Bird Watching And Harley’s

I remember attending the season opener and having high hopes, but now the injured Seattle Seahawks season is truly over.  As a ‘Hawks’ fan it was rough year.  Have you ever wondered where the team name originated?  According to sportsecyclopedia, the Seahawks nickname “was the result of a fan contest that drew 20,365 entries and suggested 1,742 different names. Seahawks was suggested by 151 entrants and judged by the team ownership as the best choice.” The logo is described as “a Native American totem-style hawk with a fierce look.”  Great marketing gimmick to get fans to relate.

At any rate, Coach Mike Holmgren stated he would spend more time with his family and plans on working more with charity.  And riding his Harley was high on the list of things to do during his sabbatical from the NFL.  The team pulled together a little gift in a show of appreciation for their coaches five division titles and advancement to the playoffs six times in the last 10 years.  Out rolls a limited edition Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle Ultra.  Injured team sure, but cheap they are not!   The motorcycle is listed at almost $36,000, and with the dealer markup and add-ons it had an out-the-door price of $42,128.  There was a salesman smiling somewhere that day!

In Renton, Holmgren took a lap around the team’s practice facility on the motorcycle and then posed for photo’s with the team as something to remember them by if football memories fade.   Say what you will about Holmgren in his last year in Seattle, but I think he was a class act.  He never blamed anyone for the team injuries and took it all standing up.

So, head on out Mike and enjoy your summer of motorcycle riding.  And if the rumors are true good luck coaching in San Francisco…

Photo courtesy Associated Press

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Soundtrack Made Moments

I’ve written about motorcycle enthusiasts who travel back roads with musical amplification on a dazzling summer morning. 

But, the editors of WorldHum, the online site of the Travel Channel, took on the task of naming the greatest travel songs of all time.  What’s excellent and notable is they took the time to track down YouTube videos of each song. You can also check out an interactive map.

Here’s the top 40, ranked by the total number of votes:

1. “On the Road Again,” Willie Nelson (60 points)
2. “City of New Orleans,” Arlo Guthrie (57)
3. “Graceland,” Paul Simon (46)
4. “America,” Simon & Garfunkel (44)
5. “I’ve Been Everywhere,” Hank Snow/Johnny Cash (42)
6. “Born to Run,”  Bruce Springsteen (42)
7. “(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66,” Nat King Cole (33)
8. “This Land is Your Land,” Woody Guthrie (32)
9. “Me and Bobby McGee,” Roger Miller, Janis Joplin (28)
10. “Southern Cross,” Crosby, Stills and Nash/Jimmy Buffet (27)
11. “Road to Nowhere,” Talking Heads (27)
12. “Runnin’ Down a Dream,” Tom Petty (26)
13. “Tangled Up In Blue,” Bob Dylan (25)
14. “King of the Road,” Roger Miller (25)
15. “Roam,” B-52s (21)
16. “Long May You Run,” Neil Young (21)
17. “Born to be Wild,” Steppenwolf (20)
18. “Proud Mary,” Ike and Tina Turner/Creedence Clearwater Revival
19. “Back in the USSR,” The Beatles (18)
20. “Like A Rolling Stone,” Bob Dylan (17)
21. “When I Paint My Masterpiece,” Bob Dylan/The Band (17)
22. “Thunder Road,” Bruce Springsteen (15)
23. “Midnight Train to Georgia,” Gladys Knight & the Pips (15)
24. “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” Peter, Paul, & Mary/John Denver (14)
25. “Ol’ 55,” Tom Waits (14)
26. “Wagon Wheel,” Bob Dylan/Old Crow Medicine Show (14)
27. “Africa,” Toto (13)
28. “Truckin’,” Grateful Dead (13)
29. “Travelin’ Prayer,” Billy Joel/Dolly Parton (13)
30. “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” John Denver (12)
31. “American Girl,” Tom Petty (12)
32. “The Long and Winding Road,”  The Beatles (12)
33. “Radar Love,” Golden Earring (12)
34. “California,” Joni Mitchell (12)
35. “Ramble On,” Led Zeppelin (11)
36. “Katmandu,” Bob Seger (11)
37. “Where the Streets Have No Name,” U2 (11)
38. “Sweet Home Alabama,” Lynyrd Skynyrd (11)
39. “Roadrunner,” The Modern Lovers (11)
40. “Ramblin’ Man,” The Allman Brothers Band (11)

Music can make a moment or a memory, but sometimes the seclusion of the wind is all we need.  Whether riding with or without music, it’s your head after all, wherever you go! 

 

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