Stress and Destinations

Last Sunday I did something I've not done in some time.  I went out for Indian food.  I also rode Kimmie about with no destination in mind, and I absolutely loved it.

Why add undo stress?

So much so that in the week that followed I rode Kimmie to work on three different occasions (the other two days were rained filled) and the joy was just not there.  Which got me thinking about traffic and how it affects my mindset.

I thought about this a bit last night as I slogged through traffic in the dark, on the very same roads that I actually used to enjoy riding last year at this time.  Of course, back then it was 1 or 2 in the morning; traffic was light or non existent and I was more concerned about a rogue deer more than anything.   Now I'm coming home at 6:30 or 7 PM and although the traffic is not stop and go, it is heavier than I would like.   I have to think about passing someone safely, about keeping in the headlights of one car (to stay as visible as possible to as many people I can) yet out of the blindspot of another.  I'm worried if that car coming up behind me is looking at his phone or fiddling about with the radio and not paying attention, I'm just adding stress to an already stressful situation.

Working a stressful, but lucrative job doesn't help.

Last Sunday I had no stress, no destination.  I was riding to ride.  To be free and I know my fellow bikers will understand what I mean.  I'm beginning to understand why some bikers only take their rides out on the weekends.

An old photo but one of my favorites

Plus, in all honestly, I have nowhere to stow my gear at work, it's easier for me to wear dress shoes rather than riding boots, or not have to put on my jacket; with its bright yellow colors, on the back of my chair.   I've been teased about directing traffic at work...all in the name of ATGATT.

I do love riding though and have found motorcycling to be a unique "in" when working with clients.  I've spent hours talking to a company located in Sturgis, South Dakota about the insanity that is Sturgis.  And how after the rally it's just a dull, quiet little town.  It's given my company and theirs a connection we would not otherwise have, and a nice bonus check for me when they signed up for our services.

I've found that I'm happiest when I'm with a group riding to a destination I don't know or may have never otherwise been.  As I look back I've found I'm been happy when I'm alone, taking a road going somewhere....anywhere really.   Maybe that's the secret for getting back on the bike and riding more.

Don't have a plan.

I look at the plans for this weekend.  A Christmas bazaar that somehow I got recruited to work, and I don't remember anyone asking me to actually work it.  How Sue and I want to go visit a nearby RV dealership for a half formed nebulous idea that is in the back of our heads.   Research I'll call it.

It's supposedly going to rain this weekend and even though I've ridden in the rain, ever since my accident I've been weary of "less than ideal" riding conditions.    I used to enjoy that too, and I hate being wet.  I liked the challenge of it.  The cool air, the fresh smell...I supposed that will come in time too.

For now...I'll try to put the stress aside.  Susan's condition is improving, my job (while stressful) is secure and the company really came to my aid in October when all this shit started with Susan's health.  We're going to beat it.

She encourages me to ride, to get out and see the world.  How can you not love a woman who thinks of  her long time boyfriend first?

Seriously...when do you buy/replace gear?

It's a rainy and sad Sunday morning.   I've got Miles Davis on in the background, his Kind of Blue is fitting my mood.

It's been an uneventful week, which I suppose as a scooter commuter is the type of week you want to have.  No close calls, no idiotic drivers (well, none that caused a problem for me at least).  Sadly no travel either do to a wet and very busy weekend.

So what to write about?  I considered writing about the weather - which has been hot, muggy and wet most of the week - and how to safely ride in it.  I've considered how the cooler weather will soon be here, how my "winter" jacket has served me well and since I'm now working only till 6 or 7 PM most nights, how my Freeze Out jacket, gloves and my current mesh jacket should work well for me most of the year.  In fact, for only a few months out of the year the mesh jacket suites me fine.

Average Tampa temperatures 

High °F	Low °F		High °C	Low °C
70	52	January	21	11
73	54	February	23	12
76	58	March	25	15
81	63	April	27	17
87	70	May	31	21
90	75	June	32	24
90	76	July	32	24
90	76	August	32	25
89	75	September	32	24
84	68	October	29	20
78	60	November	26	16
72	54	December	22	12
82	65	Year	28	18

The Jacket from Xmas - 2011

My blood has not thinned out that much when I would consider anything to be cold.  Of course your body adjusts to the climate your in.  We've had some cold snaps that reminded me of early winters back home.

My "winter" jacket is your traditional motorcycle jacket.  It was made by Vulcan and it has served me very, very well.  It's been through a couple of "incidents."  Neither of which were technically my fault, but as a realist - I could have done things better, been a better rider.  Experience helps you grow.  Unlike a helmet, which I know should be replaced when ever it's been involved in a accident, I'm not sure about the jacket.

It's been beat up sure, scratched up in a couple of places but the seams are still holding up nicely.  It's a little snug now, much more so then what I remember it but the man is growing older.  It's four years old now.

