Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Who are you, Why do you live where you live?

I am currently living in Iowa with my husband. We moved 4 months ago because he was offered an engineering job. We moved from TN and originally I lived in Ohio. We will probably be moving more because his company wont let you move up without moving to a new location. I like it here but I miss the curves in TN. I cant complain though because his new job made my new America possible.

So, as I've mentioned before, my name is Fish. You might look at my user name and think, "Ah, his name's Fish and he has a Triumph... Fish on a bike. Very good. (Or possibly, Not terribly creative.)" Or you may think it's some sort of reference to the saying, "A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle." Well, neither is correct. Twenty-five years ago I began learning bicycle stunts, aka freestyle BMX, and since then I have down shows around the USA for schools, fairs, an NBA half-time show, and even a Saturday morning kid's show. That's really where I got the idea to use that as a user name... How 'bout That TV show(Seriously, a guy I admired when I was a kid wrote my theme song... how cool is that?!)
I have a rather awesome 18 year old daughter. I play bass guitar with the band at my church... All To You (Please forgive the horrible audio quality. Was the first thing I recorded on a camcorder I had just bought.), and I work in the IT field for a bicycle company.

The following is my background with riding motocyles... or lack thereof :
The first time I ever attempted to ride a motorcycle I was VERY young and nearly mangled myself in a barbed wire fence. I had no idea what I was doing, gunned the throttle, and took off headed straight for that fence. My step-dad yanked me off the bike before I really got anywhere, thankfully. I never had opportunity, or strong desire to be honest, to ride one again until my best friend Charlie, aka French Harley, took me for a short ride on his newly acquired Sportster 883 Custom. It was like being a kid and riding a bicycle down the street... except you could go farther and do it faster! That was almost four years ago. He also had an old Honda 125 in his garage that I was able to pull out and ride for the purpose of practicing shifting. About three years ago I traded a VW bus for a Honda CB900F and had my first motorcycle. However, it was not what I wanted. I wanted a cruiser, but not a HD. Partly because it seemed like everyone had an HD. Partly because you paid a little more for the HD badge. It was still nice to have my own bike, but I constantly scanned Craigslist ads, ogling the V-Twin bikes. Mostly the Japanese models like Kawasaki and Suzuki, as they just seemed more affordable and attainable. Then I saw a picture of a '70-something Bonneville that was in GREAT shape. The parallel twin motor caught my eye. It was different and looked pretty cool. A couple days later, our company president showed up with his 50th anniversary edition Bonneville and, MAN! it was cool. I started looking into Triumphs and read up on their history and heritage. I found out that Evel Knievel was a Triumph man before getting a paycheck to ride an HD. (Please realize that Mr Knievel had a BIG influence on me as far as my bicycle stunt riding goes. ) Once I saw the BA and SM I knew I would eventually own one. So while this part isn't so much who I am, it seemed a good place to share how I got here.

I live in Auburn, Washington, just south of Seattle. I was born here and have never lived more than 10 miles from here. I have traveled some. Different parts of the USA, Mexico, but only to Tijuana, several places in Canada, and the Netherlands with a brief outing to Germany. I sometimes get tired of the rain, but I love that we have four seasons here and the weather doesn't usually get too extreme. A couple years back our temps reached 107. BIG news here... but to someone in Arizona? *Yawn* Occasionally we get some snow in the lowlands. The news will give 24/7 coverage to THE WINTER BLAST SLAMMING THE NORTHWEST! and then we'll get 6 or 7 inches, some areas might get a foot. Meanwhile everyone in Minnesota is laughing at us for entirely shutting down. Anyway, this area offers so much beauty and activity that it amazes me. Want to hit the ski slopes? Got it covered, just head East for an hour or two (depending on the ski area). Ocean beach? Go West, young man (or woman.) Like the Desert? Head for the ski slopes and drive about two more hours. White water rafting? Got it. Miles and miles of forest trails for hiking and camping with lakes and rivers for boating and/or fishing? Yup! Big city nightlife? Absolutely! Would you like live music? Stand up comedy? Romantic dining? Great diner food? You'll find all that and more. It's just a wonderful place and I can't see myself living anywhere else.

