Time to get a load off my chest

It has to be worrying when any blogger just drops off the face of the internet, especially so for ones of our particular interest. Riding a motorycle has inherent dangers and when someone suddenly disappears, a nagging thought has to hang in the back of the mind.

For all the times I've wondered this, it's surprising that this blog should fall guilty of such a crime.

So I give my mea culpa, mea culpa, mea culpa and can only hope to make amends with all the gossip I have!!! So much to blog about and it's already 11pm at night!!!!


Blogging hooks another one!
It was great to read that someone else has been bitten by the blogging bug. Mr. Benjamin himself started his very own, called VrrooooomVrooomm and it's looking good. Not only does he have current rides and pics, but also some looking back to moments in his own biking history. Good stuff.

Gymi's had some good looking pics and reviews of readers' motorcycle's and what they've done to make the ride their own. Still enjoy his layout evrytime I see it. As much as I love what I managed to scrap together with limited programming skills at Biker Diaries, it creaks a little when loaded up after his!

KT threw on her pink helmet for Easter (kid you not, she even has pictures) and Christina's been throwing her bike as well as herself around some twisties in California.

I'm sure you know all of this and it's old news coming from me. This recap isn't a feeble attempt to fill some blank space because of an equally empty mind, or even the lack of inspiration.

Nope, I'm glad to point out all this good stuff not only because they're good reads, but also great examples of what a good blog should look like. Current, up to date and most of all fun.

It's not because I haven't had the will or intentions but more the lack of time. Lets go through this chronologically....


Ten...hut!!!!
Back at the end of January I received a very nice email from an editor at Stars and Stripes commenting on the baby shower blog. Nice enough, but at the end she asked if I would consider releasing parts of my blog to be used in a competition to give away a Harley to the service personnel serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Being an Air Force brat and with my father serving in Vietnam, I could hardly say no and proceeded to editing the various riding stories on Biker Diaries, spellchecking along the way. Isn't it amazing how many spelling and gramatical errors just sneak in there?

Although some may say you can't stop the power of the press, I'll atest that it can be slowed down. The publishing date kept getting pushed back as advertisers disagreed on rates, etc, etc. All the while, I wrote promising a big surprise in this blog. So months later, through no fault of my own, I'm proud to present what Laurence's rides would read like if he could afford a full-time editor!!! Drum roll please!


Printed with the permission of Stars and Stripes.
Understand these are big files before you click on them!!

The advertiser was so impressed with how the ads turned out as well as how popular the competition went over that another advertisement was added to the campaign!

Now the more astute readers may notice that not only is Biker Diaries mentioned in the personal Bio, but 'contributor to Clutch and Chrome' also appears. It's no coincidence that a graphic supporting the website is also proudly displayed at the top of my page to the left.

This was the other matter going on, taking away my blogging time.

I was asked to help launch a new website aimed at becoming an invaluable resource for riders of all type of motorcycles. It's been a real team effort, but even so, hours and hours were poured into the project to make as much of a quality launch as possible.

One of the idea's I'm particularly proud of was creating a directory of blogs including all the motorcycle related blogs we could find! Just looking out for my fellow bloggers and trying to find that free publicity.

The site has over 2400 bike nights and events, a motorcycle database, news updated as it happens, interesting articles and reviews. Because the motorcycle club database couldn't be completed without permission from the clubs themselves its a little smaller database, but growing. So if any of you know of any events, feel free to submit them here. Know of any clubs that would like to be included they can go here.

Everything's free and there are no pop-ups. Hopefully it'll work out.

Throw into these chaotic times moving in with the girlfriend, building wall units and everyday stuff like work, and you get the idea.

So now we have no secrets between us. Well there was the bus station incident, but my therapist tells me I don't have to talk about that anymore.


It's all about the motorcycles
The endless rainbow in life is the end of April with the girlfriends brother coming out for a two week vacation. It seems he's got the idea of renting a Harley to ride down to the Keyes while out here and would like some company. Convinced me!

What makes it more interesting is that he's a sportbike rider. He wasn't too happy thinking he would riding without a windshield. Actually nearly didn't rent the bike because of that! Finally I told him it was included in the rental package.