I’ve been riding a lot lately. I am turning more and more to my motorcycle for my mode of transportation to work, going for errands, visiting friends, etc. The weather has been perfect for riding for several weeks now, so there has been no excuse not to ride.
I find my mind shifting as I ride more often. Now I am beginning to think of my bike as my main vehicle, and only drive the 4-wheeled variety when I need to shop for groceries for the week, or will need to carry other people for some reason.
Daily, I get ready for work with the thought of what motorcycle boots I’ll wear. As I’m fixing my hair in the morning there is always an elastic band to pull my hair into a ponytail for riding purposes. Pulling the bike out of the garage has become a morning ritual that gets my motor running. Once it’s out, I can’t wait to get going. I always make a lunch and put it in a bag that will fit into my saddlebags.
Riding daily has become something to look forward to. I am not happy in my current job, so work is not something I am looking forward to each morning. Riding makes it a little more bearable. Soon I will be living where there are more riding months out of the year. When the cold and rainy seasons come back here, I’m not sure if I will be motivated to brave them.
I’ve noticed my riding attitude changing lately. I feel calmer while riding, as it has become commonplace. I used to feel aggressive while I rode. Each shift of the gears was done with a little rage behind it. Each day I take a different route to work, depending on how many ‘metal plates in the road’ or other road construction that I feel like encountering. I get angry when I see people talking on the cell phone in their cars, but have been trying to get over that. There are a lot of idiots out on the road during commute times, and if I can just be the sane one, calmly making my way through the mobs of bad drivers on my bike, then I have won.
I’ve been riding a lot on the weekends too. I haven’t been taking too many photos, but just riding. There haven’t been any exciting destinations, but many lovely roads have been covered.
Showing posts with label female motorcyclist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label female motorcyclist. Show all posts
Yesterday’s Ride Is A Passing Memory
There have been few days lately that I would call days that were pleasant to ride a motorcycle. I have gotten out a little in between storms but the air is always chilly and the sun, if it’s out, doesn’t add much warmth. On Saturday it did not rain, as promised, and the temps were getting up over 50 degrees! A ride was in order, but with all the craziness lately I hadn’t thought much about where I would ride.
The day turned out to be overcast, but dry. Dave and I got a slow start, and around 1:30pm finally got the bikes out and decided we would ride to West Seattle and visit an old friend. It’s about a 40 minute ride, all on I-5 until you are actually in West Seattle. Downtown Seattle is across the water from West Seattle, which is a separate city with a small downtown and quaint views of the whole southwestern Puget Sound.
We saddled up and rode on I-5 a while. Since it was Saturday of a holiday weekend, the traffic wasn’t kind. We sat in stop-and-go traffic once we neared north Seattle, until we got through the city. For the first time that I can remember, I was actually too warm in the sun on the bike. The freeway opened up then and we flew ahead and onto the West Seattle Bridge. The views were awesome of the Seattle waterfront and the shipping barges, while on the other side Mount Rainier was ‘out’. Since it was all interstate riding I couldn’t stop to take photos. I wish I could share every ride with my readers.
We visited our friend for a while and then headed back home. As we rode on the interstate I started getting into the rhythm of the road. We rode across the 520 floating bridge which goes East/West across the southern end of Lake Washington, back over to the 405 going north. Every once in a while the wind was gusty and I would feel it fighting against the bike. It took a lot of work and concentration to overcome it.
It was a short but fun ride and I got a good stretch of fast freeway driving in. I could see getting into the smooth rhythm of the interstate, but it is still a lot more work than going on the side roads at a more leisurely speed. I like to see the sights as I ride. Today the rain is back and cooler temps too. The weather people are promising rain every day for the near future. It was a wonderful day ride while it lasted.
The day turned out to be overcast, but dry. Dave and I got a slow start, and around 1:30pm finally got the bikes out and decided we would ride to West Seattle and visit an old friend. It’s about a 40 minute ride, all on I-5 until you are actually in West Seattle. Downtown Seattle is across the water from West Seattle, which is a separate city with a small downtown and quaint views of the whole southwestern Puget Sound.
We saddled up and rode on I-5 a while. Since it was Saturday of a holiday weekend, the traffic wasn’t kind. We sat in stop-and-go traffic once we neared north Seattle, until we got through the city. For the first time that I can remember, I was actually too warm in the sun on the bike. The freeway opened up then and we flew ahead and onto the West Seattle Bridge. The views were awesome of the Seattle waterfront and the shipping barges, while on the other side Mount Rainier was ‘out’. Since it was all interstate riding I couldn’t stop to take photos. I wish I could share every ride with my readers.
We visited our friend for a while and then headed back home. As we rode on the interstate I started getting into the rhythm of the road. We rode across the 520 floating bridge which goes East/West across the southern end of Lake Washington, back over to the 405 going north. Every once in a while the wind was gusty and I would feel it fighting against the bike. It took a lot of work and concentration to overcome it.
It was a short but fun ride and I got a good stretch of fast freeway driving in. I could see getting into the smooth rhythm of the interstate, but it is still a lot more work than going on the side roads at a more leisurely speed. I like to see the sights as I ride. Today the rain is back and cooler temps too. The weather people are promising rain every day for the near future. It was a wonderful day ride while it lasted.
My Vulcan and I Are One
I knew it would happen eventually. As I ride my Vulcan more and more I notice something great happening. It is really quite amazing.
When I first got the bike it fit well. That is one of the reasons for choosing the Vulcan 900 Classic. As a woman, it is hard to find a bike that feels right and fits all parts of the body. The Vulcan fit like a glove from the very beginning.
The first time I actually rode the bike anywhere, I had trouble finding first gear, had it in neutral instead, and it tipped over. Not all the way, but it seemed so huge at the time that I couldn’t get it back upright. It was a helpless feeling, but I knew it would just take time to get used to the size of the motorcycle.
Lately when I have ridden this wonderful thing is happening. I am turning easily and almost instinctively. Backing up is getting much easier. My feet go automatically to the floorboards after taking off, and shifting is a breeze (always was). I can feel myself becoming one with the motorcycle. We have bonded. The Vulcan wanted to do its own thing for a while, but now it responds to my every whim.
What a pleasure it is to ride. Spring may be here officially this week, but hasn’t happened yet here in Seattle. When the weather warms past 50 degrees I will be out on the road non-stop. Well, maybe in between making a living.
When I first got the bike it fit well. That is one of the reasons for choosing the Vulcan 900 Classic. As a woman, it is hard to find a bike that feels right and fits all parts of the body. The Vulcan fit like a glove from the very beginning.
The first time I actually rode the bike anywhere, I had trouble finding first gear, had it in neutral instead, and it tipped over. Not all the way, but it seemed so huge at the time that I couldn’t get it back upright. It was a helpless feeling, but I knew it would just take time to get used to the size of the motorcycle.
Lately when I have ridden this wonderful thing is happening. I am turning easily and almost instinctively. Backing up is getting much easier. My feet go automatically to the floorboards after taking off, and shifting is a breeze (always was). I can feel myself becoming one with the motorcycle. We have bonded. The Vulcan wanted to do its own thing for a while, but now it responds to my every whim.
What a pleasure it is to ride. Spring may be here officially this week, but hasn’t happened yet here in Seattle. When the weather warms past 50 degrees I will be out on the road non-stop. Well, maybe in between making a living.
Birthday Memories '08
This weekend was my birthday and I celebrated, of course, by taking a motorcycle ride. The sun was out but it was cool, in the 40’s. As each year goes by, I become closer to the person I really want to be. This year was a milestone for me, one I wish I could have avoided. The reality was that I was going to enjoy my life from here on out, which means taking chances and doing things that are difficult, so I can be a better person for it.
Motorcycling has become the go-to activity for solving all of my anxieties. I was having a hard time just a couple of weeks ago with my mood and winter being so awfully long. But since then the sun has come out every few days and my mood and life in general is looking pretty good right now. This also ties in with the fact that I’ve ridden my motorcycle on every one of those nice days. It’s still been almost too cool to enjoy the ride, but once I get out it is all forgotten and worth enduring the elements.
