Feel Good Stuff – Page 4 – The ExhaustNotes Blog

ExNotes Hasty Conclusions: The 2024 AHRMA at Laguna Seca

By Joe Gresh

Rookie mistake: leaving your chair outside at night. The dew is heavy at Laguna Seca and my campsite is shaded from the early morning sun.

I love the pipes on this Turnip. Not likely to drag in corners!

I’ll walk around the pits instead. No food trucks yet and the Bear + Flag doesn’t open very early. Luckily I brought along some Cafe Bustello instant.

Tech inspection. The lines were long which is a good thing for AHRMA (America Historic Racing Motorcycle Association).

Triple tracker wandered into pavement world.

175 Bridgestone twin. The terror of the track back in the day. Hondas didn’t even try.

VP race fuel on site. Only a few bucks more that the 86/corn squeezed crap you buy on the street.

Mono framed side car. Very thin aluminum. I’m shocked it doesn’t crack.

Heavy side car contingent at this year’s races.

The crowd in the pit area seems to be as large as it was last year with even more Honda 160-175 twins. These things are like cockroaches while the actual bikes that raced in the 1960’s/1970’s are thin on the ground. I guess those Hondas survived because no one raced them.

Even if you don’t care for motorcycles Laguna Seca is a great place to camp. I have Site 110. The trees have grown a bit and I’m worried about ground squirrels breaking into my tent and stealing my food.

There are lots on fairly modern bikes, too. At least they are modern to me; they are probably 25 years old.

I made the mistake riding into Monterey. Lots of traffic. The only restaurant open was a McDonald’s. An older lady was buying a single cigarette from a guy who was out by the parking lot. I could see the bay from McDonald’s. Inside, there was no one to take your order. Electronic kiosks were set up and you entered your order then paid at the kiosk. There were about 5 people waiting, glancing down at the bits of paper the kiosk spit out. No one was getting food. McDonald’s food is not good enough to go through the hassle, so I left.

Heading back towards the track on Highway 68 the traffic came to a halt. It took me about an hour to go 4 miles. My old Yamaha 360 did not care for this kind of treatment. Forget going anywhere from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. In the evening I sat and watched the long line of motor homes making their way to the paddock. It was fun…to me.

Today is race school and practice. Tomorrow (Saturday) the racing starts in earnest.

Sent from my iPhone

That BSA at the top of this blog was not racing. I included it for Hack.

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Boise’s Birds of Prey

By Joe Berk

When Sue and I moved into our home some 40+ years ago, I was setting up my office when I heard a thump. It sounded like a bird flew into the window, so I looked out and sure enough, there was a rather large red-tailed hawk on my front yard with its wings spread out. The thing was huge, and I knew that if it had flown into the window, it would have broken glass, but the window was intact. I’d never seen a red-tailed hawk close up (the thing was only about 10 feet away). The way its wings were spread out led me to believe it had maybe hit the roof and was now lying there, wounded, in front of me.

I was pondering my next step when the hawk lifted one wing and peered down. It wasn’t wounded at all. It held another bird in its talons, which were tightly clenched around its neck. The hawk shook the other bird and it twitched a bit, so it put its wing down again and waited (as did I). After maybe another minute, the hawk did an instant replay, except this time the bird in its claws was motionless. The hawk released it and then, with its beak, proceeded to tear into the smaller bird’s body, taking its time and eating the internal organs. When it finished, it flew off, leaving the dead bird and a scattering of its feathers. I’ve been fascinated by birds of prey ever since, and I live in a good spot for one so afflicted. We have a family of red-tailed hawks and another family of great horned owls that nest nearby. When I ride into Baja, we get great photos of osprey eating sushi in the protected areas near Guerrero Negro. These birds are amazing, so when I was in Boise and I saw they the World Center for Birds of Prey, I was in. It’s only $10 for a senior citizen ticket. I would have paid more. The photo ops were…well, read on. You’ll see.

A Peregrine Falcon taking a sip of water.

Not bad for shooting through chicken coop wiring.

The first raptor we saw was a peregrine falcon. It was the first one I’d ever seen, although I’d heard about them being in our area when I was growing up in New Jersey. They live in many regions, but I’d never encountered one before. I’m pleased with the photo; I photographed the bird through its wire cage and the wires blurred and disappeared in the image.

