9-20-09 just ridin around.

365 Group (f)


This morning I got up to the Sun coming up. The rain had finally stopped for a while.

After a hurried breakfast I headed out to the shop to start on my bike. It needed a few things before hitting the road. And with the sun out I definitely wanted to hit it today.
I plugged in the coffee pot and started plasma dripping then moved to the bike around to the chain hoist. Once I had the bike in the air the rest would be easy. It timed out just about right. I got the bike lifted just as the coffee quit dripping. Break time!!
After a couple of cups and lots of figuring I hit the drain plug and emptied out the oil. It was black but I didn’t find too much of anything in it that concerned me. Next I put the plug back in and filled it with diesel and pulled the sparkplugs out and rolled over the engine by hand several times to loosen everything. I drained the oil pan again and let it drip till I was finished with everything else.
The chain and sprockets were new about a month and a half ago and was still looking pretty good. I washed them off and looked it all over then adjusted and lubed the chain. A quick check of the points and plugs and I was ready to pour new oil in and be done with it for today.
I put in the new oil and rolled it through the system a few times by hand then put the sparkplugs back in and let it back down to the floor .
After all the coffee was gone I jumped on the starter and half through the second kick she fired, and was back in business as some say.
Bouncing down mom’s driveway and out to the highway I had a feeling that today would be a good one. I headed for Clayborns and gas. Topping off I poured in a bottle of Carb cleaner and eased out for today’s run through the hills.
I ran 16 over to Hwy. 7 and headed south. This is a pretty good ride. A scenic route all the way down to I 40.
I figured on just a few miles this morning and then back to the house and maybe do some more tinkering. At Lurton I took a left and got on Hwy.123 and headed down what you could call a local equivalent to the Dragons Tail. Not as long but definitely as much fun. Having grown up in this part of the world had its advantages at times. Like not needing a map. In real rural parts of the world some things never change and the road I was on was like that, unchanged. I tooled down the mountain and through the community of Mt. Judea (Mt. Judy) and just ambled along until I came back into Jasper and Hwy. 7 again. Having grown up in this area also has disadvantages as I couldn’t really tell you anything about this part of my ride. Other than it was a great one. What can I say; I was home and just riding around. I hit 7 and headed back south. Pulling the mountain is always loads of fun. It literally starts as you leave the actual town. A tight curve at the town limit, that when I was lots younger I drug foot pegs on several times leaving the shop in an alcohol induced state of "gotta get home quick." It would be an almost daily ritual. Larry would close the shop and we’d all jump on our bikes and chase each other up the mountain.
About half way up the mountain there is an emergency truck run away ramp. It has a nice paved spot around it for the tow trucks to set up. Today, no tow trucks, a bunch of bikes had pulled over there. They had ridden up 7 from I 40 and were taking a break. I visited with them and explained the area a little. They all seemed interested in the local roads and what would make a god ride. I showed them a few things on their maps and pointed out the Hub Motorcycle Resort over at Marble Falls. We chatted a while. I gave them my numbers and I explained that I would be in the area for another couple of days. Should they have trouble just give a call.
Pulling out from the truck ramp I pulled the rest of the mountain and settled in for an all too short seventeen mile ride back to the house. Along the way I was stuck by the lack of traffic and just how much fun it was to ride these hills.
Pulling in at moms I looked at the trip counter on my L.S.I. and some how I had racked up 113 miles. Thing is, I don’t really remember any of them. I do remember the people I talked to along the way and their cars, trucks and bikes. I also noticed that I am more relaxed than I’ve been in months. Kind feel like Jell-o looks. Let me tell ya, it be good!!
Catch ya on the road