October plans

September has always been a bittersweet month.  September has always been a harbinger of change.  September found me riding a bit more and a bit longer but also found me being off my bike for the last two weeks or so.

The threat of Hurricane Matthew may, or may not, keep me off the bike for a few days as well.  Even though it appears that I am on the "dry" side and far enough to the west that damage in my area will, hopefully, be minimal.  The last one that came through the area caused minimum damage.  It's not scheduled to make landfall to Thursday in the early morning...but it should be interesting to say the least.  I'm hoping this one, which will hit the shore as a Category 4, will stay far enough east to not be a problem for me. 

I've spent most of the last two weeks or so changing departments at work, gearing up for our busiest time of the year...all the while considering an offer to supplement my income with an independent option on the side.   I was going to turn it down, but retirement is coming quicker than I would like and the possibility of building my 401K's and annuities is tempting.

I've spent much of the past month working towards goals: at work and raising what funds I could for the Distinguished Gentleman's ride.  Tampa raised about $21,500 for the cause and had approx. 150 riders in the event itself.

I have ridden to work where I could, I have rode here and there when and where I could.  The boring non-exciting day to day stuff that fills in most of our lives.   Now suddenly it's October and once again I'm faced with change, some of it is my own making.  Some of it has, like a inevitable change of seasons, been forced upon me.

It will be a busy month, as I attempt to once again take part in the Scooters for Hooters event.  This is an event I've been trying to attend for the last three years it seems, only to have something prevent me from attending.  I'm not fundraising for this, I'm intending to just pay my riding fee of $30 and riding with Kimmie covered in pink to support those that have had, or are currently fighting breast cancer.

Yes, Ladies you can talk me into buying a helmet

Later on in the month Tim Zbell, a old friend and drinking partner - and former amateur motorcycle racer, will be in town for wine, woman, song and the AIMExpo 2016.  This is another event that I've been wanting to attend for the past several years, but have been unable to for a variety of reasons.  This is the last year it will be in Orlando, as the 2017 show will be in Columbus, Ohio.    I am in need of not only a new helmet, but possibly a new jacket as well, and I can think of no better place then the AIME to pick up one or the other.

Shaken - rider down

I posted this on my Facebook page earlier tonight but thought I should say something about it here as well.

An interesting experience happened to me while running around with Susan today. We were waiting to turn at a light and there was some sort of commotion at the intersection. I see two people get off of motorcycles and run into the intersection.  There was a girl there, laying face first in the pavement.

A brief talk with Susan and I'm up and out of the car fearing the worst. It ended up the rider had suffered a rather painful fall due to wet and questionable pavement. No other vehicles were involved.  It was a light rain and I think she may have caught a white line with her tire and down she went.  It could have happened to anyone. 

I have first aid training and talked to her. She was very responsive and was moving her legs, so no spinal injury was likely. Her neck hurt, her shoulders hurt. "OK," I told her. "I have training in first aid and am going to touch your arms and shoulders.  Let me know if your hurting."   Her pulse was a little fast but normal.  She cried out when I touched her neck and around a shoulder. 

"We are not moving you nor am I taking off your helmet. I don't know if you have a head or neck injury. I think you have a broken clavicle."  I told her after a quick exam. A woman was trying to get the 911 operator to understand the problem.  I made it clear to tell the dispatcher she may have a neck injury.

 It took some time for the police and firemen to get there but it was probably less than 10 minutes.   I gave the firemen a brief summary of what I knew. They removed her helmet and put her on the backboard with a C-collar on to stabilize her head. She joked with them. She'll be fine.

 I hope to never have to do that again.  I am glad that I took that first aid training all those years ago.  It does come in handy.  I decided right then and there to take a refresher the first chance I got.

One other thing that I think bares talking about.  Some asshole kept hitting his horn and then run through the intersection past the officers and paramedics.  No one said anything but I'm sure we all said the same thing under our breaths...and we each knew Karma was going to get him eventually.

Riding is a risk.  I try to migrate that risk...and indeed I was glad this girl was wearing a helmet.  Other than that she had no other safety gear on.   I was glad no one wanted to remove her helmet, if she did have a head or neck injury that just make it worse.  I didn't like letting her lie there in the middle of the street but again you don't mess about with neck or head injuries.  Let the professionals handle that.

It took me a bit to calm down after that, as I thought about how many times I've been in the rain.  Or have gone down....and I'm sure the next time or two I'm on Kimmie I'll be ultra careful, and more than a little scared because shit can and does happen in a blink of an eye.  I just hope someone will be there for me as her friends were for her.

A wasted day in the Channelside district

This time of year in Florida, your going to get wet.  The only thing that matters is how wet you wish to be.  I have no desire to ride in lightening storms.  I've done it before but it really doesn't make sense.  So when there was a break in the weather on Saturday morning I decided that the best thing I could do was ride into Tampa itself.  I rode with no destination in mind, preferring to just go where ever my tires took me.

However as I rode a small germ of an idea started to take form in my mind.  Tampa sits right on the Gulf of Mexico and that allows the big cruise ships to port in Tampa, I've actually taken a cruise or two out of Tampa.   The only problem is that the gulf itself is very shallow.  At times reaching a depth of 30 feet, so the size of the ships are limited.  If you have never taken a cruise, you don't know how big those ships actually are.

The "exploded chicken"

My plan was simple, ride south hitting some of the twisty's I know in the are and head towards the port of Tampa.  Then perhaps head into the city some and get photo's of Kimmie in front of some of the sights such as the "exploding chicken", the world's largest bowling pin and Florida Aquarium.  This area is often referred to as the Channelside area, and although a bit pricey, it's one of the nicer parts of town.  It's a combination of high end shops, restaurants and residences.

To paraphrase Robert Burns (Steinbeck stole the line from him) "The best laid plans of mice of men often go awry."  While I was able to see the chicken and the Aquarium there was really no good area for me to pull over and take pics...the chicken itself sits in the middle of a round-a-bout making stopping impossible.   The bowling pin was out of the question due to construction in the area.  The pictures above are all stock.

