About Us

My name is Middy Boggio, along with my wife (who should be nominated for sainthood) Laurie, and co-curators of The Midsonian Museum, Dave Petersen, Ian Easton, and Tom Franz—and a gaggle of friends who make it all possible.

We began in 1989 with a need to keep many bikes that Dave and I had been collecting and rebuilding, mostly old two-stroke race bikes from our era: 60's and 70's.

Dave Petersen, Jim Wheater, and I started riding off-road

in the middle 60's on Ducatis, Greeves, Hodakas, Huskys,

Harley Sprints–anything that would run. We began racing

in the late 60's. The three of us were called the Desert Sloths.

We soon joined the Invaders and rode with the likes of

Ron Holst, Doug Winchell, John & Kookie, Dave Cheney,

and the "Barstow Crew." It was a great time to race desert

with wonderful people, great races, good times:

A time when so many terrific people were in the sport

and I wish I could name them all.

The Midsonian Museum was named by a friend's daughter while we were building. She asked what it was. I said "It's a motorcycle museum." She thought for a minute and said "like The Smithsonian." I looked at her and said "It's like a real tiny Smithsonian, but a museum just the same." She looked at me with a big smile and said "like a Midsonian Museum." All adults looked at each other and knew this was the answer to the question: "What do we call it?"

. . . from the mouth of babes.

By 1990 we had the main structure done—a two story Dutch barn. We figured we could never fill the whole thing . . . wrong!

The Midsonian has a nice library with many old motorcycle magazines, technical manuals, programs: any motorcycle related literature. Desert racing was what we enjoyed; so many posters, jumpers, pictures, finisher pins, trophies, gear—and, of course, bikes!

We also have a generous collection of hotrod and automotive literature, including many periodicals: Drag News, Hotrod Magazine—too much cool stuff to mention; also cameras, bicycle emblems and accessories, gas-powered toys, gas pogo sticks. We have some unusual and cool "junk."

As you will see, we have two-wheeled work horses right next to two-wheel art: from taco mini-bikes to a Vincent Black Shadow.

Our main purpose when we started our quest was to gather all the bikes that abused us for years:

CZ - Bultaco - Ossa - Hodaka - etc. But as we got older, our interests broadened along with our waist lines. We now have many British bikes:

CCM - Tri - BSA - Royal Enfield - etc.

We ride many vintage rides on the old bikes. Many years ago we just "rode them hard and put 'em away wet." Now just looking at some of the classics not only promotes many, many conversations about the "days," but just as many hours are spent looking at two-wheel art and appreciating the purpose and beauty of these classics. From Cushman to Norton; from Whizzer to Vincent: All have a certain beauty whether simple and specific in design, or elegant and classic; all light us up as I hope they may do to you.

Logo Design

by Dan'l Sullivan