Bike Riding

It was a nice afternoon, so I decided to come home and get my motorcycle for lunch. I needed a ride. My day had been pretty frustrating, and a nice bike ride seems to help.

The only problem was that my knee was killing me, and has been for a few days, at least. I injured my knee last winter while helping to push a truck out of a snow drift. Something snapped, so now it either clicks when I walk, or it hurts like hell.

Not being able to bend it without pain makes for some painful shifting, which is done with the foot that belongs to that knee.

I had to make an effort not to put that foot down on the pavement first when I stopped, too.

But, hey, I had a good ride, other than that.

Riding in 44 Degrees F

So I had the bright idea to get the motorcycles out and ride to our friends’ house for dinner, instead of taking the car. It was cold on the way there. At 8:30, when we came home, it was freezing. Seriously freezing.

When I got home, I got into a hot shower… well, after my skin came up to a normal temperature.

I am starting to see the value of chaps and winter riding gloves.

Nice Day

It’s been unusually warm here today… 82 degrees, or better, really. In celebration thereof, we took our motorcycles out for a 4 hour spin. Four hours because there was a stop for lunch, one for gas, two for halloween costume shopping and one rest break, because The Little Kid’s hind-end hurt.

I haven’t been on my bike for a week, so I had a tough time wanting to come home. One the way, though, I had to stop at the grocery, because the hubby caught two catfish and we needed breading and a few other things.

I was driving by the high school and there was a lot of activity. I think there was some kind of band competition going on there, because there were all kinds of busses and moving vans.

I was looking to change lanes, so I glanced to the right for a sec, then looked straight ahead, where I saw a car had stopped unexpectedly (at least to me!) about 7-8 feet in front of me. I’m sure I had plenty of room to safely stop, but I put on the skids, and my rear tire fish-tailed. I decided it would be better to let off the brake a little to steady the bike, and found an opportunity to get into the right-hand lane.

Problems like this used to freak me out. But now they just let me know that I know how to adjust to potential problems.

I thank my safety class instructors for that, as we practiced abrupt stops and what to do if your rear tire fishtails.

If I was in a car, I would have been in a lot more trouble, just because it would have taken more room to change lanes.

On Fire

Today, we went on a poker run for the benefit of several volunteer fire departments in Western Iowa. It was a good ride; about 175 miles in all, not too hot, not too cold. We had some good lunch (firemen can cook!) and some good company.

But there was some excitement involving, oddly enough, a fire!

We pulled into one of the volunteer firestations on the route and heard a commotion. Some rider’s saddlebags caught on fire! They were working to get the bags detached from the motorcycle, while the firemen went to get a fire extinguisher.

They hosed off the bags and took off the seat… I’m assuming to make sure the seat wasn’t on fire, too, and rolled the bike into a bay in the station.

It was quite bizarre, really. I mean, saddlebags normally don’t catch on fire. I’d be interested to know how it happened. They would have to be the right material, of course (not leather), and I’m guessing heat from the engine ignited the fabric .. or someone was smoking.. or something inside the bag ignited.

Road Trip

Today, we took our motorcycles around town to do errands. My husband is always trying to devise trips to wherever, just for the joy of riding through the countryside, which is fine. But with our 6-year-old, it’s hard to go any distance without her rear end hurting.

So we went to get hair cut. We went to the Harley Shop to harass the employees we know there. We then got on the busiest street in town against my better judgement, where we just had to be a little more watchful of the traffic, then onto the Interstate and over to Cabela’s to grab lunch and purchase some fish bait. We are still hoping there are fish.. somewhere… in the lake we fish at.

When we got home, my husband put on my shiny new foot pegs. They are big and flatter, so they should be a lot more comfortable to rest my feet on while I’m riding my bike. I’ll try them out tomorrow.

The Interstate Adventure

Ever since I got my motorcycle license, I’ve been afraid to go on the Interstate. The Interstate is busy, for one thing, and people drive well-over the posted speed limit for another.

As I was sitting at work yesterday, I kept thinking, “I should drive on the Interstate”.

I drove down the street that I always drive on. As I approached the Interstate ramp, I could only think, “It’s either do it now, or wimp out and take the city street again.”

The day before, the city street was hot as hell. I didn’t know the street I usually take on the motorcycle was under construction, so I got to that hill, 95 degrees F, fresh asphalt, one lane, stop and go. It’s not fun to inch up a hill on a motorcycle. It’s possible, but it’s not something anyone on a motorcycle enjoys doing.

Anyway, when I got home that day, I was sweating buckets.

So, I told myself the Interstate would be so much faster, and I wouldn’t have to worry about construction. I got on the ramp. Once on the Interstate, I only had to go 65 mph to keep up with traffic, because it was rush hour.

Things went well, but I’m not sure I really liked the texture of the Interstate. It made me feel too much like I was floating, instead of gripped to the ground, like I feel on the street. I guess it’s the grooves.

When I got off the Interstate, I ran out of gas in my main tank. As I tried to reach for the reserve tank switch at the side of the bike (bad spot for it, if you ask me), I figured it would be safer to pull over and switch it on.

