Honda Magna....some day, my next moto....

I've been on travel, both for work and for vacation, for about 3 weeks. So, I haven't had much time in the saddle of my GS lately. Even before I left for my work trip to Fairbanks, I hadn't been riding very much. I think it was the weather or too busy or something. I don't really remember. And it isn't important now. Now, the weather has warmed, the days are longer, and the campus is on summer hours, which means less traffic during the morning and evening rush hours.

I traveled to the University of Alaska in Fairbanks. (Apologies to Richard for not getting in touch.) I worked a lot and didn't get to do much vacationing. I did manage to run a 5K while there. No motorcycling though. :-)

My vacation to Atlanta did allow for some motorcycling. :-)  I visited my brother who recently purchased a 1994 Honda Magna. Oh yeah! He rode his CBR and I rode the Magna. I've always wanted a Magna but have only ever sat on one once at the dealership. So, my experience with them has been non-existent. I'm not even sure why I've fallen in love with this old moto. Well... I am now. :-)

Here is my big brother checking the tire pressure before our ride. The yellow Magna is so sweet! His CBR is in the back.

Look at how happy I am!

 I have so much motorcycle gear, I mailed my boots, jacket, and gloves. I also carried on my helmet and left it behind for future visits.

Ahhh.... it's such a comfortable motorcycle. :-)

We managed one ride the day after I arrived. Then we celebrated my mother's birthday the next day. The day after that we drove to Indianapolis to attend the Indy 500. Oh, did I mention that?  Here we are outside the gate ready with our tickets. And here's a view of me from our seats.

On the way to our seats we spotted this beauty.

It was our fourth time going. Awesome! Next time we will have to ride there now that my brother has the Magna. He can ride the Magna and I'll rent something.

I happened to be back in Atlanta in time for Bike Night downtown. My brother and some of his buddies occasionally hang out at this event. It was pretty fun to be a part of that scene. We don't do much of that at home. I'm not sure why. It's mostly sport bikes on display there. I rode the Magna again. :-)

By the time I got home, I'd been away from my GS for a long time. The day after I got home, my hubby and I rode 170 miles visiting his sister and brother-in-law. She just bought a 2011 G650GS. Woot! Unfortunately, they are about to move farther away from us. Boo! Here's her shiny new red GS.

 
I was quite exhausted from all the traveling but have been commuting fearlessly since I've been back (3 days). I'm getting used to the GS again after being on the Magna. My little GS did feel quite under powered and slow at first but... I still love it. Ok, gotta go search Craig's List for my own yellow Magna to add to the fleet. My brother needs a bike to ride when he comes to visit us in Colorado! ;-)

Riding and Running

Had a good two days of commuting yesterday and today. This weekend there is talk of snow, rain and very cold (in the 40s) high temperatures. Sigh. It's the price we pay for living so close to the mountains.

Yesterday, after all my complaining about not riding when I had to run, I rode and I ran. I ran with some friends from work on a trail near Boulder. We did about 6 miles. Here is a photo of me gearing up after the run.

I just threw my moto pants and jacket on and headed home. It was a little chilly, being a little sweaty after the run, but as the season goes on, that will change. My legs weren't too happy with the ride home though. I'll have to spend more time stretching before getting back on the bike I think.

I tried to catch the brilliant red sunset on my ride home but it faded before I got to the pull out. Here's a photo of it anyway. It was something to see! Very cool! I wish I would have caught it in time. All of the pinkish parts were a brilliant red.

Yay!

Nothing to see here....

There is nothing to see her, obviously, since I haven't reported anything in two weeks. Haven't been riding much. I thought I was getting sick but realized I was just worrying myself sick. Not even for anything that deserves such worry. I have been focused, or trying to stay focused on my half marathon training because I'll be out of town for about 3 weeks straight four weeks before the half. First I'll be traveling to Fairbanks (for work, not by moto) for about a week. Then the day after I get back, I'll be flying to to Atlanta to meet up with my brother so he and I can drive to the Indy 500. (It's our 3rd trip!) So, lots of traveling, not much time for training. I've also taken to driving when I need to get a run in after work. It's just quicker because I don't have to change out of my moto gear into my running gear, and since it's still pretty chilly around her, I actually have to change out of my street clothes which I still am wearing under my moto gear. It's a process.

So, not much riding. Today I didn't ride because I had a dentist appointment yesterday and still feel a bit loopy from the Novocain or whatever it is they use. It's hard for me to get that stuff out of my system. Exercise actually helps they say, so that's good.

I'm hoping to be back to my normal self tomorrow so I can ride. The weather has been wet and cold. I've been wanting to try out my Olympia jacket in the rain too. I have a review I'd like to publish about that jacket but thought I'd get a rain ride in before I write it all up.

Anyway....I'm still around, just not riding much.

