Fall is Definitely Here

We supposedly had a few drops very early Sunday morning, but I wouldn't know it, not getting outside until close to 10:00am. I geared up and rode to Auburn, CA for a quick bite and to read the Sunday paper before heading another few miles to Meadow Vista. Friends were setting up a couple of nets for some pickup volleyball games.

I made sure I bundled up well before leaving the house, but decided to put away my jacket liner after my meal. I figured it was around noon and things have warmed up a bit; also, what's a few miles even if it may still be a little on the cool side? A few miles of a chilly cold ride, once you factor in the windchill factor.

The temps got just above the mid-60s in the foothills, and there was a slight breeze blowing and some patchy cloud cover. Dark, patchy clouds. The occasional rays of sunshine breaking through were warm and welcome. The weather reports dustings of snow up in the mountains, Lake Tahoe included.

I'm just hoping that the storms passing through will subside long enough for a ride next weekend, or the following weekend, to witness the forests' changing colors. But I'm sure the triple digit temps are all behind us now... fall is definitely here.

Home Maintenance

The garage too, is an integral part of a home. When I got home from a short, 100-mile ride in the foothills, I parked my bike and proceeded to enter the house. Bang! Uh-oh, something happened in the garage, and I was hoping that it wasn't any of my bikes falling over due to whatever reasons that might cause this. I scanned the garage, but could not see anything out of place. Bikes standing and intact. The roof did not cave in. I pressed the button to the garage door opener, but it would only lift the door a few inches and then drop it back down. I tried to override the opener and lift the rollup door manually, but found that it may require superhuman strength to do so. What the? On closer inspection, I isolated the problem: the tension spring mounted above the garage door opening had snapped in half. So, my bikes were imprisoned in my own garage.

I got on the internet and discovered that there were businesses which offered 24/7 service for garage repairs. I left a voicemail, but since it was late Friday night, I tried again on Saturday morning. They eventually got someone out and had the parts replaced and installed, which wasn't a cheap proposition. But, this spring had a lifetime guarantee (come to think of it, the one that broke came with the house, and I wonder now if it too had a lifetime guarantee?).

Oh the incidental expenses of home ownership... I'm sure there's more to come.

Riding Brotherhood

Shyeah, right. My previous rant may have been directed toward the Harley crowd, but by no means am I singling them out. The past week's recap: first it was the cars (the one that tried sharing my lane a week ago... oblivious bay-utch). Then the Street Vibrations mecca and rolling speed bumps. When I left work today, I noticed a small Japanese sportbike parked very close to mine, to the left. I recognize it as also the one that parked very close to my right, months ago. Back then, I was barely able to squeeze out of the parking space and my right saddlebag was left with a slight mar when parts connected. BTW, this is street parking with our rear wheels to the curb.

Well, after getting home I noticed that the lower part of my left saddlebag had black smears on the aluminum lid. Along with an oh-so-slight depression in the thin aluminum skin. I have no doubt as to what had happened. The sportbike had an aftermarket exhaust canister made of polished aluminum, with a black endcap. Evidently, the idiot rider backed the tip of the exhaust canister into my bag while squeezing into the parking space. Since this bike was practically a toy at only 250cc displacement, I'm guessing the rider may be a novice. An idiot nevertheless.

Some polishing compound and elbow grease got rid of the black smears, but there wasn't anything I can do about the slight depressions in the aluminum. So much for the motorcycling brotherhood (but I will still credit fellow riders for choosing two wheels over four... barely, for now).

The urban adventures never cease ::sigh::.

Harley Speed Bumps

The "Street Vibrations" annual motorcycle event was held this past weekend in the Reno, NV area (which extends into the vicinities of Carson City, Virginia City and Lake Tahoe). It ran from Wednesday and ends today. Unfortunately, I had forgotten about this biker party and came to the realization when I headed up the hill toward Lake Tahoe on Friday to grab lunch. I am all for anyone enjoying two-wheeled motoring, whether the machine is made in Japan, Europe or America, but I am beginning to develop quite a distaste for Harley riders.

The Harley-Davidson being the motorcycle of choice is due to a preference to "cruise" (hence the styling description as cruisers). Six hundred or more pounds of iron on a wheelbase stretched over five-and-a-half feet just inches off the ground does not make for a superb handling motorcycle. OK, that's the way you choose to roll, but please, have courtesy for those who prefer otherwise. I'll save my rants against LOUD pipes, booze and lack of protective gear for another time.

Coming up on these riders, I had to weave through the group in order to pass. What ever happened to pulling to the right to let a fellow rider pass on your left within the same lane? Miles later there was a small group of 3 riders I managed to pass, the lead rider appearing to be a blonde, braided ponytailed female rider who may have been oblivious and wandering within her lane. Sheesh. Reminds me of an incident a couple of years ago when about a dozen HD riders spread into both lanes when the single lane road opened up to an extra passing lane. None in the left lane had intentions to pass their slower buddies in the right lane. I had to weave through this group, much like those sci-fi spacecrafts getting around enemy aircraft and debris.

Yup, debris. Or speed bumps.

Motorcycle Madness

The madness being a rant, at a motorist in a small sedan (circa '80s?) on my way home from work yesterday. While riding along Hwy160 at 50mph in the center lane (the left lane was soon to disappear at an exit to Del Paso Blvd.), the driver in the adjacent lane to the right begins to merge into my lane... while I was alongside the back third of her car!

