DDT (12)
Member
Posts: 4112
Sometimes ya just gotta go...
Winter Springs, FL - Occasionally...
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« on: February 07, 2021, 07:28:26 AM » |
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Baby Steps…
Inertia is a devilishly lurid thing that can so subtly lull us into lethargy and lapse... Yep, I'm as guilty of falling prey to that bane of humanity as anybody, I reckon... Oh, I knew, of course, it was just a matter of time before... But no hurry... I needed to continue recovering, I reminded myself. In the back of my mind, though, there was also a modicum of dread and doubt.
See, our girl was continuing with the longest period in her entire life without even being started! Over two months already since last her key had been turned and the starter button depressed... Would she crank? How would she sound if she did start? Oh woe, what will we do if problems are apparent? I suppose I could just call Troutdude... again...
The weather guess had been calling for rain that Saturday and the next several days… more or less. Naturally that forecast had ebbed and flowed some back and forth several times over the preceding days. At the time I finished reading meathead’s post about his most recent mini ride, it was here overcast but not threatening at all… Oh heck, let’s just go give her a crank anyway… We can at least see where we stand…
One thing led to another, and… I changed into a suitable riding ensemble and proceeded to add a can of Sea Foam I still had in the garage… just for good measure. She fired right up, coughed a few times, but soon enough was humming just like the sweet angel she is and always has been! Hey, I’ll call ya another time, Dennis…
OK, with that huge worry off my mind and other seeming hurdles overcome… what’s next? Where might we go? Well, she does need an oil & filter change in a big way, so… maybe we can pick some up, as I’d noticed I was out when I checked a few minutes before… Not much of an adventure, though… Hey, how about some ‘Q’ over in Newberry…? Yeah, that’s always a winning idea!
I was concerned about any skill rust the driver might have, and I was very concerned about any adverse effects upon our girl should the now weakened operator prove not be up to the task of it all… No worries with any of that, it turned out… we both did quite nicely, I’ll have you know…
With a twinge of skittishness, I wiped off the few small droplets of water on the gas cap and swung my leg over our girl’s sumptuous saddle for the big event. I did look up to see if anything threatening was going on… Nope, cloudy but looks OK… I guess… We eased out of the driveway, and… you know… magic started to happen!!! OMG! I can’t believe I’ve waited so long to do this!
Back roads not recently ridden were randomly followed generally heading us northwestward towards Newberry, FL. Dang! Maybe we should just keep going towards Texas or someplace…? It felt so good to be doing that… to even be able to do that!!! Here we were at long last… doing what we’d been only dreaming of and longing for a few short days before… Holy cow! Am I about to have an organism? Oh yeah, no worries there now… I no longer have the plumbing to do that…
Well, we didn’t even make it very far out of town before the first few drops of moisture were pelting my face! OK, looks like Rocky will just have to wait for us to come another time… Still, the thought of BBQ did still suit my fancy, so… maybe things are better east and/or south from here… looks promising anyway… We made the turn at the next opportunity, but we didn’t have to suit-up… not yet at least… I’m not sure which I hate worse… when the weather folks are right, or when they’re wrong! In today’s case they had been both and neither!!!
I happen to know many ways to get from here to there in this neck of the woods, so it was easy to pick our way along on less traveled roads to get us to the always reliable and quite suitable Sonny’s BBQ in Silver Springs… I went inside and ordered my usual meal… Dang! First I’d had in a while, and it was mighty palate-pleasing! Even got a pork sammich to-go for later…
We then swung by an auto parts store for some oil and filter, then figured we’d pressed our luck far enough! I was sitting on the front porch at our house a little later pondering the fabulous, albeit brief ride we’d just had… and the much-heralded thunderstorms began… I watched it rain for a little bit, then went inside to the recliner for… well, all high-minded rhetoric aside, I got just what I’d expected: a nice nap! A good day and a wonderful ride, even if it had only been for thirty-five miles or so… Tomorrow should bring… I’ll get back to ya on that…
DDT
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Don't just dream it... LIVE IT!
See ya down the road...
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hubcapsc
Member
Posts: 16781
upstate
South Carolina
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« Reply #1 on: February 07, 2021, 07:58:51 AM » |
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My last few rides have just been 50 miles around the block... can't let the carburetors gum up!  -Mike |
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msb
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« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2021, 08:00:34 AM » |
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Ahhh..... Relief  Good for you Bruce  |
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Mike
'99 Red & Black IS
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Valkorado
Member
Posts: 10493
VRCC DS 0242
Gunnison, Colorado (7,703') Here there be twisties.