Here's a picture I took of the last time I rode, which was this past Friday. We had a department wide event with some posters showing our research or, in my case, library and archives activities. We have these nice archival metal edge poster boxes to transport the posters. Since my institution is not on the main campus, I had to bungee the box to the moto to ride there. :-)

Motorcycle Training

I'm investigating my next moto class. I really like taking the classes. It keeps my knowledge fresh in my mind and helps me to practice good habits. So, what should I shoot for this season? I'm looking at a couple of options right now.

Civilian Top Gun:


Top Gun (Civilian) Riding Course Cost $250.00 for both resident and non-resident

Sharpen your slow riding skills and you will greatly improve your overall skills.

This motorcycle riding course, as presented by former police motor officer/trainer Don Gunn, concentrates on the low-speed maneuvers taught to police officers for the purposes of increasing riding proficiency as well as confidence. Learn to operate a motorcycle at its limits, with emphasis on turning in the smallest area, use of transmission, clutch and brakes for the highest level of control, and practice maximum braking and brake-and-escape maneuvers. Smaller-sized training bikes are used the first day of this two-day course; students are encouraged to use their own (safe, street-legal) bike on the second day. This course is for experienced riders only.


My hubby and I went to a Police Top Gun competition a while back and it was so amazing! I've been wanting to try a class ever since. Talk about confidence building.  I think I need something like that next instead of another riding class. Not that I've mastered anything, just because it might hold my interest a bit more and challenge me in ways I haven't yet been challenged.

And there is this one too offered by a different company. http://www.t3rg.com/Classes.htm#TopGunMotor It looks totally different from the other one. The first is taught by the company I've taken all my classes from. But I'm intrigued by the longer, more expensive class (and also the shorter less expensive class).

The other option is dirt bike school. There's finally a class offered in the metro area. I guess they were waiting for Spring time. That would be totally fun and also build some confidence on the bike but I think the top gun class might have more of an impact on my riding this season. Since I don't have any dirt bike riding buddies yet, I might wait to take that one later.  Right now it would just be 100% for fun. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just if I'm going to pay a couple of hundred bucks I may as well spend it on something I'm more likely to use in the real world. (I do know that there are lots of transferable dirt bike riding skills onto the street. I think it would just be too much of a guilty pleasure right now.)

Well, it sounds like I've convinced myself to do the top gun class....  :-)

Riding and Running and Stuff

I've been commuting a bit but the weather has been odd lately. And I've been running, or planning on running some days, which some times means I don't ride. I don't know why. It's been an odd last couple of weeks. Some distantly related sadness but nothing that affects me directly. Doesn't make it less sad. So, riding hasn't been at the top of my priority list. I become a fair weather rider when my head's not in it. I'm ok with that.

One thought has occurred to me recently. I've got a little over 13,000 miles on my GS now, a year and a half into owning it. When I sold my 450 Rebel, I'd put about 15,000 miles on it in about 3 years of ownership. That makes me smile. :-)

3 Things that Suck about Piloting a Motorcycle....

Now that I have your attention, I'll share this experience that I had a few days ago. I was on my way home from work and approaching a round about (thing 1). Behind me was a tailgater (thing 2). Ahead of me, approaching the round about from the adjacent park, was a pedestrian jogger (thing 3). These three sucky things were all converging at this point.

I was traveling south. I saw the person jogging well in advance but did not plan to stop at the cross walk because of the tailgater. Being a round about, that makes life on two wheels a bit more tricky. If I commit to the turn, I really have to complete that action or I might dump the bike.  Well, I shouldn't dump it but the tailgater is making me nervous. I'm slowing, however, because it is a round about. The jogger sees me, but her actions indicate that she thinks I'm going to stop for her, probably because I was slowing and also looking at her. (In Boulder, pedestrians are invincible because they workout constantly and let nothing stop them from doing so.)  So, now I have a choice, keep going and run over the jogger or stop and risk being run over myself. Apparently, my instinct is not to run over anyone. I hit the brakes before I start the turn. At the same time I glance in my mirror and see the front end of the car behind me nose dive before stopping. The jogger runs on with a thankful smile that I stopped for her. I swear loudly in my head at the tailgater and wish I was safe at home already.

It's been a long off season and I'm still shaking off the deep sleep of not riding. Lots of things seem a bit more conspicuous now that I'm back on the bike.

This morning, as I was making a left turn from the turning lane into my parking lot, the car sitting in the parking lot exit waiting to make a left turn out of the parking lot apparently decided she was tired of waiting and started to pull out just as I was making my turn. Apparently she didn't see me or something. Or was too busy talking to her BFF that she couldn't pay attention to the traffic on the road. She didn't hit me either.

That's two.

Maybe I'll drive tomorrow. Nah, it's spring break and the roads are pretty empty this week. And the weather is awesome. Maybe I need a long lunch ride to shake out the rust and build up my confidence.

Oil change and new front tire on Wednesday. :-)  And I've recently rolled over 13,000 miles. Yay!

I like this forecast!

Yay!!