Next up was my old buddy, the red-tailed hawk. The lighting was much more of a challenge here, as this one was in an indoor cage with bars instead of woven wire. I had to angle myself to get the camera lens pointed between the bars.

We walked a little further and saw a sign for the California condor exhibit.

California Condors are huge birds, as these tracks in the sidewalk indicate. That’s my Buster Brown in the photo for a size comparison.

I had never seen one of these, other than the super cool video Mike Huber posted in one of his blogs. Mike had a surreal experience. Boise’s Birds of Prey Center breeds the California condor; they are then released in California’s Pinnacles National Park. Coming back from near extinction, they now range all over the American Southwest and down into Baja. When Mike hiked into Pinnacles National park and stopped to eat his lunch, a California condor landed just a few feet away. Lucky guy, Mike is.

Two California Condors hanging out in Boise, Idaho.

Wow. These birds have a 9 1/2-foot wingspan.

The Harpy eagle is an unusually photogenic raptor. They range from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. Like some of our ExNotes commenters, it started squawking up a storm when I mentioned I watch Fox News.

The Ornate hawk-eagle is another large raptor. It’s from the tropical regions of Central and South America. I had never heard of this bird, nor had I ever seen one. It is beautiful. It’s another one I photographed through the bars of its cage.

An Ornate Hawk-Eagle, an appropriately named bird if ever there was one. Because the Birds of Prey Center also takes in injured birds, I thought this one was missing a leg until I processed the photo below.

The Birds of Prey Center had a gyrfalcon (also known as the Arctic Falcon) that I think was the most interesting bird there. While I was photographing it, I tilted my head, and the falcon tilted his head. I then tilted my head the other way, and the falcon mimicked that, too. I started doing so repeatedly, and so did the bird. The only thing missing was the music. It was really cool.

The gyrfalcon lives in the Arctic. It’s the largest falcon in the world, and it’s perfectly okay living in temperatures that dip below -40 degrees.

Here’s a photo I particularly like. It’s a great horned owl. We’ve had a family of these owls nest behind our house in the past, and it was great seeing the baby owl chicks emerge from the nest for a few weeks and then finally fly away. They are large birds. One still comes around on patrol, looking for mice and other tasty treats. It wakes us up sometimes hooting away in the dark. I’ve seen these fly by and they are impressive. Their flight is absolutely silent.

These birds are amazing. They always make me hungry for potato chips.

While we were in the Birds of Prey center, a handler was there with a barred owl. It was most impressive. I asked if I could use my flash and she said the owl wouldn’t mind.

A very cooperative and photogenic Barred Owl.

So there you have it. If you ever find yourself in Boise, the World Center for Birds of Prey needs to be on your list of places to visit.

A bit more on Boise…if you are spending some time there, I’ve got a good restaurant recommendation. We were chatting up a couple of young ladies near the Lucky Peak State Park and I asked them: What’s the best Italian restaurant in Boise? Their answer was instantaneous: Luciano’s. You know what? They were right.

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Idaho: Check!

By Joe Berk

Susie and I were talking a few days ago about the states we haven’t visited. I’ve hit all but North Dakota, partly due to a sense of wanderlust and partly due to the jobs I’ve had over the last 50 years. Susie has about a dozen states on her “yet to see” list, and one was Idaho. That became our latest destination, and boy oh boy, do I have tales to tell about the Gem State. We flew into Boise with my trusty D810 Nikon and its 24-120 lens and rented a Jeep. Talk about fun! Here’s a brief look at upcoming posts.

Lucky Peak State Park

This was a great ride out of Boise: A super road and an awesome watersports destination.

World Center for Birds of Prey

Fun beyond description with an up close and personal look at raptors and scavengers. This place is fantastic. It was one of the best stops on our Idaho adventure. But they all were great. We had a blast.

Idaho State Capitol

Beautiful, laid back, and fun: Idaho’s government has its head screwed on straight, and they do it all with a part-time legislature.

Idaho State Penitentiary

A fascinating old territorial prison with fantastic stories. We loved this place.

Yanke Motor Museum

I’ve got to wait for permission from the Yanke family to share this story and all the photos with you. It was a very impressive automobile, motorcycle, tractor, and musical instrument collection.

Idaho Military Museum

Small but cool, that’s how I’d describe the Idaho Military Museum. Guns, armored vehicles, aircraft, and more. You’ll enjoy this one.