With Dave on the Victory and myself on the Vulcan, we headed out towards Fall City where we had gone before and enjoyed the scenic ride. We got as far as Issaquah, a town near the base of the Snoqualmie pass and I-90. We stopped at one of the last XXX Root Beer drive-ins left in the states, and the only one left in the Northwest. We both had a big icy mug of the creamiest root beer and some fried mushrooms dipped in ranch dressing. I said I was living dangerously!
We had a nice ride back routing around Lake Sammamish. The water had shiny ripples moving smoothly across, reflecting the blue and gray clouds above. My idiot gas light went on for the first time and I panicked. I wasn’t sure how far I could go after the light went on, and I didn’t really know where we were. It was kind of out in the country. I signaled to Dave and we eventually found a gas station. The calm that came over me once I gassed up was amazing. I am finding myself to be really high strung while riding my motorcycle. I worry a lot. I’m learning things about myself I never have experienced before. Once I had a full tank, the Zen calm came back to my ride.
When we got home there was just enough time to clean up and get ready to go out for a birthday dinner with my son and daughter-in-law. I made sure we didn’t go anywhere with a ‘senior’ menu.
Motorcycling has become the go-to activity for solving all of my anxieties. I was having a hard time just a couple of weeks ago with my mood and winter being so awfully long. But since then the sun has come out every few days and my mood and life in general is looking pretty good right now. This also ties in with the fact that I’ve ridden my motorcycle on every one of those nice days. It’s still been almost too cool to enjoy the ride, but once I get out it is all forgotten and worth enduring the elements.
With Dave on the Victory and myself on the Vulcan, we headed out towards Fall City where we had gone before and enjoyed the scenic ride. We got as far as Issaquah, a town near the base of the Snoqualmie pass and I-90. We stopped at one of the last XXX Root Beer drive-ins left in the states, and the only one left in the Northwest. We both had a big icy mug of the creamiest root beer and some fried mushrooms dipped in ranch dressing. I said I was living dangerously!
We had a nice ride back routing around Lake Sammamish. The water had shiny ripples moving smoothly across, reflecting the blue and gray clouds above. My idiot gas light went on for the first time and I panicked. I wasn’t sure how far I could go after the light went on, and I didn’t really know where we were. It was kind of out in the country. I signaled to Dave and we eventually found a gas station. The calm that came over me once I gassed up was amazing. I am finding myself to be really high strung while riding my motorcycle. I worry a lot. I’m learning things about myself I never have experienced before. Once I had a full tank, the Zen calm came back to my ride.
When we got home there was just enough time to clean up and get ready to go out for a birthday dinner with my son and daughter-in-law. I made sure we didn’t go anywhere with a ‘senior’ menu.
Is It Just Me?
I am a worrier. Ever since I began riding motorcycles I have been very concerned with cornering. Usually a turn to the right is not much problem. It feels natural, as I am right handed, so my brain seems to go toward the right easier. When a sharp turn to the left comes in view, I usually panic for a split second and then maneuver through the turn. I have swung too wide on a few occasions turning left and have come a hairline away from going off the road. I corrected, in any event, and never went down.
I don’t know why it still alarms me when I approach an upcoming turn. The adrenaline pumps instantly and I instinctively guide the motorcycle safely through the corner. I am usually riding where there are a lot of cars and traffic to maneuver as well. The rules start going through my head all at once. “Look toward the direction you want to go”, “Shift down before you take the turn”, “Lean”, “Push on the left handgrip to go left, the right handgrip to go right”.
I am always more relaxed when I ride out in the rural areas, unless it gets very hilly. All you have to think about might be an animal jumping out in front of you along the way, and you can always slow down as you need to take a sharp corner in either direction.
I’ve decided that maybe everyone has a slight dread of one type of road condition, or type of route, or kind of weather to ride in. Practice is the answer so I’ve been trying to take routes that require me to corner and turn a lot.
I also have a tiny dread of riding on steep mountain roads, downhill. It’s the feeling of being out of control and can’t slow down enough. I have nightmares about it from time to time. I’ve avoided the mountains until now but will challenge myself this summer with those things I am most unsure of. That is the only way to grow as a motorcyclist, and I think you never stop learning. There are new challenges on your ride every day. That’s also what makes it fun.
I don’t know why it still alarms me when I approach an upcoming turn. The adrenaline pumps instantly and I instinctively guide the motorcycle safely through the corner. I am usually riding where there are a lot of cars and traffic to maneuver as well. The rules start going through my head all at once. “Look toward the direction you want to go”, “Shift down before you take the turn”, “Lean”, “Push on the left handgrip to go left, the right handgrip to go right”.
I am always more relaxed when I ride out in the rural areas, unless it gets very hilly. All you have to think about might be an animal jumping out in front of you along the way, and you can always slow down as you need to take a sharp corner in either direction.
I’ve decided that maybe everyone has a slight dread of one type of road condition, or type of route, or kind of weather to ride in. Practice is the answer so I’ve been trying to take routes that require me to corner and turn a lot.
I also have a tiny dread of riding on steep mountain roads, downhill. It’s the feeling of being out of control and can’t slow down enough. I have nightmares about it from time to time. I’ve avoided the mountains until now but will challenge myself this summer with those things I am most unsure of. That is the only way to grow as a motorcyclist, and I think you never stop learning. There are new challenges on your ride every day. That’s also what makes it fun.
Happy Valentine's Day to Me
I knew the sun was going to come out today and I would be able to ride my favorite motorcycle to work. I went to sleep thinking about it last night. Since I hadn’t ridden to work lately, I had to plan what layers of warmth I would need, especially since it would be warmer coming home in the afternoon.
It was slightly above freezing when I backed my bike out of the garage and started her up. She smoked and coughed, but then began purring smoothly.
It was slightly above freezing when I backed my bike out of the garage and started her up. She smoked and coughed, but then began purring smoothly.
The ride was great, the sun was coming out, but it was pretty chilly. By the time my 20 minutes of riding was almost over, my fingers started feeling the cold. I had a few vents open in my helmet, but my face-shield kept getting fogged up on the inside. I ended up opening it slightly so it would stay clear, and soon found I actually liked the feeling of the cold air in my face.
My co-worker also rode in today, and his commute is about 35 miles each way. He has heated grips so has a small advantage against the cold. We made our own ‘motorcycle parking’ area today.
I passed many bikes out this morning doing exactly what I was. Each bike I passed waved because we were all so happy to be out again, even in the cold. The pavement was completely dry and I didn’t run into many gravelly spots. I was on well travelled roads most of the way.
The ride home was comfortable but the air was still frigid. I wanted to keep riding somewhere besides home, but it is Valentine’s Day and I wanted to be home to await my surprise (I’m dreaming) It was so refreshing to be out in the fresh air, and I had missed the rumble of my Vulcan. I’m very comfortable with the size of the bike now, but I still have to wear my highest biker boots to be able to push off the ground.
This coming weekend looks a little warmer than today (maybe will reach 50!) and partly sunny. Guess what I will be doing? I also have Presidents Day Monday off work, and it is likely to be a riding kind of day. Things are looking up!
A Fun Read: Lois On The Loose by Lois Pryce
To alleviate my frustration of not being able to ride my motorcycle lately, I decided to do the next best thing. Read about it. I love books and owning books, so I went online to see what was there. I had a gift card for Barnes & Noble. For those of you who haven’t heard of, ‘Lois On The Loose’ you are really missing out. I thought the description sounded fun so I bought it. Was I in for a surprise?
I can’t put the book down! It is written by a gutsy British lady who decides to ride a motorcycle solo from the Alaskan wilderness to the very tip of South America; as far as the roads would go. She does this on a Yamaha 250cc Serow dirt bike. The trip is remarkably thrilling to hear about, and her writing is such that you follow along as if you are riding along with her. She has a sense of humor which really comes through in the book. I’ve fully enjoyed the read, which I don’t do much of, by the way.
The book only seems to come in hardback in the US, but I’ve enjoyed that feature as I’ve held it and read it. I will be reading it again and sharing it with others, so I’m glad now that it’s a hardback. Lois has inspired me immensely, and now I am planning a longer ride than I’ve ever done. She makes you realize that anything is possible with the right attitude and a sense of humor.
You can see photos and learn more at her website- Lois on the Loose.com. Since writing this book she has done another ride through the African Continent on a similar small motorcycle. She has another book coming out in June, ’08 about the African trip. You can find out more about what Lois Pryce is up to at her website.
