5/13/2009 just ridin around

365 Group


Yesterday was a great day to ride! So, I did.
I loaded up for my usual trip into work and headed down to the street. As I started to pull out the engine started cutting out. this was a little upsetting as I was already running late.
I managed to make it to the one stop and found the problem. Apparently the cover I had on the bike has blown around some and it had gotten wet. In this monsoon we've been experiencing everything was soaked. The plug wires were wet and arcing. I managed to get a lot of the water dried off and fired back up. Still ran a little rough but that worked itself out after about four miles.
Coming out of town I hit the straight stretch of Hwy 45 and really twisted it up. I was late and thought I might make up some time. Trouble is there just isn't enough straight stretch.
I made my turn at the foot of the mountain and kind of settled back to enjoy the next few miles of light twisting roads. I was running along pretty good. If nothing, like a possum or deer or small stature blue hair jumped out in my way, I'd be OK and on time. This morning I got lucky and made it to Springdale without seeing anything.
I was early enough that traffic was light and it wasn't a bad ride through town. I enjoy riding through town at the odd or off hours. People don't seem to be trying their best to run you over.
About two blocks from my job I fell in with a bunch of Harley's. They looked like they were vacationing and like they were lost. Maybe missed a turn off? I pulled along side and asked one of them what was up. They were looking for Hwy 71 and thought they had gone too far and missed it. I pointed ahead and told him not far enough, two more traffic lights. He pulled ahead of his bunch and motioned for them to follow. They all waved like they were happy as I made my turn in to work.
Work drug along as it always does. No one that I came in contact with seemed to have any life or energy in them. Sort of like everyone was in the Dog days of summer. Spring fever maybe?
Finally I started seeing bikes going by on the street and thought, this isn't so bad.
At four o'clock I hit the kicker and fired up. I picked a hole in the afternoon traffic and jumped in. An 18 wheeler pulled up behind me and the driver let me know that he was aware of me. I like those kind of truck drivers. I don't have to worry about him running over me and they usually are good about keeping people off my butt.
Giving the driver a wave I pulled in to top off my tank at a Spee Dee mart. Gas in my area has started to climb again. So I have began to keep my tank topped off more often than usual. The lady behind the counter looked out at my bike and said " I need to get me a bike". I told here that I agreed on any and all levels. After getting a whole dollar and seventy cents worth of gas I started my ride home. I picked out a route to the house that would give me lots of hills curves and would make for a slow trip. I wanted to kind of do a real drawn out stress test on my bikes rebuilt rear end. I wanted to know if everything was going to hold together before my trip Friday.
Pulling into the house I was well pleased with my bike and the ride. Everything held together well.
As I was unpacking I heard my pup Austin howling. Wasn't too long before the whole pack of Republicans were "woofin and snortin". With any ride, it is one of those little pleasures you think about, getting back home and having the hounds jump on you and love you up.
Hope to catch ya on the road