1/16/10 Kicking around

365 Group (f)

Today was starting out really good. I got to sleep in for the first time in several months and the automatic timer gizmo on my coffee pot actually worked like it was suppose to. I had fresh coffee at 11:00 when I finally staggered out. The day was suppose to be in the mid 50's and should make for some good local riding. Since I'm more or less on call for work and cant really get too far away, local riding is about it for a while.
After some coffee and a shower I was ready to get out and tackle the bike. Seems like ages since I have ridden but really it's only been four or five days. Always funny how the cold that forces you to drive your "who-ver-round" convinces you that a lot of time has passed and all that. First off it looks as though local riding will be all that I get to do. My back tire is in bad need of being replaced. It's about slick and definitely not something I'd want to tackle the demands of even the two lanes with. So with that in mind I guess maybe a quick trip to the Bar b Que joint couldn't hurt. It's been a few days sine I'd seen the place and the bossy young lady that works there. Looking over the rest of the bike, my collection of parts as it were, I make mental note of things that need attention. Like new throttle cables. Maybe a P pad to cover the wiring on the rear fender? New control switches for the lights and on and on...little stuff. Nothing that keeps the present ride from happening, but stuff that is needed to keep the overall machine alive. Well, maybe eBay this evening? Right now it's time to hit the kicker and see where I stand in today's quest for great barbecue. It's got to be the damper air at this time of year...Quarter choke and the old gal fires up on the first or second kick. Never like that during the summer months. letting the bike idle to road temperature I round up the pups and grab my helmet. I bribe them a little with a hand full of the really "good" treats and they sort of sack out. I don't like to have the worry of them becoming a road kill while I'm gone. Finally everything is done and set and I helmet up and bounce down the drive. At the street I get that odd feeling of ''yeah" creeping up my spine. There's just something about being on a bike while the rest of the world ain't. I ease down to the highway and head west towards good looking women and good food. As I leave town I start edging up on my speed. Like I said earlier, little stuff. Finally satisfied I settle on a brisk 70 mph and have a comfortable ride over to the mountain. Pulling the mountain I have a sense of solid in the bike. I drop into fourth and it felt like the old gal just settled down and dug in for a real solid pull. No whoopin or wheezing or anything just a strong pull and a great rumble from the pipes. Topping the mountain I opened up on the down run of a dip in the road and came out the other side at about a hundred. Figuring that this was about as close to town as I could get away with silly stuff I backed it down to around sixty and considered my shake down done. Floating along the last four miles to town was nice. Like the last time I was down this way when we were on the Polar Bear run. Just nice to be out and in it. I eased up a little and came up to the traffic light. As is pretty much normal a bunch of cars were backed up. When I got to where I could I cut off through a gas station lot and over to an ATM. Here it was around noon on a Saturday and there was people everywhere. From the ATM I looked out at the traffic and it reminded me of an Ant Farm. Just sucks! I grabbed the cash and jumped into an opening in the ants. I got stuck in the inside lane and was forced to poke along for a couple of lights. Finally I got an opening and slid across to the outside shoulder and made some progress. Pulling into the BBQ place I felt pretty good. It was a good quick trip. Looking around I located a semi flat parking space to give me a shot at checking the oil before I left and backed in to the stares of a couple of local guys that have bikes but for some reason don't ever ride them and their ladies. Funny, they all had on "biker garb" and really did look the part.
I walked in and got in line to order and as I made my way to the counter my "bud" saw me and in mid order taking she came around the counter and gave me a big ole hug. Now that's special...don't care who ya are. Finally everything settled down and I got up to the counter and made my order. I piled down at my usual table to wait and all the girls that work there came by and visited a little. It was nice. My "yanked" pork sammich came and my bud delivered it and sat with me for a few minutes as I ate. This is the way all BBQ joints should run.
I finally got my meal done an was lounging over my last beer when Whit came and sat down again. We chatted for a while and as I got ready to leave she gave me another big hug. Perfect ending to a really good lunch.
Back out in the lot I stood the old gal up and checked the oil. About a tablespoon low. Not too shabby for a 33 year old ride. Hitting the kicker I roared out of the lot and generally in the direction of the house. As I came down the street towards the light I shifted up to third to catch the light when all of a sudden I heard a Harley with open pipes right next to me. Looking around I didn't see another bike and then it hit me. It was my bike growling like an enraged moose. My pipe had split when I grabbed third gear. One of the band aid welds I had made back in the summer had finally given out. Limping over into a liquor store parking lot I looked over the damage. Not too bad. Just way too loud. The kind of loud that gives you a headache. Not the cool kind of loud. Sitting there thinking it all over I figured I could tolerate it the eight miles to the house and was starting to form my battle plan of a 40 mph trip when a Housing contractor pulled in. I knew the guy in a distant way and when he asked if he could help, it hit me, yeah! I told him I needed some metal flashing and bailing wire if he had any. He did and I made some quick wraps with the flashing and secured it all with bailing wire. He looked it all over when I handed him back his pliers and said "well, like willie nelson once said." "on the road again". I thanked him and jumped on the starter and it was pretty decent.
My ride back to the house was a good smooth kick back sort of deal. Not much traffic and no hurry. I really enjoyed it. Too bad that the day was settling into afternoon. I could have been talked into a run somewhere.
I topped off the tank and tanked up on some coffee at the little cafe/gas station by the house. I also got a couple of zoo zoo's for later and as I was paying for everything I thought, what the heck, and got a dollar scratch off card. Joking with the gal at the counter about becoming an instant "ga zillion aire" I scratched it and was a $20.00 winner. That's it. Time to head to the house. Couldn't get any better so time to end the day on a high note.
Pulling up to the house the pups had their noses pressed against the window and appeared glad to see me. It's nice to be loved!

Catch ya on the road