So you think you're a biker...

Back in the days before there was suspension, ground clearance, heated grips and Gortex there were men. Men who, when faced with the challenge of a perilous accent on suicide shift Harley’s faced the challenge as one would an ascent on Everest. These photos from the Weber family photo album make the “Last man standing” look like a walk in the park.
Enjoy


Yet another 1952 Sunday ride ventured up Arapahoe Pass - it's near Eldora , Colorado and is now all wilderness. Stupid lousy rotten environmental freaks, but I digress… (sigh)

The clan started out from my Dad's house in Wheat Ridge , which is a stone's throw from Golden, CO. They usually left about 8:00 a.m. If you didn't arrive on time, they'd leave you. Hard knocks. They headed up to Boulder , CO and followed the nice, twisty, scenic Boulder Canyon to Nederland . From there they headed through the town of Eldora and up Arapahoe pass.

One Sunday ride took 'em to the top of Mount Evans , elevation 14,264. This was back in the day before it was paved all the way to the top. It was, however, paved here if it hadn't been for the snow. I was recently in a similar situation on my Rally Twin coming over Pearl Pass. I thought it was touchy enough, and I didn't have a FOOT CLUTCH!!! Yikes!

Here's the 'usual suspects' again taking a morning break on a nice Sunday ride.

Turned out that this the wrong way (DUH!). The Harley guys actually let the english bike riders be guinea pigs on this part of the ride. Must've been one of those hot-headed british riding know-it-alls that suggested it in the first place...





These guys weren't shy of riding on a bit of snow, either. Here's Mike Sadusky on his 50 Harley. Man, I really envy this guy's legs. I bet he could straddle the 950 Adventure-S with his knees bent. Me, on the other hand, can't physically touch both toes to the ground at the same time. Mike used to drape his legs over the handle bars to stretch on those long road trips (no joking!). Who needs hiway pegs?











These guys also had a lot of fun just playin’ around. Imagine getting a couple feet (OR MORE!) of air on a 750 HARD-TAIL Harley! This makes you GS-jumpers look like whimps, with your fancy rear suspension and all. Sheesh!




But the most insane (read: talented) member of the group in the area of piloting a Harley 74(7) through the air was a fellow named Kenny Erie. If Kenny was alive today and about 50 years younger, I’m sure he’d be one of the top names in freestyle!



Here’s a portrait of my dad taken in 1951, just before the start of a nice ride. Notice the cool stylish apparel. Helmet? I don't need no stinking helmet! Of course, this was pre-head injury days....


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