I can’t put the book down! It is written by a gutsy British lady who decides to ride a motorcycle solo from the Alaskan wilderness to the very tip of South America; as far as the roads would go. She does this on a Yamaha 250cc Serow dirt bike. The trip is remarkably thrilling to hear about, and her writing is such that you follow along as if you are riding along with her. She has a sense of humor which really comes through in the book. I’ve fully enjoyed the read, which I don’t do much of, by the way.
The book only seems to come in hardback in the US, but I’ve enjoyed that feature as I’ve held it and read it. I will be reading it again and sharing it with others, so I’m glad now that it’s a hardback. Lois has inspired me immensely, and now I am planning a longer ride than I’ve ever done. She makes you realize that anything is possible with the right attitude and a sense of humor.
You can see photos and learn more at her website- Lois on the Loose.com. Since writing this book she has done another ride through the African Continent on a similar small motorcycle. She has another book coming out in June, ’08 about the African trip. You can find out more about what Lois Pryce is up to at her website.
Easy Peasy Home Installation of the Vulcan Engine Guard
When I bought my new Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic, I ordered an engine guard from the dealer as an accessory, along with the Vulcan windshield. After waiting and calling for a month the windshield finally came in. They failed to call, so it was a couple weeks later that I called to find it had arrived. I installed the windshield and you can read about it here.
So, they assured me that when the engine guard came in I would again get a call. I finally called early this year and they had my part. They also had a bogus phone number for me. I drove the 40 miles or so and picked it up. When I got home and opened the box, there were two bolts in a plastic bag. One was stripped at the end.
So, they assured me that when the engine guard came in I would again get a call. I finally called early this year and they had my part. They also had a bogus phone number for me. I drove the 40 miles or so and picked it up. When I got home and opened the box, there were two bolts in a plastic bag. One was stripped at the end.
They were a hex-flange bolt and a size you couldn't find just anywhere. We looked everywhere we could think of that sold bolts. Dave finally stopped at a place on his way home one day called ‘Tacoma Screw’. They had ‘almost’ the perfect bolt. The hex head was a little smaller, but it worked just fine.
I decided to install the guard last weekend, since it was way too cold to ride. I even closed the garage so it would be warmer inside while I worked. It was in the 30’s outside. As I worked with the icy-cold tubular chrome guard, my hands became very chilled. It was hard to feel the threads engage as I added each nut to its bolt and tried to finger-tighten it. I could hardly make my fingers do what I wanted them to do.
It’s a good thing that it was pretty easy and didn’t take a lot of work. Add a few bolts and clamps, tighten here and there, and then apply torque on 2 of them.
I think it looks good.
I came home at lunch today since I work only 15 minutes away. The sun was out and it was 39 degrees. It’s been nice and clear and sunny for days, but only in the low 30’s. I couldn’t bring myself to bundle up and get out there. Today I decided to go for it. The weather was as warm as it was going to get, and we have rain and snow in the forecast for the weekend.
I hadn’t tried out the bike since I added the engine guard. I’m always conscious of the added weight so was wondering if it would handle differently. I rode the Vulcan back to work and then home right before dark. I think it felt a little heavier on the turns, but otherwise I liked it and didn’t notice much difference in the way of handling.
Now that I’ve added enough accessories to the front of the bike, I will need to make some decisions about what I need on the rear to carry gear and stuff for a 3 or 4 day ride. I’m planning a ride down the coast this summer but have no way to carry anything on the bike. I find planning trips like this is very fun. I love poring over the maps and deciding what route we will take, having never been on any of the roads in question. That’s where the sense of adventure comes in.
Winter Depression and Motorcyclists
I’ve been reading a lot of motorcycling blogs lately. In doing so, I have discovered a few new ones that I didn’t previously know about. That has been exciting to find new people in different parts of the country who love to ride motorcycles and blog about it, so others of us can come along for the ride.
The sad thing that I have noticed is the winter depression that starts to invade the motorcycling blogs. I have noticed people talking about selling their bikes! And there are several blogs who are closing their doors and folding. It is sad to see a good blog go. There are many who have not updated for months, or even years, and are still on people’s blogrolls. I can imagine that if you aren’t riding and you begin to let other interests take priority, then blogging about motorcycles can become a chore.
I am still trying to ride on the warm (?) and dry days(!) and it still depresses me to think about how long it is until Spring. The days here are getting longer (yay) and soon it will be light for a while after I get home from work. That is when I try to sneak in a ride in the evenings. Soon we’ll be getting more dry days and temps should start to creep up in the daytime. Then the weekend rides become a reality again.
It is frustrating not being able to ride enough in the winter. I find that as I go to sleep at night, I start imagining myself getting on my motorcycle. I think about what it’s like to take hold of the handgrips, and taking off down the street. I shift gears, dream about the wind whistling through my helmet, and the feeling of whizzing down the road to freedom. In my mind I can go there, take a ride, and come back home safely and satisfied. I dream about where I may go next summer. The maps are poured over and the imaginary routes are pondered.
As you sit in your warm home and wish you could ride to parts unknown, remember that you can be there in your mind. Spring will be here before we know it, and then we’ll all forget the winter blahs and hit the roads once again. And those of you thinking about getting rid of your bikes………think long and hard. If you really don’t enjoy riding, that’s one thing. If someone (a spouse, for instance) is ‘making’ you get rid of your motorcycle……you have bigger problems!
The sad thing that I have noticed is the winter depression that starts to invade the motorcycling blogs. I have noticed people talking about selling their bikes! And there are several blogs who are closing their doors and folding. It is sad to see a good blog go. There are many who have not updated for months, or even years, and are still on people’s blogrolls. I can imagine that if you aren’t riding and you begin to let other interests take priority, then blogging about motorcycles can become a chore.
I am still trying to ride on the warm (?) and dry days(!) and it still depresses me to think about how long it is until Spring. The days here are getting longer (yay) and soon it will be light for a while after I get home from work. That is when I try to sneak in a ride in the evenings. Soon we’ll be getting more dry days and temps should start to creep up in the daytime. Then the weekend rides become a reality again.
It is frustrating not being able to ride enough in the winter. I find that as I go to sleep at night, I start imagining myself getting on my motorcycle. I think about what it’s like to take hold of the handgrips, and taking off down the street. I shift gears, dream about the wind whistling through my helmet, and the feeling of whizzing down the road to freedom. In my mind I can go there, take a ride, and come back home safely and satisfied. I dream about where I may go next summer. The maps are poured over and the imaginary routes are pondered.
As you sit in your warm home and wish you could ride to parts unknown, remember that you can be there in your mind. Spring will be here before we know it, and then we’ll all forget the winter blahs and hit the roads once again. And those of you thinking about getting rid of your bikes………think long and hard. If you really don’t enjoy riding, that’s one thing. If someone (a spouse, for instance) is ‘making’ you get rid of your motorcycle……you have bigger problems!
Happy New Year’s Day Ride 2008 and All Is Well
For the last 2 weeks I have had a virus that laid me out and made me want my mommy. It began with a fever, then a weird rash, and then I was stricken with viral arthritis. If anyone has ever had it you can relate. It affected my hands and arms mostly, and for a few days I was in agonizing pain and could not straighten my curled hands or move my arms much. The virus eventually passed and now I am slowly getting back the use of my hands and building up my energy and strength.
Needless to say, with the sickness and the rain/snow we’ve had lately, I haven’t been able to ride my motorcycle. I had made a commitment to ride on Christmas Day, as it is a personal tradition of mine. That didn’t happen……..
On New Year’s Day, I always try to ride as a tradition to start the New Year out right. I hope this will continue my riding good luck throughout the year. The weather cooperated for once and it turned out to be a warm 47 degrees with overcast skies. I grabbed my new camera, which I couldn’t wait to try out, and my husband and I went for a ride. My starting mileage on the Vulcan for 2008 was 381 miles. That's sick!
Needless to say, with the sickness and the rain/snow we’ve had lately, I haven’t been able to ride my motorcycle. I had made a commitment to ride on Christmas Day, as it is a personal tradition of mine. That didn’t happen……..
