IronWorks Article, November - High Seas Rally

story and photos by Dain GingerelliOur resident party animalMarilyn Stemp has twicewritten accounts about oneof the wildest biker cruises ever concocted.Of course, I’m referring tothe Hogs on the High Seas Rally,which we showcased in ourMay/June 2004 and March 2005 issues.To paraphrase Marilyn’s dispatchesfrom the lost lagoon, “agood time was had by all,” meaning,of course, that there was someserious partying during those twoCaribbean island-hopping excursions.Marilyn’s tired blood-shoteyes, coupled with a sketchy memory,validate her statement, too.I’m here to report even moreHogs on the High Seas wildlife, butof a different nature (literally andfiguratively). This time the seafaringrally-goers set sail for the northcountry, the Inside Passage leadingto Alaska’s sparsely populatedstretch of coastline along Canada’swestern border. And for seven daysand nights our cruise ship, the Serenadeof the Sea, scoured some of themost scenic seafront real estate onearth. Shipping out of Vancouver,British Columbia, our journey tookus first to the Hubbard Glacier, thebiggest chunk of ice that a ship canapproach anywhere on earth. Therewe stood in awe on deck, watchinga centuries-old glacier thaw rightbefore our eyes. Oh, the whole thingdidn’t melt, but huge chunks of icerandomly fell off, exploding intothunderous roars as the motherglacier “calved” huge pieces of iceinto the chilling waters around us.Next stop was the former goldrushtown of Skagway where, morethan 100 years ago, hordes of “stampeders”in quest of gold gatheredfor the arduous trek over the WhitePass that led to Yukon where theprecious metal could be found. Ourinland journey to the Yukon wasmuch easier, taken aboard the WhitePass Train, a narrow-gauge builtduring the early 1900s and consideredto be among the 17 industrialwonders of the world. The three-A happy Christine Pence celebrates with Debbie and DeanAnderson, bike builder Efrem Mah, and Accurate Engineering’sBarry Wardlaw who built the engine.The stop in Juneau included a barbecue hosted by TakuHarley-Davidson. The dealership caters to slightly more than400 owners in the area.48 IronWorks November 2005

hour train ride took us throughsome of Alaska’s most scenic country(and there’s plenty of that!), andlater we gathered at the Red OnionSaloon in Skagway to enjoy our ownwildlife before re-boarding the shipto head south to Juneau, the onlystate capital that has no roads leadingin or out of it. There we weremet by the good folks at Taku H-Dfor a barbecue and to enviouslywatch as some of the local Harleyriders set out on a cruise of theirown. They didn’t get very far,though; there are only about 40miles worth of roads in and aroundJuneau that will take you to…nowhere. Another interesting factoidabout Juneau: with more than400 Harley riders, it has one of thehighest per capita Harley ownershipsin the country. As for Juneauitself, its gayly painted buildingsand narrow city streets make itamong the most picturesque andquaint little cities in the world, resemblingsomething you’d see inDenmark or Holland rather thanNorth America.We weighed anchor again, thistime for the seaport village ofKetchikan, where you’ll see moreNative American totem poles andbald eagles than any other port ofcall. As with the previous two stops,there are plenty of excursions availableto take you inland where youreally should go to fully enjoy Alaskaadventure and experience. Beforeheading back to ship, we paid aquick visit to the bawdy CreekStreet district, where trendy touristtrapshops have replaced the bordellosand speak-easies that once clutteredthis part of town.The final leg of the cruise took usto Misty Fjords National Park. Asthe name suggests, the park is comprisedof glacier-formed fjords thatrise into jagged saw-tooth peaksthat form narrow waterways. Waterfallsaplenty cascade down thecliffs, and a perpetual mist in the airgives the place its surreal mood.Much like the city of Juneau, accessto