is fantastic.























What was ordered? Fish tacos, tuna, fried flounder and a house specialty burger. I believe that everyone enjoyed their meal a great deal. The Icehouse is a great destination with a varied menu and the prices are reasonable.














Well it's time to head home so we point the machines toward Maysville and then New Bern. It was a little cooler on the return trip and darkness is arriving an hour early since the time change this weekend. A great trip of around 115 miles with good friends, good food and a new discovery in Mallardtown.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Death of a Company

It has been an interesting time, the past week or so. The place where I have worked for 28 years has gone out of business. I'm not really sure if it was on the 17th or 18th of October that was the official date of death but it's one of the two. Coastal Electronics was founded in 1949 by Billy Haire and shortly thereafter he was joined by his wife Evelyn. I started work there in June of 1979, the year of their 30th anniversary. I had the distinct pleasure of being guided and taught by Mr. Haire for the vast majority of those 28 years. What a true southern gentleman he was and one of the smartest people that I have had the pleasure of knowing. I was there as the position of command was handed off a few times, when Coastal was a thriving force that had no limits in the communications servicing arena and I was there as things fell apart. Coastal was family owned and operated the whole time so I worked for all the family members at one time or another and you know, my memories of all those years are mostly good ones. I can say that I take with me some really great memories.

What I take the most pride in is the lives Coastal touched indirectly through the years. We helped keep the water flowing in cities and counties, we helped law enforcement agencies, rescue personnel and service companies perform their jobs with greater efficiency and safety. In one of the recent articles in the local paper someone stated that they had been abandoned by Coastal. Abandonment has to be intentional and I feel secure in my feelings that the demise of the company was anything but intentional. I know how hard a certain individual worked to try and prevent the ultimate outcome and the great personal loss they will incur as a result.

There is a sense of loss inside and some have asked if I feel cheated. To that I have to answer no. Irregardless of what caused the fall of the company I take with me the great memories, the irreplaceable knowledge, training and the relationships with customers, employees and management. Some of our customers took time to call me personally and asked if I would be OK. That really makes me feel better about a difficult situation.

I am fortunate enough to be able to continue my line of work with another company that promises what I believe to be a great future and allow me to grow in other directions.

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Cruisin' Tunes

Check out the new feature I added on the side bar to the right called finetune. It's a pretty cool music player that contains 45 songs that happen to be some of my favorites. Let me know how you like it!

Hey the news is right below that, what more could you need?

The Connection

What connects us? The us being the members of the extended family of motorcyclists. The asphalt and concrete ribbons that run all over this great nation certainly connect us physically but I believe the connection is much deeper, more complicated and maybe even primal. What is the draw of two wheeled travel that pulls us into a behavioral altering mind set? So some of you don't think it alters you? Simply look in your closet, there, you see? Did you wear that type of clothing before you acquired your bike? I'll bet that before you started to ride you would run inside if it started to rain. Now you just grin.....

Humans have always succeeded when in groups. A singular of a species will not survive at least not in the long term. But yet our society is hell bent on the singular, possibly not intentionally. We ride in our cars but yet disconnected from our fellow motorists. We surf the web electronically connected to millions but yet alone. More and more things are now individual servings. Your new iPOD helps to put you in isolation as does your new Bluetooth headset for your cellphone.



Our law makers pay more attention to the minority than the majority and that is the survival of the fittest in reverse. There is hope, for there is a small percentage of the population that strives to be together, to maintain a unique individual identity but to function as one and to further the species as they have for almost a hundred years. I am talking about us! The motorcycle riding portion of the population. So when the atomic glow is still barely visible there we will be, on our bikes, smiling and trying to avoid the cock roaches.

But what connects us? Something draws you to ride. It's not how we dress nor what we ride since you were drawn to it before you chose your apparel or brand of bike. It's freedom, it's the difference, it's the deviation from the norm, it's the sound and feel, it's the road, it's good friends, it's......a lot of things. What connects us? It's complicated but yet we understand it and enjoy it. Whatever it is, it's a hell of a lot of fun.

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Edenton

I had an opportunity to spend some time in Edenton, NC a few weeks ago. What I discovered left me pleasantly surprised.

I am used to the easy pace of eastern NC since that is where I was born and have lived all my life. I am also aware of the rich and colorful history that surrounds the area. As one travels the eastern portion of this great state there are literally signs on the roadside that announce an important place or date. Growing up in New Bern and Harkers Island I am more familiar with Craven, Carteret and Pamlico counties and what they offered to our rich history but what I have learned about Edenton and Chowan county is worth remembering.

The first permanent settlement in North Carolina, Edenton is the ''mothertown'' of the State.

Edenton was the Colonial Capital before New Bern.

There were lighthouses on the Roanoke river while I can find no mention of lighthouses on the Neuse river.

I was fortunate enough to photograph the "new" lighthouse on the waterfront and some of the other things that caught my eye. Check out the links I have provided at the end of this post for more information on the lighthouse and the history of the area.

































































Here is a great ride from New Bern to Edenton and returning on an alternate route:

Take highway 17 North to Washington cross over the Pamlico River and visit the Washington waterfront then continue on 17 North to Williamston. As you leave Williamston again on 17 North you will cross the Roanoke River and enter into the Roanoke Wildlife Refuge. This particular stretch of four lane road is an interesting and relaxing ride to the outskirts of Windsor. As you approach main light and intersection in the town of Windsor take a short break at the convenience store on the right. There you will discover a nice riverfront park almost tucked away from sight on the Cashie River (Locally pronounced as Ku-shy.) I did a previous blog entry on Windsor at http://ralphps.blogspot.com/2007/08/windsor-nc.html




Continue on 17 North, that would be a right at the light in Windsor, and you will soon cross the Chowan River and be within just three miles of Edenton, NC.










