Today’s Office

Today's Office: 2000 Honda Valykrie 41,000+ colorful travel miles

(aka The Perfect Late Fall Ride)

So what happens when the planets align, your job gives you time, and the weather cooperates to its fullest?  Well, you get the perfect motorcycle weekend.  It doesn’t happen all the time and on every trip there are things that don’t quite seem to work out, and that’s normal, you just roll with it.  But when it’s perfect, it’s sublime.  Actually I was trying all weekend to come up with the right word- fantastic, great, gorgeous, and perfect were just not good enough.  The best I could do was “glorious”.  It was a glorious weekend.  I could almost hear the Heavenly choirs singing a Halleluiah chorus.

When Life Pulls an End Run Around You…

Ah, Wyoming...and now I have long hair

I cannot believe it is already nearing the end of September.  First off, no, I haven’t died and no there has been no terrible accident in my recent past.  This year has just been rather un-motorcycle travel worthy for me. 



So, excuses/explanations first-
Winter just wouldn’t leave.  We were still getting snow here and had sub-freezing temperatures and ice until the end of May this year.  Within a couple of days of Hell having been frozen over (yes, there is a Hell, Michigan, and yes, it does freeze over – often) it suddenly jumped into the mid+ 90’s (F).  How crazy is that?  The really big down side is, 2 weeks into August, the temperatures suddenly dropped into the fall temp zone- 60s-ish (F).  Now it is mid September and I’ve had to watch out for some ice a couple of mornings and wear liners in things (gloves, jackets, pants), just to go 6 miles to work.  I fear that winter is trying to round the corner early and smack us in the face.

Spring Brings out the New Bikes, Even if it hasn’t Sprung yet

My brother just purchased a new bike a month ago, a Kawasaki Vulcan Vaquero. His weather hasn’t been much better than ours (actually they got a lot more snow than we did this year). He sent me a link to this promo-video for his bike. I liked the promo a lot. I was happy to see a company actually marketing- well, properly. Instead of some awesome, slick stunt dude power sliding their new dresser touring bike on a street in So-Cal, with bikini-clad babe cheering them on for their manliness, they actually took the bikes out touring and filmed it. What a unique concept. The video was enjoyable, especially as I looked longingly at the garage where my bike is housed, through a haze of blowing snow.

Of course both of my brothers were as anxious to go out riding there, as we were here and they got a cold, quick break and took it. Hopefully we’ll all be riding warm soon.

How do you handle non-riding weather? Spikes? Fortitude? Re-watching your On Any Sunday tape for the hundredth time?

It's been a while, maybe this year, after everything has warmed up a bit, I'll be able to take a ride with them.

You can share and show us your ride if you would like. If you send a picture, make sure to include your name, location, and type of bike to chaco _ kid @ hotmail . com (minus the spaces of course- nobody like spam).

Is it Spring or Isn’t it?

It’s been a wild and wacky weather month or so. A little worse than normal: sub-zero one day, 50 the next; 30’s one day, 80’s the next; then right back down to snow, sleet and ice for the umpteenth time. Michigan has always been a bit contrary, but this is ridiculous. Everyone is sick, because we can’t seem to adapt as quickly as the local weather.

On the upside I have been out twice over the last six weeks. A 60 degree ride around the lake (which had to hold me over for almost another month while we got more snow, ice, and rain, and then last weekend, a week ago. It went from cold and rainy, to 83 on Sunday. We obviously had to go out. We would have chomped at any bit we could get a hold of. Bonus points because my nieces were in from out of town and I got to take one of them out for their first ever motorcycle ride. It was really fun. Of course then it got wet and cold again. I even had to scrape snow off of my car this morning. (Yes, picture a very sad face, not unlike my puppy when I leave to go to work.)

There have been signs of spring. Signals that winter is being politely requested to smeg off, just not fast enough. They have been holding the rider’s certification classes over at the local community college. I’ve been in that class, when it was mid-march and 30-40 degrees out. This class had it made a few weeks ago. They couldn’t have had a better weekend. However, a similar class this weekend, though devoted and in rain gear, not quite so much.

The buds are trying to burst, the motorcycle is trying to escape the garage, and I am trying to find a weekend trip in my near future, so that I can enjoy spring and relish in sunny, floral embrace.

To those of you suffering needlessly like us- I feel your pain.

To you rotten buggers in those better areas of the country that have been riding in sunny 70-80 degree weather for the last couple of months- well we salute you as brethren, with the flying finger. (Yes we still love you- really- it will pass.)

Time Flies When you Hibernate

This is my desk at work.  My dad just gave me this picture of me on my first big street bike, which I loved (I’d always ridden dirt before).  My Yamaha Virago 1000 in burgundy and sparkling orange cocktail, my dad and brother, Ken, had matching bikes (only theirs were in pearled cream with dark green).  Those were the days when we started going cross-country together, on our own bikes with dad, rather than switching off trips on the back of the bike with him.  I’ve been back and forth out west and up and down the east on that bike, and then I got my Valkyrie and found out in many ways that bigger is better.  My dad ran off a copy of the picture and framed it for me “for work”.  I don’t know if he was trying to remind how long it had been since I’d last had a ride or if he was trying to remind how long it had been since I’d last blogged about it.  Either way - point taken.

Cheer Up!

The holidays are here, no matter which ones you celebrate hopefully you have plenty of holiday cheer.  If you don’t or you aren’t quite sure, here are some ways to boost your cheer and the cheer of those around you.  (P.S. These work any time of the year!)

Who Says You Can't Get What you Want for Your Birthday?