this park is limited to air andwater. At one point the captainstops the cruise ship, allowing passengersto absorb the vista in silence.It’s an inspiring moment, allowingyou to truly appreciate theexperience.At that point the ship does a complete180-degree turn, then headsback for the return portion of thecruise, taking us through The Narrowswhere the massive cruise linersails within yards of the jaggedshore. Sit at one of the ship’s cocktaillounges and enjoy your favorite beveragewhile you watch the shore goby, and if you’re lucky, like my wifeThe Red Dog Saloon on Juneau’s waterfrontdistrict is a favorite haunt forlocals and tourists. As you mightguess, it was SRO when the Hogscame into town.Donna and I were, you’ll see orcawhales surface within yards of you.It’s like having Shamu as your guide.I’ve given just a sampling of theAlaska wildlife that you’ll enjoy onthis cruise. And being a cruise ship,there’s more wildlife to be had, too,after hours aboard ship. You’ll alsobe treated to all the luxuries you’dexpect, with one exception—thedress code for the two “formal” dinnersduring the week is to wearleather of choice, and that’s it. Bluejeans and T-shirts with a blackleather vest are perfectly acceptable,and that suited this guy just fine,thank you. But if you’re a night owlwho enjoys the nocturnal hours, beprepared for a short night; this timeof year the Alaska sun doesn’t setuntil near midnight, and it pops upagain a few short hours later.Whether the sun shines or not,though, the High Seas Rally vendorexhibit opens its doors practicallyevery day aboard ship. This year’sexhibit was held in the VortexLounge on Deck 13, the highestlevel on the Serenade of the Sea.Participating vendors donate productsfor giveaways, and as it turnedout, each of the 412 cruisers won atleast one prize. In fact, nearly$100,000 in product was handed outduring the seven days! But thebiggest winner of all was ChristinePence of Sanatoga, Pennsylvania,who won the giveaway bike built byKustom Culture Motorcycles (for ariding impression, see page 70).The seafaring bikers gave back,too. Traditionally the High SeasRally supports a fundraiser for dialysis.Known as the HOHS DialysisFund, the money is given directly toDialysis at Sea to underwrite the expenseof doctors and nurses for kidneypatients on vacation cruises.This year HOHS Dialysis Fund enabledthree patients—Susan Murphy,Rob Steiner, and Don Hagerling—tojoin the Alaska cruise, andthe $16,831 raised during the cruisethrough the Inside Passage will enablemore patients to attend theCaribbean cruise this November.IronWorks will be there, too, promotingthe Third IronWorks/Caribbean High Seas Rally Bikeshow, plus we’ll be handing out freesubscriptions and ride pins, and simplywasting away in Margaritavillewhere there’s booze in the blenderand soon it will render…Well, youknow the words, so join us there andwe’ll repeat the chorus together.ResourceHogs on the High Seas RallyCaribbean Cruise:November 6-13, 2005Alaska Cruise:June 25-July 2, 2006800-444-8795www.hogsonthehighseas.comIronWorks November 200549

IronWorks/Alaska High Seas Rally Bike ShowPresenting our 2005 Alaska cruise winnersWhen the cruise ship Serenade of the Seas pulled outof Vancouver harbor for its seven-day voyagethrough Canada’s Inside Passage, 412 people who comprisedthe High Seas Rally cruisers left their bikes behind.But that didn’t mean they forgot about what’s nearestand dearest to their hearts, and many brought alongbrag pictures for the Second IronWorks High Seas RallyBike Show.Like the first bike show that we promoted during the2004 Caribbean High Seas Rally, the Alaska show wasopen to all rally participants. Entry was free, and aboutthe only rule laid down was that the pictures submittedhad to be no larger than 5”x7”, so they’d fit on the wall offame where the bikes were displayed for judging.What did the winner’s receive? Well, not much, really,but that’s not the point. Each winner did receive, however,a free subscription