15,000 Miles with John Sulkosky Part 2

On this episode of Road Show Podcast we are proud to present Part 2 of our interview with John Silkosky. Oddly, for travelers nowadays Silkosky does not blog and rarely e-mails. Unfortunately that makes our postings a little incomplete because we do not, at this point, have any pictures to share with you. To the best of my knowledge Silkosky is now back in Alaska spending the holidays with his family and has promised to send me a photo CD with images of his travels. Even though the story is told very well in the audio portion it is hard to get an idea of the extent of his journey. I will be adding more to it as the content becomes available. In the meantime you can check out the following link.

Kind of gives you a feel for the enormity of the journey.

On another note...

(Click the Blueberry-------------------------------------------------------------->
to listen to podcast)



Thanks to my friend Grant Johnson at http://www.horizonsunlimited.com I was recently put in contact with one Simon Gandolfi who will be featured on an upcoming podcast. Until then, check out his blog and links at.

http://simongandolfi.blogspot.com/


Things have also been very busy here at Road Show Central. With me slugging it out at MMI and the Wrench Wench helping to make ends meet at her job it has been hectic. Of course the holidays have had something to do with that as well.

Speaking of MMI (Motorcycle Mechanics Institute) that is one strange place and I am still not quite sure what to make of it.

More about that HERE.

15,000 Miles with John Silkosky

In April of 2008 John Silkosky a native of Fairbanks, Alaska who is also stricken with Cerebral Palsy set out from his hometown on a custom built tryke with a Voyager kit on it for what turned out to be a 15,000 mile trip around the U.S. Along the way he totaled his bike hitting a deer, spent time working at the Quantum Learning Center and overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles to eventually arrive in Scottsdale, AZ in November. I recently sat down with Silkosky at a Scottsdale Starbucks where he outlined his journey. Part one of which is presented in the latest Road Show Podcast.

Click on the Blubrry Icon at right to listen to podcast --->>>




John Silkosky poses in front of his custom Honda Shadow



Silkosky was kind enough to fully load his bike for the Road Show photo shoot



Check out the powerful electrical solenoid attached to a switch on the handlebars that allows Silkosky to shift normally



Bottom Center is the custom crutch box built by Silkosly's father

International Motorcycle Show, Phoenix, AZ 11.1.08

There are a lot of adjectives that could be applied to today but boring is certainly not one of them. The Wrench Wench and I have been struggling to keep up with Road Show and I have been developing what I consider to be some pretty shaky content. It has been hard to really get anyplace or do anything interesting because Motorcycle Theory at MMI has been so intense. Thankfully, theory is finally over and we got to attend the International Motorcycle Show this weekend.



Red Takes Her Place Among the Thousands of Motorcycles Carrying Motorcycle Enthusiasts to This Great Show

Among the highlights of the show for Road Show was an interview with Johnny Pag Motorcycles.



Another highlight for us was getting to talk to the XX motorcycle stunt team.



Beemerman Interviews Members of the XX Stunt Team

Foundations!

A few blogs ago I posted some pix of the apartments next to us and their collapsing porches. Amazingly enough some heavy equipment arrived a couple of days ago to remedy the problem...



Whoa! Hope you look before you step out THAT sliding door!

The workman completely removed the porches on all three floors and started over.



Second Floor Porch Rebuild in Progress



Street View

The most interesting, and alarming, part is when the old beams were exposed they revealed a pretty weak core hidden underneath a plaster sheath.





Now THAT is some high-quality construction!

Kind of got me thinking of the whole thing as a metaphor for the way life can sometimes be lived. Particularly my own of late. How easy it is to plaster over a weak spiritual foundation with and acceptable but weak facade.

Shop Math!