On New Year’s Day, I always try to ride as a tradition to start the New Year out right. I hope this will continue my riding good luck throughout the year. The weather cooperated for once and it turned out to be a warm 47 degrees with overcast skies. I grabbed my new camera, which I couldn’t wait to try out, and my husband and I went for a ride. My starting mileage on the Vulcan for 2008 was 381 miles. That's sick!
We cruised down the eastern shore of Lake Washington to a park on Juanita Beach.
There were mass quantities of ducks.
You can see the Seattle skyline across the Lake.
The ride was wonderful, as it was so exhilarating to be out on the bike. The cool air was clean and I made sure to open a few vents in my helmet. I didn’t even need to wear my thermal layer under my jeans. The traffic was light and I guessed it was because there were lots of football games on all day, and others were recuperating from the night before.On the way home we took the freeway I-405. On my new bike I love to take the freeway and go fast, and challenge the on and off-ramps. The windshield keeps the wind from whipping my head around, so eases the pressure on my neck. As I was riding I felt that moment of Zen when you know you are at peace and harmony with the earth. The ride was so fun and I came home with a new attitude and a few ideas for some longer rides that I want to do in 2008.
So as I look back on New Year’s Day I have a sense of well-being and hope for the future and good things happening in 2008. The day’s ride was much needed and left me with a feeling of peace and calm. Ohmmmmmm………..
Thanksgiving Day Ride
I was alone on Thanksgiving Day this year. My better half had gone to Phoenix to visit his family and I had stayed home to prepare to cook my holiday meal for family and friends on Friday.
The sun was out and since I had no commitments, I had planned to take a long ride on my Vulcan. It was below freezing in the morning, so I kept watching the temps and waited until it got somewhere over 40 degrees before I would venture out on my ride.
Something came over me that has happened previously. As I watched the day warm and the frosty white rooftops in the neighborhood started to melt away, a feeling of doom and inner fear began to come over me. I could have easily not ridden that day, but I had looked forward to it. This time of year you have to take advantage of any dry days to get the motorcycles out and keep them running through the winter. I forced myself to go.
I put on my thermal bottoms under my heaviest riding jeans. I wore 2 heavy layers on top as well as my leather jacket with the winter lining in it. I had on my heaviest winter riding gloves, and a neck wrap tucked up over my chin and held there by my helmet strap. It was fine as I headed out.
As soon as I left home the feeling of dread left. I am getting more comfortable all the time with my new motorcycle, but still have to be careful with the handling on tight turns and the weight of the bike if I get it off balance. I headed north towards Lake Stevens off of Highway 9.
Traffic was lighter than usual by mid-day on Thanksgiving. I was comfortably warm for about 45 minutes into the ride. As I neared Lake Stevens I knew there were 3 or 4 turn-offs to get to the actual lake. There is a lovely road that encircles the lake and I thought that would be a beautiful place to ride that day and take pictures. Before I left home I had looked for my camera so I could take some photos of the lake with the snow-covered Cascade Mountains in the background. Apparently the camera had gone to Phoenix for the Holiday. I need a camera phone……..
I decided to take a particular road that turned off the highway and should have taken me somewhere in view of the lake. It didn’t. The road was scenic and headed due east and out into the countryside. I had no idea where I was or where it would take me. All of a sudden a state of panic started setting in. I came up to a stop sign and, not having a clue, I decided to go left. The road I was turning onto had a blind curve going both left and right, and I was taking a left onto a sharp incline up a hill. As I turned, I swung a little too wide and started to run off the road onto the gravel shoulder. I did keep the bike upright, kept going and corrected it back onto the roadway. During the whole thing I am muttering into my helmet, “Oh sh*t, oh sh*t, oh sh*t!” By then I continued on down that road, still not knowing where I was. I finally circled back and reached the highway I had originally been on, but had to take a right turn only which caused me to continue north. I wanted to go home…..
There was another exit a couple minutes up the road, so I turned off, got turned around and headed back home. By this time I was beginning to freeze. The cold had worked through my gloves and the fear and dread were taking the fun out of my ride.
I got home safely after riding about 1-1/2 hours. I think the fear I had was because my husband was out of town, and I was totally and completely on my own. Being out on a motorcycle puts you in a very vulnerable position. There would have been no one to call if I had had a problem. As it was, I was fine. I went home and had a stiff drink to warm up.
The sun was out and since I had no commitments, I had planned to take a long ride on my Vulcan. It was below freezing in the morning, so I kept watching the temps and waited until it got somewhere over 40 degrees before I would venture out on my ride.
Something came over me that has happened previously. As I watched the day warm and the frosty white rooftops in the neighborhood started to melt away, a feeling of doom and inner fear began to come over me. I could have easily not ridden that day, but I had looked forward to it. This time of year you have to take advantage of any dry days to get the motorcycles out and keep them running through the winter. I forced myself to go.
I put on my thermal bottoms under my heaviest riding jeans. I wore 2 heavy layers on top as well as my leather jacket with the winter lining in it. I had on my heaviest winter riding gloves, and a neck wrap tucked up over my chin and held there by my helmet strap. It was fine as I headed out.
As soon as I left home the feeling of dread left. I am getting more comfortable all the time with my new motorcycle, but still have to be careful with the handling on tight turns and the weight of the bike if I get it off balance. I headed north towards Lake Stevens off of Highway 9.
Traffic was lighter than usual by mid-day on Thanksgiving. I was comfortably warm for about 45 minutes into the ride. As I neared Lake Stevens I knew there were 3 or 4 turn-offs to get to the actual lake. There is a lovely road that encircles the lake and I thought that would be a beautiful place to ride that day and take pictures. Before I left home I had looked for my camera so I could take some photos of the lake with the snow-covered Cascade Mountains in the background. Apparently the camera had gone to Phoenix for the Holiday. I need a camera phone……..
I decided to take a particular road that turned off the highway and should have taken me somewhere in view of the lake. It didn’t. The road was scenic and headed due east and out into the countryside. I had no idea where I was or where it would take me. All of a sudden a state of panic started setting in. I came up to a stop sign and, not having a clue, I decided to go left. The road I was turning onto had a blind curve going both left and right, and I was taking a left onto a sharp incline up a hill. As I turned, I swung a little too wide and started to run off the road onto the gravel shoulder. I did keep the bike upright, kept going and corrected it back onto the roadway. During the whole thing I am muttering into my helmet, “Oh sh*t, oh sh*t, oh sh*t!” By then I continued on down that road, still not knowing where I was. I finally circled back and reached the highway I had originally been on, but had to take a right turn only which caused me to continue north. I wanted to go home…..
There was another exit a couple minutes up the road, so I turned off, got turned around and headed back home. By this time I was beginning to freeze. The cold had worked through my gloves and the fear and dread were taking the fun out of my ride.
I got home safely after riding about 1-1/2 hours. I think the fear I had was because my husband was out of town, and I was totally and completely on my own. Being out on a motorcycle puts you in a very vulnerable position. There would have been no one to call if I had had a problem. As it was, I was fine. I went home and had a stiff drink to warm up.
My Vulcan wish list
Since I bought the stock ’07 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic, I want to make it my own. I like the clean look of the bike without any accessories, but for practical reasons I need to get a few things. 
With the bike purchase I also ordered the Kawasaki windshield. It came in, and I picked it up last weekend. I am a little nervous that it will be too tall, since I am only 5’3”. I want it for wind resistance, but don’t want it to be so tall that if it rains I can’t see the road. I am putting it on tonight, so we’ll see. I also have an engine guard (crash bars) on order, but it is back-ordered from Kawasaki so could be a while before I see them.
I am toying with the idea of no saddlebags. I like them because it gives you something to carry things in, which otherwise have to go in a backpack for now. What I don’t like is the width they give to the bike, and the fact that you can’t really lock them. I definitely don’t like the look of hard locking side bags either. It’s all about the look…..
What I do like is the look of a tall sissy bar. Not the kind with a pad (standard Kawasaki) but a tall ‘easy rider’ kind of sissy bar. Maybe 18’’ tall or so would look OK. I haven’t found any online but will continue to look for a custom one that will fit my bike. Kawasaki also makes bungee hooks that go on the rear fender side chrome, but you can’t use them if you add a sissy bar. So they make you chose one or the other. It sounds like some creative thinking is in order.
