I've moved my pictures...

 If your here at this page because you clicked on a link at Bikernet.com and you want to read a tech report from my bike.... click here... http://chessiestales.blogspot.com/2009/09/cost-be-damned.html



Hey y'all... 
As the title says, I've moved my pictures.  Now I have a few thousand posted over at SmugMug and you can find them at this link: http://chessiecat.smugmug.com/Other/Chessies-Rides/10142569_WVpiM#697488681_DFinn


I haven't done any thing yet to put them into a definitive order of classification, which means for now you must peruse the folders as they come. I will be putting them in some sort of order as time goes by. 

But hey...have a look at some of the photos I really like today:


























Man there are sooo many, I guess I should stop for now...

Motorcycle Pictures of the Week - Tom's Gal

Here are my Pictures of the Week as displayed on the Motorcycle Views Website. These are taken from the Moto Pic Gallery. See Tom's Gal on his 2005 Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200. There are no women winners this week. Get your picture in. For details, see Motorcycle Pictures of the Week.

If you'd like to see your bike as Picture of the Week, submit a picture of you and your bike along with a description of the bike.

Good God! Joke. The Harley Davidson Facts...

                                The Harley-Davidson Facts                                  

The inventor of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle, Arthur Davidson , died and went to heaven.

At the gates, St. Peter told Arthur, 'Since you've been such a good man and your motorcycles have changed the world, your reward is, you can hang out with anyone you want to in heaven.'  Arthur thought about it for a minute and then said, ' I want to hang out with God.'  St. Peter took Arthur to the Throne room, and introduced him to God.  God recognized Arthur and commented, 'Okay, so you were the one who invented the Harley-Davidson motorcycle?' 

Arthur said, 'Yeah, that's me...'

God commented: 'Well, what's the big deal in inventing something that's pretty unstable, makes noise and pollution and can't run without a road?'  Arthur was a bit embarrassed, but finally spoke, 'Excuse me, but aren't you the inventor of woman?'  God said, 'Ah, yes.'  'Well,' said Arthur, 'professional to professional, you have some major design flaws in your invention!

1. There's too much inconsistency in the front-end suspension.

2. It chatters constantly at high speeds.

3. Most rear ends are too soft and wobble about too much.

4. The intake is placed way too close to the exhaust.

5. The maintenance costs are outrageous!!!!

'Hmmmmm, you may have some good points there,' replied God, 'hold on.'

God went to his Celestial supercomputer, typed in a few words and waited for the results. The computer printed out a slip of paper and God read it.  'Well, it may be true that my invention is flawed,' God said to Arthur, 'but according to these numbers, more men are riding my invention than yours'.

son's Of Anarchy Season 2 episode 7 review

• This episode started out with SAMCRO members in prison. Jax says, "The Ariens put out the word. Us white boys are on our own". Without any protection in the big house, the club is in danger of being killed 1 by 1. Clay tries to buy some protection from the One Niners. Clay asks, "If we do this, Black got our back?" The reply was, "When they are both delivered, Harley's gettin all kinds of love from the Fat Man". The Club is to deliver a snitch which was successful, but ultimately got Juice stabbed. (By the way, he lives.) They are also to set up a prostitute, which Opie does successfully from the outside, but this ends up in Trammel getting shot by the prostitue. He says, " I guess she didn't want to be set up."

• Agent Stahl shows her face up again. She tries to work some angles by saying she has no intent of creating any collateral damage in Charming. She is playing the side of the "good" FBI agent by trying to get down to the bottom of the Irish and Zobel.

• Opie's Ma drops the kids off with him. She says she is going up north to see Piney. She packed up all her stuff. She ain't coming back. Opie says she couldn't be a Mom 20 years ago, and she can't be one now.

• Gemma talks to Elliot, and convinces him to post bail for the club. He puts his property up for collateral. $300 against $3 Mill.

