FINALLY!

[PitterB4]

Finally some decent weather here in the Mid-Atlantic!  Got to ride the last 5 days in a row - 400 miles or so.  Felt great!  Kawi is running damn near perfect.  Makes me yet again question why the hell I live here where there is a "riding season."  Hope everyone else is getting out and being safe!

[Red01]

   I haven't managed to get out for the year's first ride until yesterday.  Granted, we've had nice enough weather before that, but things conspired against me until yesterday.

Normally, I commute by bus and won't leave my bike at a park-n-ride, so I cage it to the bus stop.  But with the nice weather - and no commitments after work that required the cage, I was able to break out the B12 for the commute to work... then just a little before 9AM, I get a call from Bobcat in Eastern WA.  He wants to meet me in Winthrop for lunch.  Didn't have to ask twice for a trip over the North Cascades Hiway on a nice day!  As soon I hung up, I was talking to my supervisor.  Just told him something had come up and I had to go right away.  Great ride!  Racked up ~350 miles and my bike rolled past the 50,000 mile mark. 

[Bobcat]

Nice to get out. We should start doing this every Friday--I need to get into riding shape. It was about 550 miles for me, and I was sore.

[PitterB4]

Sounds great, guys!  I'm jealous.  A ride that doesn't have a purpose - like getting to work or a baseball game - hasn't happened for me in way too long. 

Congrats on the half-century, Paul.  I'll hit the quarter mark on the Kawi here in a month or so. 

[Red01]

Sometimes you gotta just play hookey from work Rob and
GET OUT AND RIDE FOR THE SAKE OF THE RIDE! 
It's worth it! 

You could use a sick day and take off for your mental health. We all know that's legit.  Isn't it why most of us ride?
Might be easier than getting a day off from family weekend duties.

[PitterB4]

Paul - you're so right.  I need to talk one of my riding buds into playing hookie for the day.  Soon!  My (cough, cough) mental health days lately have been to catch up on yard work or to get to a kid function... but I deserve a day to get out and wring out the Kawi.  Hell, my rear tire has probably a thousand miles on it and still has a chicken strip on the left side!  (there's a good ramp on my commute that got the right)

[mademiriam]

+1 on the mental health day!
Mind you I didn't take my own advice and went for my first 'real' ride only yesterday. It seems that between house/yard work, family weekend activities/homework/play dates, and of course actual work that pays the bills I'm getting old and boring and not riding much anymore... 

[PitterB4]

Well... I at least got a good lunch time ride in yesterday.     Chicken strips.... gone!  Gotta get out more. 

[willo]

Feel sorry for you blokes,I ride everyday down here in Aus

[Slider]

It is always a joy to get out the first time! I don't know why, but I think it is true. Maybe it occurs because thats the same time the short shorts appear... but I think that's just icing on the cake.
Bikes are a lot of fiddling, cleaning, expense and a more. My previous ride started have age troubles, (XS11 Yamaha -transverse 4 shafter, no fairing model). It became ever harder to obtain spare parts. Each year, I cleaned and pimped it and some years with the intention of selling it as I'm getting old. D'you know what? One ride to prover 'er out on a spring day and all thoughts of hanging up the helmet...    vanished!

I obviously bought a Bandit, but the above no longer occurs.

Cheers and long tire life to all!

[smooth operator]

 I hear ya brother, I caught onto this post a little late,but thats about when I hit the road too. Had the Bandit out a couple times for 100 miles or less. Had the SV out for a 100 miler,then a 200miler and lastly a 300 miler. Took the street tires back off yesterday(on the SV) and got it ready for a track day @ Nelson Ledges next Sat(5/30) in the expert class. I'll have the B12 for comuting,but I probably won't use it much on account of hauling my tools back and forth. Unless you live in some awsome twisty roads,seems like theres just way too much traveling for so little twisties around here. Theres just nothing like the track! But I'm still hoping to do a overnighter this year somewhere around Wellsboro,Pa. (The Pa grand Canyon),the Susquhana State forest, good roads around Emporium Pa(coming back my way.) Everything always seems to be about work schedule and check book balance. It goes out as quick as I can bring it in.
  I also got alot done around the home. Gave my wife a bunch of crap! (actully 6yards of aged mushroom compost) disced,spread shit,rototilled. So far she's done all the planting,thats fine with me.

[PitterB4]

Dan - there are some fantastic roads and great scenery between Emporium and Wellsboro.  Let me know when you head out that way.  Been wanting to take the bike out there for years.

[smooth operator]

Dan - there are some fantastic roads and great scenery between Emporium and Wellsboro.  Let me know when you head out that way.  Been wanting to take the bike out there for years.

  Absalutly! Looking at my topo map,just east of Emporium there some interesting looking rds going up the mnt side and Ridge rd that runs the top. But I'm not sure if they're paved or not. Might even see some elk.