Basque Museum

The Basque Museum is a small museum in downtown Boise. It covers the history of the Basque people in Idaho as well as other parts of the United States. There were a lot of interesting things to see there and we enjoyed the stop.

Warhawk Air Museum

This is an awesome place with great exhibits, exciting photo ops, and fun docents. We chatted with a guy who moved to Idaho from Alaska, and he knew I guy I went to school with who moved to Alaska. We live in a small world, my friends.

The Hemingway Idaho Connection

Ernest Hemingway had a strong connection to Idaho. We stopped in a restaurant and general store in Picabo on our way to Craters of the Moon National Monument, and we saw three guns that Ernest Hemingway used when hunting in Idaho. Hemingway gave them to a friend, and we got a few photos.

Craters of the Moon National Monument

I blew through this area 8 years ago leading a group of Chinese motorcyclists across the American West, and I didn’t really get to see Craters of the Moon National Monument on that trip. That’s a character flaw I fixed this time around!

Shoshone Falls

Ever wonder how Twin Falls, Idaho, got its name? Well, wonder no more. We’ll tell you the story!

Evel Knievel’s Snake River Canyon Jump

Do you remember when Evel Knievel jumped the Snake River Canyon 50 years ago? We found our way there on this trip, and we climbed the ramp that Evel used for his wild and crazy Snake River Canyon jump. You’ll get the full story in a near term ExNotes blog!

Hagerman National Fish Hatchery

We tried, mostly because we’ve eaten a whole bunch of steelhead trout over the years. Alas, the fish had all left town by the time we visited, but that’s okay. There were plenty of other photo ops!

Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument

Commanding views of Idaho’s Snake River, prehistoric fossils, the Oregon Trail, and more were all a part of our ride out to the Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument.

We covered a lot of ground, we checked the box next to Idaho for Susie, and we did all the above in just 5 days. I snapped something north of a thousand photos, and I selected the best ones to share with you here. Stay tuned, buckle up, and get ready for Idaho!

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Adventure Toward Ayers Rock Part II: The Great Ocean Road

By Mike Huber

I will start this story with the disclaimer that my lack of planning and just going with the flow of Australia allowed for this adventure to even happen. I originally thought that I would easily be able to circumcise (I think that’s the right word) the Australian continent in a month. Not a big deal. Yeah, some long days, but doable. Well, if you go back to Part I of this story, you will realize I got hit by a brick daily on that theory. Either way I had a rental car for a month and would see what adventures I could experience using a list two close friends had provided as a high-level blueprint.

After a couple days exploring Sydney, it was time to pick up my rental car, hit the open road, and embrace what would come while in Australia.

One of the first locations where I was able to slow down and take some time to embrace my surroundings was The Great Ocean Road. Having ridden some pretty incredible roads throughout the planet, for me to say much about any road is a rarity. Well, this is one that I was kicking myself for being in a rental car (and not on a motorcycle). I encountered a group of Japanese tourists, and one was a student at Boston University. I was wearing my Boston University shirt, so we posed for a photo.

The Great Ocean Road begins just west of Melbourne and extends to Port Fairy. It is 146 miles long. The road is paradise for anyone who has ever ridden a motorcycle. The entire length skirts the coast of the Southern Ocean from cliffs high above. “Breathtaking” doesn’t begin to touch how this feels, as every corner provides a new panoramic view of rock formations and ocean as bright green as you can imagine.

Occasionally the road cuts inland through thick rain forest. There are plenty of short hikes gushing waterfall views along these parts. If you look closely you will likely find a koala bear lazily eating eucalyptus leaves in a tree high above. Wallabies dance around your car, curiously peering in to see if anything is worth a closer inspection for something to fill their bellies.

Another beautiful feature of this paved paradise is the lack of people along the way. Several campsites I visited had no one in them. I am certain it helped that it was offseason (that and my ability to find off-the-beaten-path locations). It wasn’t odd for me to have miles of beach to myself while enjoying a cold VB Bitter beer. I could stare along the endless coastline while listening to the waves crashing, with my surroundings devoid of any other creature (with the occasional exception of a kangaroo hopping by).

