Moto Delivery is Back!

Well, not really, but I like the way my Grandson thinks! Only 14 more years and I can hire him to delivery my coffee.

Later,

Shep

 

Love the Cafe

Fooled you! I’m not talking about cute little roadside dinners or pubs, although I do love those. Nope, I’m talking about a style of motorcycle; the cafe racer. I have never owned one, never ridden one. They may be a horrible torture rack for all I know. My son-in-law recently bought an old Honda converted to a Cafe, but I haven’t had a chance to see it in person yet.

So put this on my “bucket list” of to do’s; own a Cafe bike. I’m not sure what model I should start with, but I like the looks of these Triumph Bonnies.

Even this Beemer looks pretty good to me.

Just seems like anyone who owns a business called “Motorhead Coffee” should have one cool, retro bike. Right?

Later,

Shep

 

Food Truck Fever

Lori and I crossed the river today and had a snack at the Bank Street Brewhouse, home to New Albanian Brewing Company. Lo and behold, what did they have sitting by the curb but an old Chevy P10 converted into a beer truck.

Very cool. It got me salivating a little bit. Even though I’m still planning on a trailer, if anyone runs across a nice, old step van that can be bought right, let me know. I really like the old, smaller ones, like the International Harvester Metro, or the Chevy p10 short models or Grumman.

I also have an interest in an old pickup, late 60′s or earlier. Love the old panel trucks too. I can’t buy one yet, but keep your eyes peeled,  hopefully the time will come.

Later,

Shep

Patience is not my Virtue

I am a restless soul. I hate to be stagnant. I love motion. I spent many years of my life working in 6 feet of space on an assembly line. One of my coworkers said I was like a lion in a cage, pacing back and forth. I am not a patient man. I’m ready to get moving here. I’m ready to get my first sellable batch of coffee roasted. I’m ready to take delivery of my bags, my diner mugs, t-shirts, etc. I’m ready to plaster  this logo all over the side of the trailer I don’t yet have:Lori and I took a drive yesterday in the beautiful Kentucky countryside. We stopped by my friends shop, Lagrange Coffee Roasters. I think he is ready to roll too. It is his shop and his machine I will will be launching from.

I can’t wait to be totally engulfed in the coffee roasting business again. My last business was launched for fun. I plan to have just as much fun this time, but I have larger goals in mind. In the end, Motorhead Coffee will likely be the product of another enterprise: I even bought a new pair of “Wayfarers” just match the Sheep! So keep watching, keep reading and hang on just a little bit longer; Motorhead Coffee is on its way…promise.

Later,

Shep

 

I’ve Come Full Circle…Or, I’m Just Chasing My Tail!

When I posted on here last week that I had received coffee samples from the broker but had no small machine to roast them in, my friend Brian responded immediately. He sent me a small, home coffee roaster to use. It’s not just any home roaster, mind you, it is the first one I ever owned. This tiny little home appliance is where my journey into coffee roasting all began.

I think this thing is somewhere around 10 or 11 years old! Once I was done with it, I passed it along to Brian and he has had it, along with another of my old roasters, all this time.

I had no idea how it was going to work, after all, most samples roasters are very sophisticated and cost thousands of dollars. I fired it up and ran two samples through it this morning…worked like a charm! Well, I guess that is to be determined tomorrow when I actually cup these samples!

One thing is for certain; the aroma circling in my garage has brought back a thousand pleasant memories.

Later,

Shep

 

Food Trucks!

I come from a much smaller town than Louisville. The food truck scene is practically non-existent. There was a taco truck that my wife and I liked, but it did not last. While my day job (or in my case, “night job”) does not allow for much free time, I have been making a point lately to seek out and sample the local food trucks.

We’ve made it to Flea Off Market once and Apocalypse Brew Works so far. My wife and I shared a burger from Grind and we’ve had a sandwich from Lil’ Cheesers. Both were enjoyable.

It is an interesting way to earn a living…and not an easy one I imagine. At any rate, I’m glad there is a food truck scene here to enjoy. I wish it success and growth. Who knows, I might even join it eventually.