There were no cruise ships in port and the parking lots were closed off, most likely to protect the cars parked there.  Which makes perfect sense to me.

I did however find the modern day headquarters for the Rough Riders, so I had that going for me.  This is one of the many volunteer organizations that does various good deeds throughout the year.  At the end of the year they participate in the annual Gasparilla Pirate Festival.   Legend has it that when the pirates invaded the city, under the command of Jose Gaspar.   Tampa's Jose Gaspar, not being a direct influence on the Jack Sparrow character, claim to fame is that the story of Jack Sparrow using his back hair to surf on the backs of sea turtles to escape a desert island, is taken directly from the Gaspar legends!  Anyway...a fleet of ships went out to battle Gaspar and seeing the foolishness of the task, turned back and joined the city in the raid.

Why or how the Rough Riders are associated with these brigands I've no idea.

Generally though it was a fun day out and about, and any day out on the bike is a good day.  Sadly however those days appear numbered.  Their is a chance, although a small one, that the topical depression currently in the Gulf will become a small Hurricane.  The first one to hit Tampa since 1946.

At this time it's still a weakly organized tropical depression and not expected to do much other than give us a serious soaking and associated flooding.  It looks like that I'll be putting Kimmie under her blanket and tucking her into a safe corner over the next few days.  

 

Bundling up because it's Antarctica outside (winter in Florida)

I knew that I would not be able to ride for a week or two at the beginning of the year.  We had routes to run and meetings to attend.

December and January have been thin months for me paywise due to the holidays and me missing some work.  So when the beginning of the week rolled around I was looking forward to jumping on Kimmie and doing my commute.  Only the temperature fell by 23 degrees overnight.  When I left for work it was only 47 F (8 C) and when I left work it was only 42 F (5.5 C).

I know I should not bitch.  After all my hometown was looking at a high of 12 F (-11 C).  I should be used to "fall like" conditions right?  After being in the south for six odd years my blood thinned out.  Days like this are a shock to my system.

So here I am, prepping like it's sub zero outside...freeze out jacket, freeze out gloves and I'm considering putting on my new neon yellow windproof and waterproof Bilt gloves.  I'm also thinking to myself how ridiculous I'm being.

"It's cool outside," I tell myself, " it's not Antarctica freezing."  Yet my soon to be 50 year old bones want me to bundle up.  I think about my fellow Rounders and how they must be having a good laugh about this.  However if I'm going to ride more this year, I'm just going to have to buck up and do it.

So I make it to work and back, the only part of me that got cold was my neck which a balaclava would fix and I have to curse myself for riding in anyway because I can feel a tickle in the back of my throat and it is that time of year.  We do have a Free Country jacket at the house that would protect the neck if I pulled the zipper all the way up, I've not worn it on the bike because it does not have any protective armor in it.  

I've ridden in colder weather than this and I remember pulling over sometimes at two in the morning to pull on a pair of sweat pants to protect my legs.  I didn't have to do that on Monday but it was still a brisk ride in and out of work.

The good news is that for the rest of the week it's supposedly going to warm up and make riding all that more comfortable.  Expect for Thursday where we are expecting (depending on which TV station you trust) a 70 to 100% chance of rain.

So hate mail can be sent to me at:

Decisions....good and bad

We've been having the typical Florida summer as of late.  Hot mornings followed by even hotter afternoons, then a late afternoon or early evening thunderstorm.  The science teacher in me understands the reasons...as the ground starts to cool we switch to warmer air coming in off the gulf.  That creates unstable conditions which results in rain.   Pretty simple really.

In the past my decision to ride was pretty much determined by the weather.   Fifty percent chance or higher of rain was a crap shoot and my cut off point.  Now with a commute that puts me at the end of rush hour and in heavier traffic...that percentage becomes even more important.  Suddenly forty percent of rain seems more reasonable.  More manageable.

I talk to people all day, I help them make decisions that can affect their family, their lives, their financial outcomes.  I train people to do this.  I work with everyone for 18 to 80.   I love my job at times...I hate my job at times.  Making decisions on risk, reward....opportunity.  So when I personally make a decision - for good or bad - it has a reason and it is not made lightly.

Rain....rain can not be taken lightly.  Especially in traffic.  Especially in a city like Tampa, with poor drainage, flooded roads and one of the highest incidents of uninsured motorists in the country.

A last minute decision in the morning to ride in despite a call for rain during the evening hours.  My decision to ride home tonight was a good one.   I had a little issue merging onto the highway; a road I generally don't like to ride home but with thunder booming in the distance and lightening striking the ground, I was looking for the fastest way away from the gathering doom.  I had my rain gear on, and was sweating my ass off in it.

Of course, not a drop of rain.

Yesterday however was a different tale, I left work under clear skies and took my normal way home.  On the way I had no luck and was caught at nearly every red light.   Then it started.  Light at first, actually almost enjoyable as the temperature dropped and the wind picked up.

That should have been my warning.

Before I knew it I was pulling off to the side of the road, hiding under a bank's drive thru window soaked and pissy.  That was within ten minutes after the storm started.  It continued to pour for roughy twenty minutes...and then I decided to move.  On went the rain gear even through I was soaked.

How far did I go since I left the bank...ten miles, fifeteen?  I was under the awning of a church this time thinking about why I made such a bad decision to ride to work.  I am looking out at a downpour so bad that I was unsure where the road was.  I'm cold.  I'm wet.  I'm unhappy.

Finally it lets up again, it's late and it's taking me forever to get home.  My hour commute that turned into a two hour plus ride.   When I finally do get home its a quick shower to warm up, a shot of whisky just to ensure my nerves were calm and off to bed.

Tomorrow's weather?  More of the same.  A forty percent chance which threatens me when I leave work.  A very good chance considering the pattern over the last week or so.  Maybe I'll take the car.

