| Columns |
By Robert Shearon
By day, I’m a mild-mannered journalist
at a daily newspaper.
When I shared with my co-workers that I
had spent the morning doing a
motorcycle road test, they assured me
that I had finally removed any shred of
doubt they may have had about my
sanity.
What happened was that I had waited
until the last possible day to do a road
test, and was rewarded with having to
the test in temps that ranged from 26
degrees all the way up to a balmy 30
degrees. I had hoped to do the test that
afternoon when it was supposed to be
marginally warmer, but a last-minute
change of my work schedule forced me
to do the test in the a.m.
I got there and checked out the bike
(see the bike review elsewhere in the
magazine).
I went back to the car and suited up.
My cold-weather riding gear included a
pair of blue jeans, two pairs of socks,
my Magnum boots, a long-sleeve
undershirt, a cotton shirt, a Roadcrafter
two-piece suit, Power Trip gauntlet
gloves and my brand-new Fulmer
Modus helmet.
I realized after I had all my gear on and
battened down that I had forgotten to
put on the sweatshirt I had brought
along.
I debated for a moment or two about
putting it on, but decided it would be
more effort than I wanted to expend,
plus it would be a really great test of the
Roadcrafter suit.
So, off I went.
The only part of me that got
uncomfortable was my hands. The
Power Trip gloves just can’t keep them
warm in below-freezing temperatures. I
wrote in December about a similar riding
trip where the temps were in the mid-
30s. The gloves worked OK then,
allowing just my fingertips to get a little
uncomfortable. Obviously, for sub-30
temps I need to find a better solution
(such as staying home and drinking hot
chocolate).
My feet, double bagged in the thin,
synthetic, patterned socks I wear,
stayed warm, which amazed me. I’ve
fought cold feet many times in the past.
Can’t believe keeping them warm was
as easy as an extra pair of socks.
My new Fulmer helmet was not as
quite as good as the old one in keeping
air off my lower chin area. Not sure why.
See below about my new helmet.
The Roadcrafter suit kept me
comfortable enough. With the sweatshirt
I would have been fine. I got a little cool
in my chest area, partly because of the
way the windshield worked on that
particular bike to funnel air straight into
my chest. Still, after nearly two hours in
the saddle, the only parts that were
uncomfortably cold were my hands.
I’d say I’m pretty well set for cold-
weather riding. If I ever get around to
installing the heated grips I got last
year, I’ll be able to ride to Antarctica.
****************
I was notified through an on-line
discussion group that my helmet had
been recalled.
I checked with Fulmer and they said
they would be glad to replace it, but that
I’d be without a helmet for a couple of
weeks. Alternately, I could take it back
to where I bought it and they could swap
it out, and I’d not be without a helmet.
I called my friend Jay Barnett at John’s
Honda on Hot Springs and he said he’d
be glad to handle the recall for me. He
didn’t have a XXXL in stock, but he said
they’d order one and call me when it
came it.
A couple of days later someone from
the store called and left a message that
my helmet was in. I went up, swapped it
out, and went on my way.
That was some pretty good service.
The new helmet seems identical to the
old, except for the fact it lets a little more
air in at the chin area.
***********
It’s almost time for the ABATE District 1
Swap Meet and Bike Show at the
fairgrounds in Little Rock.
Riding South will be there with goody
bags and door prizes. Stop by and visit
with Shelia, Ellie, Barry and me.
**************
I want to welcome Eric Rossiter on
board. Eric is Riding South’s new rep in
Missouri. Among his resume items is
that he is a Patriot Guard Rider. I think
those guys are really great. Find his
column on page 6..
Eric is a professional freelance writer
and moto-journalist specializing in
motorcycle touring. Having ridden
periodically for over 20 years, Eric
realized a life-long dream in 2005 by
purchasing his first Harley Davidson.
Eric toured the world care of Uncle
Sam as a young man. He became a
Golden Shellback during his West-Pac
cruise of ’79-80. Eric toured the Pacific
as a Boatswains mate aboard the USS
Mars AFS-1, touring many foreign lands
such as Singapore, Thailand, the
Philippines and Oman.
He spent a number of years in both the
blue-collar and white-collar worlds. After
an honorable discharge, he was hired
on as a route man delivering French
bread throughout the San Francisco
bay area before moving back home to
Missouri and pursuing an over-the-road
trucking career.
After health issues forced him out of
his driving career, Eric did what others
do who find themselves in a similar
predicament. He went back to school.
While juggling a family with two small
children, Eric attended DeVry University
in Kansas City, graduating with a BS in
CIS. Eric then spent several years in the
IT world as a systems/network
administrator for several small and mid-
sized companies.
Fast-forward to the present, and you’ll
find Eric serenely traveling paved two-
lanes in search of the Zen of the two-
wheeled experience.
Eric is once again attempting to re-
invent himself as a freelance
independent professional in attempt to
escape cubicle hell.
