Oldodge

The temperature reached into the low 50's here today after starting out with freezing fog. I got an impromptu December RSV ride in. I was working in the garage and when I put the door up it was nice out. So I did what any PMS (parked motorcycle syndrome) sufferer would do and went for a quick ride. No salt on the roads here yet, quite surprisingly. I rode about a half hour and it felt great to get out, time constraints kept me from a longer ride. I cherish days like today. Also would be remiss if I did not say thanks to all of our military members, past, present and future, on this historic day. "December 7th, 1941, a date that shall live in infamy". It is through their sacrifice that I am free.

Tree not up yet, but my Wife has started decorating. Some of her nutcracker collection.............

On a two lane road: If it were in the oncoming lane and I provided no obstacle to the procession I would continue on at a respectable pace. If it were a narrower road, or involved a wide vehicle on my part or theirs, I would pull over if safe to do so. On an interstate: If it is moving slower than the flow of traffic in my direction I would pass respectfully in the furthest lane available. If it is moving in the opposite direction I would have no reason to do anything, and would simply keep on, keepin' on.

I was about ten when I got my mini bike. Ran the heck outta that thing for two years and then we moved and had to sell it. At 16 I took my buddy's 175 enduro on my first short road experience. About two years later another buddy gave me a ride on his Suzuki 750 water buffalo. Wow! Talk about acceleration. At 21 I bought my first street bike, an XS 400 Special Yamaha and have been riding something ever since. There was about a 4 or 5 year break in there when my daughter was young that I went bikeless.

Butterball vs Honeysuckle White. I gotta quit looking around the house right now.

Something as simple as Kleenex, Bounty, Cottonelle can bring on brand loyalty. I know because I have brought the other brands home to much dissatisfaction a time or three.......

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I like the bag. Does it cause any inconvenience when swapping low to high and vice versa?

I feel bad for that Vulcan too! That bike deserves a better life!

I have been riding a long time. I have learned a few things the hard way and I have done some stupid stuff to learn some things the hard way. Here in my neck of the woods I know that the deer start to rut in late October and early November. The fresh carcasses along the highways and the gleam in the eyes of my friends who hunt confirm that. Two weeks ago about a mile from home I came across a buck and a doe on a secondary road. The doe was leading and the buck was trailing her closely and she seemed annoyed. She walked off the road as I approached, he followed in lock step, another confirmation that stupid season for bucks has arrived. I made a mental note "time to limit riding the RSV to perfect condition riding". To me that means riding in beautiful weather when the sun is high in the sky. I did just that for a week. Then Ma Nature threw a warm streak at us this week with lows in the upper 30's and highs in the 70's. I decided I would ride to work all week because I love to ride on cold mornings with warm afternoons, I leave home at 5am and get home about 4:30 pm. It is 44 miles each way with a short gravel covered township road, 20 miles of twisty mountain two lane, about 20 miles of interstate and a couple miles of urban roadway in the morning. In the afternoon I bypass the interstate and use the valley road, two lane but fairly straight. Monday thru Wednesday were perfect. I was on high alert for whitetails, and saw some, but no issues. I did hit a grey squirrel with my left floorboard Tuesday when he zigged as I zagged coming up the mountain. Thursday I got to work with no issues it was a nice ride. On the way home the sun was posing a problem, even with darkened glasses, a drop down shield and tape on my shield acting as a visor. It was flashing thru the trees like a strobe light as I descended to an intersection at the foot of my mountain road about two miles from home. There was some activity from a car and truck at the intersection that had my attention. As I passed the intersection at 55 mph or so something in my peripheral vision caught my eye. It was two deer at full speed in the trees on a hillside to my right just ahead of me. We were on a collision course, the next few seconds I couldn't tell in a five minute story. So much happening in what seems like slow motion. The howling rear tire, the bike starting to come around, the modulating of the somewhat worthless rear brake in a panic stop, etc etc. I was afraid there may be more than two deer but could not look and could do nothing if there was. It took all I had to try to miss the two I saw. The first one cleared a about 20 feet and I was still hard on the binders. The second one cleared at less than an estimated two feet amid the smell of burnt rubber and the sound of its hooves clacking on the pavement. Yes it was close enough to hear its hooves, see its nostrils flare and look it in the eye. Fortunately there was not another one, the pickup behind me was paying attention and the opposing traffic got stopped. I got down to an estimated 15 to 20 mph before they cleared and I accelerated away. Lesson learned, again, trust your instincts, I know it is risky to ride at those hours of the day this time of year and I accepted that risk, maybe not next time though. I have been close to my number one fear on a motorcycle of hitting a deer before, but never this close in 35 years. Friday I awoke to a light drizzle, had the road been wet the day before I would have been in bigger trouble. I drove the car to work, hated it, always do. Maybe after hunting season in December, after the rut, we will get some nice weather to ride to work if the roads don't get salted first. Come on spring! This is the second time I locked the rear on this bike. First time involved turkeys and was not such a big deal or close call. The good news is the bike responded great to correction and I believe the majority of stopping power is up front, but a locked rear is just something else to deal with in a true panic stop and I really don't need something else to do just then. I know it is a trait of the machine and have it noted, but it still scared the hell out of me. Be mindful and be careful out there friends!

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