Saturday I attended the Mebane Swap Meet with my old buddy Craig. I picked up my old buddy Craig and we headed off to the meet to hopefully find some good good deals. I did. I was able to grab a trunk organizer for just $10.00. They sell for about $30.00. My biggest buy was a pair for heated gloves that sell for well over $100.00. I got those for only $25.00. Now I am set for next years cold weather. I was also able to sell my footboards. Now I have the money money to buy Slick some footboards and arm rest for this years riding season.
There were a lot of our chapter members there too. The chapter holding the event feed us and it seemed everyone had a good time just getting together and sharing their motorcycle stories and buying some stuff. Even Craig told me some cool stories that I hadn't heard before. Thanks Craig!
Overall, I had a great time and it was a great way to spend a Saturday even though it was too cold and windy to ride our bikes.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Friday, March 16, 2007
Rode Back Home This Week
Monday I headed off for a road trip to my home town of Lenoir NC. Actually, I had to go there to do some training for the Caldwell County Sheriffs Office and Lenoir Police Department. The weather was great all week and it actually felt more like late spring than late winter. I got the opportunity to put on about 280 miles on my 3 day trip. The cool thing is it only cost me about $14.00 for the gas to go to my training assignment and my company was paying for that. Actually, I made about $100.00 extra off the trip for mileage. If I had taken the truck it would have cost me about $50.00 to fill up the truck. Oh the joy of having a bike and making money too. Life is good.
When I left home on Monday I basically took the back roads. I don’t mind taking I-40. It is faster but to me, it is too boring. I took off and hit B-85 to Mooresville. From there I hit 64 west to I-40. I took I-40 to Statesville and then jumped back on highway 64 west to Lenoir. I like 64 off of I-40 to Lenoir. It is a nice ride even though the speed limit is a max of 55 mph. On the way back I took the same route.
Packing for the trip was different this time too. I had to pack for at least 4 days. That included my work related paperwork, computer, bike cover and extra clothes. So I pulled out the travel bags that I bought for the bike. I had 2 saddlebags and my trunk bag. I actually strapped my computer and trunk bag to my back seat. I was really amazed at how much stuff I could put in the trunk bag. It was the size of a suitcase. Of course, it will not hold squat in the trunk, but it did come in real handy strapped to the back seat. I was able to take all my stuff and still had room to spare. I didn’t even have to take my luggage rack bag.
Throughout the week I was approached by a lot of people asking me about Big Red. A lot of people thought it was new. They were surprised that the bike is a 2004. Some asked about how heavy it was. I can understand that. Goldwing’s are huge bikes and even regular bike riders are amazed at the size of the bike and what it has on it. It was fun talking to people about the bike.
All-in-all the trip was great. I put on some good miles on Big Red. Now I need to clean it up and it needs the oil changed and a tune up before the next big trip to TN next month. That will be fun.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
When I left home on Monday I basically took the back roads. I don’t mind taking I-40. It is faster but to me, it is too boring. I took off and hit B-85 to Mooresville. From there I hit 64 west to I-40. I took I-40 to Statesville and then jumped back on highway 64 west to Lenoir. I like 64 off of I-40 to Lenoir. It is a nice ride even though the speed limit is a max of 55 mph. On the way back I took the same route.
Packing for the trip was different this time too. I had to pack for at least 4 days. That included my work related paperwork, computer, bike cover and extra clothes. So I pulled out the travel bags that I bought for the bike. I had 2 saddlebags and my trunk bag. I actually strapped my computer and trunk bag to my back seat. I was really amazed at how much stuff I could put in the trunk bag. It was the size of a suitcase. Of course, it will not hold squat in the trunk, but it did come in real handy strapped to the back seat. I was able to take all my stuff and still had room to spare. I didn’t even have to take my luggage rack bag.
Throughout the week I was approached by a lot of people asking me about Big Red. A lot of people thought it was new. They were surprised that the bike is a 2004. Some asked about how heavy it was. I can understand that. Goldwing’s are huge bikes and even regular bike riders are amazed at the size of the bike and what it has on it. It was fun talking to people about the bike.
All-in-all the trip was great. I put on some good miles on Big Red. Now I need to clean it up and it needs the oil changed and a tune up before the next big trip to TN next month. That will be fun.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Rode All Day
Saturday Slick and I decided to take a little ride to Conover to do some errands. The trip was only going to be about 2 or 3 hours. But, of course, the weather turned out to be great and we decided to keep riding. We really didn't care where as long as we got to ride. It had actually been about 4 weeks since Slick has got to ride, due the cold weather.
We started out and left the house around 9:30 and the temp was around 54. We put on our winter jackets and headed down 85 and then toward Lexington. From there we hooked up with 64 east and toward interstate 40 and Mocksville. There was a lot of construction on 64 and is always been confussing for me to get through Lexington and 64. I just haven't figured out why and I always blame it on the signs.
Once we got to Mocksville and I-40 we headed west toward Conover. The weather was great and getting warmer. After our errands were done we decided to take I-77 south off of I-40 and find something to eat. I was trying to avoid the Statesville traffic that is usually bad when you get off the interstate. We though lets just take I-77 and see if we can find a place to eat. Well, we did, but we ran into more traffic than we would have if we had taken the Statesville exit. It turned out okay. We didn't have too much trouble finding our way back. We took highway 152 through Mooresville. It was a big town than I expected and once we got out of town we hit some really nice country rodes and eventually got back on I-85 and headed back home.
Once on I-85 we both decided we were not ready to go back home. The temp was near 70 and so we stopped to take the liners out of our jackets because it was getting a little toasty. We took back off on I-85 and then hit highway 62. From there we headed to Burlington. Slick wanted me to checkout some of motorcycle stuff at J & R's. They had a lot of cool stuff if you are a Harley rider. Also they had some very cheap chaps. The more I thought about it, I could not see myself wearing chaps. Of course, I may change my mind later and I could always go back to buy some.
