Still crazy

yep! I'm a Polar Bear


This morning, March 01, 2009 it's 18 degrees.
Not hardly riding weather. the sun was out but we had about half an inch of snow fall so everything is white and bright. I couldn't resist and went out and started up my bike. People that I talked with earlier this morning said that the roads were clear and dry. I had a quick thought of a "polar Bear" ride down to the convenience store.
At 18 degrees the oil in my bike is at, to say the least, thick and very slow moving. The engine turned over real slow like it was trying to swim in muddy molasses. This should have been a clue that I should wait till better or at least warmer weather. Sometimes I just don't pay attention to sign and clues and end up like today. Cold and very tired.
I managed to find a propane torch and started warming up the oil in hopes of at least getting the old bike started. After about twenty minutes of the torch I managed to get the engine to spin almost like normal and finally it caught and fired up. Chugged a little but I had it running. I set the choke and went inside to get on some real warm clothes.
When I went back out to see how the warming was going I was struck by the silliness of this whole thing and thought that I might just wait. Then, as normally happens, the lack of good common sense took over again. I found myself thinking that it's only two miles that is required for a Polar Bear ride.To the store and back would qualify. Warming my hands on the heads I though that I could just ease down and leave it running get a cup of coffee. Just as soon as the first "Boswell" came in I would ease back to the house.
Walking around the bike to move the cover out of the way I noticed a possible set back to this legend building experience. The fuel filter was one large cake of ice. Apparently there was some water in the fuel and it was frozen. Grabbing the throttle I gave it a twist and turned real stiff and as it revved up it popped and banged a little. Appears that there wasn't enough fuel getting through. What to do, Think think...Hair dryer! yes that should do the trick. Warm up the lines with a hair dryer and get the ice out and have it running like it should. Back into the house to search for a dryer and a cup of coffee. After a few minutes I located the hair dryer and poured a cup of coffee and headed back out. The hair dryer did the trick and I got it running smoothly. I sipped the coffee and used the dryer on everything else that I could see was frozen. Throttle cables, brake and clutch cables, seat. I even knocked a little ice or frost off the gages.
Satisfied that I had everything all loosened up and ready to ride I turned around and headed down my drive. At the street I eased out and it was cold! I kept it to second gear and really just idled along. That mile to the store was longer than I expected. Cooler too. Finally I pulled in at the gas pumps and started to go in and get the cup of coffee I had worked so hard for.
As I hit the door to push it open I almost broke my arm. The door was locked and then I noticed a sign that said closed. Apparently the snow had prompted them into not opening. Man! That cup of coffee would have really hit the spot.
I threw a leg over the bike and started back to the house. Again that was a really long mile and seemed to take for ever to ride it.
Pulling into my parking space I thought that I had made another Polar Bear ride and felt pretty good. Then I remembered that I hadn't seen a single person either coming or going. That meant no "Bozwell"No one would know about my major accomplishment.
As I set here with a warm cup of coffee and look out at my bike. I may be crazy at times, but I know.
Hope to catch ya on the road.
f