Category: motorcycle

It Happened

Well, it finally happened. I banged my bike up a bit yesterday. Now, before you freak out, it was minor and I am fine, albeit a few scratches. Totally my fault this time. I went out on a late ride with my buddy Mark and we’d just left lunch at Alice’s. We were taking one of my favorite routes, Hwy 84 across to Hwy 1. It has a ton of different types of curves.

As usual I was spending too much time making sure the person behind me was keeping up and less attention on the road. I have an awful habit of doing that. Lesson learned.  Anyway, I came around a curve a little out of balance. [1]The irony here was my buddy had just finished bragging about how well I handle curves.  I figured since I was already going wide I’d just pull off onto the large shoulder. I assumed from the look that it was pavement. I was wrong! lol  Turned out it was very soft gravel.

Since I was already coming out of a the curve the bike was moving too fast when I hit the gravel.  Still having a bit of momentum from the turn, I knew as soon as I hit the gravel I was gonna loose it. Sure enough, the bike fishtailed and down on its side it (and I) went! The gravel was slippery but it was also soft, which turned out to be a good thing. I slid for about 20-30 yards before coming to a stop just shy of a guard rail. (Now that would have hurt!)

The fall/slide/crash was actually quite benign (luckily). I ended up with a few scratches and road rash and that’s it. I had all my gear on, as usual. My riding jacket/pants got all dirtied up but was none worse for wear. I didn’t even bang my helmet!

As you can see from the pics, my bike suffered some damage. Thankfully, I have sliders and the left one took the full brunt of the spill. It will need to be replaced as its bent now. I also broke the left foot-peg (below) completely off and scratched part of the engine casing. I’ll probably leave the casing for now but will eventually replace it. I don’t like it looking all banged up. That was about it! I was really (pleasantly) surprised at the lack of damage to my baby.

We spent some time looking over the bike before taking off again. All looked to be in good working order other than the foot-peg. I decided I’d just bend my leg back and up and prop it on the passenger peg. It worked like a charm. [2]Other than forcing me to lean way over on the tank and constantly push my balls into the tank. Thankfully, they were still in tack after the 40 miles home.  There was one more surprise in store for me though. About 3 miles further on, the gear-shifter peg fell off. (The blue lever in the below image) They are made to break to prevent the frame from being damaged so it wasn’t surprising. However, this created a unique problem because I had no real way to shift gears now. The lever was still there and working fine but the little peg I catch my foot on was gone.

I originally decided to just start the bike in 3rd gear. This would have reduced the need to keep switching back and forth.  It takes some timing to get the bike to take off in 3rd but it worked. Knowing I couldn’t ride all the way home in 3rd gear, I practiced using just the lever with my foot.  After about 10-15 miles, I started getting the hang of it. I had to look but I was basically just sliding my foot high and tight under/over the lever to shift. I still had to look down for most of the trip but I managed and made it home w/o any other incidents.

The down side is my moto shop is closed on Monday’s so I have to wait till Tuesday to take it in to get the foot-peg and shifter replaced. I’ll get generic ones until they get some more of the shiny blue ones (that I just bought 3 months ago).

References

References
↑1 The irony here was my buddy had just finished bragging about how well I handle curves.
↑2 Other than forcing me to lean way over on the tank and constantly push my balls into the tank. Thankfully, they were still in tack after the 40 miles home.

Long Ride

Today was a bit of a long ride and a new route (for me) all rolled into one. It turned out to only be two of us which was probably good considering.

The Mines Rd part was basically a one lane road thru open space. It had some great curves but the road was so bumpy and gravely you couldn’t go fast at all. Definitely not a route for newbies. It was very scenic though. We stopped about mid way in the lowlands and I was overcome with a bit of nostalgia for home. It wasn’t the landscape so much as the vastness of it. There were a few farms spread out thru the area but most of it was just open space. I’ll admit I get so caught up in the daily grind I forget sometimes how much I enjoy nature and the outdoors.

