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Ulywife
| | Posted on Monday, December 07, 2009 - 04:53 pm: | 
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Hey Frank! |
F_skinner
| | Posted on Monday, December 07, 2009 - 06:31 pm: |
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Thanks Kristi |
Lynn
| | Posted on Monday, December 07, 2009 - 07:40 pm: |
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Hi Frank!!....I love you!!...no question at this time..hee hee |
F_skinner
| | Posted on Monday, December 07, 2009 - 11:48 pm: |
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Love u 2 Lynn.
Skinners Scoop, we will see how this goes. I would like to say that I can answer all questions Buell but I cannot. Court has a section and can. The title (Skinner's Scoop) has some significance related to my Dad and his efforts with A/1/7 Marines but that is something to be told in person sometime.
So what will we do in this thread. I do not know but it will be up to everyones else. If you noticed the CBR section under went some housekeeping today thanks to Ulywife and Jammer also has his own section so he can keep us informed of everything HCHD/Buell related.
I will ask a question if I may? How many of us Colorado Buell Riders have read the book "The First 25 Years of Buell"?
And what did you think of it?
I read it a few times. I thought it was well written and easy to read. My only complaint is there was not enough of it. I would have liked to read about the Buells that were not made and maybe more insight into Erik Buell's thought process. I hear they may be another book about Buells.
What would you like to see?
Buells are great but the riders are what really makes Buell ownership the best. I would like to see a book dedicated to Buell riders and their machines.
Frank |
F_skinner
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 08, 2009 - 12:00 pm: |
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In case someone wants to know the history of "why" NORAD tracks Santa every year.
TRACKING SANTA
It was 1955. The Continental & Air Defense Command (CONAD) Operations Center in Colorado Springs was quiet even though it bustled with activity. Col. Harry Shoup was on duty this particular day in early December. On his desk were two phones: a regular phone and a red phone. Only two people in the world had the number of the red phone: Col. Shoup and a four-star general in the Pentagon. If the red phone rang, it meant a serious situation was brewing.
The red phone rang.
“Col. Shoup,” he barked into the receiver, mentally preparing himself to hear the situation.
“Is this Santa Claus?” a little girl’s voice asked shyly.
“This is Col. Shoup,” he said again, a little annoyed that someone should play this kind of practical joke on him.
When the girl repeated her question, Col. Shoup realized that this must be a real call, even though the identity was mistaken.
It was a real call. Sears Roebuck had printed an ad for kids to call Santa and talk to him about their Christmas list. The problem? The number had been misprinted. One digit was off, routing each and every caller that night to Col. Shoup at CONAD.
The Colonel could have hung up on the little girl. He could have called someone at Sears and ripped into them about the mistake. But instead, the man who was known to have a soft spot for children, especially at Christmas, pretended he was Santa Claus. But as soon as he hung up the phone, it rang again and kept ringing. He instructed everyone on duty that night to talk to the children.
That night began a tradition that is carried on today by the North American Aerospace Defense Command, as hundreds of volunteers answer the calls from children around the world wanting to know the location of Santa Claus.
The tradition grew slowly over the years, but it took off as though Rudolph himself were pulling it when NORAD Tracks Santa hit the Internet. For example, in November and December 2006, NORAD’s Santa tracking website received nearly a billion hits from 214 territories around the world, while more than half a million people called the hotline, and volunteers answered nearly 12,500 emails from children around the world.
But while NORAD Tracks Santa has become a global phenomenon and a tradition for many families, not as many people know about Santa’s biggest fan, Col. Harry Shoup, the man who became known as the Santa Colonel.
TRACKING THE SANTA COLONEL
Shoup was a fighter pilot, very gruff, very strict, very military. But he had a soft spot for kids, especially at Christmas. Around Christmas, he became more like a child himself.
“Dad didn’t have a particularly good childhood,” recalls Terri Van Keuren, daughter of Col. Harry Shoup. “It wasn’t affectionate. It meant the world to him to give that to his kids. To him, Christmas is about childhood. He was always a big kid about Christmas.
“He put his all into us believing in Santa,” Terri continues. “There was a man in our church who had long white whiskers, and every time he visited, Dad would exclaim, ‘Here comes Santa Claus!’ He always told us that Santa would bring us the toy of our dreams. He was a child at heart, and he wanted to prolong the magic.”
The magic was prolonged for Terri at her dad’s office, and her memory of that time is as clear and shining as church bells on a frosty morning.