The jacket was given to me as a gift, I still would have preferred, and still prefer something in a bright neon or orange.  But beggars can not be choosers and I love that my parents bought me a good jacket.  I added some reflective tape to it and later still added a neon yellow safety vest to it.  It still works...but honestly I'm a bit worried about the armour and how that holds up over time.

Gloves are easy to know when to replace.  Frankly I used to buy a pair of riding gloves from my local Wal-mart, but after wearing through the fingers on a few of them I bit the bullet and paid for a pair of Fox gloves.  It's been a world of difference and I'm going to buy a pair of gauntlet gloves for the winter.  I just need to go get a pair.  Color don't matter, just be windproof and waterproof.

I know I'm cheap, but the older I get the more safety matters to me.  I'm okay paying a bit more for something that may be the difference between a broken hand and a bruised hand.

Then their is my helmet.   I have mixed emotions about it.  When I bought it, I thought it was fine, but here we are some two years later and I'm not happy with it at all.

It's an HJC.  The little plastic tab broke off that opens and closes the top vents, it's been open ever since, not that it matters.  The face shield had a tendency to come out of its' grooves, meaning I've had to pull over and fix it at times.  The plastic seems cheap and I've often had to resnap the padding back into place.  I'm cheap like I said and it was a closeout.

I do have a few other helmets.  Sue has one for her noggin and we bought a second full face helmet for me at that time but it never felt quite right when I wore it, hence I bought the HJC and was happy with it for a short time.  A silver half helmet I've not worn in forever rounds out the equipment.

I've fallen in love with the modular helmets - wearing glasses it would be so much easier - and frankly if I go that route, I might as well pay for the phone/GPS and radio option.  One of the things I love about riding is the quiet, NOT having the radio or GPS or people calling.  Still though, if I'm serious about wanting to go on day trips to the Atlantic or put in 150 mile + days on a more regular basis, having that equipment built in only makes sense.  It's just a shame that Nolan is so damned pricy.  So do we put that off?  Or the jacket for now?

No matter what I do, I'm looking at getting my money's worth out of this equipment.  Good gear can be the difference between "Ouchie" and "We are here to celebrate the life of..."   I'll take the ouchie in the pocketbook before the "celebration of life" any day of the week.

So gentle readers; when do you buy gear?  What would you recommend?  I'm listening.

Christmas comes early. A review of the Freeze Out jacket and gloves - part 1 of two thing

Okay, it's not THAT bad.

Do not let anyone tell you that Florida does not get cold.

While its true that we don't suffer from sub zero temperatures, or snow and ice for days and weeks on end.  It is a different type of cold.  Our high humidity and often windy conditions make it feel colder than it actually is and that is one of the reasons why hypothermia deaths are so high in Florida.

Despite being born in Pennsylvania I've never grown to like winter or the cold.  While I often joke about it, the truth of the matter is that I always knew I would go south.  The first chance I got after college away I went, and I have never looked back.

While I am no longer commuting back and forth at 1 to 2 AM in the middle of the night, I still have to commute in the dark and at night particularly this time of year.  I am also commuting further and in different types of traffic than I have before.  This is more of a "stop and go" traffic pattern followed by rural stretches at a higher speed.  When I was traveling home in the middle of the night, if I got cold I could easily pull over and add another layer (often I would pull a pair of sweat pants on to keep the legs warm).  Now, sadly, this may not be possible and or dangerous for me to do.

With that in mind Susan bought me three early Christmas presents.  We traveled down to the brick and motor Cycle Gear warehouse (which I admit I forgot was even in Tampa) and she bought me the Freeze Out jacket and gloves.  Of course the temperatures, which had been in the low 40's (5 to 7 C) during the day jumped into the mid 70's (mid 20's C) the second I bought the jacket and gloves.

So, here was the test.  I would wear my normal "summer mesh" jacket to work during the day and wear the Freeze Out jacket home.  The gloves were designed to go under my Fox riding gloves.  The lows for the coming week were predicted to be in the mid 50's (about 12 C), while this would not be much of a test it would at least give me an idea of how the new gear would feel when then temperature dropped even more in January and February.  Of course the temps this whole week were higher than that. 

So much for that idea.

Based on what I read from various forums the gear kept most of the riders warm into the high 30's without much issue.  I was looking for two things.  One:  Would I be chilled when I got home.  While the temperatures involved where not "cold", they were cool.  Would I arrive home feeling like I did not leave the office at all.  Two:  How comfortable would the gear be?  I was particularly interested in how the gloves would feel, as I don't like wearing gloves at all, but know what my hands needed protection.

I guess these things would have to wait. 

The other gift she bought me however was put to use immediately  She bought me a Bilt bike cover as well.  While the bike sits at home it is actually pretty well protected from the elements.  However when I am at work it's not.  This may come in handy when I'm parked there, however so far I've not taken it to work.  For now I believe I'll just continue to  use it at home.  

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.

The winter months brings it's own challenges.

Autumn has arrived in officially in Florida.

