The Blog of Blues

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Sat Nov 25, 2006 7:57 pm

NOVEMBER 25, 2006

This morning when I got out of bed it was still dark. I turned on the computer and while I was checking a few things the darkness began to turn into daylight.
Acutally it was dazzling sunlight. It has been weeks since we had a sunny day. I called a friend of mine who lives a half hour away to see if she wanted to go out for breakfast and coffee. We agreed to meet in 45 minutes so that gave me just enough time to get my gear together and get the bike warmed up to ride to her place.

I even lugged my camera gear along. The mountains have been getting lots of fresh new snow and they looked spectacular this morning.

I am not going to winterize my bike because I plan on riding it from time to time over the winter. It probably was due for a good ride today.

When I first left home I was comfortable enough, but when I got onto the freeway the higher speed made the cold temperature much more noticable.

Note to self....plug in the gloves for the ride home)

My friend and I walked to a nearby cafe for breakfast and coffee and then had a short walk around her neigbourhood. While we were walking the sun disappeared and the clouds rolled in. The temperature also dropped significantly.
I decided I better get going because I felt like it might snow.

I left her place and rode to the bike shop first. The replacement riding pants were in so I wanted to pick them up. I figured if I could get there before it snowed I would be ok, because then it would be only ten minutes to home from there.

I was just leaving the motorcycle shop when the first snowflakes starting falling. When I got to the big hill near home, I noticed that the salt trucks had already been out. For once somebody in the city planned ahead.

We seldom get snow here. If we get snow it is usually later in the season....not in November. It has been snowing here for almost 8 hours now.
It looks quite lovely outside.
I guess I will have to use my car tomorrow. If the white stuff keeps up I my even have to put the chains on the tires. To give you a good idea of how much snow we get.....I bought the chains three years ago and they have been out of the box once....when I brought them home and tried them on the car to make sure they fit and that I knew how to do it.

#452 Unread post by **sv-wolf** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 3:41 am

Lovely picture blues.

And BTW, if I ever need a good samaritan who is prepared to go out of her way to help a fellow traveller in trouble, I now know who to call.

Richard

Sun Nov 26, 2006 7:00 pm

It is still snowing. We've had about ten inches now. I took my car out today to go take care of some errands and to go visit an aunt who is in the hospital.

Here is a picture of my car after I cleared some snow off it so that I could open the doors. I then used my snowshovel to clear a pathway so the car could make it to the roadway without too much difficulty.

Why can't people understand that you need to be very gentle on the gas and very gentle on the brakes. So many folks with tires spinning going up the hill.....they need to ease off the gas. I kind of enjoyed going out in the snow today.
The forecast is for more snow and freezing temperatures so I put the car back in the garage where it will be safe from the commuters tomorrow morning.
I will leave earlier than normal and take the bus.
It's quite a novelty to have snow let alone in November and this much. It's like the old days when I was a kid. There were all kinds of people out today enjoying the snow with their young families. For a change people were able to make a snowman that wasn't anorexic.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b334/ ... 1164607324

#454 Unread post by **Sev** » Sun Nov 26, 2006 7:19 pm

I hope that the snow melts for you soon

.

Tue Nov 28, 2006 4:39 pm

Thanks for the sentiment of hoping our snow goes away soon. I have a feeling it will be here for awhile because the temperatures are staying below zero.

It's at least very pretty....albeit treacherous to drive. Some of the main roads are decent, but the side roads are sheets of ice.

Here are some pictures from today.

The password to look in the album is Yamaha
http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b334/ ... se/Winter/

Sat Dec 09, 2006 3:06 pm

December 9, 2006.

The snow has finally departed....except for some particularly deep spots on parking lots and some side streets.

I didn't care that it was raining today. I took my bike out for a spin. I decided to take care of a few errands on the bike instead of in the car.

I recall someone saying they think drivers aren't expecting to see bikers out at this time of year. I think it is true. Either that or they are so obessed with their Christmas shopping, they don't even see the red lights.

Idiots!

I took my electric gloves to the Harley dealer to see if they could determine if they are defective or just a colossal waste of money. They agreed they didn't seem to be working right so they are sending them to Toronto to the manufacturer to get checked.
I also picked up some bike show tickets while I was there. By getting them in advance I save a dollar off each ticket. And also by buying them there, another dollar goes to BCCOM. That is the British Columbia Coalition of Motorcyclists. They are kind of a lobbyist group for motorcyclists.

I saw a few other hardy souls like me out today. I got smiled and nodded to in recognition of a certain fellowship of being out there in December in the rain.

It was an interesting observation on my part as I rode into the parking lot of the big Harley dealer.....my bike was the only bike there....I was the only person riding there today. There were plenty of cars and pickups, and lots of folks sitting around their coffee bar drinking the free coffee.

I carried on and took care of a few more things like getting a few groceries and then heading home.
Although I did enjoy being out on the bike today, it felt good to come home and have a cup of tea with my friend. I had bought a mince pie which we shared with our tea.

We both agreed it was a fine start to the Christmas season.

Thu Dec 14, 2006 7:50 pm

I received an email today from a motorcycle school. They have offered me a job to come and work for them after I have been licensed long enough to meet ICBC's requirement for being licensed to ride a motorcycle for three years.

I have decided that I need to make change in direction for my remaining working years and becoming a motorcycle instructor is what I have decided I want to do.

I have been driving professionally for 13 years and have been doing driver training for 8, so it should be a natural crossover to teach beginners to ride.
In the meantime, I will hone my skills, take the train the trainer course, AND try to be patient during the next year.

It's too bad ICBC wouldn't look at individuals instead of lumping everyone into the same category.
I know people who have been licensed for over three years and have less than 5,000km riding experience.
I have 28,000km in under 2 years...in all kinds of conditions and highways.
ICBC also has to approve someone to take the course, so that will be my next step.
Even though I still have to wait, it made me feel good to have the school make that offer.

Thu Dec 14, 2006 8:00 pm

Yesterday, while driving my bus along Granville Street, I got passed by a bike. It was a black Harley Davidson...loud....the rider had on black leather and a beanie helmet.
Strapped to the back of the bike was......

I had to laugh because I got given so much flak over my blue milk crate and here was this bad "O Ring" looking biker with a milk crate on his Harley.

I must come back and tell the story of my milk crate...which has gone to a new home....

#459 Unread post by **sv-wolf** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 2:09 pm

blues2cruise wrote:I received an email today from a motorcycle school. They have offered me a job to come and work for them after I have been licensed long enough to meet ICBC's requirement for being licensed to ride a motorcycle for three years.
I have decided that I need to make change in direction for my remaining working years and becoming a motorcycle instructor is what I have decided I want to do.

I have been driving professionally for 13 years and have been doing driver training for 8, so it should be a natural crossover to teach beginners to ride.
In the meantime, I will hone my skills, take the train the trainer course, AND try to be patient during the next year.

That's really exciting news blues! It is a shame, maybe, that you have to wait but at least it is something to look forward to. I'm very pleased for you. Congratulations.

#460 Unread post by **dr_bar** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 8:41 am

blues2cruise wrote:I received an email today from a motorcycle school. They have offered me a job to come and work for them after I have been licensed long enough to meet ICBC's requirement for being licensed to ride a motorcycle for three years.

I think these should just about cover it....

Great news, and I've said it before, you're perfect for the job.