“What I remember best is Dad taking us to his office,” Terri says. “His building is now on the Olympic training site. It was a huge building with no windows —and no computers, of course. But there was a huge glass map of North America stretching from one end of the building to the other. Scaffolding had been erected behind it, so people could write on the glass. A number of offices faced the glass, so that the people in the offices could monitor the activity that was written on it. It was a thrill for me to see these people with pencils writing on the glass where any unidentified objects were and then erasing them as they became identified.”
The Shoup family always spent Christmas Eve with the troops in this building, whether or not they were on alert. On that particular Christmas Eve in 1955, Col. and Mrs. Shoup took Christmas cookies over and discovered that someone on the scaffolding had drawn a sleigh on the map. A staff member wanted to know if the Colonel wanted it erased. He said no and instead called the radio station. “We have a UFO coming across Canada,” he said. “It looks like a sleigh.”
The radio station loved it and broadcast it.
And the media — whether radio, Internet, television or print — still loves it. Terri, who is currently working on a children’s book about tracking Santa Claus, had her own 800 phone number for members of the media to call to find out where the Santa Colonel was. “I became Santa Central,” she laughs. “I tracked the Santa Colonel for the media in the same way he tracked Santa for the kids.”
Shoup became confused toward the end of his life, and Terri always accompanied him on media interviews to help keep the stories straight. “Some of his stories were pretty fantastic,” she says, “but it was important to him to keep alive the magic of Christmas.”
There’s no doubt he kept it alive. Shoup received letters and emails from all over the world, thanking him and NORAD for what they do. Terri printed the emails for him, and he carried them around with him as though they were important papers. To him, they were.
In 2002, Shoup became ill and he and his wife moved into an assisted living facility in Colorado Springs. Mrs. Shoup died in 2003 at the same facility. Terri, who worked as the activities director for the nursing home, had the chance to spend time with her dad. “I got to know him on a personal level, not just as his little kid. I needed that five years with him to become his friend.”
December always brings lots of carolers to the nursing home. Terri recalls one particular Boy Scout troop singing for the residents. “And there’s always one who wants to know how Santa can get around to all those houses,” she says. “Dad said, ‘It’s the magic of Christmas — and don’t forget that Santa’s watching!’”
On March 14, 2009, the Santa Colonel left this earthly path behind to start a new journey. The memorial service was a traditional military one at the national cemetery in Fort Logan, with uniformed military folding the American flag and a 21-gun salute. At the end, four F-16s flew in formation over the cemetery with one peeling off and spiraling into the clouds in the missing man formation.
Shoup and his wife, Louise, had four children: Judy Hannigan of Corvallis, Oregon, Pamela Farrell of Firestone, Terri van Keuren of Castle Rock and Rick Shoup of Sherman Oaks, California. (Interestingly enough, Rick was born in 1955, the same year Santa tracking was born.) Shoup’s family expanded with the addition of eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren (a seventh was born after his death). And it is these children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who keep the magic alive. It’s the dream of the children to all volunteer at NORAD on Christmas Eve at the same time, something that hasn’t happened yet. But the magic can be seen best in removing doubt about Santa Claus.
Now, just as my dad restored the magic to me those many years ago by telling me about the government tracking Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve, so one of Shoup’s grandsons keeps the magic going by telling others about the Santa Colonel. When asked why he believed in Santa Claus, he said, “If there’s no Santa, then how did my grandpa track him on radar?”
Frank |
Ulywife
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 08, 2009 - 01:28 pm: |
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Buells are great but the riders are what really makes Buell ownership the best. I would like to see a book dedicated to Buell riders and their machines.
I totally agree! What a book that would be.
Love the story about tracking Santa. You should post that on Quick Board. I bet many others have never read it before.
Enjoy Skinner's Scoop! |
F_skinner
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 08, 2009 - 01:45 pm: |
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You should post that on Quick Board.
Ah yes the Quick Board, where the rules of the site and proper manners have no meaning.
Or as I like to refer to it, a waste of bandwidth on an otherwise excellent site. Where political agendas (Rep and Dem) and smartass remarks rule. It reminds me of "Lord of the Flies" Never again will I be drawn into any discussion there!
Sorry to vent Kristi but I just do not see how a couple of people are still allowed to post. And make no mistake, it is only a few people. They have proven that they have nothing to offer to the Buell Community. Unfortunately, most of them have the same political views as I do so I cannot disagree with their message, only the execution.