I hadn’t planned a group ride in a few weeks so I wasn’t sure how many would show. I honestly was hoping for a small group (I got my wish) as the route was obviously a bit tricky in places. Like a good little EMT, I brought along my first-aid kit and extra water blah blah blah. There were only 2 of us as the weather was a bit overcast in the early morning. I think that scared a few people away. Anyway, the day was drama-free, no accidents or getting lost. I’d never met the guy that came along today, we met up in Livermore. I really liked him. He was very easy-going for one. He has been riding for decades but didn’t have any attitude about it and was very easy to ride with. We chatted and got to know each other a bit over lunch.

He lives in the East bay so after lunch we split up. He took 680 and I took 280. The ride had gone faster than I expected so I decided to take Hwy 84 across to Hwy 1 (along the ocean). That was a mistake. The fog had rolled in something fierce and I froze my ass off. lol

I didn’t stop and take pics, sorry. I’ll try to remember to bring the damn camera next time.

Quickie

No, not that. Get your mind out of my gutter. lol Just a couple random shots from the ride this past weekend. I ended up going Saturday and Sunday.  Saturday with a few of the guys and Sunday solo. I’ve been forgetting to grab the camera but I managed to snap off a few this time.

This was on Sunday when I went by myself. This chick was walking by staring at me like I had two heads because I was taking a self-pic. I guess she’d never seen anyone taking pictures with one of those ‘new-fangled thinga-ma-jigs’ referred to as a camera. Of course, I promptly ignored her. Whateva! lol

I sometimes like to ride solo as I can do my own thing. Riding in a group (especially as the lead) requires a lot of effort and you have to always be thinking about how a particular move will affect everyone. Plus, not everyone rides at the same skill level and/or style. I tend to be aggressive (without being crazy) but ride much slower in groups. It really isn’t fair to ride too fast or aggressive in large groups as it isn’t really safe. It encourages people to ride outside their skill level and that’s always a bad idea. Solo or in groups of 2 or 3, you can haul ass and pass a lot more.

Saturday, there were only 3 of us so it wasn’t bad. We didn’t go far, just down to Woodside/Alice’s for lunch and back. On the way back, we were cutting across Hwy 84 to Hwy 1 (which runs along the ocean), I was a ways ahead and came across a guy that looked to have wiped out. He was walking and carrying a fairing so I was thinking, ‘holy shit!’ lol Turns out, it worked loose and blew off while he was riding and he was just retrieving it. He was kind of a hottie but totally straight. I stopped to check on him and let him use my tools to try and jerry-rig his fairing back on. I think he pegged me for being gay but he was way cool about it. [1]He might have caught me staring at his rather pronounced crotch but I’m not sure. heehee After that we just cruised home along the coast enjoying the beautiful weather. The rest of the ride was pretty uneventful.

Sunday, I got a wild hair and decided to go solo. I went back down South thru Woodside, up over Big Basin, and then down Hwy 9 which has some awesome curves. I took a couple of rough roads that I normally avoid as its just not safe to have large groups of hard terrain. [2]My wrists weren’t too happy about that

It was crazy busy with bikers everywhere. I couldn’t believe how many bikes were out on the road. At one point, I’m cruising along at my speed feeling quite proud of myself for being a bad-ass until this guy blew by me pushing close to 90 mph. He was taking curves like a maniac and burning thru the route. It was very humbling because I’m a good rider but I’m not a pro. I think its nice to keep perspective when you are traveling at high speeds on two wheels with nothing between you and the pavement but leather and pads. I wasn’t even tempted to try and catch him. Anyway, this last shot is of my bike parked up among the throng at Alice’s.

On the way back, I stopped back thru Woodside and ran into a buddy. We hung out and had a late lunch before heading home. The fog, which had been unusually absent, had rolled in with a vengeance while I was tripping thru the mountains. It was down right frosty coming home along the coast. So the ride home was very windy and chilly. I got a wake up call when I saw a newer model cadi trying like crazy to pass every car in sight. This guy was driving crazy. He was passing on blind curves and hills. As we come into Half Moon bay, I see him cutting other cars off and weaving like an idiot. This was right before I pulled over to put the liner to my jacket in. After getting back on the road, I come over the next hill to see him pulled over with not one but two chippies behind him. Serves his dumb ass right. I drove by real slow, flicked open my visor, smiled real big, and gave him the gayest wave I could. What a douche-bag. I hope they impounded his car and made him walk. That idiot could have killed someone.

