I am an ordinary guy who enjoys riding motorcycles. I love riding all makes and models. I love short rides, long rides, and multi-day road trips. I post reviews about motorcycle gear, motorcycles, roads, restaurants, sights, gadgets and more. The Motorcycle Facts,Trivia and History page has a lot of good info. Be safe and enjoy the ride, Oz.

Friday, October 26, 2012

You gotta stop here! Lake City Bakery

If you read many of my posts you know that I love to eat, especially when it comes to local one of kind establishments.  There is something special about the service, atmosphere, the people, and flavor at those places.

On the recommendation of my youngest sister (I have seven - for real), I made plans to stop at the Lake City Bakery while riding the Silver Thread Scenic Byway in southwest Colorado.  I was really looking forward to riding the Silver Thread, I had heard a lot about the historic road and towns. I was not disappointed.

I left Montrose, Colorado early June 27th, but I did not eat breakfast because I was going to stop at the bakery.  The ride was great.  I saw a cow elk as I ascended out of the Grand Valley on my way east on US 50.  At the east end of the Blue Mesa Reservoir I turned south on CO 149 and rolled on the throttle.

With very little traffic, a lot of curves, and plenty of elevation change the FJR was singing, I was smiling, and the stomach was growling. Officially the Silver Thread Scenic Byway does not start until Lake City and runs south 75 miles to South Fork, CO, but all of CO 149 is great.

As I neared the small town of Lake City I started looking for the small house bakery on the west side of the road.  I saw the occupied tables and chairs in front of a small white with blue trim building and knew I had found the bakery.

Cozy little Lake City Bakery welcomes customers


While parking I saw a steady stream of morning customers entering and exiting with big smiles.  The customer area is very small.  Three adults will fill up the space, but the aroma of fresh pastries makes the cramped quarters enjoyable.

There were so many options.  Donuts, muffins, pastries, breakfast burritos, sausage rolls, and more!  Being a lover of blueberries I chose the blueberry cheese pocket.  I sat outside and enjoyed every bite.  It was so fresh and tasty.  I found it difficult not to go buy more stuff!
 Blueberry cheese pocket
 I continued on the Silver Thread to Creede, CO before turning around and returning to Montrose.  On the way back through Lake City I ate lunch and could not resist the pull to stop by the bakery one more time.  I bought the Blueberry Crunch to take with me.  I was going to enjoy it at an overlook of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.
Blueberry Crunch!
While enjoying the scenery at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and the road CO 92 I savored every bite of the Blueberry Crunch.  I was very impressed with both items from the bakery.  I know that the next time I am in Lake City, Colorado I will be stopping by the Lake City Bakery!
Black Canyon of the Gunnison
If you are in the southwest area of Colorado make sure to ride the Silver Thread and enjoy some great food at the Lake City Bakery.

Friday, October 19, 2012

MotoGP - world class racing and great Texas Food

We are excited here in Texas about hosting MotoGP races on the new track in Austin, Texas - April 19-21, 2013.  More info
New track in Austin - photo from twowheelmania.com
This will be a great race at a great venue.  Austin is in the heart of Texas and is the state capital.  It is also on the eastern edge of the Texas Hill Country, home of some of the best riding in the south.  Here is a link to some of my posts concerning the Hill Country.  The Three Twisted Sisters is the premiere route in the Hill Country.
 The Hill Country has a lot of twisties
and a lot of ups and downs!
There are a lot of great places and roads in Texas - Link

If you want information concerning tickets for the MotoGP races you can find it here.

Ride, drive, trailer, fly, sail, or come by train, but come and visit us in Texas.  You will enjoy the hospitality, the roads, the food, and the races.  Maybe we can even all meet up and enjoy some great Texas bar-b-que or Tex-Mex.

Let me know if you are coming and if you need some suggestions on routes, restaurants,... just let me know.

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Thursday, October 4, 2012

Luggage for the Ninja

Quality motorcycle luggage is important for multi-day trips.  Soft motorcycle luggage is never quite as "water-proof" or durable as hard luggage, but often time is more economical and convenient.

This spring I was planning out the trip to Florida that my son and I would take.  This would be the first time he would be riding his own motorcycle, a Ninja 250.  I knew he needed some luggage for the trip, but I new there is not a huge selection for the Ninja 250.

While at the Maxim Honda (Allen, TX) Open House I spoke with a representative from Cycle Case who was showing a new line of Hi-Viz luggage.  After checking it out I bought some for my son's bike.
The color of the bags will catch the cagers' attention
Installation was easy.  The adjustable  (hook and loop) seat strap connecting the two saddlebags was easy to customize to the appropriate length for the Ninja.  The trunk fastened to the saddlebags using quick release type fasteners.  We ended up using some bungee cords to secure the truck so we could move the trunk back and not crowd the rider.
Rain cover looks good, wish it was also "Hi-Viz"
The saddle bags are equipped with an attached "waterproof" rain cover conveniently located in a zippable small pocket on the bottom edge closest to the bike.  The convenience is nice, but the covering does not cover the side closest to the bike and does not have a draw string to tighten the cover securely on the saddlebag, instead it has an elastic strap sewn into the opening of the cover.  We found this to be a big problem.  Water eventually soaked through that side during a long period of riding in the rain.  The cover had a tendency to blow off after a period of time.  At one point the left side cover came off and was chewed up by the chain and sprocket.
Rain cover storage on each saddlebag
The attached straps for the trunk are neatly tucked away at each corner on the bottom.  The rain cover for the truck is stored inside the trunk, but does not have a designated storage area.  The trunk's rain cover worked fine.  It was easy to place on the trunk and secured with the elastic band sewn inside, although the cover needed to be pulled tight and tucked under the back side of the trunk.
Truck straps tuck into pockets on each corner, loops for alternative securing are provided
The bags are well made and a good value for the price.  The visibility is top-notched.  The mounting and securing is easy and convenient.  If you don't ride much in the rain these are great economical bags.

The rain covers are a big negative to the bags.  First off, I don't understand why you cover hi-viz bags with black at a time when visibility is even more important - in the rain!  Second, the lack of options to tighten and secure the cover is a great oversight.

I think the company has a good product, but needs to make some changes to make it an above average product.