I like Buells. |
Bluzm2
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 08, 2009 - 01:49 pm: |
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Frank,
That was a wonderful story.
I'm cutting and pasting it for my family.
Thanks for sharing.
Brad |
Ulywife
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 08, 2009 - 01:57 pm: |
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Can I cut and paste over to QB then?
I too likes Buells and hate all the political BS of QB.
There, now we agree on more stuff - LOL! |
F_skinner
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 08, 2009 - 02:13 pm: |
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Can I cut and paste over to QB then?
Of Course....
We agree on a LOT of stuff Kristi!!!!
Glad you liked it Brad. |
F_skinner
| | Posted on Thursday, December 10, 2009 - 07:52 pm: |
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www.noradsanta.org
For the kids... young and old!! |
F_skinner
| | Posted on Thursday, December 10, 2009 - 08:56 pm: |
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From CRAIG R. MCKINLEY
General, U.S. Air Force
Chief, National Guard Bureau
On December 13, our National Guard celebrates 373 years of service. This continues a heritage that began in 1636 when the Massachusetts Bay Colony’s militia companies were organized into three regiments, the North, South and East Regiments, and became our first organized defense forces.
Today, units like the Massachusetts Army National Guard’s 101st Engineer Battalion, which traces its lineage back to those first regiments, will mark the occasion from Iraq. They, and tens of thousands of others like them, continue to build on this proud heritage as they serve overseas and perform missions their predecessors in the Massachusetts colony could never have envisioned.
At the same time, we continue to support our governors here at home, performing critical missions to defend the homeland against attacks on our own soil and support our civil authorities when disasters strike.
The National Guard has never been more central to our nation’s defense or more important to the success of our Army and Air Force. The respect and gratitude shown by the American people for our Citizen Soldiers and Airmen have never been greater. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Citizen Soldiers and Airmen who continue to ensure the National Guard is Always Ready, Always There!
Happy Birthday National Guard! |
Ghostrider
| | Posted on Friday, December 11, 2009 - 11:36 pm: |
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Buells are great but the riders are what really makes Buell ownership the best. I would like to see a book dedicated to Buell riders and their machines.
That's interesting. When I was first drawn to Buell, I was pretty young and reading a Cycle magazine where they had a really cool photo of an RR1000. It had full bodywork covering the Harley motor but the image was two images superimposed upon one another, one with the bodywork on, one with it off. Really cool looking. I thought at the time that it would be really cool to own that bike. Later, I saw one up close in Chick's HD shop in Albuquerque.
Then, in 2003, I saw a Firebolt for the first time. I hadn't been keeping up with the motorcycle mags and really had no idea what Buell had developed into. But that bike was really sexy, so I looked into it. About two months later, I bought a 2003 XB9R in white. Best decision I ever made.
As soon as I started looking into it, I looked around to see what else was out there, what compared to it, what the costs were, etc. I was pleased to find out that the Buell was really unique, didn't compare well to anything, and was less expensive! On the other hand, I noticed that every single kid from 16-25 was flying around town on an R6 with their hair on fire! I mean everyone was riding a Yamaha! I'd always been a fan of Honda's and owned a 1987 CBR600F Hurricane. It was quickly overcome by the flood of 600's on the market, but I always liked it.
What I noticed about Buell that I really liked was that there just weren't any pre-pubescent retards messing the place up. Pretty much every Bueller I ran into was older than me, and I was in my mid-30's! I enjoyed hanging with more mature, experienced riders from whom I could really learn a thing or two and have a really good time without going from bar to bar to bar or trying to avoid wheelies while cruising the strip!
I think Buells have become attractive to riders who enjoy smart, quick riding through challenging mountain roads and for exciting getaways. I rarely ride mine in town if I can help it because droning along is just no fun at all. Getting out in the countryside and enjoying some scenery and good company always does it for me.
Good luck on your sub-forum, Frank! |
F_skinner
| | Posted on Saturday, December 12, 2009 - 09:37 am: |
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CJ, that was a great post and I need to think about and write my first encounter with Buell way back in 1992 then again in 1997 when I bought one.
A wise man and good friend said on the 25th Homecoming video "the Buells get you but the people keep you."
This little forum started as a joke with Ulywife and the next thing I knew it was here.