After J&R's we hit I-40 and headed west toward home. We finally got home around 5:30. We really enjoyed our ride and put on over almost 300 miles. They weather was great and so was my company. We look forward to riding again and of course that will be as soon as we can: probably today.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
We started out and left the house around 9:30 and the temp was around 54. We put on our winter jackets and headed down 85 and then toward Lexington. From there we hooked up with 64 east and toward interstate 40 and Mocksville. There was a lot of construction on 64 and is always been confussing for me to get through Lexington and 64. I just haven't figured out why and I always blame it on the signs.
Once we got to Mocksville and I-40 we headed west toward Conover. The weather was great and getting warmer. After our errands were done we decided to take I-77 south off of I-40 and find something to eat. I was trying to avoid the Statesville traffic that is usually bad when you get off the interstate. We though lets just take I-77 and see if we can find a place to eat. Well, we did, but we ran into more traffic than we would have if we had taken the Statesville exit. It turned out okay. We didn't have too much trouble finding our way back. We took highway 152 through Mooresville. It was a big town than I expected and once we got out of town we hit some really nice country rodes and eventually got back on I-85 and headed back home.
Once on I-85 we both decided we were not ready to go back home. The temp was near 70 and so we stopped to take the liners out of our jackets because it was getting a little toasty. We took back off on I-85 and then hit highway 62. From there we headed to Burlington. Slick wanted me to checkout some of motorcycle stuff at J & R's. They had a lot of cool stuff if you are a Harley rider. Also they had some very cheap chaps. The more I thought about it, I could not see myself wearing chaps. Of course, I may change my mind later and I could always go back to buy some.
After J&R's we hit I-40 and headed west toward home. We finally got home around 5:30. We really enjoyed our ride and put on over almost 300 miles. They weather was great and so was my company. We look forward to riding again and of course that will be as soon as we can: probably today.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
Friday, March 09, 2007
Remembering Safety While Riding
Anyone that knows me, knows I enjoy reading about motorcycle trips and how to become a better rider. Well, I read some great information that I thought I would share. Even though it is common sense, it is amazing how much we all don't remember the basics and how not doing that could cost us and our passenger our lives. Here are a few tips to always remember.
Riding in Blind Spots
One of the most dangerous mistakes motorcyclists make is to linger in other driver’s blind spots. Motorcycles easily disappear in the invisible area between typical car and truck mirror coverage. Few drivers seem to practice head checks to determine if a lane change is safe. A motorcyclist is riding along, and all of a sudden a vehicle is com- ing into their lane. A rule of thumb is to ride through blind spots. Also, avoid changing lanes into a driver’s blind spot and position your motorcycle within your lane to ensure optimum visibility in traffic.
Trying to Keep Up
Group rides can be a lot of fun. But too many times, group rides turn sour as inexperienced or less skilled riders crash trying to keep up with the group. This often happens if a rider is afraid of losing touch with the group, or appears less capable than the others. It’s important for group leaders to have a plan that keeps the group together and to assure slower riders that they won’t be left behind. It’s also important for individuals to recognize when they are being influenced by the need to stay with the group.
Accelerating Through An Intersection
It is tempting to twist the throttle through an intersection to try and beat a red light. It’s a reflex many of us have, and even the smartest riders have been known to do it. The problem is that intersections are the number one location where crashes occur. It’s important to remember that motorcycles have small visual impact and can be lost in surrounding traffic. The small frontal profile not only makes us harder to see, it can also make it more difficult for others to judge our distance and approach speed. Keeping this in mind, you can see why drivers often pull out in front of motorcycles, thinking it is safe to proceed. The lesson here is that increasing your speed through intersections is a “bad idea”.
Stopping Too Close To the Vehicle In Front Of You
Too many riders position themselves poorly for escape when stopping behind vehicles at a stoplight or stop sign. in Give yourself plenty of room to maneuver case a driver approaching from the rear can’t stop in time. This means positioning your motorcycle well away from the vehicle in front and to one side (usually the left portion of your lane). This position allows room to move forward, past the car in front and has the added benefit of keeping your tires off the often slippery center part of the lane. Be sure to keep your eyes on your mirrors to monitor vehicles approaching from the rear. Keep your motorcycle in first gear so you can respond quickly if necessary.
Signaling Too Late
Miscommunication is a major cause of traffic related mishaps. One of the most common examples of this is slowing down or maneuvering before signaling your intent, which forces surrounding traffic to guess what you are up to. Well timed communication ensures that traffic around you is not surprised by your actions. Remember, simply rolling off the throttle may slow your motorcycle enough to require the typical car driver behind you to brake, but he doesn’t know what you are going to do. Signal three to five seconds prior to turning and activate your brake light early to alert drivers of a change in direction or speed.
Leaving Riding Gear At Home
It’s easy to leave your riding jacket, gloves, boots, or helmet on the shelf for a short trip to the local store or restaurant. But many crashes happen close to home, and at relatively low speeds. It doesn’t take much of an accident to render yourself brain dead without some head protection. And road rash is no laughing matter either; a simple low speed fall can do a lot of damage to your epidermis without the benefit of sturdy protection. Wide skin abrasion can easily turn into infection, and the risk of lethal septic shock. Do yourself a favor and make riding gear a habit, no matter how short the trip. Can you see how easy it is to pick up any of these BAD IDEAS? And how little effort it takes to turn them all into GOOD IDEAS!
