Saturday was a beautiful day for a party – thanks to everyone who made it out to celebrate our 9th Anniversary Party! Tons of beautiful bikes lined the streets and people were loving the pig roast and food spread, beer, friends and family. The kids even had a jumping castle, nice. Check out some of our initial photos we took, click here. We’ll also be posting video and more photos soon – so check back in!

Here’s a great photo that one of our recent customer’s emailed to us today, what a beautiful bike in an even more beautiful setting. Trail Ridge Road is in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Here’s what Brad had to say:

I found you contact on facebook. My wife and I bought a 2010 Electra
Glide at Mile High in Aurora from Rob. I took the attached picture on
Trail Ridge road this past weekend. Would you please share it with
Rob and let him know that we’re enjoying the bike and appreciated all
the help the staff at Mile High has been.

Brad Michels
Grand Lake

Colorado is a beautiful place to take a cruise – especially in the mountains in fall, when all the Aspen are changing – it’s a gorgeous site. We have five great routes to take posted on our Harley-Davidson® Rentals website with info on where to stop, and detailed directions and Google maps – check them out here!

You can also stop by and purchase any of our Scenic Road Maps — these water and tear resistant maps feature detailed, step by step directions to help you easily navigate scenic rides in the Denver, Colorado Area as well as the Southwest and Sturgis. Read more about the scenic road maps here.

MILWAUKEE — Plenty of books already document an author’s road trip from one coast to the other, but “Crisscrossing America” adds a pleasing twist.

Not only does author John Gussenhoven include eye-catching photos he took while cruising the nation on two separate motorcycle trips on his Harley-Davidson, but he also adds aerial shots of those spots taken by a pilot friend.

The results are often breathtaking.

A Washington bridge viewed from above spans a broad river and connects two forests, suggesting that humans have somehow tamed nature. But a view from the ground shows the bridge’s railings draped in a carpet of green moss, hinting that nature remains in charge.

Another picture shows a highway view of a nearby grove of trees. It’s the perspective any passing motorist would see. But take another look from 1,000 feet up and the trees form a curious triangle, with an identical grove across a beautifully green patch of grass.

Gussenhoven, a Naples, Fla., native, talked about his work in an interview at the Harley-Davidson museum in Milwaukee, where he was scheduled to give a talk to other motorcycle enthusiasts.

He said he got the idea for his road trip a few years ago, when he was in his late 50s.

“My wife reminded me that 60 is the new 40, so for me that was a calling, to go out and do your thing,” said Gussenhoven, now 62.

His “thing,” he decided, was a solitary cross-country trip. That would let him see more of the country and give him a chance to learn about himself.

So the retired insurance broker bought a Harley-Davidson Road King Classic, took riding lessons and embarked on his first two-week trip in May 2005. That route took him from Mount Vernon, Wash., to Naples, Fla., about 4,100 miles.

He shot pictures of everything that caught his eye — bridges, small-town Main Streets, ramshackle buildings in the middle of nowhere and dirt roads disappearing in the distance.

He recorded the GPS coordinates of each spot and later gave them to aerial photographer Jim Wark. The pilot returned to those precise locations, even trying to be there at the same time of day so shadows would match, Gussenhoven said.

The quality of the results is often stunning, as in Gussenhoven’s favorite shot, a look down North Main Street in Yazoo City, Miss.

It shows a line of brick buildings, several painted bright pink, yellow, green or blue. The ground view lends a feel of realism, while the birds-eye shot provides an aerial context — a handful of bright buildings surrounded by blocks filled with dozens of nondescript brown structures.

“You can really see how these small cities are trying to reinvent themselves,” said Gussenhoven, pointing out that his photo shows no cars out front and nary a person in sight even though it was shot on a weekday afternoon. “There’s nobody there. They’re desperately trying to get people to come.”

Gussenhoven made his second trip in May 2006. This one took him 4,400 miles, from San Diego to Eastport, Maine. Those photos yield a noticeably different perspective of the nation, from sun-baked plains and windmills to cornfields and a northeast harbor.

Most of the 350 color photos are compelling by themselves. But the juxtaposition of ground and aerial views adds a fascinating dimension.

Readers are likely to find themselves examining an up-close shot in detail, then taking in the panoramic view, then going back and forth between the two to compare.

Gussenhoven said he planned the route for both trips simply by drawing a large X across the map. Because that route passed through few large cities, an editor suggested Gussenhoven take detours so he could include photos of iconic structures such as the St. Louis Arch.

“I said no, that’s not my journey,” he recalled. “This isn’t about doing what other people have done or can do — this is a journey about discovery.”

Source: Associated Press
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

1929 Isotta-Fraschini Takes Best of Show – 1926 Miller Sprint Car Voted People’s Choice

MALVERN, Pa., Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ — The Judging Committee of the Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance announced the class winners of the 13(th) Annual 100 Motor Cars of Radnor Hunt, including a 1929 Isotta-Fraschini Tipo 8A Limousine by Castagna for Best of Show, and a 1926 Miller Schofield Race Car earning the People’s Choice Award this year. The concours d’elegance showcased the collection of John W. Rich, Pennsylvania Motorsports heritage and vintage Harley-Davidson motorcycles. A display of vintage coaches and carriages made a return appearance at this year’s event.

“This year we featured cars from local collector John W. Rich,” said Michael G. Tillson III, chairman, Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance, “And the show field also honored Pennsylvania Motorsports heritage and iconic motorcycle manufacturer, Harley-Davidson. The 2009 event featured once again a display of vintage horse-drawn coaches and carriages that illustrated the evolution of transportation.”

The concours d’elegance encompassed two days of activities beginning with the always popular Road Rally through the scenic countryside of Chester County on Saturday morning, culminating in a catered lunch. The Saturday evening party, sponsored by Wilkie Lexus and Lexus of Chester Springs, featured music by Brazilian band Minas and a silent auction to benefit United Cerebral Palsy of Philadelphia and Vicinity.

Each year, the concours event, an invitation-only show, has a featured marque, a vehicle type or coachbuilder and a motorcycle make. The 2009 event honored local collector John W. Rich with a selection of his vehicles. Included in the selection of cars on display were a 1910 American Underslung Traveler, a 1914 Renault Model EF Victoria by Locke and a 1926 Packard 326 Roadster.

Of particular interest was the 1911 Rauch & Lang TC Brougham, one of the very first electric vehicles and was owned by Thomas Edison before he committed it to display at the Edison Institute. Another unique vehicle from the John Rich collection was a 1911 Oldsmobile Limited 7-Passenger Touring Car in original condition that has spent its entire life in the state of Pennsylvania. The show also featured cars of Pennsylvania Motorsports, including a 1952 Allard J2X Roadster with an extensive racing history. The motorcycle division showcased iconic American motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson, one of which was a 1910 Harley-Davidson 9A with a leather drive belt, along with a number of other vintage motorcycles.

1910 Harley-Davidson 9A Chosen as Best Harley-Davidson Veteran Class; 1903-1925

This early Harley-Davidson model, also known as “The Silent Gray Fellow”, was produced from 1904 to 1918, and featured a leather belt drive and jockey wheel. It had a top speed of 45 MPH, and earned a reputation of being durable and reliable.

Source: www.prnewswire.com

The complete list of winners for both the automobile and motorcycle classes is here »