The Pale Moonlight

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Shorts
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#131 Unread post by Shorts »

Skier wrote:
They can get away with it because if they do get in a wreck, chances are they won't collect many injuries if any. Little to no repercussions means no desire to avoid the crash. Stupid cars with crumple zones, air bags and other safety features. Actually, stupid drivers for letting those items replace skill.

:(

True. They should be careful though, there's a big difference in a bike versus a 4x4 truck with a nice, high, heavy custom bumper and hitch. I will make tailgaters pay...and I have :evil: YMMV :oops:

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IcyHound
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#132 Unread post by IcyHound »

Am I becoming a better rider, not riding enough, or just fortunate?

I wonder. I have had few life and death situations of late. Of course, the moment I debate that fact a new one happens. Normally it is just sloppy lane changes into me but I've had one rather serious thing happen so far.

I've not ridden a lot this year. At least a lot as defined by distance. I have ridden almost daily for weeks now. I've been going to the gym 3-4 times a week. I am sure my bike thanks me for the smaller butt that climbs onto it after each session.

However, heading to a training class two weeks ago I almost ran into the side of a car. It was my lack of aggression that saved me. I would not have been in the wrong.

This particular light is no right turn on red. However, the right turn arrow was green to enter to head East onto this road from the North bound lane. The car was in the left turn lane on the West side of the road to head South onto the road I was on.

The speed limit in this town is 25 from one end to the other. I was behind 3 or 4 cars and I had dropped back a bit before I started my turn. Well the lady in her sedan did not see me. She busted a U turn and did a horrible job which left her straddling the lane just as I started my turn.

I snapped my bike back up, kind of lurched to a stop and pressed on my horn while she panics and attempts to back up to complete her u-turn.

I was pissed.

I still am.

Beyond that, the most interesting thing that has happened is the general change of attitude towards motorcyclists in my area. Due to the gas prices people are busting out scooters like nothing I have ever seen. I have seen an incredible number of unhelmted scooter riders on main roads.

I feel strange next to some of the scooter riders. Many of them look like they fell out of bed onto their scooters. I am layered in my gear, with a full faced helmet and my bike purring its sexy rumble.

The best part about the change is all the full faced helmets on cruiser riders. I am thrilled. I still wince at EVERY SINGLE PERSON that passes me with nothing more then a helmet as protective gear, but I do cheer their full faced helmet and pray that a jacket, gloves, boots, and riding pants will fall from the sky and glue to their bodies.
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#133 Unread post by IcyHound »

We dropped the Vstrom off last week for its first maintaince. While we where picking it up on Saterday the guy at the shop desk asks me if I passed his mechanic a few days ago. I told him I had not a clue. Turns out I had, at a some what higher speed while heading to the gym one morning.

Funny stuff.

However, their other mechanic can't ride worth "poo poo". He is the first person I've ever seen drag their feet. The first time I thought he was just playing, but every single time he stopped or started he dragged his boots on the ground for quite some distance before lifting his feet slowly and awkwardly onto the pegs.

I was horrified, yes. I'm a snob, sure. I don't care. It was awful.
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#134 Unread post by IcyHound »

I crossed 9k miles last night on Mantis's odometer.

On Thursday, I head up to Boston for a nice little 4 day road trip vacation. I have to be back here a bit earlier then I planned because I have a class with one of the dogs on Monday evening.

Beyond that, I think I will upgrade to the sweet luxurious Sprint ST next season.
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#135 Unread post by Wrider »

Well if you wanna donate to the student's fund you can always donate Mantis! I'll even fly out and ride her back! :laughing:
Nice though! Sprints are nice bikes!
What kind of class with the dog?
Wrider
Have owned - 2001 Suzuki Volusia
Current bike - 2005 Kawasaki Z750S
MMI Graduation date January 9th, 2009. Factory Certifications in Suzuki and Yamaha

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#136 Unread post by IcyHound »

It is her basic agility class. I hope she can start competing next year.

Today, I got my VA Inspection done. I put on my new decal for my tag so that my bike is legal for another two years. Tomorrow an oil change and I'm set. I'm packing my saddle bags tonight.

We're wiring in the GPS tonight so that I can have it the entire trip.

I'm pretty on track.
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#137 Unread post by IcyHound »

I'm set, I think.

My bike is clean. Chain is scrubbed shiny and lubed. Bike is inspected, new tag decal is on. GPS has been wired in. Saddle bags are on. Top bag waiting to go on once I toss the last few things into it. Tires are checked and filled. Oil changed this morning.