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
Riding in Blind Spots
One of the most dangerous mistakes motorcyclists make is to linger in other driver’s blind spots. Motorcycles easily disappear in the invisible area between typical car and truck mirror coverage. Few drivers seem to practice head checks to determine if a lane change is safe. A motorcyclist is riding along, and all of a sudden a vehicle is com- ing into their lane. A rule of thumb is to ride through blind spots. Also, avoid changing lanes into a driver’s blind spot and position your motorcycle within your lane to ensure optimum visibility in traffic.
Trying to Keep Up
Group rides can be a lot of fun. But too many times, group rides turn sour as inexperienced or less skilled riders crash trying to keep up with the group. This often happens if a rider is afraid of losing touch with the group, or appears less capable than the others. It’s important for group leaders to have a plan that keeps the group together and to assure slower riders that they won’t be left behind. It’s also important for individuals to recognize when they are being influenced by the need to stay with the group.
Accelerating Through An Intersection
It is tempting to twist the throttle through an intersection to try and beat a red light. It’s a reflex many of us have, and even the smartest riders have been known to do it. The problem is that intersections are the number one location where crashes occur. It’s important to remember that motorcycles have small visual impact and can be lost in surrounding traffic. The small frontal profile not only makes us harder to see, it can also make it more difficult for others to judge our distance and approach speed. Keeping this in mind, you can see why drivers often pull out in front of motorcycles, thinking it is safe to proceed. The lesson here is that increasing your speed through intersections is a “bad idea”.
Stopping Too Close To the Vehicle In Front Of You
Too many riders position themselves poorly for escape when stopping behind vehicles at a stoplight or stop sign. in Give yourself plenty of room to maneuver case a driver approaching from the rear can’t stop in time. This means positioning your motorcycle well away from the vehicle in front and to one side (usually the left portion of your lane). This position allows room to move forward, past the car in front and has the added benefit of keeping your tires off the often slippery center part of the lane. Be sure to keep your eyes on your mirrors to monitor vehicles approaching from the rear. Keep your motorcycle in first gear so you can respond quickly if necessary.
Signaling Too Late
Miscommunication is a major cause of traffic related mishaps. One of the most common examples of this is slowing down or maneuvering before signaling your intent, which forces surrounding traffic to guess what you are up to. Well timed communication ensures that traffic around you is not surprised by your actions. Remember, simply rolling off the throttle may slow your motorcycle enough to require the typical car driver behind you to brake, but he doesn’t know what you are going to do. Signal three to five seconds prior to turning and activate your brake light early to alert drivers of a change in direction or speed.
Leaving Riding Gear At Home
It’s easy to leave your riding jacket, gloves, boots, or helmet on the shelf for a short trip to the local store or restaurant. But many crashes happen close to home, and at relatively low speeds. It doesn’t take much of an accident to render yourself brain dead without some head protection. And road rash is no laughing matter either; a simple low speed fall can do a lot of damage to your epidermis without the benefit of sturdy protection. Wide skin abrasion can easily turn into infection, and the risk of lethal septic shock. Do yourself a favor and make riding gear a habit, no matter how short the trip. Can you see how easy it is to pick up any of these BAD IDEAS? And how little effort it takes to turn them all into GOOD IDEAS!
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
Sunday, March 04, 2007
"Wild Hogs" Review
Last night Slick and I went a saw the new movie "Wild Hogs". We liked it and apparently everyone in the theater did too. I read a lot of reviews from some critics and they said the movie was childish and not worth the time and money to go see it. I guess I must still have some child left in me because I liked it and so did Slick.
The movie is not going to win any Academy Awards but it is a good movie. The bottom line is it is a good old buddy movie about 4 middle aged guys that start to wonder if there boring life's are over. So they take out on a week long motorycle trip across country. The movie has a lot of male humor that even Slick liked. There was a lot of out loud laughter from the audience in the theater. Which is something that I haven't heard in a movie in a long time.
There were a lot of bikers, couples and middle-aged people (like me) in the audience enjoying the movie. It was funny and I plan to buy the movie on DVD when it is released. I am sure there will be some bloopers on the DVD. I have seen some of the bloopers already and they are pretty funny too.
If you get a chance, checkout the movie. You might find it funny too. If not, you are probably not old enough to get the humor. That is sad! Below is the official Wild Hogs website:
http://wildhogs.movies.go.com/
Until next time and enjoy the ride.
Pappy
The movie is not going to win any Academy Awards but it is a good movie. The bottom line is it is a good old buddy movie about 4 middle aged guys that start to wonder if there boring life's are over. So they take out on a week long motorycle trip across country. The movie has a lot of male humor that even Slick liked. There was a lot of out loud laughter from the audience in the theater. Which is something that I haven't heard in a movie in a long time.
There were a lot of bikers, couples and middle-aged people (like me) in the audience enjoying the movie. It was funny and I plan to buy the movie on DVD when it is released. I am sure there will be some bloopers on the DVD. I have seen some of the bloopers already and they are pretty funny too.
If you get a chance, checkout the movie. You might find it funny too. If not, you are probably not old enough to get the humor. That is sad! Below is the official Wild Hogs website:
http://wildhogs.movies.go.com/
Until next time and enjoy the ride.
Pappy
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Uwharrie National Forest Road Trip
This morning I took off on a solo trip toward Uwharrie National Forest. It was a nice day to ride. The only thing was it was pretty windy. Some of the gust had to be as high as 30 mph. I took off from home on I-85 to highway 62. From 62 I branched off onto 22. 22 was a little longer than I thought and was out in the middle of some very nice farm country. It was mostly country roads, which is what I like to ride on most. I actually started second guesses my route and actually pulled over to check the map to make sure that I had not passed my exit off of 24. Like I said, 22 was further than I thought, but it turned out I was right on track.
After getting off of 22, I took 24 west and then headed toward the little town of Troy. I had been there before, but it was nice to go back through that area again. After leaving Troy I headrd further west on 24. Soon I was turning north onto 109. Troy and 109 takes you in the heart of the forest. The national forest is really nothing to look at, but it is a great place to ride. I saw a lot of bikers either entering or exiting the national forest.
