Well, the DOFB more than survived it’s trip to Laconia for Bike Week ’08. In fact, a damn fine time was had by all on a ride that was, as any proper bike adventure should be, filled with hilarity, calamities averted and plenty of cold suds. I’ll let the pictures do most of the talking, but first I’d just like to say a word or 100 about one particularly memorable event.

On the ride up I experienced one of those moments that every rider dreads, the kind of thing that puts a not in your gut just thinking about. I blew a front tire on the Merritt traveling at highway speed in failing light. Blowing a front shoe is one of those things you hear about happening but is by no means a regular occurrence. In fact, most of the folks I know who’ve been riding for a lifetime have never had their number come up. Let me tell you something – it is not a good time.

The tire went flat in about 10-15 seconds. Not with a bang or a pop…just all of the sudden the handling characteristics changed. At first subtly enough to wonder if it was odd pavement. And then, very quickly, the front forks started traveling about a foot in either direction, yanking the steering back, serpentining the bike and generally making it impossible to control. Mind you 75% of the braking on most bikes, and prob 90% on mine, is done with the front brake. So it was a pretty impossible situation to get the bike to rapidly slow while keeping it upright.

With mountains of luck, and a formation of Dukes behind me making sure I wasn’t struck by an oncoming car, I managed to keep the shiny side up and get to the shoulder. Where I no doubt would have remained if it weren’t for the formidable aid and patience of Sergeant Raymond LaPlante of the Orange PD. Ray pulled up on his police Harley to see what was doing and, over the course of the next 12 hours, not only helped us sort out local accommodations, sustenance/beverages and a great mechanic, but actually borrowed a trailer and, (on his morning off with his young son in tow!), pulled the wounded SuperBad from where I’d stashed her in the woods overnight to the shop for an early am fix that got us back on the road.

Ray’s effort not only saved our trip from ruin, it reminded all of us a bit about what’s so special about riding. That it’s appreciably different than traveling the roads in a steel cage. There’s a different connectedness to the experience of moving from place to place. You don’t always know what might happen (especially on an old bike), but that the journey in and of itself is adventure. And, more than anything else, the camaraderie of two wheels and that bikers look after one another.

So a hearty DOFB thanks and toast to Ray LaPlante. We sent many a cold beer to it’s maker this past weekend and damn it all if most of mine weren’t dedicated to his awesomeocity. Keep the rubber side down and looking forward to when we get to ride together!

The SuperBad being seen to by Art Handleman @ Valley Motorsports in Ansonia, CT. If you’re ever in a pinch with your machine in CT – Art’s the man to get you back on the road.
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Turns out – I had a “rust-based failure”. On older bikes that have seen weather at one point or another, the insides of the rims can get to rusting. Small metal filings eventually peel off and will, inevitably, roughly have their way with your tube. Here’s the shop tech de-rustifying the inside of my front rim.

To recap = small metal filings + rubber innertube + highway speed = bad. Put it on your list of shit to think about if you have a late model ride.
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Sergeant Ray and his awesome little boy Nathan flying the DOFB flag after dropping our side-show off at the shop. Nathan’s already bewitched by bikes and shows great promise. Rumor has it Ray may be heading up to NH this weekend as well. Boundless thanks to both of them for spending their morning sorting us out – couldn’t have done it without you fellahs. Have an awesome ride to the granite state Ray!
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Th big man…..Emperor of the Rage Hut, host for this Bike Week jaunt and head of the New Hampshire DOFB Chapter. Not a finer NH specimen to be found.
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Ride on Winni to the Wiers for a peek around, some grub and one (read:10) Margarita.
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Graham lends a helping hand to a parched Hombre
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2300 CC Triumph Rocket Sled….daaaaamn.
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Sweet trike art – Rowwwrrrrrr.
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The next day the Big Man took us on an epic ride up over the Sandwich Notch road, around through Waterville Valley and back over the Kank. Being dirt, recently graded and pretty steep in many places, The Notch road was especially challenging for some of the bikes. Fritz on the Yammie FJR1300 gets the hero’s salute for muscling that beast all the way through safely. That bike was built for smooth speed and she was more than a little ornery about the conditions. He rodeoed it though and, in exchange, was treated to a singular adventure through pristine NH back country. Nice work man.
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Big and mean never goes out of style in NH.
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DOFB, now with more Back Road Action!
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Juanito going native. The arm stripes perhaps suggest some sort of vestment. A man of the cloth? A country bishop perhaps?

