5/22/09 Air cooled

365 Group

Man! I really love the warm mornings.
It was so nice getting ready to go to work this morning. The temperature was just right. I strapped everything on the bike and fired up on the first kick. While the engine was warming up I finished a cup of coffee and thought again about how nice it was not to have to have on so many clothes that I couldn't walk. That is nice!! The engine all warmed up and my coffee drank I couldn't put it off any longer so I headed down my drive toward the street. Traffic was heavy this morning. It was a chore just to get out on my street. Finally I caught an opening and blasted in. Once I got to the highway things lightened up some and I had a good run of three or four miles. As I came up to my turn off at the foot of the mountain I again got caught up in heavy traffic and slowed down to the pace of an old Beagle. Once I got off the highway to run around the mountain I was able to get up speed. My trip around the foot of the mountain, as always didn't last nowhere near long enough. Seems like it was over before I got started. But I did enjoy it. Today must have been one of those Fridays that you always hear about where everyone over sleeps or something. Seemed like most of the morning crowd was running late. I haven't seen morning traffic like this in a long time. Inching along at stop signs and lights, and with no breeze this morning, it seemed like my engine was starting to over heat. Finally I chucked it and hit a side street and ambled over to the four lane and got some air moving across my heads. After about half a mile my engine cleaned out and. It ended up being sort of the long way around but with an air cooled older twin, it was necessary.
My ride this morning was like a lot of rides this time of year. Too short. I'm hoping that today doesn't drag as it's Friday and I want to put on a few miles.
Catch a on the road.

mail: bikin_ridin@yahoo.com

4-21-2009 Short morning ride

365 Group




I looked out at my bike this morning and really didn't want to go to work. The weather is suppose to be in the seventies today and I would much rather make a trip than just a ride in to work.
After strapping on all my junk I shoved a couple of tennis balls under my old Triumph solo seat and headed down my drive. I had read or dreamed up that tennis balls would help make for a less rigid ride. So far, just based on his mornings ride they did help a little. I think I just need to work out the correct positioning for them.
I caught a pretty good hole in the morning traffic and it seemed like I had the highway all to myself. Catching a groove at about sixty five I seemed to just sort of floated along to my turn off at the foot of the mountain. This smooth running just proved that today would be better spent making a trip somewhere. All along the way around the mountain I was trying to come up with a good excuse to call in to work with. Nothing really good came to mind. Ah well, guess I'll just have to be content with a short ride.
Coming into Springdale my hole had closed and traffic was everywhere. At my first traffic light cars crowed me from every direction. Once the light changed it seemed like everyone jumped at once and I had that "pinball" feeling again.
As I pulled up to Robinson I got a good look at how morning traffic was. Cars were dragging the light badly. Guess everyone had overslept this morning. I dodged cars and trucks all the way up to work. As I pulled into the drive at work I had a car following me real close. Too close for comfort. He managed to not hit me as I turned off but he wasn't so lucky as the one that was tailgating him bumped him. I pulled up by the Guard shack and sat and watched for a few minutes. Both drivers were hot and ended up calling the cops.
All in all I had a great morning ride. I even made good time considering the idiocy of the morning traffic. Now, if my day will pass quickly I'm already ready to get back out in that mess again and see if I can make good time going back home.
Hope to catch ya on the road