Later,

Shep

“To all the Girls I’ve Loved Before”

It’s all my parents’ fault. No, really. I did not learn this in an intensive session of psychotherapy. It is not a recent discovery, brought out in hypnosis while probing the depravity and darkness of my twisted mind.  I’ve known it all my life…and so have they. I was fortunate enough to grow up on a farm. My parents bought me my first mini bike at age 7 and I proceeded to “mark my territory” on those rough pastures.

That was the beginning of love affair that has lasted some 46 years. As I took the Street Triple out for a ride today and passed many other rider, it got me thinking about how fortunate I have been and how many wonderful motorcycles I have had the opportunity to own and ride. I suppose I’ve owned 30+ bikes in my lifetime, give or take. Unfortunately, I don’t have photos of many of the ones from my youth. There are others that I have prints of, but are not stored on my computer.

Some of the more recent rides have been digitized and I thought I’d share a few. So here is a brief tribute “To all the Girls I’ve Loved Before.”

One of many Suzuki dual sports I owned. I also owned several motocross bikes.

This one is not mine, but I had one just like it.

This RT was short-lived. My 3rd RT!

My Multistrada Coffee Delivery Vehicle. I had two of them. A 1000 and an 1100S. Easily one of my all time favorite bikes

Not mine, but I got to break it in by riding it from Indiana to Florida for a friend.

An 1150 GS that I put more miles on than any bike I ever owned.

The most capable Iron Butt ride I ever had. Naples, Florida to Bloomington Indiana in 17 hours

900 Monster that fulfilled all the Ducati “nightmares,” but it was still a blast to ride

Not mine, but Ed at Commonwealth loaned it to me for a weekend. I’ve lusted for one ever since. I did own an ST2 though

My 2nd GS just didn’t click. I had 2 650 GS bikes as well

What a blast! 25 hp and I rode it harder than anything I ever owned. My “seat” did not like it though

Thought this Triumph would be the ultimate bike for me. Not.

My 2nd RT. I had an 1100, this 1150 and a 1200. Great bikes, but just bigger than I like these days

My current ride

Aside from these, I had multiple dual sports, dirt bikes, mini bikes, a cruiser and….a Gold Wing…at the ripe old age of 24!

As you can see, I like to play the field!

Later,

Shep

 

 

Through the Eyes of the Young

Sometimes the expression on a face tells it all. Anger, joy, stress; those are common emotions that can be seen on the faces we pass each day. It seems like lately my face has mostly shown the wear marks of the latter…stress. Between a demanding job and family illness, I’ve had little opportunity or occasion to wear a smile. Sometimes I wish we could snap our fingers and return to the innocent thoughts of youth, where everything is good and there is no reason to worry.

Just look at the face of my Grandson here. That is the face of wonder. It is the face of innocent simplicity. He doesn’t have a care in the world. He is not worrying about anything. No Monday morning stress. No, “What are the tests going to show.” No, “How am I going to pay my bills.” No concerns, no fears; only amazement and wonder at whatever it is that he sees out past that porch. It is probably the most common of things. Maybe he is watching a bird, or a squirrel or Dad mow the grass. It is most likely something that I would not give a second glance at.

Wouldn’t it be nice to be able see the world through the eyes of the young?

Later,

Shep

  

 

Oh Yeah, Step Two…

I bought the Porsche!

I don’t know if it was the sporty handling, the 14 speakers or the 345 hp, but in the end, I caved. It’s like a jukebox on wheels!

Later,

Shep

Cart Before the Horse

Looks like I got the cart before the horse. I just returned home after a week away and was greeted with some new green coffee samples. Problem is I don’t have a sample roaster! Even when I was roasting daily on a 10 kilo machine, I didn’t have a true sample roaster. It is hard for small guys like me to afford to spend $6-12K on a machine that roasts ounces! I did have a relatively inexpensive Quest M3, but sold it after I sold the last business I ran.

So here I am with two lovely samples of “potentially delicious” coffee and nothing to do with them. Anyone up for the “green coffee diet?!”

Later,

Shep