Anyway, I made it home in one-piece and promptly crashed on the sofa for a nice 2 hour nap.

References

References
↑1 He might have caught me staring at his rather pronounced crotch but I’m not sure. heehee
↑2 My wrists weren’t too happy about that

Boys & Gurls

This weeks ride was one of the biggest yet. We had nine guys (and girls) this time around. Even better no one got separated from the group. heh heh.

Actually, it was a lot of fun too. The moto group (Facebook link) is slowly expanding to include a bigger variety of riders but maintaining its close-knit feel. This week’s course was kind of the reverse of last week, with a few modifications. The weather was a teeny bit hot but bearable. I think at one point it was up in the 90’s. Oy!

Here we all are at lunch. We stopped at Mr. Pickles sandwich shop again. Man, those people go apeshit when we show up. lol The owner runs out and takes our pics and told us she was getting it framed for their wall. I have one pic where her head basically covers the whole shot. She was sweet though. We laugh and cut up obviously, which I’m sure might have something to do with it. heh heh So starting with me going clockwise, Moby, ‘bekah, Tom, Don, Stephen, Kevin, Patrick, William, and Michelle.

I’m a little sad as next week is my last Friday off before my schedule changes. I won’t get to ride w/the guys as much anymore. I talked it over w/William and we might host double rides, one on a weekday and weekend. At least this way, I’ll still get to ride with some of the gang. There are also a few riders I know who can’t ride weekdays so maybe we’ll get some new folks too.

Here I am checking my phone. The boy was flying off on vacation but he worries about me when I ride. I’m also updating my geo-location. I know, geek! What ever did we do before the advent of the internet and text messaging? Seriously, how did we survive? LOL

More pics on ride on the stream, if you care.

Speed Bump

The ride this past weekend was fun albeit a little drama. Even worse, the drama was partly my doing.

It started off well enough. Beautiful day, great weather. We met up as usual. A couple new riders as well as some regulars. No one really wanted to lead so I stepped up to lead the first half of the route. I made it pretty clear I was a tad vague on one section of freeway (or so I thought.) Long convoluted story short, I got confused on one of the exits and my hesitation (and veering across a lane) caused one of the riders to miss the turn and get separated from the group.

We did go back for him but thru a serious of errors, we never found each other. Normally, if a rider gets separated you just continue until the next stopping point to rejoin the group. Why he chose not to do this is unclear but its irrelevant at this point. The point is he got separated in part due to my hesitation. 

Afterwards, the lost rider left a rather biting message on the group message board. I felt it was over the top but having had issues w/group leaders myself, I was willing to look beyond it. Besides, we all say things out of anger we don’t mean at times.  And never being one to back down from controversy or my own behavior, I replied via the group owning my mistake. I explained what happened as well as re-iterating my previous offer to take him to dinner to make up for it. To my surprise, he replied back and apologized for his “snarky” comment, as he put it. [1]I also got several personal emails from guys thanking me for being ‘brave enough’ to speak up. Whatever that means. I plan to redeem my invitation this weekend if he is around.

The rest of the ride went well. The guys were a tad annoyed w/me whining about leaving a rider but other than that we had fun. We stopped for lunch at a burger/shake place in St Helena and pigged out. OY, was I full afterwards. lol The strip thru Napa Valley and back down thru the petrified forest is great for moto riding. Nice country side with windy roads snaking thru it. The only sucky part was the traffic. Naturally, the holiday weekend had people out in droves.

This weeks ride is fast approaching. The irony is the route starts off the same as the last one. But this time, I don’t take the exit!

References

References
↑1 I also got several personal emails from guys thanking me for being ‘brave enough’ to speak up. Whatever that means.