Uhm... one more thing. I can be long winded.

TL;DR
I'm Fish and I'm a geek with many interests, most recently Triumph motorcycles.
I live in the Pacific Northwest and love it.

Fish. what was a wonderful dissertation... an engaging account of part of what makes you you, and even how you ended up here. And ya know, you don't live too far from where the annual Nelson RAT Raid occurs every year (close to me), and I wonder if you might consider a bit of a ride North and a tad East to attend. Would love to meet up in person where the weather's good, the roads are stellar, and the girls can melt the chrome right off that cheap plastic console sitting atop yer tank!!

Loved your post here... and hey, if ya do come up maybe we can arrange a BMX for a bit of a freestyle, up close and personal performance!! Watcha say?!!

Born in Kansas a loooong time ago. By the time I graduated high school I had lived in Kansas (twice), Texas, Illinois, Washington (state), Louisiana and Alabama. Joined the Coast Guard and in 21 years was stationed in California(3 times), Texas, Connecticut, Washington (state), Puerto Rico, Hokkaido Japan, NYC, Michigan, Alaska (twice) and Virginia. Stayed in each place just long enough for people to get to know me and throw my a$$ out. After the CG lived in North Carolina, Arkansas, and have ended up on the western slope of the Rockies in Colorado. Moved here to get reasonably close to my daughter and family. The riding here is unbelievable (especially if you like 800'+ drop offs and no guardrails). I have 7 grandkids at the other end of a 240 mile run that takes me over two summits, one 11,300 foot pass and through a 53 mile long twisty filled canyon alongside the Arkansas River. Makes for a perfect weekend. Not planning on going anywhere else(unless they throw me out of here too.)

Sounds like a very nice part of the world you live in Mike.

Well put Richard. It's one the reasons I changed my avatar recently. I'll put something down about me a bit later but found the discussion on how many of us seem to be defined by our employment an interesting topic.

For instance, during the last 33 years I've only worked predominantly as a shift worker in fairly team orientated institutions ie Army / Fire Brigade. Does that mean it's moulded me or was I like that before. Well I believe a bit of both really but I do think it's not a bad way to get a first impression of what someone's about.

What I like most about this place is, it brings people from all walks of life together in one place where ones prestige or station in life means very little unless you can relate about our common thread ie our bikes.

A real leveler in other words and it's just the way I like it. Best of all is this culture built by the initial stalwarts where sharing and givinig as a means of helping is the norm here. This is regardless of background or creed cos they really don't matter.

Yep, stacka Loves that part of this place and I haven't said "bike" once yet. Ok once then.

Ok, so what's this stacka wacker all about then?

To be continued but may I say this, nice Work Frank. This is one blo*dy great idea for a thread.

and and yet another for good measure... Well put Stacka!!!!

I led a humdrum existence with my aunt and uncle on their struggling farm, until one day i met an old hermit who told me I had a great destiny to fulfill. So I left to battle an evil overlord that was unbeknownst to me, my own father!

Ok, not so much. My name is Bill, and I work for a worldwide media company as a network engineer. My first bike was a 65 triumph bonnie 750. It was a love hate relationship (I loved it, it hated me). I live in Baltimore MD U.S.A. because that is where my house is and currently I owe more than it is worth, or I would be writing this from VA instead (I don’t care for MD nor my commute; but what is a guy to do?)

My obsessions (cause if you aren’t obsessed what is the point) are my TBA, firearms, and tattoos. I like long walks on the beach, and candlelit dinner and vacationing in the Mayan Riviera (another obsession)

I take very little seriously, so most should take me with a grain of salt. My sense of humor is abundant and mostly inappropriate.

