| Author | Message | ||
     Buelliedan |
Lap of America The first brief story is an interesting one, not because of the events so much as how it all came to pass. Let me explain. Several months ago, I was "surfing" on CompuServe, and several of us starting chatting with a Buell rider named Court Canfield. Now all of you know what a Buell is. It is the creation of design engineer Erik Buell and is basically a very fast, very solid, very unique sport-touring Harley café-racer. Court lives in Topeka, Kansas and owns construction company. He is a family man, with two teen-age sons. Former Marine and competition gymnast, but more importantly, a motorcycle rider and enthusiast. He started talking about the quality and reliability of his Buell and how they were great sport-touring bikes. Several weeks of informal "on-line" chatting went by, and then one day, Court started talking about talking a month off and completing a coast-to-coast "Lap of America" on his Buell just to prove how reliable they were. In fact, Court started using "Buell... Lap of America" as his signature when he posted messages. One thing lead to another, and before you knew it, Court was putting together a complete itinerary regarding his trip. The amazing thing is the tremendous support and encouragement that Court received "on-line" to move forward with his journey. Everyone (myself included...) was saying: "Go Court, Go!" I think the reason most people got excited is that most of us do not have the flexibility to just pick up and do something like this on a spur of the moment. Court was fortunate to have an understanding wife and family, and a business where he could take some time off without a major disaster. It should also be noted that Court was planning on financing this entire adventure out of his own pocket, so there was no hidden agenda on his part. When I finally talked to Court on the phone, he told me that the entire event was started to "snowball." Court even had to get a person just to keep his calendar straight. I promised Court that if he swung through Phoenix, I would suggest a nice hotel to stay at and buy him dinner. I suggested that Court stay at the Crescent Hotel off Interstate I-17 mainly because it was convenient, and was long his trip route. He agreed. More on that later. The plan was to leave around July 1st from Kenosha, Wisconsin, ride to the east coast, visiting various Harley dealers and supporters along the way, then head for the west coast, with the same theme, then, up the northwest and back east again to Milwaukee, WI, traveling over 10,000 miles in 30-plus days. Well, true to his word, I did have the privilege of meeting Court Canfield in person, during his brief run through Phoenix. By the time he made it to Phoenix, he had already ridden many hundreds of miles. Most of his experiences revolved around people, and I told Court that it would be the people he met along the way, most of whom he met on CompuServe, that he would remember for years to come. Court agreed, and as a result of his trip, there have been many other opportunities that have surfaced. Many people go through their entire lifetime, and will not experience what Court Canfield has in a mere month. In 1982, I once quit a very good job, and traveled (by motorcycle) around the United States and Canada for over nine months with two other riding buddies. Billed as "The Great Escape Tour", it will a journey I will remember to the grave. Court knew exactly what I was talking about. Although I have never personally been on a Buell, I have ridden motorcycles on the street for over twenty-five years, so over the dinner that I promised him, we shared a lot experiences and camaraderie. The evening passed quickly, and before long, I had to catch a plane to Ohio. In summary, Court's Buell performed without a hitch, or as he put it: "the bike did not cough the entire trip!" Court is back home now, safe and sound, and planning his next adventure. Erik Buell and company should also be happy. I heard they sold about 21 new Buell's as a result of Court's "Lap of America." | ||
| Bads1 |
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| Blake |
ditto that  | ||
| Ferris |
when i bought my S2, the BLURR, in early '96, the salesman (Kim Ridley, Latus Motors, Portland, Oregon) quickly realized how gonzo i was and gave me the phone number of one of his riding buddies. said buddy turned out to be Court Canfield. it was several months before i screwed up the courage to call Mr. Canfield, but when i finally did one evening he treated me like we were old friends, and we must have chatted for an hour. the kicker was that he invited me and my friend Jeremy Ricker to show up to the inaugural Blue Groove a day early, for some "VIP" stuff. well shit, i got to meet not only Court, but Reg Kittrelle from Battle 2win, Howard Kelly from Hot Bike, and Clement Salvadori from EVERYWHERE. and, i got to ride the Santa Cruz mountains in a most aggressive manner with Erik Buell. i'll never forget it, nor Court's kindness and friendship when some awestruck country bumpkin called him outta the blue one night and talked his ear off. the ride since then has been breathtaking. i really don't know what else to say. FB | ||
