And it starts !

This past week I got out for a number of short after dinner rides.
Nothing spectacular, but fun.

Easter weekend...some real rides.

Friday...pretty cold but I got in a couple of shorties.
It was like...

It was riding...but hardly optimum

Saturday I left the house just after 9 am and ended up in Kingston around noon.
416'd to 401.

I stopped in the Harley dealer thinking there would be lots of bikes there.

Pretty god-damned lonely.
WTF up with that?
There was no snow that I could see in Kingston...they are well ahead of us Spring-wise.
I would hate to use a certain term to describe a person who lets a day like that go by without riding.. but it needs to be said.

Anyways, I didn't stick around long and headed back via 15 to Smith Falls.

It was looking and feeling real nice there.It was 10 degrees by this time.
I stopped at the park near the locks.
It was great to hear water running again.
And very peaceful.

I was beat when I got home. Happy as hell, though.
The sun was warm, but it is still cold at highway speeds.

Today was kind of overcast and cooler cause of the lack of sun, but I went up to Perth, and did the Calabogie run anyways.
Still a great ride.
I saw a few bikes, but not a ton.

Oh well...these fair weather bikers are the kind that complain about the cost of insurance for a 4-5 month season.
We live in Canada...there are only 2 seasons...winter and bug bite.

One has to ride as much as possible during bug bite. That is just common sense.
An 8 month season makes much more sense.

This week looks shitty early on, but should improve as it goes along.

Just hoping for a ride...

De-winterized and ready to go, but the weather sucks.

So getting back on track here...

The dewinterizing went off with only a few drops ( OK...3 small patches )  of oil left behind.
I actually tried to work clean.

No Hazmat teams were required, and no pelicans or wildlife of any kind required rescue baths of Dawn dish soap.

I am guessing that I am relatively safe from the family shit kicking thing.
or not.
We'll see.

But anyways...

It was nice enough to get a couple of small rides in last weekend...I 416'd it down to Kemptville and back, and did some trips around the 'hood.
Last Sunday it took a good 2 hrs to get the salt and crap off....but it was worth it.


This weekend it is back to cold and snowy.
So once again I am forced to say:

I think it should improve by Easter. ( in today's schools - the day the Easter bunny died on the cross to bring us chocolate )
At least I am hoping so. ( improve...not the Easter bunny thing...)

I have the bike pretty stripped down at the moment.
That way when I can get a little ride in, there are less things to clean salt and sand off of.

 I think it actually looks pretty cool all stripped down.......... too bad it couldn't stay like this.
Fun for in-town riding, but sucks on the highway or in cold weather or if you want to carry anything.
...or if you are only going to ride 4-5000 km per year.
All lessons I learnt in 2009, which was my 1st year back riding in nearly 25 years.

Live and learn.

Going to get my ride ready !

Some warmer weather happening !

I believe I am going to de-winterize my special guy this week, and if on Sunday it is 9 deg. and sunny as forecast... go for a little ride.
Even just bombing around the 'hood with no helmet on and being a bad neighbour would be fun.

De-winterizing is the process that starts with  my wife reminding me of all the precautions necessary to not get oil on the laneway.
She will probably go so far as to fetch me old blankets etc.
I will then do a sketchy, welfare job of spreading them out, or drop the old oil filter or something along those lines.... and voila !
We have new oil stain on the asphalt .

Oh ...at first I will try the "it was there last year" ploy.
And then she, being an untrustworthy sort of person, will go so far as to examine the spot(s) in detail, and without even an impartial jury of my peers...I will be found guilty.
No hope of appeal.
No last meal.
Doomed to that special death row where my fuck up becomes fodder for family shit -kickings at special occasions.
You know what I am talking about...............
Both sides of the family over..things going well,  I am my usual witty and amazing self and "BOOM" !!

I will hear  "If you go outside you better wear shoes...Al has spilled oil everywhere....."
                                  or
"What is the matter with your laneway? It looks like it has skin cancer.."

It goes silent....heads shake...everyone will look suitably appalled....



I will look like the puppy who crapped on the carpet.

but I will be secretly laughing on the inside.. because in my heart I know that everything is secondary to
GETTING READY TO RIDE !!!




Note...The above could possibly be a slight exaggeration of what will go down. The author in no way impugns the good character of the aforementioned wife.
( the fine print )

I Hate Winter - further ruminations from a disturbed mind.

" I love Winter" said no one...ever. 

More tasteful ( and not so tasteful )  pics from talented winter haters.....starting with a bad pun.

In keeping with" I can't wait for spring", this past weekend was filled with stuff to make me want an end to winter, even more.

Friday night my wife and  went to the Outdoors/Boat show. Lots of very expensive boats, some cool exhibits...the usual. Fun to see.

Sunday, my brother in law and I went to the motorcycle show in Montreal.
Lots of expensive bikes, some cool exhibits... worth the drive.
And I felt at home...apparently there are lots of old guys with grey ponytails wearing leather vests and Harley T's  living in Montreal.
I guess that is where they/we all end up.
Who knew?

The shitty news is that yesterday there was a snow storm...hurrah !
More snow to melt !
My thoughts below....




I need/want a tattoo that says that.

There needs to be a class action suit against Canada for luring my ancestors here under false pretences.
I do not believe they were retards.
I don't think they had low self esteem or felt the need to punish themselves. ( like..."I probably practice self abuse too much and will burn in hell unless I repent..It's one of the biggies says Father McFelch...Hey!  let's move to Canada! God will surely forgive me if I spend the rest of my life suffering there...as long as I can keep my paws off' of  my pud...")

The only logical explanation is false advertising on Canada's part.

Here is an immigration poster from around 1900.
....it sure as shit does not look like that outside at this moment !

Can you imagine an immigrant's 1st winter in 1901 ?

Bet there were some very pissed off and shocked people.
It was probably like... " Dude!!!! what's that white shit falling from the sky, and why is it so cold ? "

But the important thing is...the Canadian government should make up for their heinous duplicity .
Seems only fair.

Last day of February today !
March tomorrow...

Just think..only a few more weeks and there will be actual motorcylce blogs!
Not just weird ramblings...but rides, and stories of adventure and daring-do.

stay tuned.



al

February blahs...and I hate winter.

Is it just me, or does the shortest month of the year actually, seem to be the longest?


Some pics from various creative people on the sphincternet that describe just how I feel about winter...

I know...you are saying  "tell us how you really feel...and no holding back this time.."

OK....Every snow flake is like a punch in the face or a kick in the balls...

I mean, WTF was wrong with our ancestors?
All the places around the globe, and they picked the cold place?

Samuel Champlain and those guys are not heros... this is all their fault.

The Spanish were down south grabbing great tans and  piles of gold, and these dummies were in Quebec trading furs.
Were they retarded or something?
After the 1st winter it should have been  " this sucks...we're going south".

And even worse...what about everyone who came here after those 1st dummies?

Was it like....
 " Hey Luigi, instead to grow olives and live in this nice village by the

Mediterranean, I found us a place where we can be tormented by biting insects when it is not freezing cold. Let's move there !"

?????

So now we freeze..

And wait for spring.

sigh.....................................................

Coincidence? I think not....

Less than a week after my call to arms to defeat the enemies of global warming, we had 2 record breaking days of warm here in Ottawa .
Coincidence? I think not!

Good show, people!!!
There was obviously a great fossil fuel hole in the ozone created by your efforts.
It is back to being cold now, but at least some of the snow is gone, and the roads are bare.

Combined with the news that Punxsutawney Phil predicts an early spring, things are looking up.

On a more "from this planet" note, I met up with Dan and his girlfriend Julie, and Brent for breakfast this morning in Almonte.
Was nice.... we just shot the shit for an hour or so and talked about riding and stuff, and got caught up.

This afternoon my wife put on a Harley themed extravaganza for my birthday.
Awesome cake, balloons, decorations...the whole nine...

Family came over, lots of great food some good laughs.
Was lots of fun.


And now..we wait for spring. Last year I got some small rides in the end of February...I am hoping!

what global warming?

?????

I thought we were supposed to have some global warming action happening?

Doesn't seem too f'in  warm to me....

C'mon global warming!!!!

I think we need to start up our gas lawn mowers, weed eaters and other assorted gas powered tools and let them run for hours....yay fossil fuels...
Punch holes in the catalytic converters on our cars and trucks....
Let the coolant from our air conditioners escape...

We need some fricken holes in the ozone now!

Canadians need to organise and start silencing the scientists and pundits who are combating global warming. And how about the Swedes too ?...they seem nice...plus they invented cheap assemble-it-yourself furniture . They seem legit.

I agree that yes.... it will suck to live along a coast , or in a tropical area ( insert crying baby sound)...but a tropical Canada and Sweden would rock.
No debate.
We would rock.

We have had to put up with this cold shit for 100's of years.
Now it is our turn.....

Just think of the possibilities!

We would get cocky and strut around at the UN kickin ass, instead of being like the USA's ( or in the case of  Sweden..Germany's)  retarded ugly sister..
People would want to move here for more than our easy welfare and strong beer..
We would trade in our "faggy" maple leaf flag for something cool. ....maybe something with a club or sword.
The Swedish flag is pretty boring too. They could do with some sort of Viking motif.

Our new motto could be ...

You get where I am going....we could be uppity, for once.

As it stands now...how cool can we be as a country when you have to wear a toque and mitts for 1/2 the year ?
Our national animal is the beaver?...not cool....not very cool at all, precious.

And WTF is up with theSwedes?

This is not a cool way to dress. They look like tools.
In a global warmed Sweden, they could ditch this look in favour of something much better.
Just sayin.

And most importantly...
In a global warmed Canada...I could be riding now.
My Harley would never have been put away.

I think the southern hemisphere has had enough good times.
It is our turn.
Just sayin....

Certainly been a while....

Here we are...mid January already.
Only 2.5 months until the end of March...surely to God there will be bare pavement and some warm temps by then !

There has not been a damned thing motorcycle related for me to talk about....therefore I have not blogged.

This past weekend was the motorcycle show. I didn't go, but some friends did.
Same old, I am told.
I will wait until Feb 20th. and go to the one in Montreal...it is a lot better.
There are tons of bikes and different manufacturers there.
I like to see all of the new Harleys (obviously), but I enjoy seeing the new Triumphs and Victorys as well...and all the brands, actually.

Already thinking about trips for next summer.
We think we will do Pennsylvania towards the end of June.
There is a rally.... "Johnstown Thunder" ...that looks worthwhile checking out.
And Pennsylvania is a "no helmet" state. Sweet!
The 3 amigos will ride again....brother Dan says he is in.

For Christmas, Santa brought me all of the goodies necessary to change out my fluids in the spring.
Nothing says Christmas like 6 quarts of synthetic oil and a filter...that's for sure!

I guess you would have to ride to appreciate such a bounty.


Aside from hiding away waiting for spring, I have been playing a lot of guitar.
I had not played since I quit drinking, but it is all good now.
I bought a new Godin with my "not smoking so I have money" ...money.
It plays and sounds awesome.
It took a couple of weeks to get it ordered in.. but it is definately worth it.
And we switched a couple of rooms around, and the new guitar/computer/puzzle room works great.

And now....please stay tuned for this message from our sponsor...

a Great guitar tune !

Tom Petty still kicks ass.
Guitar solos don't have to be all "shredder-like" to be awesome.

...........and now back to our program....

Talking to Brent yesterday, and he said there were bikes out up at Lanark on the weekend. It was pretty mild, but that is a little crazy.
Dan was up in Port Hope and he said that they had no snow, and there were all kinds of bikes out.

Ottawa is back to cold and winter now.  ( insert frowny )

A photo of happy times...2011...mid summer...Quebec somewhere...the 3 amigos.( insert smiley)

A photo my daughter in law took while following me on our way to a cottage for a week.

I can't see my face...but I have to be happy as hell.
Sunny..holiday..motorcycle?
yup.
happy.

Addendum to sad day

1st cue the music....then look at the image of the bike.

Sadder than the lamp.....

nuff said   :(

Sad day :(

I put the bike to rest for the winter yesterday.
Even I could not kid myself about the weather and winter...there is nothing but freezing rain and snow in the forecast.
Yay....

Bags and windshield off.
Battery out, tsp. of oil in each plug, fresh gas with stabiliser..on the lift....little blanky to keep it comfy.
It looked sad....just like the light from the Ikea commercial:

That commercial always made me laugh.

And now...a Musical interlude

George Harrison - Beware of Darkness....from the Concert for Bangladesh...a pretty great song.

Aside.....I hope this whole inserting video thing works...I was looking at the top bar the other day and wondered "what do these things do? "
I kind of stopped experimenting with formats and the like after spending one long evening trying to figure out what I had done wrong on one post when I could not get the the photos to do what I wanted.
Was a simple setting I had screwed up.


Getting back from laughs and good tunes...

There are probably 100 days to go, until I am riding again.
That sucks. ( insert frowny emoticon here)
On a positive note...I suck at math, and it turns out that I am only a couple of weeks from buying  a new guitar. That gets a real "yay". ( insert smiley emoticon here )
And there is Christmas.
And in February I will be hitting the dreaded 50 years old.

Lots to look forward to....( insert uncertain emoticon here )  :)

And I guess Brent and I will have to start planning our June trip.
Probably Pennsylvania.
That will entail lots of hours with maps...which is great.
Who doesn't love maps?