My other option is the standard sissy bar (with pad) with the luggage rack behind. I just can’t imagine the rack being large enough to actually hold anything of size. I saw a picture of a bike with a round cylinder pack right behind the rider. It looked to be PVC and seemed you could fit a weekend’s worth of clothing in it. I looked online and came up with an even better idea on Cruiserbag.com. I love it. I think that is exactly what I need. It even has a built in backrest for the rider! This one is the large size. I'm thinking about the medium.
The options are endless, but I like the clean look of my bike as it is. I do not like carrying a backpack everywhere I go, and it won’t hold everything I would need on even a short trip. I really dislike a cluttered motorcycle and accessories are expensive. I plan to take it slow, see what is available and will meet my needs. By next season my ride should be ‘sweet’!
With the bike purchase I also ordered the Kawasaki windshield. It came in, and I picked it up last weekend. I am a little nervous that it will be too tall, since I am only 5’3”. I want it for wind resistance, but don’t want it to be so tall that if it rains I can’t see the road. I am putting it on tonight, so we’ll see. I also have an engine guard (crash bars) on order, but it is back-ordered from Kawasaki so could be a while before I see them.I am toying with the idea of no saddlebags. I like them because it gives you something to carry things in, which otherwise have to go in a backpack for now. What I don’t like is the width they give to the bike, and the fact that you can’t really lock them. I definitely don’t like the look of hard locking side bags either. It’s all about the look…..
What I do like is the look of a tall sissy bar. Not the kind with a pad (standard Kawasaki) but a tall ‘easy rider’ kind of sissy bar. Maybe 18’’ tall or so would look OK. I haven’t found any online but will continue to look for a custom one that will fit my bike. Kawasaki also makes bungee hooks that go on the rear fender side chrome, but you can’t use them if you add a sissy bar. So they make you chose one or the other. It sounds like some creative thinking is in order.
My other option is the standard sissy bar (with pad) with the luggage rack behind. I just can’t imagine the rack being large enough to actually hold anything of size. I saw a picture of a bike with a round cylinder pack right behind the rider. It looked to be PVC and seemed you could fit a weekend’s worth of clothing in it. I looked online and came up with an even better idea on Cruiserbag.com. I love it. I think that is exactly what I need. It even has a built in backrest for the rider! This one is the large size. I'm thinking about the medium.
The options are endless, but I like the clean look of my bike as it is. I do not like carrying a backpack everywhere I go, and it won’t hold everything I would need on even a short trip. I really dislike a cluttered motorcycle and accessories are expensive. I plan to take it slow, see what is available and will meet my needs. By next season my ride should be ‘sweet’!
On the road again
Our Northwest weather has been cooperating lately, and the roads have been mostly dry and perfect for riding my new motorcycle.
Last week I rode my Suzuki S-40 down to Seattle where I purchased it. I left it off for its 4000 mile service and oil change. After all the trouble I had with it dying at a stop, even after being warm, the guys found nothing out of the ordinary. Spark plug looked good, as did everything else. So then I rode it back home Tuesday evening from Seattle to my home about 20 miles north. It was a chilly 40 degrees and the sun was going down as I rode. I had bundled up knowing that it was necessary lately to ride any distance. By the time I was about 2/3 home, I started getting chilled through. My mind was thinking about a fresh, warm fire in our woodstove at home. And a hot meal…..I hadn’t eaten dinner yet. That kept me going until I got the bike home. By then it was dark and I immediately went in and started a fire.
These are the things I love:
Last week I rode my Suzuki S-40 down to Seattle where I purchased it. I left it off for its 4000 mile service and oil change. After all the trouble I had with it dying at a stop, even after being warm, the guys found nothing out of the ordinary. Spark plug looked good, as did everything else. So then I rode it back home Tuesday evening from Seattle to my home about 20 miles north. It was a chilly 40 degrees and the sun was going down as I rode. I had bundled up knowing that it was necessary lately to ride any distance. By the time I was about 2/3 home, I started getting chilled through. My mind was thinking about a fresh, warm fire in our woodstove at home. And a hot meal…..I hadn’t eaten dinner yet. That kept me going until I got the bike home. By then it was dark and I immediately went in and started a fire.
I rode the new Vulcan last weekend and put a couple hundred miles on it. I am becoming much more familiar and comfortable with the bike. My only hesitation is when I am entering or leaving a parking lot. I still have trouble rolling the bike back if there is any hump or slight imperfection in the surface I’m parked on. I started wearing my Harley boots ( I know, I don’t ride a Harley) because they have a higher raised heel and I have a little more leverage to push off with.
So far I have ridden the Vulcan to work as much as possible. Our mornings have been slightly above freezing, so I have come home at lunch time and ridden the bike back to work because it was sunny and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. This time of year some days are just too cold and you want to be warm for the ride to work, as well as stop for my double tall non-fat latte on the way. I can’t do that when I am riding.
I love my new bike, but here are a couple of things I’ve noticed that are weird:
- The speedometer reads about 5 to 6 mph faster than I am really going. When I am pegging the bike at 60, I am really only going about 54 mph. This sucks, because I have to calculate in my head while I am riding and I don’t like to do that. I sure don’t want to be going slower than the speed limit!
- Almost all the chrome parts on the bike are plastic. You wouldn’t know by just looking, because they are done very well. But they’re PLASTIC.
- When you fill the tank with gas, the gas gauge needle doesn’t go all the way to Full. That makes it kind of useless. It is only a ‘suggestion’ of how much fuel you have. And by the way, the Vulcan 900 Classic takes Premium gas. Pretty expensive these days…..
These are the things I love:
- The floorboards. My feet are sitting on them and my legs are in the most comfortable position I feel like I could cruise forever and not be tired.
- The heel-toe shifter. I was a little hesitant but I absolutely love it. Shifting up with your heel is a very satisfying feeling……I don’t know why.
- I love the color and the look of my Vulcan. The sound makes me very happy too. I love to hear the low rumble that gets louder as I accelerate. It’s cool.
- The smooth handling and shifting make the Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic a pleasure to ride.
First few days with the new Vulcan 900 Classic
Tuesday I brought the new motorcycle home. We bought it at a dealership that was about 40 miles south of our home. Since it was such a large bike I was a little hesitant to ride it home in traffic for the first time. My husband decided to ride it home, taking any roads except the freeway. For the first 500 miles we have to take it easy and a long stretch of freeway riding was frowned upon by the dealer. It took Dave 2 hours to get it home, and by then I was sitting on my front porch along with the cats – waiting……..
He loved the ride but said his hand hurt from the stiff clutch in lots of stop-and-go traffic. So as soon as he arrived I hopped on the Vulcan for the first time. I was more comfortable riding around my neighborhood at first, where I knew the roads. I took off and rode around for about 30 minutes, stopping, shifting, turning etc. It handled great and I love the floorboards which allow a very comfortable riding position. The shifting was easy and smooth.
Yesterday I decided to ride the new bike to work and show it off. It was dark when I left home and pretty cold out (40 degrees). I rode down to the end of my street and at the stop sign promptly tipped it over. It landed propped up by the left floorboard so there was no damage. I couldn’t get it upright no matter what I tried. Cars were passing by and no one stopped to help. Finally a neighbor came down the street, stopped and helped me lift it upright again. I realized then that I am very vulnerable on this bike, and must plan every move ahead of time. I think I had been in neutral when trying to take off from the stop, instead of first gear. I turned, gunned the engine, and nothing happened except it tipped over. Once it began there was nothing I could do to stop it.
I rode on to work, and parked in a level space, I thought. At lunchtime I decided to ride a couple of miles to my old workplace to show the Vulcan off to friends there. The sun had not yet hit the space I was in, so it was wet, piled up with slippery leaves, and there was a slight hump in the back of the space that I had to roll over to get out. I found that I couldn’t roll it out of the space! My feet were slipping and sliding and the weight of the bike wouldn’t allow me to roll over the hump. I finally finessed my way out, eventually. Then I rode to see my friends and had no trouble. Later in the day I had an uneventful ride to a doctor appointment and then home safely.