Upon driving along the Great Ocean Road my mind was in the right place. I was filled with peace through the solitude I enjoyed from star-filled nights. I felt as though my mental clarity was honed, and I was prepared for the next part of my journey (that being the vastness of the Outback of Australia). On many levels, this would prove to be more challenging than I had imagined as I continued the long journey to my destination of Uluru, Ayer’s Rock.

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Coming Up: A Soprano Safari

Yep, that’s what I’m planning now. Susie and I are flying to New Jersey for a class reunion, and I’m going to be the ultimate tourist. What I have in mind is a series of visits to key spots that were featured in the HBO television series, The Sopranos. If there’s something you think I’ve missed, let me know and it may just show up on the list.

Holsten’s Restaurant

Holsten’s is the restaurant where Tony was whacked. It’s still open. Never been there; I’ve been wanting to ever since The Sopranos hit the airwaves.

Bahr’s and the Sandy Hook Marina

Bahr’s is the outstanding seafood restaurant Tony and others mention frequently in the series, and the Sandy Hook Marina where Tony kept his boat (The Stugots) is just below it. I’ve been to both places many times, and I’m looking forward to going again.

Pizza Land

Pizza Land is the pizza place you see Tony drive by in the opening scene of every episode. It was a low revenue pizza joint before it made it into the Sopranos. It has since become a sensation. Today, they ship frozen pizzas all over the world, and it all came about because of that brief glimpse in the opening scene.

Wilson’s Carpet Store

The giant carpet guy statue is another feature seen in the opening scene of every Soprano’s episode. It’s in Jersey City, the same place that xxx gun store is located (there the guys that handle the FFL transfer for the MacManus Award 1911 every year). I’ll got a shot of the carpet guy and the gun shop.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral

This is one of two churches used in the series. It’s the one Tony shows to AJ when he explains what things were like for the Italian immigrants who came to America. Like Wilson’s Carpet Store, it’s in Jersey City. My Mom grew up in Jersey City and my grandparents lived there for a while. I want to see it again; I haven’t been there in more than 60 years.

Cleveland Auto Body

This is a body shop that was run by Big Pussy Bompensiero and was taken over by his wife, Angie Bompansiero, after Big Pussy was whacked for being a rat. I understand it’s a real body shop. I want to get a photo.

Tony and Carmela’s Mansion

Yep, it’s an actual house that a couple actually lived in when The Sopranos producers spotted. They asked if they could rent the house and the rest is history.

The Rutgers Campus

Rutgers is mentioned many times in The Sopranos. In the story, Tony attended a semester and a half at Seton Hall, but in real life, James Gandolfini attended and graduated from Rutgers. So did I. I want to visit the campus again, stop in to say hi to the ROTC detachment, and shoot a few pictures.

The Paterson Falls

There are a couple of scenes filmed at the falls in Paterson, New Jersey. In one, Mikey Palmici throws a guy off a bridge. In another, Hesh threatens to do the same. I’ve never been there. I’ll fix that on this trip.

The Skyway Diner

This diner appears in several scenes, most notably with Janice Melfi (Tony’s psychiatrist) and Christopher Multisanti. We have a lot of diners in New Jersey. I’ve never been in a bad one. If it’s still in business, I’ll stop there for a cup of coffee.

Joe’s Bake Shop

This is bakery where Christopher Multisanti shoots a counter guy in the foot for slow service. I don’t now if it’s real, but if it is, I want to stop and get a pastry. I know it will be good; it’s where I grew up there are no bad bakeries in New Jersey.

Father Phil’s Church

Father Phil was a kind of a mealy-mouthed priest that Tony saw through right away. There were a few scenes filmed in that church. I’m going to stop in.

Satriale’s

Satriale’s was a fictional pork store used by Tony and his crew. It’s since been demolished and today it’s a parking lot. That’s the pork store used in the series. What you may not know is one quarter of a mile away on the same street is a real pork store that was used by the DeCavalcante crime family, the real organized crime group. If I can get a photo without getting in trouble, I’m going to.

The Bada Bing

There never was a real Bada Bing topless joint, and topless dancing is illegal in New Jersey. But The Satin Dolls in Lodi (a similar bar with a similar theme, but again, not topless) that was used for the show was real and I will stop there. I read somewhere that it had closed too, but you never know. Anything for the ExNotes blog, guys.