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« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2021, 08:33:50 AM » |
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Gettin' in a little can be as satisfying as cramming in a lot. I'm fortunate enough to ride 30 miles from home in any direction and be engulfed in great riding roads and majestic scenery. About half the year, anyway. What I'd give for a little right now...  Carry on! |
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Have you ever noticed when you're feeling really good, there's always a pigeon that'll come sh!t on your hood? - John Prine 97 Tourer "Silver Bullet" 01 Interstate "Ruby"  |
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The emperor has no clothes
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« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2021, 08:43:24 AM » |
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Nothing better than opening up the forum on a Sunday morning and reading about a DDT ride ! Good on you Bruce. uh, I mean Ronald. |
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Valker
Member
Posts: 2997
Wahoo!!!!
Texas Panhandle
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« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2021, 08:52:43 AM » |
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Good for you both! I can't wait to heal up and do the same thing.
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I ride a motorcycle because nothing transports me as quickly from where I am to who I am.
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Bigwolf
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« Reply #6 on: February 07, 2021, 09:08:44 AM » |
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I imagine that after a couple of months of challenging days.............days that were necessarily planned and executed with a certain task in mind, that short ride gave about the same feeling that a child would have when walking into a candy store. But more than that, a snippet of returning to normalcy, a small snippet, but comforting just the same.
Bigwolf
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DDT (12)
Member
Posts: 4112
Sometimes ya just gotta go...
Winter Springs, FL - Occasionally...
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« Reply #7 on: February 07, 2021, 09:35:20 AM » |
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Good for you both! I can't wait to heal up and do the same thing.
Eric, Heal up? Didn't recall you were ailing...  Hope you get haired-up and healed-over real soon, amigo!!!  DDT All, Yeppers, the return to the saddle was all you'd expect it to be! Can't truly describe it accurately, but... Maybe I should go do another ride and attempt to tell y'all about the whole thing again... I'll get back to with what all happens...! I'm outa here!!! DDT |
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Don't just dream it... LIVE IT!
See ya down the road...
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Bret SD
Member
Posts: 4306
***
San Diego, Ca.
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« Reply #8 on: February 07, 2021, 09:59:06 AM » |
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Good for you both! I can't wait to heal up and do the same thing.
Eric, Heal up? Didn't recall you were ailing... Hope you get haired-up and healed-over real soon, amigo!!! DDT All, Yeppers, the return to the saddle was all you'd expect it to be! Can't truly describe it accurately, but... Maybe I should go do another ride and attempt to tell y'all about the whole thing again... I'll get back to with what all happens...! I'm outa here!!! DDT Ride on Bruce! Glad you finally got some! |
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Bret
02 Standard -- Blue & White
82 Aspencade -- Red
“No man has the right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.” Socrates
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f6gal
Administrator
Member
Posts: 6882
Surprise, AZ
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« Reply #9 on: February 07, 2021, 10:03:23 AM » |
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Wooo-freaking-hoooo! Congrats to you and Ali. |
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matt
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« Reply #10 on: February 07, 2021, 11:19:39 AM » |
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Yes definitely awesome to read this
Matt
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Valker
Member
Posts: 2997
Wahoo!!!!
Texas Panhandle
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« Reply #11 on: February 07, 2021, 01:52:26 PM » |
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Good for you both! I can't wait to heal up and do the same thing.
Eric, Heal up? Didn't recall you were ailing... Hope you get haired-up and healed-over real soon, amigo!!! DDT I blew out a couple of spinal discs back in August. I've ridden about 200 miles since then. They operated on me last Thursday. Almost all of the nerve pain is gone, but it will be a while before the hole they dug is better. I'm not going to risk hurting it again. I hope to be riding by end of March. |
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« Last Edit: February 07, 2021, 01:55:43 PM by Valker »
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I ride a motorcycle because nothing transports me as quickly from where I am to who I am.
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DIGGER
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« Reply #12 on: February 07, 2021, 02:05:56 PM » |
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Glad to hear you are feeling like riding again. Weather has been just awesome here in the Houston area. got up to about 80 degrees couple days ago today is sunshiny and about 68 degrees....motorcycles going down the road out front all over the place.....Im feeling fine but tomorrow I start week 5 of 9 weeks of radiation for my prostate cancer so the doc has strongly advised I lock down and DO NOT GET COVID during this 9 weeks so the wifey and I are locked down going out only when absolutely necessary. My wife has also given me some really good advise also.....I think.....to stay off my Valkyrie till the 9 weeks are up. just cant afford for ANYTHING to stop me from getting to those radiation treatments. Doc has impressed on me that i cant stop in the middle of the 9 weeks.....so...... here I sit. You can just watch Hop a Long Cassidy reruns just so many times......