I feel like I am learning all over again. The weight of the Vulcan is twice that of my Suzuki S-40. I think it will just take a little practice. I am finding my confidence is not what it was and I am hesitant to go certain places again. Hopefully it is just a matter of time until I ‘become one’ with my beautiful 2007 Kawasaki Candy Cardinal Red Vulcan 900 Classic. I’ll have pictures next time….
He loved the ride but said his hand hurt from the stiff clutch in lots of stop-and-go traffic. So as soon as he arrived I hopped on the Vulcan for the first time. I was more comfortable riding around my neighborhood at first, where I knew the roads. I took off and rode around for about 30 minutes, stopping, shifting, turning etc. It handled great and I love the floorboards which allow a very comfortable riding position. The shifting was easy and smooth.
Yesterday I decided to ride the new bike to work and show it off. It was dark when I left home and pretty cold out (40 degrees). I rode down to the end of my street and at the stop sign promptly tipped it over. It landed propped up by the left floorboard so there was no damage. I couldn’t get it upright no matter what I tried. Cars were passing by and no one stopped to help. Finally a neighbor came down the street, stopped and helped me lift it upright again. I realized then that I am very vulnerable on this bike, and must plan every move ahead of time. I think I had been in neutral when trying to take off from the stop, instead of first gear. I turned, gunned the engine, and nothing happened except it tipped over. Once it began there was nothing I could do to stop it.
I rode on to work, and parked in a level space, I thought. At lunchtime I decided to ride a couple of miles to my old workplace to show the Vulcan off to friends there. The sun had not yet hit the space I was in, so it was wet, piled up with slippery leaves, and there was a slight hump in the back of the space that I had to roll over to get out. I found that I couldn’t roll it out of the space! My feet were slipping and sliding and the weight of the bike wouldn’t allow me to roll over the hump. I finally finessed my way out, eventually. Then I rode to see my friends and had no trouble. Later in the day I had an uneventful ride to a doctor appointment and then home safely.
I feel like I am learning all over again. The weight of the Vulcan is twice that of my Suzuki S-40. I think it will just take a little practice. I am finding my confidence is not what it was and I am hesitant to go certain places again. Hopefully it is just a matter of time until I ‘become one’ with my beautiful 2007 Kawasaki Candy Cardinal Red Vulcan 900 Classic. I’ll have pictures next time….
Unexpected Addition to the Garage
Since the weather has been soggy lately I have been dreaming of riding next summer. In my daydreams I am on a large cruiser motorcycle going on overnight trips and riding up and down the Pacific Coast. The sound of the rumbling rhythm in my head is from a Harley.Since Harleys are overpriced and have a certain 'status' associated with them, I started looking online to see what other motorcycles there might be, so that I might start dreaming of a closer reality. I really need a bigger bike. Yesterday, to pass the dreary day, I talked my husband into going to this huge motorcycle dealership that is pretty far away from our home, but has the largest variety of Japanese bikes in the area. My intention was to 'look' and narrow down what type of motorcycle I wanted and could afford in the near future.
We drove down there and happily started jumping on bikes in the showroom. This place had every make, model, and color of every 2007 Japanese motorcycle on the American market. I was immediately drawn to a Honda Sabre with a flame paint job. I love flames! It just didn’t feel good to me once I sat on it. I also tried all the larger Suzuki Boulevard series, Yamaha cruiser V-Stars, many Honda cruisers, and some Kawasaki cruisers. Finally I sat on the Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic. That was it!
After leaving to go eat lunch, think about it, and discuss it with my husband……..I went back and bought the bike. We decided the sale they were having was really a good deal, the bike fit well, and it had all the features that I needed in my next motorcycle. I had followed the chain of events when a fellow blogger, Rippin-Kitten had been fortunate enough to be loaned a Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Custom for a while. She rode it and reviewed it. It generally sounded like a fine motorcycle, looked good, and was reasonably priced. I also knew a girl in my riding group who had a new Aqua colored one. It’s a beautiful bike. The dealer had a Candy Cardinal Red one. I nabbed it.
I don’t pick the bike up until Tuesday, which is supposed to be the start of a couple of partly sunny, dry days. I got a large windshield, and engine guards added to the already cool motorcycle. It has floorboards, a real gas gauge, and a huge headlight. It also has a 5.3 gallon gas tank, fuel injection, low maintenance belt drive, and spoked wheels with disc brakes on front and back.
I am sure this motorcycle will serve me well for several years of riding pleasure. I will be looking for large leather saddlebags and eventually a small sissy bar with luggage rack behind it, for those overnight trips with lots of gear. It was an unexpected purchase, but one that I had been leading up to for a while. Now I just have to keep my husband off of it……
Confidence Takes Time
When I first decided that I would learn to ride a motorcycle solo, I had no preconceived ideas of what I would do with that skill. It was something I had always wanted to do, but had only gotten the courage after I had been through a bout with breast cancer. After that I knew there were many things I hadn’t done yet in life, and the desire to enjoy motorcycling was one of those that became the strongest urge at that time. I have never regretted the decision or looked back.
After completing and passing the Motorcycle Safety Foundation beginners class, I got my first motorcycle and started riding as much as possible. Of course as a new rider my confidence level was pretty low. I didn’t hesitate to go out on my own, but I was careful to plan my route ahead of time. There was a particular place where a slight incline came up to a stop sign which terrorized me at first. One area close to home has 3 traffic lights as you make your way up a steep hill. I feared that I would kill the engine taking off from a complete stop on the hill. I never did. Traffic was never a fear, as I learned to drive a car in the Silicon Valley so was used to fierce congestion and high speed freeway driving. Down hill twisty roads scared me, because I wasn’t able to slow enough to my liking. I remembered from the MSF class not to brake on a curve, watch out for gravel, etc.
As for the high speed freeway driving – it still is a challenge. Since I’ve been riding for more than two years, I have stayed mostly on the back roads. It is limiting. Now I am taking longer and faster rides. My motorcycle is light and small, but fully capable of going 100mph if I wanted to – I do NOT. My only drawback is that my tank only holds 2 gallons of gas, plus .2 gallon reserve. So I have to stop every 110 – 120 miles to fill up with gas. It isn’t a problem unless I am with others who have much larger gas tanks and don’t need to stop.
Now when I take some of those same routes I took early on, they are a piece of cake. I am so much more in control of the bike, more focused, and it’s more enjoyable and thrilling. When you’re learning you have to concentrate on basic operation of the motorcycle, maneuvering through traffic, and searching for turn-offs etc. It is almost overwhelming. Now I just enjoy the ride and the bike operation comes naturally. I only have to pay attention to other drivers on the road and where I am headed.
I have a desire to keep pushing myself farther and harder so as not to set limits that will keep me from fully enjoying motorcycling. I love riding, will do it until I am physically not able to any more, and count it as one of the things providing quality to my life. Now I just need to get a bigger motorcycle………
After completing and passing the Motorcycle Safety Foundation beginners class, I got my first motorcycle and started riding as much as possible. Of course as a new rider my confidence level was pretty low. I didn’t hesitate to go out on my own, but I was careful to plan my route ahead of time. There was a particular place where a slight incline came up to a stop sign which terrorized me at first. One area close to home has 3 traffic lights as you make your way up a steep hill. I feared that I would kill the engine taking off from a complete stop on the hill. I never did. Traffic was never a fear, as I learned to drive a car in the Silicon Valley so was used to fierce congestion and high speed freeway driving. Down hill twisty roads scared me, because I wasn’t able to slow enough to my liking. I remembered from the MSF class not to brake on a curve, watch out for gravel, etc.
As for the high speed freeway driving – it still is a challenge. Since I’ve been riding for more than two years, I have stayed mostly on the back roads. It is limiting. Now I am taking longer and faster rides. My motorcycle is light and small, but fully capable of going 100mph if I wanted to – I do NOT. My only drawback is that my tank only holds 2 gallons of gas, plus .2 gallon reserve. So I have to stop every 110 – 120 miles to fill up with gas. It isn’t a problem unless I am with others who have much larger gas tanks and don’t need to stop.
Now when I take some of those same routes I took early on, they are a piece of cake. I am so much more in control of the bike, more focused, and it’s more enjoyable and thrilling. When you’re learning you have to concentrate on basic operation of the motorcycle, maneuvering through traffic, and searching for turn-offs etc. It is almost overwhelming. Now I just enjoy the ride and the bike operation comes naturally. I only have to pay attention to other drivers on the road and where I am headed.