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The Wayback Machine: The Springfield Mile

By Joe Berk

That photo above? It’s the Springfield mile, with riders exiting Turn 4 at over 100 mph on their way up to 140 or so. These boys are really flying. It is an incredible thing to see.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Two blogs back I wrote about the East Windsor half-mile dirt track, which has gone the way of the dodo bird. The Springfield Mile is bigger and better and last I checked it’s still with us. A dozen years ago I made the trek out to Illinois to watch the big boys (and a lady or two) mix it up and it was awesome. I don’t know if this is accurate or if it’s more biker bullshit, but the guys claim the bikes hit 140 mph in the straights and maintain a cool 100 in the turns. And “straights” is a relative term. The track is basically a big oval, with the straights being less of a curve. What’s nice about oval track racing, though, is you usually can see all the action all the time. When you go to a grand prix type event, you get to see the bikes or the cars for just an instant when they scream past wherever you are. Oval tracks are a better deal, I think.

We planned to ride to Springfield from So Cal, but just before it was wheels-in-the-wells time my good buddy Larry passed and I stayed for his funeral. We flew instead and because that gave us a little bit more of our most precious commodity (time), we bopped around Springfield a bit more. We visited Springfield’s Lincoln Museum and had a lot of fun getting there. I drove our rental car and we promptly got lost (it was in the pre-GPS era). We pulled alongside a police officer and he gave us directions. As soon as I pulled away, I asked my buds which way to go. “I don’t know,” they answered, “we weren’t listening…” Neither was I. We all had a good laugh over that one.

An interesting Norton in the fairgrounds parking lot.

The Illinois State Fairgrounds has two tracks, one is a quarter-mile dirt oval and the other is the big mile track. The quarter-mile races were awesome. This racing, all by itself, would have been worth the trip out there. I love watching the flat trackers.

These boys are kicking up some dirt coming out of Turn 4 on the Illinois State Fairgrounds quarter-mile track.

One of the riders lost it coming our of Turn 4 and he crashed hard directly in front of us.

I didn’t think he was going to get up, but he did. The next day, this guy won a heat on the 1-mile track. The announcer said he was “tougher than a $2 steak.” I believe it.

The next day, we went to the 1-mile track on the other side of the State Fairgrounds.

The field entering Turn 2 at over 100 mph on the Springfield 1-mile track. The noise is incredible and there’s nothing like it. These guys are drifting sideways at 100 mph, just a few inches apart!

The same shot as above, but with the two fastest riders at the Springfield Mile identified. The arrows point to Chris Carr (National No. 4 in the white and orange leathers) and Kenny Coolbeth (National No. 1 in the black leathers). Coolbeth won on Sunday and Carr won on Monday. This photo was just after the start.

One lap later: Coolbeth and Carr are riding as a closely-matched pair well ahead of the group.

I was really happy with these shots. I had my old Nikon D200 and a cheap lens (a 10-year old, mostly plastic, $139 Sigma 70-300). I zoomed out to 300 mm, set the ISO to 1000 for a very high shutter speed (even though it was a bright day), and the lens at f5.6 (the fastest the inexpensive Sigma would go at 300mm). The camera’s autofocus wouldn’t keep up with the motorcycles at this speed, so I manually focused on Turn 2 and waited (but not for long) for the motorcycles to enter the viewfinder. It was close enough for government work, freezing the 100-mph action for the photos you see above.

Kenny Coolbeth, after winning the Springfield Mile.

Nicole Cheza, a very fast rider. She won the “Dash for Cash” and the crowd loved it.

As you might expect, there were quite a few things happening off the track, too. Johnsonville Brats had a huge tractor trailer onsite equipped with grills, and they were serving free grilled brat sandwiches. It was a first for me, and it worked…I’ve been buying Johnsonville brats ever since. There were hundreds of interesting motorcycles on display and a vintage World War II bomber orbiting the area.

An old B-17 flying above the track…it made several appearances that weekend.

An old Ariel Square Four. The owner started it and it sounded like two Triumph 650s.

An old two-stroke Bridgestone, a marque that never quite made it in the US. Imagine the marketing discussions in Japan: “Let’s logo it the BS…that will work!”

