DDT (12)
Member
Posts: 4120
Sometimes ya just gotta go...
Winter Springs, FL - Occasionally...
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« on: December 27, 2015, 10:40:08 AM » |
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Just How Much Is A Cubit, Anyway…?
Probably not the start of any conflagration, mercifully, as the forecast does predict some easing of the all rain we've been having. Not very good for us riders lately, though. Oh, the temps have been great, but the moisture sure has put a 'damper' on actually twisting the throttle. Don't mean to whine, I’m just frustrated a bit...
All that is about to change, however! Yep, the call for this Thursday looks to be downright doable, and I'm thinking I'm going to take advantage of that! But, that means I'll have to make some decisions... I got a call last night that appears to be just the ticket, though, so I'm looking real hard at going in that direction.
My first thought was to head for Texas... love that place... Rain will be clearing out, but... the mercury in the ol' glass tube apparently will be going into semi-hibernation out there! Pretty cool for this 'easy rider', with forecast nightly lows where I'd be going down in the 20s. Days would be tolerable, but early mornings and late afternoons would be... you know...
My second thought was perhaps to wander down into the peninsula of Florida. Really like that too, but I lived most of my life down there, and... well, familiarity and all that, so... A good fall back location for sure, but not my first priority. But wait...
That call last night was from my cousin Nick over in Morehead City, NC. Dang! I just love the name of that place, but so far at least, it hasn't lived up to its billing... Oh well, Nick called to tell be about all the stuff he's been cooking during the holidays...
By the way, he's one of the best cooks I've ever had the pleasure of being fed by. Yep, and he does 'southern cooking' just the way my mother (his aunt) and our grandmother used to do it!!! I can't afford to visit him too often, though, because I don't want to weigh 400 pounds!
Anyway, he was telling me about all that to whet my appetite and maybe tempt me into swinging through there on my way to some adventure. Well, if anybody ever wants to catch me it ain’t hard, all they have to do is use the right bait in the trap! Good grub is one of those temptations that will work most of the time... Usually all the time unless another item is used... but I won't go into that here...
He's semi-retired, single, lives alone... and his schedule is almost as free as mine... So, any particular day is just another insignificant detail, and whenever I show up will be fine. I'm thinking I'll just slip out of here Thursday morning and ride in that direction. Yeah, it would be better to wait until Friday morning, but... you know... I just hate to wait around yet another day...
On ALI I make it at least a two-day ride from my place to his... I could do it in one day (about 650 miles), but why? Unless I'm trying to outrun bad weather, it's just so much easier to do it the way I do... Plus, in this case, I'll be following some green on the weather map, so any hurrying up might turn ugly on me...
Whenever I go off on a ride anymore, I just go ahead and plan on being out indefinitely. I have three prescription meds plus a baby aspirin and an over the counter allergy pill I take daily, so I put them in those plastic holder thingies that hold a week's supply in daily compartments. I carry four of those loaded, so about a month's worth is packed away when I put the kickstand up on the first day... If I think I might actually be gone that long, I have a fifth one I can use… just in case.
As further back-up, I have an SO who looks after things for me whenever I'm out, and she knows where the rest of my stash is... She can send more to me at any time, so... like I said, indefinitely... I also chose a national chain pharmacy for my prescripts, so I can always get them refilled at one of their locations anywhere in the country, too (I've done that before).
Clothes are not a problem, as I am most definitely NOT unfamiliar with laundry mats. I collect quarters and carry them in a sack in my travel bag. I also carry some extra detergent just in case, too. I usually pack two sets of clothes, wear one of course, and figure if anything else is needed, I can just buy it along the way... Works well for me... I even did it for an 'extended ride' of several years like that. That reminds me...
I've been toying around with the idea of just buying some clothes and stashing them at various places... you know, with friends or relatives... for use when I'm there. That would ease the inconvenience some, but I haven't as yet put that into practice... I may spring that notion on Nick later this week... Ummmm, that means I'd have to go shopping while there, but what the hay, some concessions just have to be made no matter what we choose, huh...
I bought and have received a Clearview replacement windshield for ALI... but I haven't installed it yet. I reckon that will just be a chore to complete tomorrow... or the next day... or when we return... We'll have to see. It's also about time for another oil 'n filter change, too...
I'm thinking I just may pack my oil change tools and a filter, so I can perform that little chore at Nick's... I've done that dozens and dozens of times while on the road, so no biggie at all... I even changed the windshield the first time at a motel in Montana. Somehow, chores just don't seem as onerous when I'm on the road versus in my own garage... reckon why that is?
So, at the moment, at this particular moment at least, it appears ALI and I'll be headed for Nohead City, NC, this coming Thursday morning. We'll take a leisurely pace, might even explore a couple of backroads, then amble on over on Friday or Saturday to sample some of Nick's culinary delights... or not.
We might just head in an entirely different direction by then, but I won't know that for sure until I have AOS and we've cleared the end of my driveway... and I won't know my actual destination positively for certain until I pull into Nick's driveway... or wherever…
Hmmm, just got another call… I have a Canadian riding bud who winters every year down in central Florida… I may have to swing south after all whenever I depart Nohead City… Dang, yet another decision to make… At least I won’t have to make that call until next week… or the week after…
Well, if you're still reading this, I salute your patience and perseverance... It does me good to tickle the keys on an otherwise dreary day, so thanks a bunch for indulging me... Was it good for you? Ahhhhh, it was for me!
DDT
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