On the return trip take 17 South back across the Chowan river and about two miles off the bridge there is highway 45 to the left, some call it the Merry Hill exit. This road points you toward Plymouth but carries you through some very attractive countryside on a low traffic road. One of the highlights is the are where you cross the Cashie River, Middle River and the Roanoke River where they all connect to the Albemarle Sound. Nearing Plymouth you will briefly take a right on 64/32, all of 100 yards, and then left back on Highway 45. At the next intersection take a left and you will be on Highway 32 and routed through Acre Station and Five Points. Soon you will arrive at Highway 264 and if you exit to the right you will be about four miles east of Washington and from there it's a little less than an hour back to New Bern via Highway 17 South. The trip covers about 225 miles.

Or you could take a left on 264 and head to Bath, NC (8.5 miles) where Edward Teach, the infamous Blackbeard once plied the waters. You really should visit Bath if you have the time. That route will put you on your way to the Bayview Ferry, across the Pamlico River to Aurora and then back to New Bern. Of course you could always run to Bath and then back to Washington to have a Bill's hot dog before going back to New Bern.






No matter what path you travel to Edenton you should make it a point to go there. We are planning a trip there soon and I will let you know how the food is at one of the many downtown restaurants. Hey maybe we can ride together!

http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=359


http://www.edenton.com/history


http://www.edenton.org/webcam.php

Monday, September 24, 2007

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Ride



If you missed this event then you really missed out. From start to finish is was well thought out and quite enjoyable. The goal is to raise funding in order to build the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the property where the Beirut Memorial exists.






Our normal Crew couldn't make it so Debbie and I left New Bern around 9:15 and rode to Jacksonville. It was a little cool to start with but boy did it heat up quickly. We met Mike, Holli, Brett and Justin in Jacksonville and rode over to the ride location. Mike and Holli had rented an 07 Electra Glide Classic in Wilmington for the occasion. There may be a new Harley on the horizon in the near future.

We joined the line up at 10:30. Bikes were lined up, four deep, on Montford Landing Road from Highway 24 to the overpass. That's almost a quarter of a mile of motorcycles! The local TV station estimated around one thousand bikes.







The majority of the bikes were Harley-Davidson but every make was in the line up right up to a Royal Enfield.







Are these some outlaw members of the Wild Hogs?






The opening ceremony was held at 11:30. Members of the Marine Corp Band from Cherry Point were on hand as well as members of the Junior ROTC. There were several local dignitaries on hand and the event was well covered by the media.













































We walked to the head of the line to check things out and pick up our shirts. Here are a few bikes in the line up that caught our attention.





































































Engines were started at 12:00 and we head to Hubert via 24 then to 117 to Sneads Ferry, hit 17 North and end up at New River Harley-Davidson.








The Onslow County Sheriff, Jacksonville Police Department and the Camp Lejeune Military Police all had a hand in handling traffic to allow the extremely long line of bikes safe passage.
























The ride lasted about an hour and went through some very nice back roads. A good distance of the ride was on board Camp Lejeune. There was quite a number of people all along the ride waving and watching the procession.
































The ride went very smoothly considering the number of riders and I saw only one bike with mechanical issues. That bike did show up at New River HD about a half hour late.





The only major slow up was the entrance to the dealership. There was plenty of parking but it took some time for everyone to spread out.


























There was live entertainment, free food and beverages. These guys really know how to run an event.

















Mike and Holli.








There were a lot of folks browsing the inventory and checking out the specials.
















There were quite a large number of door prizes given out for those that registered.







About 3:00 we decided to head north back to New Bern. There were some very dark clouds in the area that we saw from the Jacksonville bypass but it appeared that we would avoid them. Unfortunately about halfway to Maysville we ran into a rain like I will never forget. Cars were running about 30 mph with flashers on and traffic in the approaching lane was throwing standing water in the air like rooster tails from a speed boat.

My glasses totally fogged up, water was running up the outside and down the inside of the windshield and it was difficult to look over the windshield and not be blinded by the driving rain. Did I mention it rained? At one point it was raining so hard I was concerned about getting a dry breath. There is nowhere to pull over on that stretch of road since this is part of the Hoffman State Forest and there is only a grassy shoulder and a rather large ditch. We slowed even more because of the amount of rain, low visibility and the slightly squirrelly feel the Ultra exhibited in plying the standing water on the roadway. Things quickly cleared and we pulled into the Hardees parking lot in Maysville. Debbie was fairly dry other than her hair out the back of the helmet and lower pants legs. I dried my glasses so I could once again see clearly and by the time we arrived in New Bern my shirt and jeans were dry. Even with the rain we had an exceptional trip. It was one of the most memorable trips to date.

So far as the Ultra in the rain, she never missed a beat and once again helped us arrive back home safely. She got a good clean up on Sunday and is shiny as new waiting for the next adventure. I'm ready for the next two wheeled adventure as well.