Speaking of the "people of Buell" I feel like a failure because while we are having about the same people show up for some of the rallys I have failed in getting some key Buell people in Colorado to sign on the site and post every now and again. I do not know why they have a isolationist attitude when it comes to the badweb but they do. I think it will become critical in the near future to stay connected. I cannot force people to sign on the badweb and post in the Colorado Section but I feel they are doing a disservice to other Buellers by staying silent and small. Maybe, one day they will be here.
I have seen the same thing in the NM section as well. I do not understand it but I have a couple of theories.
No matter, between the Colorado section, the NM section and the AZ guys we seem to have a lot of Buellers in this area and active on the site. I a real proud of how the Colorado section took off and the quality of people that post here. I always look forward to the regional Buell rally and seeing the CO and NM Buellers I only see once a year.
See you next summer at a place and time yet to be determined. |
Jammin_joules
| | Posted on Monday, December 14, 2009 - 02:25 am: |
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I'm here
where's the beer? 
~jammer |
F_skinner
| | Posted on Monday, December 14, 2009 - 08:50 am: |
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I have been looking for beer HERE: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/37/ 520128.html?1260222360 |
F_skinner
| | Posted on Monday, December 14, 2009 - 10:32 am: |
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I first came to know about Buell when I picked up a Sporty in the early nineties after returning from the first Desert War or the “Great Desert War”… Just a side note on HD Financing. When the war broke out HD dropped all orders that were not already financed. I had 12 months to make payments towards a down payment and was dropped since I did not have financing. After several letters and working with the HD Overseas Car Sales rep I got a 1992 XLH at 1991 prices (just under 6K). Another side note. HD used to make bomb casings for the military, during Desert Storm they went on strike and no bomb casings were made. That was the beginning of the end of my relationship with HD. I hate to see a company jump on the “Support the Troops” band wagon when they do crap like that. I will never own a post shovelhead HD again.
Anyway I had to pick it up at Laugermans HD in York PA but borrowed a truck from Newcastle HD in Newcastle PA. There were a couple of Buells on the floor. Most notability was the RR1000 or 1200 and a couple of Westwinds. While I though the bikes were interesting and I liked the fact they used a motor I just did not care for the looks of the RR. The Westwind was not bad but it did not strike me as something I wanted.
In 1996 I was finishing up another tour overseas and had read a few articles about Buell over the years so I was familiar with S1 and the S2. When I saw the S1 in person all bets were off, I had to have one! When I returned to the world that time (Ft Meade MD, NSA) I picked up a 1997 S1. There were no S2s or S2Ts on the floor. I loved that S1… Then the recalls started. 12 or 13 of them.
To get the recalls done and being a 1st Sgt with no free time I decided to take the bike to the closest dealership from my parent’s house. This was East Coast HD/Buell and I got to tell you they sucked and it was the worse experience I ever encountered. They had 6 months to get it done and when I returned they had not touched it. I told them I will be back in another 6 months and still they had not touched it telling me that Buell sucked about getting parts out. Well, I was getting ready to deploy again so I told them I would be back in a year. A week later they called and said they had it done and somehow were able to get the parts to do the recall. This included new cases. Well when I got it home the check oil light came on. No matter I had to leave and would address it when I returned.
A year later I discovered that they let the check ball and spring out of the oil system. Plenty of oil but no pressure below 3K rpm. I then moved to Colorado and fixed her up and a similar run in with Pikes Peak HD. I made it my goal in life to not give them any money so you can imagine my dismay when someone new to Colorado decided to start a BRAG group using that dealership. That is another story.
So, when I got rid of all the HDs I wanted a S2T. After months of looking I decided that I would not find one so I started on the S3T kick. I had a couple get away and was getting to the point that I was thinking I would not find one. Well this cherry 1996 S2-T showed up on ebay. A couple of emails and phone calls it was mine. Keep in mind that I had never seen a S2T or S2 in person. During all the fun events, Homecoming and Colorado Buell events I was deployed, stationed else were or without a running bike. I fell in love with the S2s and the rest, as they say, is history.
Everyone has a story about how they came to own and love their Buell… |
Ghostrider
| | Posted on Monday, December 14, 2009 - 08:52 pm: |
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Great story, Frank. What year was it when you finally got your S2T? I don't know if I mentioned, but my wife bought me a Uly XT a couple weeks ago. I have just over 200 miles on it now and am finishing up the break-in. Love it! |
F_skinner
| | Posted on Monday, December 14, 2009 - 09:10 pm: |
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I have had the first one about three years now (I looked for a good 6 months)..... The Uly is a great bike and I am sure you will put it to good use CJ. |
F_skinner
| | Posted on Friday, December 18, 2009 - 08:49 am: |
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Two generals in charge of defending the nation’s airspace cleared a seat at their table Thursday morning for Santa Claus himself.
