The I rode to work today never ending thread.

[Black Pearl's Captain]

OK I'm here already. I should have kept on going but the bike turned in automatically I guess.

Raymond

[Bob E.]

Filling my tank I was greeted by a young man on the other side of the pump.

“How’s it going?”

“Good, thanks.”

“What kind of bike is that?”

“It’s a Valkyrie.  Honda Valkyrie.”

“It’s really nice.”

“Yeah.  I like it.”

“I have an eleven hundred Shadow.  Honda Shadow.”

  “They’re nice bikes.”

“Yes, they are.  I was going to get a Valkyrie like you did.   How much did you get in it?”

I didn’t really understand the question.  “I bought this one in 2004.  I paid eight thousand”               

“That’s a good deal.”

“Yeah.”

“How much gas did it take?”

“It’s a five gallon tank.”

“Mine has four gallons.”

“Well this one has six carbs.  It doesn’t get very good mileage.”

“Mine has four.  It’s a four cylinder.  I get forty-three miles per gallon.”

“This one gets about thirty-five.”

“What’s it weigh?  About eight seventy or nine hundred?”

“Right around seven hundred.”

“Oh!  It’s lighter than mine.  Mine weighs eight seventy.”

“Yeah.  Well, have a nice day.”

When you ride a Valkyrie there is time in the wind and there are conversations.   Most days the time in the wind is better than the social intercourse.  Today was one of those days.

Funny...I didn't know Shadows had 4 cylinders. Maybe he meant a Magna...but then again, I would guess he should know what kind of bike he rides.   

By the way...I rode today...3 for 3 so far this week. 

[cutter]

been a nice week here for riding to work or where ever ya need to go.

[Big IV]

Have I ridden to work twice today? yes, yes I have.
I went in this morning. Beautiful day. Overcast. 50% chance of rain. The weather woman said that the chance of rain became worse all the way through Sunday, although her graphic showed it at 50% everyday. I was confused, so I just rode anyway.
I went to the first campus. Taught. Instead of going home, I filled the 4 hour hole in my day sitting in the floor of a bookstore reading.
I then rode to meet my wife for dinner at a local fish camp. They know us and what we want to eat. we eat there nearly every week.
Now I'm back sitting in the downstairs office about to walk upstairs and go back to work.
It is a nice cool overcast evening. Should be a nice sleeping night.
So far I've dodged the rain. Although, after this it won't matter if I get wet or not. I have dry clothes at home.
Commute to ride, ride to commute!

[Hoser]

I worked 1st shift, rode in in the dark, just came in for 3rd shift, still in the dark.  Will probly ride it in tomorrow for 2nd shift.  3 shifts in 2 days, well it makes the week shorter.    hoser

[Bob E.]

WOOOHOOO...4 for 4 this week.  And since I'm taking off tomorrow to ride out to the CBR, that's 100% for me!  They said just the slightest chance of an isolated rain-shower to day, but likely will stay dry.  It didn't matter anyways because my general rule of thumb is that if it isn't raining when I leave the house in the morning, I ride and not worry about rain later in the day for the ride home.

[Big IV]

I tried to  take the Cadillac yesterday to keep myself professional looking.  That didn't work out so well for me. So it is back to the Valk.
Visibility could have been better this morning. Although I was pleased that traffic wasn't over taking me at the speed that I chose to ride. I was also keeping a steady pace, so all is well.
I pulled the chaps out of the closet this morning. I couldn't find the leather overpants that I usually wear. I'll have to look for that again when I get home.
Back to work!
Commute to ride, ride to commute!

[Bob E.]

After a fantastic weekend in Indianna for the CBR...it's back to work.    But at least it was on the bike! 

[Karen]

Made it 4 for 4, will make it an even 5 tomorrow. Still wearing the mesh this week, but might have to go to leather in the morning. I  can't be the only one still riding...

[Black Pearl's Captain]

I'm riding! I just haven't bragged enough about it this week. It's nice see I'm missed!! (<<<< more shameless brag)

I guess your heat came from here as it's cool here now. I had 47 degrees yesterday and the mesh has been gone all week.

Keep on riding as much as you can Karen, I think the other shoe may drop on you anytime with the weather.

Raymond

[RoadKill]

I drive the work truck every mornin But the valk gets her exercise nightly if at all possible. Dont own any chaps and could only find a left glove.....good thing i dont have much feeling left in the right arm  ..chaps are gonna be a must this winter but i think this autumn,,, we shall survive! RIDE ON! (until unsafe to do so) !

[Black Pearl's Captain]

Here it is Friday and I did ride the bike today. It's suppose to be a great weekend with fall temps up to 90'. It don't get much better than that.

Have a good riding weekend all.