I hit the horn button, holding it down when I saw that she was not about to retreat. I slowed so that I would not end up sharing the exact same space and at the exact same time as a vehicle six times heavier than mine. Something about the law of physics in spatial displacement I think, where yours truly would certainly lose out. If I were in a car, there would definitely have been contact.

My GS is by no means a tiny motorcycle. The headlights were on high beam for daytime conspicuity. I wear a bright yellow and black jacket. The horn is not the greatest, but no different than most found on all the current vehicles on the road (I really should think about getting those freight train horns installed!). I chalk it up to being another inattentive, oblivious and idiotic driver that could have contributed to me being another motorcycle accident statistic.

I let the birds fly upon exiting the highway about a mile later... none sooner, since the law of physics still applied... but I'd bet she didn't even notice through that thick cloud of oblivion. Would have been nice if I had a set of blue and red flashers and a siren!

Summer's Back

I can't complain about the mild summer we've had (if I am not mistaken, there were relatively few days with triple-digit temperatures). With less than two weeks of summer left, it looks as though it's going out with a bang. Temperatures rising. And why I decided to ride up the hill and spend most of the day in the Tahoe forest. Grabbed lunch at South Lake Tahoe and it was only 75F degrees. The highest daytime temp I encountered in the mountains was 88F, while the lowest was 72F. Riding back down in elevation (it was a 375 mile day!) I saw 95F degrees in the Sierra foothills as late as 6:30pm.

It is just past 9:00pm and we've barely dipped below 90F outside. Yup. It feels like summer's hanging on a bit longer still.

Personal HD Camcorder

Looks like there may be a low- to mid-level HD digital camcorder in my near future. Kodak will be releasing their new Zi8 on the market, which comes in Black, Aqua and Raspberry. I am opting for a conservative Black, although I'm not adverse to the other hues. We are talking 1080p at 30fps.

My main objective will be capturing my many motorcycle excursions in video. Especially the mountain twisties. We shall see how well Kodak's electronic image stabilization works. At this price level I won't hold my breath (since it is still difficult to achieve rock steadiness even with the expensive consumer camcorders). But, the buzz is that it should be better than most.

Or I can always try my hand at porn.

Hot August Nights

August is around the corner, and we've already experienced a string of 100+ degree temps. However, we will be kicking off the month with high temps in the 80s. Woohoo!

Makes riding under all that protective motorcycle gear a hella more tolerable. The cool delta breezes that come up the Sacramento River from the bay in the evening also helps tremendously.

Easter Weekend Ride

It was Good Friday yesterday. And like the ones from years past (oh, around 5 years or more?), I showed up at Cricket & Company restaurant on Auburn Boulevard to join other motorcyclists to embark on a day's ride into the foothills. However, this one was met with inclement weather.

When I rode out of my driveway around 7:30am, it was barely a drizzle under cloudy skies. Six miles later it was raining cats and dogs. The previous night's weather forecast predicted this, which was to eventually give way to clearer skies as the day progressed. This it did, but was not enough to keep the group from already ditching the ride before the day even began. There may have been 15 of us who showed up for breakfast with half a dozen of us showing up by motorcycle.

It's just as well; no telling what to expect with the weather up the hill. Twisty canyon roads are less fun when they're rain (and oil) slicked. Or littered with icy patches if cold enough in the shadows.

Today I wanted to make up for miles not covered on Good Friday. I stayed close to home the previous two weekends since coming out of my cast, just in case I had to give my hand a rest. This was going to be my first out-of-town ride in quite some time. Well, I chose a familiar route through Jackson in the Mother Lode; here I lifted my face shield and enjoyed the cool wind against my face, and the smell of... fog. I looked to my left and saw the fog burning off the mountains in the distance (it was just past 10:30am).

I continued along Hwy49 to Angels Camp where I turned off toward Murphys, circling around along Murphys Grade Road back to Angels Camp where I took my lunch break. Afterwards, I doubled back through Jackson (but took some alternate detours) and made another detour through Latrobe and El Dorado Hills. All in all it was a 5-hour outing.

The hand did fine with a bit of discomfort. I'm chalking it up as all a part of the therapy on the road to full recovery (with my ortho doctor's blessing, and a thumbs up from one of the volleyball players who happens to be a hand therapist). I think I may be ready for motorcycle commuting by Monday!

Nirvana

It felt good strapping on my motorcycle boots this morning, followed by the ritual of donning my riding pants, jackets and gloves. I had to carefully pull the glove over my recovering hand. Straddled my bike, backed it out of the garage and fired it up... pulling in the clutch lever was an effort, but I managed to endure the discomfort from the stiffness that remains from those 6 to 7 weeks of immobility.

Today was just a trial run, staying close to home to see where my pain threshold lies. Besides, this nasty wind is the shits. Once I got past the pain (ignoring it best I can), it was sheer nirvana. There is a oneness between my motorcycle and me that provides all the therapy that I could ask for. I can't wait to get some time out on the open road!

I ride 12 months out of the year and will have to dismiss February 2009 as the lost month. Up until the mishap I was on a pretty good roll racking up the miles on my R1200GS, purchased in early November last fall. I covered over 3,600 miles in the three months that followed.

The windchimes are sounding a busy ruckus, but I can still hear the whispers cajoling me for another spin in these extended daylit hours. I'll bite.

Ouch

This is my clutch hand (for motorcycling), as well as the one that is needed in conjunction with my throttle hand to keep the bike upright and not lying on its side. My first cast ever, and first broken bone that I was aware of (oblivion has its merits... maybe). This keeps me from my two favorite activities: volleyball and motorcycling. The past few days our temps were from the mid-60s to 70 degrees and sunny. Curses... our reservoirs are well below normal and I would love for all the rain and snow to fall while I am decommisshed (although for my indoor vball league I can only show up to root for my team, often wondering if I could... um, dismiss that thought).

March 20th comes the 1st day of Spring and so too comes off the cast, and in time to celebrate for my birthday on the 21st. The entire weekend will be cause to celebrate as my boys see their 11th birthday on March 22nd (who just got their shots yesterday and none too happy about the ordeal, but leaving with a clean bill of health).

Snow

And here we have... snow! It has fallen, is falling, and reached lower elevation levels (but I haven't seen it here in the valley near sea level). This morning I still chose to motorcycle in to work, the area having experienced overnight lows in the upper-20s to low-30s.

Not sure how much will fall in the upper Sierra with this storm system, but any is a blessing.

Corvette ZR1

I read an article where Chevrolet is one-upping the Dodge Boys with a super duper version of America's quintessential sportscar. The Corvette ZR1 is a 6.2 liter V8 powered car that will take you from 0-60 in about 3.4 seconds, and the quarter-mile in about 11.8 seconds. Makes you sit up and take notice. At a price tag of merely $105,000.00, makes you jump up and really take notice.

Of course, this is easily bested by a modern Japanese sportbike for around $12,000.00. Feels so good to be a bike guy!

Gee Thanks

I have a long weekend ahead of me... woohoo! We got some rain today; long overdue, and fortunately it was just showers on my ride home from work. Having to ride in downtown traffic on slick streets is not my idea of fun. The precip was short-lived as we look forward to fair days ahead with temps near the mid-60s. Tomorrow I give thanks, for it is Thanksgiving. So many things I am thankful for despite what anyone thinks (I'm really not so crotchety and cynical after all).

My friends invited me to yet another year to share in the traditional dinner. I will be riding. Friday is for recovering from whatever gastronomic damage was wrought the night before. It is Black Friday, and in such a sour economy, it is still recognized as the busiest shopping day of the year. I will be riding. Saturday and Sunday I hope to do more of the same, and perhaps Monday I will give it a break.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Late Autumn 2008

We are almost two-thirds into the fall season, and unlike the Arizona desert where I was born (and left at the age of 20), Northern California has the traditional four seasons. For the most part. Today's temperature reached 80 degrees, and Saturday's forecast calls for more of the same. Heck, the town of Napa almost hit 90 degrees today! We're breaking records here.

We really need some rain (and snow in the mountains), but other than that, I'm not complaining. I'm gonna don my leathers and go riding!

Sweaters & Jackets

The chill in the autumn morning air brings sweaters to mind. I went through a brief adult phase where I considered it fashionable, which was later reinforced by a couple of girlfriends (consecutively, not concurrently!). Pendletons. Course knits. Big turtleneck collars. Zips and pullovers. To size, and oversized.

What was I thinking? What is it about women dressing up their men in sweaters?

Perhaps it is because of the stereotypes that the two contrasting outerwear conjures. Sweaters are civil, preppy and academic; jackets are tough, rebellious and baaad. Call me an enigma.

Except for this diversion, I'm really a jacket man. Always have been. I think it all began before I was able to freely visit any bar in the U.S., especially admiring the look of the classic bomber jacket and aviator sunglasses. Soon afterward I discovered motorcycling and jackets naturally came with the territory. Black. Leather. Jackets. Mmm, that wickedly pleasant aroma of new leather tickles my devilish fancy... but lately I've been wearing the more versatile armored synthetic jacket made mostly of ballistic Cordura nylon.

So what is it? What's a girl really want?! The inner sweater dude in me may be curious, but my James Dean-ian façade could care less. My motorcycle is my mistress and my jackets will be there to keep me warm.

Riding in the Rain

I'm riding in the rain, just riding in the rain... what a glorious feelin', I'm happy again!

The rains came. Last Friday. Except for he break we had on Sunday (which brought mostly blue skies and sunshine) our weather forecasters have been spot on regarding the precip that's descended on our region. I took light rail to and from work for the first time since the skies went dry last spring, and wouldn't you know, my train goes kaput to start off my weekend. Thankfully the outage only lasted about 20 minutes.

Wow, it just dumped cats and dogs outside as I continue to type.

Tomorrow morning the storms should be history and I can resume my two-wheeled commuting again. I was just thinking about the many times I've been caught riding in the rain... caught, I say, since I rarely consider heading out when the wet stuff threatens to fall. It's one thing to be rained on while close to home, and a whole 'nuther story when stuck hundreds of miles away. How far is far?

Portland, OR
Spokane, WA
Eureka, MT
Aspen and Vail, CO
Salt Lake City, UT
Flagstaff, AZ
the northern CA coast
the Sierra Nevadas

My friend wrote to say that he got caught riding in the rain on his commute home Thursday evening (whereas I caught only a few droplets). Not being a seasoned rider, his comment was that it was scary. Regardless of experience, it is scary having to share the roadways with idiots in urban traffic; I'd rather take my chances on the open road, hundreds of miles from home.