• Opie does a little confiding in the porsnstar Lila. Actually agrees to let her take his kids for a while. When she comes to get them, Gemma and Tara won't let her. The verbal exchange of insults between Tara and Lila is pretty funny.

• Bobby tells Jax that it falls in him to squash what ever it is between him and Clay. Jax asks why he should. Bobby tells Jax, "Because Clay is old and mean & He is never going to admit he is wrong & He's earned that." Jax says, "Nah man, time don't mean shit." Bobby says, "I'm doin the best I can to hold us together, but if this split gets any worse, I'm gonna hafta pick a corner. You know this club needs a healing Brother, and you got to be the one to deliver it."

• Jax and Clay get questioned while in prison by FBI Agent Stahl. The questioning is individual and private. She tries to play them against each other. Clay gets questioned first. She shows him a picture of the Irish and Zobel making a deal. She says she will make things go back to normal if he will give her information on the Irish. She says she is only interested in catching the Irish, not SAMCRO. Clay doesn't buy her line, and says he knows nothing about the Irish. Before questioning Jax, there is a HUGE BRAWL between Clay and Jax. The club and the rest of the inmates, let the brawl go on. They both mutually kick the shit out of each other. Then it's Jax's turn for questioning. Same thing happens with him. Jax doesn't bite either. He tells her that she took a huge risk asking them for information on the Irish. He said that because of this he knows she ain't got shit on SAMCRO. Then Agent Stahl, tells them they are free to go. Bail was already posted.

• The boys return from prison. Gemma and Tara are at the clubhouse parking lot when they roll in. They all but Jax go in the one clubhouse main door, and Jax in another. No one speaks a word. Gemma and Tara truly look stumped, like WTF was that all about?

• Thus ends another fantastic episode. I can't wait to see how they will top this one. We'll see soon!

UNLAWFUL DETAINMENT OR ROAD SIDE INSPECTIONS OF MOTORCYCLISTS

Hey y'all....

I'm going to do something I don't normally do here.  I'm going to write about something that bothers me.  It's motorcycle related, so please bear with me.



Recently, I've read a few stories about police doing "profiling" of motorcyclists.  It wasn't really profiling in the sense you and I have expected police to use profiling.  Let's face it, we all know police will stop a young black man driving through an influential, predominantly white neighborhood while driving his pimped out or beat up Chevy, but not the black man driving the Mercedes, wearing a three piece suit, and appearing like the rest of the white residents to be an affluent white collar businessman.

No, the profiling taking place in Holly RIDGE NC, (as well as other communities through out the US.) affects all kinds of motorcyclists. They are stopping at check points all two wheeled modes of motorized transportation without probable cause.  They are inspecting our safety equipment, as well as our identity cards, our insurance cards, and gaining access to our personal belongings by doing a CLOSE inspection of what we have attached to our bikes.  They are performing roadside intoxication tests, not because they observed the driver performing poorly while driving, but because they have decided during this unwarranted stop to inconvenience or embarrass the owner/operator of the bike...for what ever reason comes to the officer's mind. 

Have you ever driven past a stopped motorist, and thought... "hee heee...that's what he gets for speeding through here!"  Or perhaps you thought.... "I wonder what he did wrong?"  

 Have you ever seen a motorist on the side of the road taking a drunk test and thought, "Good, one more off the road!"  

Have you ever driven past a friend, neighbor, or work mate stopped by police on the side of the road...and assumed they did something to be stopped?  Have you ever thought that if this happened to you how devastating it could be to you if your boss drove by and saw you here taking a drunk test...and you hadn't had a drink?  How would your boss remember you for the upcoming promotions?

When I see people stopped by police, I am conditioned to assume these people did something to warrant the stop.  I assume they were caught speeding.  I assume they were observed performing an illegal act.  I presume they were seen driving in an unsafe manner.  I assume and presume a lot of things...but rarely do I think, "I wonder, did the cop stop them because they are being profiled?"  "Did they get stopped because they ride a motorcycle and for no other reason?" 