So there you have it, along with a bit of advice from yours truly: If you ever have an opportunity to see the Springfield Mile, go for it. I had a great time and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

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Jesse Watters At The Nixon Library

By Joe Berk

Jesse Watters is an anchorman on Fox News, and one of the five panelists on the Fox News show, The Five. We recently had an opportunity to listen to him speak at the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, California. I’m a bit behind on my blogging, I guess. We’ve been to the Nixon Library a number of times and I keep meaning to write about it, but I just haven’t gotten to it yet. I will, but not in this blog. This blog is focused on Mr. Watters.

I’m a bit conflicted about this post because here on ExNotes we try to steer way away from anything political. It’s not that I’m not political, nor is it that I don’t have opinions. We just realize that if we start taking positions we’ll insult half our audience no matter which side we take. That’s what America has become. It might be left versus right, Republican versus Democrat, CNN versus Fox, Trump versus Biden, or any of the hundreds of other topics that have the nation polarized. Hence our editorial position is we don’t take a position. No politics. Jesse Watters works for Fox News, so there’s a risk half of you might interpret this as a right wing, Republican, Trump-biased, Fox News kind of blog. If you think this is political or if I offend you, hey, mea culpa in advance. It isn’t my intent to do so.

Now that I’ve got that out of the way, I’ll share with you that we have friends in high places at the Nixon Library. That’s a good thing, because the Jess Watters event was sold out weeks ago. It was 50 bucks a pop, and not only did they quickly fill the 700-seat main auditorium (modeled after the White House’s East Room), but the Library had to open a remote room to accommodate another 300 people. We stood in line for an hour waiting to get in. It was worth it. We had great seats.

On the air, Jesse Watters is an articulate, captivating news announcer and panelist. He started his work for Fox doing man in the street questions in a series called “Watters’ World,” in which he’d ask people questions about things in the news. Most of the time, the folks he asked had only cursory knowledge of the topic, or no knowledge at all. It didn’t stop them from attempting to answer, though, and their responses were entertaining. Jay Leno used to do something similar in a series he called “JayWalking.” Watters started his “Watters’ World” series while Bill O’Reilly hosted the Fox News 5:00 p.m. news hour, but O’Reilly lost his job during the Me, Too movement. I didn’t know about O’Reilly’s misygony and I thought he was the smartest guy on TV at the time, but he screwed up and he was gone. O’Reilly was replaced by a guy named Tucker Carlson, whom I couldn’t stand (not because of his politics; for reasons I can’t put my finger on I just didn’t like the guy). Carlson didn’t last long, and when he went, Watters became the main news dude. I like watching Watters do the news.

Jesse Watters’ new book, Get It Together.

Watters has written at least two books now, and our tickets to this event included a copy of his latest, Get It Together. I haven’t read it yet. When I do, I’ll post a review here.

The format for the Watters event was unusual, at least it seemed so to me. Instead of having Watters speak for the usual 45 minutes or so, a woman whose name I can’t remember interviewed him. It was interesting conversation and I enjoyed it, even though it was different from the format I expected. My impression was that Watters seemed nervous speaking in front of a large group and that surprised me. He was articulate and I can’t put my finger on anything he said or did that made me feel he was nervous; it’s just my impression. Maybe I’m wrong.

If you haven’t seen the “Watters’ World” interviews, I found a couple on Youtube I’ll share with you here.

I mentioned that I thought the earlier Jay Leno “JayWalking” interviews were better, but you be the judge. Here are a couple of Youtubes for those, too.

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Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Armed Forces Day

By Joe Berk

Mike Huber’s recent post on ANZAC day in Australia touched on our Memorial Day. Let’s take a minute for a brief review of the three military holidays we celebrate here in the United States (Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Armed Forces Day).

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a federal holiday honoring men and women who have fallen in battle. It is on the last Monday in May. Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day, with origins rooted in several state-specific holidays. The tradition started after the end of the Civil War and has continued ever since.

Veterans Day

Veterans Day is another federal holiday; it is celebrated on November 11. It was originally known as Armistice Day to celebrate the end of World War I which occurred on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Armistice Day was officially redesignated as Veterans Day in 1954. I like to think of Veterans Day as my holiday because it celebrates all veterans of the US military. No doubt many of our ExNotes readers who served feel the same way. Like Memorial Day, Veterans Day is a legal holiday.

Armed Forces Day

Armed Forces Day celebrates our military services and those who are currently serving in uniform. It occurs on the third Saturday in May. It came into being in 1949 when Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced its creation to celebrate consolidation of all military branches under the U.S. Department of Defense. Prior to that, there were separate Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps Days.

