Fall ride to top of Wisconsin, Little Sand Bay

September 16, 2012 I left St.Paul at 7:30 am, my friend Doug left Ironwood Michigan at 8:00. we met in the middle in Hayward  WI, @ the Norske Nook for breakfast. After a few good cups of coffee and goodies, we synced our Sena SMH-10 Bluetooth headsets and we were off.
 (http://www.senabluetooth.com/ & http://www.senabluetooth.com/products/acc_SMH-A0303.php).
 I've been using my Sena all summer since getting it to listen to Pandora radio and get phone calls, but this was my 1st experience with another friend using them as two way, "walkie talkie" communicators. Well, let me tell you, they worked great! We talked for an hour while riding 55-75 mph and it was better as if we were talking, face to face! We both use ER-6I earbuds connected to the Sena units instead of the small helmet speakers that come stock with the Sena's.
We rode our bikes up to Little Sand Bay, a beautiful spot along the southern shore of Lake Superior and took these pictures of us in front of the protected harbor.  

It was a great, day of riding all over northern Wisconsin, temps in the low 70's and low humidity.  We split up near Ashland WI, and I rode back roads all the way home. 475 miles, 11 hours start to finish. One of my favorite rides of 2012.

2012 "WOI" Wheels of Italy

Here is the "DOOM" display tent, with some of the hosts of the WOI
event surrounding the guys....














2012 Wheels of Italy, Car / motorcycle show.
What a turnout, 100 Ducati's, Ferrari's, Lamborghini's , Maserati's all in one big parking lot.
Near Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis. The weather was sunny, warm and a lot of RED!, a few silver, black, yellow and an odd orange
A yearly event worth booking out for.

I bumped into a few friends of mine, so Bruce and Kevin, here you are with your sons...

Day at the gun range

I went to Bills gun shop and range met my buddy Clay to shot our pistols. It was my 2nd time out with my CZ 9mm. I'm getting better at shooting it and learning how to pull the trigger smoothly/ better accuracy. Anotherspendy fun hobby to do and get good at....

July 4th 2012

Boy, what a hot trip this one was.
Day 1, when we started out, it was already 95* with high humidity. We rode up to Taylor Falls had lunch, then up through Hayward WI on our way up to Doug & Lisa's place up in Ironwood MI.
Day 2, cool morning, like 70 *when we left Ironwood. Rode up around Wakefield Mi along Lake Superior all the way up to Copper Harbor. Very enjoyable temps and great roads. Looked around had lunch then rode different roads back to Ironwood.
Had dinner with Doug & Lisa and stayed at their home.
Day 3, July 4th, left the Hippe house and rode towards Duluth. Before Ashland, we went into heavy- dense fog, not fun at all on motorcycles! Stopped in Ashland for breakfast and by the time we were done, the fog lifted.... we make a stop @
"Grizz works" and checked out all his unbelievable chainsaw wood art.
back on the road, it was back up to the mid 80's then we started the long descent in Superior, wow the temperature dipped down to 72* fantastic! Onwards through Duluth then westwards on Mn Hwy 210. A long boring road with peat bogs for 100 square miles. Finally rode into Brainerd and made it to Dan and Theresa's lake home on White Sand lake.
First thing, kiss my wife Laura , jump into the lake to cool off and play with Daisy in the water

Ducati Doom summer ride to Taylor Fall

Dyno run with new custom map

Here is Doug Lofgren doing a dyno run with mt Ducati Multistrada 1200 after I installed a Leo Vince full exhaust system, eliminating the restrictive kat. Doug totaled reprogrammed the the air/fuel map in the ECU. Now it runs much better, no more surging or herky-jerky in lower rpms.
Now it makes 144 horsepower and more torque throughout.
Thanks Doug!

Crazy Daisy Doggie

Daisy is my "field breed" English Springer spaniel. She was born a hunter. Daisy is from a English Springer Spaniel and Labrador breeder in Thompson Iowa. She was born the last day of August
in 2009 . I had her trained at 2 years of age by Kevin Latour @ Elk River Kennels. The first and most important thing is introduction to guns, (nothing worse than a gun shy hunting dog), then bird training and improved obedience. She is a very good dog, stays within range and comes to my commands. And yes, hunts and retrieves pheasants great. A couple months a year we try to get out and hunt pheasants, the other months of the year she is a wonderful spoiled doggie :-)