Subsequently gathered evidence would seem to contravene this hypothesis.
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Graham loves it.
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Like Rodin’s thinker, this Duke too is made of granite. NH Chapter member (and lead carpenter) Whitney on his KLR. The KLR really is a perfect match for this guy and his natural surroundings.
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Top of the Kank….one of the best roads for riding on the East Coast and my personal favorite. The Dukes relay team will also be running the Kank this coming fall in the “Reach the Beach” 200+ mile relay. A painful reality not lost on those of us who’ll be on the squad as we climbed upward for 13 miles….
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Stop in Chocorua to visit the DOFB patron Saint – Ghee. Here’s she’s getting her annual ride around the block on the back of the Guzzer.
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Fritz on the Yammie. Can you believe he just took that 600lb beast over 20+ miles of mushy dirt logging roads?!?
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Heading back into the Wiers we start to get a taste of the action.
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Bike traffic for miles.
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Some local fauna met in traffic. The lady on the front claimed to have been arrested at last year’s bike week for mistakenly slugging a cop. Oops. Things can get a little dicey at Bike Week but come on ladies. These two sisters seemed a wee interested in a certain debonair Duke.
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This guy – can you believe it? No accounting for taste I suppose…
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Sunset at the rage Hut
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That pretty much concludes our trip. There were some other adventures had…a visit to the Franklin Girls’ natural lair, a few ‘old bike’ struggles with the Guzzi, electrical gremlins with the Triumph and many many coordinated high speed drifts to the curb of the highway for one dangling plate/about to be lost luggage/ atomic wedgie or another. But you’ll get that on these rolling thunder jobs.

Next year we’ll hope to have a bit more time and get a little more submersion into the epicenter of Bike Week. But I know I wouldn’t trade the ride we had on Saturday for much of anything – pure magic.

Thanks to everyone who was involved in making it happen this year…Ray and Chris especially!

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We’re fresh back from the Laconia Motorcycle Rally in New Hampshire. After a weekend of riding, wrenching and communing with Gilford Girls, one’s thoughts naturally revolve around the simpler things in life. I don’t know about you, but I love a nice fire. I have fond memories of a friend’s farm in Virginia where we’d spend the day clearing dead wood with a tractor and building enormous bonfires. Today, I’m lucky enough to have a house in the country where I can stack a few cords of wood and indulge my inner pyromaniac. I ran across a great article on 9 ways to start a fire without using matches. They put it best “There is a primal link between man and fire. Every man should know how to start one. A manly man knows how to start one without matches”.

Learn for yourself!

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The Dukes of Flatbush tried their collective hand in agriculture last year, planting a veritable cornucopia of vegetables in our 16′x16′ Victory Garden.

Some vegetables fared better than others, but overall, the season was a great success. The picture below shows the last harvest taken at the end of September, just some of the “fruits” of our labor:

We decided to add a second bed to the Shambaugh Victory Garden in our continued quest for agri-domination. The new bed in the background is almost entirely dedicated to the art of the pepper. We have red bell, yellow bell, orange bell, cubanelle, jalapeno, poblano, cayenne, habanero and the list goes on and on. 24 plants in total. The only pepper we seem to be missing is the famed Harlan Pepper. Truly a ‘Best in Show’ varietal, we’ll see if we can’t turn one up.

This year is off to a great start – plenty of rain and bright sunshine. We’ll keep everyone updated on the Victory Garden progress…

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Sometimes a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do and, I guess, this is one of those times for our beloved admin, erstwhile coach, training partner extraordinaire and certified master of the grill Jeff. He’s packed up the shop, loaded what’s important and is redeploying to the left coast in search of fortune, adventure and cracked crab. As we all navigate the fog caused by last night’s sayonara wumpus, I’d just like to pause for the cause and give a hearty HUZZAH to our partner in crime.

Fare thee well sir. You’ll be sorely missed but we’ve every confidence you’ll quickly get to holdin’ it down out there and swelling the ranks of the Dukes West Coast Chapter. Write when you get work and we’ll come inspect your beachhead.

Vaya con dios y un gato en tu pantalones Amigo.
-mismanagement

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That’s right folks, this coming WEEKEND..weekend…weekend…a kitchen Shilo will decide, once and for all (or at least until the rematch..)…whoooooooo’s cooler:

Glorious Fish Taco or Transcendent Fish Sandwich!!

Conditions are looking perfect for this epic bout. Fresh from his stint south of the border in Baja, Team Taco leader Graham “The Ram” Johnson looks poised to make a serious injection of Mexican awesomocity into the Shelter Island season opener. Consider Graham’s indefatigable kitchen gumption, natural southern-bred frying prowess and a rumor that the Mahi have been running 20 miles off Montauk point, and it’s easy to understand why Team Taco is the heavy odds-on favorite.