Today was beautiful, cold, but beautiful.  There were no big patches of ice on the streets.  There was no snow or rain to contend with.  It was perfectly sunny with blue skies that contrasted against the lack of color caused by the loss of greenery and leaves.  A quick jaunt around the lake for us and at least six others who were out to enjoy the weather break we'd been thrown.  I always enjoy looking at the lake (a little too much sometimes) and the water that looked warm, blue and inviting only a few months ago was suddenly a drab, murky gray.  You know, that shade of gray you get when you're doing water colors or acrylics in your rinse cup?  Yeah, it was like that only with angry little, crisp, white caps.  Like even Lake St. Clair was not entirely happy about the approaching winter freeze.

All I had to do was pull the cover off of my bike and start her up.  Some days, you just get to grin and everything works out just perfect.  Today was one of those days.  I can't believe my luck.  It's my birthday today and I got to go for a pre-winter birthday ride with my dad.  I felt the frost nip at my fingers & nose, and I warmed my hands by my engine warm glow.  What a way to begin a new year!   The only thing that would have made it better would have been to go from 40 degrees [we have a sort of rule about not riding unless it's at least forty degrees Fahrenheit, we stick by it most of the time ;-)  ] to 60.  Oh, and while I'm dreaming maybe a week or two on the road to truly enjoy it, however sometimes life just throws you a perfect curve ball and all you have to do is reach out and catch it.

Today was just such a day.    Happy Birthday to me!

So Sad, the Motorcycle Stands Alone

Happier Day- coming down out of Wolf Creek Pass in Colorado '07

It's been a sad month or more.  The daylight has fled for winter, leaving much shorter day time available.  The temperatures have been erratic, but dropping constantly, and the wet, wind, and other weather has been a complete bother.  I do believe that we are skipping most of fall this year and going directly into winter.  I must say, winter is my least favorite time of the year.  Holidays aside, it basically blows, because here in Michigan our riding season can seem quite unfairly short.

Fall in Michigan

My Misty girl.

Ok, so I'm interrupting our previously scheduled set of vacation articles to put in a Michigan, fall, weekend, special edition:  Fall in Michigan.

I love fall, it is my favorite season of the year.  I especially love it in Michigan, because it is apple cider season... YUM... It doesn't get much better than this.  Today was a perfect fall day, sunny, gorgeous, and about 64 degrees Fahrenheit.  The trees are changing colors and the further north you go in Michigan right now, the more colors you'll see.  You'll also see a lot more motorcycles.

September was a Blast! Here is a sampler:

Note from the editor, Penny:

Chaco Canyon,NM: Pueblo Bonito

First off, let me apologize for not posting much over the last few weeks, but as I mentioned previously I was going to be out of town.  It was fantastic!   Here are a couple of pictures to prove it.

Barrier Canyon style petroglyph on the Rochester "rainbow" panel in UT

Penny at Monument Valley, UT

Now, this is just a sampler.  We were out for three weeks, I've taken over 1000 photos (which need to be gone through, organized, and marked).  I kept a fairly regular set of posts on Twitter and Facebook as time and connection allowed.  Boy do I have some great things to show and tell you.  I'll be taking them an area at a time.  You can look forward to seeing Illinois, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, and a few other things.... I drove a lot, hiked a bit (I have the scars to prove it), rafted, and generally tried to soak in all that we could everywhere.  It was really nice and relaxing to be out and about.  It is hard to believe I'm back in reality now.

Yeah, a logo for WWFR

Just in time for vacation; I finally have a logo for WWFR.  I have noticed that it is partially covered, shows up multiple times, and just plays hide and seek depending upon your computer settings.  I will try to refine things as we go.  Until then, here is the new design, so you can see it in all of its quirky glory.  It is very me, so I guess I did alright with it.  It's my rock art, motorcycle dude, with some Freemont influence and a lot of Penny's Chaco Kid influence.  I was actually going to try to put a kolopelli guy on the back of the jacket, but sometimes accidents are happy.  It came out more like a koko-rat-pelli, which was a better jacket icon and works with my whole "desert rat" motif.  I see a shirt and maybe a jacket in my future.  What do you think?

Weekends are Made for What?

Neighbors on Bikes

Well last Saturday was a rather depressing day.  It was sunny and nice outside, the temps soared to almost a hundred degrees Fahrenheit by early afternoon, and we had a company picnic scheduled for work.  Bearing all of that in mind, add to it that this was the last weekend before we take off for parts of the country south and west and I have had a nagging "check" engine light showing up on the dash of my truck.

Now, I'm no newbie to the southwest or the desert and I believe in being properly prepared rather than stupid, so I want everything to be working at it's peak of performance, and after visiting the AutoZone, I figured that Saturday would still be a banner day for me.  A fifteen minute fuel filter change, maybe a quick motorcycle ride to the picnic for a "hi", and then off for some more fun and food, and trip laundry.  I have noticed that 15 minute jobs average an hour and had planned appropriately, but what I didn't plan on was a half-day, a complete failure on being able to release a snap-fit, and a trip to the mechanic, so he could show off and do it in 10 minutes ( I still think we loosened it up for him).

So, after a depressing, costly, loser-feeling day (although I did get to work with and spend the time with my dad, so that was cool); I ended up with a stiff neck, abs that should have been steel, no ride, no pocket change, and during a hot, late afternoon walk with my dog, I saw the above pictured neighbors taking off for a ride.  My weekend was a real bummer, but seeing my neighbors ride off into the late afternoon sun, reminded me of what all of that work and time is about... It's about time spent in work or fun with those you want to be with (my dad, my dog, even building good abs, or learning a new mechanical "trick").  However, none of that detracts from the fact, that everything is a lot more interesting and fun if there is a motorcycle involved!