Well the leafs have begun to fall here in scenic Rainchester. Once again my thoughts are turning to snow blowers dirty boots and the constant scraping of windshields. I'm hoping to get at least one more day in for a decent ride. I have put a grand total of 700 miles on my beloved bike thus far this year which I consider a complete washout.

Hopefully next year will yield a better than average riding season. Lots of sunshine and fair weather to make up for this dismal summer.

Spence

Ya, I hear you. I hope to get in one or two more rides myself. I just installed my new handlebars and grips today. The old bars got bent earlier this summer in a low-speed lowside. I also have a new shield that I never bothered to mount because the bars were bent. Maybe I'll be lucky and get in one ride with the new shield if I install over this coming rainy weekend. I was able to put on about 2,500 miles this season which ain't bad beacuse I also have a Suzuki. I hope ya get to ride more next season.

Hopefully the weather will cooperate. Every day I could ride, it rained. Next year.

I put a little over 2000 miles on "Surak" this year. Learned how to ride in the rain too! Not too shabby for my first season of riding. I'm going to be packing it in for the year pretty soon. Any tips on how to store him safely for the winter so I can do it again next year?! Here's hopin' the weather is more cooperative!

Winter Storage for Motorcycles
Tech article for us
http://www.clarity.net/~adam/winter-storage.html

Im gonna be riding as much as possible this cold season. Im gathering as much leather that I can get my hands on. I figure Ill miss a couple weeks here and there but for the most part Im gonna ride.

[QUOTE=talie] I'm going to be packing it in for the year pretty soon. QUOTE]

Ma' Lady,
I'm sorry to hear the season is coming to an end for you. I do wish you many snowy evenings by the fire, fondly remembering those pleasant rides through the countryside, and dreaming of rides yet to come.

Hope the boys are doing well, and its good to hear from you again.

I have put about the same miles on my bike as Spence has this year, though I have only had my Endorsement since the 19th of September. I had great plans to ride all the twisty highways around my area (which there are quit a few of) but I have been in the middle of remodeling a new house since February and have worked every evening and weekend on it so I haven't had the time. I still have a ton of work to do so rides will have to wait. I was planning to ride the Talamena drive this weekend, but the wife decided to go out of town with my sisters and mother, so I get to babysit instead. If you ever get a chance to ride the Talamena drive here in Oklahoma you should: Spectacular views and winding road through the Kiamichi Mountains of Oklahoma. Yes, Oklahoma has mountains their just not big ones. Hopefully I will get the chance before it gets to cold but with Oklahoma weather you never know.

I have not yet gave up, I rode a total of aprox. 8000 miles this summer, and rode another 60 yesterday, but this may have been my last day, hoping for good weather this next weekend, but with the oncoming rain, cant count on it. it has been around 40 degrees every morning lately, and on the warmer days rain....so sad, may have to give it up for the winter soon.
:(
beavis

Everyone has to buck up a little out there, up here in the North we don't put the bike away till it is below freezing most of the time, or when the snow sticks.


JOB

Really! So like you are calling them whimps - right? ;-) Last year I rode right up to Thanksgiving... Cold and rain doesn't stop me, but snow and the sand and the salt on the road does. I started riding again in early march. I've put on about 8,000 so far this year..

RB
Binghamton NY.

Everyone has to buck up a little out there, up here in the North we don't put the bike away till it is below freezing most of the time, or when the snow sticks.


JOB

OK I'm a weenie. But it's awful hard to lug computer gear around in your saddlebags after lat october or so.

Spence

Not winterized yet, waiting for one more good stretch

I took both my scoots out today for rides. It was very overcast and about 55 F - not great riding weather. I then winterized both of 'em (Stabil in the gas/carbs and fresh 10W40 for winter storage).

Is it April yet?

Decent ride today. Tomorrow will be 68 and sunny. Rest of the week looks pretty good too. Not ready to winterize yet.

I was ready to winterize, but I haven't yet. Thought that we might still get a nice day or so and one last ride in for the season. Today it was 71 degrees here in western PA... but I didnt ride. I'm pretty shaken up by a bad accident that one of my friends from Steel City VROC had on his Vulcan last weekend. He's in the hospital in Pittsburgh with a severe brain injury. The good news is they were able to take him off the ventilator today and he's breathing on his own. He was wearing a helmet that was not DOT approved and it flew off on impact and his head apparently slammed into a guard rail. His skull is fractured but I guess they had to open his skull even further to relive pressure from the swelling of his brain. His face is still badly swollen, eyes swollen totally shut and the most response he's given in the last 4 days is to slightly squeeze the hands of family members and make a little movement. "Chef" Rob is a really nice young man and if you are the kind of person who prays, say one for him, if you would, that he makes a complete recovery and hasn't sustained permanant damage to his brain.
Though the weather has been nice, this cast a shadow over my enthusiasm for riding right now. It somehow seems like it would be disrespectful to be out enjoying the bike when a really great guy like that (and a far more experienced rider) is lying there fighting for his life.

Though the weather has been nice, this cast a shadow over my enthusiasm for riding right now. It somehow seems like it would be disrespectful to be out enjoying the bike when a really great guy like that (and a far more experienced rider) is lying there fighting for his life.

I tend to disagree with this, especially when it concerns someone that loves to ride. If anything, I'd be out riding some miles for them, knowing that their spirit is with me in some way. Of course your mind as to be set for the ride and not dwelling on the hazards and what happened to them. We ride with caution and always alert, if you have your mind on other things, it's bst to let the bike sit for another day and more good news of their recovery.
Thoughts and prayers are with him for a complete recovery.

Talie,

Sorry to hear about your friend. I agree with Dianna. If it were me I would want everyone to go out and take a long safe ride for me. I would not want them not to ride because of my accident. Live to Ride, Ride to Live is what it is about for most of us.

RB

Ma' Lady,
I would have to agree with the others. Maybe even take it one step farther and go polish your ride bell and reflect on the great times this and many other riders have had. Yes we all feel a lose when one of our friends is lost or injured, but that sorrow can be turned around to celibrate their good times.

Chin up, and positive thoughts. Thats how we get thru the tuff times. My prayers are with your friend and you.

Talie,

I'm so sorry about your friend. It's always crushing when something like this happens to someone we know personally. Aside from hoping for his full recovery I hope, somehow, this will help others understand the importance of wearing DOT or Snell approved helmets. 3/4, full face, either would have significantly reduced his injuries.

On a happier note, it was a lovely day here today. We're in between storm fronts. It was sunny, high 50's, low 60's and I got some good riding time in today. I've discovered the wonderful thing called a balaclava. It's thin and fits under my helmet. I wasn't sure something so thin would make a difference, but it sure does. It keeps the cold air that was sneaking around my visor off my forehead and keeps that pesky breeze from freezing my neck. Once my new pants show up, I should be good to go as long as the temperature stays above 40. Or maybe 45 :)

talie,

I hope your friend makes a full recovery.

As Ironman pointed out, I hope this influences at least some riders to wear a DOT approved 3/4 or full face helmet. IMO it's the right tool for the job - period! I ride with a guy who was hit by car at slow speed in rush hour traffic. He's ok but was one giant bruise for a week. His face would have been torn and mangled had it not been for his full face HJC. He was also riding during rush hour on a very busy road in downtown Detroit which none of his riding buddies, myself included, would have been on at that time. He no longer rides that route home.