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Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 1:59 pm
by IcyHound
I made it home on 3 hours of sleep, I got to my class, I'm exhausted, and Jehovas witnesses chased me at a rest stop.

I'll do detail later.

Okay the last day..

Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 1:26 pm
by IcyHound
I've been trying to write about this all week. Real life came and smacked me across the back of the head so hopefully I can capture the fun of Monday.

We didn't go to bed until like 1am. Not a bright idea when I had to get up at 4:30 but its what happened. So I got up at 4:30. I've never had a problem with waking up even when I am horribly tried. I wasn't as tired as I could have been, I felt incredibly rested from my week off.

Five Hour energies are nasty but they do work. No huge caffeine buzz but they seem to help with the awake thing. I drank one, sucked down the last of my power aid, loaded up the bike and was on the road by 5:10.

The city is beautiful at night. Without all of the congestion and people its lovely. The lights are soft across the harsh lines of the building. The darkness mutes the worn look and leaves a photographic afterimage. It makes me want to pursue my artwork. Perhaps, once things are settled, I should try to find some painting classes.

The GPS and I got along and it got me out of the area. I was out of the city in minutes. It's always taken almost an hour to get in during daylight. I hit the toll road and the same toll that didn't go off for my pass didn't go off again. Fortunately, that was not a problem for the rest of the trip.

I had to stop to pee. Then I had to stop to change my visor and put in my jacket liner. I was cold. I made it through Hartford CT without hitting traffic. I did hit some at Waterbury. That wasn't horrible although I couldn't figure out why there was traffic. Long straight road, just drive people.

After Waterberry I hit newyork and another rest stop. I was kind of getting hungry but I was also making excellent time. I stop and wander in to go pee. When I had pulled up I noticed people just sitting around. Weird thing to do, IMO at 9am but everyone has their own thing to do.

Turns out they had an agenda. As I exit the rest building a lady approaches me with a big smile. I don't like big smiles. I stared back at her and she goes, 'I have wonderful news for you," and I know she is pawning religion. Yup, the watchtower pamphlet comes out and she hands it to me with a smile. I stare at her, at it, at her and go 'You can keep your religion.' I managed not to add 'and shove it' with a lot of personal strength. She stared at me and goes, 'Oh...' and wanders away.

After that, I'm cleaning my visor, and putting on lipbalm and another lady approches me. She goes, "Wow you are a brave person to be out here on a motorcycle alone." I almost asked her where I was going to shove the extra person. Under my pipes? Then she goes, "Has my friend spoken to you?" and I say, "Yes. I told her she can keep her religion and you can keep yours." "Oh... okay... oh wow this has a GPS?!!?" "Yes." "Wow I didn't know you could do that." she says. "Yup." I then start putting in my ear plugs and resisted the urge to tell her that I carried the cure for cancer as well since she thought I was a magical being with a mystical motorcycle GPS.

I still hadn't found food but that comes later. My GPS wanted to take me down 95. It would be faster but I'd wind up buried in traffic in new york and frankly the New Jersey Turnpike on a motorcycle does not sound appealing. It finally gave up on 95 but then it told me there was another way to shave some time. Having a time limit I decide to be adventurous.

It wasn't a bad adventure. I wound up going down through NJ and over to PA cutting under 84 and hitting 81 about 2 hours from my house. That was good but it wound up being a series of toll roads. I don't travel around the north east a lot so they managed to shock me as I hit about 4 tolls.

Poor me.

I also needed gas in NJ. I was terrified that I'd get accosted at the gas station by the attendant. However, he just sat there and watched me as I paid for my gas at the pump and pumped it. When I first arrived I was trying to figure out why there was a person there. Then I realized I was in NJ but since he didn't approach me I felt safe...

gotta head to work more later...[/list]

Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 2:16 pm
by IcyHound
Anyway, I got my gas and wandered back onto the road. I was starting to get hungry but fast food places seemed nasty. I stopped at a rest stop to see about grabbing something but I couldn't get service for my life.

Irritated, I bounced back on the bike and after another eighty tolls crossed into PA. About five miles in I saw a waffle house. Thankfully I was able to stop and get food.

Mmm, munchies.