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RNFWP
Member
Posts: 423
"What color blue is that?"
Greenville, SC
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« Reply #13 on: February 08, 2021, 08:20:01 PM » |
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Bruce, it put a smile on my face to read about your getting back in the saddle for a short ride, some BBQ and feeling normal. Good to hear it...
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"My dog is one of my favorite people"
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Jess from VA
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« Reply #14 on: February 08, 2021, 08:46:22 PM » |
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« Last Edit: February 08, 2021, 08:54:23 PM by Jess from VA »
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DDT (12)
Member
Posts: 4112
Sometimes ya just gotta go...
Winter Springs, FL - Occasionally...
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« Reply #15 on: February 09, 2021, 03:48:31 AM » |
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Good for you both! I can't wait to heal up and do the same thing.
Eric, Heal up? Didn't recall you were ailing... Hope you get haired-up and healed-over real soon, amigo!!! DDT I blew out a couple of spinal discs back in August. I've ridden about 200 miles since then. They operated on me last Thursday. Almost all of the nerve pain is gone, but it will be a while before the hole they dug is better. I'm not going to risk hurting it again. I hope to be riding by end of March. Eric, WOW! I didn't recall hearing anything about that... Oh well, I sure understand the agony of sitting on the sidelines for extended periods! I most certainly hope your recovery continues, even accelerates, and you can join us other aging kids out on the voyage of discovery... Hope you get some more bugs in your teeth even sooner that projections! If I swing through the panhandle a bit later on, I'll attempt to contact ya so maybe we can have a steak one evening and 'chew the fat'! DDT Jess, Those pics/videos pretty much sum-up how I thought about my feelings! Dang, it sure was good, though, and... oh, you know how that is... Anyway, it sure is grand to be back!!! DDT Glad to hear you are feeling like riding again. Weather has been just awesome here in the Houston area. got up to about 80 degrees couple days ago today is sunshiny and about 68 degrees....motorcycles going down the road out front all over the place.....Im feeling fine but tomorrow I start week 5 of 9 weeks of radiation for my prostate cancer so the doc has strongly advised I lock down and DO NOT GET COVID during this 9 weeks so the wifey and I are locked down going out only when absolutely necessary. My wife has also given me some really good advise also.....I think.....to stay off my Valkyrie till the 9 weeks are up. just cant afford for ANYTHING to stop me from getting to those radiation treatments. Doc has impressed on me that i cant stop in the middle of the 9 weeks.....so...... here I sit. You can just watch Hop a Long Cassidy reruns just so many times......
Digger, My best wishes to you as you continue the slog! I know about those feelings of dread and admonishments to avoid any colds, flu, COVID, anything that might interfere with or derail that treatment sequence...! Good luck to ya, and happy bowel/bladder prep! DDT All, Oh man, it is even grander than I'd figured it would be! I think I'll go sit on the front porch again and just ponder the enormity of it all!!! Heck, I may just go for yet another jaunt if the rain holds off... Thanks for sharing the joy with us!!! DDT |
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« Last Edit: February 09, 2021, 03:50:25 AM by DDT »
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Don't just dream it... LIVE IT!
See ya down the road...
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Valker
Member
Posts: 2997
Wahoo!!!!
Texas Panhandle
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« Reply #16 on: February 09, 2021, 05:18:58 AM » |
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Eric, Heal up? Didn't recall you were ailing... Hope you get haired-up and healed-over real soon, amigo!!! DDT I blew out a couple of spinal discs back in August. I've ridden about 200 miles since then. They operated on me last Thursday. Almost all of the nerve pain is gone, but it will be a while before the hole they dug is better. I'm not going to risk hurting it again. I hope to be riding by end of March. Eric, WOW! I didn't recall hearing anything about that... Oh well, I sure understand the agony of sitting on the sidelines for extended periods! I most certainly hope your recovery continues, even accelerates, and you can join us other aging kids out on the voyage of discovery... Hope you get some more bugs in your teeth even sooner that projections! If I swing through the panhandle a bit later on, I'll attempt to contact ya so maybe we can have a steak one evening and 'chew the fat'! DDT Bruce, I would certainly consider that an honor! |
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I ride a motorcycle because nothing transports me as quickly from where I am to who I am.
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