OFMC As Trend-Setters? Oh, Sure

October 19th, 2026


Real bikers were into tattoos long before they became fashionable.

We did tattoos before they were everywhere. For a few days.

Younger people may be surprised to learn that there was a time not that long ago when tattoos were looked down upon as something only sailors and lowlifes got into. I’m really not sure how that outlook changed. I was going to suggest (facetiously) that the OFMC had something to do with it but in reality we were probably just riding on the cusp of a wave that was building before we got on it.

Back in 1994 when the OFMC was preparing for our annual summer ride one of us had an idea. Let’s all get tattoos. But just the temporary kind, the kind that you wet your skin and stick this thing on and the image transfers. Then they wash off in a week or so, maybe longer if you’re careful with it.

The idea of course was for us to sort of masquerade as real hard-core bikers. That was always an ongoing joke between us, knowing full well we were nothing of the sort. But we enjoyed referring to ourselves as “stud bikers.” So what stud biker is complete without tattoos?

At the time the popular idea of tattoos was just starting to change. If you went to the People’s Fair, a long-time Denver event, you were seeing more and more booths where you could look through different images and then pick one to have for yourself. “Proper” society was still leery of actual tattoos but temporary tattoos were definitely in vogue. So Bill and John and I each got a temporary tattoo.

Then we headed out on our one-week ride looking forward to seeing the reaction our skin art would elicit.

And that response was non-existent. It didn’t help that Bill’s washed off quickly, and that John had his put on in a spot where it was usually concealed by his clothing. But mine was right out there for the world to see and nobody said one word about it and I never so much as caught a single person looking furtively at it. Yes sir, we were really the stud bikers.

And then the world changed. Now real tattoos are everywhere. And most of these people have never been on a motorcycle in their lives.

Don’t ask me to explain it. I’m just an observer here.

Biker Quote for Today

You might be a Yuppie biker if your tattoos all wash off.

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MRF Priorities For The Year

October 15th, 2026


No connection; just a fun photo as an illustration.

OK, I’m going to take the easy way out today and just do a copy/paste. Call me lazy if you wish.

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) is the national organization working to protect motorcyclists’ rights. Just as the various ABATEs are the state-level groups doing the same work. Every year the MRF has a national conference and, among other things, decides which issues to focus on in the coming year.

Here are the areas they intend to focus on.

HIGH PRIORITY OBJECTIVES:

Autonomous Vehicles: Advocate and monitor any legislation or regulations related to motorcycles concerning connected and autonomous vehicles.

Crash Avoidance: Continue to promote the theme of crash avoidance versus safer crashing urging the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to focus on crash prevention and support rider education by providing funding and other resources.

Data Recording: Pursue legislative language that any collected or available vehicle data is the property of the consumer and in which the consumer has the choice of whether to opt-in to having their personal data communicated to interested parties.

Definition of a Motorcycle: Educate policymakers and advocate for change to the current definition that better reflects the current two and three-wheel motorcycle landscape.

Emission Regulations: Engage the Environmental protection Agency (EPA) & Congress on any activity related to motorcycle emission regulations

Helmet Laws/Equipment Mandates: Oppose any mandatory federal helmet or personal protective equipment/apparel mandates.

Internal Combustion Engines: Work to ensure the survival of internal combustion engines.

Profiling: Sustain lobbying efforts for the passage of resolutions or legislation that promotes awareness and prohibition of motorcyclist profiling.

Renewable Fuels: Advocate for targeted changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS)

Right to Repair/Modify: Protect and advocate for “Right to Repair” provisions that allow consumers the ability to repair and modify their motorcycles.

Surface Transportation Reauthorization (Highway Bill): Advocate and pursue legislative efforts related to the next highway bill reauthorization (the current act is set to expire in 2026).

Vulnerable Roadway User Terminology: Monitor and ensure that motorcycles and motorcyclists are a specific and unique category or classification.

If any of these issues are near and dear to your heart you may want to see how you can work with the MRF in accomplishing them. Otherwise, be aware that others are doing that work on your behalf.

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Posted in Biker Issues, Helmet Laws, motorcycle clubs, Motorcycle legislation, Motorcycle Riders Foundation | No Comments »

A Lazy Autumn Ride

October 12th, 2026


Stopped along the South Platte outside of Deckers.

Band practice got canceled on Tuesday so I had the entire day wide open. Can you guess what I did?

My biggest problem was in figuring out somewhere to go that I hadn’t already been just in the last few weeks. That’s the one thing about living in the same place for so very long–you’ve got to go a really long way to go any place you haven’t been to many times before. So you try to string different roads together in a series that is different than you’ve done before. I think I managed to do that this time.

First I headed out US 285. Nothing new there. I think the last time I went out that way was, oh, two weeks earlier. I wanted to head south on South Pine Valley Road, CR 126, down to Deckers. But to make it different, this time I did not follow 285 to Pine Junction and get directly onto CR 126, I turned earlier at Foxton Road, which turns off just past the main section of Conifer. Foxton Road runs down to the Platte River and at the bottom, if you go left, it turns to gravel and follows the river. If you go right the road follows the river that direction but it is paved. That brings you out to CR 126 at Buffalo Creek.