Living inside my helmet - the sequel

I am trying to understand something.

I ride to work nearly every day, I used to ride in what would be considered adverse weather as well (rain and cold).  Lately however, and I blame the hours of my commute now (more 9 to 5ish) I've not been riding in the rain much.

What I'm trying to understand is this.  This past weekend the streets were filled with bikes and bikers.  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday rolls around and guess what.  Nothing.  Nada.  Zilch.

Oh there are a few lone stragglers, a lot of little 50 cc and 125 cc scooters once I hit the city streets proper; which makes some sense as the little scoots are better designed for city living than the wide open spaces that I normally ride.  Still though...why are the streets full of bikes on the weekends but not on the weekday?

Or, to put it more simply, why don't bikers ride more?  

Now I know this post will not apply for those up north or out west where the weather is nasty.  But hopefully it will give you something to think about for the next riding season.

The first thing that pops into my mind is the number of cars on the street.  All bikers have seen people putting on make-up, looking at their phones, making phone calls, fiddling with the radio and not paying attention.  I get that.  Those people are dangerous.

It's something we all have to deal with and I know that running back and forth from 9 - 5 has sharpened my senses.  I've always tried to practice good safe techniques, now I'm noticing that I push those techniques more to the front.   I also understand that yes, my risk increases riding during the "rush hours."  My risk also increases if it's raining during those hours.

I wonder if gear is not part of the problem.  Gear can be expensive, although generally it's a one time expense.  A good helmet, a good safe jacket (preferably hi-vis), boots, gloves, etc.  It can add up and once again, if your going to ride in every day safety gear is a must.  The more I look around and learn about this lifestyle the more I realize that the people that rack up thousands of miles a year are wearing the best gear they can afford.

Gear may not be sexy, but it's going to save your life.  Which is the other problem I think.  It's not sexy to commute.  No one can see your leather, your girl on back, your shiny chrome.  You have to take the time to clean your bike, your equipment, your oil.

I think we have all been brainwashed some.  Easy Rider, Sons of Anarchy, even the comedy Wild Hogs, and a thousand and one magazines and adverts that show an alternate way to live.  A one that is not mundane.  One that we can escape to during the weekend.  Riding to work every day sort of ruins that fantasy.  Commuting is boring.

Storage can sometimes be a issue.  I understand that too, having bought a top box to carry my lunch back and forth in.  This being Florida, my rain gear is always kept on the bike.  There are ways around storage issues.

Parking can be an issue.  I know at my job for example "our" spot was recently compromised to make way for a travel van turning radius.  Now the various bikers are forced to park in various places.  I've requested a single simple spot with a sign.  At least four, five, or six bikes could fit in that spot, depending on how they park.

Until that happens we are parking in front of the building in a "visitor's" spot.  Some days I'm the only bike there.  Other days there are two or three others.  No one has asked me to move yet.  Sometimes you have to fight for your rights.

As I read the various blogs and forums that I frequent the one thing that impresses me again and again is the passion that people have for their bikes and life choices.  Never in a million years did I think I would have the same love for biking that many of the people that I respect and admire do.  Hell, ten years ago if you told me I be riding a bike and writing a motorcycle blog I laugh at you.  Yet, here I am.

Does everything have to be an adventure?

Property of Fine Art America

I like to tell stories.  For example, once upon a time I was skiing in the foothills of the Himalaya's in Kazakhstan (Yes, I've been there and yes you can ski there).  My ex wife mentions a nearby ski jump that was only 5 meters high and how my English language brain understood to be 5 feet high.  How, once I was in the air, a full 16 feet in the air, I knew that I would land badly.  How I tumbled through the snow and how my ex-wife's family rushed over to me to see if I was alright.   I was, but I said how glad I was that no one understand the colorful word I used on the way done.  "Oh Robert," they said laughing, "it means the same thing in Russian."

That story means a lot to me.  It was an adventure, the it was the first time that I really connected with the family of my ex wife.  They spoke little English and I spoke only a few words of Russian, yet in that moment we were both able to laugh and communicate.

Now I'm older, wiser supposedly and I was thinking about that event so many years ago.  In my new position, my new job I'm being asked to build rapport with people from different walks of life, different experiences.  Different goals.  It's no longer black and white.  One way to do that is through stories.

I was thinking about that as I rode my bike on a fine Saturday.  I was heading towards the Festival of Flight celebration at a small local airport.  On Friday they were going to have a night time hot air balloon glow, which I thought would have been lovely but the entire day had been cold (by Florida summer standards) and rainy, so the night's events were most likely canceled (I was later able to confirm they were).  How lovely would it have been however to capture on film the glow of hot air balloons against a clear night sky?

Does every ride tell a story?  Even the boring non-exciting ones where I travel back and forth to work?  Every turn and every mile has been an experience.  Yes, every turn and every mile I put under my wheels is another adventure, another story and as I make the turn towards the airport on a overcast and cool day; I wonder if I would have made this trip if all I had was my car.

Some roads are wet, others dry.  The chance of rain is at 40% but the air feels heavy with the promise of more rain.  The event itself is subdued.  The various ballooning events planned for that day were canceled due to weather.  I was curious to see the gyro-copters and "flying trikes" that I heard were going to be there.  However I think due to the soaking rain yesterday and 40+ percent chance of rain today, most of them were scared off.

Like many people I'm interested in flight.  However I've always been more interested in the ideas behind it.  Often I wonder what must have gone through the minds of the brothers Mongolfier when they climb aboard their hot air balloon during its initial flight in October 1783.

Or for that matter the Wright Brothers.

Did they have any idea of the adventure they were about to begin?  The industry that would form out of that simple flight on a December day in 1903? How could they?  They were learning, pushing themselves into unknown territory.

I didn't spend that much time at the Fantasy of Flight event.  Partly because of the heat, partially because there was not that much going on.  For example, there was a scheduled car show, yet only two classic cars showed up.  Again, possibly due to weather?  Certainly there had to be another reason?

