E.J. Cole Collection Auction

Mecum Auctions just held one of the best in the world, selling the motorcycle collection of E.J. Cole, with 220 rare and vintage bikes which he collected over a 50 year span. Two of the bikes hit record high prices with a 1911 Flying Merkel Board Track Racer bringing in $423,500.00 and a 1915 Cyclone Board Track Racer, formerly owned by Steve McQueen, topping out at $852,500.00. The top two prices for a motorcycle at an auction were achieved but also, 28 bikes in the collection sold for more than $100,000.oo U.S.

Cole is quoted as saying that he never really had a preference for which motorcycles he collected. He wanted one of everything and just went after motorcycles he didn't have, as long as they were American made.

 

 

1911 Flying Merkel Board Track Racer

1915 Cyclone Board Track Racer which sold for $852,500.oo

The diamond of the Harley Davidson line-up, the 1907 Strap Tank, which sold for $715,000.oo

1942 Crocker V-Twin

 

Snow In The Maritimes

I'm not sure what relative of ours from the Maritimes compiled all the photos but here's a collection taken during and after that last big blast of Winter, and the third such blizzard to hit them this year!

A bit of a whiteout

Can't drive if you can't find the road

No, it's not really still dark outside

And you can't get outside anyway

The great escape

You have to crawl out so you can dig your way back inside

Has anyone seen my house

I'm sure this fellow was glad he had some heavy equipment to do this job

Reminds me of a hobbit house

A good neighbour

Fido says..."where's the yard?"

Kind of like being an archeologist!

Guess he'll be late for work this morning

Snow day!

Yale's Custom Cycle

Yale Custom Cycle in Ramsay has revamped their shop and is gearing up for the 2015 riding season. To kick it off, they held a Friday the 13th bash open house and BBQ. The shop is hard to miss, with it's extra large pin-up gal mural with the yyc banner. It's on the corner of 20 Ave and 11 St. S.E., so pop in next time you're out for a ride.

Hangin' out at Yale's

Kelly, from Reclaimed Trading Co., was there in his Blue Circle shirt

A work in progress

Maybe this old 'panhead' is destined for the Indian with the sidecar

If you noticed that the Indian had the side car on the left, this will explain why!

Kate and Kelly, from Reclaimed Trading Co., flank myself and Blue, from Yale Custom Cycle

It was a great night to ride too!

Reclaimed

I made another of my many stops in at the Reclaimed Trading Company today, this time admiring a small collection of oddities in one of the corners of the shop. I have a thing for skulls, so this little treasure trove was right up my alley. Most of the pieces pictured in this post are conceived and built by artist Jack Burrows, who frequents RTC on a regular basis and is always adding his unique concepts to the collectibles. Jack also happens to be a big fan of old motorcycles and has several he is rebuilding, including an old Shovelhead. 

He has some great pieces for sure but Jack isn't the only artist who displays their work at the shop. In fact there are many vintage trailers through out the premises and one is parked inside the shop and  specifically set aside for 'guest artist of the month'. Several of the other trailers still outside also display a variety of other specialties and, of course, RTC has scads of other unique items, from lockers and clocks to chairs and barn board. All situated in the cradle of calgary, the community of Ramsay.

I love the bio-mechanical blend

Many things old and interesting

A somewhat nightmarish 'puppet'

They have lots of really cool old lights

It's like rummaging through Grandma's attic!

Another one of my favs

Jack is also working on his bike collection

There's always something to catch your eye

Ryan HK

Hopefully you read Blue Circle's last newsletter in February and saw the article on Ryan HK and his cool photography. Ryan is a local cinematographer and photographer who I met through our mutual affiliation with “Two Wheel Sunday”, where we were both helping get started last year. Ryan loves motorcycles and photography and he graciously shared  abunch of his photos in our publication.

Ryan’s first ventures with motorcycles came from his own customizations of a KZ1000, since it was an easy and affordable way to play in that arena. Eventually this led him to make friends with Mad Jap Kustoms, who does some pretty amazing customs of his own, and the two ride together and have collaborated on several projects involving motorcycles in the past couple of years.

Ryan has shot a lot of photos of motorcycles, but also does a variety of work, including architectural and commercial stills and cinematography for groups like the Calgary Archery Centre, ShowClass Magazine and the Hyatt Regency.

Check out more of Ryan’s fantastic work at his website and Facebook
 http://ryanhk.com/
 https://www.facebook.com/ryanhkphotography

One of my favourite shots, in teh Calgary Airport Tunnel

The Mad Jap on one of his customs

"Shovel Love"

I like this shot taken in the brickyard

A man and his ride

An old skool look

2015 Brier

We were able to get to the finals of the 2015 Brier on Sunday, where team Northern Ontario were playing Team Canada for gold. The N.O. team were our Olympic gold medallist team from the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, and John Morris from Team Canada, was an Olympic gold medallist from the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, so you know there was true talent out there on the ice.

Though the game started off a bit slow, with both teams playing a bit of a 'knockout' game and blanking the first 4 ends. However, the imapsse was broken in teh 5th and things got a lot more interesting. So much so that the game ended up in an extra end, tied 5-5.

Team Canada, made up of two curlers from Calgary and two from Edmonton, had the hammer and needed to make the final shot under pressure from team N.O. sitting two. A true pressure shot and one which the skip, Simmonds, made with precision to get the win.

Hip-hop dancing at the Brier seemed unusual but at least provided energy! 

Skip Jacobs marks the line

Bringing it home

"My turn"

Johnny Mo' switched from skip to third when things weren't working well fro the team.

Great for t.v. coverage but not when you're in the stands! Grrrr!

 

Team conference to strategize

 

More strategy!

Brier selfie!!

Our client but cheering for Team N.O....what the..? haha

The final rock...

.....and the joy of the  celebration