When do you ride?

As the seasons come and go I notice my self riding for the ride less and less. Last year if I wasn't using the bike to commute it was hard to get out, this year even the commuting rides are less and less. One by one my friends stop riding(at one point there was 14 of us that had and rode our bikes) and there is less and less bike nights. Currently I honestly don't know where even ONE active bike night is any where near me. Its honestly breaking my heart and feeding into this early mid life crisis I find my self in. I think starting this blog has actually pointed out to me even more how sad it really is. I don't even ride enough right now to make worthy posts.

I get to some extent, I mean why others stop riding or ride less. Some of my friends have kids now, our work schedules suck (I literally work every weekend while my friends mostly do not), and as I mentioned before Ive lost a pair of riding buddies...that's not only taken two away but in some cases more. Its hard for some to continue riding after that. I even lost a lot of time with my wife on my bike as a result. Roll these things up and add the fact that me not having a face book some how prevents people from talking to me any more and the result is my bike collects more dust then miles these days. First couple of seasons for me ended in an average of around 15k miles. Especially when Kevin was here and had a bike. When rides would happen on a moments notice and never had a destination. I think Ill be lucky if I put 8k miles on this year. Hell Ive been saying "my bike has almost 30k miles on it" for what seems like ever now. Maybe this year it will hit it.

Ok ok ok, I'm done ranting now. I mean for Christ sake I SHOULD be out riding, its gonna rain the rest of the week.


Live Fast LIVE Fun!

The Day After....

Well as you, my 3 reader long list or readers  would know...I had a too close for comfort run with a Chevy pick up truck yesterday. I promptly parked the bike after partly because I had things to do and partly because my heart was racing. I didn't pull it out today due to work and laziness after but the good news I feel fine. I was a little worried Id be sore today after some sleep and less adrenaline, but I feel good.

I never had intentions on making a big deal out of the whole situation, legally but the more I think about what happened and relive it in my mind the more mad I get. I still wont "go after" the driver but I intend to pick up the police report and ask some questions. I can still feel the "woosh" from the truck going by as it clipped me and it blows my mind. You figure it was a game of inches, six or less inches further into the shoulder at that point and its a whole new ball game. This guy doesn't even realize what he did, he swore the whole time that it never happened. He never saw me and he never clipped me. I cant believe he was apparently sober, and no drugs were found in the truck. Even more so I'm a little stunned he wasn't being arrested. He tried an illegal pass on the shoulder, struck a person and left the scene of that accident, not to mention had another accident with in minutes. I used the phrase "struck a person" because according the Trooper due to me being completely geared up and in the process of getting on the bike, I was at that time a motorist, not a pedestrian. Maybe if I was a pedestrian the drive would have been locked up?  I know he was getting a fist full of tickets and was still dealer with the troopers when I left, just surprised me when he got back in his truck on their order.

Well what ever the case...I'm just glad to be OK.

Live Fast, LIVE Fun!

A cager almost took me out.

A web site Im on does a motorcycle picture game. Great fun and gets me out for rides when Id be stuck in the house usually.

Today I needed to get a picture of my bike with a hidden drive way sign, which I did....

I took the pic to get the win and almost got taken out before I could even post it. The next pic I took to post up was this one...

First, what you dont see is, in front of the black p/u is a red p/u. Black pick up driven by shirtless tough guy, red pick up driven by old retired fire chief, yellow bike in the weeds ridden by me.

I was pulled over on the side of a 2 Lane "highway" to get this challenge. I honestly thought when I started to get off the bike "this isnt a good spot to be". I knew Id be quick though, the shoulder is big and hey...they are meant for people to pull over on. I had terrible service there so the plan was quick pic and go. I didnt take ANY of my gear off, even my gloves. I got off, snapped the pic and went to get back on the bike. I had my left hand on my left grip, right hand on my tank and started to throw my leg over. Next thing I know Im on my back side. Something hit me in my left shoulder/back and spun me off the bike to my a$$. My grip still in my hand. I look behind me and the p/u is completely in the shoulder. I see the red pick up in front of him and he is REALLY close to him.

I paused, heart racing realized I couldve been killed. Im shocked but Im ANGRY. I tried to give him benefit of the doubt (target fixation or something) but Im mad and my adrenaline is going. This section of road is no passing and red lights back to back so I know that with out being a jerk rider I will see this truck again. I planned on giving him an ear full. One red light up the traffic isnt moving. I see the truck ahead and I see ppl going around him. I thought his POS broke down. I was going to go around him, give him a lecture and go from there. Nope, he rear ended the red p/u. Turns out he had been trying to pass the old guy for over a mile despite the old guy doing the speed limit. I got off my bike and the fighting began. Never got physical the cops came too fast.

The guy swears he never hit me, he didnt even know where I was because every excuse he tried to use didnt work for where it happened. The red p/u driver saw it happen as he watched him try to pass him on the shoulder. He wanted to leave the scene so the red p/u stayed blocking him in and I kept arguing with him. When the cops pulled up they asked the drivers to move their trucks....the idiot hit him again! On the side of the road he rear-ended the red truck again!

Passed the field sobriety test, cops searched and found no drugs, even brought out the dog.

Im REALLY lucky. I dont even know what else to say.

I limped it home, going slow and steady. Nothing was wrong with the bike, she didnt even get touched it was just too much. My heart was racing and blood was pumping. I parked the bike, and she will remain parked for the night. I have some stuff to do today as it is, but it was just time to go home. 

Oh...my bike is only so far away for its own safety. At this point I didnt wanna assume I was safe any where. 

Be safe riders....and remember, ride like your invisible. Most of the time we are.