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blues2cruise wrote:

jstark47 wrote:I gave you the answer last week: PEI & Nova Scotia.

Just sayin'

I did answer....

The dates don't work.

I saw. I was just messing with you.

Unfortunately, our vacation revolves around the Horizons Unlimited traveler's meeting in Annapolis Royal, NS, July 4-6. After the Horizons Unlimited thing, we're going over to PEI and spend some days there, then back home.

If I suddenly get fed up and quit my job......who knows...

Since the weather is still dark and wet after I get home from work, there are no bike things to share....

So.....

It took me 4 hours over 2 nights...but I finally got my TV working on my wireless network.

I got Netflix a month ago on my computer....it's ok because the screen is a 22 inch.....However.....

The TV is a 51 inch Plasma HD. So....I finally got Netflix on my TV.

Don't need to pay the high price of cable....$6.99 a month and I can watch all the movies I want.

The instructions to get the wireless set up were not very clear. I also went on the internet to find help.

It was frustrating at times....but perseverance and patience paid off.

Alas.....I need to go to sleep now....getting up early for work is for the birds.

I have officially began my 2014 motorcycle season. I went for a refresher day a week ago. I took the bike in for an oil change and an inspection yesterday. It has new tires.

I am now a couple of months past ten years since I got my motorcycle license. I still marvel at what riding brought to my life. I met all kinds of people and have visited places I might not otherwise have gone.

Yesterday when I got on my bike after its oil change, I didn't really have a destination in mind. I thought I would just go for a short get acquainted with Zena again ride. I ended up riding to Hope and back. It was a 4 hour return ride. (That included time in Hope for a meal)

That got me thinking about when I first started and how nervous I was. I was afraid to go across the bridge alone. I was afraid to go on the ferry the first time alone. The thought of riding to Harrison Hot Springs or to Hope alone would have been out of the question.

Yesterday, I just started riding....and kept going....I was not nervous and instead was just enjoying the ride. If I had been in my car, I would not have bothered.....but something about riding inspires these little trips.

I believe that if I didn't have something planned for the evening last night, I would have kept on going. That's how good it felt to be out riding again.

I was under strict orders to not tell anyone about Doc's repair job on his bike.

I pestered and pestered for him to at least try....when he said something was difficult, I responded with" and your point"? When he said it would rain, I replied...you have a big awning...when he said it would be hard to roll the bike through the gravel, I said I'll help...
I pestered until he saw there was no reason to not try. You could say I was pertinacious. ( It's great having a thesaurus)

I arrived at his place and announced pestilence is here.

While I supervised, Doc went to work investigating what the problem might be. What a thrill it was to hear the engine turn over. It wouldn't quite start though...after several tries...and then Doc remembered...the gas tank was not on the bike.
He managed to get the two headless bolts out for the ignition and I drove him to Lordco to get 2 new bolts with hex heads. It was smiles all around when he knew he had solved the problem.

Here is his story.

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=48326&start=10

Saturday May 31, 2014.

Yesterday was the first day since last autumn that Doc and I went for a ride. It took some coercion ....(I'll buy lunch)... ...but I finally got him to go for a ride that is not for commuting.

Doc moved into his 5th wheel trailer last year and spent some considerable time trying to organize...and then his motorcycle died..so he was trucking it for a while. Last month he fixed his bike and has been commuting on it.

So....Friday I sent a text message.....Ride tomorrow?

We met at 1030 and headed up the Sea to Sky Hwy to Squamish. Due to time constraints that was as far as we could go yesterday.....(Whistler is a popular destination for a ride...it's another 40 minutes or so past Squamish)

It was my first ride on curvy roads with my new tires. My past three sets of tires were Dunlops. I had no problems with the Dunlops...I found them to get good mileage and decent traction. (at least for my style of riding...which is not very aggressive).

My new tires are by Metlzer. They roll quite differently from the Dunlop tires. The feeling is that they roll easier....but I also found out that I have to pay better attention to the road and not sight see. I discovered that if my eyes wander , then my bike wanders....After doing that a few times, I figured it out...and once I realized why I was wandering and corrected it...my bike performed admirably.

Learning never stops when you ride a motorcycle.

Most of the day was great. Warm temperatures, dry roads, blue sky....and the usual dumba$$ drivers.

Paying attention saved my life yesterday...or at least saved me from a terrible crash....Doc and I were in the passing lane....because we were passing some slower than the speed limit drivers....I saw a white Nissan 240 in my mirror come up fast on my right side.....I had a feeling he was going to pass on my right and then pass me....so I slowed a bit to allow this....and sure enough...he did. Then I saw a red car coming up on the right also....He had also passed that slow moving car...then moved back into the driving lane...but he was obviously not content to wait until I was past the car on my right...I was almost up to the car on my right...so I sped up to get past the car to be able to get out of the way...but the red car suddenly sped up even more and deeked between me and the car on my right. I had to apply my brakes and downshift to avoid being hit. (The refresher class I took sure paid off). Doc saw it and later on told me he had wanted to give chase....but the red car was going so fast, it was long gone. ( I have been with Doc and another of his friends riding when his friend gave chase to someone who had almost harmed us. He didn't get the guy, but he got a make and license number....and when we pulled in for fuel later...there just happened to be some law enforcement types there...so he made a report with them.)

