Our days are numbered

Now that we are into October and have changed seasons from summer to fall (or autumn if you prefer), the number of riding days for motorcyclists is starting to diminish.  To be sure, there are some hearty souls who ride their bikes almost every day, no matter the weather, but for the recreational rider who prefers not to venture out in the rain and cold, the days are numbered.  While I will on occasion ride in temperatures as low as 40 degrees, properly dressed, I do prefer to ride when the temps are in the 60's on the low end.  To me, it's just not fun to ride when your teeth are chattering and you are cold.  I know that there are heated gloves and everything else to keep you warm and toasty, but I also don't like being bundled up too much when I ride.  When it rains, I don't ride no matter what the temperature is.  Again, I don't like losing visibility and braking distance on the wet roads.  I guess I am a fair weather rider.  I like dry roads and warm temperatures when I ride.
So I will wait out the storms and cold days ahead, but will keep my bike hooked up to the battery tender so that I can take her out when the next nice day arrives.  Here in the midwest, we can be blessed with 70 degree days in December and January, just as easily as 20 degree days.  So while I might not get out as much in the next few months, I will get out and enjoy some fresh air and wind therapy as often as I can.

Dog Days of Summer?

This summer has been the best, weather wise, that I can ever remember in the midwest and I'm sure much of the good ole USA.  Here in Missouri where we can typically see temperatures in the high 90's and even low 100's in July and August, we have seemed to average more days in the low 80's this year.  Whether it's been caused by El Nino or the Polar Vortex, I'm not sure, but I'm also not complaining.  While I enjoy living in a four season part of the country, suffering through a 98 degree day in late July can be unsettling.  Coupled with the high humidity that usually comes along for the ride, it can be downright uncomfortable for weeks at a time.  So I will enjoy this mild weather as long as it lasts.  As Mark Twain once said, if you don't like Missouri weather, just wait 5 minutes.  Fall will be here before you know it.  Kids will be going back to school next week and football season is right around the corner.  Enjoy the enjoyment as they say!  Get outside and spend some time in the fresh air.  This is great weather for motorcyclists as well, so look twice and share the road!

Route 66 Weird Wild Stuff

Strange Sights on Route 66  from the Weather Channel website.  Enjoy!

Rewind...Best of Thoughts from Scott

(This post was originally written on 9/2/2011)

Driving can be frustrating. There is too much traffic, too many stoplights, and oh those inconsiderate drivers. Most people have been cut off a few times in their life. But have you really watched some of the drivers on the road? I mean, have you observed what they do while they're driving? As a motorcyclist, I have to be much more aware of other cars and trucks than you do. Because motorcycles are not seen as easily as other cars, we have to be much more defensive when we drive on the roads and highways. We are constantly scanning ahead of us to watch out for cars and trucks pulling out into a lane ahead of us, stopping to make a turn without signaling, or coming into our lane without notice. Sure we've all been passed by a sportbike going too fast or maybe even doing a wheelie, but most motorcyclists are very good and considerate drivers. After all, one mistake and it could mean our lives. There has been a lot of press and even new laws about driving and texting, but have you ever considered some of the other things people do while they're driving? Besides searching for a new radio station or putting in a new CD, I have seen people put on makeup, read a book or magazine propped on their steering wheel, and of course how many people eat while they drive? Cell phone use is big, too. When I see a car going slower than the rest of traffic and maybe even wandering in their lane, chances are it's someone on a cell phone driving, not a drunk driver. So now that the weather is getting nicer, roll down the windows and try to imagine yourself riding a motorcycle. Smell the fresh air and try to see things from our perspective. We all share the road and we all want to reach our destination safely.

June Journeys

The difference between riding a motorcycle and driving a car is that on a motorcycle, your senses take in a lot more of the experience.  In a car, you are mainly focused on the road ahead of you and where you are going.  On a motorcycle, not only do you see the road, but you feel the wind and you smell the air around you.  You can distinguish freshly cut grass from leaves.  Many people refer to riding their motorcycle as "wind therapy" meaning that they can get so much more out of a ride than just taking them from point A to point B.  The wind rushing past their face is a pleasure that makes the ride fun rather than a chore or a dreaded experience like a car ride to work can sometimes be.  This is why motorcycle riders do not mind taking the long way home instead of the short cut.  The ride is a journey to escape the frustrations of the day and to clear your head of negative thoughts.  This is why I like to ride alone.  I can focus on the road and my surroundings and tune out the noise of the environment we live in.  Stress is reduced or even eliminated while taking a ride, even if it's only for less than an hour.  To be sure, there are many motorcyclists who like to ride in large groups, or take real journeys of thousands of miles to far away places.  But you can also take a journey away from reality and responsibility, a mental vacation if you will, when you get on your bike and just head out for an hour or two, to let your senses experience the road and it's surroundings.  This is why we ride.  A car just cannot offer the same experience, not even a convertible.  This is what draws people to ride motorcycles, to be one with the road, and to make any ride a journey, and not just a commute.

Time for a tune up!

Well we made it!  Winter is officially over.  Spring has arrived...finally.  Warmer temperatures are finally on the way.  For motorcycles owners, that means it's time to get your bike ready to hit the roads, highways and byways.  Of course, that also means we have to make sure our cruisers are ready to go.  Most of us in cold weather climates have had their bikes sitting in their garages or storage units for months.  The batteries must be charged, the fluids checked, and the tires inspected.  In some cases, like mine, I even had to get the bike state inspected because my license plate tags were due to expire.  I also discovered it was time for a new front tire.  But now I'm ready.  Ready to head out and hit the open road!  Smell the fresh air and feel the breeze rush past your face.  There's nothing quite like the experience of a motorcycle ride.  So good riddance winter.  You will not be missed.  It's riding season now!

When will it end?

After suffering through another snow storm yesterday, many people including myself are asking the question:  How long will this winter last?  Now of course winter is the same length every year, but this year it feels longer.  By all accounts we have endured more snow and bitter cold temperatures than have been seen in decades.  Sub-zero temperatures are not the norm in the midwest.  Yes, we like to say we get all four seasons and can experience the full range of temperatures from 0 to 100 degrees, but we haven't experienced below zero temperatures in over 15 years in Missouri.  Add to that, the repeated snow events and it starts to take it's toll on one's fortitude and demeanor.  Most schools in the area have had so many snow days that this year's school year won't end until sometime in June.  Well past the pre-Memorial day finish that they have gravitated to over the years.  So now we are into February and the countdown for spring has begun.  While Punxsutanwney Phil has predicted another six weeks of winter, the calendar says 43 days to be exact.  But wait, pitchers and catchers report to spring training in just a few days.  Warmer weather must be just around the corner!  We can only hope.  For those who long to get out on the highways and byways on their motorcycles, the wait can be excruciating.  Come on Old Man Winter...give us a break!  We want the Heat Miser to bring us warmth.  Dear Mother Nature, have pity on us, we are ready for spring now.  We don't mind if it comes early this year.  How will it all play out?  Only time will tell. But for now, I'm in Storm Mode.  The kids are off from school today, and it's time to shovel the driveway.  My dreams of warmer weather have been dashed...