| Glitch |
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| Court |
What times those were...... By the time you met Jeremy, I'd been to the Ciry of Roses and stayed with Kim, his wife and son 3 times. I took a group riding one day to play on Skyline. On the way back we'd all kinda gone our seperate ways. It was later than evening I learned one of our number had ended the day by putting his bike through a white picket fence after going into a corner too hot. He, an othopedic surgeon, lay there for some time before he was able to reach his cell phone and call his wife. Portland is also the city where I met Brett and spent a day (you may recall the old photos of me nounted on the Bimota) taking riding lessons behind his ST1000 on and around Mt. Saint Helens. Among my other fond memories of Portland are 1) Proving that you can put 3 people on a 1991 S-1...IF one of them is an attactive blonde. Yes, there are pictures of Kim and I with her sandwiched between. 2) Being inducted into the Microsoft "DTFR" Riding Club and bein asked to visit Microsoft and explain the Buell phenomenon (little did I know, I'd get to meet and speak at a convcention with Bill Gates, on behalf of Buell, 3 years later). 3) Local developed Michael Bledsoe (Drew's Uncle) who coolaborated with me in an itense effort to build the strategic model, details of and implementation plan for TEAM BUELL. Still, in my mind, one of the best Buell rockets that never got launched and still on the pad today. Portland is a GREAT city....and I've tons of fond memories. But....the story gets much better after I departed Portland, spent the night in Ellensburg and ran into that pesky CBR900 at the gas station in Pendleton just as I realized that the unexpected change in time zone would require me to make up an hour to be at the Buell gig I'd scheduled in Boise that Monday morning.....perahos one of the most gorgeous bank VP's I've ever met....how did I know it wasn't Steve with her helmet on???? You guys have yet to uncover the BEST stories and they are hidden there on the web. Thanks, once again, Ferris for rekindling fond memoriues of friends, times and life through your words. We did have fun at Blue Groove! Court | ||
| Crusty |
Since you're in the mood for reminiscing, PLEASE tell the story of Parkway Blue. I really would like to know what happened. | ||
| Bcdaum |
Parkway Blue="Barney" purple...simple fact | ||
| Bcdaum |
Iespecially liked the "lunchbox" Court reviewed in an early issue of Battle2win. Bob | ||
| Crusty |
I remember the Barney lunchbox. I've still got that issue of B2Win. Over the years, I've heard different and conflicting stories on how "Parkway Blue" was one color when chosen and became a different color when the bodywork was painted. One story has a typo in the formula resulting in a different shade, another has light conditions when the sample was viewed being very poor, so it looked like a different color, and a third that's so improbable I won't repeat it here. I know that there's a story in here, I just want to know what it is. Even if it's a dull one. | ||
| Court |
The story that is better than Parkway Blue itself, is where the Lunchbox came from. Hint: It starts with Court, hightailing to make it from taking a spy 1995 Amazon Green Buell to the Annual BMW retreat and needing to be back in Topeka the next day, forgetting to put the petcock back on "normal", running out of fuel in the early AM near Memphis, getting picked up by Vince Gill's Manager and ends up in an unlikely series of events involving a private plane, limo and front row seats at a concert.....one of the people in those seats sent the lunchbox with a "thank you" note. Remind me to tell you . . . . | ||
| Crusty |
Remind me, the next time we meet, to buy a flounder and beat you with it. You keep teasing us with little snippets, but you never tell the story. Maybe someday I'll find out. I guess I'll just have to ask Anonymous the next time I'm at an event that he's at. Maybe I'll get a straight answer out of him. | ||
| Ferris |
Remind me, the next time we meet, to buy a flounder and beat you with it. THAT'S a keeper. | ||
| Court |
Wait?..... Crusty says: "but Court never tells any stories". Ferris...that an accurate statement? | ||
| S2pengy |
Court Was that the Amazon Green Buell that ended up on the Road Atlanta Race track???? Ping me off line to arrange for that service bullentin... s2pengy@peoplepc.com | ||
