A Mesh Day

AAAAhhhhhhh....the first time you can get out the bikes in your mesh jacket is so liberating! We didn't have to bundle up with thermals, sweaters, gators, solid jackets, and the whatnot.  The freedom of not feeling like StayPuft the Marshmallow man.  No worries about getting chilled out and making sure you have extra layers.  Just basking in the spare room in the gear.  And this is our 3 weeks of spring where the temps are perfect, the humidity is non-existent, and the pollen is low.  Trifecta!

It averaged about 80 degrees (F) and we headed to Juliette, GA.  This was only the 3rd visit this year.  We hadn't been there in years, the food wasn't terribly thrilling. But they either changed owners, got a new cook, or both, because the food is spectacular!!  So yes, that is becoming one of my favorite destinations for an RTE and there are so many nice routes to boot.  Last month our trip home saw us spending a couple miles on dirt roads (as I finally found the Enduro setting on the GS that loosens the throttle response). 

We sat on the porch for a few minutes after eating.  Just letting everything settle and freeing up the table for another in the line on the 45 minute wait list.  Saw the bike my brother drools over.

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Can this be believed??  We are actually letting go of some horses and clearing a space in the barn?  Unheard of!!  We've finally made the decision to release the pent up horses in the Honda XL600R and send it to a new and better home where it will get more attention.

I couldn't kick start the darn thing and hadn't yet gotten used to the height.  So peace be with her and hope that she gets more love and road time.

Everything but the kitchen sink

Remember the proverb “For want of a nail”?

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.  For want of a shoe the horse was lost.  For want of a horse the rider was lost.  For want of a rider the battle was lost.  For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.  All for the want of a horsehoe nail.

That is what I felt like over the weekend.  Everything was thrown at me except for the kitchen sink.  And the rain.

The work week last week was Atrocious. Absolutely atrocious.  To the point of questioning myself if it was worth it anymore.  Should I be looking for another job that will give me more time at home, less stress, fewer responsibilities.  I needed to get out, and Oilburner surprised me with the night in Savannah.  I wanted to ride so I could feel the wind in my face.  I wanted to clear the cobwebs.  Oilburner has been having his own issues, and was not physically well enough to ride.  I didn’t want to drive because I knew I would stew in my own head.  So what was the compromise?

He said it was time for me to learn to ride with a passenger.  I have been avoiding that little experience for a very long time.  In the beginning I was able to use the excuse that I was new to riding.  Then it was the excuse that I was afraid to drop the bike and hurt my passenger or my bike.  We won’t debate the order of priority.  Hehe

This time I was out of excuses. If I wanted to ride, I was going to have to suck it up.  And I was ok with that.  It was surprisingly easy to get over that mental hurdle.  However, he then threw in that I should ride his bike.

Please realize that I have ridden his bike a total of 3 times in 2 1/2 years.  For a total of about 35 miles.  The first ride was picking it up from the dealership, for 7 miles.  Mind you they were an exhilarating 7 miles.  It was the first time I had tested the new water cooled engine, and I managed to get that thing from 0-60 in lightning speed.  The second time Oilburner forced me to try it in the mountains to see how I liked the handling.  Don’t get me wrong.  It is a nice bike, but too big and bulky and weighty for me.  The third time was out of absolute necessity when we took a weekend trip and I didn’t have warm enough gear.  The windshield and fairings kept enough wind off to keep me warm until we arrived at the hotel about 15 miles down the road.  (Yes, I had on just about every article of clothing before I gave in to riding his bike.)

Like I said, his bike is nice, just not the bike for me.  It is weighty at 604 lbs wet.  Compared to the GS coming in at 525 lbs wet, it is much heavier, changing the center of gravity. It is wide.  I mean, I know I am wide…but not nearly as much as that bike!  The seating position makes me feel like I am sitting on top of the bike, not feeling integrated with it.  With that seating I’ve had difficulty getting my feet off of the pegs , around the fairings and onto the ground.  It just wasn’t what I would consider a comfortable bike.  Plus I always worried about the cost of all the plastic in the event that I dropped it and scratched it.

Well…it took me another couple seconds to acquiesce and get over that previous sticking point.  He had a point that the windsail they call a windshield and fairings would make for a more comfortable ride.  And help keep the rain off if the 50% predictions came true.  Ok.  Suit up!

