This past summer, a small group of the Mountain Shadow Riders (and friends of the MSR) participated in the Pike's Peak Harley Davidson's annual 5-in-1 ride. This is an annual ride put on by the HOG group and consists of five mountain passes that are over 10,000 feet.
The ride is fun, but we decided to throw in a "contest within a contest" and have a bug run.
You know one of the badges is the number of bugs accumulated on a windshield--or for you tough riders out there--in your teeth. So the contest was developed. Each rider that participated was to put an index card anywhere on their motorcycle (line of sight was not recommended). The person that accumulated the largest number of bug splats...won.
I knew I wasn't going to win...as Murphy's Law dictates that no matter where I put my card...it would not get many bugs.
I was right.
I didn't feel so badly since I at least had some bugs...there were some in our group that had just a couple of bug splats!
At the end of our ride, we pulled off our cards.
LOL..the winner of the contest took home a big bucket of cleaning supplies....
With a big bug attached to the bucket!!
Until the next adventure,
Keep the shiny side up!
~The Rainbow Wahine
Grateful for the authentic journey of this lifetime. Appreciate all the experiences and people I have encountered. I am humbled by my family--they keep me real.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Riding to Roswelll, NM
I had the opportunity to ride down to Roswell, NM back in the summer. The company I work for has a manufacturing facility there and circumstances prompted that I visit. A co-worker was also going and we looked at one another and said....
MOTORCYCLE TRIP!
The ride down was uneventful. We had beautiful weather and it was fun to be on the road instead of the office. I've never ridden in that part of New Mexico, so it was a nice trip of wide open spaces.
Coming back, however, was another story.
Heading out of Roswell, the trip, again, was unevenful. Our first gas stop at Vaughn, New Mexico, was the first indication that the trip "might" head south was when my friend stated, "we have to get around that cloud--there's a front rolling in".
No problem, out stop was short and off we go.
As we ride north, the skies grows more and more grey. Can we make it to Las Vegas? We do, and the skies seem to lighten a bit, thank goodness. We take another fuel stop and decide to press on. Next fuel stop planned is Raton.
Leaving Las Vegas (ha ha, pardon my pun), we head north on Interstate 25. The clouds again grow dark and I feel the temps drop. I know it is going to rain. Being a big believer in donning rain gear before the rain sets in, I signal to my friend to question whether she was ready to do so. No, she signals back, let's go a few more miles.
A few miles later, it starts raining. Any rain while riding on the interstate is no fun. I'm thinking when we should stop--when my partner in crime rides up and tells me that we need to don gear at the next exit.
No worries, can do. By that time, it is really really coming down. And the off ramp is about a mile down the road. At the exit, we discover that we can't pull off--the ramp is closed due to construction. GREAT! Traffic is also due to one lane since the state is regrading the right lane. DOUBLE GREAT!
At that point, I decide to stop under the next bridge and put my gear on. At least then I'll be able to not get any wetter. Unfortunately, the construction is still in place and I'm having to navigate the uneven asphalt, the grading of the right lane.....on the interstate with traffic and the pouring down rain. Getting to the shoulder was quite the challenge.
I do get pulled over and out of the rain. As I don my rain gear, I'm wondering how long the rain will last and if we can wait out the storm. My friend and I discuss the option and she seems to think that this is an all-day storm and we would be sitting for quite a while. So the decision is to press on. I have ridden in the rain; I survived.
Back on the road (and in the rain).....we ride on the shoulder. For safety--for trying to enter back onto interstate traffic with the torn up lane was very dangerous. Besides, who wants to ride on the interstate in the pouring down rain??
We finally do get back into the traffic and fortunately, the rain lets up to practically nothing. At this point, we are between Springer and Maxwell. With the rain stopped to an occasional spatter, we are just that much closer to home.
Unfortunately, the next problem arises--lightning.
I am, deathly afraid of lightning and being on the bike. I watch the lightning that is 10 or so miles away....silently wishing that it stays "that far away". Unfortunately, it doesn't. When the bolt of lightning flashes in the sky directly over head, I'm done. Pull over time.
However, being where we were in New Mexico created a problem. Not only are we in the middle of no where--there was no where to take shelter! No where to run, no where to hide, nothing to do but press on. Geez, was this day get any worse?
We finally make it to Raton. Fortunately, we were on the other side of the storm, so the rain stopped, the lightning was behind us, and it looked like the rest of the trip would be uneventful. So the decision to press on was made.
Just over the Colorado border, we stop for fuel. At that point, the rain gear comes off and my friend and I just laugh about the experience. Well, we were relatively unscathed except for being a bit damp and having the beejebers scared out of me, so the only thing left was to find the humor.
Okay, we press on. Unfortunately, when we got north of Trinidad, the encountered another front. Another storm? Well, it was pretty far off and we were riding in the sunshine. Maybe we'll miss this one.
Continuing north on I-25, we encounter wind. No worries, the stretch of highway here is typically windy. Except it's a 50 mile an hour cross wind with gusts. So, here we are, after rain, construction and lightning.....now its the 45 degree right hand lean. Greeeeeeaaaaaaaaaatttttttttt.
I'm annoyed by the wind, but am also greatful. After all, we are still in the sunshine. There are rain clouds around us, but somehow we are magically riding in a small corridor of sunshine and blue sky. So I deal with the wind and don't mentally gripe--too much.
Except something strange then happens...it starts to rain--in the sunshine!
I immediately pull over in the rain--no bridge needed. Put my rain gear on and mentally curse...it's deja vu three hours ago!!! I grit my teeth and get back on my motorcycle. I am bound and determined to get home one way or another!!
Fortunately, the rain wasn't so bad as it was before, but the wind never let up. I didn't even bother to stop to take off my raingear after the rain stopped. I figured if I stopped to take it off, it would start to rain again.
We had 50+ mph winds all the way home. I was never so happy to see the Woodmen Exit in the Springs. My friend and I parted ways and I rode the short way to my house.
The next day, we rehashed the trip with the rest of my office co-horts. While not fun, it was a funny story--especially since we survived the whole escapade unharmed.
Close another motorcycle story. Hey, as long as no one crashed, everyone was safe, and we got to our destination, it was a good ride....LOL...
Until the next adventure....
Keep the shiny side up!
~The Rainbow Wahine
MOTORCYCLE TRIP!
The ride down was uneventful. We had beautiful weather and it was fun to be on the road instead of the office. I've never ridden in that part of New Mexico, so it was a nice trip of wide open spaces.
Coming back, however, was another story.
Heading out of Roswell, the trip, again, was unevenful. Our first gas stop at Vaughn, New Mexico, was the first indication that the trip "might" head south was when my friend stated, "we have to get around that cloud--there's a front rolling in".
No problem, out stop was short and off we go.
As we ride north, the skies grows more and more grey. Can we make it to Las Vegas? We do, and the skies seem to lighten a bit, thank goodness. We take another fuel stop and decide to press on. Next fuel stop planned is Raton.
Leaving Las Vegas (ha ha, pardon my pun), we head north on Interstate 25. The clouds again grow dark and I feel the temps drop. I know it is going to rain. Being a big believer in donning rain gear before the rain sets in, I signal to my friend to question whether she was ready to do so. No, she signals back, let's go a few more miles.
A few miles later, it starts raining. Any rain while riding on the interstate is no fun. I'm thinking when we should stop--when my partner in crime rides up and tells me that we need to don gear at the next exit.
No worries, can do. By that time, it is really really coming down. And the off ramp is about a mile down the road. At the exit, we discover that we can't pull off--the ramp is closed due to construction. GREAT! Traffic is also due to one lane since the state is regrading the right lane. DOUBLE GREAT!
At that point, I decide to stop under the next bridge and put my gear on. At least then I'll be able to not get any wetter. Unfortunately, the construction is still in place and I'm having to navigate the uneven asphalt, the grading of the right lane.....on the interstate with traffic and the pouring down rain. Getting to the shoulder was quite the challenge.
I do get pulled over and out of the rain. As I don my rain gear, I'm wondering how long the rain will last and if we can wait out the storm. My friend and I discuss the option and she seems to think that this is an all-day storm and we would be sitting for quite a while. So the decision is to press on. I have ridden in the rain; I survived.
Back on the road (and in the rain).....we ride on the shoulder. For safety--for trying to enter back onto interstate traffic with the torn up lane was very dangerous. Besides, who wants to ride on the interstate in the pouring down rain??
We finally do get back into the traffic and fortunately, the rain lets up to practically nothing. At this point, we are between Springer and Maxwell. With the rain stopped to an occasional spatter, we are just that much closer to home.
Unfortunately, the next problem arises--lightning.
I am, deathly afraid of lightning and being on the bike. I watch the lightning that is 10 or so miles away....silently wishing that it stays "that far away". Unfortunately, it doesn't. When the bolt of lightning flashes in the sky directly over head, I'm done. Pull over time.
However, being where we were in New Mexico created a problem. Not only are we in the middle of no where--there was no where to take shelter! No where to run, no where to hide, nothing to do but press on. Geez, was this day get any worse?
