Motorcycle Humour

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In honor of Troubadour getting his Kawasaki running this afternoon I post the following......

I especially like the handle grips on the horns.... they just add something.

-Au Revoir

"Whatever it is, it's better in the wind." ~Author Unknown

Adventures in Motorcycling

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When you think of motorcycling do you think of adventure?

or

When you think of adventure do you think of motorcycling?

-Au Revoir

"Well-trained reflexes are quicker than luck." ~Author Unknown

Back to work to relax ....

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Had a busy weekend and was glad to see Monday arrive so I could get back to work and relax. Not that work is relaxing, but my job is mostly a desk job so pretty easy.

I managed to score Friday off but I dropped in to get the mail and check messages. Put out a few scheduling fires, then headed out to get groceries and home for my Friday house cleaning. I usually only work Friday mornings so my Friday afternoons are taken up with weekly grocery shopping and house cleaning and that leaves my weekend housework free. I managed to get all of my chores done by noon and instead of relaxing and puttering on the computer I decided the weather was too nice to stay inside.

I headed out to the front yard with gloves in hand and determined grimace on my face. Two and a half hours later I had managed to get most of the front shrub beds weeded. They were being invaded by California poppies. A pretty plant that we started from seed last year but it self-seeded like crazy and was running rampant and we didn't want it to choke out our other plants.

I finished in the late afternoon and took time to cool off, drink an iced coffee and post a blog and before I knew it Troubadour was home and ready to head out for a pre-run on his Saturday newbie route. We left Corvallis at 6 and got back into town about 8:30 or so. We were hungry so we headed for Thai food in Philomath at the Woodsman. Great food I must say. We didn't take any gratuitous food pictures though - too hungry. Finally made it home just after 10 and didn't get to bed until after midnight.

Back up at 6:30 and at the coffee shop by 9:00 to prepare for the newbie ride. Troubadour and tbolt gave a full review of the ride on their blogs so I won't go into detail here. I will say that after leaving Premier Moto we headed to Starbucks in Corvallis for a nice decaf grande Doubleshot on ice. Refreshing after a day on the bike. We then decided we needed bark mulch for all the shrub beds so the weeds didn't come back. Quick stop at Pro Bark on the way home and 12 cubic yards were set to be delivered within half an hour or so.

We started spreading the mulch about 4 pm. Troubadour manned the wheelbarrow and I was on rake duty. We stopped at about 6:30 for some leftover Thai food and finally finished up spreading all 12 yards by just after 9. At that point it was too dark to see. And yes, we were a little stiff and sore. A warm shower helped that out. We didn't get any pictures taken but I will try to take some this week if it isn't raining and post them.

Sunday morning came and we headed down to Eugene to my grandparents to visit for Mother's Day. Troubadour graciously offered to install a new dining room light for Gran that my aunt and cousin bought her for Mother's Day. Visited and played in the yard and had great quesadillas for dinner. My cousin has a 3-1/2 year old boy so we got lots of playtime in.

Finally made it home just after 8. Was a full weekend and we had a lot of good times. It is good to be back at work where I can relax and recouperate from a busy weekend, even if I did have almost 400 emails to sort through this morning. Sounds tough, I know.

Oregon Vintage Motorcycle ride is next weekend so we'll start all over again. 

- Au Revoir

"Let the refining and improving of your own life keep you so busy that you have little time to criticize others." - H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Random Cat Pictures

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I haven't posted a random cat picture in a bit so I figured why not today. Friday seems like a good day for it. Here goes:

Monkey See.....

(Sir Baxter)

Monkey do....

(Squire Basil)

Poor Baxter.  He had that "oh crap I just got caught" look on his face.  Little did he know he wouldn't get in trouble for being in the planter, just his picture taken yet again.

-Au Revoir

"The cat was created when the lion sneezed" - Arabian Proverb

.... R.I.P. Baxter, we miss you.

Top 10 Ways To Do More Ridin'

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Surfing the net the other day I ran across this top 10 list on the Aerostitch website. I make no claim to authoring the list and hope I am not stepping on any copyright toes. I thought it humorous and wanted to share.

