Ups & Downs
Ups & Downs
UP: To Chicago’s Field Museum, for keeping with its mission to explore the Earth and its people. Most recently, this motive included the continent-hopping “Art of the Motorcycle” exhibit. Though pared down from the Guggenheim’s 113 pedestalled pieces, the 72-bike show drew more than 100,000 attendees during its five-month stay. Complementing the bikes, the museum headed a slew of special events, including “An Evening with (the late) Gene Siskel: Vroom on Film,” screenings of The Wild One and Easy Rider, an interactive workshop and a symposium on the motorcycle as a cultural icon. Good stuff, all.
DOWN: To everybody’s favorite fun-time TV game show, “The Wheel of Fortune,” for not knowing the difference between a Triumph and a Harley. A recent episode announced that contestants were vying for a Thunderbird, but showed a visual of a Sportster. Should the producers wish to learn the difference, we’d happily volunteer to take Vanna White for an instructional ride...
UP: To Scott Summers, for caring. The multi-time AMA off-road champion is featured in an AMA fundraising promotion knocking the closure of popular off-road riding areas in eastern Kentucky. Performing his trademark “clean-and-jerk” with a Honda XR600, Summers says, “Don’t let this be the only way I can take my bike to the Daniel Boone National Forest.” Reportedly, the closure resulted from pressure applied by a militant environmentalist group. The AMA is suing the U.S. Forestry Service in an attempt to reverse the decision.
