It was 1976, I was 20 years old and I just received a bundle of money (very small bundle, but it seemed like lots to me at the time), and was real pumped about buying a brand new motorcycle. 

Had to be a Harley. 

I bought a brand new 1200 Super Glide off the show room floor.  It lacked any identity and as all Harley rider have to do, I bought some doodads to jazz it up.  I added a bitch bar, a fancy seat, pipes, and some chrome here and there.  I had to add hydraulic lifters after floating the stock ones when the speedometer said I was doing 130mph.  (No way this bowling ball was doing 130mph.  Maybe it hit 99)

It was a real cool looker, and it made me very popular and drew more attention than I had even thought it would.  So, at that time in my life, that is what I wanted and that is what I got.  A show piece, a treasure.  At this time in history Harley wasn't the "religion" it has become.  The Harley was my only transportation, I'd spent my big bundle wad of money on it. 

I grew up in Las Vegas, and riding this monster year round was very cool, cooler than it is nowadays.  I was more a desert rat than a casino slug.  My previous bikes were all dirt bikes.  As you can see, I dirt rode the Harley.  My only other motorcycles were dirt bikes and old ways are hard to break.  Well, I was Hard on the Harley, I expected allot from it, but it was sort of a Hardly. Years of the bowling ball Harley ownership.  Still, it was 'Cool' all the same, after all, it was a Harley.

 This is a picture of me leaving Las Vegas on a really great trip to Missouri.   My friend lived in a little town just near the border between Missouri and Illinois called Alton.  (Alton has been in many super Flood television Reports).  Anyhow, I left one day to visit Dave in Alton and one of the days drove for like 10 hours before finally reaching this little Alton Missouri town only to find I was lost.  I had to call my friend and found out I was in Alton Missouri and needed to be in Alton Illinois.  Man, I was 10 hours worn out from this rough ridin' pig already!  It was only another 3 1/2 hours away and I didn't have hotel money.  So off I went.  13 1/2 hours on a this ole Harley would kill anyone under 30 with brains, But I made it, I was under 30.  Still, it Took 2 days to recover. 

I sold that Super Glide for $2,300.00.  Today in 2004 that same bike in decent running condition would be worth $9-12,000.00  Go figure.

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