Why Is This Man Smiling?

I have plenty of reasons to smile today.

First and foremost, its election day in America. We are looking at electing this nation's first black president. The election should not be close at all, it should send a very clear signal to Washington that America is tired of the status quo, that America is tired of the divisiveness, that America is tired of watching our economy tank, that America is ready to start the hard work to resume our place as a world superpower.

Second, I won my auction last night (well, early this morning really). I have been in the market for a motorcycle jacket to use for commuting to work because my full on Aerostich riding suit is bulky and hard to deal with once I've gotten to school. My new jacket was a wicked bargain (which is good because I wouldn't have been able to afford it otherwise). I'm rather excited to have an alternative to my heavy suit.

Third, I have a wonderful family in good health. My two little boys are delightfully wonderful guys. Grady has started singing songs he learns in pre-school and Sully is a little chatterbox machine (he's 2 and can string together pretty complex sentences). My wife and I are weathering some bumps along the way but are committed to each other and to our children.

Fourth, this upcoming weekend is a four day weekend with Monday AND Tuesday off. And that's something both Republicans and Democrats can agree on, days off ROCK!

Fifth, Skyrates is currently down but the game is set to start up again next week with lots of improvements. If you wanted to play, the reset is the best time to get in. Everyone is at ground level. Come and join up. And make sure to join the Red Faction and let them know Colonel Fenriq sent you, you'll be welcomed with open arms.

Sixth, did I mention that today is Election Day? Hell yeah!

A Beautiful Day for a Dead Battery

After what feels like months of rain and cold gray gloomy days, today was a stunningly awesome and beautiful day. Warm sun and clear skies all the way around.

So nice that I thought I'd trade in the car for the moto to go my afternoon school.

Only the motorcycle has been standing unridden for so long that the battery drained to just about nothing and I had to drive anyway. With the sunroof open but it wasn't the same.

I did get the trickle charger hooked up and the bike fired up instantly this evening so tomorrow is going to be a fun commute. I'm jazzed up about it already!

Rolling Into a New Perspective

View Larger MapSometimes you've just gotta spin your wheels to get somewhere, even if that new place is just within your own head. Instead of watching the undefeated Colts take on the undefeated Patriots, I went out for a good, long motorcycle ride. Just under a hundred and fifty miles good and long.

I'll post the route map when Google Maps decides to cooperate again.

I got to ride up through beautiful sun and back home along the coast in thick pea-soup fog that chilled me to the bones after a couple of dozen miles.

I knew there would be a lot of bikes out today and I was definitely right. Dozens if not hundreds of bikers passed me going back down towards town. I expected La Honda to be packed full but it was only about half full and I definitely didn't expect to see Mr. Popo Charley in his cruiser just up the hill from the crossroads. I guess the locals get a little tired of people buzzing down to the stop signs at high speed.

I also got a chance to see exactly what happens when a Harley with poor clearance tries to take a hairpin turn too quickly. Hint, the gent riding knows what a guardrail tastes like now. He wasn't hurt and his bike wasn't too badly messed up but he did get it wedged under there pretty well. It was a pretty good example of why I love my V-Strom, it handles beautifully, can lean way, way over and has pretty solid get-up-and-go. It isn't a Hayabusa but I don't need or want the speed and crouched style, I love my bike and just about everything about it.

And the one thing I don't like will be getting attended to this week by shaving a little off the kickstand rest so it is more solid on its stand.

I miss riding when I don't get out and chew up some miles, there's something powerful and affirming about twisting the throttle and feeling your bike leap forward. And then powering down to carve a corner before hucking the bike back over to carve a corner the other way. Its hard to not grin like a stupid monkey! And that's exactly what I needed today.

My only regret is that I didn't stop and take some photos from some of the vista points as the views were pretty stunning! Oh and I could have avoided the 156 crossover to Half Moon Bay, it was a crawl for about a six miles and no fun whatsoever!

You Have Not Truly Lived Until....

.....you have lane split at night in the rain during a fun-filled Monday evening commute.

It has been said that riding a motorcycle in the rain is the very definition of crazy. They may be a little right.

Such was my joy this evening. I left in the quickening dusk and spattery rain, stopping once for a WTF start and stop gas pump. The pump started, gave me $1.30 in gas and then stopped and told me to go see Mr. Man inside. He said the network was down, eventually, until I found that out, I thought he was saying my card had been denied. Oh yeah, there was a guy on his Harley, not prepared for rain at all, he said he left all his gear at home. Woops. I wonder how he feels about tight black leather? Hehehe.

Anyway, I need some motorcycle boots. No question about it. That was the one thing that kind of sucked about it. Well, that and jumping around in the skinny middle lane dodging pickup trucks (white, again, natch), debris and the occasional oblivious housefrau in her Explorer, Yukon or Escalade. But then, that part is the norm on a dry day. But add water, lots of it and in drop form and people are cranky and do not like you or anyone else. I had a couple of bozos in a Civic jump in line in front of me on the turn on to the highway. What do I care? Once we got on the highway, I jumped over, gunned it, spun out some and then launched down the center. I bet they hadn't gone two miles by the time I got home.

So yeah, boots are a requirement. Waterproof shoes are only waterproof if the water isn't wind-forced into it from above, side and back all at once.

And, now that it's over and my feet are warm and dry again, it was kind of fun to do. It wasn't fun while I was doing it but it was fun after the fact, you know how that works?

Still, I think I'll drive tomorrow anyway, that way I sit and watch it rain through the sunroof. And feel bad for the biker who gets caught out.

Tags: commute, motorcycle in the rain, rain, you have not lived