While I was there I only saw one bike, and only two others on the road.  Maybe it was the time of day, I was there during the hottest part of the day, or the event really not being that advertised that well?

I rode out of the event feeling slightly disappointed.  I had hoped for more, and other than a glimpse into the rather simplistic cockpit of a old military training plane, I didn't feel like the trip was worth it.

Some adventures are disappointing.  Some stories don't have happy endings.  Am I glad I went?  Yes.  I plan on going next year too, for I have a feeling it was the weather that fouled this event.  Who knows what the next year would hold?

Additional pictures of the event can be seen on my Facebook account here.

Connecting the dots...

It's Sunday.  Although I should be helping the lovely Susan with one of the remaining delivery jobs we have I found myself sleeping in; and when I woke she was already gone.

So I wondered what I was going to do.  The decided I was going to ride.  Sure there were other things to do, the garden needed to be weeded.  Grass to be cut.  But, for me, the opportunity to ride someplace other than work does not come about very often.

I've let other chances slip through my hands because I am still a little gun shy, I'm still a little "iffy" about things.  Sue has not ridden with me in some time.  I don't think she will again for a long time, both of us knowing the risks all to well.  Sure I was banged up and bruised and the accident was not my fault...still though my pride took the biggest damage.  There were some other issues as well which are more of a personal nature and I will not dwell on here.  Over all my stress level has been through the roof lately.

I've been looking at riding recently as stress relief.  You can't concentrate on the road when the issues of work and family are at the forefront.  I push them down, look ahead and lean into turns.  I look out for cars, animals, road hazards...and those work and family issues fade away.  When I turn the bike off and dismount, those stress seem lessened and even a bit manageable.  I've been feeling the need to reconnect with nature like I did years ago.

How can you not reconnect with that?

I planned my route carefully...I would be revisiting an old hidden path that I knew of, and maybe hitting part of the northern part of the Green Swamp Trail.  I've ridden part of this trail before but have yet to do the entire loop.

Off I went.  I took our new Canon camera with me and was immediately stuck with how many great pictures I could have taken.  An old barn covered with signs.  A old lady in a blue gingham dress feeding an old cow.  A pasture full of mules, cows, ducks and cranes that seemed to shy away from me.   I considered stopping, considered catching these images...but I rode on.  I wanted to concentrate on the ride.

It does bring up a good question...when should one stop for photo's?  But that is for another time.

Into a light rainstorm that got worse I started to carve into the turns of my hidden gem.  I briefly considered hiding under a tree till a crack of lightening changed my mind.  Another fallen tree showed the damages of a lightening strike.  On I rode.

I could have had more points for the Equinox rally!

The rain let up, into the swamp land now...till that road turned to dirt.  I've ridden Kimmie into that before, but not today.  Instead we turned into the Withlacoochee River Park, a 610 acre park that I did not even know existed till now.  Some hiking and exploring  may be required here in the fall.

I returned about 90 minutes later.  I need to conquer that ride, this is the first time I've been back to it since "the incident" back in January.  It was where I was off to when the kaka hit the fan.  The turns on that road are sharp, hidden, parts of the road can flood easily and washout can happen in parts.

 The rains, though brief, were hard at times and made me redouble my efforts to be safe.  I made it there and back again.  It was a little demon but one that tugged at me for a while.  I'm trying to fall in love with riding all over again.  Days like this do help it.

Darkness at the edge of town

The last few nights have been cool.  Kimmie and I take the long way home each time, letting the darkness envelops us.  I like to ride at night, even though my visibility is reduced and  I can see the small white tail deer grazing silently on the side of the road at times.  What should be familiar takes on odd and threatening shapes.  I think of our ancestors of million years ago, knowing that dangers stalked the night; a fear of the dark is not a bad thing.  It's a survival instinct...we really don't know what is out there.

It's late, later than I normally ride home but I've been feeling good.  Kimmie purrs like days of old and I lean easily into the turns, the only light from her and a storm gathering far off.  Heat lighting has filled the sky the last few nights.  At a stoplight I hear the noise of the night birds, soft and lilting.

Off in the distance on another night, clear of clouds, I see the red flame of a meteor as it makes it way to the Atlantic...it glows like a cigarette tip in the sky before breaking up.  I sit and watch it in the middle of the street, partially amazed and partially quietly engaging my scientific mind.   I think about angles, about velocity and about how far and long that piece of rock must of traveled to find itself here.  Burning up so a lone biker in the middle of Florida could look up in wonder.

It's later now.  I still have some way to go. I curse myself for not pulling out my phone, so I could have caught the last moments of this glorious rock to share.  There are no other cars out, I pull out and head through town.  Past the shuttered buildings of downtown Zephyrhills.  I take a turn and the light from a building bleeds out into the street.  It's not a comforting light and somehow seems out of place here.

For several nights in a row I consider riding on.  The days have been hot and muggy but the nights are anything but, and as I flip up my visor I can sense a change in the air.  The endless possibility of summer and the open road.

This is what I love about biking.  I don't have a radio to distract me.  I don't have a phone ringing or the endless whistle of a text message.  I just have the sky to distract me.

I have to remind myself that watching the heat lightening while traveling on an empty road in the middle of the night is not a good thing.  Still though, that storm could be 100 miles away and it's power and beauty attract me like a flame attracts a moth.

I wake up early in the morning with only one desire.  To ride in the cool morning air and I try to dress without waking Susan.  Then I'm off, riding the roads that surround my house, riding with no destination or purpose.  A few hours later the heat of day grows, the thunderstorms move in again...and I wonder if I'm back to my old ways.  I hope I am.

Just riding in the rain

Something odd happened this past Friday, the 13 of June 2014.  I didn't have anything to do.  No emails to read, no proposals to make.  There was no pressing business that demanded my attention.  No urgent phone calls or errands or "things that must be done right now because the fate of the free world hangs in the balance!!!"

