Ups & Downs

Ups & Downs

UP: To authors Kathleen 0' Neal Gear and W. Michael Gear, for doing it right. The best-selling fiction-writing couple are traveling the country on a BMW R1100RT to promote their new book, People of the Raven, a novel about "the prehistory of America."

UP: To Riders for Health, favorite charity of the MotoGP paddock, for raising more than $265,000 during its Day of Champions fund-raiser held during the Donington Park, England, round this past July. Auctioned off was a dinner with Princess Anne and two-up rides with Randy Mamola on a two-seat Ducati Desmosedici, all monies from the events benefiting RfH's efforts to provide two-wheeled transport for relief aid in Africa.

DOWN: To hot-heads at one of Southern California's favorite sportriding spots, Palomar Mountain. The San Diego Union Tribune reported motorcyclists and locals were in conflict over the increasing number of bikers who frequent the twisting roads in the area. Riders complain about drivers who don't yield, while residents complain of speeding. Further, bikers suspect that two 5gallon buckets of hydraulic oil were intentionally dumped in a blind corner "to teach speeders a lesson." Get a grip, everyone!

UP: To Arun Sharma, for demonstrating how to put on a world-class event. This past August, the Motocorsa proprietor decided to kick up one of his shop's periodic track days at Portland International Raceway and Ducati Northwest 2004 was born. Conceptually a one-day World Ducati Week, the event was sponsored by Ducati North America and attracted 750 Ducatisti from as far away as Southern California and Colorado. Former AMA and World Superbike Champion Doug Polen, Molly Culver of AMA Supermoto television fame and CW's own Nick lenatsch were among the celebrities on hand.