Then it was off to the gas station. 🙂

Why Did the Turkey Cross the Road?

Because it wanted to see what the loud rolling things (motorcycles) would do if it did. The answer was “slow down and prepare to stop while the turkey kept on walkin'”. It’s the 12 second rule. Always look 12 seconds ahead of where you’re gonna be riding next.

Still, it was a big bird, and seeing it from a motorcycle was probably to everyone’s benefit, really. Someone driving car might not have seen it in time. With a motorcycle, your field of vision is larger due to no metal surrounding you.

While riding, I was thinking about why motorcycle riding is a good thing for me to do. When you’re riding a motorcycle, your wits have to be about you, so to speak. You’re living in the “here and now”, which removes focus from any anxiety a person might be feeling. When you’re focused on “right this minute”, it’s difficult to obsess about the future.

A trick I learned from “The Power of Now” that was especially useful, mid-anxiety, was to ask the question, “What is lacking from this moment?” The answer, devoid of any immediate danger to one’s life, is usually “nothing”.

I tried this today, while I was wondering how much of the $4,000 I was billed for my MRI that the insurance company would pay (holy crap). “What is lacking from this moment” forced me to look around at my environment, hear the water splashing, the kids laughing, the birds chirping, and think, “nothing”.

Weekends = Riding

We spent quite a bit of our weekend riding. It helped me to get my mind off of the MRI coming up on Monday.

One of my friends said that riding a motorcycle looked easy. Well, it’s not really. I mean, you become at ease with all the mechanics after awhile, but to me, it seems like there is always a challenge, always something to think about.

Riding in a group, like we do on the weekends, is a lot different than riding alone, like I do when I ride to work. When you’re riding in a group, you have to be cautious of the other motorcycles with you and keep your speed up with the group so as to avoid allowing a car to jump in amongst you.

When I ride alone, I only have to worry about me, and what the car drivers are doing.

Car drivers sometimes could be more careful about judging how close is too close and whether or not they have enough space to pull out in front of a motorcycle.

My safety class taught me how to stop abruptly. So far, I have not had to use that technique, but I still remember how to do it. It also taught me how to look ahead 12 carlengths to see what’s going on, so I can plan ahead. We’re taught to downshift through every gear on our way to a stop. This takes some time, but it’s nothing you think too much about once you get out on the road a few times. It just comes automatically.

I’m getting an ear for first gear, the handy gear to be in when you finally come to a stop. I love the louder “clunk” you hear when you find first gear. It’s a sign of the beginning of a trip or a sign of a successful stop. Sometimes it’s the sound when you have to follow a large farm implement down a road for a stretch.

La Dolce Vita


Tonight, after dinner, my husband, daughter and I went out for a motorcycle ride. It was the first time that I felt comfortable with what I was doing. I had time to look around and enjoy the scenery, play around with my road position, and practice maintaining a proper staggered formation.

My daughter enjoys riding with her dad. Of course, she’s properly suited and helmeted and booted.

I’ve always been a little nervous getting out of the garage. It’s a lot of maneuvering and a slow start and requires a lot of balance. Tonight before we took off, I sat there for a second and looked at my husband, who signaled me to take a deep breath, which I did. And I was ready to go.

While I was driving, I was thinking about an audio CD I’ve been listening to, “Live Like You Mean It“. Today, I heard something about how people fail to speak to God, even when they know He will bring them comfort. And praying or asking for help isn’t rocket science; just be yourself. Carry on a conversation with God, like you would your best friend.

So on the way, I asked God to watch over our ride, and make sure we did all the right things, so that we’d arrive home safely.

It wasn’t that I doubted our ability to ride, or any one else’s ability to interact with us. I just figured, why not just have a little conversation with God? Why NOT ask for a little protection? There certainly wasn’t any harm in it.

Well, there is no moral to this story. We arrived home safe and sound, and much more happy and relaxed than we were before we’d left.

It was a good ride.

A Warm Day

Today, it’s gotten up to 77F, which is pretty warm for Nebraska in March. Our average daily temp is supposed to be around 50 degrees.

We decided to take advantage of the warm weather by going motorcycle riding. We chose a half-highway, half-city route. It was only about an hour, because the wind was aweful. I’m finding I have more fun riding in the city, just because I get a chance to hone my stopping skills. Taking off from a stop light used to be a chore, especially if it was on a hill, but it’s a breeze now. The only thing is judging when to start putting on the skids, so to speak.

Don’t worry.. I tend to stop way early of the stoplight, but I’m improving. 🙂

After we got home, we ate lunch and then The Little Kid and I headed off for the lake trail for some scooter riding. We took the dog, as well, and she loved the exercise. Whenever she sees her lead, she gets all excited. It’s fun to take it out when we’re not going anywhere at all, just to see her reaction.

Just kidding. I wouldn’t do that to her.

Someone down the street has their air conditioner on. Light weights. We can’t turn ours on yet, anyway, since it’s new and hasn’t been charged yet. That’s ok, though. In 70 degree weather, the ceiling fans will do.

Gosh, I kind of hate to go back to work tomorrow… 😦

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