Soon I headed back on I-85 toward home. The entire trip took about 3.5 hours. If the wind wasn't so bad it would have been perfect weather. Tomorrow is another story. The high is expected to be only 47 and very windy. That is why I took advantage of the 65 degree weather today.
Oh yeah, Slick and I plan to hit the theater today to see the movie "Wild Hogs". It hasn't gotten great reviews, but that is okay. We don't listen to critics anyway. The trailer still looks funny to us.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
After getting off of 22, I took 24 west and then headed toward the little town of Troy. I had been there before, but it was nice to go back through that area again. After leaving Troy I headrd further west on 24. Soon I was turning north onto 109. Troy and 109 takes you in the heart of the forest. The national forest is really nothing to look at, but it is a great place to ride. I saw a lot of bikers either entering or exiting the national forest.Soon I headed back on I-85 toward home. The entire trip took about 3.5 hours. If the wind wasn't so bad it would have been perfect weather. Tomorrow is another story. The high is expected to be only 47 and very windy. That is why I took advantage of the 65 degree weather today.
Oh yeah, Slick and I plan to hit the theater today to see the movie "Wild Hogs". It hasn't gotten great reviews, but that is okay. We don't listen to critics anyway. The trailer still looks funny to us.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
Friday, March 02, 2007
Chapter Meeting News
Last night at our chapter meeting in Archdale we had a pretty nice time and the turn out was great. We had a lot of visitors from all over the central part of the state trying to get 2 of the awards that we had. One was the couples award and the other was the central travelers award. Our chapter had both and of course everyone was after it. Below is a photo of the couple that got the couples award last night and our "Couple of the Year", Brian and Donna (they are cool ones in the hats) who presented it to them.
Speaking of hats and awards, Slick and I received an award too. Since this months theme was St. Patrick's Day, people were ask to dress up and be a little silly. So we thought, why not? So we put on our stuff and we won the best dressed. Below are 2 of our cool photos. I actually think we won because of the cool glasses and sexy hair. We dressed up like this and believe it or not we weren't even drinking.
Speaking of hats and awards, Slick and I received an award too. Since this months theme was St. Patrick's Day, people were ask to dress up and be a little silly. So we thought, why not? So we put on our stuff and we won the best dressed. Below are 2 of our cool photos. I actually think we won because of the cool glasses and sexy hair. We dressed up like this and believe it or not we weren't even drinking.
Another award that I presented was for the high mileage award for the month of February. Below is the list of the mileages. The winner this month was Greg and Kathy Permar.
1st Place: Greg and Kathy Permar - 725 miles
2nd Place: Roger and Angie Younce - 549 miles
3rd Place: Anthony Bond - 220 miles
4th Place: Joel and Mary Beth Roach - 210 miles
5th Place: Brian and Donna Vertefeuille - 153 miles
6th Place: Andrew and Vickie Butcher - 69 miles
7th Place: Lennie and Joy Maynor - 24 miles
8th Place: Craig and Melinda Virden - 10 miles
Actually I think Craig got all his miles from going back and forth checking his mail at the end of his driveway.
All in all we had a great time. It was a nice crowd and everyone seemed to have enjoyed themselves.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Old Liberty Road Ride
As most people know, I love to ride on the country roads. Most days, I take an hour or so ride in the country after work if I can. The other day my Goldwing mentor Graig, told me about a nice road called "Old Liberty Road" in Liberty NC. He told me it was a nice road with quite a few nice curves. He wasn't kidding. It was nice and curvy. It was just the type of road to practice riding on. So after work yesterday I took one of my favorite routes on interstate 85 to highway 62. Then I hit highway 421 south to Liberty. From there I hooked up with Old Liberty Road. It was a nice trip and only took about 1.5 hours. It was a nice leisurely trip and the weather was really nice. I recommend if any one gets a chance to ride on Old Liberty Road, they should do it. It is not the Tail of the Dragon, but it is still fun.
Also as a side note, I was able to put on about 549 miles for the month of February. That is not too bad when I have to consider I only got to ride about 2 weeks for the month. I expect March to be a good riding month. I have a couple of 200+ miles trips scheduled for the month. I expect to tack on 1000+ miles in March. I need to atleast beat my largest monthly total of 1090 that I had in January.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
Also as a side note, I was able to put on about 549 miles for the month of February. That is not too bad when I have to consider I only got to ride about 2 weeks for the month. I expect March to be a good riding month. I have a couple of 200+ miles trips scheduled for the month. I expect to tack on 1000+ miles in March. I need to atleast beat my largest monthly total of 1090 that I had in January.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
Friday, February 23, 2007
New Rider and Proud of It
As most people know I am a new biker and rider when it comes to motorcycles. With becoming a new biker I have learned a lot of things. One of the most important things I have learned is you can NEVER stop learning and practicing when it comes to riding a motorcycle. You see, when I started riding my GL1800 Goldwing (Big Red) on July 1 2004 I was pretty nervous. No, actually I was very nervous. I had been practicing with a small Honda Shadow 700 for about 2 months before jumping on my Goldwing and that was the best thing I could have ever done. I realized that no matter how much I ride or even how many years I ride, I will never get to the point where I feel completely comfortable riding a motorcycle. To me, that is a good thing. It will keep me sharp and on my toes. It will keep me alert and best of all; it will help me from killing me and my wife. I see some many riders that have been riding for years do some of the dumbest things. Many experienced riders speed, take unnecessary risks and worst of all set a poor example for the new riders that want to learn from them (Believe me motorcycle veterans, new riders are watching you). I just hope that I never get to the point where I set a poor example for other riders, family and friends that want to take up the great sport of motorcycle riding. I actually joined the GWRRA for the camaraderie, fun, but most of all safety. One of the best things I like to do is ride my motorcycle (Just ask my wife). I plan to keep reminding myself that I am a new and inexperienced rider and proud of it.