I have a desire to keep pushing myself farther and harder so as not to set limits that will keep me from fully enjoying motorcycling. I love riding, will do it until I am physically not able to any more, and count it as one of the things providing quality to my life. Now I just need to get a bigger motorcycle………
Riding in the rain
I have some new Power Trip Dakota waterproof overpants to try out so I decided that I had to ride my motorcycle this weekend no matter what the weather had in store for me. I planned to ride North about 30 miles to stop and visit my son and his new wife.
This ride would allow me to take a long stretch of I-5 which I am not avoiding anymore. It has become a personal challenge for me to ride more on the freeway and at freeway speeds. I also wanted to try out the rain gear, and it was most certainly going to rain.
I mentally planned my route, as I usually do, although I am flexible. I would ride up a 4-lane divided highway about 5 miles, then catch I-5 for the remainder of the trip. That stretch of the freeway was corrugated, chopped up, and under construction the last time I was on it. I expected a challenge.
It wasn’t raining when I left, and I wrote it off to another false weather report that the Seattle area is so famous for. I got a few sprinkles on me but the roads all the way to Marysville were dry. As I merged onto I-5 I was amazed to find that they had newly paved the road going North and it was as smooth as ‘buttuh’. At one point the new pavement ended, but it was a fairly easy transition. Traffic was light.
I visited with my son and daughter-in-law a while and then noticed it had started raining pretty hard. I decided to head home, knowing it would be a wet ride.
I went home a different route. I took Highway 9, which I have written about previously. It was a nice straight stretch of 50 mph most of the way. It was raining heavily all the way, and I was feeling kind of smug that I was warm and dry. By the time I was about 5 miles from home, the rain started streaming inside my face shield. It was getting harder to see clearly, and my crotch, legs, and openings of my jacket sleeves were feeling wet. I began to think my rain gear had failed me, and I would need a helmet ‘rain cap’ next time I rode in the rain.
I arrived safely home amid the continuous hard driving rain. I guess the Doppler radar was right after all, this time. As I got off my motorcycle, I started dripping all over the garage floor. Water poured out of my sleeve openings, and my light leather gloves were fully saturated with water. As I peeled each layer of gear off, I noticed that I was actually perfectly dry underneath. The dampness I had felt from my pants was just the cold, but I was dry after all. The helmet vents were still open on top – ooops – and the force of the rain had driven it inside the face shield. I closed all the vents when I got home, so next time I should be dry and I should see clearly. If I had been wearing my new Power Trip Dakota all-weather gloves I would have been dry in the sleeve area because they are a slight gauntlet style, and they are supposedly waterproof. I didn’t wear them because it was 60 degrees out and I thought they would be too warm.
All in all it was a fun trip, and I killed two challenges with one ride. I rode intentionally in the rain, and I took a pretty good stretch of interstate freeway with no problems keeping up with traffic. It was a great day and now I feel calm because I’ve had my riding fix for this weekend. Maybe I’ll ride in the rain to work this week too!
This ride would allow me to take a long stretch of I-5 which I am not avoiding anymore. It has become a personal challenge for me to ride more on the freeway and at freeway speeds. I also wanted to try out the rain gear, and it was most certainly going to rain.
I mentally planned my route, as I usually do, although I am flexible. I would ride up a 4-lane divided highway about 5 miles, then catch I-5 for the remainder of the trip. That stretch of the freeway was corrugated, chopped up, and under construction the last time I was on it. I expected a challenge.It wasn’t raining when I left, and I wrote it off to another false weather report that the Seattle area is so famous for. I got a few sprinkles on me but the roads all the way to Marysville were dry. As I merged onto I-5 I was amazed to find that they had newly paved the road going North and it was as smooth as ‘buttuh’. At one point the new pavement ended, but it was a fairly easy transition. Traffic was light.
I visited with my son and daughter-in-law a while and then noticed it had started raining pretty hard. I decided to head home, knowing it would be a wet ride.
I went home a different route. I took Highway 9, which I have written about previously. It was a nice straight stretch of 50 mph most of the way. It was raining heavily all the way, and I was feeling kind of smug that I was warm and dry. By the time I was about 5 miles from home, the rain started streaming inside my face shield. It was getting harder to see clearly, and my crotch, legs, and openings of my jacket sleeves were feeling wet. I began to think my rain gear had failed me, and I would need a helmet ‘rain cap’ next time I rode in the rain.
I arrived safely home amid the continuous hard driving rain. I guess the Doppler radar was right after all, this time. As I got off my motorcycle, I started dripping all over the garage floor. Water poured out of my sleeve openings, and my light leather gloves were fully saturated with water. As I peeled each layer of gear off, I noticed that I was actually perfectly dry underneath. The dampness I had felt from my pants was just the cold, but I was dry after all. The helmet vents were still open on top – ooops – and the force of the rain had driven it inside the face shield. I closed all the vents when I got home, so next time I should be dry and I should see clearly. If I had been wearing my new Power Trip Dakota all-weather gloves I would have been dry in the sleeve area because they are a slight gauntlet style, and they are supposedly waterproof. I didn’t wear them because it was 60 degrees out and I thought they would be too warm.
All in all it was a fun trip, and I killed two challenges with one ride. I rode intentionally in the rain, and I took a pretty good stretch of interstate freeway with no problems keeping up with traffic. It was a great day and now I feel calm because I’ve had my riding fix for this weekend. Maybe I’ll ride in the rain to work this week too!
Rode to work today….Yay!
After many consecutive days of rain the weather guy said we would have one sunny day today. I thought to myself, “I am riding my motorcycle to work Friday even if it is raining because I NEED to ride”.
So I woke up this morning and it was 42 degrees out and as dark and cloudy as it gets. The weather people are always wrong lately, but I trusted them on this. I got ready for work and decided since it wasn’t supposed to rain I would just wear jeans and my regular gear. Since it was pretty cold I decided to wear my new winter riding gloves. If it was sunny in the afternoon, like they said, I had my lighter gloves for the ride home.
As I started out and went down my street I felt pretty good in the cold air. The vents were all still open in my full-face helmet, so at the first stop sign I came to I reached up and closed the one near my chin. Chinny was chilly. Then I was great all the way to work. I saw no other motorcycle riders out this morning, which is a little unusual even on the cool mornings.
All day I watched for the sun to come out as they had promised. At lunchtime I walked out to the street where my business is located and took a couple pictures of the beautiful fall colors that are starting to appear. It was kind of cold and windy outside and there were giant black clouds looming overhead.
Around 2pm the sun finally broke through, the clouds blew away, and everything looked rosy for the ride home. I enjoyed my ride and the sun, and got home safely after stopping to fill up the bike with gas. I still didn’t see any motorcycle riders even though it was sunny. Was I the only one Jonesin’ for a ride? The next week or so is supposed to be rainy and stormy again but I have some new rain pants for riding, so will probably try them out this weekend no matter what the weather does.
I just have to ride……
So I woke up this morning and it was 42 degrees out and as dark and cloudy as it gets. The weather people are always wrong lately, but I trusted them on this. I got ready for work and decided since it wasn’t supposed to rain I would just wear jeans and my regular gear. Since it was pretty cold I decided to wear my new winter riding gloves. If it was sunny in the afternoon, like they said, I had my lighter gloves for the ride home.
As I started out and went down my street I felt pretty good in the cold air. The vents were all still open in my full-face helmet, so at the first stop sign I came to I reached up and closed the one near my chin. Chinny was chilly. Then I was great all the way to work. I saw no other motorcycle riders out this morning, which is a little unusual even on the cool mornings.
All day I watched for the sun to come out as they had promised. At lunchtime I walked out to the street where my business is located and took a couple pictures of the beautiful fall colors that are starting to appear. It was kind of cold and windy outside and there were giant black clouds looming overhead.
Around 2pm the sun finally broke through, the clouds blew away, and everything looked rosy for the ride home. I enjoyed my ride and the sun, and got home safely after stopping to fill up the bike with gas. I still didn’t see any motorcycle riders even though it was sunny. Was I the only one Jonesin’ for a ride? The next week or so is supposed to be rainy and stormy again but I have some new rain pants for riding, so will probably try them out this weekend no matter what the weather does.I just have to ride……
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
As a female motorcyclist, I do care about causes that promote women’s health. October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It was in October, 2003 that I went for a routine mammogram and discovered that I had breast cancer. By getting regular yearly mammograms and self exams, my cancer was detected in the very early stages.