Sergeant Zuo on the ride across China. He was a magnificent leader.

I’m grateful for having had the opportunity to serve (as are the vast majority of those who have), and when I meet other people who have worn the uniform of their nations’ military service there’s an instant bond. I felt that way immediately when I met Mike Huber that hot summer day in Baja (I recognized Mike’s jump wings on his BMW at an impromptu gas stop in Catavina), and I felt the same way when I met Sergeant Zuo in Chongqing when we started our 6000-mile ride around China.

Mike was a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division when he served. I went through the same jump school as Mike did at Fort Benning, Georgia (I’m Charlie 34 in the photo up top, one of the scared young soldiers a few days away from my first jump at the Benning School for Boys).

Sergeant Zuo is a retired Chinese Army senior NCO. Because I was a lieutenant when I got out of the Army, Sergeant Zuo snapped to attention and saluted me every morning on that great ride around China. At the end of our 38-day ride, Zuo and I enjoyed a swim in the Yellow Sea in Qingdao. When I served in a Hawk missile battery in Korea, my missiles’ primary target line pointed across the Yellow Sea directly at Qingdao. Zuo and I had a good laugh about that.

I’m proud of my service in the U.S. Army and the fact that I joined in an era when most people were doing everything they could to avoid military service. It’s paid huge dividends for me, not the least of which are what I consider to be a realistic outlook on life, the ability to focus on objectives (in both my military and civilian careers), and my willingness to listen to others (“seek to understand before seeking to be understood” is perhaps the best advice I’ve ever heard). My belief is that eliminating the draft at the tail end of the Vietnam era and not replacing it with some sort of universal public service has hurt our society, but that’s just my opinion. If you have a different perspective, I’d love to hear from you.

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The USS Alabama

By Joe Berk

Good buddy Paul recently sent to me a video about the powder charges used by US Navy battleships. The USS New Jersey was featured in the video, and it reminded of my visit to a sister ship, the USS Alabama. I wrote a Destinations piece for Motorcycle Classics magazine ten years ago, and I thought you might enjoy seeing it (along with photos that did not appear in the MC article).

The coastal plains along Alabama’s southern edge are flat and the line of sight extends to the horizon. Ride east on Interstate 10 out of Mobile and you can see her distinctive, bristling profile from a great distance. One can only imagine the fear she induced in our enemies as she emerged from the mist on the high seas.

She, of course, is the USS Alabama. She’s docked at Battleship Memorial Park, just east of Mobile on I-10 where Alabama’s coast meets the Gulf of Mexico. To call the USS Alabama impressive would be a massive understatement. This magnificent old warship is a study in superlatives and in contrasts. Taller than a 20-story building, longer than two football fields, and capable of firing projectiles weighing nearly as much as a Z-06 Corvette at targets more than 20 miles away, the USS Alabama projected America’s power on the open oceans and inland during World War II. The “Lucky A” (she lost not a single crewmember to enemy fire while earning nine Battle Stars) sailed just under a quarter of a million miles in combat conditions and saw action in both the Atlantic and the Pacific theatres. When she passed through the Panama Canal, the 680-foot, 44,500-ton Lucky A had just 11 inches of clearance on each side.

After World War II the USS Alabama was retired from active service. In 1962 the Navy announced plans to scrap this magnificent ship due to the high costs of keeping her in mothballs, but the good citizens of Alabama would have none of that. Alabama kids raised nearly $100,000 in nickels, dimes, and quarters, and corporate sponsors coughed up another $1,000,000 to bring the ship from Puget Sound to Mobile.

The USS Alabama is in amazing condition; indeed, it looks as if the ship could go to war today. Being aboard is like being in a movie (Steven Seagal used it for the 1992 movie, Under Siege). It is an amazing experience eliciting a strong combination of pride and patriotism.

The USS Alabama is a floating artillery base. With armor more than a foot thick above the water line it’s amazing she could float at all, but the old girl could top 32 mph and she had a range of 15,000 nautical miles. When she stopped at the pumps, the USS Alabama took on 7,000 tons of fuel (a cool 2 million gallons).