Until next time and enjoy the ride.
Pappy
Until next time and enjoy the ride.
Pappy
Monday, February 19, 2007
Coldest Ride Yet!
This morning I decided that I would ride into work because the high was supposed to get up to 50 degrees by the end of the day. So I got all my gear on and jumped on Big Red for a brisk ride to work. It was 19 degrees and my coldest day of riding to date. My body was fine but boy was my hands cold. I am seriously thinking about getting some heated gloves. I am not sure if I want to tough it out since the winter is almost over. Either way, by next winter, this rider is getting some heated gloves. Once I do, I will be able to handle any cold weather. You know the old saying, "There is no such thing as bad weather, if you have the right gear". I just need gloves!
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Practice, Practice, Practice...
Today I decided to do a little practicing in the parking lot at my favorite parking area, GTCC. It was a bit nippy for taking a ride today. The high only go 40 with a 10 to 20 gusting winds. So I figured the least I could do is bundle up and practice riding Big Red. I worked on stopping, quick stops and countersteering. I practiced for about 2 hours then it was time to head home and let my finger thaw out.
The bad news is the weather is not going to be good tomorrow either. The good news the high next weekend is expected to be in the low 60's. That is almost perfect by my standards. My favorite riding temperature is around 70. I should have some good riding weather in another month or so.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
The bad news is the weather is not going to be good tomorrow either. The good news the high next weekend is expected to be in the low 60's. That is almost perfect by my standards. My favorite riding temperature is around 70. I should have some good riding weather in another month or so.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Fighting the Winter Blues
Well, I have been gone for 3 weeks and I haven't got to ride in over 2 weeks. I hate that. Usually, winter isn't too bad for me. But, since I now have a motorcycle all I want to do is ride it. Of course, old man winter likes to prevent that when he can.
Today was the first time I have ridden in over 2 weeks. The highs got up to about 45. I took off from home around 1 pm. I decided to go do some practicing at the GTCC parking lot. I needed to practice some of the skills that Greg showed me. I could tell I was a little rusty. But in about 30 minutes I was doing okay. I got a little bored with the parking lot practice and decided to do about a hour drive on highway 62 and 421.
I then returned home to pick up Slick to go get a bike to eat. I could tell I haven't ridden Slick around in a while. I was REALLY rusty and it took be a couple stops to get use to riding her again. She could tell I was a little rusty too. After a while I was okay but did realize I am not the type of person where riding a bike is natural for me, yet. Of course, I will get better in time. Heck, I have only been riding for 9 months. I have a lot to learn and I need to practice every opportunity I get.
Tomorrow the high temperature is going to be around 60 when I get off work. Of course, I will be riding in the morning. I need to get in the miles when I can because on Tuesday, the bottom is going to fall out and we are expecting highs of in the low 30's the rest of the week. There is a good chance I will ride the rest of the week if there is no wet weather in the forecast. Hey, I can always dress for the cold, right.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
Today was the first time I have ridden in over 2 weeks. The highs got up to about 45. I took off from home around 1 pm. I decided to go do some practicing at the GTCC parking lot. I needed to practice some of the skills that Greg showed me. I could tell I was a little rusty. But in about 30 minutes I was doing okay. I got a little bored with the parking lot practice and decided to do about a hour drive on highway 62 and 421.
I then returned home to pick up Slick to go get a bike to eat. I could tell I haven't ridden Slick around in a while. I was REALLY rusty and it took be a couple stops to get use to riding her again. She could tell I was a little rusty too. After a while I was okay but did realize I am not the type of person where riding a bike is natural for me, yet. Of course, I will get better in time. Heck, I have only been riding for 9 months. I have a lot to learn and I need to practice every opportunity I get.
Tomorrow the high temperature is going to be around 60 when I get off work. Of course, I will be riding in the morning. I need to get in the miles when I can because on Tuesday, the bottom is going to fall out and we are expecting highs of in the low 30's the rest of the week. There is a good chance I will ride the rest of the week if there is no wet weather in the forecast. Hey, I can always dress for the cold, right.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Ride to VA for Chilli!
Today Slick and I took advantage of the nice 60+ degree sunny weather and rode to VA. The funny thing is that we rode all the way to VA for Wendy's chilli. What an excuse to ride, right?
The weather was great and we haven had the chance to ride in over a week due to me being out of town. I was really looking forward to riding today. I took advantage of the nice weather because I know we don't get too many great riding days in January. There was quite a few bikes out taking advantage of the weather too.
Today was also the last day I could tack on some more miles before the end of the month. I ended up with 1090 miles for the month. That is not bad for a guy that only got to ride about 2 and half weeks in January. Next month I should be able to do more since I am not scheduled to be out of town for few weeks. Of course, I plan to take advantage of that.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
The weather was great and we haven had the chance to ride in over a week due to me being out of town. I was really looking forward to riding today. I took advantage of the nice weather because I know we don't get too many great riding days in January. There was quite a few bikes out taking advantage of the weather too.
Today was also the last day I could tack on some more miles before the end of the month. I ended up with 1090 miles for the month. That is not bad for a guy that only got to ride about 2 and half weeks in January. Next month I should be able to do more since I am not scheduled to be out of town for few weeks. Of course, I plan to take advantage of that.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
Sunday, January 21, 2007
A Ride with My Son
Saturday was a great day for this dad. I got the opportunity to ride Big Red with my son, Jordan. Jordan and his wife Delta came out to visit Slick and I from Arkansas for the weekend. They also got an opportunity to spend some quality time with other family members. It was a great visit, but for me, it was riding Big Red with my son was the best time. Jordan and I took a nice one hour trip on some back roads and a couple of highways throughout Archdale, Greensboro and High Point.