Cracked BMW Engine

This is a photograph of my motorcycle engine back in May 2008, after getting home from an encounter with a boulder near Kirkwood Ski Resort. This is viewed from the right side, which took the brunt of the impact.

Note the cracks in the engine casing! Not only did I not get thrown off my bike, the guys at the shop were amazed at how close the crack came to being ruptured, thus puking oil and leaving me stranded, or worse yet, seizing the engine if I did not heed the warning to pull over and hang it up.

All I can say is that there must have been a guardian angel watching over me, and a testimonial to my longstanding faith in BMW motorcycles. Would I have fared better or worse on another brand? Don't know, and not planning to find out anytime soon... or ever.

It's toast. A new engine replacement will come close to the estimated value of my R1200C Cruiser, 9 years old with 76,000 miles on the clock, so the insurance people are writing it off. It is a shame, since it has become my all-time favorite ride and I had planned on keeping it forever.

Here is a photograph from one of my last rides before the fateful mishap. It was on a road near Chili Bar canyon just outside Placerville, California... a road which I have never before traversed, and the reason why many of us motorcyclists choose to ride.

It's an adventure. I have a pretty good idea that my Cruiser's replacement will be more aptly suited for that description, and time will soon tell.

Forecasting Fall

The clouds came in Friday, and I experienced a few droplets of rain on the way home from work (I still commuted on my motorcycle). It wasn't like I was going to melt. Late in the evening the rains came, with enough falling to give us a good overdue soaking. My alarm clock scared me up this morning to overcast skies which slowly broke way to blue and sunshine. Temps climbed to at least 70 degrees while clouds still loomed along the horizon. I rode out for lunch and stayed around town; perfect day for a long ride if it weren't for residual road dampness and slippery leaves where I might end up riding. Or more weather, especially up in the mountains.

Our weather forecast for the coming week will be pleasant days in the low 80s!

The Last Summer Weekend

Nobody on the road, nobody on the beach,

I feel it in the air - the summer's out of reach.

Empty lake, empty streets, the sun goes down alone.

I'm drivin' by your house though I know you're not home.

But I can see you, your brown skin shinin' in the sun.

You got your hair combed back and your sunglasses on, baby.

And I can tell you my love, for you will still be strong

After the boys of summer have gone.

- Don Henley

The autumnal equinox falls on September 22, 2008, meaning this will be our last weekend of summer, folks. And sure enough, my silver maple tree's leaves are falling. Time to wave summer goodbye.

Harley and the Boss

That would be Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and the Boss is none other than rocker Bruce Springsteen, who headlined the Motor Company's 105th anniversary celebration in Milwaukee over the weekend. Good ol' rock & roll from an American artist... and arriving a bit late by five years.

When Harley-Davidson hosted their big bash in 2003 to mark 100 years of their motorcycles, they decided to treat the attendees to a different kind of performance. They proudly introduced Sir Elton John! Say wha? A British, openly gay pop musician seemed to be the antithesis of the Harley-Davidson image/lifestyle. What were the Harley suits thinking? Let's say they were right and that well-to-do yuppies are their biggest customers (who love Elton John's music)... these riders would be loathe to admit this publicly. It's all about that image remember?

There was no turning back the hands of time (it was the 100 year anniversary ferchrissakes!), but this is a nice consolation for the less significant 105th. Harley-Davidson... born in the USA!

Jamie Elvidge

Jamie Elvidge is perhaps the most widely recognized female in motorcycle journalism, well qualified for this profession having ridden motorcycles for over half her life. From what I understand, she left her post as chief editor of Motorcycle Cruiser magazine to pursue a freelance career (I just ran across her recent review of the BMW F800GS in an online publication by the American Motorcyclist Association). She was once married to Perry King, actor and avid motorcyclist himself (the role that comes to my mind was in an '80s TV show called "Riptide"), with whom she had their teenage daughter, Hannah. I believe Jamie still splits her time between Los Angeles and here in Northern Caifornia.

I first met Jamie at Copper Mountain, Colorado on a Motorcyle Cruiser sponsored "readers' ride", where the magazine hosted the event for the first 10 readers to respond. That was late August, 2004. I rode with her, another editor and several other riders over Independence Pass in the Rockies, through Aspen, lunch, Vail and back to Copper Mountain.

Well guess what? Today I happened to be window shopping at one of my favorite department stores and recognized Jamie (who was with Hannah), so I got her attention and we chatted a bit. She remembers meeting me in Colorado and the few emails we've exchanged back then. This store is close to home for me, but I think Jamie lives outside Sacramento toward the foothills. But I could be mistaken since Hannah's shirt identified her school as being one that is nearby. My guess: back-to-school shopping.

All I'm saying is, "how cool is that?".

Toys

We bigger boys have bigger toys, as the saying goes.

A few of us stopped by Pasquales Italian Restaurant after a 3-game match of volleyball (indoors, coed 4-person league). I ran into some old faces there, previous owners of the motorcycle store that was two buildings over who were enjoying their dinner. Enjoying, I'm sure, since the food is tops as long as you aren't in any hurry.

Anyway, they are a retired couple who turned over the business to a former employee. After roughly two years, he and his partners (parents) shut down the business. What I didn't know was that they just skipped out on it, right out from under the retired couple to whom they still owed money (or whatever arrangement they had made). Wow, big surprise.