So this was my plan as I came through Conifer. I knew the turn-off for Foxton Road was not too far ahead. Still, I was behind a really slow truck. Should I pass him, only to find myself turning off almost immediately? Or poke along behind him? I decided to pass.

And then, moving at a fairly high speed, there was the sign for the Foxton Road turn-off. I crossed quickly in front of the truck into the turn lane and had to brake hard to make the turn. Yeah, I felt a bit foolish. No harm, no foul.

I had not intended this ride as a fall color ride but it turned into one as I came up on Conifer. Leaves were turning all around me and as I headed down Foxton Road the show continued. Nice. There was almost zero traffic so I was cruising nice and easy, just enjoying being out on this super nice day.

Then I very suddenly became aware of three hot sports cars behind me. Clearly, they wanted to get past, to go faster than I was going. As it turned out, there was some road construction right ahead and we had to stop. When we got the signal to move again we immediately found ourselves on what must be one of the only straight stretches of this road and those guys instantly hit the gas and blasted past me. Good for you. And that was the last time I had anybody behind me until hours later when I reached Sedalia.

I got to Buffalo Creek and turned south on CR 126. Nice easy ride on through the hills, through some good twisties, and on down to Deckers. Time for a bite. I pulled in and was surprised there were so few vehicles in the parking lot. I soon learned why. I headed for the restaurant and found it closed. Turns out they close on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I had not known that before. Fortunately there was a little pizza joint cum convenience store right there as well so I got a slice and sat out on the veranda in the shade with my food and drink. Very serene; very relaxed. Chilling.

A few more bikers came in while I was there and then those three sports cars showed up. I have no idea what route they took that I got there before them but hey, we’re all out with our vehicles having a fun day. You go your way, I’ll go mine.

When I was ready to roll again I made the turn there at Deckers, off CR 126 onto CO 67, which runs along the South Platte. Actually, if I had turned left at the bottom of Foxton Road this is where I would have ended up, but the first stretch of that would have been gravel. There at Deckers it is paved.

So 67 follows the river for a ways and then turns off up the hill. Down along the river, however, the pavement continues for a while longer, until you reach Pine Creek Road. Then the pavement ends either way you go. That was the route I chose.

I’ve been over this stretch before. Pine Creek Road is good, smooth dirt/gravel and it has some pretty serious ups and downs. Like 9 percent grades. I was on my only bike these days, my V-Strom, and the V is made for this kind of stuff. I’m running regular street tires on it lately, though, so I just took my time. Did I mention I’m in no hurry?

Eventually Pine Creek rejoins CO 67 and then it was all pavement. Up over past the Rampart Range area, where folks go to do serious dirt riding, and on down into Sedalia. At Sedalia I turned onto US 85 and was once again in traffic. A short jog down to Daniels Park Road and then on home. What a nice day.

Biker Quote for Today

Studies show that life is too short for traffic.

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Posted in Colorado motorcycle rides, V-Strom | No Comments »

Chess And Motorcycles

October 8th, 2026


I was wondering how to illustrate this piece when I realized we have a chess set and we also have a Lego motorcyclist. Voila.

We have two grandsons, Jack (8) and Logan (3). Jack recently learned to play chess. Of course I went out and bought a chess game.

The first two games Judy played with Jack he won, and she did not let him win, he really won. The one game I have played with him so far we battled to a draw. I was trying to win. Judy and I both need to bone up on the game, which neither she nor I had played in many years.

Judy told Jack’s mom, Katie, about their games and how they had both made some really stupid errors. Jack, who is super competitive and absolutely hates to lose, was exultant in telling his mom about “Grandma’s stupid mistakes.”

Telling me about it later Judy drew an analogy that I thought was really apt. She said that chess was like riding a motorcycle in that you always have to be looking in every direction, not just in any one direction. And she speculated that maybe playing chess can help make you a better motorcycle rider by teaching you that need.

I was struck by her thought. They really are alike in the way she said. I, too, made a couple stupid mistakes when playing Jack; I wasn’t looking all around the board at all possibilities.

We all know you have to be hyper-alert out on the road. As one article I read said, the only thing a green light tells you is that the light is green. I had the truth of that driven home–literally–when my car got broadsided two years ago by a guy who blew right through the red. If I had looked up the street I was passing across I would have seen this guy coming a bit too fast for someone who was planning to stop. He was “at fault” but my stupid mistake allowed him to total my car.

Anyway, not something to get long-winded about. I just thought Judy’s thought was worth passing along. Be careful out there.

Biker Quote for Today

Everyone looks funny wearing a helmet. Helmets are funny.

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Posted in Motorcycle Safety | No Comments »

Over Cottonwood And Home

October 5th, 2026


Looking east from on top of Cottonwood Pass.

Nick and I got up in Gunnison the morning of the fourth day of our four-day ride and it was 37 degrees outside. I’ve known for a long time that Gunnison is known for being very cold in the winter but this was September. It turns out, Gunnison is in a basin that cold air settles down into and stays. And sure enough, once we got rolling and up out of the basin the temperature quickly rose.