I went through a surgery, and 7 weeks of daily radiation treatments. It sapped my strength but I was still required to do my full-time job during all of this. The outcome was that I was glad to be alive, and decided waste no time doing all of the things that I had ever wanted to do.
One of these was to ride and own a motorcycle. I wasted no time once my health was back, and signed up for the Motorcycle Safety Foundation beginner’s course. My husband did the same, as he was encouraged to ride too.
We took the course, passed, and immediately started looking for motorcycles so that we could continue to practice our new favorite pastime. We both got bikes and have been joyfully riding ever since.
The mammograms haven’t all been good since the original one, but have shown minor changes that required further surgical biopsies. So far, so good. It hasn’t kept me from riding and I have this drive to go farther and faster while I can. Motorcycling has become my favorite thing to do and think about.
I encourage all females over 35 to get regular mammograms and do frequent self-exams. The Breast Cancer Site gives free mammograms to women who can’t afford them. Go there and see how you can help by clicking daily on the site. Early detection is the key to saving women’s lives.
Don’t wait until you have a life threatening disease to do those things you secretly want to. Just do it now!
I went through a surgery, and 7 weeks of daily radiation treatments. It sapped my strength but I was still required to do my full-time job during all of this. The outcome was that I was glad to be alive, and decided waste no time doing all of the things that I had ever wanted to do.
One of these was to ride and own a motorcycle. I wasted no time once my health was back, and signed up for the Motorcycle Safety Foundation beginner’s course. My husband did the same, as he was encouraged to ride too.
We took the course, passed, and immediately started looking for motorcycles so that we could continue to practice our new favorite pastime. We both got bikes and have been joyfully riding ever since.
The mammograms haven’t all been good since the original one, but have shown minor changes that required further surgical biopsies. So far, so good. It hasn’t kept me from riding and I have this drive to go farther and faster while I can. Motorcycling has become my favorite thing to do and think about.
I encourage all females over 35 to get regular mammograms and do frequent self-exams. The Breast Cancer Site gives free mammograms to women who can’t afford them. Go there and see how you can help by clicking daily on the site. Early detection is the key to saving women’s lives.
Don’t wait until you have a life threatening disease to do those things you secretly want to. Just do it now!
The Hazards of Daily Riding
I’ve been riding the motorcycle to work a lot lately because the weather has been perfect for it. My commute is not very long, only 5 miles each way. I don’t take the freeway, but usually ride various routes on back roads.
Everyone else takes the back roads also, to avoid sitting still on the freeway. We have a terrible gridlock problem around here during commute times. I usually have a pretty fluid ride going to work in the morning. Coming home in the afternoon is a different story.
Western Washington is in a state of growth and there are a lot of jobs here. This means there is a lot of road construction going on in every direction, and lots of housing subdivisions are being built. A lot of the beautiful trees here in the Northwest are being bulldozed away for houses…..it’s sad to me.
So riding a motorcycle in this area can be hazardous because of all the ‘steel plates in the road’ and ‘motorcycles use extreme caution’ signs. Flaggers stop traffic and funnel it down to one lane everywhere you go. Sometimes the road is corrugated, which is tough if you’re going faster than 10 mph.
I usually try to mentally plan my route to work when I’m on the cycle. Which hazards do I want to challenge today? Depending on which direction I think will be backed up with cars, I choose to go the route I’m in the mood for.
My favorite route goes on windy back roads for a while, then up a straight steep hill past a gun range and a mountain of landfill. Then it’s down the other side of the steep hill into a major commercial area with a giant intersection. Once I am past there it is a straight, slow road (I wish people would get out of my way!) until I turn on a side road which is a fun rollercoaster of gentle ups and downs. This road is my favorite because it is rural and cool in the morning, and there are a flock of Canadian geese (hundreds) that settle in one particular field. It is a sight to see. As I come to the end of this road it opens up into a business park with lots of companies. I go down a little ways and pull into my company.
The ride to work this way is pleasant, and only frustrating if I get stuck behind a school bus on the country roads now that school has begun again. They stop at every driveway. I will avoid those routes unless I leave early enough to miss them.
Coming home the traffic is always backed up leaving the business park, and pretty much all the way home it is gridlocked. Since my bike is air cooled, I need to keep moving. It gets pretty hot sometimes sitting in traffic that isn’t moving. No lane-splitting here.
One day I followed this van home for a few miles. The driver was an old guy talking on a cell phone, and smoking a cigarette. I watched him in his rear view mirror for a while. I thought he saw me also. All of a sudden he tosses his lit cigarette out the window right into my face. I wasn’t real close, but just enough that the air caught the butt and it shot right at me. Luckily I had a full face shield on, but I was cursing him into my enclosed orb. He was oblivious.
You always have to watch out for people on cell phones and driving badly these days. If someone pulls out in front of your motorcycle, 9 times out of 10 they are on the phone. Or if they go slow, and take their time turning a corner, it’s because of a cell phone. We have a law going into effect in January restricting cell phones while driving. We’ll see if it makes it any less hazardous for us motorcyclists who are NOT on cell phones and paying attention to our driving.
It’s always fun to get out of town, and see what challenges present themselves in other places we ride. Keep your eyes open and ride safe.
Everyone else takes the back roads also, to avoid sitting still on the freeway. We have a terrible gridlock problem around here during commute times. I usually have a pretty fluid ride going to work in the morning. Coming home in the afternoon is a different story.
Western Washington is in a state of growth and there are a lot of jobs here. This means there is a lot of road construction going on in every direction, and lots of housing subdivisions are being built. A lot of the beautiful trees here in the Northwest are being bulldozed away for houses…..it’s sad to me.
So riding a motorcycle in this area can be hazardous because of all the ‘steel plates in the road’ and ‘motorcycles use extreme caution’ signs. Flaggers stop traffic and funnel it down to one lane everywhere you go. Sometimes the road is corrugated, which is tough if you’re going faster than 10 mph.
I usually try to mentally plan my route to work when I’m on the cycle. Which hazards do I want to challenge today? Depending on which direction I think will be backed up with cars, I choose to go the route I’m in the mood for.
My favorite route goes on windy back roads for a while, then up a straight steep hill past a gun range and a mountain of landfill. Then it’s down the other side of the steep hill into a major commercial area with a giant intersection. Once I am past there it is a straight, slow road (I wish people would get out of my way!) until I turn on a side road which is a fun rollercoaster of gentle ups and downs. This road is my favorite because it is rural and cool in the morning, and there are a flock of Canadian geese (hundreds) that settle in one particular field. It is a sight to see. As I come to the end of this road it opens up into a business park with lots of companies. I go down a little ways and pull into my company.
The ride to work this way is pleasant, and only frustrating if I get stuck behind a school bus on the country roads now that school has begun again. They stop at every driveway. I will avoid those routes unless I leave early enough to miss them.
Coming home the traffic is always backed up leaving the business park, and pretty much all the way home it is gridlocked. Since my bike is air cooled, I need to keep moving. It gets pretty hot sometimes sitting in traffic that isn’t moving. No lane-splitting here.
One day I followed this van home for a few miles. The driver was an old guy talking on a cell phone, and smoking a cigarette. I watched him in his rear view mirror for a while. I thought he saw me also. All of a sudden he tosses his lit cigarette out the window right into my face. I wasn’t real close, but just enough that the air caught the butt and it shot right at me. Luckily I had a full face shield on, but I was cursing him into my enclosed orb. He was oblivious.
You always have to watch out for people on cell phones and driving badly these days. If someone pulls out in front of your motorcycle, 9 times out of 10 they are on the phone. Or if they go slow, and take their time turning a corner, it’s because of a cell phone. We have a law going into effect in January restricting cell phones while driving. We’ll see if it makes it any less hazardous for us motorcyclists who are NOT on cell phones and paying attention to our driving.
It’s always fun to get out of town, and see what challenges present themselves in other places we ride. Keep your eyes open and ride safe.
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