I have extraordinary friends. Terry is one of 'em. He uncomplicated my life considerably yesterday. Let me tell ya how-
The Goldwing was in a little town five hours away. My initial plan was for Sara Jean and I to drive there, do what was necessary to take possession of the bike, then drive home... me on the bike with SJ following behind.
I was gonna have to drive it no matter what, but it sure seemed a waste for her to spend all that time in the car.
And then I thought of Terry.
My friend Terry is a former student (and now a commercial helicopter pilot), who comes along for our annual goose roundup and insures we get the job done efficiently. He's a great mechanic, and when things break down he either has the tool to fix the problem or knows where he can get it. Terry lives about halfway along the route to get the bike.
"Hey man, what plans do you have for tomorrow?"
"None really. Why?"
"Ready for a road trip?"
"Sure!"
So I set off and stopped about mid-way at Terry's house.
Terry has a trailer to pull behind his truck.
Terry said, "I think the easiest way to do this would be to just load it on the trailer, don't you?"
We drove another two hours, and Terry secured the Goldwing while the owner and I took care of the paperwork.
We drove back to Terry's house to pick up my car, then drove home in our individual vehicles, me following along behind to insure the Goldwing was secure. We arrived just after dark, both of us tired and ready for a beer or two, then bed.
I don't know how transporting the bike 300 miles could have gone any easier.
How do you put a value on a friend like this?
Thank you Terry!
22 October 2010
21 October 2010
Bikes Vs. Cars
I've told the story before how after riding for a few hours in the rain on a 60-ish degree day some years ago, Sara Jean and I were stopped at a light in a small Indiana town when a tiny Chevy (Metro?) pulled up next to us with Dad, Mom, and two kids aboard. We were waiting on the light, shivering in the rain, while the kids sat warm, dry, and comfortable, waving at us from the rear seat of the sub-compact car. All I could think was "That car is getting almost the same mpg as this bike and it carries four, while keeping the four of them warm, dry, and reasonably comfy."
I'm always a little surprised to see the complications and expense hard-core bikers will endure to ride. Getting back into leisure riding I'm remembering how expensive it can be... helmets, gloves, footgear, and body armor.
If you really want to use the motorcycle as serious transportation it gets even more expensive... heated gloves, socks, vests. Some bikes these days also come with heated handgrips and heated seats, allowing you to ride even when the bottom drops out of the thermometer.
Is it worth all that expenses to arrive ON two wheels instead of IN a four-wheeled steel cage?
Lots of folks seem to think so.
I thought of all that as I read George's Blog. He's a guy that takes his riding seriously, and probably has spent a ton of $$$$$$$$ on comfort and protective gear.
Gorgeous photos and interesting stories told in interesting fashion, his latest piece details being delayed by an encounter with a fairly large herd of Bison on a street in a small Montana town.
I think you may find it worth your while.
I'm always a little surprised to see the complications and expense hard-core bikers will endure to ride. Getting back into leisure riding I'm remembering how expensive it can be... helmets, gloves, footgear, and body armor.
If you really want to use the motorcycle as serious transportation it gets even more expensive... heated gloves, socks, vests. Some bikes these days also come with heated handgrips and heated seats, allowing you to ride even when the bottom drops out of the thermometer.
Is it worth all that expenses to arrive ON two wheels instead of IN a four-wheeled steel cage?
Lots of folks seem to think so.
I thought of all that as I read George's Blog. He's a guy that takes his riding seriously, and probably has spent a ton of $$$$$$$$ on comfort and protective gear.
Gorgeous photos and interesting stories told in interesting fashion, his latest piece details being delayed by an encounter with a fairly large herd of Bison on a street in a small Montana town.
I think you may find it worth your while.
20 October 2010
Cash
Do you ever feel like you're the steel ball in the pinball machine, your life being propelled, careening from one side of the playing field to the other, then back again?
That's me right now.
In less than two weeks Sara Jean and I are headed South. We'll go to Destin and spend a couple nights there, then head further South to get face-to-face with a "virtual" friend and sit almost underneath the smoke plume as the shuttle takes off on one of its last journeys into space. Afterwards we'll head back to Destin for a week or so of recreation before coming back to real life at home.
Considering that, I have a very small window to drive 10 hours round-trip to pick up my Honda Goldwing. That poses a problem:
They won't let me just write a check and drive off with the bike. They want CASH!
And that complicates matters.
I keep a small amount of money in a checking and savings account locally. Most of my funds are in a bank in San Antonio, Texas... and I do most of my banking online from accounts there. I can't remember the last time I actually took out a checkbook and wrote a check.
So today I had to do some financial gymnastics to get the cash so I can drive tomorrow, pick up the bike, and get it safely home before I'm once again spit from one side of this machine to another... lights flashing... bells, whistles and other noises making life interesting.
I juggled money from four accounts and have the necessary cash in hand. Friend Terry and I will make the trip to grab the bike tomorrow. Pictures will follow ASAP.
An aside-
My lead pilot and friend Mike owns a big Harley Cruiser. He loves it and rides it most every weekend. Discussing bikes this morning he chatted about the work he was planning to have done to his Hog...
He's gonna have engine work done to increase the bike's power to 120 horses.
That work will cost more than the TOTAL amount I paid for the Goldwing.
I'm not feeling too bad about my purchase right now!
That's me right now.
In less than two weeks Sara Jean and I are headed South. We'll go to Destin and spend a couple nights there, then head further South to get face-to-face with a "virtual" friend and sit almost underneath the smoke plume as the shuttle takes off on one of its last journeys into space. Afterwards we'll head back to Destin for a week or so of recreation before coming back to real life at home.
Considering that, I have a very small window to drive 10 hours round-trip to pick up my Honda Goldwing. That poses a problem:
They won't let me just write a check and drive off with the bike. They want CASH!
And that complicates matters.
I keep a small amount of money in a checking and savings account locally. Most of my funds are in a bank in San Antonio, Texas... and I do most of my banking online from accounts there. I can't remember the last time I actually took out a checkbook and wrote a check.
So today I had to do some financial gymnastics to get the cash so I can drive tomorrow, pick up the bike, and get it safely home before I'm once again spit from one side of this machine to another... lights flashing... bells, whistles and other noises making life interesting.
I juggled money from four accounts and have the necessary cash in hand. Friend Terry and I will make the trip to grab the bike tomorrow. Pictures will follow ASAP.
An aside-
My lead pilot and friend Mike owns a big Harley Cruiser. He loves it and rides it most every weekend. Discussing bikes this morning he chatted about the work he was planning to have done to his Hog...
He's gonna have engine work done to increase the bike's power to 120 horses.
That work will cost more than the TOTAL amount I paid for the Goldwing.
I'm not feeling too bad about my purchase right now!
19 October 2010
Pizza Bike And ????
Just won the auction for an '87 Goldwing Interstate.
Now Pizza Bike will have a stablemate to keep him company!
17 October 2010
eBay, Wings of Gold, Moto Guzzis, and Billy Joel.
Sometimes ya just need a bigger 2X4, that's all.
I understood her disappointment, but figured she'd get over it once we started riding. Her brother owns a Harley. Two of her nephews own Harleys. She's talked of riding behind friends who had Harleys. So I initially considered buying a Harley-Davidson...
Thought maybe I'd even buy an 883 Sportster to relive my old High School days. But others quickly pointed out Sara Jean wouldn't be comfortable on trips longer than a few minutes on one. When I started thinking about Fat Bobs or Street Glides, a couple of guys I respect a great deal who know more about bikes these days than I ever knew dissuaded me...
"They break down more than other machines, and when they do you'll pay lots of $$$$$ for the Harley name for parts to fix the problem."
So I was detoured. I started thinking about the Guzzi...
Buying one would keep me in the V-Twin world, and Guzzis are known for their reliability (once they're over their terrible break-in period). My ride in Hurricane Agnes convinced me of the utility of belt or shaft final drives, and the Guzzi has a shaft drive. When I saw the SPIII for sale on eBay I excitedly showed it to her. She seemed interested and was excited because I was excited. When I brought it home and wanted her to ride behind me she expressed reservations...
"Have I never told you about my cousin?"
Turns out she has a female cousin who, as a passenger, fell off a bike after hitting a big pothole in Chicago. She's a paraplegic because of the accident. Sara Jean wants me to get a Sissy bar for the Guzzi so she won't fear slipping off the back of the bike.
I understand.
But it's more than that.
She really IS a Harley fan. When we're out driving in the car she'll Oohh and Ahhh each time she sees a big bagger or dresser Harley.
"Isn't that beautiful?!!"
And there's another bike that she ALWAYS comments on whenever we see one-
The Honda "Gold Wing".
She obviously likes BIG, substantial bikes, and the lightbulb in my head finally came on!
For those of you who don't know motorcycles, the Honda Gold Wing is, for all intents, a two-wheeled automobile. Take a look here to get an idea of the size of the behemoth.
They come with cupholders! AM/FM stereo systems. Intercoms. CB radios. Adjustable gas shocks. Floorboards for driver and passenger. Adjustable windscreens. Some even have a reverse gear! (Which could definitely come in handy 'cause the thing weighs close to 800 pounds!)
The engine on the Gold Wing is a work of art... a four-cylinder opposed, water-cooled powerplant that is quiet and virtually vibration free.
Having never ridden one I asked a friend about them. "They're a HUGE slug of metal" was his response. (He's currently riding an Aprilia V-Twin and loves it.)
But I want her to WANT to ride along with me. So when I told her I was considering parking a Gold Wing next to the Guzzi in the garage I was amazed at her reaction...
"REALLY? REALLY?!!!"
And she wanted to see photos of the bikes I had looked at on eBay.
I'm ecstatic. She's by FAR more excited about this purchase than I am!
I found a PERFECT '85 Aspencade 1200cc bike in Menominee Michigan, still with a low bid.
I'm familiar with Menominee Wisconsin... where the deuce is Menominee Michigan?
Ouch. It's up in CJ territory... far southern Upper Peninsula, and would be a pain in the butt to retrieve. Still, this gorgeous bike would be worth the trouble if I could buy it at the right price. It has EVERY option you can get on a Gold Wing, and that's saying a LOT.
The current bid was $2750 and bidding was ending in 5 days. I bid $2800 on it and my bid was immediately overshadowed by another's $2850 bid. Okay, let's see if I can be foxy here...
I decided I'd wait until the last minute of the auction and put a bid in to cover the highest price I wanted to pay for the bike... $3500.
And that happened yesterday at 4:30 P.M...
The bike sold to someone else who also knew its value, and the winning bid was $50 more than mine. RATZ!
But I've found several more nice Gold Wings, one of which Sara Jean is REALLY excited about... an '83 1100cc machine that has been immaculately maintained, complete with rear-seat armrests... she'll be the Queen of Sheba back there!
