When most people hear the term Oregon slug they think of the huge slugs that our state is known for. Like the ones below we saw on a walking path on a late evening walk in June.
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| (Slug as long as Troubadour's hand) |
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| (I put the camera down for a street view) |
Lately when I have been thinking of slugs I've been thinking more of myself. I hate to admit it, but I haven't been on Max since I parked it in the garage after coming home from the IMBC four weeks ago. For all our talk of waiting for summer to get here to get more riding in, it seems I do most of my riding in the cooler months when we have less non-moto activities going on.
Troubadour has been auditing Team Oregon classes the last two weekends in anticipation of taking his training in September to become a classroom instructor to add to to his current range certification. We've gone to coffee in the morning and then he has gone to class while I've ran errands in the car. Too much stuff to try and carry on Max with no luggage.
I suppose I could have ridden somewhere in the afternoon but by the time I get home from errands I get lazy/sluggish and have just been hanging out with the cat. Which brings me to a whole other kind of slug. The Basil Slug.
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| (Basil in his bed on the back deck - think he is comfy?) |
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| (Basil enjoying the cool air from the A/C in the kitchen window) |
I think I will have to start commuting on the bike just to get back in the saddle again. All three miles each way. One of these days I need to get saddle bags or a tank slapper inducing top case so I have no excuse not to commute on it.
- Au Revoir
"The time will come when Winter will ask you what you were doing all Summer." - Henry Clay
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Trobairitz:
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the Slug community. I have not ridden much either, too hot, too much gear to wear, and it kills me to wear those confining riding boots. I had errands to do last weekend and it was just too much work to take the bike. We have to enjoy the hot weather in summer attire or it will slip away . . . and before you know it, it will be back to boots and winter coats.
I was so happy for the cooler air which is much better for riding that I finally rode to work.
so you are not alone in your thinking
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
My Flickr // My YouTube
ps: we also have lots of slugs and I don't like them. Imagine squishing them in barefeet when you don't look where you are walking. Don't ask me how I know
I can't really even blame it on the weather at this point. Once our heat wave ended a week or so ago we are back down into the low 80˚F
DeleteNice photos of the slug especially the "slug eye view".
ReplyDeleteMy commute is only a bit longer than yours and I used to think that it took a long time getting geared up. In reality, it's only about two minutes if I use the riding pants that pull on over boots. If it wasn't for the commute, I probably wouldn't get much riding in at all. I used to avoid errands or shopping trips into town because I didn't want to deal with the traffic. After my trip, it seems to be much less of an issue. In Corvallis, I think I would be more inclined to bicycle commute since it is so flat and is a very "bike friendly" town.
'Slug eye view', good one.
DeleteI think you are correct that it would be easier to commute by bicycle unfortunately my 3-speed beach cruiser isn't well suited to the head wind coming home.
The Basil slug looks quite happy. We have a few cats that sleep upside down against a wall... it looks weird, but they seem comfortable.
ReplyDeleteI have to get on the bike today and run to the car wash. It needs a thorough cleaning and an oil change.
He is a spoiled kitty. I can imagine your kitties sleeping up again the wall. Basil used to do that as a kitten with his feet up against the wall or something else.
Deletei can relate...its been 105+...too hot (and im too out of shape so it leaves me a dehydrated mess when i do roll out)
ReplyDelete:(
105˚ is just too dang hot. I pretty much melt above 90(ish).
DeleteFirst, I didn't know Oregon was known for its slugs. And I didn't need to know! Gross!! Since I like going barefoot I'm with boob. I don't want to encounter one barefoot. Second. Basil slug is so cute!!! Third. I understand about bike slugs. We are the same. The weather has broken and it is "cooler", but we have been hanging around the house.
ReplyDeleteSame here. I had no idea Oregon was sluggy. There is no limit to the things you can learn from motorcycle blogs :)
DeleteWe have an abundance of slugs. With our 7-8 month rainy season and cool mornings and evenings they love Oregon. And they love munching on your plants. We usually wake up to shiny slug trails over our walkway and driveway. And on the multi-use path where we took that photo we had to watch where we stepped as there were well over a dozen, not counting the ones squashed by bicycle tires.
DeleteI hear you girlfriend! But I think it has more to do with knowing what it's like to have a destination to ride to, one that is long enough to be "gear worthy". I find it hard to take a short ride to nowhere. I need to ride to somewhere, I need a goal. I'm not about commuting on the bike most days. I carry lots of stuff to work (you may have noticed I have lots of space to carry stuff) but by the time I split the cargo equally side to side, top to bottom, undo and do up all the zippers, get on the riding pants, the boots, the jacket, the gloves, carry the helmet and tank bag/purse out to the bike, it really feels like it takes longer to gear up than it does to get there (not to mention you have to take it all off at the other end or die of heat exhuastion). Solution - definitely long road trips. The ultimate!
ReplyDeleteI've been a little "sluggish" myself lately and everytime I sit down at home I have a cat who insists on resting/sleeping on me (and I, like all good cat owners know - one does not disturb the cat; though doorbells may chime, phones may ring, bladders may feel the call, one does not disturb the cat!)I couldn't possibly get up to do anything if I've got the cat!