The humidity broke, the temperature has settled into the what I used to think of as "summer" weather when I lived up north.  My mesh jacket has been confined to the closet and I slip into my heavier "winter" jacket welcoming the extra weight and warmth of it for the cold ride home at 1 AM.  I start to get my head around the fact that soon it will be very cold on the way home.

The temp gauge on my beloved Burgman (RIP)

I know that the words "cold" and "Florida" don't exactly make logical sense.  I do admit to feeling some pangs of regret that my Northern friends don't have a year round riding season like I do and always feel a little bad bringing up the topic of "cold weather riding."

Well snow is as rare as a truthful politician it can get cold here.  I have photographic proof of it.  For me it's a challenge, I have to dress warmly yet still manage to look professional and competent.  Dressing in layers is not always possible...I have to work in an area we refer to as the "fish bowl" - a glass enclosed small space full of computers.  Sweaters and hoodies can only go so far and I don't want to do a strip tease just yet.  My boots are good at keeping my feet warm but my legs?  Oh that is a different story!  In the past I've gone so far as to wear thermal underwear under my dress pants or place a pair of old sweatpants under the seat and pull those over my dress pants.

Winters are dry here, but we do get a nasty wind off the land and sea at various times of day and wind chill becomes a issue.   Layering is all well and good, but again how much gear can I wear in to work to stay warm on my 37 mile (60 KM) ride home without sweating off my skinny little butt?

The simplest solutions are always the best.

Kimmie at work.

The migration of the snowbirds also brings heavier traffic and a greater number of bikes on the road.  With that comes new dangers and challenges. I'm not knocking older drivers, who on the whole tend to be safer drivers, but they do need to remember the old adage "look twice, save a life."   Yesterday for example I had cars pull out in front of me twice, neither time was I ever in danger but that's not the point.  I have to be more vigilant in the winter months.  For example, in my little town of Zephyrhills the ave population is a little over 13,000 people.  During the winter months that number climbs to something like three or four times that.  More people equals more problems equals more danger.  That is just a sad fact.

UPDATE - In a bizarre twist, I was meeting my girlfriend at a friends about 4 PM.  They live off a rather busy road that is hard to cross during rush hours.  I decided to head down a rough washboard road and meet them at a Italian restaurant.  I too,k my helmet out of my top case and road the 3 miles or so to the bar.  By the time I got there my top case was gone.  We went back to look for it and traveled that road back and forth at least 3 times.  There was no sign of it anywhere.  Not even plastic on the road.  So I need a new top case and a new pair of gauntlet gloves (which were in the case).  Also new reflective stickers.

Robert is not happy.

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.

Weather, history, zombies and can I borrow some money?

I had hoped to put up my totally true - although made up - story of the Zombie attack for the Blog Like It's the End of the World celebration a few days ago, unfortunately for me real life kept me busy (I fear that I may be a workaholic)...so I guess my true story - although completely fictional account - of how I saved a school bus full of children from the Zombies using nothing but a wiffle ball bat, a can of Raid and my Burgman will have to wait for next years until the next end of the world blogging event.  That is, of course, if the Mayan's don't have it right. 

No, the real lightening

It's also been a week of strange rides as I ply the streets of Tampa.  The last few nights I've been blessed with riding home dry where all around me there is rain.  It is both magical and scary as hell as I ride into the gathering storm, watching lighting arch across the sky.  Sometimes quietly, sometimes not so much. 
Darkness does not so much as surround me as envelops me in it's grasp.  The night air is warm and inviting and calls me forward to ride more, but I keep an eye on the sky...I've been lucky so far but I know that my luck will not always hold out.  I recently learned that "Tampa" is a deviation of an old Calusa Indian word "Tanpa" meaning fire stick and spoke to the amount of lighting strikes in the area.  Or perhaps it means simply "place to gather sticks".
I've seen first hand what a lighting strike can do to a oak tree...I've no desire to become a human lighting rod. 

Weather.com generally does not fail me, but today the 10% chance that I had to get rained on ended up having the decimal point in the wrong column.  At first it was rather pleasent to feel the cool rain, then drive again into the heat...cool down with a light burst, then feel the humidity climb again.  Then I road right into the full downpour, which lasted for a full 10 minutes.   It's hard for me to resist the need to turn the throttle up and escape the rain, but I know additional speed results in additional risk and I still do not feel that comfortable on the bike in less than perfect conditions.  I rode in however knowing I would get wet for that very reason.  Learning never ceases.

In other news.  Can you loan me $2100? 

