As someone who's been writing for pay for thirty years, I've churned out an enormous amount of crap. I've also managed to string together a few sentences — paragraphs, even — of which I'm  proud. Much of the "good stuff" served to introduce articles that, themselves, were of little interest to someone not, say, looking for a way to prolong a laptop's battery life. Some of it, however, seems to stand on its own, and is even moderately entertaining.

For no other reason than as an exercise in vanity I've collected some of that material and placed it here. I've also included some material that was not, originally, written for publication, but which seems to work in this context.

Choosing a Cruiser. I was asked by an acquaintance whether he'd be better off buying a Harley, or one of the many alternative cruiser-style motorcycles. This is my response.

Collectible Classic. A series of vintage car profiles I wrote for Automobile magazine.

My Imperial. In 1989, or thereabouts, I wrote this essay about a car I owned at the time.

16-2/3 RPM at 65MPH. Chrysler's Highway HiFi.

The 30-year quest for Cold Comfort Farm.

A Midlife Look at The Grateful Dead.

Trip Notes: By Harley to Atlanta, 1996. My first ride to Atlanta, for the first Furthur Festival. These notes were first posted to Compuserve's Motorcycle forum.

Trip Notes: By Harley to Atlanta, 1997. It was so much fun in 1996 that I did it again the following year.

Trip Notes: By Harley to Sturgis, 1997. An account, posted to the Compuserve's Motorcycle forum, of the 1997 pilgrimage to Bike Week in Sturgis, SD. Photos of this trip are in the Gallery section of this site.

The Decision: Why I "Retired" My Harley and Bought A Gold Wing... And Vice Versa.

Road Test: 1998 Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic Electra-Glide. The complete text of a road test that was originally written for American Iron magazine, and published by them in significantly abridged form.

Road Test: 1998 Harley-Davidson Road King Classic. Also for  American Iron magazine, and also the unabridged text.

The Landmark Harleys: Bikes That Made A Difference: Written for American Iron's H-D 95th Anniversary special issue, published in 1998.

Winter Riding Tips. I wrote this for American Iron. Anyone who chooses leather for warmth, rather than just style, might profit from this story's advice.

Review: Aerostich Darien Jacket & Pants. Written for American Iron.

Review: Fog City PRO-SHIELD. Written for American Iron.

A scolding letter to Harley-Davidson's President/CEO.

Road Test: 1987 Mercedes-Benz 300TD. I wrote this in 1987, while reviewing OEM car stereos for Automobile magazine. This is its first appearance.  

A Music Lover's Guide to the New Cars. In 1987 Automobile magazine commissioned me to evaluate the factory-installed sound systems in several cars. I took it upon myself to comment on the cars as well. Those comments were edited out of the story for publication. The entire text of the story appears here.

An Hour On The Internet. A series of columns I wrote back when the World Wide Web was young, on subjects ranging from sunglasses to zeppelins. Each was intended to give the readers of Computer Buyer's Guide and Handbook a glimpse at that new medium's possibilities.

Compact Disc Reviews. Written in 1989 for "The Billboard Book of Audio."

Four Great Systems: The Editor's private, personal advice on exactly what to buy for $600, $1200, $2000, and more. During the mid-eighties I was the editor of (and primary contributor to) a publication called Audio/Video Buyer's Guide. This story appeared in 1986.

Recommended Reading. If you get tired of reading my stuff, here are some books you might enjoy.

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