Eric is a Senior Ride Captain in
Missouri for the Patriot Guard Riders,
and a member of the American Legion
and American Legion Riders Post 370
out of Overland Park KS.
In his spare time, he’s also President of
the Freedom Cruisers Chapter 38 in
Kansas City Mo.
By day, I’m a mild-mannered journalist
at a daily newspaper.
When I shared with my co-workers that I
had spent the morning doing a
motorcycle road test, they assured me
that I had finally removed any shred of
doubt they may have had about my
sanity.
What happened was that I had waited
until the last possible day to do a road
test, and was rewarded with having to
the test in temps that ranged from 26
degrees all the way up to a balmy 30
degrees. I had hoped to do the test that
afternoon when it was supposed to be
marginally warmer, but a last-minute
change of my work schedule forced me
to do the test in the a.m.
I got there and checked out the bike
(see the bike review elsewhere in the
magazine).
I went back to the car and suited up.
My cold-weather riding gear included a
pair of blue jeans, two pairs of socks,
my Magnum boots, a long-sleeve
undershirt, a cotton shirt, a Roadcrafter
two-piece suit, Power Trip gauntlet
gloves and my brand-new Fulmer
Modus helmet.
I realized after I had all my gear on and
battened down that I had forgotten to
put on the sweatshirt I had brought
along.
I debated for a moment or two about
putting it on, but decided it would be
more effort than I wanted to expend,
plus it would be a really great test of the
Roadcrafter suit.
So, off I went.
The only part of me that got
uncomfortable was my hands. The
Power Trip gloves just can’t keep them
warm in below-freezing temperatures. I
wrote in December about a similar riding
trip where the temps were in the mid-
30s. The gloves worked OK then,
allowing just my fingertips to get a little
uncomfortable. Obviously, for sub-30
temps I need to find a better solution
(such as staying home and drinking hot
chocolate).
My feet, double bagged in the thin,
synthetic, patterned socks I wear,
stayed warm, which amazed me. I’ve
fought cold feet many times in the past.
Can’t believe keeping them warm was
as easy as an extra pair of socks.
My new Fulmer helmet was not as
quite as good as the old one in keeping
air off my lower chin area. Not sure why.
See below about my new helmet.
The Roadcrafter suit kept me
comfortable enough. With the sweatshirt
I would have been fine. I got a little cool
in my chest area, partly because of the
way the windshield worked on that
particular bike to funnel air straight into
my chest. Still, after nearly two hours in
the saddle, the only parts that were
uncomfortably cold were my hands.
I’d say I’m pretty well set for cold-
weather riding. If I ever get around to
installing the heated grips I got last
year, I’ll be able to ride to Antarctica.
****************
I was notified through an on-line
discussion group that my helmet had
been recalled.
I checked with Fulmer and they said
they would be glad to replace it, but that
I’d be without a helmet for a couple of
weeks. Alternately, I could take it back
to where I bought it and they could swap
it out, and I’d not be without a helmet.
I called my friend Jay Barnett at John’s
Honda on Hot Springs and he said he’d
be glad to handle the recall for me. He
didn’t have a XXXL in stock, but he said
they’d order one and call me when it
came it.
A couple of days later someone from
the store called and left a message that
my helmet was in. I went up, swapped it
out, and went on my way.
That was some pretty good service.
The new helmet seems identical to the
old, except for the fact it lets a little more
air in at the chin area.
***********
It’s almost time for the ABATE District 1
Swap Meet and Bike Show at the
fairgrounds in Little Rock.
Riding South will be there with goody
bags and door prizes. Stop by and visit
with Shelia, Ellie, Barry and me.
**************
I want to welcome Eric Rossiter on
board. Eric is Riding South’s new rep in
Missouri. Among his resume items is
that he is a Patriot Guard Rider. I think
those guys are really great. Find his
column on page 6..
Eric is a professional freelance writer
and moto-journalist specializing in
motorcycle touring. Having ridden
periodically for over 20 years, Eric
realized a life-long dream in 2005 by
purchasing his first Harley Davidson.
Eric toured the world care of Uncle
Sam as a young man. He became a
Golden Shellback during his West-Pac
cruise of ’79-80. Eric toured the Pacific
as a Boatswains mate aboard the USS
Mars AFS-1, touring many foreign lands
such as Singapore, Thailand, the
Philippines and Oman.
He spent a number of years in both the
blue-collar and white-collar worlds. After
an honorable discharge, he was hired
on as a route man delivering French
bread throughout the San Francisco
bay area before moving back home to
Missouri and pursuing an over-the-road
trucking career.
After health issues forced him out of
his driving career, Eric did what others
do who find themselves in a similar
predicament. He went back to school.
While juggling a family with two small
children, Eric attended DeVry University
in Kansas City, graduating with a BS in
CIS. Eric then spent several years in the
IT world as a systems/network
administrator for several small and mid-
sized companies.
Fast-forward to the present, and you’ll
find Eric serenely traveling paved two-
lanes in search of the Zen of the two-
wheeled experience.