Ruh Row

Well, I only got one piece of hate-mail after my last rant. Actually, most of the replies by email have been quite civil. Most people who were upset w/me apparently missed the part about me stating, “I am disappointed with our current Prez”. The distinction is I still see hope thru some of his recent screw ups. I rarely rant about politics mainly as I get annoyed with all the vitriol from both sides. Everyone LOVES to complain but so few of us ever do anything about it. /rant

And now for something more trivial…

Had another good moto ride this week. Well, it started out great but didn’t end so well. We took a jaunt down to Alice’s restaurant in Woodside. Alice’s is a favorite spot for bikers and relatively easy to get to. Plus, the surrounding country side is very beautiful and has lots of windy roads to trek on. I’m normally the sweeper [1]the rider who brings up the rear and makes sure no one gets left behind. but since our normal leaders weren’t in attendance, I got nominated to be the leader. I didn’t mind as I knew the route well. That said, I don’t think I make a very good group leader. I worry too much about the group and have a hard time focusing on the ride ahead. I kept slowing down, afraid I was going too fast. Speed up, slow down,  speed up, slow down….I’m sure it was worse than hooker with ADD.

We took a round about route so the ride would be a tad longer. My favorite part was coming back up Hwy 84. Its a very windy road with curves that are uneven so its almost like being on a race track. [2]No, we weren’t racing.

There is an optical illusion  in this pic. We are actually standing on a a steep grade and I’m squatting a bit. I found it amusing how short I looked. lol

After a very filling lunch, it was still kinda early so we decided to head on up to Big Basin. Now that was a bit more rough. A very typical one lane bumpy mountain road. On a sport bike, it tends to leave the wrists and buttocks sore. Luckily, its only about 5 miles before cresting the top and it opens up again. We stopped at the top to give everyone a break, including myself. OY.

Here’s all our bikes parked in a row. [3]Gerrad, notice yours is up front, per your request Aren’t you proud of m I remember to bring the camera two weeks in a row! Good homo! lol

Sadly, things did not end well. On the way home I somehow managed to leave my jacket zipper open and my wallet blew out on the 280 freeway. *sigh* My buddy Christopher pulls up next to me thinking something blew off my bike. I immediately thought it was my phone as I have a horrible habit of cramming it in my side leg pockets which tend to bend when I’m riding. Luckily it wasn’t. Completely irritated, I had the bright idea to walk down the side of the freeway looking for the wallet. To be clear, the freeway here has a very wide shoulders on both sides. I wasn’t actually in traffic…yet.

The very thought of going to the DMV emboldened me to search for the damn thing. About a half a mile of backtracking on foot, I began to find the remnants of my life strewn all about. I found my broken bank card first, 30 more yards I found a $20 blowing on a weed, another 50 yards I found yet another credit card bent all to hell. I walk for a bit more and am about to give up when I see my wallet blowing in the freeway. Naturally, it looks completely empty from being run over and blown all about. Even worse, its on the other side of the damn freeway now. Hoping against hope that my driver’s license was still in it, I waited about 15 minutes, timing the space between cars, before making a mad dash across 5 lanes of traffic to grab my wallet. Oh yes, 5:30pm on a Friday and yours truly is running across the 280 freeway! I know, I know, stupid but I wasn’t ever really in that much danger. This occurred South of SF in a very open stretch of countryside. The inside shoulder also had a 6ft wide dirt median which is where I spent most of my time walking. The only real risk came from running across the freeway.

Of course, I found everything but the damn ID. I’m quite sure given more time I would have found it as well. The chippies showed up and shooed me away. Actually, the guy was very nice and was shocked at how far I’d walked when he drove me back up to where my bike was parked. The funny part of all this? CHP never got a call about me walking on the freeway just a motorcycle being parked on the shoulder. How’s that for a kick in the rubber pants?

References

References
↑1 the rider who brings up the rear and makes sure no one gets left behind.
↑2 No, we weren’t racing.
↑3 Gerrad, notice yours is up front, per your request

Do You Moto?

Ok, its a cheesy rip off but I thought it was funny.

I had another great ride yesterday. We did a route very similar to last week but in reverse. It was warm again and only a tad windy. Well, the City was actually a little but cool but outside the City was warm.  As usual, we deviated a bit from the route but only a tiny bit and only added 20-30 miles. Still very fun.

The Friday rides are becoming are regular thing and I find myself looking forward to it all week. I know, I’m a dork but we all need a hobby right? Well, besides THAT. I am gay man after all. And lets face it, Daddy has needs! On a quick side rant, the boy is doing well. He called and woke me up this morning on his way to the dentist. He had to get a filling over a root canal from last week. Ouch. Anyway, I just melt inside when I answer the phone and he says, ‘hi daddy!’ Go ahead, laugh, joke, and giggle bitches. I can take it.