I'll keep ya posted on our Gold Wing hunt.
After we had lost the auction on the bike in Menominee Michigan I turned on HDTheater and watched a program called "Cafe Racer". The last ten minutes of the program were devoted to Billy Joel, and covered his love of motorcycles. He talked about his first bike...
A Moto Guzzi V50!
Sara Jean said, "Two months ago I had never heard of Moto Guzzi. Now that we own one suddenly everyone is raving about them."
Yeah, that's right.
And that's as it should be, too!
I understood her disappointment, but figured she'd get over it once we started riding. Her brother owns a Harley. Two of her nephews own Harleys. She's talked of riding behind friends who had Harleys. So I initially considered buying a Harley-Davidson...
Thought maybe I'd even buy an 883 Sportster to relive my old High School days. But others quickly pointed out Sara Jean wouldn't be comfortable on trips longer than a few minutes on one. When I started thinking about Fat Bobs or Street Glides, a couple of guys I respect a great deal who know more about bikes these days than I ever knew dissuaded me...
"They break down more than other machines, and when they do you'll pay lots of $$$$$ for the Harley name for parts to fix the problem."
So I was detoured. I started thinking about the Guzzi...
Buying one would keep me in the V-Twin world, and Guzzis are known for their reliability (once they're over their terrible break-in period). My ride in Hurricane Agnes convinced me of the utility of belt or shaft final drives, and the Guzzi has a shaft drive. When I saw the SPIII for sale on eBay I excitedly showed it to her. She seemed interested and was excited because I was excited. When I brought it home and wanted her to ride behind me she expressed reservations...
"Have I never told you about my cousin?"
Turns out she has a female cousin who, as a passenger, fell off a bike after hitting a big pothole in Chicago. She's a paraplegic because of the accident. Sara Jean wants me to get a Sissy bar for the Guzzi so she won't fear slipping off the back of the bike.
I understand.
But it's more than that.
She really IS a Harley fan. When we're out driving in the car she'll Oohh and Ahhh each time she sees a big bagger or dresser Harley.
"Isn't that beautiful?!!"
And there's another bike that she ALWAYS comments on whenever we see one-
The Honda "Gold Wing".
She obviously likes BIG, substantial bikes, and the lightbulb in my head finally came on!
For those of you who don't know motorcycles, the Honda Gold Wing is, for all intents, a two-wheeled automobile. Take a look here to get an idea of the size of the behemoth.
They come with cupholders! AM/FM stereo systems. Intercoms. CB radios. Adjustable gas shocks. Floorboards for driver and passenger. Adjustable windscreens. Some even have a reverse gear! (Which could definitely come in handy 'cause the thing weighs close to 800 pounds!)
The engine on the Gold Wing is a work of art... a four-cylinder opposed, water-cooled powerplant that is quiet and virtually vibration free.
Having never ridden one I asked a friend about them. "They're a HUGE slug of metal" was his response. (He's currently riding an Aprilia V-Twin and loves it.)
But I want her to WANT to ride along with me. So when I told her I was considering parking a Gold Wing next to the Guzzi in the garage I was amazed at her reaction...
"REALLY? REALLY?!!!"
And she wanted to see photos of the bikes I had looked at on eBay.
I'm ecstatic. She's by FAR more excited about this purchase than I am!
I found a PERFECT '85 Aspencade 1200cc bike in Menominee Michigan, still with a low bid.
I'm familiar with Menominee Wisconsin... where the deuce is Menominee Michigan?
Ouch. It's up in CJ territory... far southern Upper Peninsula, and would be a pain in the butt to retrieve. Still, this gorgeous bike would be worth the trouble if I could buy it at the right price. It has EVERY option you can get on a Gold Wing, and that's saying a LOT.
The current bid was $2750 and bidding was ending in 5 days. I bid $2800 on it and my bid was immediately overshadowed by another's $2850 bid. Okay, let's see if I can be foxy here...
I decided I'd wait until the last minute of the auction and put a bid in to cover the highest price I wanted to pay for the bike... $3500.
And that happened yesterday at 4:30 P.M...
The bike sold to someone else who also knew its value, and the winning bid was $50 more than mine. RATZ!
But I've found several more nice Gold Wings, one of which Sara Jean is REALLY excited about... an '83 1100cc machine that has been immaculately maintained, complete with rear-seat armrests... she'll be the Queen of Sheba back there!
I'll keep ya posted on our Gold Wing hunt.
After we had lost the auction on the bike in Menominee Michigan I turned on HDTheater and watched a program called "Cafe Racer". The last ten minutes of the program were devoted to Billy Joel, and covered his love of motorcycles. He talked about his first bike...
A Moto Guzzi V50!
Sara Jean said, "Two months ago I had never heard of Moto Guzzi. Now that we own one suddenly everyone is raving about them."
Yeah, that's right.
And that's as it should be, too!
15 October 2010
Silver At The Close, 15 October, 2010
Last week: $23.24.
This week: $24.34.
But what that REALLY indicates is sad and scary.
You DO know what it indicates of course, don't you?
This week: $24.34.
But what that REALLY indicates is sad and scary.
You DO know what it indicates of course, don't you?
Another Job I Don't Want...
In Norway-
First, dislodge the biguns. Then, wash the small ones downhill with a torrent:
First, dislodge the biguns. Then, wash the small ones downhill with a torrent:
14 October 2010
CHI!, CHI!, CHI!. LE!,LE!,LE!
I joyfully cried when the first miner emerged.
And then I found myself crying again when the second exited the capsule.
Then the third...
Uplifted but unable to keep my eyes open, I finally gave up watching at 1 A.M., but left the TV on so I could check the "Rescued" count if I woke.
When I woke this morning I once again found myself in tears as the 19th miner was freed.
And so it went...
Miner emerges, hugs and kisses his loved ones...
Tears.
Thank you Chile. These are troubled times and you showed that no matter how hopeless things look, you're only whipped when you give up.
Now everyone, "Remember in November!"
It's gonna be hard, but like Chile our country can do anything, so long as we don't give up.
And then I found myself crying again when the second exited the capsule.
Then the third...
Uplifted but unable to keep my eyes open, I finally gave up watching at 1 A.M., but left the TV on so I could check the "Rescued" count if I woke.
When I woke this morning I once again found myself in tears as the 19th miner was freed.
And so it went...
Miner emerges, hugs and kisses his loved ones...
Tears.
Thank you Chile. These are troubled times and you showed that no matter how hopeless things look, you're only whipped when you give up.
Now everyone, "Remember in November!"
It's gonna be hard, but like Chile our country can do anything, so long as we don't give up.
12 October 2010
Deaths In Helicopter EMS
EMS helicopters have been in the news a lot this year...
There have been a lot of people killed... enough that once again, political leaders are getting pressure and in turn are pressuring the FAA to "do something, even if it's wrong".
And it seems to me that's just what they are about to do.
Initial reports on the "fixes" they intend to install by way of new regulations MAY have a minor impact. But from my viewpoint, accidents will continue to happen so long as folks continue to take off into weather that is marginal or worse, particularly at night.
It seems so simple...
"Don't fly when visibility is crap!"
But too many still do, and our accident record reflects it.
I'm old, and I'm a chicken.
When there is any question at all I've learned to follow Nancy Reagan's advice:
"Just say NO!"
There have been a lot of people killed... enough that once again, political leaders are getting pressure and in turn are pressuring the FAA to "do something, even if it's wrong".
And it seems to me that's just what they are about to do.
Initial reports on the "fixes" they intend to install by way of new regulations MAY have a minor impact. But from my viewpoint, accidents will continue to happen so long as folks continue to take off into weather that is marginal or worse, particularly at night.
It seems so simple...
"Don't fly when visibility is crap!"
But too many still do, and our accident record reflects it.
I'm old, and I'm a chicken.
When there is any question at all I've learned to follow Nancy Reagan's advice:
"Just say NO!"
10 October 2010
600+ Miles
I was on the road Friday just after Noon under a cloudless sky, with the weather forecasted to remain the same for the weekend. I planned to drive the "Blue highways" all the way to Indy so I could relax and get to know the Guzzi better. I'm still having trouble adjusting to the "dry clutch" on this bike... others have complained some about the scratchy noise Guzzi clutches make, but that's not a factor for me. The "friction zone" on this bike is tiny... let the clutch lever out half an inch and it barely begins to engage. Let it out 1/16th of an inch farther and it seems to almost fully engage. I continue to look like a neophyte rider, killing the engine as the stoplight turns green. Embarrassing.
But I continue to be amazed at how strongly it pulls at low rpm...
It's making a ton of torque even at idle, so if you can just get the clutch out without killing the engine the bike WILL pull away strongly. It's not too uncomfortable, but the engine does vibrate until you reach 2500 rpm or so. Then it pretty much smooths out. Sixty mph gets you about 4000 rpm, and with the redline on the tach at 8000 the bike is just loafing.
The windshield is about 3 inches too short. The wind coming over it hits me about mid-faceshield and therefore makes the world a windy/noisy place. It's not horrible, and the fairings and windshield do protect almost all my body from the buffeting, so I can learn to live with this.
I stopped almost immediately for fuel, then stopped again 190 miles later. The pump registered 4.6 gallons when the tank was full at the second stop, so Pizza Bike is getting about 42 mpg in mixed town/country driving. I was hoping for more, but I'm hearing that's about average for these machines.
When I checked my watch at my second refueling stop I realized I was gonna have trouble reaching my destination before dark if I didn't pick up the pace, so I gave up on the two-laners and headed out on the Interstate highway.
Hoosiers are kinda renowned for driving like Mario Andretti and this late-Friday afternoon was no surprise. Just staying with traffic had the speedo registering 82 mph and Pizza Bike was perfectly happy rolling along at that speed. The only concern I had (and HAVE) is that most of the females that passed me either had a phone to their ear or they had the phone down near their laps texting on it...
I'm driving 82 miles an hour on this steel horse while folks in 2-ton boxes are paying partial attention to the road while passing me! (Note to self... avoid Interstate highways as much as possible.)
I arrived at my destination about half an hour before sunset... perfect. Four hours and two beers later I was in a comfortable bed with good memories of the 289 miles I had driven...
My butt was a little sore, but otherwise I felt surprisingly good.
Saturday weather, again was perfect. Fifteen schoolmates showed up for our walk through our old stomping grounds. We ate a great meal before the walk, then drove to our old haunts. Friend Thomas and I rode our bikes... he on his Triumph Thruxton 900cc cafe racer with straight pipes. (It makes a lovely noise.) Folks in "The Valley" were surprised to see 15 senior-ish people walking down the road pointing and chatting with one another. Several came out to see what was goin' on and smiled when we told them we knew who lived in their homes fifty years ago. (One even said "Yeah, I know, their name is still on the mailbox!) Many memories were stirred... almost all of 'em good.