Eric is once again attempting to re-
invent himself as a freelance
independent professional in attempt to
escape cubicle hell.
Eric is a Senior Ride Captain in
Missouri for the Patriot Guard Riders,
and a member of the American Legion
and American Legion Riders Post 370
out of Overland Park KS.
In his spare time, he’s also President of
the Freedom Cruisers Chapter 38 in
Kansas City Mo.
On Riding South
Barry's Take on Things
By Barry Bowman
Morning Thoughts
As I write this, steam from my third cup of coffee has
condensed onto the edge of my monitor. While wiping it off,
I listen to the quiet noises of the house. Listening hard, I
can barely hear the TV in the living room. It’s tuned to an
old JAG rerun.
Joan is sleeping across the hall, and every now and then,
I can hear her breathe heavy and turn over in bed. Since
retiring, she’s relearned the simple pleasure of sleeping in
most mornings, and I try not to disturb her. Sophie, our four-
year-old American Eskimo, is lying in the hallway, just
waiting until she decides it’s time to go and jump in the
middle of the bed with her mistress and lick her face until
she relents and awakens.
Just another winter morning for old retired folks at
Horseshoe Bend, Ark. I’m warm sitting in front of the
computer, but baby, it’s cold outside.
The outside temperature is around 15 degrees right now,
with an expected high today of 35 or so.. That’s too cold for
me to even think about riding. So, this morning, I’ve been
thinking about how Riding South seems to be growing and
changing right before my eyes.
I’m really impressed with the January issue. The addition
of two more regular columns and a couple of fine touring
related articles along with Robert’s always timely editorial
indicate to me the magazine is growing and getting better
with every issue.
Not only is the magazine changing and growing, so is the
website. The other day Robert e-mailed that I should check
out the revamped Riding South website. I did and I like it. In
my opinion, it looks much more professional than before.
There’s a lot more content on it and even a couple of ads. I
looked at the ads, read some of the old stuff and went to
the blog with the idea of listing some of my favorite riding
destinations in Arkansas.
However, I soon realized there are just too many. I’ll have
to address some of them in a future column. And hopefully,
this spring, I can discover some new favorites to add to the
list. Until then, I’ll have to be content reading about
motorcycles and thinking about the rides I plan to take this
coming summer.
Riding South helps me with this. I always look forward to
each issue. I enjoy reading the articles and the
advertisements. I think Robert should be congratulated for
hanging in there with the magazine. I sure hope that with its
new sales and editorial staff, Riding South continues to
grow and improve. It sure shows every sign of doing just
that. So this month I’d like to publicly thank Robert Shearon
for continuing to publish a little magazine dedicated to the
kind of motorcycle riding I like to do. Thanks Robert.
Morning Thoughts
As I write this, steam from my third cup of coffee has
condensed onto the edge of my monitor. While wiping it off,
I listen to the quiet noises of the house. Listening hard, I
can barely hear the TV in the living room. It’s tuned to an
old JAG rerun.
Joan is sleeping across the hall, and every now and then,
I can hear her breathe heavy and turn over in bed. Since
retiring, she’s relearned the simple pleasure of sleeping in
most mornings, and I try not to disturb her. Sophie, our four-
year-old American Eskimo, is lying in the hallway, just
waiting until she decides it’s time to go and jump in the
middle of the bed with her mistress and lick her face until
she relents and awakens.
Just another winter morning for old retired folks at
Horseshoe Bend, Ark. I’m warm sitting in front of the
computer, but baby, it’s cold outside.
The outside temperature is around 15 degrees right now,
with an expected high today of 35 or so.. That’s too cold for
me to even think about riding. So, this morning, I’ve been
thinking about how Riding South seems to be growing and
changing right before my eyes.
I’m really impressed with the January issue. The addition
of two more regular columns and a couple of fine touring
related articles along with Robert’s always timely editorial
indicate to me the magazine is growing and getting better
with every issue.
Not only is the magazine changing and growing, so is the
website. The other day Robert e-mailed that I should check
out the revamped Riding South website. I did and I like it. In
my opinion, it looks much more professional than before.
There’s a lot more content on it and even a couple of ads. I
looked at the ads, read some of the old stuff and went to
the blog with the idea of listing some of my favorite riding
destinations in Arkansas.
However, I soon realized there are just too many. I’ll have
to address some of them in a future column. And hopefully,
this spring, I can discover some new favorites to add to the
list. Until then, I’ll have to be content reading about
motorcycles and thinking about the rides I plan to take this
coming summer.
Riding South helps me with this. I always look forward to
each issue. I enjoy reading the articles and the
advertisements. I think Robert should be congratulated for
hanging in there with the magazine. I sure hope that with its
new sales and editorial staff, Riding South continues to
grow and improve. It sure shows every sign of doing just
that. So this month I’d like to publicly thank Robert Shearon
for continuing to publish a little magazine dedicated to the
kind of motorcycle riding I like to do. Thanks Robert.
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