Haven't blogged in a while!

I have meant to sit down and update, but I seem to have not had a lot of time to do so.

In any event an update:

I have actually got some riding in the last couple of weeks.
On the 18th it was sort of warm, so I did a ride out to Merrickville.

Pretty quiet at the locks this time of year.
The water has been lowered, and there is not a boat to be seen.
Still cool, though.

This past Thursday was sunny and went up to 12 degrees.
I met Brent in Smiths falls early afternoon and we rode to near Brockville and came home through Smith Falls and Perth.
We stopped at a regular spot.

Even though there was snow this morning, I am hoping for 1 more outing.
Or 2.
Even a couple trips around the neighbourhood with no helmet on...something.

On the harassment front, the "donut munching prick" pulled  Frank that I work with, over twice on Remembrance day.
He is still up to his old tricks, apparently.
Once to check his insurance, and the other time because he arm signalled instead of using his turn signal.
Frank asked him if he had pulled me over a few days prior...he remembered me.
I  certainly hope so...I think he has pulled me over 4 times now.
I should be getting Christmas cards from him, or something.

Aside from that...not much new in my world.
Obviously dreading winter, and the 4 months of no riding.
Guess I will play some guitar, and start planning next summer's adventures.
There is the Montreal bike show in February and a few things like that, to look forward to.

Maybe I will win Lotto Max, and be able to spend a month in Florida and a month in California.
That would sure rock!

Being realistic...I am guessing that I will be winterizing the bike in a week or so.
sigh.......................................................

Warm November Riding

Saturday I got out for a small ride...I went to Brockville and back.
It was freezing. I think the temperature hit maybe 4 degrees.
It was sunny, but still...
I had the death shivers by the time I pulled into my laneway.

Sunday and Monday were un-seasonably warm.
Sunday went up to 12 and Monday broke a record...it reached 21 degrees.

Sunday morning was raining. I talked to Brent 3 or 4 times about meeting up, and we were both just waiting for it to clear a little bit.
There was what appeared to be a lull, so I headed out.
Actually it started raining about 5 minutes after I left, and the roads were soaked.
I was watching the water pour over the tank in front of me and head for my "special guys" .
Yikes !
I pulled over every 10 minutes or so for the first little while to dry the tank off and keep my guys dry.
Being wet is not so bad when it is warm out, but at the time it was still about 4 degrees out.
Wet and cold? Not so good.

It got sunny just after Carleton Place, and I could feel the warm front coming in. Nice.
I met up with Brent in Perth, and we decided to head to Sharbot lake, and then to Kingston.
Not anything special, but a nice relaxing trip.

I stopped in Smiths Falls at the park on the way home.
I am not sure why I like this place so much...but it's peaceful and the old stone buildings are somehow comforting to see.
So I stop there whenever I can.

Looking at the weather forecast for Monday, I decided to take an official vacation day.
Brent was in...so it was a go.

I left the house around 7:45 am and took the long route to Brent's place.
He pulled in from his bus run at 9:30 and we headed out.
Oh ya...his bike was in Macdonald's Corners where he picked up the bus, so he rode on the back of mine to get it.
I know..I know...you are saying to yourself  that it is supposed to be "2 wheels...2 nuts ".. but helping a friend out doesn't count.
And it isn't like we were out all day as a couple    :)

We stopped to gas up and were talking to a lady driving a Victory.
We said she had a nice bike, and then she launched into a bit of a speech about buying a Victory because Harley is overpriced.
This from a person with a fake ponytail attached to her helmet? Wearing a bright green safety vest?

We headed to Westport via Glen Tay and the Christie lake road to the Bolingbroke road.
It was pretty windy, but the route was nice.

Quick stop beside a random lake.

Westport was really quiet. We didn't stop.

The old highway to Kingston, and a stop at Kingston Harley to poke around.
We chatted with a real nice guy who worked there.

From Kingston we 401'd to the Parkway the other side of Gananoque, and rode along the seaway to Brockville.
The wind along the seaway was crazy. ...but still a great ride.
The scenery there is great no matter what time of the year you are there.

Brockville to Smiths Falls and home by 4:45.

We certainly were not the only people riding on Monday...I had motorcycle wave fatigue in my left arm.
Strangely enough, I would say that the vast majority of people we saw were riding Harleys.

On another note...I looked at my tripmeter, and I have done over 26,000 km ( 16,000 miles) this year.
That is a respectable amount of riding.
Not amazing...but respectable.
It is not about the actual number of miles ...they are really just an indication of distance which in and of itself means nothing.
I think to me it is about all of the places I went , and people I met.
....The number of hours of "happy" I experienced.
Laughs
Sunburns
Bugs in the face or down my shirt
Meals at the side of the road

The more you ride, the more of the above you get to have.

It sounds like I am wrapping things up for the season?
Absolutely not!
The 10 day forecast has no snow in it.
I will keep riding until the snow is here to stay.
True, the rides will probably get progressively smaller...but I am an optimist...there will be 1 more full day of riding yet to come.

Almost a rant !

I almost posted a long and rambling rant a few times this week.
I edited it about 10 times, and sometimes it sounded whiny and other times, kind of rage filled.

It all goes back to this past Monday, when I went out for a little spin after dinner.
I was going up the Queensway to St. Laurent, and passed an OPP SUV.

The long and the short of it is that he followed me, pulled up behind me at my turnaround spot, and gave me  a hard time for my helmet, then my insurance, and then my bars.
Nothing he could ticket me for, and he left disappointed.
A real Ass-hole..... with a capital a.

I was mad all week about this because I am feeling harassed.
Yup.
You heard me.
I have been pulled over a few times now, for no other reason than that I have long hair, and ride a Harley.
Seems fair.

I was going to use all kinds of terms like " donut munching prick with a giant ginger head"  to describe the cop.

I was ranting about helmet laws in general, and the do-gooders who think they know what is best for me.

And then I went for a ride today.
Nothing massive...just to Brockville and back through Smith Falls.
It was sunny and cold with no wind, and it felt awesome.
Saw other bikes.
Enjoyed the scenery and the smell of country people burning their leaves.

And that is when I decided that if there is such a thing as karma...and there is.. cops like the one who pulled me over , and do- gooders will get theirs in Hell or in a next life.
Seems just.

I can't let my whole week be defined and spoiled by the actions of one donut munching prick with a giant ginger head.
And I won't.

Cuz if I do?
"They" have won.

Getting cold....

I got out for a few rides this weekend.
Saturday night, I just bombed around town a bit for about an hour.
It was actually mild out, and not too bad except for the wind.

This morning I headed out for a longer ride, and froze my nads off.
I was gone about 3 hours, and never saw the sun.
Cloudy and windy. 2 degrees.
I headed up to Perth, and rode back through Balderson, Lanark, Wolf Grove road and Almont.
It was nice to be out, but every 20 minutes I had to pull over to warm my hands.
I can understand why some people get heated grips...

I got home..did some stuff around the house, and then the sun came out.
hmmm...looked "more better" out than it did before. It was now a whopping 4 degrees...so out I went again.

Ended up at Petrie Island in the east end.
It's a pretty nice place.

I saw 3 herons and a beaver while I was there, and strangely enough, quite a few people fishing from shore.
They probably thought I was a little different being out on a motorcycle.

Even with the sun out , I was cold by the time I got home.
I envy the people with the big touring bikes on a day like this...they are almost totally protected from the wind.

I hate to say it...but I can see the season coming to and end.
3.... maybe 4 weeks left...tops.

Shudder!