From Cycle Exchange - Tampa

I was owed a free oil change by my friendly motorcycle and scooter mechanics due to their screw up with the brake caliper a few months ago and well there fell absolutely head over heals with a Suzuki Savage.  It was not a bike I was familiar but it had the clean lines I like.  It was unusual enough due to it's  four-stroke, single-cylinder, air-cooled, single overhead cam engine, sometimes called a Thumper.  It was a 650 cc powerhouse which would give me the power I needed when I need it.  Other than the aftermarket saddle bags it could have came off the showroom floor somewhere in the early 90's.  It had only 1300 miles on it and is listed as a 5 speed.  However for a 13 year old bike I had to question the price.  The Savage is still produced today but as the S40 still though would I be able to get parts for a 13 year old bike and considering I'm a drunken monkey with a gun when it comes to anything mechanical this bike would not have been a good choice for me.  Still though, lovely looking machine. 

Highways, bridges and soccer.....a punishing night on the Burgie

I've been wanting to ride the Burgie down into St Petersburg for some time.  After all I would be able to get some glorious shots of my ride against the ocean, the yacht club and other interesting things.  This past Saturday night the local soccer team, called the Rowdies were playing, and I could not think of a better reason to ride down.

As it so happened though life through me a couple of twisties before I could even start to plan to go to the game. My camera went boom, meaning that any picture I took with it was a fuzzy mess. My wallet was either lost or stolen, and since my bank is up north it would take several days to get my bank cards straightened out.  My license reissued, etc.  I questioned if I should even bother going down but as a nearly perfect Saturday dawned I had my answer.  I would ride the sixty miles down to the game, enjoy it and spend some time exploring the city.  So I jumped on the Burgie and went.

Traffic was not this bad on Saturday.

Frankly there are lots of ways to get into St. Pete but generally speaking the easiest and quickest is to cross one of the three bridges that connect Tampa to St. Pete.  The Howard Frankland being the one I choose.  This is also a major highway (I-275) and a very long bridge which is open to the water on both sides (remember this, it's important for later).  At various times I've seen dolphins leaping from the water, sea birds hunting from fish and several species of fish break the waterline for whatever reason.  All while traveling at a nice clip of 70 miles per hour.  The ride down into St Pete was uneventful, I don't care for driving on highways but felt pretty secure and sure of myself on the way in.

Photo courtesy of Jay Anthony

Once into St Pete I drove past the famed Dali museum, the Pier with its upside down pyramid (which has since closed and is being rebuilt.  For pictures of the old pier please use this link), around the lovely yacht club with the boats flying their multicolored flags. The real fun started when you get to the game.  I'm a member of Ralph's Mob, where your expected to stand, sing, clap and generally yell yourself hoarse for the entire 90 minutes of a soccer game.   It was a pretty good game, with the Rowdies dominating it for the most part - but their is an old saying in soccer.  "Football is a lot like life sometimes despite the effort, it's disappointing in the end."  The Rowdies lost 2 - 1 in a game that they should have won.  The reasons for that loss is for another blog.  So I considered my options and decided that after the game instead of enjoying a soft drink or two at the after-game party, I would head home; after all I lived 60+ minutes away.

Courtesy of Jay Anthony (find the author as well)

St Pete's offers a lot of motorcycle/scooter parking which is nice, I found a spot 2 blocks from the stadium earlier that eveing and started home.  I pulled out and the wind off the water hit me like a ton of bricks.  It got worse as I entered the highway...hitting me from both the side and the front of bike.  My speed dropped as I turned the throttle up, but if I turned it to much I didn't feel safe from the side winds that seemed to want to drive me into the next lane over.   I moved over to the right as far as I could, feeling the bike be pushed, fishtailing a bit, the wind relentlessly pushing me over to the left.  The bridge went on and on, I leaned forward and into the wind never feeling that I would lose control but feeling I was on the edge.  Again and again I was buffeted.  It seemed to take forever to cross that three mile span.

I got off the bridge safely and I'll be honest, feeling a bit lucky but decided to cut through town to avoid the rest of the highway as the wind was still playing havoc on the bike.   What I didn't think about was the part of town I would be riding through.  I was riding through an area of town so rough that even the cockroaches were packing guns.  I never feared for my safety, I actually thought I was safer on the city streets then on the highway at the time and besides...I was on a scooter.

The last 15+ miles of ride was into a strong headwind but this I could manage.  So eventually I made it home, safe and sound and with some knowledge under my belt about how to drive in unpredictable gusts of winds.  I would have to work on that.

Riding and commuting

In August it will be one year since I bought the Burgie.  Since then I've managed to change out the back tire, change the oil (twice), have a semi-serious mechanical failure - which was not my fault - and put the bike  down, which was my fault. Somehow I've also managed to ride 10,000 miles.

05/04/12

I started with a little under 6,600 miles but rounded up to that nice round figure.  Today I hit 10,000 miles.   Not to bad for a commuter I think and only owning my bike for about nine months.  One of my goals in the coming year is to put more miles on the bike that are "just for fun" which means riding here and there just for the hell of it.