Joe and Debbie were in town to help move their daughter (she was dining there too, by the way) out east with them to North Carolina, where they had decided to retire several years ago. But I digress... I'm talking toys here remember?

Before leaving for home, my teammate Mike and I briefly got on the subject about my bikes (and his guilty pleasure, guitars), and the expenses incurred to date this year. Maintenance isn't necessarily cheap, especially if you don't do your own wrenching. But, we all have our priorities and I just love motorcycles. Sure, I have my pickup truck, so most people will quickly point out that the 2-wheelers are toys.

Toys?

Hmm, I was averaging over 8,500 miles per year on my 9 yr old Cruiser (before the mishap when I met with a small boulder). At the current rate, my Rockster (the green-striped Beemer) is averaging over 3,000 miles per year. And my truck? Just over 2,500 miles per year last time I checked. So what's the toy here?

Heh, priorities.

Holy Smokes!

I was riding west along Hwy120 toward Mono Lake in California's Eastern Sierra on Tuesday afternoon. The sky was noticeably hazy and no doubt was due to smoke from forest fires... but where, I wondered, was it burning?

I reached Hwy395 and headed up the road to the eastern entrance to the Yosemite valley, pulled into the Tioga Gas Mart (and Whoa Nellie Deli) to gas up and ask a few questions. Spoke to a guy who was riding a sportbike adorned with luggage similarly to my setup. He had been touring as far as the coast and informed me that there were big fires near Monterey. I later learned that there were 800 fires burning, many of them ignited by lightning strikes (there's a lotta dry tinder out there!).

I still haven't found news details on what's going on with all the smoke in the air (and hence, where it was burning), but the particulates certainly can't be good for anyone's health. A bit of advice for those travelling the Eastern range: be prepared to spend dearly for your fuel. It'll cost you over 5 bucks a gallon for the cheap 87 octane stuff (as it also did back in Tonopah, NV)!

Holy smokes!

Five Bucks?

California gasoline prices currently average over $4.00 per gallon, me having just filled up my motorcycle's tank yesterday at $4.45 per gallon. The forecast earlier this year is that the rising price of gas will put a damper on many people's vacation plans. Mine is coming up soon, and it doesn't look like the prices are about to fall. On the contrary, there has been some speculation that we may be paying $5.00 per gallon before year's end!

I still plan on riding to Flagstaff, AZ. I've had enough episodes this first half of 2008 that a vacation will be a welcome relief. Figure the cost of therapy these days (psycho- or otherwise) and my trip's expense will seem rather reasonable.

Damn the five bucks... something will eventually give.

Rubber

I've been keeping an eye on the tread wear on my only running bike's rear tire, and no amount of Rogaine is going to reverse its effect. Baldness. Those grooves are there for a reason, mainly to ensure that your vehicle sticks to the pavement and not slide all over the road. Especially during wet weather, when roads are slick and the water isn't being channeled away from the contact patch. Hydroplaning anyone? Beyond baldness there's the layer of steel belts that really have no business slapping asphalt.

Fortunately, my shop has agreed to fit me into their schedule for a new tire as this is a safety hazard. Of course they could suggest that I park it until my full appointment coming up less than three weeks from now, and drive my truck and take light rail instead. Nah, we two-wheeled folks know better. Until I set off on my vacation road trip to Flagstaff, AZ in the latter part of June, I shall remain somewhat paranoid and my senses on heightened alert.

In the immortal words of Chico Escuela: "Rubber break!"

Engines

Whether they be in your car, planes, boats, motorcycles... they break. Eventually. For most, the duration of vehicle ownership never seems to exceed that of the engine's life, including Yours Truly. Of the many cars and motorcycles I have owned, only one came close.

When I was the proud owner of a '77 Alfa Romeo Spider convertible Italian sportscar (having bought it at its 9th birthday), the engine grew tired after around 15 years of ownership. I had the engine rebuilt, only to sell the car a couple of years later.

Now comes my soon-to-be-9-year-old Cruiser. Today's ride took me to South Lake Tahoe via Kirkwood Ski Resort and coming home on Hwy50, the odometer turning 76,000 miles along the way. Well, before reaching south shore, I managed to avoid running over a huge rock that was about the size of a volleyball. I did not run over it per se (not with the wheels anyway thank goodness), but the rock did plenty of damage when my engine got the brunt of the impact.

It rode fine all the way up to Tahoe, where I decided it was best I inspect the damage. Yeah yeah, maybe I should have done that immediately upon the mishap. No oil leaks. But... my exhaust pipes got dented, but that's not a real big deal. I looked around some more and discovered some cracked metal and bent bolts. Uh oh. Not feeling good about what I saw, I decided to limp my way home to Sacramento where I proceeded to call my mechanic. Since he was 100 miles away in Chico I did not ride into the shop. He wasn't sure what the extent of the damage may be, sight unseen, but if I was able to get home with no problem, it's possible that my Cruiser is still rideable.

I decided to snap some pics and email them to the shop; got a call back from Mike, who told me to garage the bike and call my insurance company immediately. Time for a new engine. Crap. I have plans to motorcycle down to Flagstaff, AZ in about a month as I have done the past several years... this time it looks like I'll be trying it with my other bike.