In the meantime we put on all our warmest clothes. We headed north on CO 135, in the direction of Crested Butte, then at Almont turned onto the road that goes up through Taylor Canyon and over Cottonwood Pass, down to Buena Vista on the other side. We had a very nice ride up Taylor Canyon with almost no traffic. Just a beautiful cruise. On up to the top of the pass and a stop. That was where I met and spoke with that guy on the Honda Pacific Coast.

We ran on down into Buena Vista and stopped to shed layers, then the short jaunt south to where US 24 hits US 285 east to Denver. We made that turn, crossed the bridge over the train tracks, and came to a dead halt with traffic lined up as far as you could see. It turned out they were making improvements to the old, two-lane bridge crossing the Arkansas River and it was one lane at a time. But for some reason they were just allowing westbound traffic for about 15 minutes solid. What the heck?

I considered doing a U-turn and going back into Buena Vista, to take a road that I knew ran out from there to 285 on the other side of the river. We didn’t, and it was a good thing. As we finally started moving I saw that the road I had in mind apparently crosses back to the west side of the river and brings you into the Johnson Village area where we were right into the thick of this back-up.

The good thing about waiting so long was that the only traffic ahead of us anywhere were those vehicles waiting ahead of us to proceed. A bunch of cars and maybe four trucks. If we could get past the trucks we would have a wide open road ahead of us. And it was another beautiful day to ride.

Thanks to a couple passing lanes we did get past the trucks and we blasted. Only to Fairplay, though. Then it was time for lunch.

This Saturday was a holiday weekend, though, and there just wasn’t all that much traffic. That was a large part of why we picked these particular days to do this trip. Normally coming back into Denver on Sunday is absolutely horrid and Saturday is not much better. With Monday being Labor Day, though, we knew all the big traffic would be on Monday.

Which is to say, we made very good time getting down the mountain and into Denver. Then there we were once again crossing town on a hot afternoon. But there wasn’t all that much traffic in town either so our suffering was minimal.

Nice to get home.

Biker Quote for Today

I like my world. I love the wind. Peace and respect for all biker sisters and brothers.

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Riding The Million-Dollar Highway

October 1st, 2026


As far as the general public can go on the road at the bottom of the Black Canyon.

Nick was underwhelmed. His number one objective in coming out from Chicago was to ride this magical “Million-Dollar Highway” that he had heard so much about. I guess he thought the sheer canyon portion of it ran most of the distance between Durango and Ouray. When it turned out that stretch is only about 10 miles he was let down. Oh well. It’s still a terrific ride in my opinion.

We left Durango that morning and I needed gas. Nick had just filled up in South Fork so he was fine. Because he only buys gas from “top tier” stations I rode past a couple I would have stopped at, plus one he would have stopped at that was on the other side of the street. It’s just so much easier if the station is right there on your right.

But there isn’t much gas on the right side of the road on your way north out of Durango. No matter, I knew there was a station ahead before we would get up on Molas Pass. If Nick didn’t want to get gas there that was his choice.

Well, it was a Marathon and he’s OK with Marathon, so we both filled up. I had been leading and expected to continue to lead but we pulled up to get on the highway and he took off, at a point where there was traffic approaching that I would have let get by.

So I took off, too, and as we got into our lane he nailed his throttle. I did the same but my 650 Suzuki does not have the acceleration his 1200 BMW does. Just then I was startled to find a truck hauling a couple cars screaming past me on the right. I’m sure that driver had many choice curse words for me. Why did this idiot pull out in front of him like that when he was moving so fast!!?? You really do need to ride your own ride.

That left us separated, which was fine with me at that point, until Nick stopped at the top of Molas Pass, as I figured he would. We had no desire to stop in Silverton so we just continued past and headed on up Red Mountain Pass. On over the top, down, and through the relatively short section of canyon. Down into Ouray and it was time for a break.

We had been kicking around going up to Montrose and then east by way of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison or up to Delta, then east to Hotchkiss. We decided to go to Montrose. We got to the turn-off for the national park and headed on in. We had ridden up CO 92 along the north rim of the Black Canyon the last time Nick had been out so this time we agreed to ride the south rim. After that we headed for the East Portal Road.

The East Portal Road is a very steep, twisty road that goes from the rim all the way down to the river at the bottom. It’s a favorite with motorcyclists. We went down and road the stretch at the bottom that goes as far upriver as you can. Got off the bikes, shot a few pictures, and headed back up and out. Then back to US 50 and on to Gunnison.

Going past the Blue Mesa Reservoir it was more empty than I have ever seen it. The word is that they are draining most of the upriver reservoirs in order to keep Lake Mead from dropping so low that the hydro plant can no longer produce electricity. We’re in a serious drought.

At Gunnison we checked in at our motel, a place the OFMC has stayed but which more recently had tried to shift to a more upper crust clientele. Apparently that effort did not work out well because we had gotten our room there that night at a very good price.

And that was day three of this four-day trip.

Biker Quote for Today

100 reasons not to date a biker: 23. Can’t find us? We’re in the garage again. We live in the garage.

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Posted in Colorado motorcycle rides, motorcycle clubs, motorcycle touring, OFMC | No Comments »

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