Ok, back to the topic. We stopped at the Los Vaqueros Watershed for lunch. [1]We picked up cheese steak sammiches for lunch in Brentwood.  Being Friday, it was completely deserted except for this one contingent of old folks that split soon after we arrived. We hung out goofing and talking. A total relaxed environment even though we did get off on a serious subject toward the end.

Here we are getting arrested for indecency in public (just kidding). lol William had the idea to take pics in front of the sheriff vehicle. At the last minute, they decided to pretend they were being searched. I’m taking the picture so I got to skip it. *g*

Left to right, Tom, Don, William, and a new guy to the group, Michael. I think Michael was a little disappointed as he wanted to go fast and race the curves. He seemed a little bored but made the best of it. From my point of view, that can be fun but its better solo or in pairs. Group rides should be more about the group vs pushing your skills. The group has several newer riders and it isn’t fair to push them into a situation where they not only feel left out but could also hurt themselves trying to keep up. Don’t get me wrong, he didn’t have an ego, he just wanted something different.

Actually, one of the things I love about this group is the lack of egos. All the guys so far have been super cool and really eager to be part of the group. To me, its as much about comradere [2]Bastardized spelling of the word as it is the ride itself.

Clearly, we have fun hanging out together. lol And not only did I remember to take the camera, but we used it! See, I’m getting better. Anyway, the guys are fun and I like hanging with’em. I’m sill a bit of a newbie to the group but they have welcomed me with open arms. I’m so shy, lord knows I need all the help I can get. Not buying it? Damn! Anyway, I’m enjoying getting to know everyone. A few guys I already knew from around town, the gym, etc, but it is nice getting to know them better. We all have very different jobs and backgrounds which adds to the mix IMHO.

Here’s all our bikes together like wayward children. lol Front left is Tom’s, front right is Don’s. Back left to right is William’s Ducati, my blue gixxr (GSXR) and then Michael’s Kawasaki.

Today, I have absolutely nothing planned other than minor errands and the gym. I need some new tenny’s, and hygiene product. Oh very exciting to know right? I did indulge myself and have sushi though. I haven’t had sushi in a few weeks and I’m way overdo. Is a beautiful day out so I  might go for a short ride around the city too.

Oh and before I forget, I showed the apartment to a prospective roomie today. Uh, no. I care more about finding a good fit than just having a roomie. A good fit he was not. One, he smoked which was a deal breaker in itself. He also rambled on about how often his boyfriend would be staying over, strike 2. As if that wasn’t bad enough, he had the balls to tell me how drab my furniture was and that we ‘would have to make some changes’. Bless his heart. Better yet, he was genuinely surprised when I gave him the bad news. Whatev’s, me and my drab furniture will keep looking.

😛

References

References
↑1 We picked up cheese steak sammiches for lunch in Brentwood.
↑2 Bastardized spelling of the word

Good News & Stuff

First off, we (the Union) were able to come to an agreeable compromise last week that resulted in not only our own staffing not getting cut but also saved another 900+ jobs citywide. [1]The caveat is 2 ballot initiatives in November have to pass.

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We had a good ride again this last Friday. We only ended up taking a couple pics. At least I don’t look like a beached whale in this one. I loved the route, we ended up going thru a lot of the windmills North of the City. I’ve always had a thing for windmills. I guess because we never had any in Texas. [2]Texas and windmills, yeah right!

We had a our first girl join the group this last week. She was sweet and fit in well but I kind of got a kick out of how she pulled turns. I’m thinking maybe because she was so petite she has to pull her weight more to lean that big Ducati she drives. It was a bit comical watching her pull her body to the side on regular turns as if she was doing a really tight turn super fast. [3]If you’ve ever ridden a bike, you know that you can almost do anything with a bike just by shifting your body weight. She was cool though and we had fun with her. We have another ride coming this Friday. A similar route in reverse this time. I’m stoked!

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People have been asking about the boy. Yes, I’m still enjoying being a new daddy. No, I ain’t sharing those stories. [4]They ARE juicy though. What I will say, he is as charming and endearing as ever. He always seems to put a smile on my face and a chub in m pants. What’s not to like? Seriously though, if he lived closer, I’d be in trouble.