The guns are what impressed me most. The ship bristles with armament. The Alabama’s 16-inchers dominate everything. Approaching the ship highlights the big guns and when you get closer, they are stunning. Try to imagine nine 16-inch guns, three per turret, firing at our enemies (it must have terrifying). The ship boasts twenty 5-inch guns (two in each of the ship’s 10 smaller turrets). There are another 12 mounts with 48 40mm cannon. And just to make sure, the Alabama has another 52 20mm anti-aircraft cannon. If you’ve been keeping track, that’s 129 guns.

The USS Alabama is only part of the treasure included in Battlefield Memorial Park. The park includes the USS Drum (a World War II submarine), numerous armored vehicles, and an impressive aircraft collection spanning 70 years of military aviation (including a B-52 bomber, numerous fighters, the top-secret SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft, and assorted other planes). The USS Alabama could touch 32 mph on the high seas; the SR-71 cruised at 3,000 mph. The USS Alabama weighs a bit more than 720 million pounds; the SR-71 was built from lightweight titanium. As I stated earlier, the Park and its exhibits are a study in superlatives and contrasts.

Battleship Memorial Park is just east of Mobile on Interstate 10. You can’t miss it (the USS Alabama is visible for miles from either direction, even at night). Admission is only $15 and take my word for it, it’s the most bang for the buck you’ll ever get.

The Skinny

What: Battleship Memorial Park, 2703 Battleship Parkway, Mobile, AL 36602. An outstanding collection of land, air, and sea military vehicles, with the USS Alabama being the main attraction.

How to Get There: Interstate 10 from either the east or the west. From anywhere else, just head south until you hit Interstate 10 and point your front wheel toward Mobile.

Best Kept Secret: There have been seven US Navy ships named Alabama reaching back to before the Civil War. Today, a US Navy nuclear submarine sails under that same proud name.

Avoid: Missing Mobile. It’s a beautiful town, and its Gulf Coast location makes for great seafood and great hospitality.

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Memorial Day

By Mike Huber

Not being in the United States for Memorial Day and seeing our flag lining every Main Street throughout our country is one of those times I miss being home. Having served as a soldier in the United States Army I have endless respect for those that lost their lives in defense of this great nation. I now am learning how to respect it even more so from a global level.

This year on April 25^th my travels afforded me the opportunity to celebrate a Memorial Day for two of our allies, New Zealand and Australia. While on a guided tour through Frazer Island, a remote sand island off the northeastern coast of Australia, our tour was delayed an hour at the ship wreck of the TSS Meheno HMNZ Hospital Ship 1. The Meheno was a critical resource in WW I in retrieving the wounded from Anzac Cove in Gallipoli for both New Zealand and Australia. When I asked why the tour was delayed the guide explained, “Today is Anzac Day,” and went into the meaning of this holiday.

Anzac Day is a combination of Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day for both Australia and New Zealand. Well, once I learned this I left the tour group and made my way into the heart of the ceremony before it began. I knew I was with my people here at this ceremony. I am not quite sure how I knew, but I just knew. It didn’t take me long to be welcomed by the Australian Army Veterans partaking in the ceremony. They eagerly invited me to stand with them front and center to pay respects to their fallen and veterans. As many people know I only own two shirts, an 82^nd Airborne Division shirt and a Boston University shirt. This day I was lucky enough to have worn the 82^nd shirt and it didn’t go unnoticed by the Australian Army veterans. As the ceremony concluded, one of the veterans pulled me aside, thanked me and handed me an Anzac Day pin. I don’t travel with much, but that pin is now part of my sensitive items list.

I was beyond humbled to be standing there, shoulder to shoulder with our allies as they laid wreaths, gave speeches, and played both the Australian and New Zealand national anthems. On more than one occasion I teared up, and for good reason. These servicemen and women easily could have been backing any of our 6’s as Americans. The ceremony resonated deeply within me in realizing that Memorial Day is much more far reaching than just our shores in the United States.

In the following month, I went further with what I took away from that Anzac Day Ceremony by taking the time to visit the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. This museum was as moving as any of ours would be in the United States. They have etched in the walls the names of each of their fallen from every campaign they participated in. This includes The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for Australia and an eternal flame.

I will forever remember my Anzac Day experience and although this day is for our American fallen, it is important to know that these ceremonies go on for all our allies across the world. Please remember the reason for this holiday over the weekend and take the time to pay respects to our heroes of this great Country. God bless America, and God bless our Allies.

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