Vehicles We Have Owned

This is a list of all the cars, trucks and motorcycles we have owned over the years.  Some were owned with Louise, some with my brother, Gary, and some with my son, Dan.

I was really surprised at the number although I shouldn't have since I'm OLD!  This is roughly in the chronological order that we had them, starting in about 1958:

Year Make and Model Notes 1955 Allstate Moped Red 1951 Rambler American Brown and Beige, shared with Gary 1959 Rambler Station Wagon Blue 1961 Rambler Station Wagon Red with Black Skunk Stripes 1965 Honda S90 Black 1965 Rambler 2-Door HT, Wrecked 1064 Corvair White Convertible 1963 Harley Sportster Blue, then Maroon 1963 Chevy Biscayne White 2-Door 1969 Ford XL Reddish Brown with White Vinyl Top 1972 Ford Ranchero Yellow with Woody Trim 1965 Ford Econoline Van Blue with Camping Stuff in Back 1969 Ford XL Red Convertible "Beater" 1972 Chevy Impala 4-Door Company Car, Blue 1974 Chevy Impala 4-Door Company Car, Maroon 1967 Pontiac Firebird Gold Color with White Interior 1963 Chevy Pickup 3/4 Ton, Lots of Rust 1972 Chevy Pickup 1/2 Ton, Beige, with Log Splitter 1983 Buick LeSabre Grey, Eckart's Old Car 1984 Buick LeSabre Blue, Company Car 1979 Volkswagen Rabbit Light Blue 1965 Ford Econoline Pickup Black 1986 Olds Cutlass Ciera 4-Door, Gray 1989 Ford Mustang White GT 1990 Ford Thunderbird Light Brown, bad car 1991 Ford Aerostar Van Two Tone Blue 1993 Meredes 300 Black 1994 Harley Sportster Custom Gleghorn Paint 1995 Harley Road King Turquoise Blue 1946 Chevy Cabover Butt Ugly 1999 Harley Ultra Classic Silver and Brown 1993 Ford Pickup Blue, Short Wide 1968 Chevy Camaro Red with Black Vinyl Roof 1996 Dodge Durango Silver 1971 Chevy Nova Drag Car 1995 Ford 1 Ton Dump Truck Red 1999 Dodge 1 Ton Dump Truck White 1999 International 4700 White, 4-Door 2003 Dodge Dakota Pickup White Extended  Cab 1974 Honda Trail 90 Yellow, Gave to Milt 1966 Harley Sportster Red and White 2003 BMW K1200 Navy and White 1981 Chevy Pickup Blue, Short Narrow 1974 Moto Guzzi Rusty White, From Jerry Adair 2005 Ford Pickup Dark Blue 4WD, Short Wide 2007 Dodge Nitro Brown 2009 Yamaha TW200 2004 Toyota Tacoma Pickup Red, 4WD, 4-Door 2006 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, Silver 2008 Holiday Rambler Motorhome Brown

Have you ever thought about making a list like this?  It is an interesting exercise although I'm not sure what it says about us?  I guess it indicates that Americans love their cars!

A Lifetime of Motorcycles

I was 14 years old living in Pampa, Texas when I got my first motorcycle, an Allstate Moped.  My brother, Gary, and I flogged that thing as only youngsters can until it wouldn't go another mile!  Dad was continually working on it to keep it running.

Over the years since then, I've had countless bikes including several Harleys, Hondas, and even a Moto Guzzi.  Today, I have four bikes: a '66 Harley Sportster, an '03 BMW, a Yamaha TW200, and the '74 Moto Guzzi Eldorado.  My favorite ride was a '63 Sportster which I rode when I was at Oklahoma State back in the late '60s.  It was, at the time, the fastest motorcycle in Stillwater!  The picture above is me with it in about 1969.

Louise and I had our first date on this motorcycle and I can still remember that night vividly.  Over the years, she rode behind me a lot of miles on a lot of trips.  Several years ago, we were in Houston, Texas, on a Harley Ultra Classic and it was extremely hot that day.  Also, the traffic was horrible, a standard condition in Houston. When we got back to the travel trailer that evening, Louise told me that she was through riding.  She has never ridden with me again.

I purchased the '66 Sportster about five years ago in an attempt to re-create the old days.  It cannot be done, as most people know, so now I need to sell the Sportster.  I've also decided that, like Louise, I'm about through riding.  I won't completely quit motorcycles but there won't be any more cross-country rides.

It has been a lot of fun but it is time to move on to something else.  Besides, I can use the money from the sale of the motorcycles to buy a new antenna tower!

Joplin Hamfest

I just returned from the Hamfest in Joplin, MO. I rode up there yesterday afternoon on the motorcycle and returned this morning.

I'm really surprised that the weather is so cool. On the way up yesterday, I began to wish that I had more clothes on. It was downright cold on that motorcycle! It didn't get any warmer this morning on the way back to Tulsa. I didn't spend a lot of money at the Hamfest but did purchase several items which I had been wanting (antenna for the HT, speaker for the desk, and a Rigrunner). I did manage to avoid buying a new radio, which surprised me a little bit.

Tomorrow, I'm gonna chill out and do nothing for a day.

Motorcycle Ride

Well, I went for the motorcycle ride yesterday, about 200 miles, but didn't make it to Wapanucka. It's probably just as well since the last time I rode through there I got a ticket. I finished up the hole for the tower and ordered the concrete. It's supposed to be delivered at 9:00 am tomorrow. According to my calculations, it should require about 3.6 cu. yds. I'll post the actuals tomorrow after the delivery.

I'm sitting here listening to the Broken Arrow Amateur Radio Club net on 146.91, being hosted tonight by Scott Haley, KD5NJR. I don't think I've heard him before but I don't listen to evening nets that much. That's one thing about ham radio; you can always find something interesting that you haven't heard before.

I'm looking forward to the Joplin Hamfest this weekend; I'm planning to ride the BMW up there on Friday and stay the night, returning to Mannford on Saturday afternoon. Next Monday, Milt, my brother, and I are going to go to Robber's Cave State Park and do some work on the corrals down there.

A Big Hole

Yesterday I accomplished most of what I set out to do, that is get the tower base ready to pour. Today being Sunday, I'll have to wait until tomorrow to call the concrete company which means that they probably won't deliver until Tuesday or Wednesday. Thats ok because I'm not in a terrible hurry anyway.

Since I don't have anything pressing today at the house, I think I'll go for a motorcycle ride. I'll take the BMW and go south to, perhaps Wapanucka, then over to Sulphur and then back to the Cromwell area. That ought to make it about a six hour loop.