Don’t count The Fish Sammie gang out though. An underdog title suits us gritty kitchen pirates just fine & a lifetime spent researching the best New England has to offer ought to see us in the running every bite of the way.

Secrecy and intrigue are running thick as accusations of monger-bribing, recipe tampering and even buggery fly. Friendships may be scarred, clothing burnt and purity ransacked but, sammie or taco, taste-buds should emerge the contest’s the big winner. Stay tuned for updates, results and recipes. May our esteemed panel of Judges mind the framer’s intent and may the most delicious fishes win!

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It is only now, with a week’s distance, that I can begin to encapsulate this year’s Boil. The Fifth (mostly) Annual SpecialAI Crawfish Boil was, in a word, epic. The bugs were god-damned delicious, the music was off the hook and the revelers gave everything they had in the pursuit of good times. Tally of relevance:

Lbs of Crawfish shipped up from Louisiana: 275

Lbs of Crawfish Consumed: 275

Barrels of Beer Consumed: 5 (!!)

Number of kick-ass Bands: 4-5

List of notable instruments demonstrated: Stand up base, drums, keys, mandolin, banjo, tuba (!), trombone (x2), trumpet, guitar (x5), maracas, tambourines, cowbell, neck-tie washboard!?!), accordion, larynx (yodeling), rubber chicken

Number of DJs intending to play: 5

Number of DJs who actually played: 3

Approximate number of attendees: 150 (+/- 25)

Number of unknowns who crashed: 25

Number of hours the party lasted: 11

All in all, an amazing time was had and a serious thanks out to them tasty lil bugs, the incredible bands, our excellent friends and everyone else who contributed of their time, energy and buzz to make this the best boil yet!

And now a few pics for da taste:

Special Cajun delivery…one of three mongo boxes of bugs straight from LA

Craw enforcement is serious work…one needs a placard for the vehicle

Said Craw Enforcement Vehicle and the attached compliance officer

The calm before the boil. Please note appropriately prominent placement of the NH state flag. Boil Free or Die baby!

Looks may deceive …this pint sized shellfish lover can eat her weight in Crawfish

$2 Goat gettin’ things roarin’ as the bugs start coming out. These guys wail!

Early round as folks start jockey for long-haul positioning.

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I leave for Baja in the morning – going to ride from Ensenada to Cabo San Lucas. Although this is going to be a lot longer than Training Run #1, I can’t imagine it will be more difficult. Excited to log miles and see that part of the world though – going to be fantastic. I flew out to LA early and spent the weekend in La Quinta, CA watching a DOFB alum play polo, and caught the Men’s Semi-final Games at the Pacific Life Open. Here are some pics. Will post the ones from Baja when I get back in a week.

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This past weekend we took a much needed retreat to Shelter Island. I would like to describe the weekend, but I think the pictures will do a much better job of what it was about

And of course a nice full breakfast after a 7 mile run on the island

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On my long flight back from Delhi, I had to look through Skymall magazine, for the latest innovations in bird feeders and dog beds. While looking through the pages I actually found something interesting from Hammacher Schlemmer that I may purchase, see for yourself

60 Second Charcoal Starter

I would normally try and be witty and write a description of the product, but I think it is almost impossible to beat Skymall when it comes to product descriptions so here you go:

The barbecue starter that ignites charcoal in 60 seconds without requiring the use of lighter fluid, allowing you to start grilling in five minutes. Similar to the heat-focusing technology used in paint-stripping hot-air guns, the charcoal starter emits hot air at 1,290° F, providing a constant, precise flow of heat from the tip of the unit. Simply plug the device into a standard wall outlet, place the metal tip into the charcoal and hold down the button. When the charcoal sparks, remove the tip from the coals, but continue to point the unit at the charcoal for sixty seconds. Also ideal for lighting a wood-burning fireplace, the device has a cool-touch handle and an integrated stand.

Retail Price is $79.95 and does include an integrated stand.

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I’ve been submitting tons of Motorcycle and Baja 1000 posts lately, but have neglected the delicious food that fuels my days. That changes today. I thought I’d share a recipe for ‘Chicken under a Brick’ that I made last night. This recipe is very easy to prepare, is delicious and definitely has a bit of wow factor…

Grab a 3-4 pound chicken from your local market, preferably an organic one. The first thing you need to do is remove the backbone. This is much easier than it sounds. Find the back of the chicken and cut it from top to bottom, 2″ to the left and right of dead center. You’ll need to use a sturdy knife to get through some bone. Once the backbone is out, you can flatten the chicken by pressing down on it with both hands.

