Finally a 10k season!

Finally a 10,000 mile riding season was reached! If it wasn't for 72 sunny degrees and a boss who never asks "why do you need the day off", the quickly fading 10k may have just been a dream! Monday, November 3 promised by meteorologists as a day of near record breaking temperatures. I don't know if we broke the record, but it was a wonderful end to an enjoyable year.

Cathy told me on Sunday during the Packer Titan's football game that I should take Monday off and ride! Wow, not only do I have a boss who let's me take time off, but a wife who encourages me to take more! So it was set; well first I needed about 2 seconds to think about whether or not I should take off, yeah right! The plan was to leave the house at 10 AM and ride to the Harley-Davidson Museum, 400 Canal Street in Milwaukee. As an added bonus, full paying customers ($16) were given a hardcover Harley-Davidson 300 page book written by Willie G himself! Books are available as long as supplies last or until November 15, a $65 value.

An e-mail was sent out to those I thought might be interested in taking the day off and visiting the museum. I had one taker in this offer, you guessed it, CDogg was excited about the opportunity to ride once again, even if it meant with me. I programed a route in the GPS that would take us from my house to the museum and then back to my house. I figured out my mistake after we got about one mile from home, the GPS kept wanting to take me back home and we hadn't even left Watertown! Just when I thought I had figured out this electrical device, it throws me a curve. I sh#t canned the route and we took the Interstate all the way into downtown. It was easy finding the museum; there are signs posted everywhere.

The museum was awesome! We arrived prior to 11 AM and the 2nd floor took us over 90 minutes to see most everything on this floor. We easily could have spent another 90 minutes reading all the signs displayed for every motorcycle and exhibit. Each cycle on display not only had a tag, but also indicated if it was an unrestored original or a restored bike. Many of the unrestored bikes had less than 200 miles! Imagine, having the foresight to build a bike and then either store it for the distant future or buy back these untouched originals from the owners of yesteryear. The engine room kept us busy for quite a while as we listened to various motors produced by the Motor Company over the course of a hundred plus years.

On the 3rd floor there were the Harley-Davidson Archives. This was also the area of the restoration of bikes. Over 450 bikes have been kept, repurchased or donated since 1915 back to Harley-Davidson. In 1981 the Motor Company took back its' roots by telling AMF, "We soar alone"! Many of us can remember the AMF days and how HD became diversified. By AMF getting involved in production of snowmobiles, boats, golf carts and much more, it probably saved a company from disappearing altogether; it was also the downfall of quality-built motorcycles, until HD said goodbye forever to AMF!.

In 2003, the Motor Company known as Harley-Davidson celebrated 100 years of existence. To celebrate this feat, a 2003 Ultra Classic with sidecar was dismantled and shipped to company facilities around the world for employees to sign. Over 6,000 signatures cover this motorcycle on display (1st floor). Imagine what the four founding fathers would have thought! Elvis Presley's 1956 KH Side-Valve V-twin is also on display, along with the original sale receipt and insurance documentation.

I could go on and on about the many bikes, displays, painted tanks, clothes and so much more found at the museum. We were told that other than Thanksgiving and Christmas, the public is invited to walk the floors and discover or relive memories of the past. The cost is a mere $16 and you can take photos of anything, just don't get too close as you might set off the alarms (as I was told by one employee). There is an area that you can sit on bikes and have pictures taken.

Before setting off on our Harley's, it was time for lunch. We ate at the Cafe Racer Diner, same building as the Motor Company Store. For $8.50 we each got a pulled barbecue pork sandwich, with fries, pickle and soda. You can eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at either of the two restaurants on the museum property. Harley-Davidson did it again. Plan on taking the journey to the museum and relive the past. I'm glad to have taken the time, thanks to Cathy and my boss!