It also means, at least to me anyway, making some improvements to the bike.  I've talked before about how I want to install a new windshield or get a more comfortable seat, however that takes a little more money than what I have right now...so I decided to invest in Malossi 21 g Variator roller weights.  On the Burgman the standard roller weight is 18 - 19 grams.  In theory this should lower the rpm's on my bike during my daily 70 mile round-trip commute and increase gas milage.  Currently, depending on conditions I'm in the high 50's to low 60's.  I hope that these new rollers will lower my fuel consumption by 10 miles per gallon, putting me into the high 60's and low 70's.  Since I will be at 20K soon, where it's recommend I replace my CVT belt, I've decided to order one of those as well but other needs like a new dishwasher, tires for the jeep and saving for a vacation are priority.  The lowest price I've found for a CVT belt is $129 dollars.  The highest - $200 dollars.  That is not including installation and labor costs.  The fact that I'm even considering doing this work myself shows my my confidence level is increasing with every mile I ride.  Six months ago I would never of thought about tearing the bike apart in this manner but thanks to the helpful folks at the BurgmanUSA forums and Mitch's Scooter blog I feel confident.  It helps that my neighbor is a retired mechanic as well.

I know longer have a fear of twisty's, in fact I seek them out now.  Where I rarely ever passed anyone on my previous Zuma 125, I do so with joy now.   I still feel a little weird at night when a car is speeding behind me, but I know longer feel a compulsion to pull over and let him pass.  Nor do I hug the right lane anymore, I feel confident in all lanes.  I do remind myself that the second leading cause of accidents however is "confidence."

At work, my heavy motorcycle jacket no longer gets odd looks when I come in and the fact that I ride in nearly every day has forced the three Harley Owners and a Shadow owner to join me, least they be teased that the "Scooter Guy" is more of a biker than they are.    Today I plan on taking the bike to Keel and Curley Winery for there Blueberry festival.  Sadly I will not have any pictures since my camera died, but I do promise to return with a nice Chardonnay or perhaps a sweet blackberry wine.

Taking chances....and rainy days

I will never understand why people insist on getting smaller cc bikes.  I believe you need to have the right bike for your circumstances.

Now please don't misunderstand me.  I know very well why someone would want a lower cc scooter.  Hell, I started riding on a small Zuma 125 because of the lower costs, fuel mileage and other reasons.  The top speed on that bike with an open throttle was maybe 55 mph.  Living in the city it was fine for stop and go driving but I would never take it out onto a freeway, nor would I ride it night on busy roads.  In all fairness I did ride at night on the Zuma but it was on back country roads at 1 AM.  Ninety percent of the time I never saw another car.

Yesterday I on my way home from work taking my normal route.  It was after 10:30 at night and traffic, while not heavy was certainly heavier than normal for that time of night.  I pulled up to a red light and see a single red dot about a mile ahead of me.  "Another biker" I think to myself.   The light goes green and I catch up to the other bike in a matter of minutes.

He was riding something similar to this.

It was some guy wearing a dark shirt, no helmet, no jacket, no reflective gear at all riding a motorized bicycle.  His top speed was maybe 30 mph.  We were riding on a  road where the speed limit is posted as 65 mph.  I yelled over to the guy that I would tuck in behind him and follow him.  My larger bike would not protect him of course if we got hit from behind, but at least my taillights and reflective stripping on my jacket would be a bit more visible.  He took the lane closest to the side of the road, I took the outside and for roughly five miles we putted along, getting passed by all type of cars and trucks.

I even turned on my brights to help him see.  Eventually he turned off, taking a similar road and I continued on straight wishing him the best.  Hopefully this was a one time thing for him.  He was taking a bigger chance than I would ever do.  In fact, the reason I sold the Zuma is that I would have to travel that road back and forth to work; I didn't think the Zuma was safe on those roads even with it's higher speed.

On a more personal note it rained over the weekend.  We needed the rain badly here in Western Florida, as we are in a prolonged drought, but it also showed a weakness in my plans for the future.  I know that eventually I will have to get rid of one of my cars.  It just does not make sense to me; economically or environmentally, to have two cars.  That however means riding in the rain at times.  It poured here the other day, buckets of rain coming down.  I have a rain suit and a decent one at that.  I've not used it yet.  I decided to take the car one day, and I'm glad I did because the rain was so bad that I would not see 10 feet ahead of me at one time.  The other day I rode into the dark clouds knowing I had a 50% chance of getting wet.  I also had a 50% chance of staying dry.  I stayed dry.

If I want to get rid of at least one of the cars, I have to accept that I am going to get wet.  That I will have to ride in less than ideal conditions.  I'll get there.

Night riding

Every night I ride home from work at about 12:30 AM.  I enjoy this night ride because often I'm the only bike - hell, the only vehicle - on the road.  The miles just roll under me, the deer looking from their grazing with dull bored eyes, I don't think about them as long as they stay on their grassy knolls...I hug the left lane and do keep a look out for them (in the battle of a motorcycle vs a deer I fear the deer would win).  One close encounter was enough.