Sue, my long suffering and Raison d'être, was out running around with her girlfriends doing what ever a group of middle aged women do (probably bitching about their middle aged men).  So I was alone...I wanted to go for a ride.  Actually let me rephrase that..."I WANTED TO GO FOR A RIDE!".  

I've been banged up over the last few months and was actually under strict orders from the powers that be not to ride for several of those months.  When I was released recently I was happy about it...but I really didn't feel the "want" to go for a ride.

Since then I've ridden to work.  I've run to the movies or out to the store.  I've slowly gotten used to riding again.  I've felt a spark of the joy I used to have to on the bike at times, leaning into a corner or just being out on the road somewhere where the view was worth remarking on.  I've not really felt the need to go riding just to ride.

There was only one problem.  It was raining.

Hard.

I did consider putting on my rain gear.  Heading out into the wilds of West Central Florida "just for an hour or so."  In the end the rational side of my brain won the argument.  It's dangerous in the rain to begin with, even more so when there are lighting storms in the area.  I'm ugly but I'm not stupid.

So no riding on a Friday for me.  Saturday was another story.

Saturday started out beautifully, not a cloud in the sky and I was scheduled to work a 12 hour day.  I decided to ride in, and although there was a chance of rain on the way home it was only in the 30% range and I would most likely miss it.   The parking lot was wet at 10:30 PM when I left work and I was warned that the roads were slick in spots but it was not raining.

I took it easy on the way home, riding a little slower than I would normally and keeping an extra second or two between me and the cars surrounding me.  I slipped on my rain gear early just in case I needed it...I didn't till about 10 miles from my home when I entered a rain curtain.  It caught me off guard as it literally came of of no where and without warning...it soaked me quickly and thoroughly...but the rain gear did it's job.  I was dry.

I may have not had the chance to go out for a ride...and I think that I needed to prove something to myself.  That I could handle the bike in less than ideal conditions, which I was able to do a bit of on Saturday.  Even though I was home about 15 minutes after I got caught out in it.  Not much of a test, but another little confidence builder.

Finally starting today I will be in Jacksonville, FL for an entire week, including the weekend (I will be back next Thursday), which means no riding at all for me while I'm gone.  The company pays for me to take a rental car to keep liability down.  I hope to get out some more than I did last time and am actually taking a camera with me this time.

Hopefully it will be a little mini-vacation for me.  God knows I need one.  I may however, rent a scooter while I'm up there because I have to share the company vehicle with someone else.   We will just have to wait and see.

My personal Top 10 list for 2013

First off - we here at the Scooter Revolution want to wish you and yours a happy Holiday season.  May the upcoming year be joyful and safe for you and your loved ones!

The end of the year is a time for us to reflect on what really matters.  At the end of the day, it's not about how many miles fell under our wheels, about the number of posts or even if how many people read this blog.  What matters to me is...did I grow as a person?  As a biker?

So here is my top 10 posts pulled from the posts that I have made (or will make - more on that in a bit) this year.  Links are included in case you wish to read that post for the first time or for the 100th time.

#10 - the "end of the year mileage" post

How could one of the top 10 posts be something I've not even made yet?  Because at the beginning of 2013 I had a vague goal in mind.  To ride further and more than I did in the previous year.  I started off badly, having no bike at all till early or mid February.  The fact that I will probably put close to 13 thousand miles on Kimmie in that time frame means something to me.  I accomplished that vague goal.

#9 - Moments

A short throw away post of sorts.  I tried to capture the wonder and joy of riding that I experienced coming home from a rare day shift.  The ride continued well after the work day was over.

#8 - Americana

This was not an long ride, maybe 25 to 30 miles total, but it was a wonder day out with Susan riding on back.  We attended a small town event, found a great twisty road and somehow managed to get some wonderful photographs.  It was a beautiful day.

#7 - Frustration leads to Serendipity

What I loved about this post, and I purposelessly didn't go into to much detail about this part; is that Sue and I had a fight early in the morning.  My mood was horrible and it just got worse as the morning wore on.  Till I got on the bike.  This post is about the trans-formative power of riding.

#6 - Now back to the Real World Grind.

Back in January I was still recovering from a indecent that I had.  At this time I didn't have a bike, although there was no doubt in my mind that I would ride again.  If there was any doubt in my mind they were dissipated the second I saw the wonderful hilly and twisty terrain of Roatan, Honduras.  As the tourist bus creaked along all I could think about was riding these same streets on a motorbike.  To lean into the curves and top a crest with nothing but ocean before me.  I realized that riding was part of "who I am."  

I am still raving about the cashew wine too!

#5 - Tarpon Springs   

A wonderful 110 mile round trip with Susan on back.  This was really the first time that we rode for extended periods at highway speeds and at night with her on back.  A good day, a good time and some really...really fantastic food...and wonderful memories.

#4 - Buddha and Me.

The trip to the actual temple was a short one and I spent maybe an hour or an hour and a half total there.  Afterwords I rode with two destinations in mind.  I took the long way around, riding back roads and cross streets and slowly making my way towards those destinations.  At the end of the day, my tire went "POP" and I had to replace it.  But again, I was OK with it.  The day was warm and lovely and the miles I put on the bike were good ones.  I could live with a bad tire.  

#3 - Well it seemed like a good idea at the time.  

I have to admit that I was a bit surprised at the amount of interest this "throw away" post generated.  However it did point something out to me that I had missed.  I was using the bike for nearly everything anymore.  I jumped on it at all times of the day or night to run to the store.  To go to the doctor.  To live my life.  

#2 - The Equinox to Equinox Rally

When I entered the rally I did so with one goal in mind.  To get out more, to ride more.  I accomplished that goal and finished a very respectable 13th out of 200 + contestants.  I also proved something else to myself.  That even though I was on a scooter, I was still racking up points and miles.  I think I needed to prove to myself that I could ride further, ride harder than many on a "real motorcycle."  I accomplished that goal.  