I've read the argument that motorcycles are harder to operate than cars, and therefore should be subject to police stopping them to check their status for sobriety, insurance compliance, safety equipment compliance, proper registration, proper licensing of both driver and machine.  But in actuality, operating a motorcycle is not harder to operate, but rather is less understood by new owners due to not enough time spent observing or riding the motorcycle. (As children we spend all our lives observing the operation of cars, the usual method of the conveyance of multiple children and others.) Our awareness of what is safe or unsafe behavior is heightened and brought to bear...time and time again through the observance of the behavior and actions of our parents while driving a car.  We do not have this same type of behavior modification and education for motorcycles. Thus we have motorcycle education classes.  That does not go to say or mean motorcycles are harder to operate, but rather they operate under a different set of natural law  than a four wheeled vehicle.  

There is less room and tolerance for mistakes. It's not HARDER to do unless your a complete moron who is unable to concentrate on the task at hand and complete it in a safe manner. 

There is no argument that will allow a group of motorists (in America) to lose their right to ride the roads without just cause to stop them.  There is no reason to allow the loss of my freedoms on the face of ill thought out safety issues.  

I will not sit idly by while my right to ride is eroded by law enforcement in order to reduce my rights as a citizen of these United States.  I am not a criminal. I do not like being treated as one simply for the mode of transportation I choose.  And neither should you. 

It matters not if I am riding with a three piece patch on my back or if I ride the path of the lone rider. As long as I have not publicly exhibited unlawful behavior, as long as the mandated safety equipment I have on my bike does not exhibit any unlawful flaws, I have the right to ride my machine unmolested by law enforcement.  


It's time to stand up and tell our police departments, they are not our lord and masters, but rather our defenders of just law. They do not have the right to stop and molest us because we ride.  They do not have the right to take pictures of us beside our bikes on a traffic stop, or to write our descriptions including visible tattoos to put into a central computer somewhere. (Yes, I've had that happen to me in a small town in Florida in 1978.)  


Stand now, use your voice to stop these unlawful roadside detentions!  If this is happening in your community...YOU HAVE THE OBLIGATION to become one of the many who will stand up, be counted, and do his/her part to stop this kind of bullying by our law enforcement officials.


   

Turns out I’m Just a Poser

Turns out I’m Just a Poser....


Ran across this chart on the internet, and I came to the realization that I’m not a 1%’er, a Biker, a Chopper Rider, or a Motorcyclist, I’m Just a “Poser”.

The Urban Dictionary describes Posers as:

“A poser is someone who tries to fit into a profile they aren't. People who try to give off the impression that they are one thing when they are really another.

Also, a poser can be one who says they can do something that they can't….”

Here are the reasons why I’m just a “Poser”:

1. I don’t ride a Chopper I ride a Cruiser.

2. I don’t ride a Harley Davidson; I ride a Yamaha V-Star 1100 Classic.

3. I wear a helmet, (a half helmet anyway).

4. I occasionally wear a Dew Rag my daughter gave me as a gift, or the ones my mother-in-law picked up for me to keep my hair in line and sweat out of my eyes while I ride.

5. My cell phone is a Palm Treo running MS Windows Mobile.

6. I wear my inexpensive Timex Ironman watch on my commute to and from work.

7. I wear an oversized FMC Leather Jacket when the weather warrants it and an OSI Cool Mesh Jacket in summer.

8. I don’t carry a check book and my wallet is usually empty.

9. I tend to shy away from designer clothes, but I love my black Guinness T-Shirt.

10. I don’t currently own a biker wallet but I am looking for one that I could take the chain on and off for when I’m at work.

11. My bike is not a Garage Queen, but only gets ridden at least five days a week and is usually parked out in the elements all day at work.