I get to go visit Nalian and Veda for three or so days. Weather shouldn't be to bad. It will also roll my FZ6 over the 10k point. Not bad for just over a year with the bike. We are at 9090 right now. Puts my total millage at 14,000.

I do love my FZ6. Amazingly comfortable and capable. Just a fantastic bike. I'm so glad that I selected it.
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#138 Unread post by IcyHound »

My ride began well. Last night, Tim came home and told me that he would do the errand with my mom this morning so that I would not be delayed on my trip. That meant that I could start at 7am instead of 12pm which had been the plan.

Kick "O Ring". I rolled out of the house at 6:45. I stopped at waffle house and munched on a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. Then back on the road where I chewed up the miles until I stopped for gas in Middlesex, PA. I was surprised at how many helmets I saw in PA. Last time I barely saw anyone with a helmet.

At the gas station two guys came out after me and asked me about the bike. I had already geared up and it was about 10am and starting to get warm. I didn't really want to talk to them but I smiled and waved my hands and told them about the bike and that yes, I really was traveling all the way to the Boston area. I also got some of those 5 hour energy drinks and drank one. Damn, that was nasty, but it kicked in quickly without leaving me feeling tweaky.

Back on the bike for more mile chewing. I started to see a few people without helmets. I also kept seeing trikes. I don't know why but there where many, many trikes.

My trip was going well. I rolled up 81 and got to Scranton before my luck ran out and I spent almost an hour in grid lock and often times dead stops for a 10 mile stretch of road. By then it was noon and once I hit 84 I pulled off at the first McDonald's and got a double cheese burger and some iced tea.

It was hot. Hotter then I expected. My trip up 84 was mostly uneventful. A lot of road work on the highways. A lot of fresh pavement that still smelt like fresh hot tar. A lot of construction equipment and road workers in reflective vests.

Once I hit NY helmets back on. I even saw a few sport bikes. I also remembered to stop near the prison past a toll bridge. I marked it in my GPS and took a photo of it. It looks like a federal prison to me, I wonder if I am right. I found it on google but I can't figure out the name of the facility. If you go down 84 and cross the big river in NY its right there just past the river.

Anyway, once I hit CT the helmets came back off. I saw maybe 5 helmets for 20 non helmeted people. I just don't understand. Then I hit traffic and it just got hot. I was moving around a lot as well and had dumped a bottle of water on myself. When I was in the HOV lane in Hartford I unzipped my jacket in a vain attempt to get more airflow. All I wound up doing was yanking out my MP3 players connection and had to reconnect that at 80mph.

More traffic in Mass. This car tried to kill me at the toll both so my speed pass didn't take. Grr. Then, I forget how much traffic is up here. I've turned into a mountain bumpkin I guess. Also, at one point I was oddly surrounded by a sea of red cars.

And still, yet more trikes. I did see a Harley with a side car. That was different.

Now I'm a bit stiff, rather dehydrated, and tired. We went and had food, I've updated this, talked to Tim and now for sleep.
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#139 Unread post by IcyHound »

There go my ideas...

We visited the Sprint today. It was a nice machine but next year they are doing away with blue and replacing with orange. Sigh. The silver just didn't do it for me and I don't want a black machine. If they did white I'd be happy.

So I'll look at something else. Maybe the ZX14. Chuckle. But then I'd keep Mantis as well.
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#140 Unread post by IcyHound »

Today we road around MA and the area. It is fascinating, the twisting roads, the sheer number of rotaries, the odd shape of everything. I am so used to the neat, ordered existence of suburbia. I am almost embarrassed by it.

We did wind up crossing a road with water over it. That was awesome. As Veda went through I followed. I watched the water part around her bike in a beautiful cresting wave that arched higher then her head and them slammed down into me and soaked me to the skin. Behind me, Nalian experienced the exact same thing. The driver of the car in the opposite lane was horrified.

We got lunch and ice cream. What the place considered soft serve was frozen yogurt and destroyed my Sunday so I tossed it. I hate to waste money but it was disgusting.

In general, I feel good. I'm relaxed and happy. The tension and stress that has been creeping across my body has vanished over the last few days. I'm sleeping well and waking up on my own at 6-7 hours. How long this will hold after I go home, I'm not sure.

I'll be heading to bed soonish. Then up around 4:30 to wake up, load my bike, and roll out by 5. I figure I should be home early enough and I should miss rush hour which will speed up my trip so that I can get Nyx to her class. For some reason my bags seems easier to pack now then it did at home.
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