It was the first time that Jordan got to ride on a motorcycle. He said he really enjoyed it. I know I did. Riding with Jordan is only topped by riding with Slick. Of course, both of them are most important people in my life and it is nice to be able to share our enjoyment of riding motorcycles together.
Now my next goal is to try and get my daughter-in-law and mother on the bike for little trip. That may take some time.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
It was the first time that Jordan got to ride on a motorcycle. He said he really enjoyed it. I know I did. Riding with Jordan is only topped by riding with Slick. Of course, both of them are most important people in my life and it is nice to be able to share our enjoyment of riding motorcycles together.
Now my next goal is to try and get my daughter-in-law and mother on the bike for little trip. That may take some time.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
Monday, January 15, 2007
Nice Weekend Trip to Chimney Rock NC
Well Saturday morning Slick and I started planning our Saturday trip (since it was going to be in the upper 60's). I had thought about taking her on the same route that I took Friday (without going all the way to SC), and then she suggested that we take off to an area that we visited a few years ago called "Chimney Rock". Chimney Rock is a popular tourist town about 30 miles southeast of Asheville, NC. It is a really nice place and we thought it would be a great place to ride. Before we left for the 170 mile (one way) trip we thought it would be cool to stay in Asheville for the night. So we packed up some clothes for the night and took off.
The weather at the start fo the trip was a little cool and Slick did pretty well handling it. We did stop about 1.5 hours into the ride for lunch and took a break. We decided to get some chilli from Wendy's. That warmed us up.
At the 103 exit off of I-40 we started heading southwest on 64 toward Lake Lure and Chimney rock. That is a nice country road. We rode it for about 30 miles until we came to highway 74 (Chimney Rock Rd). At that point we were heading into the tourist part of the trip. We expected a lot of shops to me closed and very few people. That was the case. Not having all that traffic made that part of the ride pretty fun and enjoyable.
Like I said, part of the Chimney Rock Rd trip was nice, however Slick may differ. The reason is Chimney Rock Rd is pretty curvy. It was a little more curvy than I remembered (my memory is not that great). However, it was fun. There is about 3 miles of road that is fun if you like to take the curves. I actually felt that I was on part of the Dragon Tail. I really can't imagine any curves being more curvy that those. Of course the Dragon Tail has over 300 curves on a 11 mile route.
After we left the Chimney Rock area we headed toward Lake Lure. It is a nice area and we saw a lot of bikers there. There were various places where other bikers were stopping to eat. We noticed there were a lot of them riding and enjoying the day just like us.
Later we headed northwest to Asheville to find a place to stop for the day. We stayed at a nice Hampton Inn in town. We decided to grab some food at Chilli's, take a little walk and then head back to the room for the evening. Of course, I watched football while Slick read.
On Sunday we got up after a nice relaxing night rest. We ate breakfast and departed the hotel around 9 am. Our plan was to be home by 1 pm. The weather was great for our start of the the ride and the weather got into the lower 70's by the afternoon. We had a great view of the mountains and the traffic was lite on I-40. We rode I-40 east until we got to 64 toward Mocksville. We took 64 to B85 and headed home. Once home, we unpacked, grabbed a bite to eat and relaxed for a few hours. Of course I had to take the time to give Big Red a bath. It looked pretty bad from the trip.
All-in-all, we had a great, relaxing weekend trip. We do plan to do more trips like this one. We plan to do more because that is why we got the bike in the first place. We got it to get away from daily stress life and live life. Motorcycling allows us to do that together. This past weekend we did that.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
The weather at the start fo the trip was a little cool and Slick did pretty well handling it. We did stop about 1.5 hours into the ride for lunch and took a break. We decided to get some chilli from Wendy's. That warmed us up.
At the 103 exit off of I-40 we started heading southwest on 64 toward Lake Lure and Chimney rock. That is a nice country road. We rode it for about 30 miles until we came to highway 74 (Chimney Rock Rd). At that point we were heading into the tourist part of the trip. We expected a lot of shops to me closed and very few people. That was the case. Not having all that traffic made that part of the ride pretty fun and enjoyable.
Like I said, part of the Chimney Rock Rd trip was nice, however Slick may differ. The reason is Chimney Rock Rd is pretty curvy. It was a little more curvy than I remembered (my memory is not that great). However, it was fun. There is about 3 miles of road that is fun if you like to take the curves. I actually felt that I was on part of the Dragon Tail. I really can't imagine any curves being more curvy that those. Of course the Dragon Tail has over 300 curves on a 11 mile route.
After we left the Chimney Rock area we headed toward Lake Lure. It is a nice area and we saw a lot of bikers there. There were various places where other bikers were stopping to eat. We noticed there were a lot of them riding and enjoying the day just like us.
Later we headed northwest to Asheville to find a place to stop for the day. We stayed at a nice Hampton Inn in town. We decided to grab some food at Chilli's, take a little walk and then head back to the room for the evening. Of course, I watched football while Slick read.
On Sunday we got up after a nice relaxing night rest. We ate breakfast and departed the hotel around 9 am. Our plan was to be home by 1 pm. The weather was great for our start of the the ride and the weather got into the lower 70's by the afternoon. We had a great view of the mountains and the traffic was lite on I-40. We rode I-40 east until we got to 64 toward Mocksville. We took 64 to B85 and headed home. Once home, we unpacked, grabbed a bite to eat and relaxed for a few hours. Of course I had to take the time to give Big Red a bath. It looked pretty bad from the trip.
