Don't have an account yet? You can create one. As a registered user you have some advantages like theme manager, comments configuration and post comments with your name.
Joined: Jan 05, 2009 Posts: 622 Location: Michigan
Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:55 am Post subject: Thrilling days of yesteryear
Many years ago, when living near the New York, Vermont border the word Equinox meant a place where the thrill of annual and monthly hill climbing events took place, along with such other places as Grafton Vt. and Laconia N.H. Many years and good times were had at those places, hard to pass on Laconia when it's only 165 miles away. The wife and I went there a few years back for the 80th. I've been a midwesterner since the mid 70s and things really have changed, used to be you could camp along the highway about anywhere, and I was there but not in attendance at the Wiers Beach riots, involving some outlaw clubs and invoked alledgedly by college kids, who knows?
Things have changed for me now as Equinox means different Happenings. We just had the autumnal equinox, signaling once again that riding season is over for me and many others. Also the start of assorted "chores" related to the season, some gather firewood, others rake leaves and take A/C units out of windows, and repair the long forgoten snow thrower.
But, all is not lost, the riding season isn't really over, leastways till the snow falls, and heck, theres always Indian summer, those few really nice days when the leaves turn and show the colors of nature, for some of us there is hunting season and for me, my annual Thanksgiving day ride, no matter the temperature, snow and ice have kept me from doing so a couple of times, but it is an annual pilgrimage, if only till my cheeks are numb.
On the upside of this is the fact that many of us have allready secured a project bike for the indoor days of winter, I'm still looking. Those that don't have the project will undoubtedly, polish, do tune-ups, change tires and the miriad of accustomed things that come with ownership of our 2 wheeled companions. My hats off to those of you who chose places where the riding season doesn't end and to those who around this big floating sphere we are on are actually starting to see Spring arrive. What it all comes down to is have fun, and get those bikes going....Blue
Joined: Feb 23, 2007 Posts: 1043 Location: Orlando, FL
Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 12:41 pm Post subject:
Here in hot hot HOT central FL, it means that the worst of the summer heat is over, and I can get back out on the bike to ride to work!
In August and most of September, the temperature at the traffic light just outside my building (the one it takes me 3 full light changes to get thru) at 5pm must be 110 degrees with the usual 95% summer humidity. Ugh.
Soon, it'll be cooling off and the PLEASANT riding season (until about next June) begins...
Joined: Oct 03, 2005 Posts: 1595 Location: Marshall, MI
Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 1:54 pm Post subject: Ride until your balls are blue
I'll never forget the year of 2003 when Tom and I rode every month throughout the year. There were some beautiful days in Nov. and Dec. but Feb was difficult. Found a sunny day when the roads had melted and were primarily dry and had a ball. A goldwing looks awesome with banks of snow in the background. Ride on Blue. (I need to get over your way and take a ride with you, damnit life is so busy.) _________________ You only go around once in life, but if you do it right, once is enough!
Joined: Jan 05, 2009 Posts: 622 Location: Michigan
Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 2:05 pm Post subject: beat the heat
I do know about Florida, got a friend that lives in (pardon me if I mess this up) Weeki-Watchee Springs on the western side, I was down there to see him and his family a few years back, in July and he couldn't be dragged out of the A/C. And yeah, Steve, we will get together someday, but as it stands right now, I'm leaning towards spring for that ride.......Blue I know how "busy" gets, going through that myself right now.
I guess it's the thrilling days of yester year that got me back into cycling after thirty some odd years. That plus the fact that my Sweetie gave it her OK. She is enjoying riding behind me as much as I am enjoying driving her around. You ought to see us get off the bike after a hour ride. Sweetie and I will be spending our first winter in Florida starting in January, staying till March.
I told her ( half kidding )I'll be looking for something to ride while we are there. She thinks I'm nuts. We'll see.
Back in 1965 I had an Army buddy ride his Honda S90 from Huntsville Alabama to Cleveland and back on his Christmas leave.
I still talk to him about our riding days. Him on his S90 and me on my 125 Dream.
Thanks for the reminder of the good old days Blue. _________________ Flyboy
I didn´t do it, you didn´t see me do it, you can´t prove anything. Bart Simpson
Joined: Mar 21, 2009 Posts: 52 Location: Adelaide, SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 5:07 pm Post subject: Re: Thrilling days of yesteryear
Blue wrote:
... My hats off to those of you ... who around this big floating sphere we are on are actually starting to see Spring arrive...
