Now Taking New Students

Now Taking New Students.

My new ride

My new ride has no motor. Well, it does, but the motor is me. For the past year, I have been on a quest to lose weight and get myself into better physical condition. As I have gotten more fit, my competitive juices are flowing again and I’m now training for a triathlon.

As a result, most of my 2 wheel grooving this Spring and early Summer will come with me providing the motor. I’m currently riding between 5 and 10 miles, 3 times a week and looking to work my way up to do at least one century (100 miles) ride by the end of this riding season. Here she is…

Arriving Home

Isn’t she a beauty?

LOVE this bike!

Yup, that’s her!

Snapshot

Dawn breaks, anticipation.  Layer up, preparation.  Boots on, gear up.  Turn the key, fire it up. V-4 roars to life, motivation.  Kick stand up, jubilation.  First gear, hit the road.  Long day ahead, places to go.

Cool fall air, warm fall color, looks to be a great day.  First corner on the open road, lean it in and here we go.  Smile breaks, feeling it. Just me, the bike, the road, and God.  Every corner, faster than the last.  Small towns, twisty back roads, beautiful nature. Just me, the bike, the road, and God.  Today is a gift, today is going to be a good day.

Cool, crisp morning turns to warm mid-day sun and layers come off.  Sun glistening off autumn leaves, the bike and I are one.  More small towns, more open road, corners becoming tighter, leaning over further.  Time for a break to rejuvenate.  Small town lunch counter, recent immigrants full of pride in their little piece of the capitalist pie.  Breaks over, time to move on, more small towns to see, more roads to conquer.

Afternoon turns to early evening, time for another break.  Good ol’ American bbq, tiny slice of heaven on earth.  Back on the road for the long trip home and the sun is setting casting the autumn in orange light.  Got to watch for bambi and all his friends as that would make for an ugly end.  Hit an old familiar road, this day is coming to a close.  Hit the city as the street lights come on, edging closer to home.

Pull in the garage, satisfaction, with a hint of disappointment that the day had to end. 400 miles today, just me, the bike, the road and God. Today was a GREAT day.

Been a while…

Just realized I haven’t updated this blog in a while.  I’ve been busy riding and playing music, along with a myriad of other things I do. Mostly I’ve spent this summer relearning how to eat, exercise and losing weight. 70lbs so far but I have a LONG way to go.  I’ve made some good progress which I’m proud of but nowhere near my goal weight yet.

No simple answers

No simple answers
The truth, the good
Hidden ‘neath the rubble
Of what never was
Love, but how?
Forgiveness, not so easy
To defend one you offend another
Hate one to love the other?
No simple answers
The truth, the good
Hidden ‘neath the rubble
Of what never was
It all makes sense until it falls apart
Love is grand, till she breaks your heart
Vow to fight till you can’t go on
A ray of light and then it’s gone
No simple answers
The truth, the good
Hidden ‘neath the rubble
Of what never was
Healing comes but only with struggle
Peace and love by bursting bubbles
Surrender what I hold too tight
Leave the darkness to the night
No simple answers
The truth, the good
Hidden ‘neath the rubble
Of what never was
No simple answers…

Looking Through The Turn

This weekend I was fortunate to ride 135 in Southern, Indiana. It was a fun road with lots of tight, twisty sections and some high speed sweepers, mostly posted at cornering speeds between 15 and 30 MPH, which on my VFR meant I could comfortably take them between 25 and 65 MPH, respectively. As a relatively novice rider, this being my second full season of riding, I’m still working on my technique and skill development.

On a road this tight, I started to recognize a couple of my technical flaws. The first was not looking far enough through the turn. As you more experienced riders know “you go where you look”. The key to riding twisty roads successfully is to look where you are going and not at potential hazards in the road. When I was concentrating on looking through the turn I noticed I was able to carry more speed through the corner and felt much more comfortable, but when I was not looking far enough ahead I was less comfortable and was not able to carry as much speed through the corners. It was sure a lot easier to do on the higher posted corners.

The other aspect of my technique that I noticed flawed was taking each corner on its own and not setting up for the corner ahead of time. If I was planning ahead for the corner, again I was more comfortable and able to carry more speed, but if I didn’t plan ahead and just took the corner without a plan I was far less comfortable and not able to carry as much speed.

That got me to thinking about faith and music as well. In music, if I am concentrating so much on the particular point of the music I am at or worrying about a particularly difficult technical section, my groove is not as deep as if I have a plan in place, setting up my line on the second verse with my line on the first, setting up the chorus with a lick coming out of the verse, setting up the bridge with my part coming out of the chorus.

I am reminded of Peter walking on the water. When he was looking at Jesus and following his voice he was able to walk across the water towards his master, but when he looked down at the choppy waves and black sea, he got scared and started to drown. Once he looked up at the master again, he was able to lose his fear and walk to his master. Is that not true of all of us? If we are caught looking down at the choppy waters rising around us we start to feel like we are drowning, but if we focus on the master, we are able to get across the waves and live our life without fear.

Beautiful Day!

I put 100 miles on the bike after church today.  Not a big deal, I know, but it sure felt good getting out and riding.  I do, however, have to put new tires on it soon.  Soon enough that I need to put off the suspension upgrades I had planned for a couple more overtime checks.  The back tire’s not too bad, but the front is horrible.  Still has plenty of tread left, but it’s cupped and worn in an odd pattern so it’s not tracking very well.  It’s not dangerous or anything, but not very confidence inspiring in the corners either.

If anyone were so inclined (hint, hint), I need a 180/55/17 on the rear and a 120/70/17 up front, prefer Michelin Pilot Road 2 (“B” for the rear)…  Deliver to… just kidding.  I’ll buy them myself.

It sure felt good to get out and ride though.  Here’s to another long riding season and many happy miles.

FINALLY!!!

I rode today!  First ride since the day before Thanksgiving.  Man, did that feel good!  That’s all.

Come on Spring!

I need Spring to arrive and I mean soon.  This long winter is getting to me and getting to my head.  My VFR hasn’t left the garage since the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and it’s looking like it might be Easter before the weather breaks.  3-4 days of 40 degree weather and a good rain to wash all the salt and crap off the road might get me out sooner though.

Yesterday I got so mad during a 5th and 6th grade girls basketball game that I kicked a sports drink bottle across the gym floor and stormed off to our “locker room” before the game  was over.  Yes, 5th and 6th grade girls…  Yes, the referees really were that bad, but that’s no excuse.  At that age it really should be all about the girls learning and having a good time playing a game that I love.  My girls are learning and improving every week, and they’re a great group of girls so I should be satisfied, indeed happy with the way this year has gone.  Unfortunately we’ve only won one game, though we’ve been close in each of the last 4, and I want so badly for these girls to taste victory that I lost focus on what really matters at this age – fun, and me being a better example than that as their coach.  So now I get to swallow my pride and go grovel to the referees I yelled at, the other coaches and league officials I offended, and probably the other parents who were there and don’t really know me well enough to know that was outside of my normal character.

What does that have to do with Spring weather and motorcycles?  Everything.

Pipe and Slippers

My hair is getting thinner and what’s left is getting grayer
And I’m afflicted with all manner of pain
I’ve lost a little fire and I’ve lost a few good years
But it’s nothing compared to what I’ve gained

I often catch myself sounding like my father
And wonder what’s to become of me
I’ve got a few regrets and I owe a couple favors
But I’m not ready for my final plea

I’m not ready for pipe and slippers
I’m not ready for the rocking chair
I’m not ready to read morning papers
And wait till you take me there

Watch my baby girl turn into a lady
Before my very eyes
Wonder what sort of world’s waiting for my baby
But I’m not gonna sit here just waiting to die

And I’m not ready for pipe and slippers
I’m not ready for that rocking chair
I’m not ready to read morning papers
And wait till you take me there

There’s still races to be run and there’s still songs to be sung
Still weddings and funerals to see
There’s still plenty of hurting and plenty of loving
And still plenty of time for me

But you can bring me my pipe
And you can bring me my slippers
While I sit here in this chair
But I don’t want to read the morning paper
And I’m not just waiting for you to take me there.

Bring me my pipe
And bring me my slippers
While I sit here in my chair
But I don’t want to read the morning paper
And wait till you take me there
Wait till you take me there
Wait till you take me there