Now you need to focus on seasoning your bird. I went the traditional route using garlic, fresh rosemary, salt, pepper and olive oil, but this is an incredibly versatile recipe. You can use any combination of spices – thyme, oregano, sage, lavender, etc. Or you could go a strictly Asian route – garlic, ginger, green onions and sesame oil. The idea is that you mix these ingredients together in a bowl to make a marinade that is then rubbed all over the chicken. If you’re feeling sassy (and we hope you are), also tuck your mix under the skin.

Cover the chicken and place in refrigerator for at least 20 minutes, but it can be left for up to a day.

Once you are ready to cook, pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees and grab a decent size, oven-safe skillet. I used a 12″ copper All-Clad saute pan, but a non-stick pan is a safer route. Throw any left-over herbs along with a tablespoon of oil into your skillet over medium-high heat.

Once the oil is hot, put the chicken in the pan, skin side down. You’ll need to place a weight across the top to press the chicken down while it cooks. I used a oven-safe Le Creusset pot with some foil across the bottom. You can use anything that is safe to put in an oven – the most common route is a brick or two wrapped in foil, giving the recipe its’ title.

Let this cook for 5 minutes, then place in oven for exactly 15 minutes. Pull the pan out of the oven and flip the bird. Hopefully, you won’t pull off any skin and you’ll see something like this…

Place your weight back on the top and put everything back in the oven for another 10 minutes. My oven is older so the time ended up being closer to 20 more minutes. To be safe, I’d use an instant read thermometer and make sure all parts are at least 165 degrees before pulling it out.

Once it’s out, let it sit for at least 10 minutes. Then cut to serve, garnish with lemon wedges. This is a sizable meal for 2 people, could feed 4 if you had decent sides.

Try this recipe for yourself – you won’t be disappointed!

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A couple DOFB riders were recently bullshittin’ about the new helmet sensor technology in the Joint Strike Fighter, advanced thermal imaging, potential application to night riding and the potentially deadly issue of cow-collision avoidance. Existing thermal sensor technology could be theoretically utilized while racing at night, but the rigors of desert MotoX riding would certainly render it useless immediately. So those of us riding the night shift will just have to mount those deer whistles and/or duck tape an air-horn to the bars and hope for the best.

The conversation did put me in mind of something funny from my childhood though. I remember a crotchety old Scout Master that I had cooking a small bear roast on the block of his 70′s F-150 while we were out competing in a winter derby of some sort. Yeah, yeah; I grew up in the hick-ish northlands where bear roasts, winter sled dog races and 70′s F-150s were pretty much the norm. But that’s not the point…what’s important to note here is that it is more than possible, if a little rural gangster, to cook a delicious meal on the top of your engine.

The Dukes are always as interested in unusual cooking techniques as we are in motorsports, beer etc. So, should we find ourselves unharmed, but deep in the desert with some ‘unexpected’ meat around, Mexican steaks can be cooked on a support truck’s engine block. Just sayin’.

In the interest of education, I provide the following guidelines:
* Prepare the food as if it were going into your oven
* Double-wrap securely in foil
* Identify your cooking surface. Usually the exhaust manifold is best, but warm up the engine, then shut it off and check for hot-spots.
* Make sure your food will fit snuggly in the cooking spot with the hood closed (test with a crumpled ball of foil approximately the same height.
* Cooking on the engine is essentially the same as braising and will take longer than a standard oven and shorter than a stockpot.
* Drive till it’s dine-time. Note: this is dependent on flat driving surface that will not upset the deliciousness secreted under your hood. Baja will require a stationary vehicle for cooking applications, lest we wind up with roast beast all over the engine block.

Sample barbecue approximate cooking times:

* Shrimp: 30-50 miles
* Trout or Salmon: 60-100 miles
* Chicken breasts: 60 miles at 65 mph
* Chicken wings: 140-200 miles
* Pork tenderloin: 250 miles
* Sliced, peeled potatoes: 55 miles

especially enterprising regular block cooker

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Just a brief note as we approach the close of a momentous year for the Dukes of Flatbush. With Marathons run, beasts roasted, countless delicious meals/beverages prepared & consumed and many, many road miles logged together; it’s fair to say that 2007 may be the best year yet.

Looking ever onward, 2008 looms large and Baja preparations are in full swing. It looks like we have the riding team pretty much set and in the coming weeks there’ll formal announcements on the team, equipment package(s), pit/support strategy and evolving sponsorship and partnering relationships. All in all – it’s already beginning to feel like 10 months isn’t going to leave a whole lot of time for anything but work and preparation for the race.

For those who have been keeping up with the evolution of DOFB and our various exploits – we wish you the safe and relaxing close to 2007 and look forward to prosperity and great deeds in the coming year; cheers!

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