I was enjoying the un-self conscious rhytmic slapping of the black-clad master tech as he sauntered up the long hallway of MMI returning from a cigarette break. "What did you stop for, that was a groovy groove," I said as he looked up and saw me leaning on the outside wall of the classroom next to the vending machines. He held out his hand down low, palm out in the universal invitation for a congratulitory slap which I recipricated. "Way to go," he beamed, "you really pulled it out!" I modulated my response in the "manly" way..."thanks man," I said in the coolest tone I could pull off. However, inside I was delighted like a small child. No compliment has ever meant more to me. A few days earlier I could not have felt more differently.

You see my student career at Motorcyle Mechanics Institute had gotten off to a less than auspicious start. Just a few days earlier my medication had been changed and I had spent a couple of VERY long days just trying to stay concious in class and saftety seminar and had received a very disappointing score on my first test in engine theory, followed by being called out privately by my teacher Gabe and the physically intimidating T.C. and questioned why I had looked and behaved so drugged during T.C.'s safety lecure. Fortunately they both understood about bi-polar disorder and the effect of new meds and they spared me the ignomy of being escorted down to the office for a drug test. Still I was so humiliated by my poor academic performance and subsequent bad public behavior that I voiced my strong desire to quit the program right there. Fortunately that little "God Place" in my head had prevailed and I agreed to show up for class the next day.



Gabe Visser, Harley Tech and teacher extraordinaire and all 'round great human being

The next few days were rough, no insurance means I have been suffering through some tooth and leg pain that has been relentles, but on Thursday I aced the shop math quiz and pulled out an A in the course.

Feels Good!

Some Random Notes

Life at Road Show Central has taken yet another unexpected turn. With school MMI now in full swing and the Wrench Wench and I now working, umm sort of, more on that later our time for travel adventures has been severely curtailed.

School at Motorcycle Mechanics Institute is truly brutal. Five hours in class every day with no absences or tardies tolerated, and every single minute of those hours ABSOLUTELY filled. Not that I am complaining mind you, it is just extremely intense. My part-time job at the small appliance store in the mornings is taking more than its toll on me. You would not believe the crap I have to pull out of some of those machines and it is pretty depressing.

The Next Day

Amazing how a twenty-four hour interval can alter ones perspective. Turns out my boss at Oreck was willing to work with me and let me work whatever hours I wanted, but, I got canned by corporate yesterday. My 2002 DUI conviction in California turned up on my background check and apparently vacuum cleaner techs with an old DUI on their record are a menace to society. Not that having a DUI on my record is something I am proud of, I deeply regret that action, but since 2002 I have not had as much as a single parking ticket, yet I remain a threat to society. FUN!

I took this issue up with my alleged counselor at Motorcycle Mechanics Institute and was painted a bleak picture about my future in the that industry as well. Which at least that makes sense, but what she failed to tell me was that it is possible to have these issues expunged from ones record if it was a one time thing. At least my instructor had the brains to tell me that. So I am now in the process of having my record expunged. Will keep you posted on how that goes.

Stuff From All Over

Been a while since I posted an actual blog post so I have some catching up to do.

Since the last "Journal" report Road Show has made the move from Albuquerque to Phoenix. (And I had just barely learned to spell Albuquerque!)

It was, for sure, not a dull trip. Thanks to our excellent next door neighbors Tim and Kyla we had made a lightning load of the U-Haul this time and were on schedule to leave, but exhausted. It was at this time that we had one of the very few negative experiences in New Mexico. After working late into the night finishing up loading the odds and ends into the U-Haul and the tow car we had parked the truck and car directly behind the apartment. Yes, technically it should not have been there, but there was really not anyplace else to put it. We dutifully then "camped out" on the floor to get a few hours sleep before leaving in the morning. I was awakened about 1 AM to some ruckus outside and went out to find this weinie security guard tagging our stuff. I am not quite sure what he made of the disheveled apparition in boxer shorts chewing his ass out, but it was definitely not my finest moment. Looking back on it though, even though he was just doing his job he was still a weinie.

Ok...so onward from there...