Everybody is a nerd or a dork or geek of some kind. Hes a Starwars nerd. On all acounts sounds pretty cool to me. Except the longwalks on the beach and the candle lit dinners, but I am not looking for a date. Oh, by the way this is not a dating site. There is a lot of swinging singles here, but not much dating.

I love this site and bust my ass on it, but frankly it's a sausage festival. That ain't no dating site I want to be a part of.

Didn't they make Brokeback Mountain in Montana?

Wyoming.

Oh, ok thats good. Shows what I know about the matter.

Hey you know there is more female participation on here now days. We got 3 that are pretty active. So st this rate there could be lots more in the near future. Like maybe in say 100 years or so.

S'okay, it's come up before. You are neither the first nor the wittiest to float that out there.

Hi, My names Robert, live in Blackpool, NW England, Live here because my bed is here, and the wife is from here, she was the only one who would have me so it seemed appropriate that this was where i moved to. Worked away from home a lot in my youth so it wasn't an issue of where i lived.

Welcome to the forum Robert. I hope you find the place to your liking. You will have to post some pics of your America cause we likes to see pics.

Still trying to work my way round, hoss is poorly at the moment and i am looking for some info of the best way to diagnose it.

Here goes for pics

Welcome. You should post this in the Member's Ride Forum. We'll help make the photos show up in the post, not just the links.

Thanks FriarJohn,
Stressfull day for me, Edited those links.

No worries. Thanks!

New guy here,name is Randy.Take delivery of 2010 speedmaster tomorrow,leftover in BLACK,great deal.I will be 54yo tues.Have owned and ridden every thing from minibikes to harley dressers.My occupation is certified welder for a railroad company,been on my job for 29 years.I have 1 daughter who is a sophomore in college.Great forums you have here,THANKS for letting me join.

Welcome to the site Randy. A black Speedmaster wow. They are the fastest ones of all.
I hope you enjoy both the forums and the bike very much as I am sure you will. Post up some pics in Member's Rides when you get a chance.

Psh... geek shmeek. I made a Boba Fett costume that I wore to the Midnight premiere's of all three prequel films.

DANG you're my hero. I'm definitely not posting the photo of my 5th grade paper mache Darth Vader costume, even though I DID win 1st place...

I was born in Texas but moved to Westchester County, New York, at age 2 when my dad, who worked for Texaco, was transferred to New York City. I lived there until I went to college in Virginia, and then seminary in Texas. I was a Methodist minister for 9 years in New York and Connecticut, and then became a Navy Chaplain for another 6 years. I bought my first bike when I was serving a church in Milton, NY in 1979.

When I left the Navy, I decided to go to law school, following in my dad's footsteps. I went to law school in California, met my wife, had 2 kids, became a lawyer and member of the California bar, so I ended up staying. My daughters are now both in college, and I can't afford to retire, so I will be here for the foreseeable future.

Southern California at least has great motorcycling weather most of the year, great motorcycling roads in the mountains and canyons, and a great Triumph dealer.

I got the America in 2009, and bought a Daytona 675 in 2010. Right now I'm planning a trip up to Utah on the America at the end of the month. Can't wait to be out on the road!

Grew up in Illinois, moved to Florida for a while, joined the Navy Submarines and went to Connecticut for sub duty. Got out, went back to Florida till the cost of living drove me away, back to Illinois to finish up school, then off to South Carolina for 11 years. Then back to Connecticut to get closer to family, but always had my sights set on Colorado (where I also have family) and the mountains. Moved here a year ago almost, love it, and ain't moving again!

Lee, welcome to the forum.

And, seein' as how your plans are a ride through Utah near the end of this month, I was wonderin' here if you might have time to stop in Prescott AZ during the Southwest Triumph Fest, a little shindig I throw every year around this time.

This year it'll be goin' on June 3-5.

If you're interested and will indeed have the time, then check out the two threads about it in the "Rides and Rallies" forum.

Dwight can i come????????I have some new reflectors for your bike,you sound lke one who would crave such a thing, You are always talking bout it