The Travelin' Gringo

Ride along as travel writer/photographer Glen Abbott tours the country on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The Travelin' Gringo writes about people, places, events, and travel for motorcyclists and non-motorcyclists alike.

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Posts Tagged ‘motorcycle’

Muhammad Ali Center, Louisville, KY: Not just for boxing fans

// May 15th, 2012 // 5 Comments » // Travel

[Louisville, KY] — At the Muhammad Ali Center, context is everything. If you come here expecting simply a boxing museum, you’ll be disappointed. In fact, I’ll admit that the Ali Center is normally the last place I’d have visited. While it’s widely recognized that Ali was perhaps “The Greatest” boxer ever — in fact, that …read more…

HOG (Harley Owners Group) Louisiana rally kicks off a busy rally season

// May 3rd, 2012 // No Comments » // Events, Travel

[Lafayette, LA] — Louisiana’s state HOG rally (April 19-21 in Lafayette, LA) marked the start of a busy rally season for members of Harley Owners Group. More than 2,500 HOG members rode to Lafayette for the 3-day event, which featured guided rides (including one to the Tabasco sauce factory in Avery Island), food, music, and …read more…

Playboy and Harley-Davidson team up for the “Ultimate Playboy Giveaway Unlocked by Harley-Davidson”

// May 2nd, 2012 // 1 Comment » // Events, Travel

Personally, I’ve only read Playboy for its excellent articles, and really, that was a LONG TIME AGO. I’ve heard there’s some excellent photography in the magazine as well, but I hadn’t noticed. So, uh, if my wife is reading this, that’s my story. However, as a public service to my readers, I thought I’d let …read more…

Morning at the Museum: A visit to Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee

// April 29th, 2012 // 4 Comments » // Travel

[Milwaukee, WI] — A visit to the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee is a pilgrimage every Harley enthusiast should make. On a recent trip to the city, I spent a couple of hours browsing the museum’s exhibits, but could easily have stayed all day. The motorcycles and memorabilia tell the history of the Motor Company from …read more…

The Art of the Chainsaw – Hope, British Columbia, Canada

// April 16th, 2012 // 8 Comments » // Travel

[Hope, BC, Canada] — “Chainsaw” and “art” are words you don’t often find used together in the same sentence. Unless you happen to be a big fan of the 70s horror film “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,” of course. If you haven’t been to the town of Hope, in Canada’s westernmost province of British Columbia, …read more…

“How To Do Florida” television show goes motorcycling coast-to-coast

// April 12th, 2012 // 8 Comments » // Travel

[All photos courtesy The Crawford Group, Image Garden, Inc., Matt Hutchens, and Tom Postel] The challenge: ride a motorcycle “coast to coast” in Florida — sunrise at Flagler Beach on the east coast, to sunset at Cedar Key in the west. Doesn’t sound that challenging, right? I mean, it’s only about 150 miles, and as …read more…

Friday photo — Watch out for jackasses! (Red Rock Canyon, NV)

// April 5th, 2012 // 9 Comments » // Travel

It’s always best to keep an eye out for jackasses in the roadway, whether you ride a motorcycle or drive a car. I found this sign on the road leading into Red Rock Canyon, Nevada, and there actually were some jackasses nearby — beside the road, not in it. If you’ve never been here, it’s …read more…

Daytona 2012 — Chillin’ at Willie’s Old School Chopper Show

// March 20th, 2012 // No Comments » // Events, Travel

[Ormond Beach, FL] — You never know who you’ll run into at Willie’s Tropical Tattoo Old School Chopper Show at Daytona Bike Week.  From celebrities of the motorcycle world — Willie G. for example — to custom bike builders, to just plain folk, everyone makes the annual pilgrimage to Willie’s. Plaques and trophies are awarded …read more…

Daytona 2012 — Harley-Davidson’s Ride-In Custom Bike Show

// March 20th, 2012 // No Comments » // Events, Travel

[Daytona Beach, FL] — This year at Daytona Bike Week, Harley-Davidson partnered with American Iron Magazine for its Ride-In Custom Bike Show on Beach Street. The event took place on Wednesday, March 14 and attracted a wide variety of motorcycles entered in 11 different classes. In the evening, Harley sponsored a special concert for HOG …read more…

Daytona 2012: Main Street madness

// March 20th, 2012 // No Comments » // Events, Travel

[Daytona Beach, FL] — Daytona Bike Week’s 71st annual edition just wrapped up — the 10-day event ran from March 9 through 18 this year. As always, a cruise down Main Street is obligatory — it’s the place to see and be seen at Bike Week.  

Daytona 2012 — 40th Annual Rat’s Hole Custom Bike Show

// March 20th, 2012 // No Comments » // Events, Travel

[Daytona Beach, FL] — If 2012 isn’t the Year of the Rat, it should be. One of the must-see events of Daytona Bike Week is the Rat’s Hole Custom Bike Show, now in its 40th year. Although “Big Daddy Rat” — the legendary Karl Smith — passed away in 2002, his son Ted continues the …read more…

Call me “The Mild One:” adventures of a motorcycling television extra

// March 5th, 2012 // 2 Comments » // People, Travel

[New Orleans, LA] — Wanted: “Extras with motorcycles – available tomorrow,” read the Craigslist ad. The job was for a television series shooting in the Crescent City. Hmm, I thought. As a freelance writer (read: no real job), and a motorcyclist, this could be something for which I might be qualified. All I had to …read more…

Roadside kitsch: Gas Station Man, British Columbia, Canada

// February 25th, 2012 // 4 Comments » // Travel

[British Columbia, Canada] — Regular readers of the Travelin’ Gringo are probably aware of my fondness for tacky roadside kitsch. To me, giant fiberglass “muffler men,” Sinclair Dinosaurs, or falling-down barns painted with “See Rock City” are irresistible. They speak to a bygone era in transportation — a time when gas was cheap and cars …read more…

New Orleans’ chips with a Cajun crunch

// January 18th, 2012 // 10 Comments » // Food, Travel

[Gramercy, LA] – Here in the Big Easy, it’s all about the spice. From Po-Boys to potato chips, the proper seasoning is essential. So little wonder that our favorite chip comes in a variety of tastebud-tantalizing flavors, with imaginative names like Spicy Cajun Crawtator, Voodoo, and Cajun Dill Gator-Tators – along with the old standbys like …read more…

Monument to a Bare-Knuckle Brawl: Kenner, LA

// January 11th, 2012 // 2 Comments » // Travel

[Kenner, LA] – It was the fight of the century – the nineteenth century, that is – a bare-knuckle brawl for the ages. Professional boxing – the world’s first heavyweight title – right here in the Crescent City. The date was May 10, 1870. Early that morning, a thousand or so boisterous spectators gathered around a …read more…

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