So back on the road. I'm actually somewhat close to home now but I'm tired. I'm honestly tired. The road was a bit more rural then 84. It was 78 or 87, I forget which one.

I saw a lot of cops as well. On 81-84 I never saw cops. Once I dropped off 84 they where freaking everywhere. One reason I may not take that route again.

Things didn't get interesting until I got back onto 81. I wound up behind a construction truck that was dropping sand. It took me about 15 minutes to work my way in front of the truck due to the traffic and the obscene amount of police officers. The entire time it was like I was being shot by tiny pellets. I tucked my head down and tried to get my helmet as close to my body as I could. Sand was shooting up into my eyes. It was absolutely miserable. I don't want to think about life without my helmet in that situation.

The rest of the trip was dull which is good. I got home, kinda crawled off my bike and staggered into the house. I had made rather good time so I was pleased.

Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 5:41 am
by IcyHound
How busy things have been. I've ridden perhaps 500 miles this year?

Why? Why? Why would I drop from thousands of miles at the drop of a hat to not even a thousand almost 8 moths into the year?

That would be a result of life. I got into the police academy and graduated but that was a six month processes. Now I'm in field training and starting to ride again on my days off. However, I can't ride to work anymore, I have to much crap to carry. Plus, I'm a tired critter these days.

However, think I may try to upgrade my bike next year and trade it in for a FZ1. I don't want to give up my FZ comfort but I'd like a bigger bike for a bit.

Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 6:33 am
by jstark47
IcyHound wrote:How busy things have been. I've ridden perhaps 500 miles this year?

Why? Why? Why would I drop from thousands of miles at the drop of a hat to not even a thousand almost 8 moths into the year?
Ummmm....... because you're incredibly busy and maybe even overcomitted????

Look, I checked out your dogs website sometime last year - frankly I don't know how you find time to work, take care of and show all those pups, have a house and marriage and all and ride a motorcycle. :superman:

Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 6:49 am
by Nalian
jstark47 wrote:
IcyHound wrote:How busy things have been. I've ridden perhaps 500 miles this year?

Why? Why? Why would I drop from thousands of miles at the drop of a hat to not even a thousand almost 8 moths into the year?
Ummmm....... because you're incredibly busy and maybe even overcomitted????

Look, I checked out your dogs website sometime last year - frankly I don't know how you find time to work, take care of and show all those pups, have a house and marriage and all and ride a motorcycle. :superman:
AMEN! She never believes me when I tell her she does too much stuff. :D

Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 7:56 am
by IcyHound
Heh. I wound up shaving down most of the dogs. I couldn't keep up the coats when I was in the academy. I tried, I failed, it sucked, but whatever. My grades where super good and that dedication is helping me as I learn how to apply that irl.

I want to ride more thou :(

And I've taken on some great organization projects for my house that are starting to pay off nicely!

Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 2:06 pm
by Wrider
Nalian wrote:
jstark47 wrote:
IcyHound wrote:How busy things have been. I've ridden perhaps 500 miles this year?

Why? Why? Why would I drop from thousands of miles at the drop of a hat to not even a thousand almost 8 moths into the year?
Ummmm....... because you're incredibly busy and maybe even overcomitted????

Look, I checked out your dogs website sometime last year - frankly I don't know how you find time to work, take care of and show all those pups, have a house and marriage and all and ride a motorcycle. :superman:
AMEN! She never believes me when I tell her she does too much stuff. :D
I do the same thing and she just laughs at me too! :laughing:
Oh well, at least we know where superwoman is if the world is ever attacked by evil alien robots controlled by the world's mouse population or something like that!

Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2009 3:30 am
by IcyHound
It is getting hot and people are stripping off their clothing as they ride. I admit I don't wear a lot under my gear but what I wear is under my gear. It gets toasty, especially with my under seat exhaust.

But crocks? My lord, why?

Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 4:19 am
by IcyHound
The FZ6 is gone.

I am rather sad about it. I love mine to death. I was debating trading it in to go up to aFZ1 next year but I don't think I will do that now. Plus the colors are not appealing at all for 90 and 10.

I might just keep it.

Or I might sell it privately after I fix the scratches.

I do want something else but I also do so love the FZ6.

I guess I will go look at Triumph again.