After the walk we returned to our initial gathering place for dessert. (Is there any way to fix cheescake so it ain't great?) Some of our crowd went home at that time, but there was a "Cruise night" going on at "The Suds", and several of us decided the night was still young. Max went and got his Harley dresser and accompanied Tom and I to The Suds, and several others drove their cars. The good weather meant a great crowd was in attendance and there were some amazing cars (and bikes) to be seen. I think there was only ONE Moto Guzzi there though!
Sunday.
Third verse, same as the first and second, weather-wise.
On the road again at Noon I drove back past my old home, then took a ride through some of the other areas that were important to me as a kid. As you might imagine, much of the area is just unrecognizable, and tugs at my heart. The time/temp reading on "The Farmer's Mercantile Bank" in Bloomington Indiana said 1:56 P.M./ 91 degrees. This is October?!!
But headed home I had plenty of time to stay on the two-laners and avoid the "texters". I found the engine spins quickly and easily to redline and sounds neat doing it. On one isolated stretch I saw 100 mph on the speedo as I clicked the shifter into 5th gear and let off the throttle, the bike still accelerating hard.
I got home just at dark, Sara Jean pointing to her watch and wagging her finger as I slipped Pizza Bike into its berth in the garage.
Total mileage for the weekend, including the trip to The Suds... about 615.
The verdict?
I like it.
I'm ready to go again.
Wanta come along?
But I continue to be amazed at how strongly it pulls at low rpm...
It's making a ton of torque even at idle, so if you can just get the clutch out without killing the engine the bike WILL pull away strongly. It's not too uncomfortable, but the engine does vibrate until you reach 2500 rpm or so. Then it pretty much smooths out. Sixty mph gets you about 4000 rpm, and with the redline on the tach at 8000 the bike is just loafing.
The windshield is about 3 inches too short. The wind coming over it hits me about mid-faceshield and therefore makes the world a windy/noisy place. It's not horrible, and the fairings and windshield do protect almost all my body from the buffeting, so I can learn to live with this.
I stopped almost immediately for fuel, then stopped again 190 miles later. The pump registered 4.6 gallons when the tank was full at the second stop, so Pizza Bike is getting about 42 mpg in mixed town/country driving. I was hoping for more, but I'm hearing that's about average for these machines.
When I checked my watch at my second refueling stop I realized I was gonna have trouble reaching my destination before dark if I didn't pick up the pace, so I gave up on the two-laners and headed out on the Interstate highway.
Hoosiers are kinda renowned for driving like Mario Andretti and this late-Friday afternoon was no surprise. Just staying with traffic had the speedo registering 82 mph and Pizza Bike was perfectly happy rolling along at that speed. The only concern I had (and HAVE) is that most of the females that passed me either had a phone to their ear or they had the phone down near their laps texting on it...
I'm driving 82 miles an hour on this steel horse while folks in 2-ton boxes are paying partial attention to the road while passing me! (Note to self... avoid Interstate highways as much as possible.)
I arrived at my destination about half an hour before sunset... perfect. Four hours and two beers later I was in a comfortable bed with good memories of the 289 miles I had driven...
My butt was a little sore, but otherwise I felt surprisingly good.
Saturday weather, again was perfect. Fifteen schoolmates showed up for our walk through our old stomping grounds. We ate a great meal before the walk, then drove to our old haunts. Friend Thomas and I rode our bikes... he on his Triumph Thruxton 900cc cafe racer with straight pipes. (It makes a lovely noise.) Folks in "The Valley" were surprised to see 15 senior-ish people walking down the road pointing and chatting with one another. Several came out to see what was goin' on and smiled when we told them we knew who lived in their homes fifty years ago. (One even said "Yeah, I know, their name is still on the mailbox!) Many memories were stirred... almost all of 'em good.
After the walk we returned to our initial gathering place for dessert. (Is there any way to fix cheescake so it ain't great?) Some of our crowd went home at that time, but there was a "Cruise night" going on at "The Suds", and several of us decided the night was still young. Max went and got his Harley dresser and accompanied Tom and I to The Suds, and several others drove their cars. The good weather meant a great crowd was in attendance and there were some amazing cars (and bikes) to be seen. I think there was only ONE Moto Guzzi there though!
Sunday.
Third verse, same as the first and second, weather-wise.
On the road again at Noon I drove back past my old home, then took a ride through some of the other areas that were important to me as a kid. As you might imagine, much of the area is just unrecognizable, and tugs at my heart. The time/temp reading on "The Farmer's Mercantile Bank" in Bloomington Indiana said 1:56 P.M./ 91 degrees. This is October?!!
But headed home I had plenty of time to stay on the two-laners and avoid the "texters". I found the engine spins quickly and easily to redline and sounds neat doing it. On one isolated stretch I saw 100 mph on the speedo as I clicked the shifter into 5th gear and let off the throttle, the bike still accelerating hard.
I got home just at dark, Sara Jean pointing to her watch and wagging her finger as I slipped Pizza Bike into its berth in the garage.
Total mileage for the weekend, including the trip to The Suds... about 615.
The verdict?
I like it.
I'm ready to go again.
Wanta come along?
08 October 2010
Precious Metals, October 8, 2010
Silver last week: $22.17.
Silver this week: $23.24.
This rise in price is NOT really a rise in the value of Silver. It IS an indication of the value of our greenbacks going into the toilet.
Are you prepared?
Silver this week: $23.24.
This rise in price is NOT really a rise in the value of Silver. It IS an indication of the value of our greenbacks going into the toilet.
Are you prepared?
"The Valley"
I grew up in a rural area South of Indianapolis Indiana. Even though homes to house "Baby Boomer" families were springing up everywhere there was still a "village" feel about our community, much like what you've seen on "The Waltons" TV series. As kids we all knew there were always adult eyes watching us (and watching out FOR us) from behind most every window. If we got into mischief we could be pretty sure our parents would know the details of our shenanigans before we arrived home.
The heart of my world then was "The Valley". The bulk of my "Indianapolis News" newspaper customers were there... older homes and many older residents interspersed with families raising kids... lots of kids. The Valley had a tiny grocery store and an even tinier Variety Store... both were places I'd take refuge to warm my cold extremities near a pot-bellied stove while delivering newspapers on sub-20 degree days.
I had a personal relationship with most every resident there. "The Valley" was an extended family for us all.
Today I'm gonna mount the Pizza Bike and drive most of the day home.
I'm spending the weekend in Indiana with an old classmate I've known nearly 60 years and tomorrow, along with several other schoolmates and "Valley" family members, we're gonna walk down through our old community and share memories. Just thinking about it makes me a little melancholy, 'cause our old stomping grounds have changed pretty dramatically over the years. But the weather is forecast to be near perfect for my ride to and from, and for the memory walk.
I hope your weekend is filled with love and near perfect weather too.
I'll have details for you later.
The heart of my world then was "The Valley". The bulk of my "Indianapolis News" newspaper customers were there... older homes and many older residents interspersed with families raising kids... lots of kids. The Valley had a tiny grocery store and an even tinier Variety Store... both were places I'd take refuge to warm my cold extremities near a pot-bellied stove while delivering newspapers on sub-20 degree days.
I had a personal relationship with most every resident there. "The Valley" was an extended family for us all.
Today I'm gonna mount the Pizza Bike and drive most of the day home.
I'm spending the weekend in Indiana with an old classmate I've known nearly 60 years and tomorrow, along with several other schoolmates and "Valley" family members, we're gonna walk down through our old community and share memories. Just thinking about it makes me a little melancholy, 'cause our old stomping grounds have changed pretty dramatically over the years. But the weather is forecast to be near perfect for my ride to and from, and for the memory walk.
I hope your weekend is filled with love and near perfect weather too.
I'll have details for you later.
07 October 2010
Booger Eating Morons
In front of God and everyone else he buried his finger to the first knuckle and probed the depths of his nostril, then removed it and studied the sample stuck between his fingernail and finger. Even from a distance I could tell he had "mined" quite a prize.
Then, to my astonishment, he stuck the green/yellow mess into his mouth and chewed it with a satisfied look on his face.
"You DIDN'T really do that in front of me, did you?"
Shocked out of his reverie as if he had forgotten anyone else could be watching he said, "What?"
"How could you do that? I didn't realize you were a Booger-eating moron!"
Sheephish look on his face...
"I like 'em. They're salty."
"Do you have any idea what you're eating when you eat those?"
No answer. He's smart enough to know he doesn't want to hear what I'm about to say...
"Let's say you go into a bathroom immediately after someone else has just had a HUGE bowel movement and the air still carries the remnants of that event. The reason you can smell what they have just done is because tiny bits of fecal matter are entering your nose and being filtered out. That stuff, and everything else you smell, ends up in the mucous in your nasal passages, which dries and becomes the stuff you so anxiously search for when you bury your finger in your nose. It's disgusting to think what else is in that 'salty' tidbit you're nibbling on."
"Yeah, I guess that's right".
And he turned and walked away.
I haven't seen him do it lately, but I think that's mostly because he's more careful about when and where he does his "treasure hunting".
Ugh.
Then, to my astonishment, he stuck the green/yellow mess into his mouth and chewed it with a satisfied look on his face.
"You DIDN'T really do that in front of me, did you?"
Shocked out of his reverie as if he had forgotten anyone else could be watching he said, "What?"
"How could you do that? I didn't realize you were a Booger-eating moron!"
Sheephish look on his face...
"I like 'em. They're salty."
"Do you have any idea what you're eating when you eat those?"
No answer. He's smart enough to know he doesn't want to hear what I'm about to say...
"Let's say you go into a bathroom immediately after someone else has just had a HUGE bowel movement and the air still carries the remnants of that event. The reason you can smell what they have just done is because tiny bits of fecal matter are entering your nose and being filtered out. That stuff, and everything else you smell, ends up in the mucous in your nasal passages, which dries and becomes the stuff you so anxiously search for when you bury your finger in your nose. It's disgusting to think what else is in that 'salty' tidbit you're nibbling on."
"Yeah, I guess that's right".
And he turned and walked away.
I haven't seen him do it lately, but I think that's mostly because he's more careful about when and where he does his "treasure hunting".
Ugh.
05 October 2010
Dognose
Mom noticed it first. We had a Labrador Retriever and he would not be satisfied until he had checked you out, and he was pretty insistent about it...
He wanted to smell your breath. He'd come up close to you and stick his nose in your direction. We learned to exhale toward him and watch him inhale and sample the smells there, and then he'd walk away satisfied.
It's been my experience that most dogs will do this...
When I come home from work and sit in my recliner, Lucy and Yogi will come stand on my chest and look at me in expectation until I gently exhale in their direction. Then, like they've completed an important task, they'll relax and curl up in my lap.