Raymond

[Big IV]

Rode all five days this week. Yesterday (thursday) I rode from one job to another and commuted more than once on the same day. Then I turned around and road back the other direction to meet my wife and a few friends for dinner. We went on to see a blues act and have a good time. It was a good week overall.

[Willow]

I rode to church this morning.  Does that count?

I do have a job at church each Sunday morning, but it's a volunteer position so there's no pay.  I feel a little guilty sometimes when the weather's in the good zone and I have to tell someone, "Yeah, I'll be missing again this Sunday.  Can you cover me?"

I did take a call from work (paid position) this morning while at church.  That's sort of like being at work, at least vicariously.  I did ride to work all four days this past week, but I was in town so it was only nine miles each way rather than my my usual sixty.  I only work four days each week.  Normally I work one of those from home.

The ride in was nice.  Temps were perfect and traffic was reasonably light.  At the top of the ramp to the flyway I was able to sit in the number one outside position at the stop light.  I like to be where I can watch the flyway traffic coming out from underpass and pick my spot as soon as the little glowing tyrant turns us loose.   Having a wide open ramp ahead is a definite plus. There's a very special feeling that goes with rolling onto the slab at forty clicks over the PRV.  You all do know that the entrance and exit ramps are free run zones?

On the way home I got jammed up in the right of three lanes when the cage in front of me stopped unexpectedly with the population of the left two slots moving by at forty to fifty.  When I got free I could see that the hold up was a cage with a flat.  It appeared to be a family - Dad, Mom and a little girl.  At the next corner I pulled a double right and came back to where I could safely park the Dragon and walk across to the inoperative vehicle.  I approached the patron and queried whether he had what he needed and if there was anything I could do to help.

"I called a friend.  I think he's on the way.  We have a flat.  My jack isn't good."

His accent was very thick.  He and the family seemed to be Indian with English of the subcontinent rather than that of America being their primary.

"You have a jack?"

"Yes, but I don't think it works."

"Show me what you have."

He opened the trunk of the little compact and raised the trunk bed to expose a donut, a scissors jack and the set of tools rusted, almost stuck, to the side of the well.  A quick inventory revealed that all the necessary parts were there.

"Looks like they're all there.  Let's get them out."

Another young man walked up and volunteered to manage traffic while we worked.  I took the jack and one part of the handle and positioned the tool at the slot behind the right front tire.  They had the right rear door open, so I didn't have a clear view of traffic approaching from the rear.  It made me a little nervous, but I chose not to be too demanding.  I got the jack extended enough to hold it tightly in position, and then removed the wrench to loosen the for lug nuts while the tire was still on the pavement.

"Is the parking brake on?"

"Yes."  I should have checked.

The wrench had to be forced onto the lug nuts due to the rust inside the recess but we were able to get all four fasteners loose and then get the jack extended enough to raise the wheel off the ground.

The young mother presented the donut and we got the wheels switched out.  I went around the ring twice alternating lugs, and first snugged, then tightened the nuts.  I was careful to either raise straight up or push straight down on the shorter-than-I-would-prefer wrench.  I started to lower the jack.

"Are they tight enough," the patron questioned.  Apparently my lack of exposed bulging body tissue had instilled in him a lack of confidence.  I handed him the little wrench.

He wasn't able to move any of the nuts, but unfortunately positioned the little wrench pointing up on the top lug nut and pulled toward the rear of the vehicle.  The little vehicle rocked and shifted half off the jack.  The mother gasped audibly.  Both she and the patron spoke in rapid and panicked tones.

"It's okay.  It'll only drop onto the tire," I assured them.  I had to complete collapsing the jack from a compromised position, but all went well.  We placed the flat tire and the equipment into the trunk, on top rather than in the well at the direction of the driver.

It took my young partner and me a little time to convince the family to drive up the road and into a parking lot as opposed to waiting in the traffic lane for their friend to arrive.

As we each walked over to our waiting vehicles, we exchanged thank-yous and I commented that it was a lovely afternoon.  "Yes, it is," he replied.  "I wish I was doing what you are, but it'll be another couple of years for me."

It always does me good to be the object of someone else's envy.

"Thanks again.  Have a great afternoon."

"You, also.  Be safe."

I rolled onto I435 with a little more gusto than was actually required.  I was in a little bit of a hurry to get home as Lori had commented to me when we parted that she'd left her phone at home and asked me, "Do you remember what happened last time I forgot my phone?"

I had to remind her that the incident she remembered was not the most recent time she had forgotten her cell, but nonetheless she would be worried if I were unreasonably delayed.

The transition from I435 westbound to I35 south is across a long ramp looping to the left over the two highways.  At the trailing end of the ramp traffic from eastbound I435 is merged onto the same entrance to I35.  The traffic from the east is presented with a yield sign, but by practice the two flows alternate into the single lane.