I jumped on his bike and took it up the street to get a feel for it.  Forget that the end of the street is a cul-de-sac and I had to execute my first u-turn.  We started the day on the street as I was not riding down our steep driveway with him on the back.  Thank goodness he is a great passenger.  Leaving our neighborhood I opted for the right hand, downhill turn instead of the left hand, uphill start.  Those haven’t been successful for me in the past.  First turn under my belt.  Small curves and stop sign was next.  Huzzah!  Uh oh.  Next stop sign was behind someone that was not in a hurry to get into traffic.  Then I had to cross traffic in a left hand turn on a fairly busy road. Ok.  This isn’t so bad. 

Which way to head out of town?  Freeway would be steady and require fewer stops and balancing and shifting.  But by the fourth stop…I was feeling pretty darn good.  Yep.  The backroads with tons of waiting stoplights was the way.  Again…good passenger led to good experience and there were no problems.  I knew this was the way to go as I was too focused on technique and safety to even think about my bad week.  I wasn’t going to have any time to wallow.  And Oilburner not riding was also the right decision when he informed me that he was getting dizzy and nauseous whenever we stopped.  Yeah…I don’t want him piloting his own bike.

We eventually made it to the interstate and I must admit that I enjoyed that windsail.  Very smooth.  So smooth that when I got tired of a car pacing us I was easily able to out distance it.  I still regret not going 3 more mph and reaching my first ton on the big RT.  Bummer.

Riding was a breeze.  There was nothing to worry about with a passenger.  I even executed additional u-turns for lunch without a second thought!  Getting to Savannah was a breeze.  Still fun to imagine what the other riders were thinking when we passed them and they realized a girl was piloting with the boy riding pillion.  Or did they think Oilburner was just a masculine girl?  HHhhmm…..

Sunday was where it got interesting.  I slipped.  I slipped in the shower and sliced my toe open.  Lots and lots of blood and pain.  Luck would have it that it was my big toe.  On my left foot.  And which toe is used for shifting?  You got it.  All day Sunday had me hissing Ouch into our communicators each time I had to up shift.  Or put my foot on the ground.  It made for an interesting ride home.  I’m just glad the rain staved off for another hour.  We got the bike tucked in, wound cleaned and bound, and were just sitting down when the skies opened up.

Thank you Oilburner for being such a good passenger and teaching me the joys of riding together.  And for trusting me with your bike.

Virginity Lost. Glass Ceilings Shattered.

I’ve now ridden Oilburner’s RT for 300 miles and learned to ride with a pillion.  Minds appropriately blown?  I’ve learned that riding two up isn’t quite as difficult or scary as I had always made it to be in my mind.  I’ve learned the joys of getting a back massage while riding.  I’ve learned how much fun it is to lean back and put my hand on his knee while cruising down the highway.  I’ve partaken of the schadenfreude of passing a couple on a Harley, with his arm candy riding bitch…and me thinking of mine.  I’ve let the little devil inside out when I quickly gunned the throttle and released it so that his helmet knocked into mine.  I’ve had the GREAT laugh of knowing EXACTLY when he turned the passenger heated seat on (14 miles from home) and he couldn’t figure how I knew.

I miss my Big Red bike.  We haven’t ridden since Christmas.  Hopefully I will get to ride it soon.  But the sacrifice is worth it right now.  I’m happy to help Oilburner to get out as well.  It may only be one night, but a ride to Savannah was absolutely necessary.  We may not do much while here, but just the act of getting here was the best.  Remember, it isn’t about the destination, it’s the journey.  The backroads home will be calling our names.

Catsup

Happy New Year!!

My wish for everyone is a healthy, happy, and prosperous new year.  I fervently hope that 2017 will be full of food, friends, family, adventure, new sights, and new sounds.

So hear is a little catsup from me and Oilburner:

New Years weekend was spent camping.  We took the mini-bikes in hopes of getting out.  But the allure of the sofa or camp chair and a good book and knitting were overpowering.

Christmas Day dawned beautiful, clear and WARM!  We were hitting the low 70’s in mid Georgia and just had to take advantage of it. We met up with a friend that recently acquired a 2015 GSW in Electric Blue.  Yum.  We met up in Senoia, GA.  For those of you Walking Dead fans this city was known as Woodbury. We didn’t have a destination so enjoyed a few miles through Pine Mountain park with some great overlooks.