The Rockster is not set up for long distance cruising, so I will have to get moving on this project. The seat is less comfy, so I'll need to exercise these glutes of mine. Storage capacity is minimal, meaning I will have to shop for saddlebags in order to carry some essentials (clothing, toiletries, water). This bike is due for a tuneup, and Mike suggested I schedule this as soon as possible since they are quite booked at the shop.

As I type this, I have been on hold for over 1 hour and 11 minutes to my motorcycle insurance company. Sounds like they're keeping awfully busy!

These Boots...

... are made for riding. I had to purchase a new pair of motorcycle boots in case my present pair gives out; the heels are getting quite worn from constant use. Last night I decided to try them on en route to the gym where I have my volleyball leagues. The break-in period sucks, since the new leather is very stiff, and also makes it a challenge to upshift through the motorcycle gears.

(shifting gears on motorcycles is done with the left foot moving a pivoted lever upward and downward).

I had a similar experience with breaking in my boots last year, and believe that it took over a week before it felt comfortable. Guess I will need to find a cobbler who can replace the heels, since the rest of the boot is still holding up pretty well.

Today's Ride 4/12/2008...

...in case anyone was interested (click here for map).

With gold fever in full tilt (currently around $1000 per ounce), what better place to ride than up to the foothills -- the gold country where it all began. Part of my ride was along Hwy49, which roughly follows the route of the gold seekers back in 1849. I bought a gold pan kit years ago, but did not bring it along. Yup. Darlin' Clementine's miner was a 49'er.

Daffodil Hill

Daffodil Hill is a popular weekend excursion during the Spring season. I decided to check out the website to see when it officially opened this year, since my ride today took me near this general vicinity where many homes' yards had daffodils that were beginning to bloom.

We have a possibility of showers coming mid-week, so I am hoping that the rain will not take it all away before I have a chance for a camera-toting visit next weekend. Daffodil Hill may become a bit crowded for my liking, but there's also the small town of Volcano nearby that has a down-scaled version of the Hill.

I spend too much time in the (motorcycle) saddle and need to make the effort to park it and hoof it with camera in hand. It's time I stopped and smelled the daffodils.

Thinking

I logged about 150 miles of riding on Good Friday. On Saturday I decided to head up to Chico to visit my compadres at Ozzie's BMW (where I have my bikes serviced). Then this morning I added another 120 miles or so; kind of a spur of the moment decision. It was either that or ride locally to breakfast.

I seem to get my best thinking done while under a helmet and on the open road. Thing is, not all these thoughts are retained afterwards... sometimes more, sometimes less. Perhaps I need to rig up some recording device that will capture them before they dissipate altogether.

There's another place where I get a lot of thinking done, but we won't go there.

2001

A space odyssey... or did I mention how time flies?

I was just going through some mail and found a flyer for Sprint cellular; seems that I have been a loyal Sprint subscriber since the summer of 2001. Wow. And did I also mention that I am not much of a cellphone fan (or any phone for that matter)? They come in handy when need be, but to spend hours on end attached to these contraptions is... uh... maybe I should shut up now, since I engage in indulgences that others may frown upon. The time I spend surfing the internet comes to mind. Also my incessant need to go riding (or I could claim that it's just an excuse to satisfy my leather urges).

That year marked the beginning of the new millenium, made famous through the entertainment efforts of writer Arthur C. Clarke and director Stanley Kubrick. Many of us were still smarting from the year before when the world was supposedly coming to an end (as slaves to technology and being ill-prepared for what happens when computers get past year 1999). Prince had us all partying in 1999! Since we were all lucky to be around in 2000, I joined a couple of my friends vacationing in Puerto Vallarta on Halloween.

However, 2001 was marred by the tragedy of 9/11 when terrorism took its toll on American soil. Nothing was quite the same after that.

September 2001 was my 10th anniversary of home ownership. The end of that month I took a road trip, motorcycling down to Las Vegas, Nevada to view the Guggenheim Museum's "Art of the Motorcycle" exhibit. Just before Thanksgiving I flew out to Atlanta, Georgia courtesy of my friend's frequent flyer miles on Delta Airlines. Little did we know that that would be the day they shut down the airport due to an innocent security breach... our world became a little less innocent. I missed out on the Leonid meteor storm while visiting because 4:00am was better left to catching z's than falling stars.

It seemed like only yesterday. Tempus fugit.

Nature

While riding in the Sierra foothills today, I witnessed what appeared to be a small coyote running across the road before me and up the steep hill embankment to my right. Many miles later I came upon a couple of wild turkeys strutting along without a care... had to slow down for these turkeys. With temps hovering around the upper 60s, flora have begun to bloom in yellows, pinks, purples and orange. We have cherry blossoms, daffodils, lupines and poppies. Hawks overhead were floating effortlessly from the thermals generated by the warming earth. A road I haven't taken since over half a lifetime ago presented a landscape dotted with grazing cattle and sheep. And oaks. Throw in a few horses too. Raising the visor of my helmet exposed my face to the brisk, cool mountain air which I found quite stimulating. All the while Bob Dylan tunes were dancing in my head, which was probably due to having listened to some of his songs at work yesterday. Today, even some man-made elements -- metal roofing in pastel greens and deep blues, a half dozen or more Mini Coopers on a club outing, a small aircraft (perhaps a glider?) -- seemed to complement rather than clash with the scenario.

Soak up and enjoy nature while you can, before they bulldoze, concrete and pave over everything. This is paradise.