I chose to test the system.  I rode the tail of the vehicle to my front and watched as a black SUV approached from my right and slightly behind me.  The SUV did not back down, and by the time we were into the single lane flow it was alongside me with its driver's door directly next to my bike.  It was closing the gap quickly.  I gave three quick shots on the horn and turned my head to look at the driver.

The driver was a young, possibly late twenties, woman carrying what appeared to be her daughter on the passenger side of the SUV.  She flipped me off making hand motions and mouth movements indicating I should back away and let her in.

I explained, politely but firmly that she had a yield sign.  Our conversation had slowed her down just enough to allow me to move in front of her and rapidly onto the flyway ahead.

Now I do know the safe, courteous, possibly even the right, thing to do was to let the flow of traffic do what it does, back away and let the SUV have the slot she so much coveted.  I know that to SUV outweighed both the Dragon and me by several thousand pounds.  I also know that life is often determined not by the size of the container, but by the size of what is carried in the container.  Trousers come to mind.

What follows is a short rant of my thoughts.  They're general and neither specific, nor necessarily consistent.

I despise SUVs.  I generally dislike or at least highly distrust female, most especially young female, drivers.  They have a tendency to not understand the requirements of properly moving in traffic.  they drive very much like the drivers of third world countries, but with comparably inferior levels of piloting skills.  I grew up in a world in which the choice to flip off a stranger was understood to imply a requirement to rapidly flee or to stand and deliver.  I'm greatly irritated by little twits who flippantly flip.

All's well with the world.  I got to ride to my destination.  Some had to haul their unworthy forms about in great hulking carriages of rubber and steel.

It was a good day to ride to "work".

You all be safe.  Keep in mind that I'm really not a very good role model.  

[Black Pearl's Captain]

Too long, did not read.
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Not really..The local PD has been for the last year setting up radar on the flyway off ramps. The main thruway in Wichita has walls on both sides so it is a bit dangerous to stop cars on the flyway. All the off ramps have 40 post and the flyway is 60. Lots of tickets issued there.

Oh, it did seem like you worked so your good. I, on the other hand did not work today!

Raymond

[Karen]

I rode to work Friday and will begin again tomorrow morning. Willow, you sound like the best kind of role model, stopping to help somebody broken down. I heartily agree with you about the SUVs, but I've found that here in Boston, stupidity is equally demonstrated by both male & female drivers, and I personally am quick to yield the right of way when I am supposed to, and to claim it with horn blowing & fingers flying when it is legally mine. Does that make  me passive - aggressive?

[Willow]

... and to claim it with horn blowing & fingers flying when it is legally mine. Does that make  me passive - aggressive?

Perhaps more like passing aggressively.

[Dogg]

I finally got to ride the phat gur to work today. what a nice feeling again. I missed her.

[Bob E.]

Well, last week, I was 3 out of 4...not too bad I guess.  This morning, we had thunderstorms and blowing rain...wind advisory for 50mph gusts...so I took the Jeep to work.  But the sun is out now and I'll be heading home for lunch.  So I may just be returning with the bike this afternoon.

[Black Pearl's Captain]

I rode to work Friday and will begin again tomorrow morning. Willow, you sound like the best kind of role model, stopping to help somebody broken down. I heartily agree with you about the SUVs, but I've found that here in Boston, stupidity is equally demonstrated by both male & female drivers, and I personally am quick to yield the right of way when I am supposed to, and to claim it with horn blowing & fingers flying when it is legally mine. Does that make  me passive - aggressive?

That depends a lot on which finger is your passive finger and which is your aggressive finger.   I think if your index finger was shaking that would be passive - aggresive and if the next finger was shaking you would be AGGRESIVE (aggresive - (minus sign) passive).

I did manage a good 54 degree ride into work this morning with using any of my "dozen digits" aggressively.

Raymond

[Willow]

Raymond, I stopped along the way this morning, changed to my cool weather gloves, and pulled on a zub.  The 52 degrees this morning somehow seemed much colder than the 50 we started out with some ten days ago.

It was a good morning to ride.

[JimL]

Beautiful day here in middle Tennessee, so lots of folks rode their bikes into work today.  Snapped this photo coming back from lunch.

[HOZ]

Rode in today 3:55am start, dark and clear, rain this evening, be home by then I hope. Rest of week RAIN, but this is the Seattle area after all.

[Rob A]

Rode in today with the sun just starting to come up. But I might get some rain on the way home.

[cutter]

absolutly. Have reserved parking that way. 

[Big IV]

I rode to work this morning following a leaf bug on my windshield. That was the highlight of my day. A meeting became longer than necessary. Hopefully something will come from it, but if they're going to then I missed it. I did have lunch with an old friend which was unexpected. However, today never became better.