Experts say most dog's noses are 10,000 times as sensitive as ours, and bloodhounds even more sensitive than that. We know dogs can sniff out cancer, can sense an oncoming seizure in someone with epilepsy, can smell a cadaver under 30 feet of water.
I tried to do a little research on the subject and found this comment. That answer really tells me nothing, but it verifies that others are experiencing what Mom first noticed so many years ago.
I want someone to learn to speak with dogs so they can tell us how much they learn by smelling our smells.
I bet it'd be spooky what they could tell us.
He wanted to smell your breath. He'd come up close to you and stick his nose in your direction. We learned to exhale toward him and watch him inhale and sample the smells there, and then he'd walk away satisfied.
It's been my experience that most dogs will do this...
When I come home from work and sit in my recliner, Lucy and Yogi will come stand on my chest and look at me in expectation until I gently exhale in their direction. Then, like they've completed an important task, they'll relax and curl up in my lap.
Experts say most dog's noses are 10,000 times as sensitive as ours, and bloodhounds even more sensitive than that. We know dogs can sniff out cancer, can sense an oncoming seizure in someone with epilepsy, can smell a cadaver under 30 feet of water.
I tried to do a little research on the subject and found this comment. That answer really tells me nothing, but it verifies that others are experiencing what Mom first noticed so many years ago.
I want someone to learn to speak with dogs so they can tell us how much they learn by smelling our smells.
I bet it'd be spooky what they could tell us.
04 October 2010
Hoosier Boys. Bad Boys
Surprise, surprise! I'm uneducated and ignorant.
You are too, apparently.
(Read the comment there... laugh out loud funny!)
02 October 2010
Pizza Bike, Initial Thoughts.
I'm at work typing this, and I rode the bike to work this evening.
I've now ridden the bike 187 miles, legally and otherwise.
Impressions:
I like it, but it's not perfect.
Pluses...
Guzzistas call the bikes "Torque Monsters". This engine pulls strongly from 1000 rpm in every gear. At twenty mph in top gear the tachometer indicates exactly 1000 rpm. Twist the throttle and Pizza Bike simply accelerates. No strange vibrations, no complaints. Amazing. On the road you can settle into 5th gear and pretty much leave it there. There's just not much need to shift unless you come to a stop.
It handles well. It feels quite heavy at slow speeds, but that feeling goes away at about 15 mph. The bike feels very comfortable being hustled through corners, and I know my comfort level will only widen as I get to know the bike better.
It's apparently getting pretty decent fuel mileage. The tank holds four gallons and with 187 miles on the tripmeter it's getting better than 50 mpg, although I have to admit I've been dawdling with it at fairly low speeds and I haven't yet accelerated hard with the machine. I plan to fill the tank in the morning and will then know the exact fuel burn figure.
It thumps quietly and I like the sound of it. There is a slight low-frequency vibration in the handgrips that is not at all unpleasant, and even that settles down above 65 mph.
Minuses...
It's cold natured and must be choked for quite a while before it's willing to run smoothly.
The upshift from first to second must be REALLY positive, and it seems like a long pull. I've found neutral more often than I would like.
Even though I'm only 5'9" tall, my knees come perilously close to the fairing just aft of the cylinders. I've heard this complaint from taller riders but didn't expect to ever hit my knees on the fairing, and I have bumped my knees against the fairing a couple times, particularly with Sara Jean along.
I hate the mirrors. They are too close to the bike's centerline and I cannot see what's goin' on directly behind me. I'm gonna look into adding a mirror to the end of the left handgrip to fix that problem.
My hand tires pretty quickly from holding the throttle on. I'm sure part of this is because it's been so long since I've ridden, but I'm still gonna look into a friction/cruise control device pretty quick.
I wish the bike had a steering lock. It doesn't.
The seat on every other bike I've owned can be opened and rotated on a hinge to give you access to battery and storage beneath the seat. The seat on Pizza Bike comes completely off with the push of a button, and then you have a fairly large seat in your hand...
What do you do with it now? I wish the seat was hinged.
So overall, I'm pretty delighted with the machine. I'll give it a year to make a real impression on me, but unless it becomes a maintenance nightmare, (and with Guzzi's reputation that's unlikely considering this machine is well past the "breaking-in" point), I think I'm going to like Pizza Bike a lot.
I'll be updating you as we get to know one another better.
UPDATED:
I was surprised when I refueled the bike this morning as I watched the meter sail past 4 gallons and register almost five before the pump clicked off. It's got a FIVE gallon tank! The bike burned 4.6 gallons of fuel to travel 188 miles. So it's not getting 50 mpg as I thought.
I've now ridden the bike 187 miles, legally and otherwise.
Impressions:
I like it, but it's not perfect.
Pluses...
Guzzistas call the bikes "Torque Monsters". This engine pulls strongly from 1000 rpm in every gear. At twenty mph in top gear the tachometer indicates exactly 1000 rpm. Twist the throttle and Pizza Bike simply accelerates. No strange vibrations, no complaints. Amazing. On the road you can settle into 5th gear and pretty much leave it there. There's just not much need to shift unless you come to a stop.
It handles well. It feels quite heavy at slow speeds, but that feeling goes away at about 15 mph. The bike feels very comfortable being hustled through corners, and I know my comfort level will only widen as I get to know the bike better.
It's apparently getting pretty decent fuel mileage. The tank holds four gallons and with 187 miles on the tripmeter it's getting better than 50 mpg, although I have to admit I've been dawdling with it at fairly low speeds and I haven't yet accelerated hard with the machine. I plan to fill the tank in the morning and will then know the exact fuel burn figure.
It thumps quietly and I like the sound of it. There is a slight low-frequency vibration in the handgrips that is not at all unpleasant, and even that settles down above 65 mph.
Minuses...
It's cold natured and must be choked for quite a while before it's willing to run smoothly.
The upshift from first to second must be REALLY positive, and it seems like a long pull. I've found neutral more often than I would like.
Even though I'm only 5'9" tall, my knees come perilously close to the fairing just aft of the cylinders. I've heard this complaint from taller riders but didn't expect to ever hit my knees on the fairing, and I have bumped my knees against the fairing a couple times, particularly with Sara Jean along.
I hate the mirrors. They are too close to the bike's centerline and I cannot see what's goin' on directly behind me. I'm gonna look into adding a mirror to the end of the left handgrip to fix that problem.
My hand tires pretty quickly from holding the throttle on. I'm sure part of this is because it's been so long since I've ridden, but I'm still gonna look into a friction/cruise control device pretty quick.
I wish the bike had a steering lock. It doesn't.
The seat on every other bike I've owned can be opened and rotated on a hinge to give you access to battery and storage beneath the seat. The seat on Pizza Bike comes completely off with the push of a button, and then you have a fairly large seat in your hand...
What do you do with it now? I wish the seat was hinged.
So overall, I'm pretty delighted with the machine. I'll give it a year to make a real impression on me, but unless it becomes a maintenance nightmare, (and with Guzzi's reputation that's unlikely considering this machine is well past the "breaking-in" point), I think I'm going to like Pizza Bike a lot.
I'll be updating you as we get to know one another better.
UPDATED:
I was surprised when I refueled the bike this morning as I watched the meter sail past 4 gallons and register almost five before the pump clicked off. It's got a FIVE gallon tank! The bike burned 4.6 gallons of fuel to travel 188 miles. So it's not getting 50 mpg as I thought.
01 October 2010
"Field Grade" Weather
As "Company Grade" Officers it's a term we used to make fun of our superiors...
Our Field Grade Aviators would wait until there wasn't a cloud within 500 miles to come out and fly to meet their annual minimums. We're experiencing that kind of weather in the Midwest right now...
Clear skies, light winds, temps in the mid- 70's.
I received my Certificate of completion for my Motorcycle Safety Foundation course on Wednesday. This morning on my way home from work I stopped off at the DMV and showed them the certificate, handed over my operator's license and 10 smackeroos, and the nice lady there handed over a new license that says "Class D/M" at the bottom.
I called USAA last week to get insurance in force on the bike. They surprised me by punting me over to "Progressive Insurance" for the coverage, and I later called USAA back and complained about the fact that Progressive overwhelmingly supported Dimocrats in the last election and that I was unhappy doing business with them. Not surprisingly, the folks at USAA said others had said the same thing and they were reviewing their decision to insure MC's through Progressive. But as is almost always the case with USAA, the premium cost was LOW, so I went ahead and had them activate the policy. I'll stay on top of the situation and see if we can do business with a more favorable company next year.
But tonight I'll roll Pizza Bike out and drive it to work, insured and legal.
Perfect weather for the ride, and I probably won't even have to wash bugs off the windscreen.
Wonderful.
Our Field Grade Aviators would wait until there wasn't a cloud within 500 miles to come out and fly to meet their annual minimums. We're experiencing that kind of weather in the Midwest right now...
Clear skies, light winds, temps in the mid- 70's.
I received my Certificate of completion for my Motorcycle Safety Foundation course on Wednesday. This morning on my way home from work I stopped off at the DMV and showed them the certificate, handed over my operator's license and 10 smackeroos, and the nice lady there handed over a new license that says "Class D/M" at the bottom.
I called USAA last week to get insurance in force on the bike. They surprised me by punting me over to "Progressive Insurance" for the coverage, and I later called USAA back and complained about the fact that Progressive overwhelmingly supported Dimocrats in the last election and that I was unhappy doing business with them. Not surprisingly, the folks at USAA said others had said the same thing and they were reviewing their decision to insure MC's through Progressive. But as is almost always the case with USAA, the premium cost was LOW, so I went ahead and had them activate the policy. I'll stay on top of the situation and see if we can do business with a more favorable company next year.
But tonight I'll roll Pizza Bike out and drive it to work, insured and legal.
Perfect weather for the ride, and I probably won't even have to wash bugs off the windscreen.
Wonderful.
30 September 2010
Jackboot World
This is happening MUCH too often these days.
I hope it gets painfully expensive for those who have forgotten they're supposed "To Protect and Serve."
I hope it gets painfully expensive for those who have forgotten they're supposed "To Protect and Serve."
27 September 2010
Metals, 26 Sep 10
Silver is at $21.50/oz. at last check. That's a 2.5% increase in less than a week.
Gold is still in record territory.
Has everyone else finally awakened to the coming fiasco?
Gold is still in record territory.
Has everyone else finally awakened to the coming fiasco?
Serpico, Et. Al.
As a former law enforcement officer I know our Police are continually looking at an ugly side of our world. Dealing with angry, drunk, frustrated people all the time makes the job difficult. Taking into consideration that even the most routine traffic stop is a potentially fatal situation, it's no wonder our law enforcement personnel fall into the category of having the highest suicide statistics of most jobs. Still, if you choose to work in L.E., you should try your darndest to do the job to the best of your ability and not take advantage of the situation, lest you become a crook yourself.
Are you, like me, troubled by some of the stuff we're now seeing on the news?
A motorcyclist in Maryland gets stopped for speeding... (granted, he was apparently exceeding 100 miles per hour), and the (unmarked car-plain clothes) officer who stopped him is captured on the biker's helmetcam brandishing a gun at him. Then the biker is arrested for "illegally" filming the officer!
This is happening elsewhere too...
A lady, also in Maryland I think, was threatened by Police when they saw her videotaping them questioning a suspect on the street in front of her home.
And then there are the shootings...
An off-duty Marine is accosted and shot by Police in Las Vegas. Now there are troubling reports that Police there have been involved in a cover-up.
How are these actions greatly different from what history has shown us about similar Gestapo-like tactics used by totalitarian governments we defeated in the cold war?
Our Police do a VERY difficult job, one that most of us have no desire to do, and therefore they deserve our support and gratitude.
They also need to take a now-and-then close look at their attitude, and re-read the oath they swore when they first put on the badge. If they no longer feel the same way about doing the job as when they first started, they can no longer do the job properly and need to find work elsewhere.
Updated:
I'm mistaken about him being an off-duty Marine.
He's a graduate of West Point.
Related-
Logic and reason prevail? Wiretapping charges against the motorcyclist have been dropped.
Are you, like me, troubled by some of the stuff we're now seeing on the news?
A motorcyclist in Maryland gets stopped for speeding... (granted, he was apparently exceeding 100 miles per hour), and the (unmarked car-plain clothes) officer who stopped him is captured on the biker's helmetcam brandishing a gun at him. Then the biker is arrested for "illegally" filming the officer!
This is happening elsewhere too...
A lady, also in Maryland I think, was threatened by Police when they saw her videotaping them questioning a suspect on the street in front of her home.
And then there are the shootings...
An off-duty Marine is accosted and shot by Police in Las Vegas. Now there are troubling reports that Police there have been involved in a cover-up.
How are these actions greatly different from what history has shown us about similar Gestapo-like tactics used by totalitarian governments we defeated in the cold war?
Our Police do a VERY difficult job, one that most of us have no desire to do, and therefore they deserve our support and gratitude.
They also need to take a now-and-then close look at their attitude, and re-read the oath they swore when they first put on the badge. If they no longer feel the same way about doing the job as when they first started, they can no longer do the job properly and need to find work elsewhere.
Updated:
I'm mistaken about him being an off-duty Marine.
He's a graduate of West Point.
Related-
Logic and reason prevail? Wiretapping charges against the motorcyclist have been dropped.
Missing
A couple of ya have written expressing concern for my whereabouts. Thank you, but I'm okay... I'm just recovering.
The last couple weeks have been tough on this old bag-O-bones. Lots of extra days at work to cover other guy's vacations. An extra day for mandatory BK ground school. And I've picked up a new student... Tim, my UPS delivery guy, who is now lurking here. Hi Tim!
Tim couldn't help but notice a few packages coming from "Sporty's Pilot Shop" among all those QVC packages, and being a commercial, multi-engine, instrument pilot himself, of course he had to ask. When he found out I was a helicopter instructor he decided to check off another item from his "bucket list". (Tim is also a radio-controlled helicopter pilot, so he's taking to the real thing like a duck to water. He's already hovering with only 2 hours in his new helicopter logbook1"
But getting back to my absence here at "Pitchpull"...
I'll soon be able to drive the Pizza Bike legally.
I spent this weekend attending the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's "Basic Rider Course". Folks who have never ridden a motorcycle (but know how to ride a bicycle), can walk into this course and, after passing the practical skills and written tests, walk out with a certificate to take to the DMV to add the "M" for motorcycle to their regular operator's license.
My course was scheduled for Friday night, all day Saturday, and all day Sunday... 29 hours!
Having ridden for almost 30 years I wondered what I would learn in a "Basic" rider's course, and walked in Friday night wondering if I'd be bored to death. I needn't have worried. About half the class of 36 folks were in the same boat with me...
Experienced riders looking to get their licenses so they could ride legally and insured.
Friday night was spent doing the initial sign-up paperwork, receiving the course study guide, and as a class, answering a few of the questions for the final written exam. Those of us that wanted to use our own helmets also had to show them to confirm they were D.O.T. approved.
Saturday morning we had to park a considerable distance from the course grounds because the instructors wanted the whole parking lot to be vacant. When I got out of the car I was struck by the sound...
Like a HUGE beehive humming. When I finally was able to see what was going on I could see 36 Honda CB 125t's lined up, all running to warm their engines for that day's class. They looked something like this:
You can't tell from the photo, but that ain't a big bike folks...
It truly is almost a bicycle with an engine. But it isn't a toy. It's capable of going close to 60 m.p.h..
They shut the bikes down and called the group together, then divided the class into three groups of 12 each and showed us how the big parking lot was divided into three "ranges". We were then each assigned a bike and were told to walk it to our assigned range. There, the practical instruction started.
And as you can imagine in a course that is teaching folks who have NEVER ridden a motorcycle, it was BASIC!
The first exercise taught us how the clutch works and how to use the "friction zone"...
The area in the clutch travel between where the engine is fully disengaged from the rear wheel to where it is fully engaged. In first gear, we were to release just enough clutch travel to allow the bike to move slowly forward to the point where our boots were on our toes, then we were to pull the lever back in and roll the bike back until our toes were pointed straight up, then let the clutch out again until our toes were again pointed straight down...
We did this for five minutes, and my thoughts were, "This may be a LONNNNNNNNNNG weekend!"
But soon we were riding the perimeter of our "range" in first gear. We then shut our bikes down in an area designated for our range and returned to the classroom for more study on test questions. That's the way the whole weekend went...
A little practical work on the bikes, then a little written test preparation in the classroom.
By Saturday afternoon we were no longer doing boring stuff... we were doing exercises that actually took a degree of skill to properly accomplish. I could see the value of the instruction and was glad to be part of the class.
Saturday night I went to bed early and got a good night's sleep.
Sunday morning when I got out of the car, the sound I heard was not bees, but WASPS...
We had graduated from 125cc bikes to 200cc bikes...
Still relatively small, but genuine, serious motorcycles.
Now the practical exercises got more difficult.
We repeated one we had done that had worried me on the little 125...
You had to drive into a 20X40 box painted on the lot, through a designated gate, drive to the end of the box, then do a "figure 8" in the box before leaving at a designated gate at the opposite end. Maximum test points could be earned by not putting your foot down, and not touching the painted lines designating the boundaries of the box.
It's not easy to do.
But it was actually easier to do on the bigger bikes than it was on the little Hondas.
And so it went...
Practical exercises on the bikes...
Panic stops... Using both brakes to stop in the shortest possible distance while also downshifting from second to first gear.
Swerving.
Accelerating out of corners while staying within a 3-foot painted arc.
More figure 8's.
Then more work in the classroom.
Finally, for 15 minutes we were allowed to work on individual areas we wanted to practice on before the practical test. I worked mainly on figure 8's and panic stops.
Each of the three ranges had two instructors that conducted the test, and it took about half an hour. At the end of the test we all had a pretty good idea how well we had done... we knew what was expected of us. But we didn't know if we had done well enough to not lose enough points to pass.
The written test consisted of 50 multiple-choice questions and was not difficult if you had been paying close attention to the classroom review. Most questions had been thoroughly gone over during class time.
After the written test we were given a break while the tests were graded. When we were called back into the classroom we were given our tests with the results from both the practical and written exams marked at the top.
I did very well on both... not perfect, but very well.
My certificate will be in the mail this week and when I receive it I'll immediately be headed to the DMV to add the "M" to my operator's license.
Would I recommend this course?
You bet. As a matter of fact, I'd recommend it to anyone who ever thought they MIGHT have an interest in motorcycles.
Four or five folks crashed during our "practical" work. They weren't crashing their own machine, and they weren't risking skinning up their own helmet.
Even the most experienced of us learned a few things in this class.
Me? I now have much more confidence in my ability to control the bike at REALLY slow speeds... a skill I was somewhat weak on.
My guess is that about 2/3rds of the class successfully passed the course. In our State if you fail the course you can retake it at no charge. Many I talked with were dismayed at the idea of having to devote another weekend to another attempt at passing, but they had improved so much from when they started, they knew they'd likely pass on another attempt. (One gal in my group was a return student, and was grinning from ear to ear when she got her results... SUCCESS!)
So, that's behind me.
My bike is insured.
I'll very soon have a legal license to drive it.
I'm gonna take John Kay's advice and "Get your motor runnin', Get out on the highway!"
The last couple weeks have been tough on this old bag-O-bones. Lots of extra days at work to cover other guy's vacations. An extra day for mandatory BK ground school. And I've picked up a new student... Tim, my UPS delivery guy, who is now lurking here. Hi Tim!
Tim couldn't help but notice a few packages coming from "Sporty's Pilot Shop" among all those QVC packages, and being a commercial, multi-engine, instrument pilot himself, of course he had to ask. When he found out I was a helicopter instructor he decided to check off another item from his "bucket list". (Tim is also a radio-controlled helicopter pilot, so he's taking to the real thing like a duck to water. He's already hovering with only 2 hours in his new helicopter logbook1"
But getting back to my absence here at "Pitchpull"...
I'll soon be able to drive the Pizza Bike legally.
I spent this weekend attending the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's "Basic Rider Course". Folks who have never ridden a motorcycle (but know how to ride a bicycle), can walk into this course and, after passing the practical skills and written tests, walk out with a certificate to take to the DMV to add the "M" for motorcycle to their regular operator's license.
My course was scheduled for Friday night, all day Saturday, and all day Sunday... 29 hours!
Having ridden for almost 30 years I wondered what I would learn in a "Basic" rider's course, and walked in Friday night wondering if I'd be bored to death. I needn't have worried. About half the class of 36 folks were in the same boat with me...
Experienced riders looking to get their licenses so they could ride legally and insured.
Friday night was spent doing the initial sign-up paperwork, receiving the course study guide, and as a class, answering a few of the questions for the final written exam. Those of us that wanted to use our own helmets also had to show them to confirm they were D.O.T. approved.
Saturday morning we had to park a considerable distance from the course grounds because the instructors wanted the whole parking lot to be vacant. When I got out of the car I was struck by the sound...
Like a HUGE beehive humming. When I finally was able to see what was going on I could see 36 Honda CB 125t's lined up, all running to warm their engines for that day's class. They looked something like this:
You can't tell from the photo, but that ain't a big bike folks...
It truly is almost a bicycle with an engine. But it isn't a toy. It's capable of going close to 60 m.p.h..
They shut the bikes down and called the group together, then divided the class into three groups of 12 each and showed us how the big parking lot was divided into three "ranges". We were then each assigned a bike and were told to walk it to our assigned range. There, the practical instruction started.
And as you can imagine in a course that is teaching folks who have NEVER ridden a motorcycle, it was BASIC!
The first exercise taught us how the clutch works and how to use the "friction zone"...
The area in the clutch travel between where the engine is fully disengaged from the rear wheel to where it is fully engaged. In first gear, we were to release just enough clutch travel to allow the bike to move slowly forward to the point where our boots were on our toes, then we were to pull the lever back in and roll the bike back until our toes were pointed straight up, then let the clutch out again until our toes were again pointed straight down...
We did this for five minutes, and my thoughts were, "This may be a LONNNNNNNNNNG weekend!"
But soon we were riding the perimeter of our "range" in first gear. We then shut our bikes down in an area designated for our range and returned to the classroom for more study on test questions. That's the way the whole weekend went...
A little practical work on the bikes, then a little written test preparation in the classroom.
By Saturday afternoon we were no longer doing boring stuff... we were doing exercises that actually took a degree of skill to properly accomplish. I could see the value of the instruction and was glad to be part of the class.
Saturday night I went to bed early and got a good night's sleep.
Sunday morning when I got out of the car, the sound I heard was not bees, but WASPS...
We had graduated from 125cc bikes to 200cc bikes...
Still relatively small, but genuine, serious motorcycles.
Now the practical exercises got more difficult.
We repeated one we had done that had worried me on the little 125...
You had to drive into a 20X40 box painted on the lot, through a designated gate, drive to the end of the box, then do a "figure 8" in the box before leaving at a designated gate at the opposite end. Maximum test points could be earned by not putting your foot down, and not touching the painted lines designating the boundaries of the box.
It's not easy to do.
But it was actually easier to do on the bigger bikes than it was on the little Hondas.
And so it went...
Practical exercises on the bikes...
Panic stops... Using both brakes to stop in the shortest possible distance while also downshifting from second to first gear.
Swerving.
Accelerating out of corners while staying within a 3-foot painted arc.
More figure 8's.
Then more work in the classroom.
Finally, for 15 minutes we were allowed to work on individual areas we wanted to practice on before the practical test. I worked mainly on figure 8's and panic stops.
Each of the three ranges had two instructors that conducted the test, and it took about half an hour. At the end of the test we all had a pretty good idea how well we had done... we knew what was expected of us. But we didn't know if we had done well enough to not lose enough points to pass.
The written test consisted of 50 multiple-choice questions and was not difficult if you had been paying close attention to the classroom review. Most questions had been thoroughly gone over during class time.
After the written test we were given a break while the tests were graded. When we were called back into the classroom we were given our tests with the results from both the practical and written exams marked at the top.
I did very well on both... not perfect, but very well.
My certificate will be in the mail this week and when I receive it I'll immediately be headed to the DMV to add the "M" to my operator's license.
Would I recommend this course?
You bet. As a matter of fact, I'd recommend it to anyone who ever thought they MIGHT have an interest in motorcycles.
Four or five folks crashed during our "practical" work. They weren't crashing their own machine, and they weren't risking skinning up their own helmet.
Even the most experienced of us learned a few things in this class.
Me? I now have much more confidence in my ability to control the bike at REALLY slow speeds... a skill I was somewhat weak on.
My guess is that about 2/3rds of the class successfully passed the course. In our State if you fail the course you can retake it at no charge. Many I talked with were dismayed at the idea of having to devote another weekend to another attempt at passing, but they had improved so much from when they started, they knew they'd likely pass on another attempt. (One gal in my group was a return student, and was grinning from ear to ear when she got her results... SUCCESS!)
So, that's behind me.
My bike is insured.
I'll very soon have a legal license to drive it.
I'm gonna take John Kay's advice and "Get your motor runnin', Get out on the highway!"
24 September 2010
"The Art of Compromise"
Rich vs. Poor.
Blacks vs. Whites
Hispanics vs. Whites.
Hispanics vs. Vietnamese.
Business vs. Government.
The U.S.A. vs. the World.
This administration has just about all the "stirrable" pots stirred.
Did I miss any?
Can you think of a time in history when the Nation was more divided?
Blacks vs. Whites
Hispanics vs. Whites.
Hispanics vs. Vietnamese.
Business vs. Government.
The U.S.A. vs. the World.
This administration has just about all the "stirrable" pots stirred.
Did I miss any?
Can you think of a time in history when the Nation was more divided?
22 September 2010
21 September 2010
"Sumdood" In Europe Nails It-
A quote from a European who is now personally experiencing "Social Democracy" there...
"The danger to America is not Barack Obama but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the presidency. It will be easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to an electorate willing to have such a man for their president."
And that is what fills my heart with sadness.
Loved ones I thought were perceptive voted for this guy.
Friends I thought had higher than average intelligence voted for this guy.
Now they are SHOCKED!
SHOCKED at the path he has taken the country down.
(At least they have a clue. Some are still trying to defend his Marxism as best for the country.)
{Sigh.}
"The danger to America is not Barack Obama but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the presidency. It will be easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to an electorate willing to have such a man for their president."
And that is what fills my heart with sadness.
Loved ones I thought were perceptive voted for this guy.
Friends I thought had higher than average intelligence voted for this guy.
Now they are SHOCKED!
SHOCKED at the path he has taken the country down.
(At least they have a clue. Some are still trying to defend his Marxism as best for the country.)
{Sigh.}
20 September 2010
"My Trip To Al-Qaeda"
19 September 2010
Two-Faced
We're onto 'em. (Well, many of us anyway.)
More and more, we've begun to have our eyes opened to the fact we're playing a game with Muslims, whose value system is totally different from ours. Lying? To a Muslim, lying is only a sin if it's done to another Muslim.
Heck, it's not a sin even then if it furthers the goal of striving toward the new Caliphate and the 12th Imam. What's MOST interesting to me is surveying who has seen the light, and who has not. Seems to me, the folks who haven't a clue are those who are most rabidly anti-Christian. While trying to seem like they're anti-religion, they know it's perfectly safe to attack benign Christians, and they do it with impunity.
Women? Ha! "Peace loving" women are the worst, and by appeasing women-hating Muslims, are gonna be the death of us!
But will they express horror at the fact that Dearborn Michigan seems to now be ruled by Sharia law?
Surely you jest! Only the trouble-making Christians seem to be pointing out the double standard there.
Some years ago I flew an AStar for a company that volunteered that aircraft for use by powerful city, State, and National politicians who could "scratch the company's back". I'd ferry these pols from one campaign or speaking event to another, and got to watch them "up close and personal".
It was amazing to watch them work a crowd, smiling and shaking hands with one constituent and agreeing that we needed to fix a problem by working to remove "A" and install "B",
then working another part of the room and promising another constituent that he would do everything within his power to insure "B" takes precedence over "A".
Politicians...
Prostitutes.
Bald-faced liars.
About a year ago I realized I was passively doing much the same thing...
Socially I would sit and listen to some idiot mouth off about current events and have his facts completely wrong, and I'd bite my tongue and nod my head with a smile, trying to avoid embarrassing the fool and making others around us uncomfortable.
And I watched in horror as my world was slowly being destroyed.
Last year I made the decision I had had enough. I was no longer gonna sit and suffer fools easily. I was gonna start my own one man education process, (and open the door for others to prove me wrong if that was the case). A little over a year has transpired, and you know what?
IT'S BEEN LIBERATING!
I no longer feel dirty. I no longer feel ashamed of myself.
And the factor I never considered when I set out on this quest?
Fools have a tendency to avoid me, so there is much less stress in my life.
Do you like what's happening in your world?
What are you doing about it?
Do folks sit and "talk smack" and assume you agree with them because you're smiling, nodding, and biting your tongue?
How's your blood pressure?
Take my recommendation and see if you don't feel the chains fall away...
Let fools know you're mad as Hell, and you're not gonna take it anymore!
Then stop by and let me know how your quality of life has changed.
Good luck!
More and more, we've begun to have our eyes opened to the fact we're playing a game with Muslims, whose value system is totally different from ours. Lying? To a Muslim, lying is only a sin if it's done to another Muslim.
Heck, it's not a sin even then if it furthers the goal of striving toward the new Caliphate and the 12th Imam. What's MOST interesting to me is surveying who has seen the light, and who has not. Seems to me, the folks who haven't a clue are those who are most rabidly anti-Christian. While trying to seem like they're anti-religion, they know it's perfectly safe to attack benign Christians, and they do it with impunity.
Women? Ha! "Peace loving" women are the worst, and by appeasing women-hating Muslims, are gonna be the death of us!
But will they express horror at the fact that Dearborn Michigan seems to now be ruled by Sharia law?
Surely you jest! Only the trouble-making Christians seem to be pointing out the double standard there.
Some years ago I flew an AStar for a company that volunteered that aircraft for use by powerful city, State, and National politicians who could "scratch the company's back". I'd ferry these pols from one campaign or speaking event to another, and got to watch them "up close and personal".
It was amazing to watch them work a crowd, smiling and shaking hands with one constituent and agreeing that we needed to fix a problem by working to remove "A" and install "B",
then working another part of the room and promising another constituent that he would do everything within his power to insure "B" takes precedence over "A".
Politicians...
Prostitutes.
Bald-faced liars.
About a year ago I realized I was passively doing much the same thing...
Socially I would sit and listen to some idiot mouth off about current events and have his facts completely wrong, and I'd bite my tongue and nod my head with a smile, trying to avoid embarrassing the fool and making others around us uncomfortable.
And I watched in horror as my world was slowly being destroyed.
Last year I made the decision I had had enough. I was no longer gonna sit and suffer fools easily. I was gonna start my own one man education process, (and open the door for others to prove me wrong if that was the case). A little over a year has transpired, and you know what?
IT'S BEEN LIBERATING!
I no longer feel dirty. I no longer feel ashamed of myself.
And the factor I never considered when I set out on this quest?
Fools have a tendency to avoid me, so there is much less stress in my life.
Do you like what's happening in your world?
What are you doing about it?
Do folks sit and "talk smack" and assume you agree with them because you're smiling, nodding, and biting your tongue?
How's your blood pressure?
Take my recommendation and see if you don't feel the chains fall away...
Let fools know you're mad as Hell, and you're not gonna take it anymore!
Then stop by and let me know how your quality of life has changed.
Good luck!
18 September 2010
Engine Configuration, Torque, and Horsepower
You may recall, when I started searching for a motorcycle to put in my garage, I was interested mainly in a bike to use on my commute to and from work. Secondarily, I thought it might be nice if it was big enough and comfortable enough for Sara Jean to hop on and ride along every now and then. Because of an experience I had in the rain several years ago, I made the decision that any bike I buy will either be driven by a belt or a driveshaft. That's not so limiting today as it was a few years ago... most Harleys are belt driven, and most other major manufacturers build at least one shaft-driven bike.
The other consideration in this quest was engine configuration...
For me, bikes with one cylinder vibrate too much for long trips. Some two-cylinder machines vibrate badly, some are smoother. Bikes with three cylinders or more vibrate less, but then you start encountering more complexity and more costs when repairs or preventive maintenance are needed. I started studying different bikes and the options they offered.
My first real motorcycle was a Harley Davidson "Sprint", powered by a single-cylinder 250cc engine. As you can see in the photo at the link, the piston and cylinder were horizontal on this engine. The bike vibrated so badly it fractured the mounting holes on the license plate as I was riding one day. I was lucky that the plate bounced on the pavement a couple times and made a clattering noise so I could go retrieve it. I mounted it upside down with the holes on the bottom of the plate and it fractured and left the bike again, this time making no noise at all. I had to go to the DMV and get a replacement plate, which I mounted on a rubber blanket to resolve the problem.
In High School I rode and loved the Harley Davidson Sportster. At the time, it was sort of the "Sport Bike" in Harley's corral... smaller than their big bikes, but powerful enough to out-accelerate almost everything else on the road.
New Sportsters look like those old bikes but are much improved... they vibrate less, don't leak oil, and you no longer have to risk injury by kicking a lever to bring the engine to life. As you can see in the linked photo, the Sportster has a two-cylinder engine in the form of a "V", with a 45 degree angle between the two cylinders. Old Sportsters vibrated just about as badly as the single-cylinder Sprint. Today's Sportster engines have counterbalancers to negate some of the vibration.
Now I'm gonna rattle on about stuff I only partially understand...
Apparently "felt" vibration in engines is the result of the weight of lots of moving parts rapidly changing direction in the engine. The main vibration you feel is called a "primary vibration". There is also a "secondary vibration" that you can feel. There are tertiary vibrations and so on, but those dwindle to the point of not being discernible. Engine manufacturers worry mainly about primary and secondary vibrations.
Pizza Bike has a two-cylinder V-Twin engine. The V between the cylinders is measured at 90 degrees, so some actually refer to this engine, (and a similar configuration on Ducatis and Aprilias) as "L" twins. These bikes have virtually no primary vibration. There is some secondary vibration that can be felt, but it is MUCH less than the vibration felt on say, a Harley.
The other bike I was considering was the BMW horizontally-opposed twin. Called the "Boxer" engine, vibration is mostly canceled out on this engine because the two pistons move in equal and opposite directions. Here too, there are secondary and other vibrations, but those are minor in nature.
For me it boiled down to this:
I've never owned a BMW or Moto Guzzi. Both bikes have "shaft" final drive systems.
I like the sound of the V-twin over the opposed twin.
My choice was made. Time will tell if my decision was a good one.
But my studies also turned up a fact that I need someone to help me understand.
The following illustrations are horsepower/torque charts, the first is for an Aprilia motorcycle, the second is for a new Corvette. Take a quick look at both:
Now look again at where the torque curve meets the horsepower curve on both charts-
5250 rpm!
Apparently all engines that turn at more than 5250 rpm will have curves that mate up there.
Interesting.
I need someone to explain the "What" and "Why" of that phenomenon, please!
The other consideration in this quest was engine configuration...
For me, bikes with one cylinder vibrate too much for long trips. Some two-cylinder machines vibrate badly, some are smoother. Bikes with three cylinders or more vibrate less, but then you start encountering more complexity and more costs when repairs or preventive maintenance are needed. I started studying different bikes and the options they offered.
My first real motorcycle was a Harley Davidson "Sprint", powered by a single-cylinder 250cc engine. As you can see in the photo at the link, the piston and cylinder were horizontal on this engine. The bike vibrated so badly it fractured the mounting holes on the license plate as I was riding one day. I was lucky that the plate bounced on the pavement a couple times and made a clattering noise so I could go retrieve it. I mounted it upside down with the holes on the bottom of the plate and it fractured and left the bike again, this time making no noise at all. I had to go to the DMV and get a replacement plate, which I mounted on a rubber blanket to resolve the problem.
In High School I rode and loved the Harley Davidson Sportster. At the time, it was sort of the "Sport Bike" in Harley's corral... smaller than their big bikes, but powerful enough to out-accelerate almost everything else on the road.
New Sportsters look like those old bikes but are much improved... they vibrate less, don't leak oil, and you no longer have to risk injury by kicking a lever to bring the engine to life. As you can see in the linked photo, the Sportster has a two-cylinder engine in the form of a "V", with a 45 degree angle between the two cylinders. Old Sportsters vibrated just about as badly as the single-cylinder Sprint. Today's Sportster engines have counterbalancers to negate some of the vibration.
Now I'm gonna rattle on about stuff I only partially understand...
Apparently "felt" vibration in engines is the result of the weight of lots of moving parts rapidly changing direction in the engine. The main vibration you feel is called a "primary vibration". There is also a "secondary vibration" that you can feel. There are tertiary vibrations and so on, but those dwindle to the point of not being discernible. Engine manufacturers worry mainly about primary and secondary vibrations.
Pizza Bike has a two-cylinder V-Twin engine. The V between the cylinders is measured at 90 degrees, so some actually refer to this engine, (and a similar configuration on Ducatis and Aprilias) as "L" twins. These bikes have virtually no primary vibration. There is some secondary vibration that can be felt, but it is MUCH less than the vibration felt on say, a Harley.
The other bike I was considering was the BMW horizontally-opposed twin. Called the "Boxer" engine, vibration is mostly canceled out on this engine because the two pistons move in equal and opposite directions. Here too, there are secondary and other vibrations, but those are minor in nature.
For me it boiled down to this:
I've never owned a BMW or Moto Guzzi. Both bikes have "shaft" final drive systems.
I like the sound of the V-twin over the opposed twin.
My choice was made. Time will tell if my decision was a good one.
But my studies also turned up a fact that I need someone to help me understand.
The following illustrations are horsepower/torque charts, the first is for an Aprilia motorcycle, the second is for a new Corvette. Take a quick look at both:
Now look again at where the torque curve meets the horsepower curve on both charts-
5250 rpm!
Apparently all engines that turn at more than 5250 rpm will have curves that mate up there.
Interesting.
I need someone to explain the "What" and "Why" of that phenomenon, please!
17 September 2010
Freckles
"Freckles are skin damage" he said.
"Nah, they're too cute to be skin damage", said I.
"Ever date a gal with freckles?" he asked.
"Sure", I responded.
"She have freckles on her butt?"
Freckles are skin damage.
(But I still love 'em.)
"Nah, they're too cute to be skin damage", said I.
"Ever date a gal with freckles?" he asked.
"Sure", I responded.
"She have freckles on her butt?"
Freckles are skin damage.
(But I still love 'em.)
16 September 2010
Precious Metals- Keep Your Options Open
The person in that picture is holding $1200 of gold in the center of his/her palm.
Obviously, anyone going out on a limb trying to predict the future is exactly that...
Out on a limb.
So take anything you read here under consideration and do your own research.
A year ago I took a considerable position in silver, and I took physical possession of the purchase. I went back and looked at my last precious metals report, which I posted on 15 January, and found this:
Gold was $1131.00 per ounce.
Silver closed that day at $18.42 per ounce.
The close on both metals today was:
Gold- $1274.00
Silver- $20.76
That means my position in silver is now worth almost 25% more than my purchase price one year ago.
And I truly believe this ride is just beginning.
Be prepared.
15 September 2010
By Popular Demand, Pizza Bike !
Things have changed dramatically since I quit riding 30 years ago-
A 1,000 cc. bike was considered a "large" bike then.
Now bikes half again that size are commonplace.
Blogfriend Tim Frazier has a Triumph displacing 2,300 cc's!
But Pizza Bike is actually bigger than I thought I wanted.
As with cars, bigger engines get poorer gas mileage.
I'm still hoping driven responsibly, Pizza Bike will get 50 mpg.
Regularly outings, (and more picture taking), will start in two weeks. I'll keep you posted on performance figures.
ABSQ !
In the Army we used to have a saying that we'd shout, (only half-seriously)...
"Do SOMETHING, even if it's wrong!"
The point bein', if you set off on a path that's wrong you can study results and realize it pretty quickly, then set a new course to improve the situation.
In our National elections for years now it seems we've had a choice between BAD, and HORRIBLE.
Al Gore?!!!
John ($^*~_$#@) KERRY?!!!!!!
How is it those two lying sacks of fecal material end up at the head of a ticket?
This morning I'm listening to Karl Rove lamenting Christine O'Donnell's win in Delaware as a terrible thing because he thinks that seat now will certainly be won by Democrats. I think Karl Rove is, in many ways, brilliant.
But I also think he's wrong in this case.
Republicans...
Conservatives...
Independents...
I can hear them all shouting...
"Do SOMETHING, even if it's wrong!"
It's time for REAL Hope and Change.
(Oh, and ABSQ? "Anything but the status quo!")
"Do SOMETHING, even if it's wrong!"
The point bein', if you set off on a path that's wrong you can study results and realize it pretty quickly, then set a new course to improve the situation.
In our National elections for years now it seems we've had a choice between BAD, and HORRIBLE.
Al Gore?!!!
John ($^*~_$#@) KERRY?!!!!!!
How is it those two lying sacks of fecal material end up at the head of a ticket?
This morning I'm listening to Karl Rove lamenting Christine O'Donnell's win in Delaware as a terrible thing because he thinks that seat now will certainly be won by Democrats. I think Karl Rove is, in many ways, brilliant.
But I also think he's wrong in this case.
Republicans...
Conservatives...
Independents...
I can hear them all shouting...
"Do SOMETHING, even if it's wrong!"
It's time for REAL Hope and Change.
(Oh, and ABSQ? "Anything but the status quo!")
Gear!
Where to begin here?
I've actually seen folks out riding like those in the photo above. And I've also loaded victims of both motorcycle and car accidents who have found themselves sliding down the road at speeds MUCH faster than you can run. It's painful just lookin' at those wounds.
Gimme a chance to do a practical exercise with the gal in that picture...
Nevermind the idiot at the controls of the bike. He's improperly dressed too, but if he falls he has no one to blame but himself. He's also responsible for her well-being and he's failed miserably, hasn't he?
I'd like to talk to her and give her a piece of coarse sandpaper.
You wouldn't take a piece of heavy grit sandpaper and scrub your thigh with it for several seconds, would you? But the effect of falling off that bike onto the pavement will be several orders of magnitude worse than that. Falling off the bike at speed can scrub off flesh all the way to the bone...
And then bone begins to be ground off too.
Yes, I've seen it many, many times.
That's the chance those two are taking.
So yesterday we started preparing for our Fall "Pizza Bike" rides and went shopping for gear.
We heard of a store that has quality merchandise for discount prices and stopped there first. There we found a nice leather jacket with removable lining for Sara Jean. We also found a set of cute "Harley Davidson" branded lace-up boots at a surprising price. We bought matching reinforced leather gloves with zippered backs.
As we were making our way to the cash register one of the workers from the store who had seen our motorcycle gear said, "It's probably not a good time to go out right now."
"Why?"
"Because some lady just ran a red light in front of the store and clobbered a guy on a bike. His leg was up around his head."
Thanks for the warning.
Sure enough, driving out of the store we saw a Harley Davidson dresser alongside the road in the dying cockroach position. The ambulance with the critically injured dude was already on the way to the hospital and another ambulance was still attending to the gal that ran the light and struck him.
We drove on to the Harley shop where we bought two helmets, a full-face for me and an open face for SJ, and a flat shield to fit hers. SJ also found another pair of boots there... ($149.88!!)
"They're just SO cute!". (Of course they are!)
Her response gave me two thoughts:
1. I've created a monster.
2. At least she wasn't so put off by the horribly mangled Harley that she won't get on behind me.
I know, once again I'm rehashing here...
I can mitigate, but not completely eliminate the risk of riding. Riding like you're invisible is part of it. And protecting important body parts just makes good sense, doesn't it?
...Helmets to soften the blow to the skull.
...Protective jackets, gloves, heavy trousers, and boots to insure the first thing making contact with the industrial-grade sandpaper is not our flesh.
We've literally got it covered and are ready to go when I've got license in hand.
The gal (and guy) in the picture above?
(... Shakes head in amazement.)
I may meet 'em during my next shift.
You could easily read about 'em some day.
More information as I publish:
My company flew the guy involved in the accident I mentioned above.
He apparently wasn't wearing a helmet.
UPDATED UPDATE:
He died.
14 September 2010
An Anecdote Is The Antidote
Cheese food?
CHEESE FOOD?! What the H-E- double hockey sticks is that?
"Past-U-rized processed cheese food"!
If y'all have been on the internet as long as I have, you probably got the email some time ago 'bout how Kentucky Fried Chicken had found a way to birth chickens that, for all intents, looked like mis-shapened footballs...
All breasts, thighs, and drumsticks... and nothin' much else.
I think "cheese food" was probly born in the same labratory, just across the hall.
What IS cheese food?
YOU can't even tell me, can ya?!!
But I bet you're eatin' it!
Go open your ice box right now and pull out that stuff you're makin' greased-cheese sammiches with thinkin' it was "American Cheese", and take a look at what it says on the label.
Go on now! I'll wait 'til you get back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*********************************************
See!
It ain't what you thought, is it?!
You're eatin' somethin' you don't even know what it is!
Cheese food!
Well I refuse to eat something I can't begin to identify, and it's one of the reasons I have to go to Sam's Club...
Sam's big box is one of the few places I can find REAL American Cheese!
I buy a big ol' block of American Cheese 'bout the size of a loaf of bread... that sucker must weigh 12 pounds or so. We break it up into smaller portions and freeze most of it. But that way I know we're not eatin' something that some guy lookin' like Henry Waxman conjured up in a test tube, out in City of Industry, California!
We buy our milk at Sam's too. I bought six gallons of "Fat Free" milk yesterday and saved a buck on each gallon... paid for the 45 minute drive to Sam's with that purchase alone! One gallon went into the fridgidaire, and the others went into the freezer next to what was left of that big 'ol block of real cheese.
Of course we bought mass quantities of other things too... cereal, sugar, laundry soap.
And when ya finish checkin' out ya have to take your receipt to a person standing at the exit and show it to 'em to make sure you're not stealin' any cheese or anything.
Yesterday that checker-person was a young male, appeared to be about 18 or so, and if I had wanted to steal cheese he wouldn't have been able to stop me...
He was about the size of cousin Ziggy, ya know... little bitty guy.
When I walked up to 'im I smiled and said, "I want your job!"
He got a kinda confused look on his face and said, "Why?"
"Well, you get to meet and greet everyone comin' through the store, don't you? And we sorta have to have your permission to leave. You're a Bigshot!"
He shrugged and said, "Well, it's really not a great job."
I said, "Well, at your position, you COULD have fun...
You could point underneath the cart and shout real loud WHAT'S THIS?!!, like there's contraband under there or somethin', and scare the poo out of customers!"
He allowed as how he might upset his managers if he did that, and he needs to keep this job.
Stupid managers. They take the fun out of everything.
And they're also the type wantin' us to eat some nebulous football-shaped "chicken thing" and something called "processed cheese food".
They need to understand that a good joke or interesting story is what makes the world go 'round!
The whole world is just fallin' apart, ain't it?
CHEESE FOOD?! What the H-E- double hockey sticks is that?
"Past-U-rized processed cheese food"!
If y'all have been on the internet as long as I have, you probably got the email some time ago 'bout how Kentucky Fried Chicken had found a way to birth chickens that, for all intents, looked like mis-shapened footballs...
All breasts, thighs, and drumsticks... and nothin' much else.
I think "cheese food" was probly born in the same labratory, just across the hall.
What IS cheese food?
YOU can't even tell me, can ya?!!
But I bet you're eatin' it!
Go open your ice box right now and pull out that stuff you're makin' greased-cheese sammiches with thinkin' it was "American Cheese", and take a look at what it says on the label.
Go on now! I'll wait 'til you get back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*********************************************
See!
It ain't what you thought, is it?!
You're eatin' somethin' you don't even know what it is!
Cheese food!
Well I refuse to eat something I can't begin to identify, and it's one of the reasons I have to go to Sam's Club...
Sam's big box is one of the few places I can find REAL American Cheese!
I buy a big ol' block of American Cheese 'bout the size of a loaf of bread... that sucker must weigh 12 pounds or so. We break it up into smaller portions and freeze most of it. But that way I know we're not eatin' something that some guy lookin' like Henry Waxman conjured up in a test tube, out in City of Industry, California!
We buy our milk at Sam's too. I bought six gallons of "Fat Free" milk yesterday and saved a buck on each gallon... paid for the 45 minute drive to Sam's with that purchase alone! One gallon went into the fridgidaire, and the others went into the freezer next to what was left of that big 'ol block of real cheese.
Of course we bought mass quantities of other things too... cereal, sugar, laundry soap.
And when ya finish checkin' out ya have to take your receipt to a person standing at the exit and show it to 'em to make sure you're not stealin' any cheese or anything.
Yesterday that checker-person was a young male, appeared to be about 18 or so, and if I had wanted to steal cheese he wouldn't have been able to stop me...
He was about the size of cousin Ziggy, ya know... little bitty guy.
When I walked up to 'im I smiled and said, "I want your job!"
He got a kinda confused look on his face and said, "Why?"
"Well, you get to meet and greet everyone comin' through the store, don't you? And we sorta have to have your permission to leave. You're a Bigshot!"
He shrugged and said, "Well, it's really not a great job."
I said, "Well, at your position, you COULD have fun...
You could point underneath the cart and shout real loud WHAT'S THIS?!!, like there's contraband under there or somethin', and scare the poo out of customers!"
He allowed as how he might upset his managers if he did that, and he needs to keep this job.
Stupid managers. They take the fun out of everything.
And they're also the type wantin' us to eat some nebulous football-shaped "chicken thing" and something called "processed cheese food".
They need to understand that a good joke or interesting story is what makes the world go 'round!
The whole world is just fallin' apart, ain't it?
13 September 2010
Temptation- I Was A Bad Boy.
The Lord made this day...
Rejoice in it!
Yesterday was one of those days.
Eighty degrees. No wind at all. Not a cloud in the sky.
Perfect.
There's this gorgeous motorcycle parked in the garage.
Sara Jean hasn't had the chance to find out if she likes riding on the thing.
It would be a perfect day for a "test" spin.
But remember? I have no motorcycle driver's license.
Pizza Bike is calling...
"C'mon! I haven't been on the road in weeks... lemme stretch my legs!"
"But I haven't ridden any distance in almost 30 years."
"Well, let's keep that from being 30 years and a day!"
To Sara Jean-
"Wanta go for a little ride?"
Without hesitation-
"Yes!"
We started off almost idling around our neighborhood, reaching all of 25 mph or so, and stopped to fill the tank with gas.
Filled to the brim, the pump indicated $9.28.
That's what I'm talkin' about!
"Let's go visit Chuck and Janet" she says.
That means getting out on the highway. Pizza Bike purred its approval.
The sun was warm, but the angle of the sun and the hint of coolness in the air indicated Autumn is knocking on the door. It REALLY was a perfect day!
Back in the corral, the tripmeter indicated we had traveled 84 miles.
And the fact we had broken the rules only contributed to the smiles on our faces.
The MSF course leading to my motorcycle operator's license is scheduled in two weeks.
Think we can resist the temptation to break the rules again?!!
Rejoice in it!
Yesterday was one of those days.
Eighty degrees. No wind at all. Not a cloud in the sky.
Perfect.
There's this gorgeous motorcycle parked in the garage.
Sara Jean hasn't had the chance to find out if she likes riding on the thing.
It would be a perfect day for a "test" spin.
But remember? I have no motorcycle driver's license.
Pizza Bike is calling...
"C'mon! I haven't been on the road in weeks... lemme stretch my legs!"
"But I haven't ridden any distance in almost 30 years."
"Well, let's keep that from being 30 years and a day!"
To Sara Jean-
"Wanta go for a little ride?"
Without hesitation-
"Yes!"
We started off almost idling around our neighborhood, reaching all of 25 mph or so, and stopped to fill the tank with gas.
Filled to the brim, the pump indicated $9.28.
That's what I'm talkin' about!
"Let's go visit Chuck and Janet" she says.
That means getting out on the highway. Pizza Bike purred its approval.
The sun was warm, but the angle of the sun and the hint of coolness in the air indicated Autumn is knocking on the door. It REALLY was a perfect day!
Back in the corral, the tripmeter indicated we had traveled 84 miles.
And the fact we had broken the rules only contributed to the smiles on our faces.
The MSF course leading to my motorcycle operator's license is scheduled in two weeks.
Think we can resist the temptation to break the rules again?!!
Finding Nemo
No, not that Nemo!
I was unaware of the incident until I read a comment to a post at OpFor about a living hero who will soon be awarded the Medal of Honor.
Nemo's story is extraordinary, and reason for me to issue my second "tissue may come in handy" alert of the week!
I was unaware of the incident until I read a comment to a post at OpFor about a living hero who will soon be awarded the Medal of Honor.
Nemo's story is extraordinary, and reason for me to issue my second "tissue may come in handy" alert of the week!
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