to this rag, the following 15 minutesof fame you’ll read about here, and the accolades oftheir cruising peers. But perhaps the biggest reward wasshared by all; everybody had a chance to participate andshare their personal rides with other cruise members.After all, when you get down to it, it’s all about the bikes,no? So without further ado, here are the winners of the2005 IronWorks/Alaska High Seas Rally Bike Show.People’s Choice:Bob “Wizard” KesslerGainesville, Florida2003 H-D Heritage SpringerIt was somewhatof a surprisethat arather stock-appearingHarley-Davidsonearned our People’sChoiceAward, but itwasn’t a shockthat the bike turned out to be an Anniversary Edition HeritageSpringer. The ’03 Heritage Springer will, undoubtedly,go down as one of the all-time classics for two reasons:First, it’s among the elite group of 100th Anniversarymodels. Secondly, the FLSTS’s traditional styling evokesall that is good about a Harley, mixing the heritage of yesteryearwith the Twin Cam technology of today.Bob “Wizard” Kessler’s FLSTS checks in with a fewupgrades that separates his bike from other HeritageSpringers. Those wide whitewall tires are wrappedaround multi-spoke Hallcraft wheels, and H-D backrestsassure he and his passenger arrive in comfort. Finally,Wizard equipped the TC88B engine with a set of Kerker’strue-dual exhaust pipes, giving the bike a rumblethat helps remind him every time he fires up the enginethat heritage, as much as technology, is what has beenkeeping The Motor Company going for all these years.Twin Cam Co-Winner:Kenneth RandellBay Shore, New York2002 H-D Electra GlideThis year Harley-Davidson has expanded its line to includecustom baggers. And it’s bikes like Ken Randell’sthat prompted the folks in Milwaukee to think in termsof combining the words “touring” and “custom” in thesame phrase. Clearly Ken—and now Harley-Davidson—are on to something. In Ken’s case, his slammed ’02 ElectraGlide elevates the custom touring look to a wholenew level.In terms ofmodifications,the FLH sportstreatment fromCycledelics tothe tank, fendersand saddlebags.All bodywarewasshaved andsmoothed, and the license plate was frenched into therear fender. Corbin supplied the seat, and the KerkerSlip-ons route beneath the stretched saddlebags. A set ofLindby bars were affixed to the front downtubes, andthe rich candy burgundy paint was applied by Cycledelicsbefore final assembly. A final touch is the personalizedlicense plate that reads “HIZZZ,” to complimentthe plate on Ken’s wife’s Road King. As you mightguess, hers reads “HERZ.”50 IronWorks November 2005

Twin Cam Co-Winner:Patti EasonChestertown, Maryland2000 H-D SoftailPatti Eason will be the first person to attest to the saying,“You can’t win unless you enter.” See, Patti hadn’tplanned on entering her 2000 Softail in our contest, butprompting by her husband and a few other individualsfound the picture of her bike on the Hogs on the HighsSeas’ wall offame, and in thecontest. It alsoearned her bikea tie for firstplace in theTwin Cam category.What swayedour judges mostabout Patti’s FXST is the manner in which she blendedthe aftermarket parts to her bike. A 150-series rear tiremounts to a 15” Thunderstar wheel that’s matched to a21” front. The tank and fenders were treated by WizardGraphics, and the Corbin seat appears as if it were designedespecially for Patti’s ride. The billet headlightcompliments the Carlini bars, and Pro Art painted thecool candy color. She topped it all off with a Vance &Hines exhaust. Nice, very nice.Pre-Evo Winner:Jesse LarisonColumbus, KansasEvo Winner:Joe NagyRoanoke, Virginia1996 H-D Road KingJoe Nagy happened to have a few—half a dozen, to beexact—’59 Cadillac taillight lenses lying around when hegot the idea to do something unique to the rear section ofhis ’96 Road King. So hemade filler panels betweenthe rear fenderand saddlebags thatwould accept the sixCaddy taillight lenses.As you can see, the fillerstrips were chrome plated,and the license