PS Those are slugs to be proud of! I may have to go back to Oregon just to look at the slugs.
I am like you, I usually need a destination. I could putter around and take this road or that but without a destination it isn't the same for me.
DeleteI guess I have an excuse not to commute on the bike - not having any luggage and only a 3 mile commute. Top speed on the way to work is one quick stretch of 45, the rest is 25 and 30 mph through campus dodging students. Not great on a bike.
I wish Basil was more of a lap cat. He prefers to sit by you and lean on you as a pillow. Rarely will he ever lay on you. Your comment did make me chuckle though as it sounds just like Geoff James with his kitties.
Ah yes, the icky sticky slug. I have stepped on slugs twice while barefoot. Trust me when I say they are not slimey, they're sticky. I love the Basil slug. He's as cute as the other is disusting.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't do much riding without commuting. My co-worker has the same issue as you. He's only a couple of miles from work, hardly worth the effort. I find it hard to get motivated just to go tootle around the area with no particular goal in mind.
Being something of a homebody myself I can say that staying home hanging with the cat (or in my case the dog and the bird) is thoroughly enjoyable too.
Luckily I've never stepped on one barefoot but I usually have at least sandals on when in the yard otherwise I get stickers in my feet.
DeleteSome days the bike calls me, some days the sofa and/or yard beckons.
The heat has had me off a few weeks too. I'm just drained after a 12 hour day.
ReplyDeleteThose other slugs, I hate those things and they kill my vegi garden every time along with the cut worms. Have you ever seen slugs fight? They fight to the death and they squeeze each other until the loser comes out of their skin. Pretty nasty to watch.
I've never seen a slug fight. Sounds violent. I may have to search for a video to see if the University has one from it's research.
DeleteThats one big mother of a slug. Yep your right 105 is to hot for riding and having fun. If its no longer any fun why bother doing it.
ReplyDeleteSlugs definitely grow big in our neck of the woods. They don't like the heat either - they hide under leaves and logs and such.
Deleteit is cooling down for us now so maybe after this weekend we'll get out on the bikes. We'll be in Tacoma this weekend checking out a vintage motorcycle show.
Yuck! The critters we have here in TX are bad enough; sure glad we don't have those giant slugs. The slimy kind, that is. "Slugs" of the kittycat kind I can appreciate.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember seeing slugs when we lived in BC so all I know is the big Oregon slugs.
DeleteI wonder what Basil slug would do if he encountered a real slug?
I have never seen such a big hairy slug before. Your Basil is quite the specimen.
ReplyDeleteHe is isn't he. A cute little fuzzy wuzzy. His belly begs to be pet when he is like that, although that usually brings out the teeth and claws.
DeleteHe has an uncanny ability to hook his claws in my rings so I can't pull my hands away. Crafty bugger.
My word.... it looks like those slugs don't only cause grief in the veggie patch, they'd fell trees too!
ReplyDeleteBasil Slug is soooo cute! Guess he suffers a bit with the heat an' all that fur. I'm not popular with Annie - getting the cold shoulder as I've just brought her back from the vet after her annual injections. Wailed all the way there and all the way back!
Ahhh I feel your pain with Annie. Basil hates the vet and the car ride to get there.
DeleteIf Basil gets too hot when the temperature rises he goes and lays down on the tile floor in the bathroom. It is always cool to the touch. Our old cat Baxter used to do that too. His favorite place in the summer.
I really like that up-close and personal slug photo. Brings back memories of the first time I saw them.
ReplyDeleteAnd as ever, your Basil is just a gorgeous cat. I also think your cork floor looks beautiful. Beautiful color you chose.
Thanks Martha.
DeleteWe really like the way the cork turned out. And it hides everything. Good luck finding bits of things when you drop them. I just realized I put up a post after we finished the bedroom but I never did post the pics of the cork in the rest of the house. Will have to do that soon.
Slugs! Gross! I never in a million years knew that they grew to be that big. Unreal...
ReplyDeleteSweet, happy, kitty! Dogs and cats really know how to "slug" it out napping or lounging and they don't seem to feel one bit guilty about it either!
Yeah, I've been a major slug too. First ride yesterday in FIVE weeks! Just too darn hot or rainy.
Yeppers we grow big slugs in Oregon. Big squishy ones.
DeleteYes, animals have laziness down to an art form. They say cats sleep for 18-20 hours a day and with Basil I believe it.
eeeeeewwwwwww!! I think the distant relatives of those things live here in BC! We had one about that size or LARGER crawling up the side of our cooler when we went camping. I swear I didn't sleep all night or go to the bathroom thinking that they were all congregated outside my tent door waiting to throw me in their cook pot! haha. I'll take cats any day!
ReplyDeleteI don't remember having many slugs living in the Okanagan, but i think it was too dry in Keremeos. I think they congregate at the coast, just for you.
DeleteYes, Basil looks comfy. That slug is ugly. Cool pics, but ugly slug.
ReplyDeleteI'm finally playing catch-up as you have probably realized by now. :-)
It is hard to play catch up after being gone for a while, I understand completely.
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