Often it's just me and a few stars.  Sometimes a big moon rising in the Eastern sky and I ride straight for it.  That was the way it was the other night, the moon was so huge in the sky and was reflecting back the Sun's light in such a way that only the bottom half was lit.  It was if God himself was watching my progress with one tired and dreary eye.

Still the miles fall under my tires.

I suppose a better rider could describe the feeling.  That feeling of isolation without being isolated.  A feeling of being connected to everything and nothing that only riding a bike can give you.  I've been a hiker for years and have felt that deep connection to the natural world before, on the bike however it's different.  Maybe it's the speed, maybe it's the increased awareness you have while driving a bike.

Maybe it's just the cool night air running across your body.

Who knows what causes it, what forces act upon you.  For me, the ride home at night wakes me up, makes me forget about the stresses of my day and job and brings all my senses into play.  I listen to the purr of my engine; I catch the smell of swamp water and heather as I pass through the woods.  I see the meteors streak through the blue black sky.

It's easy to understand why even the roughest of bikers wax poetic about riding.  On a night like the other night, I do too.

Fear of Twisty's???

Over the Thanksgiving weekend I had four days off, then worked a day and had an additional two days off.   Lots of time to get the Burgie out and do some riding, but it didn't work out that way as family obligations and other duties kept me off the bike till a glorious day just ripe for riding.   Warm and sunny the road called out...."Twisty's Robert....Twisty's".


Gary B and I headed out, him in the lead.   He in the lead through orange groves and country roads, for 110 miles we road a circle north and south, east and west.   Something happened somewhere in the route, I started to feel a bit more confident taking some turns.

I felt a little bad as Gary had to keep slowing down for me, going through the curves with practiced ease, but I needed to do this at my pace.  I felt that I was lacking experience taking the curves I knew Gary had planned.  Gary has about 10 years if not more of riding experience on me, and he knows the roads we were riding well.

I took my time, feeling better and more confident with each curve of the road.  Each time letting the road and the bike tell me how to move.  Leaning, slowing down, powering through each curve.

A little explanation is in order.  Since buying my bike,  I've been a commuter traveling the same tired roads day in and day out on my Burgman.  While my route to work offers a little variation; I can ride to work a few different ways...taking the highway briefly or the twisted back road....a straightaway country road...the truth is it's pretty much the same ride day in and out.  So I was feeling a little tentative then  as we started the ride.  I just don't get to do twists and turns often enough to feel comfortable with them.

Thanks to anonymous1310 on DA.

Towards the end of the ride I was feeling more and more secure.  The smile started to return to my face.

On Sunday, I went out again.  Driving into a blinding setting sun I had left early enough to hit some winding side roads I know of near work.  Again I went to get used to the twists and turns of an unfamiliar road.  In and out and powering through.

It sounds silly as I write this, that I should have a fear of twisty's.  It's not really a fear, it's more of a respect.  I have not had much chance to ride them. To practice, to simply ride the roads.   Florida is full of straight roads or a road that slightly curves, easy turns to make.   Some sharp curves are here and there and those are the roads that I want to ride, to practice on.   You don't become a better rider by riding the straight away...you ride the twisted roads.

Random thoughts at night

I just worked a 11.5 hour day so forgive me if this is not of up to the usual level of incoherence.  First though a serious moment, the other night a buddy of mine and a friend of his, named Mark, went riding.  Mark had something jump in front of him and down he went.   At this time I'm not sure how badly hurt he is but I know it was serious enough to require a paramedic.

Here's hoping Mark recovers quickly and can return to riding soon no worse for wear.

Guess where the finger goes!

1)  I enjoy riding at night.  I often work till 12:30 or 1 AM so coming home the roads are empty, it's just me and the bike and the stars above.  It's peaceful, calming and relaxing listening to the white noise of wind across my helmet.  The deer looking up from the side of the road as they feed.  The moon bright and welcoming.

2)  It's also a little scary at night.  I fear two things.  One is that those peaceful deer will decide to jump in front of me to give me a bear hug and the other is that the roads are so empty and so devoid of civilization that the guy in the photo there will give me more to worry about than numb butt!

Special thanks to Donald Yatomi

3)  I really need a digital camera.  The more I ride the more I want to document some of the weird and wonderful things I've seen.  Hopefully we won't document any procedures given to us by the guys in the photo there.  Be kind of neat if they converted the Burgie into a hover cycle.  That be really cool.  All joking aside however there are stories behind some of the things I've seen...either true or waiting to be told.  It's those stories that interest me when I ride.  "How did that lone large tree end up in the middle of lake?"  or "Who placed this monolith in the middle of no where and for what purpose?"  These are stories to be told.

3.5)  I tend to notice things a bit more now when I ride than I think I did before.  Maybe it's because I am exposed on a very small piece of metal and plastic as compared to the cars around me.  Perhaps.  I think however that it is something more.   I am closer to the road, I feel the physics working on me through a turn, the cry of birds in the air.  The smell of a BBQ fire as I pass a rib joint.  I ride to enjoy the ride...being aware of my surroundings is part of that, and maybe a bit more.

