Another week I'd like to forget happened.

[Snaggletooth]

I've got to say.....some weeks are meant to be forgotten. This was one of them. Like they say.....When it rains..... it pours.

 

Lets see...where to begin?

 

I guess the trivial stuff should be first.

 

Rain.....lots of rain.

 

I got rid of my Wally World burners this spring and installed a nice pair of 4 1/2 chrome driving lights with visors and amber lights on my '84. Looked really sharp and did a nice job. I had Squidlys light brackets and he even modified the brackets that the brackets mount onto to beef them up to deal with the bigger light. The problem was after about 500 miles the vibration just beat the elements out of them. Too big of a light with not enough support. Installed new clear bulbs and lost both of them in less than 200 miles. Back to the Wally World burners until I figure out another way to mount them.

 

My full time job informed me that my hours would be restricted to 40 hours a week. Weird. I've been with this company for five years and they keep adding extra duties that have been keeping me around 48 hours a week for the last four years. So I asked the the question, "Who's going to do the rest my job?" Go figure......they did my performance review and I didn't score so well on "Attitude". SURPRISE! LOL!

 

My part time job notified me that they are cutting my hours by 75%. Lets see.....that should almost pay for the gas it takes to drive to and from work. Oh! Hey! I'm on the bike! I can still make a few bucks! About $20.00 a week! Somebody just tell me not to bother coming in anymore. Please?

 

More rain...... River Roads are holding up well.

 

My car has been setting a lot as I've been on the bike every chance I get since I got it back together. I guess it was feeling neglected as the day I really wanted to drive it because of the "heavy rain" it decided not to start. Took a day to figure that out and a rather pricey module to fix it. Seemed the sensor was cracked and did not like the moist conditions. I used to have a Ford wagon that could predict rain 3 days in advance. Got rid of that one. Hummm.....

 

So a week ago I sit down to my trusty 'puter to take care of some bills and do my thing in cyberspace and I get the message, "HARD DRIVE IS UNSTABLE, BACKUP NOW". Wow! Ok. I'm on that........wait.....how much time do I have? Not so much I guess. Second backup disk into the process it just dies. Pull the hard drive and it's gone meltdown. I suppose some of you know how much time goes into replacing a hard drive and reinstalling the system and doing the restore and the backup and well....ya know. But I'm here today. Whew!

 

So today was my special day. Had the afternoon off because on the hours being cut back. Ok that's cool. Nice day out.....mid 60's......blue sky......wind was mild... for a change. So what to do? RIDE!!!!

 

I'm getting the bike out and gearing up to head out and my daughter rolls in. She actually asked if she could go with me. What the hey? She's 18.... she never wants to hang with dad anymore. Something fishy here.....but I'm not going to pass on spending some time with her. Grab your gear kid.....let's roll!

 

And we are off........

 

Hit the back highways and enjoying the day. Ran across a custom car show......and she actually knew what some of the cars were! That might explain the copy of Hot Rod I found in her room. Found a BBQ place and fed our faces. I'm looking for ice cream next.

 

But we were rolling down the highway about 65 mph and I catch a bit of movement at the bottom of my vision as something flipped up in front of the tank cover and slid down into my lap. No biggie....a piece of a leaf......maybe some sort of road debris.....not worried. YET!

 

A few miles down the the road I catch another movement. On my leg, actually crawling up my leg....well....between my legs. Took me a moment to identify it but when I did I had to muster some control. Now I don't know how many of you guys have ever had a Wolf spider settle in on your "Berries and Twig" at 65 mph but it is a bit unsettling to say the least. It's a nice one to, about 2 inches across on the leg span. And it's holding it front legs up! I guess it was checking for wind speed. Or it's pissed off. I bet on pissed off.

 

So I know that if I even mutter the word "Spider" my daughter will be getting off the bike at any speed. She would! Hates spiders! Me.......I'm trying to figure out how to get off the bike without kicking my daughter in the head. I'm not all that fond of them either and not under those conditions.

 

So mustering my self control I rode it out with a wolf spider waving at traffic in my lap until I got to a get off and pulled into a town and stopped at the traffic light. With a firm but demanding flick of a finger I sent the little fellow off to another location. Now....I didn't mean for it to happen the way it did but the lil fellow found a new ride. The window on the car next to me was open and he just went right on in. Not planned. Just happened.

 

As the light changed and I pulled away I could hear the screaming. I saw my daughters head spin around to look and she tapped me on the helmet and asked me if I heard them screaming. "Yep, Pumpkin....I did.....maybe they found a spider." I didn't tell her what happened and don't plan on it either. I'd never get her back on the bike again....ever!

 

So that was my week. But I'm feeling much better now.

 

Supposed to be in the 70's tomorrow and blue skys again. More therapy......after I check the bike REALLY good for hitch hikers.

 

Ya'll ride safe and be kind to animals. Never leave one stranded away from home. Make sure they have a ride.

 

Mike

Edited May 2, 2010 by Snaggletooth

[YoungBlood]

I've never had a spider in my lap at 65, but I was on the way home one afternoon and about an hour from home a bird flew square into my chest and landed square in my lap. I thought he was dead at first so I wasn't going to freak out about it, but then I saw his little head moving. So as I got a little bit closer to the town I live in I stopped at a 24 hour vet hospital.

 

The bird was fine, just dazed, but it cost me $85 to figure that out.

[Brake Pad]

I was riding one night, up on the Adirondack Northway, with a group of riders, I saw something, fly across the windshield, then something hit my chest like hitting a brick wall.

the lead rider, pulled off, as it was a cool night, and the lady's had to go.

I got off the bike and started walking to the lights in the parking lot, to find I had a very large, fruit bat stuck to my chest ( totally knock out ), so I turn the the other guys, and open my vest and ask if anyone could, remove this guy off my chest., It had a wing span of 15 to 18 inches:doh: Dark Brown In Color, and some very shape teeth.

we named It Blind Bat:confused24: