Yxporing Ybor City

Ybor (pronounced EE-bor) City is one of the more historic neighborhoods in the city of Tampa and at one time was more unusual neighborhoods in the United States because it was truly integrated and mulit-ethnic at a time when that sort of thing simply did not happen.

The business heart of Ybor is a converted old factory

Today it's more known for being the center of Tampa's nightlife and gay culture.  Still though you can find old Cuban men rolling cigars, Italian being spoken on street corners and some of the best food in the city.  I enjoy Ybor because of its history, it's vibrant nature and historic buildings.  It's an area where young and old mix, chickens run about wild and free and tourists roam the streets with the natives.

If I was a much younger man I've no doubt that I would have spent many a night wandering about looking for excitement.

Ybor however is best explored by foot and not by bike.  Traffic can be a little insane and parking is at a premium.  Tampa is one of the few cities in the United States to still have a working street car line, which serves downtown and Ybor city almost exclusively, as well as the original 100 year old cobblestone streets.

With that in mind I left early in the morning because I wanted to beat the heat and the traffic.  I still ended up getting off of Kimmie and walking about for a bit.  My first stop was the Columbia Restaurant.  Operated continuously by the same family since 1905 the Columbia has expanded to fill an entire city block.  It's menu and wine list have won major awards and it's often humorous to see someone in formal wear sitting next to people in shorts.  It's not uncommon to be seated next to a politician or a celebrity.  That's the Columbia.  That's Ybor city.

Local legend has it that during Prohibition, Ybor city was involved in rum running from Cuba and one night gunfire erupted.  The bullets are still logged in the walls of the Columbia to this day.  There are also secret passages and hidden rooms from the old rum runner days which management will be glad to show you one day out of the week, I think it's on Mondays.

Detail of the tiles on the building

Wandering about Ybor you can not help be be impressed by the history and the tradition.  I've been to places like New York and Chicago and you just don't see streetlights like the one in the photo below.  Often the historic buildings are only one to three stories tall, this is due to the nature of of geography here in Florida, but that also means you have a feeling of community.  

A feral family of chickens being fed by the locals

How historic is Ybor City?  Honestly I can't say.  One thing I did see over and over again however is historical markers, some literally within ten feet of each other simply recording events that happened anywhere from five to a hundred years apart from each other.  It's something that we can not forget.  Ybor is being reinvented now, as historic buildings are slowly being converted into overpriced condo's that are forcing many of the long term residents out and the outskirts of the community fall into disrepair.  The price of progress I suppose.

Some additional photo's can be found here.  

Of gloves and boots and other things

So here I am yesterday, running a few errands on Kimmie.  We were picking up some milk, some odds and ends from here and there...nothing to taxing or far but just the enough to make me feel like I was accomplishing something on the bike.

I felt a little weird though.  Something was wrong, not pucker up "OH MY GOD!" wrong.  More of a little annoyance wrong.  My left hand glove hand developed a hole in it.  It was my index finger.  I needed new gloves plain and simple.

I have to admit, I hate wearing gloves.  Always have, even growing up in Pennsylvania;where gloves were a requirement during the winter months, I didn't like wearing them.  My hands were either to hot, or to bulky, or I was not able to actually touch what ever I was working with, or grasp it.  I'm a very tactile person so I like having what ever I have actually in my hands.

My Walmart specials

Riding is a little different.  It took me a little bit to get used to but the idea of riding without gloves now is as foreign to me as diversity is to the Republican Party.  ATGATT is not just a phase, it just makes sense.  My gloves have come from the local Walmart and cost me about $20 a pair.  They had the finger protection on top, the padding in the palm and were light enough for me to not feel to bulky on my hands.  They were thin enough let me feel the grips under my hands and cool enough for the hot humid days that often dog us here in Florida.

So why change now?  Because I'm not sure if they provided the best protection.  They are not waterproof or windproof, meaning that they are pretty useless during the night time commutes during the winter months or in the rain.  Even the older gauntlet gloves I have for rain and my bulky winter gloves are going to have to be replaced eventually.  I may buy all three pairs at once if I find something that I like.  I understand how some bikers might have five, six, seven pairs of gloves depending on their needs.

The question is...what to look for?  I want a glove that works for me.  I want more protection than I felt I was getting before.  If I end up with three different pairs of gloves then so be it.  If I find a glove that is light, waterproof and comfortable then all the better.  I know it's also possible to get a little reflective piping in them as well, which considering my commute home at night, may be helpful

I also need a new pair of boots, the only issue I have there is steel toe or not.  They will be waterproof, have skid and oil resistant soles and be comfortable.  Padding up around the ankle is a good benefit.  I've worn enough work boots to know what size to get and what works for me.  I don't see the need, other than some calf protection, of buying traditional motorcycle boots.  I know many will disagree with me on that.

I bought my summer riding jacket off the net, and although I'm generally happy with it, I'm not sure if I would buy gear of the internet again.  Size and fit matter, comfort matters.  I've found my summer jacket to be a little big but all the protective padding is where it should be.  When your flying through the air at 70 MPH about to hit the concrete you want the padding to be in the right spot, protecting the right parts.  An elbow pad in the middle of your back is not doing any good for either your back or your elbow.

So what is the point of this post you may be asking?  I need to buy new gear.  I'm getting it from motorcycle shops where I can actually go and try things on.  It might be a little pricier but in the end I think I'll be a little more happier...as well a little better protected on the road.  That's all that matters in the end.  Coming home.

And Susan my long suffering girlfriend is going to have to find some more room in the closet for me.

The tire(d) post

Sometimes you need to get a thought out.  No matter what day, what time...it calls to you, demanding to be let out.  It's 1:36 AM when I started this post.

I try to post a new entry to this blog about once a week.  Sometimes if something is stuck in the back of my mind demanding to be let out I'll update a bit early.

Sometimes I got nothing to say.  It's been one of those weeks where nothing has happened.  No epic rides off to places unknown.  No interesting stories; but I will write something anyway to keep the two or three people that read this regularly happy (Thanks Mom!).

Tonight it's tires.  A few weeks ago I rode down to a Buddhist temple for something to do.  I also had to check on a friends house and decided to do a bit of joyful riding as well.  Towards the end I heard a "POP" and pulled over to the side.  My bike tire had blown.

I was able to pull over quickly and realized that I had gone flat.  The good news was that I was able to keep the bike upright, it happened in a safe area (I had been riding on the highway before that), and that no one was on the bike with me.  Kimmie is good bike, she and what ever Guardian Angels I have kept me safe.  The bad news was it was on a Sunday, my mechanic could not look at it till Tuesday and the tire would arrive on Thursday.  So I missed out on a week of riding basically.

Tonight on the way home I pulled up to a red light and put down my foot...and slipped.  I run my foot along the surface looking for someplace solid.  The roadway felt like glass.  It could not have been cold enough for black ice?  No, I was in my regular jacket nice and warm in the high 60's (18 C)!  It had to be road wear, somewhere where the traction had worn to nothing.

Gingerly I moved the bike ahead and made the turn carefully.  Curious now to know what was going on.  Another spot at another light.  Now I was concerned.  Hitting a slick spot at any speed would not be a good thing.

Recently I replaced the rear tire with a Shinko product.  I was not that familiar with them, but at the time of the blow out due to some unforeseen expenses I went with a cheaper product.  Now I have my doubts if that was a good idea.  The tire is only rated for about 4,000 miles (6437 KM) and frankly I should wear through that tire pretty quickly.

Now I've a bit of a pickle.  Kimmie just doesn't "feel right" with the Shinko's on.  I know it's a perfectly good tire and I'm not experienced enough or an expert enough to say..."Hey this tire is good because".  I also understand that the tire needs to wear in a little as well.  I feel safe on it...but the tire does not "feel right" for what ever reason.

Which brings up a good question.  I replaced the tires on my Burgman three times (2 rear and 1 front) and used Pirelli Diablo's exclusively.  They came highly recommend by the good people on the Burgman USA forum and I figured they would know.    Yet what highly recommend for the 400 model was universally dismissed on the 650 model.  When I visited the Kymco forums asking for advice on tires the Michelin City Grip model was the preferred one to use on the Xciting.  Not so much on other models.

So...does it really matter?

Are certain brands of tires better for certain bikes?  Is it just a matter of personal choice?

Or does cost, quality of the materials used, tread design actually matter?  How does a new motorcyclist choose the tire that is best for them?  Is the all weather radial the best option?  How about the mysterious "Dark Side" where a motorcyclist actually uses a car tire?

How does one determine what tire is best for them?  I use my bike for my daily commute, so I need a tire that will perform well at highway speeds and in traffic.  Living in Florida means dealing with the heat and humidity...so I need a tire that will stand up to that.  Also, do to the high amount of sand used in our asphalt and concrete mixes...slick spots will and do develop.  Should I invest my money in a tire designed for touring?  Tires designed for the rain?

In the end I suppose it's up to the individual rider what tire will work best for them.  Where there confidence, ability and yes, even their pocketbook will bear.  I know enough about materials science and engineering to know that tread design does matter.  That rigorous testing is done and done again.