That next day we had to do a few last minute preperations, taking us until way late in the day and FINALLY got headed out in mid-afternoon. Wrench Wench driving the U-Haul with the three critters in the front seat, car in tow with Beemerman bringing up the rear on "RED." ARRRRRRRGGHHH I LOVE the beginnings of journeys except when they start off with me already tired. Nevertheless progress is finally being made and as we reach the outskirts of Gallup, NM I twist the throttle back to catch up with Wrench Wench to have her pull of and the throttle goes limp in my hand. Busted Cable.



Since the move from Albuquerque to Phoenix was supposed to be a flat out run with me bringing up the rear on the bike there was not a lot of time for photography.
Well, you know the best laid plans and all that...

This throttle cable had other ideas and we landed at the La Quinta Inn.


Fortunately Wrench Wench had had the foresight to upgrade our AAA membership to include motorcycle "towing" and we were able to get Red off the road and into a motel parking lot with a minimum of fuss.





Did Manage to get some work done though

http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=35115&l=76603&id=548423260

In the interest of time refer to the link above for the rest of the story.

Lions, and Tigers, and Bears, Oh......Well, you get the idea.

The Albuquerque Biological Park consists of the Albuquerque Aquariam, Rio Grande Botanic Garden, Rio Grande Zoo, and Tingley Beach.

The Wrench Wench and I paid a visit on a fine, late August day, and it was pretty cool.



The Wrench Wench poses in the Aquarium parking lot while the ubiquitous metal sculptures soar overhead



The entrance to the Bio Park Aquarium



Typical New Mexico decorative fountain sporting yet more metal sculptures.



Ribbit!



Heavy, but graceful

The Aquarium is small, but well presented and interesting. The main diplays, at least when we were there, centered around the underwater life in the Rio Grande river.











Above: some scenes from the Rio Grande River display - with REAL BIRDS!




The jelly fish display was very....ummm..BLUE.





A Short Video Clip of the very BLUE jelly fish

The Bio Park is spread out over several miles and the various sections are connected by a whimsical mini-train.



Our mini-train sat on a spur while another one passed

Which we rode pass Tingley Beach....(leave it alone now!) and disembarked at the ZOO. Patti was reluctant to take me there for fear they would not let me leave, but her fears proved to be groundless.



Very Tall



Very Small







Lions, and Tigers, and Bears, Oh......Well, you get the idea.

New Visitor Map!

P.S Thanks to everyone who posted on our old FRAPPR map. Unfortunately when they wer taken over by Platial they changed the format and the old contacts are not importable. We would be honored if you would take a moment to add your location to our new guest map.

Thanks!

The Road Show Team

Best of Road Show Podcast #2 - Horizons Unlimited

In 2006, during the early days of Road Show, we had the pleasure of first becoming acquainted with Grant and Susan Johnson. They are the creators of the world travel website Horizons Unlimited.

I have been impressed from our first talk about how positive they are. Mr. Johnson is particularly upbeat. Even when being held at gunpoint he remained nonplussed. His attitude is you just treat everybody like your next door neighbor and everything will be fine.

Just recently I had the chance to speak briefly to Johnson from Horizon's. Unlimited home base in London and asked him if world events, particularly the rise in energy prices was having an effect on world motorcycle travel. I was surprised when he answered no.

We told me that, overall, the cost of an around the world motorcycle trip had increase 10-15%. I do not know how he calculated that but he should know.



Grant Johnson astride the custom built "Beemerbago."

Also check out the Johnson's how to video "The Achievable Dream"

The Road To Taos

Ever since reading "Riding with Rilke" by Ted Bishop I have been fascinated with with the idea of visiting Taos, NM. I (we) finally made it, sort of. We wanted to go ride the enchanted loop which is just north of Taos as well.

Due to financial constraints we decided to make it a day ride which proved a challenge. I do not have to tell those reading this that when you ride by motorcycle their is always something. So that means we got a late start.

The first stop along the way is Madrid, NM. A charming little tourist town which recently gained some notoriety as the location for the filming of "Mad Hogs."





