Sunday, April 13, 2014

What's a Fluevog ? Part Two

I was still near the beginning of my cross country trip.  It was July 12, 2013  and my 3rd day on the road


I was camped at the KOA in Bozeman, MT     I remember that it was very windy that day and I was bracing myself for the worst as I headed east on I-90


It was just daylight and I like to get an early start.  I generally like to pack up and leave at 8am and grab a bite to eat an hour or so down the road


Not much happening on this section of road.  It is flat and straight as I try to keep at the posted speed.  I like to keep an eye out for a McDonalds breakfast so I can use their WiFi to check my progress and confirm where I am


I happened to meet Dinah on her HD from Denver, CO.   She is heading home

I am trying to make time and put on the miles so I don't take any photos until I arrive at Red Lodge, MT

    The Main street, Red Lodge, MT

As I ride into town I saw some Harleys parked on the left, a motorcycle shop and another place selling Harley leather goods so naturally I made a U-turn so I could park with the other bikes.

A voice: "I don't think you are allowed to park here"

Me: "What do you mean ?  because I am not riding a Harley"

A voice: "Well, look around, do you see any other bikes that are NOT  Harley?"

Me:  "I suppose I should move somewhere else then, is that what you are trying to tell me ?"


I wasn't sure what to expect but eventually I caught on that he was merely joking.  He was also a tourist and he had just driven over Beartooth Pass and was heading North.   We talked a while and he was also from Vancouver, thus he noticed my British Columbia licence plate and decided to come over to meet me.  We seemed to have a few things in common and we also liked to frequent the same restaurant, near Gastown

    Compressed view of Red Lodge, MT

I suppose that we spent over half an hour talking about Vancouver and this and that and I offered to take their photos with the intention of meeting up with them after I got home from my trip.  I had good intentions but somehow I got distracted and never got around to it yet.

    Vintage Harley on display inside the clothing shop

I happily started snapping photos and directing the couple to stand here and there and pose for me.  I felt like a fashion photographer.   At one point his young lady took my camera and she took some photos too.  She seemed to know what she was doing.  I surmised that she was no stranger to photographic equipment

    Ruth & John Fluevog, Red Lodge, MT

I had no idea who they were until we exchanged email addresses

    Myself with John Fluevog, both from Vancouver, BC

    The Fluevogs

I mean, what are the chances of meeting a celebrity from Vancouver in this small town in Montana ?


Notice that I directed them to stand in front of my BMW R1200R

    Ruth & John Fluevog

To John & Ruth it was my pleasure to meet you.   I hope that our paths cross again,  sometime soon

With such a popular line of custom made shoes, available in stores around the world. I'm thinking that you couldn't afford a pair for yourselve(s)


I get confused easily,  I  think those are John's on the right  . . .



18 comments:

  1. Cool story. I was wondering what the connection was.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Richard:

      This was merely by accident. I could have not stopped, or if I was a few minutes earlier or later then, I would have missed them. They were both very personable and I am glad we had the chance to meet

      Delete
  2. Bobskoot is channeling Paul Harvey......and now we know the rest of the story. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Trobairitz:

      I bumped into quite a few people on my journey. Most were just for a few minutes generally at a scenic viewpoint or whilst having a meal, never to be seen again. This time I thought we would have a chance to get together back home

      Delete
  3. On the last pic I thought that the right pair of feet were your's, pink toenails and all.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sonja:

      Gosh, thank you but I don't paint so neatly. I just thought it ironic that he was the king of custom shoes and he wasn't wearing any

      Delete
  4. Ah the connection at last.....as to the joking tourist, I think I would have been less understanding....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dom:

      Actually it was delivered in a sort of sarcastic voice and I wasn't sure whether to believe him or not. He noticed I was from BC so it was their intent to introduce themselves.

      Delete
  5. Cool and funny. Never fails that you go far, far from home and run in to someone from your own town.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kari:

      It's amazing who you meet whilst "on the road". I never suspected who they might be but I am glad that I had a chance to meet them. I never thought about it until now but I should have asked if they wanted to have a refreshment break. As I think back I didn't have anything to eat until I arrived at Cody for the night

      Delete
  6. Ed:

    I generally try to introduce myself to other bikers when we are stopped somewhere, usually at a viewpoint but sometimes when having a meal. Most are receptive but I was not even acknowledged by some of those who ride those glistening BIG V-twins, you know those loud ones who putt-putt around the country

    ReplyDelete
  7. It was July 12, 2014? Hey doc, where's the DeLorean parked?
    Who are they? and Dinah looks cool ;-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. George:

      YIKES ! I am slow . . . took me 5 minutes to figure it out but thanks, It's now corrected to 2013. I'm was thinking what DeLorean, I haven't seen one since last year.

      You have to read the previous post to find out who they were. This was Part two

      Dinah was cool. She was riding solo, forgot where but I think all the way to CA and was now on her way home

      Delete
    2. I did read part 1 after I read this entry.
      That's why I said "Doc" and "DeLorean" ;-)

      Delete
  8. Cool - lucky for you, you knew who they were .... didn't know you were such a "brand" guy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Karen:

      I was surprised to find out when he gave me his email address. He is well known in Vancouver. I am more of a sandals person, than a shoe person but I can do without both when the weather gets warmer. So far he has not designed men's sandals, so I am safe

      Delete
  9. You sure meet some interesting people. :-) I have no idea who the Fluevogs are. Guess I'll need to Google them. Red Lodge, MT looks gorgeous. A fabulous trip indeed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kathy:

      I did include some links for you but Google is your friend. I should have spent more time in Red Lodge. I rode through the main street but I didn't even stop, not even for a snack break. I got the opinion it was an upscale tourist area and I am not a shopper

      That weekend they were preparing for a motorcycle show where they close the streets. I was a day early and kept rolling

      Delete