12. I have to ride to work in dress slacks and other times I like my black Wranglers.

13. I wear oversized Street & Steel Leather Chaps when the weather warrants.

14. I wear my Harley, or my Bates boots to ride in.

15. I work on my own bike.

16. I wear Oakley Sunglasses my sister-in-law gave me for Christmas many years ago or some inexpensive clear motorcycle glasses at night.

17. I have a Guardian Angel Bell hanging off the bottom of my motorcycle that my daughter gave me.

18. I enjoy reading about motorcycling.

19. I like motorcycle racing.

20. I publish a blog about motorcycles and motorcycling.

21. I tweet about motorcycling, Torch762.

22. I don’t belong to a Motorcycle Club.

23. I like other folks that ride other brands and classes of two wheeled transportation.

24. I have not been riding since birth.


So, despite that I ride more days than not, and even in the rain, (they think I’m crazy at work), I am just a “Poser” after all. I think I’ll keep on riding, enjoying the experience, and just be myself.


Ride on,
Torch

A Ride Around the Lakes....

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Yesterdays ride wasn't a long one. About 47 miles according to Google Maps. All the same, I spent 3.5 quality hours with my bike and with nature. It did me as much good as a six hour 200 mile ride around here....I felt renewed when I got home AND I had these great pictures to show you! So, here we go again....Fall in North Eastern Tennessee.

The first stop is at a great photogenic barn. The owner of the farm came over and talked to me. He has a 79 Low Rider.... I would like to ride that, I taught my mom to ride on a 79 low rider...what a classic great bike!

AND THE PHOTOS ARE TAKEN WITH A PRISTINE MEMORY CARD...SO THEY LOOK LIKE THEY SHOULD!




My next stop is on Steel Bridge Road. Lovely road...this is a Texaco sign...with no gas station in sight...it's gone now, all but the cool sign.



At the same photograpic spot as the Texaco sign, are these bridge pilings. I suspect it was for a railroad, not a road...but I could easily be wrong.



This is just below TVA's Wilber Dam. It's on....yeah you guessed it: Wilber Dam Road. If you look closely, you will spot a fly fisherman in the water....



A trout hole...and Wilber Dam



We are still on Wilber Dam Road, this time we are above the dam. This is Wilber Lake.



This is a picnic area off Horsedam Road....



I liked the root system of this tree on the path...so I took a photo....



This is an overlook on Lookout Road below Watuga Dam.



Another view from the same area:


Here are a few more...absolute peace is what I derived from these spots...













This is off RT 321 as we travel up into the the mountains around Watuga Lake. It's a Federal Park/picnic area...no one was here...it's a lovely spot.



This is still at the park/picnic area...my bike and Lake Watuga...





This is from an Over Look off RT 321. National Forests are so cool, aren't they?





From roadside Picnic area, once again this is off RT 321.



This is a marina that sits on the lake.







Returning to my bike after a hike to the Lake...



The sky on my ride home....does it get much better?

Riding a motorcycle is like the love of a great woman....

“Riding a motorcycle is like the love of a great woman, sometimes it’s hard to hold on, but all the excitement is darn well worth it!” – Torch ©2009.

Interpret it how you want to.

Ride on,
Torch

Wicked Springer

The other day I was driving along and saw this really kick ass Springer. I just had to shoot a few photos of it.

.

Thought you might enjoy it at much as me.

Really though, Ain't it one of the cutest things you ever did see?

Aaahhhhhhh

Need I say more?

Fall Colors On Roan Mountain

Hey y'all, yeah...I took a ride yesterday up to see some fall colors on Roan Mountain.  I took a small off shoot road and found some of the most beautiful scenes to photograph.  

So, here they are, espcially for my friends in the South, and the South West.... you may be able to ride all year, but sometimes you miss the best the rest have to offer.

 


























I wish they would put electric wires underground, messes up the great photo ops....







I'm going to get a larger memory card today...need a new one anyway...Fall....here in the High Country...it's a favorite time of year for me!