4)  I would think sneezing while wearing a full face helmet would be a bad thing.

5)  At work their are at least two other people that ride.  Yet I seem to be the only one that shows up in all type of weather on my bike.  I'm rather proud of that fact and others have noticed as well.  It's a badge of honor for me.

6)  Who ever designed the Burgi was small.  I am 6 foot tall, and have seen many of bug fly up and over the windshield...only to smack me directly me in the middle of full face shield.

7)  Layers....in cold weather it's the way to go, although I still can't wrap my mind around the lower 50's being cold.  I know my blood will thin out in a year or two and the mid 70's will seem cold.

Oh the Rowdies are....a kick in the Grass!

I'm a big fan of soccer, so when I realized that I would be able to attend the next FC Tampa Bay (better known as the Rowdies) football game I knew I was going.
(WARNING - the theme song from the late 70's is very catchy)

The problem is, of course, how to get there.   I want to take the Burgie down for several reasons.  It's a hell of a lot easier to park, better on gas, and besides...it be the longest ride (120 miles roughly round trip) I've taken yet on my new machine and that thrill of adventure is tempting.

It would involve me riding on busy freeways, at night, and I knew there would be beer involved.   Not that I would ever drink and ride, but I know damn well I would have a few at the game (soccer fans by definition enjoy beer).  Plus, it's still freaking hot in Tampa.  I know it's late September but the temperature still hovers in the mid 90's.  All these things would have to be addressed in one way or another.  Plus there is a solid chance of rain, which, logic would dictate I should take my car.

But to hell with logic!  I want to ride my scooter to the game!

The ride itself would only take a little over an hour as it's about 55 to 60 miles from here to there which truthfully is not that bad even through I suffer from Numb Butt on my 35 mile commute every day.  My girlfriend has some sort of frozen ice pack thing that fits around her neck and shoulders that keeps the wearer very cool and would fit perfectly under my riding jacket.  So I got a route and a way to stay cool.  At night on the ride back I would not need the pack.

Beer...easily to take care of.  One or two or three at the tailgate before the game then hydrate with lots of water.  No drinking in the 2nd half at all.  There is a old saying.  "There are drunk riders. There are old riders. There are NO old, drunk riders."  I plan on being an old rider.

Sadly I can't do anything about the weather, other than hope it really doesn't rain but it it must that the storm abates quickly and I can put the rain in the rear view mirror as quickly as possible.  I really do need to invest in good rain gear.  I am however in no hurry to get home either.  I would rather be safe than sorry.

Some retro reflective tape added to the bike and helmet recently will help with the visibility at night. Safety most of the time is just good planning.  


A little bit of planning and I'm all set to take the Burgie down to the game. I can just see my Ralph's Mob scarf blowing in the wind behind me as I eat up the miles to the game.




Sing it with me now, you know the words! OH THE ROWDIES RUN HERE, THE ROWDIES RUN THERE.....

Random thoughts at 1000+ miles

Somewhere yesterday or the day before I tripped the 1000 mile marker on the Burgie.  It happened without fanfare, no angels descended from Heaven to mark the occasion although there were donuts at work and cupcakes there the next day.

I suppose 1000 miles is not really that big of a deal, I commute 70 miles roundtrip each day and that number adds up pretty quickly.  I'm averaging over 64 miles per gallon and have spent under $100 in gas (I think as I've not done an official count).

Ye Olde Bugs in the teeth!

For me however it is a big deal.  When I rode my little Yamaha Zuma 125 back and forth and here and there they were short trips, under 35 miles total usually.  I got experience and learned to ride...but it's a different type of ride.

Maybe it was just me but coming home tonight I felt "locked in" to the bike, the steering column barely seemed to move as I took the corners at 65 miles per hour on my commute.  I really enjoy riding at night.  It's another world, less traffic to worry about it's true...but I am even less visible on the road.  My commute involves long lonely stretches as road as well,and Lord forbid if something should happen, it would be a long night till someone came along.

I put these thoughts out of my mind though.  Enjoying the night air and the croaking of frogs off in the distance.  There is something ethereal about being the only one on the road, the whine of the engine and the light of Venus above.

There is one major issue I have however.

Numb butt.

That strange condition that affects some riders...where your ass just is not comfortable on that seat no matter how you move or what you do.  Everything from adding and subtracting foam to the seat to get a hard wooden beads to sit on has been suggested to me.

I've seem something similar to the hard beads in cars but have not really tried it, but people swear by it.  It's also been suggested that since I'm in Florida something like a sheepskin cover for the seat might help as well.  I hope to get it covered later this week or next.  No matter where I move my skinny bony ass I just can't seem to get to comfortable.

I also realized that I am doing what I sent out to do.  With the exception of one day, where it looked like rain, I've driven the bike in every day.  I'm a 2 wheeled commuter.

Problem is, I'm not having any fun.