I also got to go places and see things that I would not of otherwise been to.  Isn't that the goal of riding?  Of travel?  I think so anyway.

AND THE # 1 POST OF THE YEAR IS.....

#1 - Earning my Rounder Stripes

I have to admit, at times earlier in my "biking career", I was feeling like a poser.  I rode a scooter.  I don't have a tattoo(s) nor do I fit what ever it is a "biker" is supposed to look like.  Well, I guess I got the making of a good beer belly.

Then with this post I realized something.  I was out there every day, in all types of weather riding.  I was out at night, I was out in the heat and the cold.  I choose to do that.  I choose a two wheeled life originally because I wanted to save money...but then it became something more.  I became a biker.

So why was I worried about what I rode or what that moron on the 30K Harley (you know the one with under 3,000 miles on it) thought.  I was doing more than most ever did....and I wanted more.

I still want more.

So there you have it!  My top 10 posts for the year of 2013.  What are yours?

Escape Velocity

I've been thinking about how much I enjoy riding, and how stupid I am to take the bike to work when I know there is a 60% chance of being caught out in rain.   It's pitch black when I pull out of the parking lot at work.  I'm in full battle gear.  My rain suit fits over my jacket like a glove.  I slide on my gauntlet gloves, bought specifically to deal with rain and cold weather.  Kimmie shakes off the water like a cat and we begin the long ride home.  Dodging raindrops and looking at the lightening in our rear view mirror, praying that I can outrun the thunderstorms plaguing the area.

Lately I've not been riding much.  This is due to a combination of factors which includes weather, my self employment and my regular job (I work for 3M). I have had to take the car places.  I have had to attend meetings, classes and other events that, for whatever reason, I was not able to ride to. The fact that I've been working overtime has contributed as well.  This is a pattern that is repeated at the end of every month.  I just get to busy to go and enjoy a nice long ride somewhere, anywhere.

I am surprised at how much I miss riding.  So when the chance to ride to work presents itself.   I take it, even though I damn well know it's not a good idea.  Riding to me has become more than just a cheap way to get from point A to point B.  No, it's much more than that to me now.  It's become my escape.

My job really is not that stressful.  In fact, even during the worst moments when the board is filled with red and people are screaming, freaking out, panicking....I have an almost Zen like state.  I used to work on projects that would cost a company hundred of thousands of dollars if they didn't do it right.  My job was to make sure it was right.  I had the right to shut them down if I wasn't happy.  I did sometimes knowing that I was in the right..  Later on in my life I dealt with people's lives.  Making decisions to grant loans, to help make dreams realities based on credit. Based on deposits and ratio's and choices...based on cold, hard calculations.

I left that job when the math didn't make sense anymore.  When the logic was based on bad assumptions and greed.  We all know what happened after that.  Yes, you can blame me for the near collapse of the banks a few years ago.

So stress?  Not in the least.

So why do I escape?  Why am I feeling this desire to ride?

It's quiet for one thing.  It just the wind noise and the bike, no other noise.  My attention is on the road ahead of me.  No fiddling with the radio trying to find something I want to listen to.  No phone calls.   I've considered a cheap bluetooth for the helmet but decided against it.  I don't want the distractions.

Generally speaking I'm not a risk taker.  I may speed but not excessively.  I may ride in weather that I should not of, earlier this week being a perfect example, but have no issue pulling over and waiting.   Or even leaving Kimmie somewhere and picking her up in the morning.  There is a risk to riding.  Cars are built to protect the rider, bikes give the rider responsibility.   To pay attention, to always be aware of the surroundings.  Some argue that riding is freedom.   I understand that...it is freedom but it also takes us back to a time when we were not as "coddled" as we are today.  I am responsible for my own safety.

For example, a giant chicken

Motorcycles are built for the back roads.  Sure I can ride on the freeway, get up to at least 100 miles per hour (161 km/h) but honestly why?  Personally for me; the freeway is designed for the car where as the bike is designed more for some back country road where I can smell the heather, listen to the spring peepers and actually see things that I would not see.

One of the reasons I was so excited about the Equinox to Equinox rally was because I know had an excuse to go out and ride.  Sadly even this fun event fallen by the wayside lately.  One day I just said, "It's to damn hot to ride!"

I know that soon enough I'll be able to ride more, I'll be going places again and not just to and through from work.   I know that soon enough I'll be packing a weekend back into the top case and Susan and I will be off somewhere.  In the meantime I just have to bide my time.  And that is the hardest part.

Mental States

Cartoon reading "The Journey was never intended to be a straight line."

For what ever reason these past few days I've been thinking about alternative futures.  What I mean is what might have happened if I married my high school sweetheart (divorced and paying for 3 college educations). What might have been if I didn't leave Charlotte, NC (probably would still be working as a engineering technician and married to an ex-stripper).  What might have happened if I would have stayed in Pittsburgh and not lost two great jobs in a row (PNC Bank and then the IRS).  What would have happened if I never met Susan (jail or a mental institution possibly?) .

The choices I made were the right ones for me at the time.  They brought me here to Florida where I own my own home (paid in full), am more or less debt free and finally believe that I got it right.  In addition to my work with 3M I own my own company and have additional income coming in from other sources.

I'm happy.

It's with those choices in mind that I find myself wondering about choices I need to make concerning more practical matters..  It's technically still spring but here in West Central Florida the temperatures are already climbing into the mid 80's (high 20's to low 30's C).  The humidity is starting to climb as well and that means it's the dance between safety and comfort begins again.  The rain is coming as well.

Yep, seen this.

All that Florida law requires for safety is eye protection.  That is not clearly defined to my knowledge.  Does that mean just a pair of sunglasses?  Anyhow what cop would pull you over for not having eye protection?  Well, I would but then I'm a dick too.