And I am teaching myself knitting.  I’ve knitted the cap and mitts.  Working on the scarf now.  It’s the garter stitch at this moment.  The book I bought has 12 projects that will teach me garter, stockinette, ribbing, and seed.  I’m ready to try something other than garter, but having fun seeing things completed. 

Reawakening?

Hello...

Is there anybody out there?

Just nod if you can here me.

Is there anyone at home?

I can't believe it's been two years since I've last updated anything here. I guess it shouldn't surprise me too much given everything that has been going on, but it is still eye opening how quickly time passes.

Our lives are undergoing another drastic shift and we find ourselves trying to pick up the threads where we left them off a couple years ago. Sadly to say, we really haven't been doing much riding. (Or anything else for that matter.). Soon after getting the big red machine in the last post, we took them on a road trip to Maine again to see our dear friends Mike and BRW. We also took the newly opened ferry service between Portland and Yarmouth and spent a week in Nova Scotia. GORGEOUS!! Coastlines were beautiful, rode the Cabot Trail, overloaded the senses with scenery, and even smuggled some single malt back over the boarder from the distillery that makes the only single malt in Canada. After that we kinda parked the bikes. We took a few day trips, but we had so many other responsibilities that the thrill of riding had turned into the agony of preparation.

So....nothing of note has been going on with regards to the bikes. Hopefully that will be changing. We've already made steps forward and used the extended July 4th holiday to ride the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) again!

We had 4 crazy days to ride the 471 mile parkway, plus the distance to get to the top, starting off point. We had done this in the past, in 3 days. This time we were giving ourselves more time. Wheee... :)

Itinerary: Thursday night - Atl to Bristol, TN, the half way point; Friday - Bristol to Waynesboro, VA, the top most city at the start of the BRP; Sat - Mon - completely open to stopping wherever we want.

Of course, nothing goes as planned...

We were waiting for a package to arrive Thursday afternoon that would return our riding pants, as we had sent then in for minor repairs. Of course, they didn't arrive until 7 pm. Traffic, laziness, packing, procrastination, call it what you want we left about 7:30. We had been hoping for 6. Well, we made it about 90 min up the road, stopped for fuel and to check radar. We had been seeing the clouds cover the sky, and they were trading lightning back and forth regularly.

Radar showed a heavy cell coming quickly, so we decided to take the opportunity to have dinner and hope the storm passed quickly.

Oilburner and I agree that it was nice to miss out on the drenching rain that made a lake out of the parking lot at the Huddle House where we had taken refuge. (What do you mean Taco Bell closes at 9 pm on a Thursday?!?!). But we still aren't sure if we would have been hit if we hadn't stopped. We were right at the convergence where the storm was moving NE and we were going NW. We might have dodged it.

The benefits of stopping was the food and laughter. The drawbacks was that the rain was so hard it seemed to have compromised my waterproof buttons because my escort/blinking lights shorted out and could not be turned off. These things run like 6 million candle watt power and were annoying Oilburner something fierce. So annoying, that 4 miles up the road we were pulling over to figure out some solution. He wanted to cut the wires. Ummm..... NO!!! Doesn't he remember how difficult these were to wire up? And besides, they come in handy when you are fogged into some mountain top on the BRP and fear getting hit. I refused to let him cut the wires and we settled on trying to just cover the lights up. We were somewhat successful, with first aid gauze and surgery tape, but I hear they were still pretty visible. Didn't bother me much, not sure why Oilburner was so annoyed. I felt he should have just ridden in front if he didn't want to look at them. ;)

Ultimately, I loved riding until 2 am, after the rain the weather was cool. Cool enough that I enjoyed turning a little heat in Gerbings on. The ride was beautiful on empty roads and the front lights turned the road to daylight.

Bonus was the hotel let us park the bikes directly next to the door and checkout wasn't until noon. SCORE!! Since we only need to ride about 4 hours the next day, there was not rush.

In all, the trip was wonderful. Spent more time on the bikes, both per day and one trip, than we had in 2 years. And boy our butts let us know now it!

We made parkway logistics more difficult then they needed to be on the first day. We didn't rush but didn't lolligag either, and wound up burning through 200 miles on the first day. We got lost trying to find a hotel in Mt. Airy, VA. No, we didn't see Andy Griffiths childhood home. The second day was great, moving in and out of the clouds. My blinky lights came in handy. :) We took it easy, tempted some fish with with warm string cheese. I learned the fine art of finessing a clutch to run in neutral downhill to see my "mileage to empty" actually run backwards. (I tempted the fuel gods, pleading for them to give me enough to make it to the next gas station 30 miles away. I started with 51 miles, rode 35, and still had 41 to go.) There was a stretch there I coasted for 9 miles, gaining 3 miles back on the computer estimate. Clutch fingers were a little tired, but it was fun calling out as the computer gave me time back.