The white Nissan left the highway at the next exit....which was in sight when he pulled his bonehead maneuver...so I wonder what the point was in all his weaving in and out, passing and being dangerous on the road. I suspect he and the red car driver were racing.

Later when Doc and I got to Britannia and stopped at the red light...he pulled up beside me to ask if I was ok. He said it looked like the red car almost clipped my front wheel. Phew! ALWAYS pay attention to your surroundings. Keep checking those mirrors. It will pay off.

We stopped in for a quick look at the new gondola that has been built beside Shannon Falls.

In case you are interested to know what I'm talking about...

http://www.seatoskygondola.com/?gclid=C ... 3RQCDw_wcB

It just opened up about a month ago. It's too expensive for the locals to go more than once....it's a huge hit with tourists...The place was quite busy yesterday. It will only get busier as summer approaches.

I used to love to go to Shannon Falls...but it has lost its appeal due to the huge amount of tour buses that deposit hordes of people...and I do mean hordes....

We went to the Howe Sound Brewing Company for lunch. This place is a hotel/pub/restaurant/craft beer brewery. I personally don't like beer....but I know their beer is quite popular. Doc and I don't indulge when riding. I used to ride with some organized clubs whose goal seemed to be a couple of beer at lunch and then continue riding. That could account for some of the stupid behaviour some of them had. I no longer ride with those groups.

We were finishing lunch and realized we were out of time...so we left right way. I said..no stopping...we'll just ride straight back. We were having a good ride until we got to the Upper Levels Highway in North Vancouver...when suddenly traffic ahead was stopped. Doc pulled up beside to get me to slow even more....and said to try to get over to the far right....so we could exit...He had been listening to his radio and heard that there was a crash at the north end of the bridge..so traffic was backed up the highway...we managed to take the exit and ride down Lonsdale to a cross street that cut across North Van. We still ended up in a traffic jam....but much closer to the bridge. While we were slowly making progress...the news reported that traffic was now backed up to Westview....it's a good thing Doc had heard the traffic report....
We went our separate ways just before the Port Mann Bridge. He went to a retirement dinner where he would be imbibing later. And not ride home....he said he would probably stay over at his brother's place...and pick up his bike today. I came home and uploaded the Riding Game picture.

I forgot...another bonehead maneuver...but on my part....

I was behind some slow moving car...wanted to pass...saw what I thought was Doc's bike in my rear view mirror in the passing lane behind me...we have ridden together so often he can often anticipate my next move...so when I looked in the mirror and saw the bike.....with driving lights...in silhouette...I thought it was Doc behind me. I could not see another bike...I signalled and shoulder checked...and changed lanes....once I was in the passing lane was when I saw that there were actually 2 motorcycles...that the bike I had pulled in front of was coming up fast....I sped up and pulled into the driving lane...and a guy on big Harley passed me...Ckrap...it hadn't been Doc I saw behind me....I laughed at myself....we talked about it later and I explained that I had not seen 2 bikes...He told me that the guy on the Harley had been coming up fast....I honestly thought it was Doc behind me...or I would never had changed lanes.

I must go wash Zena. It's long overdue.

B2C , a great day out for you ! you did well not to get tangled up in traffic with those idiot cagers ! I've had drivers look at me and then change lanes into the space I was occupying without hesitation , Damn , that makes me frustrated !

I just ordered a set of metzelers for my bike , ME 888's , upgrades to the very popular 880's , and I am currently running the Dunlops as well . While I have no complaints about the 404's from Dunlop , it seems their life isn't what I expected it might be , and I don't drive aggressively either . Its interesting what you did say about the Metzeler tires and I for one would be interested in hearing more about your firsthand assessment of their performance , stability and handling !

I lurk here quite a bit and don't comment much , the riders Blogs seem to be my favorite !

Thanks for reading, Dan.

I rode to work and back today. My ride in the morning was in commuter traffic so not much to report. Coming home though....now that I am aware of how the tires handle....was great. They did not wander at all because I was paying attention.

I'll make another report again after my next big ride.

As for the Dunlops....I got 30,000km on my first pair. I think because the bike was not too heavy..it was a 650 V-Star. The second pair were on the way to that mileage...but I traded up to my Kawasaki. It is a heavier bike so I only got about 25,000km.

The guy at the shop said I'd get good value with the Metzler tires because they have good traction and should get good mileage. We shall see.

I think they make me lean more.... When I went to the refresher day, I scraped pegs a few times. That's not usually like me.

blues2cruise wrote:.......I scraped pegs a few times.....

Hooligan.