Maggie's Diner, a set built for the filming of "Wild Hogs" in Madrid, NM









Madrid lies on SR 14 the "back way" to Santa Fe from Albuquerque





AAARRGHH these pix are out of order, but this is Coffee at Dawn on the way to Madrid, A popular weekend hangout for local motorcyclists.




To Be Continued...

Cartoon Thunder Part Deux

Ok hardcore Road Show heads! I sincerely hope you you found your way to this episodes blog.

Instead of giving you the canned story I will retell it as best as rememember. Way back in the never reaches of 2007, just before my fateful accident of last year, I was still working as a freelancer for a certain magazine. The editor had pointed me in the direction of this guy who had suddenly turned up on their radar who was making something of a name for himself with his quirky images of bikes and bikers.

In the meantime, check out this link for a fascinating tale.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=265019

Darwin Strikes Again, and Again, and Again

Last night as the Wrench Wench and I were following our usual evening ritual of watching internet tv, munching chips and tieing up loose ends on the internet I was distressed to read that Everywhere magazine was going under. What had seemed to be a massively funded undertaking by 8020 publishing just couldn't withstand the pressure of printing a glossy travel magazine, even though most of their writing staff was free-lance and underpaid.

In these crunched economic and expensively fueled times, I remain enourmously curious how the travel industry will indeed shake out.

Here at Road Show things have taken more than one unexpected turn. For the past three years we have subsidized our magazine and podcast through freelance print writing/photography and, God Yes, public school teaching.

Of late none of that has been available, well ok I could go down to Albuquerque Public Schools and register to subsititue, but I would seriously rather stick a hot poker in my eye.

Sooooo...BMWeerman has had to break out the keyboards, dust off the old chops and is getting ready to go work in the casinos.....yeeee haa....the music business again......







Road Show Central hasn't looked like this for quite a while.

Not to fear though we do have some motorcyle themed stuff in the can for you coming up including some big suprises, so stay tuned.

In the meantime keep those fingers limbered up.

BMWeerman...out!

Full Circle

Last week the wrench wench and I made the 'round the mountain trek to Santa Fe. It was also our anniversary weekend and Santa Fe was the most fitting of destinations. Because, you see Santa Fe was our original destination when we set out by motorcycle on that hot July morning in 2005.



A Hot Day On The Pavement

After a brutally hot ride which included a stop over in Kingman, AZ we arrived in Sedona and spent another VERY HOT day tracking down a marriage license and other appropriate documents. Then the next day we got hitched. Due to the beauty of Sedona and the heat we decided just to spend our remaining time there.

So, it was indeed fitting that for our third anniversary we finally made it to Santa Fe. It was easier to get to Santa Fe this time because we were setting out from Albuquerque not Bakersfield and we had the insider scoop on how to get there.




Tourist Map of NM 14





The Wrench Wench Caught the Essence of the Area


Along the way is the charming little town of Madrid. Although it has taken on a very touristy tone their are still a lot of genuine artists there who are very serious about their work.





BMWeerman and the Wrench Wench in front of a popular biker spot



Did I mention chiles are popular around here?

From there we went hit the road to Santa Fe which was a great road around the mountain.



The Road Into Santa Fe

I hate to be a spoilsport here but the part of Sante Fe we visited was kind of a downer. Which, for sure, does not speak for Sante Fe in general, it was just our lightning fast tour, which included the main plaza and the Georgia o' Keeffe musuem.
I have to admit that the museum was impressive although I was was fan previously.
On display with the O' Keeffe exhibit were some original Ansel Adams. I am also a huge fan of Ansel Adams and what I found extraordinary about seeing his originals was how dark they were.

I honestly do not know what the photo editors of magaszines displaying his work are up to, but they definitely show his work to bright. His work is much darker in person than we are led to believe in print.

After we had exained that we were going to make our way to Taos which is one of the places I have most wanted to visit since I have been here but I was just too tired to drive there.



We did, however, have the oppornutity to visit the Caomel Head National Monument.

Which, althogh not that great was if interest.



Then we headed home...more adventures to follow

BMWeerman and Wrench Wench