1. Commute. Keep a weather radio in your bathroom. Install an indoor/outdoor thermometer in the bedroom. Leave a cover or lock at your job’s parking place. Carry a garage door opener or parking ramp card that’s usable without dismounting. Arrange security in advance and be willing to pay for it. Once a week take a longer than necessary route to work.

2. Arrange your gear by the door or garage. Separate out your trip and camping stuff. Have your gloves and boots setup for selecting, depending on the days destination and weather conditions.

3. Get a smaller size motorcycle. Modern small bikes can do what old big ones did, easier cheaper and more fun to ride. Just like cars.

4. Ride in the rain. Go on purpose when nobody else is outdoors. Ride around for a look. If you get wet you won’t drown.

5. Ride at night. If you don’t have to get up for work the next morning there is nothing like enjoying a two am stop at a lonely all-night coffee shop, after a hundred miles of scary back roads. Full moons are best. Watch for deer and small animals.

6. Always have a way to haul stuff. Wear a Courier bag or backpack. Carry a bungee net, bungee buddy, an empty tank bag or some bungee cords. As a last resort, leave saddlebags on all the time.

7. Get a ‘beater’ motorcycle. Or make your bike into one. True beaters can be interesting and fun to ride and don’t attract vandals or thiefs. TT500’s, Ascot’s, Sabres, Interceptors, Titans, GS’s, /5’s, etc... Like blue jeans, most cycles are better when they show some wear. (Too much bike polishing leads to idolatry. Moses shatters the original 10 commandments...)

8. Have two or three different helmets at the ready. An expensive full coverage one for serious rides and an easy to use open or hinged chinbar type for everyday urban riding or use on super-hot days. Having several types of gloves, boots, jackets, etc...for different situations is also good.

9. Plan rides. One Sunday a month do an all-day local ride or an overnight. Invent some game of it. In cities, try riding only alleys or only to overlooks or only across all the bridges. What is the longest continuous street in your city? Have you ever ridden it end to end? Put a marked map or list on the tankbag or in your pocket, and carry a compass. Out on the road, go to the smallest roads, to the small places.

10. Ride very early in the morning. Dawn rides can be the best hour of your day. No traffic, clean air, good sights and sensations. A shower and breakfast after a sunrise ride are wonderful. This is best done when the days are the longest in June and July. It does not apply if your bike has open pipes, especially if you ride an H2 with chambers. Then, stay in bed.

10. Philosophy bonus A: Ignore what everyone else thinks. Riding is a better way to get around. Ride paranoid and keep your skills sharp

10. Philosophy bonus B: Ride with somebody who’s better than you. You will pick up a handy trick or new skill just about every time you are out.

-Au Revoir

"Midnight bugs taste best." ~Author Unknown

Morose Monday

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You may know from previous posts that I am not a big fan of Mondays. I just find it hard to get out of bed at 6 am after having two days off. 

Today was worse than usual, as Troubadour had to go out of town for work. He is only gone for an overnight but it is still hard on us. He will not be back until late tomorrow so it will just be Squire Basil the

cat and I tonight. Sigh.

We have been together 15 years and married for 13 of those. In the last 11 years we have only spent 1 night apart. So, when something like this comes up, we are a little out of our element. It will be easier on me staying home in our comfort zone than it will be on him. He will be traveling with a coworker and staying at a hotel in a town he doesn’t know. At least I have the cat for company.

Some people might enjoy a night without their spouse, but not me. He is my best friend and I love him, and even if he is just gone for one night I shall miss him beyond words. 

Tomorrow will be better since he will be coming home and I will have something to look forward too all day while at work. Until then I shall be a sappy romantic and just stare at his picture. Maybe I’ll even sleep in one of his t-shirts, but don’t tell him I’m that mushy, I have a rep to protect.

-Au Revoir

"Absence is to love what wind is to fire; it extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great."  - Comte DeBussy-Rabutin