platefrenched into the fender,giving the bike aclassic lost-in-the-‘50s look. The muffler extensions to theScreamin’ Eagle exhaust system help balance the look.Joe mounted a black, studded Corbin seat, and a fenderrack offers additional storage space for long hauls.The familiar Road King windscreen was chucked infavor of a full FLH handlebar fairing. All that was left todo during the rebuild was splash on the wild ‘50s-erapaint, which Randy Williamson dutifully did before finalassembly. The finished product is a bike that we wouldn’tmind riding while lost on some lazy country road.Sportster/Buell Winner:Etta DuraRorked River, New Jersey1969 H-D FLHIn case you haven’t noticed, Shovelhead engines aremaking a dramatic comeback among diehard Harley enthusiasts.Moreover, the AMF-era engines—and bikes—have gained classic status among motorcyclists throughoutthe world,so when a restoredFLH of‘60s vintageshows up, peoplein the knowstop to look.Jesse Larisonrestored thisbike after it satfor 30 years in a barn. “It’s now a daily rider,” he tellsus, and he reassures us, too, that it’s stock, right “downto the original cloth wire.” The old bagger got a freshcoat of paint, too, compliments of Jesse who based thecolors on factory original formulas. A stock bike neverlooked so nice.IronWorks November 20052003 Sportster 883 HuggerSometimes all you need todo is dress a bike with a uniquepaint job to give it the characteryou seek. That’s basically theapproach that Etta Dura tookwith her ’03 Sportster 883 Hugger.“I wanted to match it tomy PT Cruiser,” she said, andas you can see the “match” includeda few Betty Boop caricatureson the bike’s fenders andbags to match the mini-muralson the convertible’s trunk lid. Even her helmet couldn’t escapethe big booper’s airbrush.Additional mods to the Sporty include relocating therear turn signals to make room for the lockable plasticsaddlebags. And about owning a Sportster and convertiblecar, Etta says, “Whether I’m riding the bike or drivingthe car with the top down, I always feel the freedomof the road.” Sign us up—or down.continued51

Scratch-Built Winner:Kenneth RandellBay Shore, New YorkReader Service No. 422004 Custom Soft-tailYou’re not seeingdouble, KenRandell won twoclasses in ourHigh Seas RallyBike Show. HisScratch-Builtwinner is basedon a HurricaneCustom frame that boasts a 36-degree rake and two-inchstretch to the backbone. A stock-length fork with 5-degreeraked triple trees and 21” front wheel (18” rear)gives the bike its classic stance. He shoehorned a stockwith-S&S-carbengine into the frame, capping it withRadii exhausts.Ken called on Custom Chrome for the gas tank andcontrols. The front fender is from Russ Wernimont andthe rear is by Phoenix. Most of the fabrication was doneby Ken and his friend Frank Scineca, and Gary fromRocky Point, New York, applied the platinum-silverpaint. Next time you get the itch to build a scratch-build,you might consider Ken’s bike as your role model.Other V-Twin Manufacturer Winner:Dale BuckCedar Park, Texas52Reader Service No. 432003 Big DogWhen it’s time torun with the bigdogs, then youget…a Big Dog. Andthat’s exactly whatDale Buck did whenhe purchased his2003 Big Dog Chopper, the first year for what has turnedout to be the Kansas-based company’s best-selling model.And rightfully so, when you consider the heart of this bigdog is a 107-cubic-inch S&S engine linked to a Baker 6-speed overdrive transmission (left-side drive; the RSDwasn’t introduced until 2005).Dale’s dog has all the other right pieces for a purepedigree, too, including a soft-tail frame that forms thebackbone for a 77.7-inch wheelbase. And at either end ofthat long stretch you’ll find Avon rubber—a 21” up frontwhile the 250-series Brit tire forms a big paw print at therear. You can’t argue about the factory black-with-silvergraphicspaint scheme, and for two-up riding this Chopperis equipped with Big Dog’s optional passenger pillion.Proof that a Dog’s life ain’t so bad.IronWorks November 2005