Wine Country

My ride this weekend took me through the wine country; it's been almost a year since I've come out this way. I took the backroads as most avid motorcyclists do and ended up in Napa, whereupon I called up my friend Pam and spoke with her briefly (seeing as I was in town unexpectedly she was not prepared for a visit... other plans for such a nice Saturday). I then decided to head up valley along Hwy29, sometimes referred to as St. Helena Highway since this town is at the heart of the Napa Valley. Or so I've heard.

Just after going through Yountville and still shy of getting to St. Helena, I turned onto the road which leads to the Oakville Grade. I've known about this twisty stretch of tarmac for ages, which meanders over the hill into the Sonoma Valley (the Valley of the Moon), but this was the first time I have ever ridden it. The road took me to Sonoma Highway, and not having a map I was unsure exactly where I ended up.

When in doubt, hang a right.

A couple or few miles later I came upon the Santa Rosa city limits sign and a gas station where I needed to fill up and rehydrate. I got directions that Calistoga Road was a few stoplights further up the road and will take me back to Calistoga at the northern tip of Napa Valley. I am quite familiar with the Napa Valley, but not so much the Valley of the Moon.

Riding through Calistoga I pass by many tourists enjoying the sunny and mild weather. At the other end of town I turned onto the Silverado Trail and followed it to Rutherford, where I took the winding road back toward home.

Both valleys are narrow and lush, and make for a wonderfully scenic excursion. Now if you can appoint a designated driver, there are many well- and lesser-known wineries where you can stop and sample their wares. Along with the wines, it's also about the food... there are a number of local restaurants scattered throughout the area. Once the days get a bit longer I will definitely have to revisit both valleys and stop for lunch and spend some time hoofin' it to soak up the communities. I really need to make these motorcycle trips more than just about the time spent in the saddle, where I catch the pleasant whiffs of roses. But it's time I stop and truly smell them.

I Ride

Finally, a weekend where the temps were nice, the sun is out and the skies are blue! It's been over a couple of weeks since I last rode, and although the weather was nice this past week, I was busy at work. No playing hooky.

I headed out to the Sierra foothills: Jackson, San Andreas, Angels Camp, Sonora, Jamestown, Mokelumne Hill, Valley Springs, Ione and home.

Such a therapeutic ride... just what the doctor (would have) ordered!

Pre-Valentine

Heh, VDay is less than a week away (falling mid-week on a Thursday). So, what am I looking for in a Valentine girl?

Cute, smart, sweet and...

...has an M1 license and her own motorcycle (and wants to ride with me).

Rains::Pours

Looks like I will be segueing into the new year with a sackload of expenses and errands. My Cruiser has been off the road since before Halloween, and now the tally has come in: fix the rear differential, replace rear tire and brake pads, replace a fork seal and perform a 72,000 mile service (change oils, fluids and filters; valve adjustments; other inspections). My brake rotors will eventually need replacing, hopefully not until toward the end of 2008.

My truck is overdue for some service, not that I drive it much (until recently, now taking round-trips to the light rail station which amounts to under 10 miles). It will need the fluids changed, some free recall items squared away and perhaps lube and air filter inspection. I did manage to replace a headlight bulb by myself!

My boys are due for their annual checkup. I need to respond to a semi-annual dental reminder. My central heating went out several days ago, and fortunately I've survived the coldness with portable space heaters.

And now if this doesn't beat all: I have some LED lights strung up under my gazebo's canvas canopy, but about half the lights are out. I think I put them up over the summer. I also have some colored LED lights strung around the arch of a metal arbor/bench in my backyard for a bit of holiday spirit, and wouldn't you know, half the string is not lit. By coincidence, half the power in my house went out a couple of nights ago. Although the circuit-breaker switches all seemed to be on, I flipped them off/on again and everything came back on. There must be some correlation here however little sense this makes... LEDs are supposed to last 10x longer than standard bulbs. Would sure be nice if all my expenses would cost only half as much!

Happy New Year!

Light Rail

Last week I commuted via light rail (our electrified local mass transit system on rails). That's because my favorite commuter motorcycle puked its rear end upon getting home from a Halloween shindig. It's just as well, since I eventually will have gotten around to alternative transportation... and best I learn the ropes before it begins raining cats and dogs.

I drive my truck about 4 miles to the most convenient light rail station, park it, validate a ticket and board the train for a 5-6 mile ride to my downtown office. Fortunately, the train stops at my building (and the one departing for home stops about a 1/2 block away).

It's not so bad.

The problem for many people is that the light rail routes are not necessarily as convenient as I have found them to be (altho' it'd be nice if I didn't have to drive 4 miles to the station... but I'm nitpicking). Some still have to walk several blocks to their offices. There's also the problem with vehicle break-ins at some of the parking locations. Lastly, you get to share your commute with others (many with whom you'd rather not).

With everyone jumping on the GREEN bandwagon (global warming, hybrid vehicles, Al Gore), maybe the powers-that-be could do something to better promote mass transit, such as developing better routes and providing enhanced security. As for putting up with fellow commuters' profanity, lack of personal hygiene and what-not... I'm not sure there is a solution.

Once my Cruiser's rear end is all fixed up and weather permitting, I will be back to two-wheeling it to work (I park free about a block away). I love riding.

Charmed Rider?

