Has it really been almost 10 years since I walked into Fog Cycle in Dixon and met Mike Bratton and his partner Steve Edon? It may be a cliché, but it is true: It seems like only yesterday. So, I was in for a surprise when I dropped by for a visit and discovered Mike and Steve are gone and so is Fog Cycle. The sign said, “KB Cycles.” Huh? I met the new owner, Kevin Blake. I also got to meet Kevin’s dad, James Blake. He was there to cheer Kevin on and to spread good karma. Kevin recently bought the shop, and now he is ready and open for business. If confidence, eagerness and a “can-do” outlook spell success, then Kevin has got it made. His feet were still, but his attitude was doing a happy dance all over the shop!… Happy birthday to all motor scooter riders who celebrate in August. Happy birthday to IHR members Patty Brassfield in Los Gatos and David Kinchloe in Wilderville, Oregon. Happy birthday to the Santa Cruz riders Paul Fletcher, Angel Kraten, Debbie Macdonald and Bob Warren of the Sons of California MC. Happy birthday to Solano County riders Mike Landers, Richard McDonald and Frank Lukachinsky. Happy birthday to LoDown Dan Parker in Sacramento, to Erin Simmons in Placerville, to Kyle Dalton in Salinas and to Richard Barton of the Hot Chocolate Gang in Santa Nella. Happy birthday to Pat Pine of the Redwood Empire H.O.G. chapter in Chico, and to his stepson, Travis Lorenzo. Travis, isn’t this your 19th? Go celebrate. THUNDER PRESS has a couple of birthdays to celebrate. Happy birthday to Cristy Pazera, associate editor in Watsonville, and to John Galvin, managing editor in Minnesota. Happy birthday to my favorite sexy movie star, Sam Elliott… I am not enthusiastic about the idea, but what do you think? Harley is coming out with an electric motorcycle. OK, so it can go from 0 to 60 mph in less than four seconds, it is innovative, environmentally friendly and eliminates shifting gears, but it has limited distance before it needs recharging and it forfeits the distinctive Harley sound. As far as I know, there is only one producer of a full-sized electric motorcycle and that is Zero Motorcycles in Scotts Valley. They are actually successful, but on a limited scale. Harley sells tens of thousands of bikes each year. Don’t you wonder why they want to compete in a small market? Harley’s president, Matt Levatich, said that they are looking at the long-term potential and not the immediate demand… Have you been to Washington? No, not Washington D.C., and not the State of Washington. Have you been to Washington, California? Washington sits a little north of Highway 20, about halfway between Nevada City and Yuba Gap, and is a beautiful ride. This section of Highway 20 curves its way through the Tahoe National Forest. Washington is a tiny town that has a big welcome for visitors. There is one historic hotel furnished with very nice antiques and a hospitable saloon. It has an Old West feeling. In fact, there is a room where Wyatt Earp stayed. But, and this “but” is important, don’t go to spend the night on a Wednesday, as Jack and I did. After consuming a fruit jar of vodka, we discovered that the only restaurant in town is closed on Wednesdays, and the owner of the only grocery store in town had recently died. There is no food in Washington on Wednesdays. And nope, we couldn’t pick up the kickstands and ride back to Nevada City to get something to eat. I do not want to be riding a winding mountain road in a thick forest at dusk fueled by a generous amount of vodka. We got lucky. The bartender had friends at a restaurant near Nevada City, and she called them to bring us a couple of burgers when they returned. Life is good. We just refilled the fruit jars and waited out on the balcony for dinner to be delivered. The Washington locals are friendly, not shy about talking to strangers, and they all seem to have an imaginative sense of humor. We counted about five dogs in town, and the thing they had in common was that they liked to lie on the roadway to absorb the heat. Once they got stretched out and comfy, they didn’t move and traffic had to go around them. The locals call them “Washington speed bumps.”