Sure I could blame the seat, the fact that I own my own small business which eats up time and work a goofy ass shift at my regular job.  I could do all that.  The problem is that I'm just riding back and forth to work.  I want to break out of the rut and do something different, ride somewhere different.

I break up the route I ride a little bit, twisty roads one day...the highway the next.  I want to simply ride and do something different.   I think that's part of the motorcycle mystique...that sense of freedom.

I am feeling the need to just ride.   Somewhere.   Anywhere.

The weird thing is that before I started riding I could not have explained this feeling.  I would simply say "I need a vacation" and go hiking in the woods or take a couple of day and do nothing.  Now I just want to ride.

The first ride.

When you buy a new car, you understand the basics of that car.  What the steering wheel does, where the brakes are.  What you don't know is what to expect.  How will the car react in wet weather?  Around sharp curves?  Up and down hills?

So you take that car out for a test drive and learn these things.  It helps you decide if you want to buy that car or not.

Since I don't have my motorcycle endorsement (yet) I'm not allowed to take the bike off the lot.  I had to make my decision on what to buy based on second and third hand information.  From various friends, websites, forums and magazines.  While my choice to buy a Suzuki Burgman was informed by this information...if I made the right one or not wouldn't be known till I took her out onto the mean streets of Tampa and opened her up.

So this is a first for me in a lot of ways.  Not only is it a new bike, but its also my first ride on something bigger and more powerful than I had ever ridden before.  Not only would I be driving in the stop and go traffic of a city, but traveling on highways and along some twisty country roads.   I had not really planned on this route but it just sort of happened that way.

To say I was a bit nervous is a bit of an understatement.   I could just see myself getting onto the bike, pulling away into traffic and going down in a heap.  I didn't thank God.  I did however learn some things about the Burgi right off the bat.

I had a brief ride through the city of St Petersburg and then had to cross the Gandy bridge.   The speed limit was 65 mph and I quickly got the bike up to speed.  Up until then I was traveling at about 35 - 45 mph.

I had expected some buffeting but was surprised by how much.  I felt like I was getting punched as the wind rolled over the windscreen and straight up into my chest and head.   I'm 6 foot tall and had traveled less than 20 miles.  I already knew I was getting a taller windshield as soon as possible.

Bending over a bit and looking just over or through the windshield helped immensely, but created an awkward position for me.  I read some reviews where the writers complained of a weird magnification of the windshield, which I did not experience at all.  

I also noticed how the bigger bike caught the wind a lot more than my smaller previous Zuma 125 did.  Which came as a bit of a surprise and I had to work out how to cut the wind on the bridge.  Luckily traffic was light and although I was not blown into another lane, I felt that I could have easily have been.  The weight and size of the bike would also be an issue on the twisty back country roads I drove on. Where I was used to the much lighter and smaller Yamaha, so it would take a few more days and miles to adjust to the bigger Burgman.

Once I hit the city traffic things got a little easier, although I still had to get used to the weight of the bike.   As my lovely girlfriend pulled into a market I nearly tipped the machine over pulling into a parking space...all because my weight was not placed right much to her amusement!

My little Zuma 125 could easily keep up with city traffic, I felt a bit more visible on the larger Burgman.  Just when I'm feeling a bit more cocky some idiot pulls out and crosses two lanes of traffic right in front of me.   A quick light touch of the brakes slowed me quickly enough to avoid a problem however and I enjoyed the quickness of the stop.  It was not a panic stop but if I were traveling about 10 miles an hour faster it could have been.

Ah, Florida!

One thing I wanted to do was buy a drink holder.  I joked about with the salesman at the dealership, but as I drove nearly 100 miles in temperatures close to 100 degrees I realized that I would really need a way to keep cool.  I was riding in short sleeves and jeans, boots and my helmet.  Not exactly safety gear but with a jack and full helmet I would be melting my fat ass off.

Luckily the front glove box does a deep pocket that will hold a bottle of water, although opening and closing this box while traveling seems a bit dangerous.  I guess I could do that at stop lights.

Under the seat I was able to store a jacket as well as a small toolkit that came with the bike and a odds and ends.  I was slightly surprised to find there were not one, but two, compartments for holding documents on the sides of the storage compartment.

My fat ass in traffic.

While it was not part of my original plans, I ended up taking the bike to work which meant I would have to ride it home at 1 AM on nearly empty streets in the middle of no where.   Before I knew it I was doing 80 mph surprised as hell.  I slowed down and reminded myself to keep an eye on the speedometer.  I was also surprised by the brightness of the head lights, the "high power" switch lit up the night like a ball park for me...which brought a smile to my face as the deer on the side of road looked up as I passed them.

As I approached the first 100 mile mark on my new bike I thought to myself "I made the right choice."   I was a bit concerned about the 400cc engine because I wanted something bigger...afraid that six months from now I would be wanting more power.  After my first 100 miles on all types of roads and traffic conditions I felt the 400cc would be just fine.