All-in-all, we had a great, relaxing weekend trip. We do plan to do more trips like this one. We plan to do more because that is why we got the bike in the first place. We got it to get away from daily stress life and live life. Motorcycling allows us to do that together. This past weekend we did that.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
Friday, January 12, 2007
My Trip to South Carolina
Today I was off work so I thought I would take a little ride on Big Red. I wasn't too sure where I was going to ride and how long I would be gone. I think most bikers that like to ride are like that. It is not the destination, it is the ride. So around 10 am I suited up with my cold weather gear (it was a little brisk) and grabbed my NC map.
I headed toward Thomasville on highway 85. From there I headed south on 109 toward a national forest in NC called "Uwharrie National Forest". I figured that would be cool place to start because they had some nice back roads I could try. The ride through that area was pretty nice. There was very little traffic and I imagine the scenery would have been pretty nice if I wasn't riding in the middle of winter and all the trees had their leaves. I did see some colorful orange vest that some road construction works were sporting. So there was some color on the trip. One more thing I noticed going down south from Thomasville, there were cops every where. I wasn't sure if they were looking for someone or the cops were filming an episode of cops. Either way, if you decide to take 109 south, watchout!
Anyway, as I stayed on 109, I started thinking (or trying to remember) how far I needed to go before I turned around and headed back home. My map was in the trunk and I was too lazy to stop and get it out and look at it. So about 2 hrs into the ride I started thinking how nice it was just to be riding. So I decided to keep heading south. I continued on 109 and before I knew it I looked up and I had crossed the South Carolina border. That was a little further south than I had planned to go. But I thought, what the heck, keep going, but start heading east so you can find a good road to head back north to North Carolina.
Once I entered SC, I did start heading east even though the road signs said 9 South (did I mention the map was in my truck?). After about 30 minutes I located highway 1, which I knew would get me heading north toward Rockingham NC (all you big NASCAR fans know where that is). Once I got on highway 1/220 I knew I had about 75 miles before I would be home.
On the trip I saw some nice small towns like Troy, Denton, and Wadesboro. I have to admit a lot of the towns I went through were pretty poor. I also noticed there was a lot of cotton farms around those towns. Even though towns were small and old they were nice to travel through. I just would not want to live there.
All-in-all, the trip took me 5 hours and I put on 260 miles. The only thing missing was Slick. She had to work.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
I headed toward Thomasville on highway 85. From there I headed south on 109 toward a national forest in NC called "Uwharrie National Forest". I figured that would be cool place to start because they had some nice back roads I could try. The ride through that area was pretty nice. There was very little traffic and I imagine the scenery would have been pretty nice if I wasn't riding in the middle of winter and all the trees had their leaves. I did see some colorful orange vest that some road construction works were sporting. So there was some color on the trip. One more thing I noticed going down south from Thomasville, there were cops every where. I wasn't sure if they were looking for someone or the cops were filming an episode of cops. Either way, if you decide to take 109 south, watchout!
Anyway, as I stayed on 109, I started thinking (or trying to remember) how far I needed to go before I turned around and headed back home. My map was in the trunk and I was too lazy to stop and get it out and look at it. So about 2 hrs into the ride I started thinking how nice it was just to be riding. So I decided to keep heading south. I continued on 109 and before I knew it I looked up and I had crossed the South Carolina border. That was a little further south than I had planned to go. But I thought, what the heck, keep going, but start heading east so you can find a good road to head back north to North Carolina.
Once I entered SC, I did start heading east even though the road signs said 9 South (did I mention the map was in my truck?). After about 30 minutes I located highway 1, which I knew would get me heading north toward Rockingham NC (all you big NASCAR fans know where that is). Once I got on highway 1/220 I knew I had about 75 miles before I would be home.
On the trip I saw some nice small towns like Troy, Denton, and Wadesboro. I have to admit a lot of the towns I went through were pretty poor. I also noticed there was a lot of cotton farms around those towns. Even though towns were small and old they were nice to travel through. I just would not want to live there.
All-in-all, the trip took me 5 hours and I put on 260 miles. The only thing missing was Slick. She had to work.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Real Riders!
Well I rode to work this morning and it was just so brisky. The temp was around 27 and it was a nice clear morning. On the way to work I was thinking about what I saw on the way home yesterday. I saw a REAL motorcyclist and he seemed to battling the weather just fine. The kicker was he was on a MOPED!
Now, let me get this straight. We have all types of riders in the motorcycle world and I don't see too many riding this time of year. What is up with that? This MOPED warrior had no windshield and none the comforts of a Wing and he was still riding load and proud.
So my questions is, where are all the Harleys, crotch rockets, etc...? Heck, where are all my fellow Goldwingers? The morning rides are not that bad. You just need some nice winter weather gear and a love to ride. Besides, I ask myself everyday, when it comes to the temp, "How low can I go?"
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
Now, let me get this straight. We have all types of riders in the motorcycle world and I don't see too many riding this time of year. What is up with that? This MOPED warrior had no windshield and none the comforts of a Wing and he was still riding load and proud.
So my questions is, where are all the Harleys, crotch rockets, etc...? Heck, where are all my fellow Goldwingers? The morning rides are not that bad. You just need some nice winter weather gear and a love to ride. Besides, I ask myself everyday, when it comes to the temp, "How low can I go?"
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Never too Old
I forgot the mention that at the Chapter B-2 meeting Slick and I got a chance to see a rare sight. We got to see a 93 year old lady that is a Goldwing motorcycle rider. One of our chapter members (Johnny/Cool Hand Luke) pointed her out to us. I have always been impressed with Johnny since he is in his 70's and still rights just about everyday. But last night the little old lady really impressed me. The funny thing about her was that when she started wanting to ride some other riders said they would get her a helmet. She said, I will pick out my own helmet. You have to love that about her.