So far I have been pretty fortunate when it comes to my motorcycling down times. The latest mishap was early Sunday morning (an hour past midnight, coming home from a Halloween party). Something wasn't sounding... wasn't feeling... quite right. There was a barely discernable thump that seemed like it was coming from somewhere toward the back of the Cruiser. "Only a few more miles before I get home" I thought to myself. Once inside my garage I took a look and found dark graphite-colored fluid leaking down my rear axle. I am guessing it's the rear differential oil, but what do I know?

Before this latest episode, my kickstand broke a couple of months ago. The upside to this is that I happened to remain in town that Saturday morning, with weather conditions that were ripe for me to take a routine 200 mile ride (give or take) to who-knows-where.

A little over a year ago I was returning home from a ride, and ran into throttle cable problems with about another 30 miles to go. I was able to limp it home; had the worn cable broke, there'd be no go.

Having carried the right tools and implements bailed me out of situations as well: tire patch kit, hairbrush, motor oil, cellphone and bungee cords.

Knock on wood.

More Old Faces...

... or associations. This is so very strange, what with the names and faces from long ago which have recently surfaced (see my previous post re: Faces from the Past). Not only did I bump into MikeC, he has also been insuring my neighbor's home since she bought it in the early 90s.

Just half an hour ago I was pumping some gas into my Cruiser (while donning my riding suit and helmet... trying to stay dry from the light rain coming home from work). Who approaches me but some guy I spoke with (bike talk) on a previous fill-up perhaps almost a year ago? He mentions something about his brother retiring today from the area's Regional Transit (RT) light rail system, who plans on spending more time with his motorcycle with his newfound freedom. Also rides a BMW. Hmm, I rode with a small group in the early to mid-90s and one of the guys worked at RT, so I asked John if his brother's name is Dudley. Well, what a coinky dink!

So John and I talked about the other guys from that group: Mitch, Bob, Robert and Dan, catching up on what's been up with them. Another interesting note is that the boyfriend of a coworker of mine (who joined our organization almost a year ago) knows Dudley. Any surprise that John lives within a 1/4 mile from my house?

Yet another earlier post I spoke of the coincidences of my brother and his family visiting Las Vegas staying only a few blocks from the hotel where I spent the night, and of the rider I encountered in Tonopah, NV whom I met on my ride through Rachel, NV the year before.

Did I mention this is so very strange?

2 Wheel Spoiled

My first week of work at our new office is about done (well, it'd be a 4-day work week since we had Columbus Day for a holiday off). This is downtown, and unlike our previous location where we had the pleasure of a parking lot on the leased premises, we are left on our own to find parking. Or try public transit, carpooling, bicycling, walking or hitch-hiking.

Fortunately for me there are two nearby locations where a half car-lengthed section of street parking is designated as "motorcycle only" parking. Gratis... and you know I love to ride every chance I get. However, Friday's forecast is for rain on and off, and not certain of when the "on" intervals will occur will possibly have me looking into catching light rail instead. Ditto for the next work week. Otherwise the downtown parking fees average somewhere around $15 for the day.

Public transit seems to be a way of life for many commuters, and although I am approaching this with a bit of apprehension, maybe I will find that it ain't that bad. For those foul weather days of course... guess you could say that I'm two-wheel spoiled.

Apple Hill

One of the areas I rode through on Saturday was Apple Hill, a community of apple orchards, wineries, pumpkin patches, xmas tree farms and other businesses near Placerville, CA (the area's address puts it in Camino, CA). When I was younger, Apple Hill was an annual destination when I was dating Patti. It was also where I took Sharon on our first date (picking up a pair of pumpkins to carve for the upcoming All Hallow's Eve).

Here you can find just about anything apple: apple cider, streudel, crumb cake, butter, jelly, fritters, ala mode or ala not, caramel apple, apple taffy... the list goes on. You can smell apples (and autumn) in the air; the leaves begin to change and, as so with the temperatures, will soon fall.

Uh, I'm waxing nostalgic. Sounds like I may be riding through again, only this time I'll stop and enjoy some time there.

Fires

It doesn't appear that summer is about to go quietly into the night. We have a couple of major fires burning in NorCal... one in the Plumas Nat'l Forest (about 100 miles from here), and another in the Bay Area (Santa Clara - Silicon Valley). Smoke, especially from Plumas, blanketed a very broad area and caused Unhealthy Air Quality alerts in the Sacramento Valley. This weekend I rode a total of about 300 miles and witnessed our pine forests peeking out from the cloudy soup.

At least it wasn't so bad in the upper elevations where I was riding.

Cyber Presence

In today's business world there's no escaping the need for an internet presence. Even before the advent of the internet, I have conducted plenty of business through mail order. Brick and mortar shops are not dead however, especially when it comes to businesses that offer service and not just goods. Such is the case with the folks who service my motorcycles.

Ozzie's BMW Center has always been a traditional, motorcycle-as-a-passion-before-business type of organization (sometimes referred to as "mom and pop" establishments). Advertisement is primarily through word of mouth and little else. So when BMW the Corporation handed down a directive to all its dealers to maintain an internet presence, they were caught a bit off-guard.

It was quite a coincidence that when I first learned of this new requirement, I had already been playing around with a webpage design for Ozzie's. Funny what some people do with their idle time. I modified the page to conform to BMW's guidelines which Ozzie's had sent to me, and came up with this.

I agreed to become their temp webmaster, just as long as we can keep the informal, mom and pop feel. Any more than that will seem too much like work.