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Clover Cemetery on SR 133

I have passed this place on several occasions but have never noticed the sign in front of the Clover Cemetery on Ohio SR 133, north of Bethel. It caught my eye and haunted me to turn around and stop.

MC_Ride_3Jul2001-11

Civil War Medal of Honor recipient John H. Wageman, of Clermont County is buried in the Clover Cemetery. I searched for his grave, but could not find it. Many markers are not legible due to weathering. I may have stood at or walked past his final resting spot without knowing it.

The US Military keeps a record of all recipients. Here is Wageman’s:

WAGEMAN, JOHN H.

Rank and organization: Private, Company I, 60th Ohio Infantry. Place and date: At Petersburg, Va., 17 June 1864. Entered service at: Amelia, Ohio. Birth: Clermont County, Ohio. Date of issue: 27 July 1896. Citation: Remained with the command after being severely wounded until he had fired all the cartridges in his possession, when he had to be carried from the field.

http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/civwarmz.html

It must have been quite a battle on the field, and later in the halls of Congress, for according to this record, it took 32 years for John H. Wageman of Clermont County to receive his Congressional Medal of Honor. R.I.P. Private Wageman.

MC_Ride_3Jul2001-13

See you on the highway.

Brent

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These boots were made for riding

Most of the time, the riding boots are stored in the hall closet along with other footwear, jackets, hats and gloves. The house looks less cluttered that way especially around the back door to the garage. The boots don’t always go in the closet. Sometimes, after returning from a motorcycle ride, I pull off my boots while seated at the kitchen table and set them next to the patio door where they are still out of the way but more accessible and at the ready for a quick jaunt or a longer adventure.

riding-boots

Today, however, I put on the boots, rode out for coffee and breakfast, returned home to take care of a mailing, rode to the post office and then grocery store, and never removed my boots. I wandered back and forth from the kitchen to my writing space with my boots still on, and pondering their comfort. A discussion was going on in my head.

“Why don’t you take off the boots?”

“I don’t know. I might want to go out on the motorcycle again.”

“Are all the errands done?”

“Yes. But, I might want to just go out.”

“Where you going?”

“I don’t know, just out on the motorcycle. It’s the freedom of the ride.”

“So, why don’t you take off your boots. You can put them back on if you go out.”

“Yeah, but I might be going in just a few minutes. I’ll leave them on for a while longer.”

And so went the discussion in my head—past the noon hour, past 1 p.m., past 2 p.m. and going on 3 p.m. Back and forth. Back and forth, until I had an idea.

“Brent, why don’t you take your boots off, take a picture of them, and then write something for the web site? Give it some life.”

“Okay. I can do that.” … The boots come off. Tripod set up with camera mounted. The camera shutter clicks. The laptop keyboard clicks away, and after a quick proof and edit. The publish button is keyed. And now, you are reading this, because I didn’t want to take my boots off.

See you on the highway … after I put my riding boots back on.

Brent

PS Where are my riding gloves?

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Motorcycle dreaming

I’ve been thinking about other motorcycles lately. It appears Suzuki is going to update the V-Strom, and a few details and photos were leaked prematurely. There was a feeding frenzy by moto journalists and several trade publications.

I really like my V-Strom, and I have not found anything that might replace it. But, what if I was looking for something different to ride, a second bike, a stable mate to the DL650. There have been several motorcycles on my short list, including a little nostalgia.

Doug Klassen, Forty Years on Two Wheels, sent me a link to a video of his dream bike, and it just so happens it’s on my short list. We’ve been trading e-mails. Here’s a video link he sent:

Cycle World Presents: The Jack Pine Triumph Scrambler

 

I’ve lusted over a Scrambler for some time. Having watched this video several times, including the times before Doug sent it to me, I decided to ride to my nearest Triumph dealer, Joe’s Cycle in Dayton. They report a Scrambler shortage—no 2011s available. Well … doesn’t that beat all. It’s probably just as well.

I had a nice ride. Wandered a bit.

See you on the highway.

Brent