Highlights: Enjoyed feeding the fish. Liked playing with the butterfly on my boot. Rode 1130 miles. Flipped 13K miles on the red machine. Danced with the fuel gods. Found new filters on my camera. Love the north half of the BRP with fields and farms. Love the south half for the curves. Great getting out on the bikes. Pretty flowers. Fell in love with the chocolate lava cake at Chili's. Redneck spelling.

Link to additional pics.

The other contents...

In case anyone was wondering...

Let me tell you all about the new RT(W). From an RT perspective, I can appreciate the full fairings when it comes to long distance traveling, in rain or cold conditions. Those fairings are very nice at blocking lots of environmental issues and letting you sit in a little cocoon of air behind that wind sail they call a windshield and all that plastic. (It also blocks air during high temps of summer, not allowing as much cooling air flow.) It might be pointing out the obvious that while I can appreciate the bike and its features, the bike doesn't really appeal to me.

This is now the third RT that Oilburner has owned. His first was the 2009 demo bike that he was able to purchase after its "year" service with 2600 miles on it. I did not ride that bike too often. I was still new to riding and too afraid of dropping the darn thing and scratching up all that expensive plastic. I did ride it a couple times in the winter when I was underdressed and a long way from home. Comparing it to my R1200R, the handling just felt a little "off". Almost like it wasn't tracking well. Hard to imagine with only two wheels. We mentioned it a couple times to the dealer, and they did some research and measuring but never discovered anything.

After totaling that bike, he wasn't sure what he wanted as a replacement. Weeks of researching what he might want next, we were in the BMW dealership and his eyes completely lit up when he saw his second love in the form of a 2011 model. He was so distraught over the loss of the first one, he was having a difficult time thinking of any replacments. So when I saw how excited and happy he looked for the first time, I urged him into buying it then and there.

To give you a little history and tradition, when our little group first started riding, Oilburner's years of riding prompted a tradition of him riding everyone's bikes home from their maiden purchase. No one did that for Oilburner, since he was the backbone after all. And he seemed to have poor luck with his bikes. That meant the purchase of this brand new 2011 meant that we wanted to enforce tradition and have someone else ride his bike home! HHmmm....now who would that be...

The difference in handling was night and day. I was still scared of dropping the thing, and wanted to be careful. But I was very impressed with how smooth it was compared to his '09. So while I still would never convert, it was a nicer bike in my opinion.

Fast forward to last Saturday. We bounced back and forth with tradition again and discussed riding each other's bikes home. It was a moot point since he has been so terribly ill that he wasn't capable of riding his home, and the GS wasn't ready. Be default I again rode his brand new 2014 R1200RT(W) home.

Wow. WOW!!!!!!!

The new oil and water cooled engine is fantastically smooth. That might also have something to do with a wet clutch. Oh my. So far, all our our BMW's have been dry clutches. This was a nice change. Oilburner also sprung for the "Pro Shift Assistant" that allows up and down shifting without the clutch. I didn't have the guts to try it. Then again, I was only on the bike about 7 miles.

I'm generally reluctant to do much horseplay or "feeling out" on bikes that are not mine. So it is quite surprising that I was flipping the bike through its paces, zigging and zagging across the lane to get a feel for the balance and handling a block away from the dealer. I tried to reign it in, but failed in another block when I goosed it to avoid having to stop for a very yellow light. Oops.

Another couple of blocks brought me to the larger thoroughfare. Saturday, time of day, empty roads. Just how did I get up to 70 mph?

This bike is fun. They managed to shave about 40 lbs of weight from the bike. They lowered the bars just a touch. It all added up to lighter weight, more flickable, lower center of gravity, and FUN! Don't get me wrong. I'm not a convert, but I caught myself daydreaming about a cross country ride behind those fairings. (It only lasted a second. I swear!)

Poor Oilburner, he had to watch me ride his new motorbike home. (He swears he didn't mind.) And as of the time of this post, he has only pushed the bike a few feet and ridden it exactly 12 feet in a forward direction. Unbelieveable.

 

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