Double posted from a local forum and ADVrider.com-
Ok, so the only thing to have died on my ride were several thousand big and small bugs and insects. At one point, just before Bitterwater Rd, I was getting pelted by some fairly large, hard shelled suckers and I had my flip face up, my lips, cheeks and neck got beat to hell before I could get the chin bar down. I just picked up a new jacket pants combo and got to see I have all these pretty colors of bug guts, blueish, green and some seriously strange orange colored guts...
Hard to believe it is February with this glorious weather we are having, the temp sensor on my bike on the return trip hit 82 degrees, nice!!
The large swatches of flowers were already putting out a very fragrant smell along 25 and that just makes the ride all that much better, I really hope we get five months of this kind of weather; it can rain all weekdays.
I still consider myself newb with regards to street riding, the 42 years of dirt riding gives a bit of credibility but many things do not translate to the street from dirt. With the knee injury still healing, my time in the seat has not been at all what I had planned back in June of 2012; such is life. Today I was able to critique my riding and realized I was focusing too much on the actual corner and not relaxing and looking through the apex, once I got that through my head and relaxed, I had the most glorious day going to and from Coalinga on those fabulous roads, hwy 25 and 198. At one point, just before the 198 turn off, I was going into a fairly tight left hander, and as I transitioned from the right to left my left foot hit something and it startled me, until I realized my boot slider had hit asphalt, made me laugh in my helmet and that was my first time ever touching down in that manner.
With the knee injury my aerobic ability has taken quite a hit and doing 323 miles had me kind of pewped, a good kind of pewped. Hoping tomorrow is even nicer as I plan on finding some other fun roads to go explore.
I also realize that as much as I like taking pictures when out and about, I hate stopping my ride to get a picture. There were so many great shots to be had and I just could not be bothered to find a parking spot, tear off some gear, unload the camera, grab a couple shots, once riding I just want to ride. I did grab a couple shots just past the 198\25 turn off, needed to hydrate and walk the knee off a bit. My pictures suck but at least they capture the moment.
Here is the beast all buttered up in bug guts-
In my defense, some of the best opportunities to capture the best curvy sections had no safe places to pull off and with everything so green and lush, I wasn't risking it with a bad knee for a potential photo. I feel badly for those buried in snow and praying for sunshine.
Ok, so the only thing to have died on my ride were several thousand big and small bugs and insects. At one point, just before Bitterwater Rd, I was getting pelted by some fairly large, hard shelled suckers and I had my flip face up, my lips, cheeks and neck got beat to hell before I could get the chin bar down. I just picked up a new jacket pants combo and got to see I have all these pretty colors of bug guts, blueish, green and some seriously strange orange colored guts...
Hard to believe it is February with this glorious weather we are having, the temp sensor on my bike on the return trip hit 82 degrees, nice!!
The large swatches of flowers were already putting out a very fragrant smell along 25 and that just makes the ride all that much better, I really hope we get five months of this kind of weather; it can rain all weekdays.
I still consider myself newb with regards to street riding, the 42 years of dirt riding gives a bit of credibility but many things do not translate to the street from dirt. With the knee injury still healing, my time in the seat has not been at all what I had planned back in June of 2012; such is life. Today I was able to critique my riding and realized I was focusing too much on the actual corner and not relaxing and looking through the apex, once I got that through my head and relaxed, I had the most glorious day going to and from Coalinga on those fabulous roads, hwy 25 and 198. At one point, just before the 198 turn off, I was going into a fairly tight left hander, and as I transitioned from the right to left my left foot hit something and it startled me, until I realized my boot slider had hit asphalt, made me laugh in my helmet and that was my first time ever touching down in that manner.
With the knee injury my aerobic ability has taken quite a hit and doing 323 miles had me kind of pewped, a good kind of pewped. Hoping tomorrow is even nicer as I plan on finding some other fun roads to go explore.
I also realize that as much as I like taking pictures when out and about, I hate stopping my ride to get a picture. There were so many great shots to be had and I just could not be bothered to find a parking spot, tear off some gear, unload the camera, grab a couple shots, once riding I just want to ride. I did grab a couple shots just past the 198\25 turn off, needed to hydrate and walk the knee off a bit. My pictures suck but at least they capture the moment.
Here is the beast all buttered up in bug guts-
In my defense, some of the best opportunities to capture the best curvy sections had no safe places to pull off and with everything so green and lush, I wasn't risking it with a bad knee for a potential photo. I feel badly for those buried in snow and praying for sunshine.
you son of a bitch.... :::
