Shadetree > Shadetree's Blog Posts
August 30, 2008 16:48
Tunisia or Bust!
Ok, I got “bust,” but what a ride! The short version is that I didn’t make the cut. But there is a silver lining. The rest is history in the making. Imagine five men and a woman wrestling two 500 pound R1200GS’ through a pit. No. A pit would suggest some finite hole in the ground, something manageable that you could take in with nothing more than a look. And your task is to get the bikes through without breaking anything on either the motorcycle or an ...
August 27, 2008 03:12
Anticipation
Tuesday, August 26th, 9:32 p.m. Tomorrow morning, five men and one woman will board airliners bound for the BMW Performance Center in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Each one eagerly anticipates the next phase of the GS Trophy competition. We all wish to be part of the team, yet there are only three places available. As much as we want this to be about us, it isn’t. It is about the sport we love and have enjoyed for most of our lives.
Motorcycles equal adventure, ...
August 23, 2008 03:20
I Have Won Already!
Friends, this has gone far enough. As one of the “Spartan Six,” perhaps a potentially precarious position, (Remember what happened to the 300), I must stop here to say thanks. Lest anyone feel slighted, these are in no particular order:
Today I rode, (thrashed would be too strong a word), a new R 1200GS from BMW of Oklahoma. Owner Michael Tupps was gracious enough to allow me the privilege of breaking in the gorgeous, Namibia Oran ...
August 22, 2008 20:27
To the Beat of the Drum!
The climber has become an old friend. I lay my cell phone nearby, facing up so I can occasionally glance at the display. Stepping onto the machine, I stretch out my arms and take hold of the grips. Punching on my I-Pod, I close my eyes, engage the pedals and begin.
Several weeks ago this was torture. Now, it is routine, little more than something to do while my cardio vascular system accelerates to near VO2 max and I wait for the time to pass. Sweat pools on the diam ...
August 16, 2008 16:41
To the Sixteen...
Guys, what does a man say at a time like this? Sure, I’m as happy as I could possibly be and incredibly honored to have been selected to compete in Spartanburg. But I have to tell you, the euphoria is a bit tempered. Several of you are my friends, recent ones made at the Rawhyde Adventure Challenge last May. But all good ones because I honestly believe that we understand each other. We “Live to ride,” and don’t need loud pipes to announce our presence; no disrespect to the Mil ...
August 16, 2008 15:03
Tension
As I lay here covered only by a sheet, I can’t help but reflect upon what has brought me to this point. My body is sore from days of strenuous exercise…even tougher than usual. The masseuse will step through that door any second now. Suddenly, I hear my phone. It is in my pants pocket, six feet across the open floor. What a dilemma? I must get up to answer it. Briefly, I consider letting the call go to voice mail, but my sense of priorities kicks in like a snakebite. I dash over and grab ...
August 10, 2008 15:51
A bit about Bill Dragoo as a leader, organizer, teacher, mechanic, outdoorsman and writer...
As part of BMW’s Team USA, I will help keep the team focused and strong, providing leadership when necessary and collaboration as a rule. My life experience makes this evident.
I have managed automobile fixed operations (service departments in particular) for most of my professional life. My training includes the best offered by Chrysler, Jeep, Hyundai Ferrari, and Toyota where I was deeply involved in their “kaizen” operati ...
August 09, 2008 00:42
The GS Connection
The tie that binds…
“Grand Sport.” It’s true, isn’t it? The grandest sport of all if you ask me, and the bike that carries that moniker represents it well. It will soon be a year since I ordered my very own BMW F800GS. Ahhh… sweet anticipation! I am first on the list at our Oklahoma City dealership for what promises to be the ultimate ride. Meanwhile, my tried-and-true F650GS keeps me smiling…and prac ...