I've been going out in sneakers and without my jacket.  Wearing a helmet for me is - pardon the pun - a no brainer.  I know what can happen to the brain and do not want to go there.  I have nothing to offer but my mind in most cases.  Intellectually I know that ATGATT is the only way to go and as such I've been looking for a light mesh jacket that I can afford.  I've found two that I really like, but just haven't bought them yet.   It's stupid and silly of me and I know that ever day I'm out without my heavy "winter" jacket on is taking a risk.  The only reason I've not purchased either yet (and they are both under $100 US) is that I also know how fast things can fall apart.  I've been to the top of the mountain, it's a quick roll downhill.  That extra $100 in the bank is part of that safety net.

I can't help but wonder if I'm a little more careful when riding not in full gear?  If my accident in December taught me anything is that things change instantly and that without my gear, it would have been a lot worse.  So it's a battle between the safe and logical vs the cheap and miserly.

I've noticed something else when I am in full ATGATT mode.  I feel safer.  I know that I'm not.  It's as if their really is a suit of amour about me.  All I'm lacking is the lance.
Does that false sense of security make me take chances?  I have gotten in the habit of always reminding myself to check things, to watch my speed.  To be safe.

To pay attention to my mental state.

Earning my Rounder stripes

Living in Florida, it's easy to be a Rounder.   According to their website a Rounder is:

The Rounders are men and women who enjoy their motorcycles so much they ride them year round. The group was founded by a bunch of Mid-Westerners (inspired by a Kook on the East Coast) who ride them even when the temps are below freezing or above hot. The object of becoming a Rounder is to have fun, promote safe, responsible motorcycle use on a regular basis for as much of the year as you can. In the spirit of fun we have concocted the following levels of Rounderhood following the Fahrenheit temp scale:
100's+ Red Hot Rounder
90's Sweating Rounder
80's Half Baked Rounder
70's - R&R (Rounder Relaxing)
60's -Jr. Rounder (Just Riding)
50's - LOTF Rounder (Looking Over The Fence)
40's - FOTF Rounder (Fringe of the Fringe)
30's - Half Rounder
20's - TQ Rounder (Three Quarts)
0-20 - Rounder
Sub Zero - KHOF Rounder (Kook Hall of Fame)

Members can proclaim themselves to be in the various categories based on the truthful telling of their riding conditions. If you lie, then a pox be upon you and may your valves need constant adjustment.

To be a True Rounder, you have to ride every month of the year.

If you have a motorcycle and like to ride it, then you can be a Rounder.

I have ridden my bike in 90 degree weather, I have ridden my bike into the low 20's here in Florida.  It has been miserable to ride in sometimes, with rain so hard that I have been soaked to the bone in.  Winds so fierce that I felt I was leaning at 30 degrees just to keep the bike up straight.  

Photo from Redlegsrides.blogspot.com

These idiots ride in the snow.  

I want to be one of them.  

It's only in the last few days that I have truly felt like belong to such a honored group.   Over the past few days here in West Central Florida we have had rain and wind gusts up to 30 miles to hour.  At night, when I ride home from work at 1 AM, the temperature's  dipped to freezing or below.  

I feel like one of them because I was one of a handful of bikes on the road.  Even during the day when the temperature was in the mid 50's...I counted maybe a dozen bikers.  Here I am on my little scooter doing what "real motorcyclists" are afraid to do.  I am out nearly every day riding, in all types of conditions.

I'm proud of that.  I am also amazed and impressed by the insanity of taking a bike out in "less than ideal" conditions.  Of course, if I still lived in Pittsburgh, would I feel that way?   I have to say that yes, I would. I don't get to do much recreational riding. But when asked what I like about riding...I said the following "I think it's something primitive. Just you, the machine...no distractions. Your fully committed to keeping yourself and the bike safe...because the road below you is unforgiving. It's being on that edge...not being stupid, not being foolish...but connecting to the world around you. Smelling the flowers as you pass, feeling a stone as it kicks up and strikes you. Your fully alive.  Your fully engaged."

Now that being said.  I'm not stupid.  I'm not going to ride if I don't feel I can't handle the circumstances.  There have been times when I just didn't want to ride in because it didn't "feel right."  So I guess I'm hooked.  I guess I'm a "Rounder."

To read more about the Rounders see this article from Rider Magazine.   

Applications for my smart phone...

Recently I finally upgraded to a smart phone.  I did this for several reasons and frankly they were all bike related.  A simple GPS device on my phone could get me home if I got lost on back country roads, and could tuck easily into my jacket pocket with some attached ear buds.  Recently I downloaded Waze which seems like an interesting idea, "crowd sourcing" traffic information.  In other words, getting real time information on accidents, slow downs, police and other things that are along my programmed route.  Even providing different options on how to avoid something.  All the information is gathered by reports supplied by different Waze users.

(credit:  Waze)

The problem of course is how crowed the screen can get, and how you might be distracted by the information coming at you.   Nor is things like a slow down in traffic and accidents mentioned while you drive, although it did warn me of a car on the side of the road...when I was on top of it.  So if your not looking at the screen, your going to miss it.  Looking at the screen while riding the bike has some disadvantages of course.

I have already sung the praises of such programs as CRADAR and Guardian Angel and have downloaded applications that let me keep track of my maintenance.  What to do if I am in an accident (complete with a separate folder for photographs of said accident).  It even includes my doctor's name and emergency contacts. I'm not in a hurry to test these applications.

There is a large part of me that likes the idea of having all that info at my fingertips when needed.  There is even a program that will let me track my route on the bike for future downloads, sadly however that program seems unstable...being designed more for hiking and biking.  I could see using a similar program to map out my rides just in case I find something interesting.  I may try it again.   I recently learned of an application for my android phone called Trip Journal which I will have to try soon.  BreadCrumbz looks interesting as well.

An application available through Best Biking Roads which gives me access to available known routes, and living more or less in the center of the state of Florida I seem to have access to various routes, is pretty cool. However at a $9.00 cost to download it I'm not sure if it's worth it to me.