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I got more than a few emails about the last post. Some people felt I was “attacking” religion. Two things, read it again and I don’t care. I’ve picked my side and completely comfortable with that.

References

References
↑1 The caveat is 2 ballot initiatives in November have to pass.
↑2 Texas and windmills, yeah right!
↑3 If you’ve ever ridden a bike, you know that you can almost do anything with a bike just by shifting your body weight.
↑4 They ARE juicy though.

Ride Away

I went on a ride this past Thursday with the boys. It was good except one of the guys ended up going down on his bike. He was ok except for some minor road rash and bumps. His bike was more banged up than he was. Naturally, he was more upset about that.  lol I could totally relate.  Luckily, he had an EMT and a nurse along to doctor him up.

Other than that, the ride went well. I find myself riding more and more these days. I’m loving my beast so much. I know I’ve said it before but I can’t believe I waited so long to upgrade to a bigger bike. I’m doing my best to make up for lost time.

We took a brand new route this time. We rode up thru Orinda and around thru the back roads. Not growing up here, I’m a bit clueless when it comes to the routes, however I am learning fast. There are some really great roads in the Bay area. Some were super windy which makes for a good time. Being mid-day it wasn’t too busy. I finding I like riding in smaller groups. It is easier to keep everyone together and makes for more fun over all. I usually play the sweeper [1]The last rider who keeps an eye out for everyone and makes sure no one gets left behind.

I remembered to bring my camera this time. Can ya tell? lol Don’t ask me how but my angle and shirt conspired to make me look 4 sizes larger than I am! I know for a fact because I bought my riding pants a size small on purpose and they fit now!

Anyway, I made the mistake of letting William get a hold of my camera and he went off on a bender taking Princess Barbie pics. [2]See the stream *Mental Note* Never let William near the camera.

I’m hoping to ride again before my vacation is over, however the Aids Life Cycle is this weekend and everyone is tied up with that. There are a couple different rides proposed for tomorrow so I’m bound to pick one. The biggest problem is getting my lazy ass up early enough to make it.

References

References
↑1 The last rider who keeps an eye out for everyone and makes sure no one gets left behind.
↑2 See the stream

Fly

Yeah, I know, I haven’t updated lately. I’ve been a bit busy.

Work was a bit stressful last week. The Union has been in negotiations with the City for a few months now. They City obviously is having a serious financial crisis and wants the Union(s) to give back. Without our contract being open, they can’t force it but the Union clearly understands if they don’t come to the table, the City turns to layoffs. Actually, the City has already given out almost 500 pink slips.

Last week the membership voted down the 2nd negotiated compromise. My understanding is there will be no more talks. With this latest offer being rejected, the City will most likely return to laying people off. I’m not worried for my own job but I am rather sad knowing more people will be getting pink slips in such a rough economy.

I’m a bit torn on the outcome of the last vote. At first thought, it seems like people are being greedy and selfish. And while that may be true to some extent, there is more to it. Many people are scared of giving back in tough times and I can’t fault them for that. And frankly, the City has pled poverty for so long now that they are in a true financial crisis, their pleas are falling on deaf ears. Things are going to get ugly in the next few weeks. *sigh*

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In somewhat exciting news, I went indoor skydiving this past weekend. One of the motorcycle groups I ride with decided to go and it was an awesome! Basically, its a 100 foot chamber surrounded by plexi-glass walls and a huge fan underneath. The floor is mesh wire. After instruction and suiting up, an instructor guides you to the edge and pulls you in and away you go! It is hard to describe the feeling of floating on nothing but air but it was an amazing experience. Besides having your face blown every which way, the sensations are hard to describe. I was a tiny bit apprehensive at first but upon arriving and seeing people in action, my fears melted away and I was all for it. I’m not sure I’d ever go skydiving for real but this was a good alternative. We all loved it and plan to go back and do it again soon.

There is a video coming but I’m waiting for William (links to a Facebook profile) to rip the disc and upload the files for all of us to share.

I could write more but getting sleepy and need to hit the sack. More to follow soon.