| Crusty |
Court, you might be the best storyteller since Scheherazade, but I can only go by personal experience. And my experience has been that you offer juicy tidbits, then say,"Remind me to tell you..." So what IS the story?  | ||
| Court |
Todd: Turns out, like Dorothy and the power to return to Oz, I had it all the time thanks to the tirelss efforts of the Colorado Ogre. Crusty, some of these stories have been told (you weren't here in the good old days when I did an 800 word daily online column) ad nauseum and will again. Matter of fact...I may CREATE a story about you for the next gathering of the faifhful! Court | ||
| Crusty |
Hell, Court, you only met me once, and only for two minutes. What kind of story would that make? a cure for insomnia, maybe  | ||
| Ferris |
it's a conundrum, Crusty. when you WANT him to spill the beans, all ya gets is a whiff. he's starting to cave tho, i think, and i think if maybe you lean on him jussssssssssst a bit more he may crack... c'mon Court, sing the Barney song for us again, k???  | ||
| Crusty |
Hell, Ferris; I don't want him to crack. There's enough cracked people on this board already.  I just would like to hear about Parkway Blue. | ||
| Buellbob |
I would love to hear some of Mr. Canfields stories and other exploits. I came late into the Buell fold and everytime he posts there are always those little tantalizing bits that sound so interesting. How does he keep it all in? Maybe he should write a book or something. Bob | ||
| Ferris |
Maybe he should write a book or something. now THAT'S a concept! (ps: Buellbob, you ever done SPLASH or the Border Raid?) | ||
| Newfie_buell |
Court is the guy that sent me a very first issue of "Battle 2win" Magazine!!!! Thanks again Court. | ||
| Daves |
Months ago, I offered to pre-pay for a copy of the "book" Come on Court, get typing! I'm not getting any younger ya know! Ride to the edge! Dave Iowa HD/Buell (Buell Cycle Center) | ||
| Crusty |
Court; PARKWAY BLUE??? Ferris said to lean on you a bit more, so I'm leanin'. | ||
| Mikej |
Crusty, I hear he listens better when offered burritos via express mail.  | ||
| Crusty |
Burritos? If he ever makes it up to Massachusetts, I'll feed him Cavatelli w/sausages using Nana Cimenata's recipe. If that doesn't get him to talk, I don't know what will. edited by Crusty on February 24, 2004 | ||
| Newfie_buell |
How about a good feed of Caribou Stew, Moose Sausage or Seal Flipper Pie!!!! | ||
| Buellbob |
Ferris I've never been able to make either with family holidays and stuff always happening at those times. I'm workin on it though. Its going to happen.Bob | ||
| Ferris |
...Its going to happen.Bob once it does, there's no turning back. ...Cavatelli w/sausages using Nana Cimenata's recipe... ...Caribou Stew, Moose Sausage or Seal Flipper Pie... Newf and Crusty, ain't Massachusetts kinda on the way to Newfoundland? hmmm, that'd make a great road trip from here... | ||
| Crusty |
Any time, Ferris. | ||
| Tripper |
Courts the guy who will call any non-buell owning fool who might be hanging around here, and push them over the edge to go out and actually mortgage the house to buy a Buell. Thanx for that Court. no, really. I mean it sincerely. And next time your in TOP call ahead so we can get the KC Central BRAG club to escort you around. Make it a 3rd Thursday of any month and we'll make you Guest Speaker. | ||
| Leftcoastal |
Court is the guy who is mainly responsibly for getting my wife and I involved in all this foolishness to begin with. When we met Court at the LOVE RIDE in (95? 96?) his exuberance for the marque rubbed off on us indelibly. Penny wanted a Buell so badly that I ended up surprising her with an S2T for her 50th birthday! Then I got my RS. It's been downhill ever since! Penny said she'll bake him one of her award winning apple pies (1st place LA County Fair 2003!)if he ever shows his face again on the west coast. Myself-I might borrow Crusty's flounder! Hey- it sounds like we got the makings of one hell of a BBQ! AL PS: as far as purple goes, Parkway Blue is one of the better ones. | ||
| Court |
If this is the husbal unit of the famed Penny Gleason (yes, the Penny Keaton who dissed Lorenzo Llamas to meet Erik Buell) you are one lucky guy! I will also add that in my most enthusiastic moments, I've never been able to hold a candle to your wife. Finally, put me in your will in case you are ever foolish enough to paste your wife's age on the internet again...tough guy, are ya? Please give Penny my best, of the 3,500+ folks I've met on these Erikcycles, she shines brightly. Court | ||
| Newfie_buell |
Court, Ever consider doing a Cross Canada Tour!!! You do realize where you have to start!!! |