Then again the big question for me...is will I actually use this stuff?  I have owned my Burgie for a little over a year and I can count the numbers of recreational rides I've had on it using my fingers.  Well I enjoy commuting on the bike daily, it was the reason I primary bought the bike for, I also know that the Burgie is built for riding.  That I enjoy exploring back roads and mysterious places.  That getting lost is not a bad thing.

First things first however, clutch replacement and a new front tire.

September has always been a sad month

As far back as I can remember the month of September has always been a month of transition.  It meant shorter days and longer nights, cooler weather, the leaves losing their green wholesomeness and falling, falling down. 

It meant going back to school, sweaters and football games, kissing my girlfriend to "keep warm" and running through piles of leaves the colors of stained glass and hearing that satisifying crunch.

In the back of my mind however it also meant winter was waiting just around the corner.   Snow, endless nights, cold and ice.  I hated the winter.  I hated all that it stood for.  All during college and even going back to high school I made it perfectly clear that I was moving south.  Towards the warm weather, following the sun.  Winter was death.

After college I lived outside Charleston, SC briefly and then in Charlotte, NC for ten wonderful years. A decision to take a management position took me back to Pittsburgh, PA for another ten.  I would still be there, if the economy would have held up and things had gone as planned...but life has a tendency to go all wonky when you least expect it.  So I moved to Tampa, Florida and life has been wonderful since.  I loved living in Pennsylvania, expect for the last few years where, I am not joking here, we had 36 inches of snow.  After the third year of sub zero temperatures and miserable days behind a shovel...it was time to go.

I've not been home to Pittsburgh for any length of time since.  At the end of the month I'm spending ten days there.  I will not have my bike but I'm still hoping that a few friends of mine will be willing to let me ride theirs.  Three years ago the idea of riding the back roads on a bike meant using a bicycle.  It's funny how things change.   I am unsure if I'll be able to ride, but I think my gear just might find it's way into the back of my car for the drive up.
It's funny that now I am looking forward to the cool, dry air of winter.

Winter here in the south allows me to sleep with open windows, eat dinner on my lanai and ride much more comfortably.  I normally throw a light sweat shirt on under my jacket and that is all I need.  I've an old pair of orange hunting gloves that I might wear at night, it's been as low as 32 degrees (0 C for my European friends).  For once September doesn't seem to be a last gasp of warmer days.   It seems like a new beginning.

Well at home I'll be visiting old friends, visiting the Riverhounds new stadium site, drinking some Iron City well sitting at the famed Primanti Bros. Restaurant in the strip.  It will be good to be home.

Maybe September isn't such a sad month after all.

Storm Chasing

It was one of those days where I should have paid closer attention to the weather.

Burgie in the rain, such a sad site.

The weather here in Florida seems to follow a pattern.  I enjoy my day, soaking up the sunshine and doing some odd errands and odd jobs.   It's when I get ready to go to work...and the skies do open up and it doth rain upon me!

I drove in sans rain gear about two or three days ago since the sky's were light.  However the closer to work I got the darker and darker it got.  I realized that it was going to miss me, so I kept going...pulling into work and hiding the bike under the loading eves about 10 minutes before the rain hit.  "I was lucky" I thought.

Two things happened during the day that bothered me however.   The first was that someone moved the Burgie out of the dry area and into an area of standing water.  I know they did this for a UPS truck but no one bothered to get me?  Or even look for the owner?   Would this have happened to a Harley rider?  I think not!  Hell I would not of minded so much if they would have moved it back to it's original spot.

Plus what would have happened if they caused the bike to fall?  Damaged the forks?  I felt more than a little violated here, and frankly it made my desire for a motorcycle cover all that more meaningful.  Then I had to ride home after pulling on my rain gear.

The weather has been bad all week and I know that eventually I would have to ride home in a storm at night.    It's not something I've been looking forward to, I know that my vision would be lessened due to the darkness and I could imagine that the rain would not help any.  I started my steed up after carefully checking her over to make sure nothing was damaged as the first drops started to fall.   Mumbling, I pulled away into the night taking it easy at first allowing the tires to warm up and any excess water to dry off the brakes.

Traffic was unusually heavy for this time of night and somehow I got stuck behind a tractor trailer which not only moved slower than I would have liked and no matter how far I seemed to ride behind him kicked up a nice amount of water right into my path.  A sharp wind didn't help matters.

I finally got around the tractor trailer and a few miles down the road was blocked.  "An accident, got the whole side blocked.  Your going to have to detour."

Muttering again I took the detour, I know the road well and have often ridden it into work but I know it's full of deer.  Luck was on my side again as there were no deer to be seen.  Finally I made it home, about 10 minutes later than normal and well soaked.  My rain gear was probably one of the better investment's I've made as its kept me relativity dry.

The truth be told is that the ride was not as bad as I feared.  The downpour never came.  I rode in a steady but manageable light rain the whole way home.  I did wake up with a nasty cold the next day however.

Just a brief note!

Seat's arrived.  Belt is ordered.  I may have someone lined up to help me wrench the bike.   Everything in the world would be good....

except for it's raining.  Very, very hard.

I can't wait.

I've done some riding since picking up Proficient Motorcycling  and have been trying to apply many of the technique's that are mentioned in the book  I realize that my basic licensing class I took so long ago applies nearly everything this book does.  With one glaring exception; using the front brake in curves.  I was taught to always roll off the throttle and apply just the brake.  To apply both seems strange to me and has taken a little getting used to.  Sadly most of the turns I ride are gentle sweepers and I've not had the chance yet to apply this technique to sharper turning back roads yet.

The other thing I find interesting is my perception that the author wants us to cover the front brake at all times?  Something I was doing before and was told it's a bad habit....so I made myself brake that habit.  Now am I supposed to do that?  Again I see the logic, but it just seems a little odd that I have recieved conflicting advice.

Such is life, such is riding.