To me it was a chance to see someone that is living and wanting to enjoy life. And what a better way to stay young than traveling with friends on a Goldwing. Life is good and of course, you can learn a lot from your elders. Heck, they is way I am still learning from my old buddy, Craig!
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
To me it was a chance to see someone that is living and wanting to enjoy life. And what a better way to stay young than traveling with friends on a Goldwing. Life is good and of course, you can learn a lot from your elders. Heck, they is way I am still learning from my old buddy, Craig!
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
Chapter B-2 Visit
Last night Slick and I visited GWRRA Chapter B-2 in Winston Salem for the first time. They had a pretty good size chapter and we met a couple of really nice people. The meeting was held at a place called "Yacht House Seafood". The food looked pretty good, however Slick and I ate at a fine Mexican joint called "Taco Bell" prior to getting there. Maybe you have heard of Taco Bell.
Speaking of eating, if you ever want to eat great food and blow your diet (if you are on one) join a GWRRA chapter. Goldwing riders love to eat and will find any excuse to eat. I have thought about suggesting a ride to the mountains this spring (which involves no food) to take a 2 or 3 mile hike on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Then I started thinking if I do, I may be banded from the GWRRA organization for life. Oh well, I guess I will continue the rides and grab a salad where ever we stop to eat. That would be better than finding my butt and blad head on the side of the road dead of a heart attack from eating too much great tasting fried foods.
At the meeting, B-2 did the usually Goldwing chapter stuff. They did the 50/50 drawing, talked about upcoming rides/events, and gave away the door prizes. Speaking of door prizes, if you ever want to get rid of stuff you have that you don't like or need to clean our your food pantry, join a Goldwing chapter (guess where the door prizes come from). Just make sure if you do get a prize at a chapter meeting and it turns out it was something you turned in as a door prize, act excited. I
One of the things that was mentioned at B-2's meeting was that they are trying to support the Victory Junction Gang by making checkered teddy bears for the people that go the the VJG programs. It is not cheap. A lady from B-2 who does a lot of sewing said she would make the bears (a gift that all participants receive who go there), but it would cost about $7.50 to make just one bear. For the year, VJG needs about 1600 bears. Several of the people from the gathering last night did pitch in some money to help her get started in buying the materials. We pitched in too. It's good to give!
The meeting was nice. We met a few good people. Heard a few cool motorcycle stories and hooked up with a few members of our own group that were there. All-in-all it was a good time.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
Speaking of eating, if you ever want to eat great food and blow your diet (if you are on one) join a GWRRA chapter. Goldwing riders love to eat and will find any excuse to eat. I have thought about suggesting a ride to the mountains this spring (which involves no food) to take a 2 or 3 mile hike on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Then I started thinking if I do, I may be banded from the GWRRA organization for life. Oh well, I guess I will continue the rides and grab a salad where ever we stop to eat. That would be better than finding my butt and blad head on the side of the road dead of a heart attack from eating too much great tasting fried foods.
At the meeting, B-2 did the usually Goldwing chapter stuff. They did the 50/50 drawing, talked about upcoming rides/events, and gave away the door prizes. Speaking of door prizes, if you ever want to get rid of stuff you have that you don't like or need to clean our your food pantry, join a Goldwing chapter (guess where the door prizes come from). Just make sure if you do get a prize at a chapter meeting and it turns out it was something you turned in as a door prize, act excited. I
One of the things that was mentioned at B-2's meeting was that they are trying to support the Victory Junction Gang by making checkered teddy bears for the people that go the the VJG programs. It is not cheap. A lady from B-2 who does a lot of sewing said she would make the bears (a gift that all participants receive who go there), but it would cost about $7.50 to make just one bear. For the year, VJG needs about 1600 bears. Several of the people from the gathering last night did pitch in some money to help her get started in buying the materials. We pitched in too. It's good to give!
The meeting was nice. We met a few good people. Heard a few cool motorcycle stories and hooked up with a few members of our own group that were there. All-in-all it was a good time.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
Monday, January 08, 2007
Great Reading!
Man, did I hit the jack pot! A couple from our chapter recently sold their bike and trailor and will no longer be a part of our group. Of course they will be missed and we wish them the best. As part of their departure from the Goldwing family they asked if any one was interested in all the past issues of the Wing World magazines that they had collected. Of course I jumped all over that offer. They were giving away all the issues they had and some of them were as far back as 1998.
So yesterday I picked up the box of Wing World magazines and dropped them in front to Slick. Those of you that know Slick might not be aware that she loves to read. So she grabbed a bunch of the magazines started reading. She was really getting into reading the stories of others trips. I never thought I would see the day when my wife would be reading motorcycle magazines. She won't admit it but she has the motorcycle bug.
Later in the day, Slick and I took a break from our day and started reading the magazines together. We shared the stories that we read and plan to give the magazines to others that may want to read them too (after we read them first, of course).
In closing I just want to say thanks Jay for the great collections of magazines. You have made mine and Slick's day. Actually, you have made our weeks to come. It will take us that long to read all the magazines. But that's okay. We are up for the challenge.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
So yesterday I picked up the box of Wing World magazines and dropped them in front to Slick. Those of you that know Slick might not be aware that she loves to read. So she grabbed a bunch of the magazines started reading. She was really getting into reading the stories of others trips. I never thought I would see the day when my wife would be reading motorcycle magazines. She won't admit it but she has the motorcycle bug.
Later in the day, Slick and I took a break from our day and started reading the magazines together. We shared the stories that we read and plan to give the magazines to others that may want to read them too (after we read them first, of course).
In closing I just want to say thanks Jay for the great collections of magazines. You have made mine and Slick's day. Actually, you have made our weeks to come. It will take us that long to read all the magazines. But that's okay. We are up for the challenge.
Until next time and enjoy the ride!
Pappy
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