This year, about 20 children of military personnel were invited to join commanders from the North American Aerospace Defense Command at Peterson Air Force Base as they briefed Santa on airspace preparations for his global Christmas Eve flight.
The kids squirmed with mouths agape while Air Force Maj. Jim Collins — by day, an F-16 fighter pilot — mulled the details of Santa’s “gift-to-child ratio” and concerns about “chimney facilities.”
The 15-minute slideshow also featured a weather briefing and detailed review of Santa’s flight path. Army Lt. Gen. Steven Blum and Lt. Gen. J.M. Duval of the Canadian Forces kept straight-faced throughout, even as Santa was asked whether they, too, were on the “nice list” this year.
Turns out it’s a moot question.
“Even a naughty general gets presents,” Santa bellowed.
NORAD – formerly housed in subterranean quarters in Cheyenne Mountain – has been “monitoring” Santa’s Christmas Eve flight since 1958.
www.noradsanta.org
http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=video/video_show.php&id=75341
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F_skinner
| | Posted on Thursday, December 24, 2009 - 03:12 pm: |
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Santa is on the move...
www.noradsanta.org |
J2blue
| | Posted on Thursday, December 24, 2009 - 03:37 pm: |
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Cool, Santa has finished the Eastern half of the globe. He should be making his Alaska runs any minute now. |
F_skinner
| | Posted on Sunday, December 27, 2009 - 01:42 pm: |
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Two books that I recommend that Lynn got me for Christmas.
The Vincent in the garage is great. No Buell content in either book. In less than 20 years that will be different.
Motorcycle Dream Garage makes me feel less than adequate. Sorry for the flash in the pics.
I just noticed, that is Amateur Radio equipment in the background in case anyone was wondering. |
Ghostrider
| | Posted on Monday, December 28, 2009 - 11:34 am: |
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I was wondering if you were a HAM when I looked at those pictures. A guy I used to ride with in PA was a HAM. He had all kinds of gigantic ancient equipment. I don't know why I remember it, but his call sign or code or whatever you call it, is KA3OMZ. It's funny how weird shit sticks with you after all these years.
I'll check out those books. My sisters got me gift cards to Barnes & Noble, so I'll be shopping soon. |
F_skinner
| | Posted on Monday, December 28, 2009 - 12:22 pm: |
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KA3OMZ was RONALD A MONDGOC according to a QRZ.COM search and his license expired in 2005.
With a KA callsign he was most likely licensed around the same time I was (late 70s). I will post better pictures of the station one of these days. |
Ghostrider
| | Posted on Monday, December 28, 2009 - 06:03 pm: |
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That's the guy! He had a 1990 GSXR 1100 and I had a 1987 CBR600F. I was living outside of Philly at the time. He's probably about your age (slightly older than I am). |
F_skinner
| | Posted on Monday, December 28, 2009 - 09:30 pm: |
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Here you go CJ, about half the shack in its current configurations. |
Ghostrider
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 29, 2009 - 10:01 am: |
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Wow... That's pretty sweet. I hope you live in the boonies. Otherwise, you're going to be blowing out your neighbors stereos and TVs. When I was in high school, a guy a couple doors up from us was constantly pushing feedback and other signals into my dad's stereo. Really pissed my dad off. |
F_skinner
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 29, 2009 - 12:15 pm: |
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CJ, I have never had a problem with interference but I run filters on on my equipment and the coax. The equipment made these days is very good.
The problem is usually from CBers that need 1.5 Kilo Watts and using AM that has a very wide bandwidth. They end up splattering their signal all over the place. Are there still CBers around???
I live in a normal neighborhood and have many antennas strung up in the back yard. Of course a couple of weeks ago when I put up a new antenna the cable went out. Not my fault but I was waiting for a neighbor to come over. Lucky for me the cable came back on within minutes. Lynn was the first one to question what I did LOL.
It is very peaceful to sit in front of the warm glow of a radio during the long winter nights and use technology from the 1800s to talk to people all over the world.
Amateur (or Ham) Radio has a little something for everyone. It has influenced many career decisions I have made. One day, Lynn and I will have a cabin in the middle of nowhere with a lot of antennas and a big garage. |
Ghostrider
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 29, 2009 - 01:42 pm: |
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Thumbs up on that cabin! |
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