I might go for a nice, long, warm ride down the south coast on the next warm weekend in honour of all you poor Northern Hemispherians that are sinking slowly into winter. Will let you know how many lambs are in the paddocks and how many sunny, happy riders are on the road.
Joined: Jan 05, 2009 Posts: 622 Location: Michigan
Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 5:07 pm Post subject: hey, you are welcome.
So, it's off to Florida, is it? My good friend John and his wife do the same, he leaves his V-Max behind and says I can take it out while he's gone, some pal, eh! Curious about the "flyboy" John flies as do several friends and I am going to try for a pilots license in the sping, so was just wondering if you do that also...Blue
That will be quite enough cloudsparrow, I might (should I ever learn to post) send a picture of the beautiful beach at Lake Michigan in January.....Blue
Joined: Oct 03, 2005 Posts: 1595 Location: Marshall, MI
Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 6:39 pm Post subject:
Heck, let's all go to Australia for the winter. Cloudsparrow will put us up and get us all bikes to ride!! _________________ You only go around once in life, but if you do it right, once is enough!
The Flyboy monicker comes from two interests. Flying and flyfishing. I sold my Honda 305 scrambler many years ago so that I could get enough money to finish up my privaet pilots license. I'm not current any longer but still enjoy some stick time from time to time when I ride with friends. I'm a member of the Elkhart In. EAA chapter and have helped in the construction of several homebuilt aircraft. The flyfishing started about ten years ago. I still can't cast well but enjoy the heck out of wetting a fly here in Northern Indiana/Southern Michigan, also Northern Michigan on the AuSable and Manistee Rivers.
Blue, if you are thinking about taking flying lessons, look into the Sport Pilot License. It is the easiest way to start flying and you don't have to worry about passinf a flight physical. If I ever get active active again, I'll fly under the Sport Pilot rules.
Going to Australia sounds good to me, especially if we can get Cloudy to put a bunch of Yanks up for the winter and find bikes for us to ride. I'd even like to learn how to speek Ausie. Oh, and make mine a Fosters.
I'd sure miss my Sweetie this winter.
Another Southern Hemisphere destination I want to get to so winter is the Patagonia section of Chile. You ought to see the trout in the streams there. No Fosters though. _________________ Flyboy
I didn´t do it, you didn´t see me do it, you can´t prove anything. Bart Simpson
Joined: Jan 05, 2009 Posts: 622 Location: Michigan
Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 10:13 pm Post subject: swell
My friend Ken is an instructor and John has the plane, actually I have a reasonable choice of aircraft, a Piper Saratoga, a Cherokee a Tri-pacer and a King-Air, I did some take offs and landings in the Tri-Pacer and have just kept the Saratoga flat, lots of fun. Thanks for the info....Blue
Mr. C. with a little luck that shouldn't take all winter. Get that stripped plug hole fixed so you can get back out there this winter. You might want to go to Australia with the group. We'll keep you posted on when we are leaving:-} _________________ Flyboy
I didn´t do it, you didn´t see me do it, you can´t prove anything. Bart Simpson
blue , you are very fortunate to have that kind of equipment available to you to learn to fly. Two of the three burn a lot of fuel per hour and it ain't cheep. The Tri-Pacer sure sounds like fun. The cold more dense air of winter is a bit easier to fly in and no time like the present to get your wings. Don't let the opportunity pass you by, Go for it. _________________ Flyboy
I didn´t do it, you didn´t see me do it, you can´t prove anything. Bart Simpson
Joined: Aug 30, 2009 Posts: 53 Location: Mapleton IL
Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 3:59 pm Post subject:
Hi Blue -
The fall here means lots of cottonwood leaves to mulch up with the John Deere.
I have not ridden much in the last couple of years locally, but I take one or two long distance tours each year on my 1997 Concours.
This years ride? Two of my craziest hardcore buddies and I did the "ice road" (John Dalton Highway) up to Deadhorse - starting at my home south of Chicago Illinois. That was 9400 miles in 15 days - and I got my fill of riding for a piece!
If you just peek at this directory you can see slideshows of most all of my recent trips - not all of them, but most all of them. (Key West was a bit risque to post publicly... )
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You can attach files in this forum You can download files in this forum
)
