National Motorcycle Museum, Anamosa Iowa

[bagobones]

I just got back from a road trip to the J&P Cycles open house and a special evening commemorating the opening of the new National Motorcycle Museum building (a renovated former Wal-mart!) and the opening of their new Arlen Ness exhibit. It was a great trip and I will do some more postings about it soon. The people at J&P were awesome, and the NMM is an amazing place with amazing bikes.

Here is a link to their site:

http://www.nationalmcmuseum.org/

I'll have lots of photos coming this week of the J&P event and of the UNBELIEVABLE bikes I saw. For now, enjoy a photo of me and my new close personal friend....

[dt]

Awe, you lucky bum! You and Arlen Ness. That’s a framer there, man. Great photo! 

[bagobones]

I bought a ticket to this dinner event to raise funds for the museum and to kick-off the Arlen Ness display.

I get there really early, right when it started at 6pm. I pick a table way in the back of the room and I'm sitting all by myself. As more and more people file in, it becomes obvious to me that there aren't many "civilians" in the room - most of these folks I recognize from the trade booths or trailers at the J&P cycles event. I'm drinking a beer and eating the food and feel pretty out of place but I hang in there.

Eventually two folks come up and ask if they can join me. I recognize the lady. She was signing books over at the J&P event. Turns out she is Christine Sommer-Simmons, author of "The American Motorcycle Girls (1900-1950). Although I couldn't remember her name when she sat next to me. According to this:

http://wncx.radio.com/tag/christine-sommer-simmons/

she is married to Doobie Brothers Guitarist Pat Simmons. Here she is signing more books in Daytona.
 
http://www.gotyourpic.com/Motorcycles/huh/11378843_TN8E4/6/802774413_x2eFj/Large

The fellow she sat down with introduces himself as "Buzz" and is wearing an "American Iron" polo shirt. Turns out he is Buzz Canter, AMA hall of famer and one of the biggest motorcycle magazine publishers in America.
http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/detail.aspx?RacerID=345

He and Christine let me listen in on a conversation they were having about a Cannonball run from coast-to-coast riding pre-1916 motorcycles. Here is the website about this event:

http://www.motorcyclecannonball.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=104:riders-spotlight-buzz-kanter&catid=34:spotlight&Itemid=89

Fascinating! Then another dude came up and introduced himself to me as "Michael". He is world-famous biker photographer Michael Lichter - the guy who shot the photos and wrote Arlen's book with him "King of Choppers".
http://www.lichterphoto.com/

In all honesty, I didn't know who any of these these guys were at all while I was sitting there. At one point, Buzz looked at me and asked if I knew who I was sitting with. I said "no" and he went around the table and introduced everyone and what they did. I felt like a real doofus.

I had told them all that I had relatives nearby and had just come into town for this event and wanted to see the museum. They were a little surprised that I would just show up to an event like this, but they liked it. There were some other non-trade folks there but not many.

Well, to end this little part of the story.. Michael Lichter officially introduced himself to me when he left the table (he later conducted a short interview with Arlen during the opening ceremony for the exhibit). I introduced myself to him as "just a guy from Chicago". All the other folks at the table said "Aw nooooo - NOBODY is just a guy from Chicago.Michael Lichter looked at me, still shaking my hand, and said "Everybody has an interesting story, everybody. And its a real pleasure to meet you." He wanted to make sure I didn't feel left out in this crowd of motorcycle luminaries. A class act.

[mrbones]

Pretty awesome. That's an event you'll never foget. A photo with a legend, too!

That's what great about motorcycles. We all have different occupations, yet have a common bond.

[dcameras]

Congrats on getting to meet all those folks even if you didn't know who they were to begin with. Extra congrats on meeting Arlen Ness and getting a photo with him. I'm sure you will have a smile on your face for a while.     

[bagobones]

Some of the Evel stuff they had there. I found the tank artwork VERY interesting! Talk about an awesome piece of American Pop culture - this stuff should be in the Smithsonian!

[bagobones]

I remember playing this pinball machine when I was a young dude.

[bagobones]

An awesome Indian Larry bike, mere inches away from the Evel bike.

[bagobones]

According to the display, this is the last authentic, movie-used, Captain America Chop in existence. Awesome.

[bagobones]

This ratty Indian Chopper was ridden by McQueen and is in it's original condition as he left it. It still has his backpack and sleeping roll attached to the back. Despite the signs strictly forbidding it, I did TOUCH THIS BIKE. I had to do it. I touched the back corner of the seat just briefly, to absorb as much of Steve's kick-ass-ness as I could. I think it has helped me.

[dcameras]

Despite the signs strictly forbidding it, I did TOUCH THIS BIKE.

I am guilty of that kind of thing too. I took it a bit further though at the Old Mill Motorcycle Museum at Juliette, Ga. I sat on 2 of the bikes in there. I will not further incriminate myself by showing pics of me on the bikes but will show the bikes. One is a Harley Topper and the other is an Indian.  


http://www.oldmillmuseum.com/

[mrbones]

Too cool. Can you imagine jumping some buses with that Evel bike?

[dt]

I saw Evel jump a bunch of buses at the Syracuse Fairgrounds sometime back in the mid-70s. Maybe it was that bike!

Anyway, great photos!

[bagobones]

Dcameras, that Old Mill Museum looks cool. On my next drive past Atlanta down to FL, I am going to make a point of stopping there. Thanks for the tip!