On the ride home I realized that my wife wasn't home yet so I took a turn away. Halfway home and I doubled back around. The air cool. The sky darkened and I rode. That was going great until I had to dodge a SUV that was turning right on red wide into my lane to avoid a pot hole. As I was thinking about that trying to catch my breath a deer dodged in front of me.

Sometimes after the day is over I realize that I should have called in sick. I did, however, ride to work.

Commute to ride, ride to commute.

[Black Pearl's Captain]

I'm here. I need to get my finger recalibrated I think. Yesterday it was 54 and I had the liner in the Joe Rocket. Too much. Today I stuck my hand into the garage before I put on my jacket and pants. It felt warmer then yesterday so I left the liner out. Wrong. It was 44 today and COOL. I might have to break out the Gerbing gloves before long...

How is it everyone?

Raymond

[Bob E.]

Dark clouds overhead, about 55 degrees according to the weatherman on tv, and breezy.  Looks like it could storm at any minute.  But I rode to work today and kept dry and somewhat comfortable with the liner in my MeshTex.  Hopefully, this afternoon will be dry as well. 

[Big IV]

It is the best part of the day. I rode to work to job 1 and then to job 2. Now it is nearly 5:00 here and I'm nearly done. The best part of riding to work is the ride home! I think it is about that time. Heck, I might even get to ride to Walmart in a bit and pick up some oil.
Not a bad day.

[PaulHasher]

So there I was, rolling up I-75 on the way to work.  I'm doing about 65 as I approach I-70 in the left lane.  Life is good.  I'm rolling past a semi doing just a few mph more than him.  He starts to drift a bit into my lane.  No big deal.  They do that more often that you might think.  They catch themselves and go back.  I'm in the area by the back wheels of his tractor.  About the time I'm by the door I figure out that this guy isn't drifting, he's changing lanes on top of me.  HOLY CR*P!!!!  Crank the throttle and aim left.  I squirted out between his front bumper and the wall like a watermelon seed getting spit out.  Torque saves the day.  I'm awake for the day now.    In a car or low powered bike, I'm a statistic and a blip on the news.

I love my Valk!

[Black Pearl's Captain]

wow and WOW Paul. It's happened to me twice that I remember and yes it's good to have some GO power when you need it.

Keep on posting here and tell us about the rides.

Mine was normal and too short today. I did grab a biscut and stuff it down my jacket on the way in. 

Raymond

[Cattman]

Great to have the torque when you really need it. Balmy 48 ride in today. Gerbing gloves on my Christmas list!

[Big IV]

Torque is good, but you have to be careful sneaking through those blind spots. Bikes are smaller than you think even our phat ladies.

Luckily my morning ride was a lot less exciting. Cool day, 48 degrees. The temps seem to be dropping off fast. I went ahead and started closing some of the windows at the house because it is going to drop to the 30s tonight.

After work I'm hitting the road in the wife's Volvo to go see Alice Cooper! Ahhh a good day to be at work and then rock afterwards.

[Bob E.]

I took yesterday off, so no ride.  But today, it was about 35* here...crisp, but a nice day to ride to work anyways.  So I'm 3 for 3 this week. 

Cattman...me too on the gerbings!  I may not wait until Christmas.

[bwana #30995]

Rode to work today for the 2nd time this week. Southern Sate Pwky 47 and sunny. I purchased my 2001 std. in August and put on the windshield  just in time for the cool weather. Nice ride on a GREAT BIKE!
Looking for other F6 riders in LI NY.

[Bladedog]

Riding to work EVERY DAY this week, 45 miles each way.  Mrs. Bladedog has the car in LA on business, which leaves me the Valk as my only means of transportation... oh DARN. 

She comes home tomorrow...       

[Hoser]

Rode to lunch with the romeo bunch after I got off work, does thar count?  45 degrees, calm, very refreshing!  49 old guys (me included) showed up.   Hoser

[Oss]

Bwana  look up NY Taz he is in your area and has been riding across to Staten Island on his bike many mornings.

Rode today and yesterday to the Bronx, got my great spot in front of the Courthouse and rode back to my office by noon.  Got to have cornbeef sandwich at a great irish bar but passed on the Killians Red today.

Was a wee bit nippy 45 this morning but warmed up maybe it was 50 when I rode home,  Was thinkin soon the heated gloves and the full face that actually has a face shield as my flip up one is missing the shield.

Soon no more riding to work when they move the clocks  Just too dangerous riding at night in the big apple and then dealing with bambi closer to home.

[Black Pearl's Captain]

It's Friday, I rode, life is good.

Raymond

[cutter]

+1 on that Raymond!