We finally make it to Raton. Fortunately, we were on the other side of the storm, so the rain stopped, the lightning was behind us, and it looked like the rest of the trip would be uneventful. So the decision to press on was made.
Just over the Colorado border, we stop for fuel. At that point, the rain gear comes off and my friend and I just laugh about the experience. Well, we were relatively unscathed except for being a bit damp and having the beejebers scared out of me, so the only thing left was to find the humor.
Okay, we press on. Unfortunately, when we got north of Trinidad, the encountered another front. Another storm? Well, it was pretty far off and we were riding in the sunshine. Maybe we'll miss this one.
Continuing north on I-25, we encounter wind. No worries, the stretch of highway here is typically windy. Except it's a 50 mile an hour cross wind with gusts. So, here we are, after rain, construction and lightning.....now its the 45 degree right hand lean. Greeeeeeaaaaaaaaaatttttttttt.
I'm annoyed by the wind, but am also greatful. After all, we are still in the sunshine. There are rain clouds around us, but somehow we are magically riding in a small corridor of sunshine and blue sky. So I deal with the wind and don't mentally gripe--too much.
Except something strange then happens...it starts to rain--in the sunshine!
I immediately pull over in the rain--no bridge needed. Put my rain gear on and mentally curse...it's deja vu three hours ago!!! I grit my teeth and get back on my motorcycle. I am bound and determined to get home one way or another!!
Fortunately, the rain wasn't so bad as it was before, but the wind never let up. I didn't even bother to stop to take off my raingear after the rain stopped. I figured if I stopped to take it off, it would start to rain again.
We had 50+ mph winds all the way home. I was never so happy to see the Woodmen Exit in the Springs. My friend and I parted ways and I rode the short way to my house.
The next day, we rehashed the trip with the rest of my office co-horts. While not fun, it was a funny story--especially since we survived the whole escapade unharmed.
Close another motorcycle story. Hey, as long as no one crashed, everyone was safe, and we got to our destination, it was a good ride....LOL...
Until the next adventure....
Keep the shiny side up!
~The Rainbow Wahine
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Goodbye My Cranky
Ahhhhh.....where does the time go?? Somewhere, evidently! With less than a week of 2007 left, I realized there has been some time since I've posted.
Motorcycle adventures? What motorcycle adventures?
There have been a few stories--some worth noting, some not worth mentioning.
There have been two "worthy" notes in the past few months. Cranky, my beloved V-Star 1100, finally has a home worthy of the machine. Sigh. This wonderful machine had a whole 2,500 miles on him in the two plus years I've owned him.
The decision to sell him was difficult--my first wholly owned motorcycle and a wonderful machine at that. I had procrastinated working on the motorcycle just to have the excuse not to put the bike up on the market. However, the opportunity presented itself to one of my fellow rider friends that her boyfriend was looking for a Yamaha motorcycle, and I knew I had to do something.
Fortunately, the relationship was a good fit, and the deal done. Cranky will be ridden and appreciated by his new owner and I have space in my garage for the mom-mobile.
Well, not yet, anyway! With all the ice, snow and cold weather, the motorcycle is still spending time in my garage. Hopefully in the next few weeks after the holidays and thawing out, I'll get the Star out to his new owner.
It was sad, but honestly, I wasn't a good owner because I just didn't ride it enough.
Here's to many wonderful miles between the V-Star 1100 and his new owner!
Keep the Shiny Side Up!
~The Rainbow Wahine
Motorcycle adventures? What motorcycle adventures?
There have been a few stories--some worth noting, some not worth mentioning.
There have been two "worthy" notes in the past few months. Cranky, my beloved V-Star 1100, finally has a home worthy of the machine. Sigh. This wonderful machine had a whole 2,500 miles on him in the two plus years I've owned him.
The decision to sell him was difficult--my first wholly owned motorcycle and a wonderful machine at that. I had procrastinated working on the motorcycle just to have the excuse not to put the bike up on the market. However, the opportunity presented itself to one of my fellow rider friends that her boyfriend was looking for a Yamaha motorcycle, and I knew I had to do something.
Fortunately, the relationship was a good fit, and the deal done. Cranky will be ridden and appreciated by his new owner and I have space in my garage for the mom-mobile.
Well, not yet, anyway! With all the ice, snow and cold weather, the motorcycle is still spending time in my garage. Hopefully in the next few weeks after the holidays and thawing out, I'll get the Star out to his new owner.
It was sad, but honestly, I wasn't a good owner because I just didn't ride it enough.
Here's to many wonderful miles between the V-Star 1100 and his new owner!
Keep the Shiny Side Up!
~The Rainbow Wahine
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