How was your day

[guzzisteve]

Yesterday I had a blast, I needed it. Hopped on the Cal2 sidecar rig & went to the Howdy Summer Sidecar Rally in N.GA between Suches and Morgantown.
On the way I stopped at Two Wheels of Suches(old TWO MC campground) cause I saw some sidecars there & some familiar Guzzi's. I hung out, toured the new set-up, and had a great lunch w/Guzzi and sidecar friends. Then up to the rally!
Got there just as they were going to have the Field Events. Well, I joined in! AND almost won 2 of them.
The first one you ride blindfolded through a coned, curved around course while a passenger tells you how to steer and you can't stop. I got through the whole thing and just touched one of the end cones.
The next one I got in was strait distance ride, also blindfolded, where you had to go strait and stop over or in front of the cone at the end but not touch it or have it under the rig. One thing else, you line up your bike before blindfold, they walk you away from it and spin you around a bunch, then, you have to find it, get on start it and go. Well, I seen them spinning the riders to the left of the rigs, course faced south. I moved around till I felt the sun heat on my face, walked toward it, found my rear turn signal, hopped on and took off stopping inches from the cone at end. 2 other rigs were an inch closer. They went again to break the tie. This time the judge said "No feeling for the sun" cause he noticed what I did. He walked & spun them in front of the rigs. One of them could not find his at all.
It's all about knowing your bike, after 27yrs on this rig I think I got it.
Then a ride over for dinner at the Lodge, then Awards & Prizes. Sun was setting so I left to get out of Mtns before it got real dark.
A few folks there owned Guzzi's, one will be getting a hack on it, one is a member here, but I had the only Guzzi rig.

[oldbike54]

The best revenge is living well . Steve , I know you accepted responsibility for being terminated , my guess , that is the exact quality that will allow you to land on your feet .
Dusty

[Unkept]

I rode this bike from Dearborn Michigan to home.




Here it is at home, smaller screen fitted, bag removed, wife fitted.  ;D



It is a fun bike to ride! Comfortable too! I'm usually getting somewhat sore on the V11 after around 70 miles non-stop.

I rode this one 250 miles with only one short stop and I had only minor lower back pains! Fantastic comfort, but everything was a little "small" for me, most notably the mirrors and instrument cluster that I had to "look down" to use. :P

It goes up to 85mph, no problem! But it's real forte' is to ride at slower paces. It's soooo easy to balance and ride slowly compared to the V11 that it's ridiculous.

LinzWolf will have to hide it from me, or I'll be riding it more than she will.  ;)

[oldbike54]

Unkept , do whatever ya gotta do to keep the wife smiling .
Dusty

[tazio]

Yesterday I had a blast, I needed it. Hopped on the Cal2 sidecar rig & went to the Howdy Summer Sidecar Rally in N.GA between Suches and Morgantown.
...

Steve, sounds like I missed a great time! Thank you again for the invite, wish I could have made it!
The field events sound fun. Always liked those "slow" races, but i guess they don't have them at sidecar rally's :BEER:
Hope to see you soon.
In my prayers, bro...

[lucydad]

Dusty,

Two good rides this weekend make it a five star.  And, I barely beat out a torrential pop up Houston rain storm on my way riding home from church an hour ago.  Guys steak out night with my buddy Ed adds a star. My brother is having up and down days....lots of anxiety and other issues, and we hope for an uptrend from his physical/mental/emotional issues.

Poodles are glommed to me...scared of thunder...but it is nap time now.

[gsf12man]

My short riding season continues slowly to gather steam. Breva 11 just back from the Watertown, SD dealer for the second time this year: first was for a tuneup and general laying-on of hands by the experts; and I had them install the Aprilia Mana 850 handlebar I had lying on my workbench for a couple of years. Their mechanic was able to get my Kaoko throttle lock to work with that bar so it looks like I won't have to purchase the Kaoko Mana piece. That's nice! Then, after just getting used to how nice and smooth the bike is with that bar—much less vibration in the throttle hand at higher speeds; it's fantastic—the inner CARC seal let go again. Back to South Dakota in our nifty towing rig once again, repair completed while we shopped. Now the rain has stopped again—for a day or two at least—so time to ride the ol' girl again.

[lucydad]

Dusty,

It has been a productive work and personal week.  Friday is always appreciated, "no bad Fridays".  My brother's docs are trying another med:  initial results look fairly promising, and so that is wonderful.  HQ drives to get her father on Saturday (he has dementia, maybe Alzheimer's)  we will keep him a couple weeks--always a challenge.  Purple haired daughter mixed up some incredible cocktails last evening so when I came home, it was five o'clock, the bell rang..."cocktail hour" and we indulged in her creation.  She mixed extremely well:  a "blue moon" similar to a cosmo but not as sweet with more lime.  She even rimmed the glasses with cranberry juice flavored sugar...after that I passed out for a nap as the concoctions were pretty potent.  ;)  I caught her looking online for a summer job.

Did I say it was hot and humid in Houston?  Wow, summer is fully on, the demons have stoked their furnaces.  I may go ride this afternoon.  More likely I will go out for early Saturday and Sunday rides before the heat index hits 105F and the lovebugs swarm.  Bimmer still has no check engine light.  There are too many moving parts to take it to MPH this weekend.  So, I am watching the blue bavarian beast, it seems happy for now.  You know how mechanical thingy-things are.  ???

[balvenie]

           As promised by our weather bureau, yesterday was simply beautiful. Time to re-instal the windscreen/fairing that had been washed during the week and stored in the lounge room out of harms way. My garage is Crowded ;D After exploring some of the hinterland for the first time and getting a little lost, The World's Best Custard Tart Shop sent me a homing signal and all was well. A very popular destination with locals and international tourists alike, the WBCTS affords one the pleasure of people watching in addition to its delectable cuisine. Not only are the females attractive but the antics of motorists in pursuit of parking, deliver a parade of delights to the diner, perched as it were, in the sunlit eyrie that is the forecourt of the Montville Patisserie, which overlooks the narrow carriageway of this tiny, inland haven.
            But after days of frustration with nothing to do but watch rain falling, the call of the road carried me back to my bike, illegally parked and waiting patiently. And the ride was excellent too ;D 

[oldbike54]

LD and Bill , life is good , huh . LD , as someone who lived in East Texas for 7 years or so I enjoy reading your posts , love bugs are a nightmare to ride through , sold an RT BMW to a Canadian , he asked what the black goo stuck in the crevices were . Bill , buddy , well what can I say , love you Aussies , spent a wonderful evening with the Ropers , made me really want to come for a visit . Glad you are having nice weather for a change . Ride on my friends .
Dusty

[oldbike54]

So how was it ?
Dusty

[cruzziguzzi]

Spousal birth and anniversary addressed well just and rewardedly. Settlement on an aggravating commercial property. Resolution regarding the shop. Paid off the mountain dirt.


We's in the tall cotton, at least this week!

I wish at least half if not more of the equanimity and serenity of this week upon each and all of you regardless of disposition and social sentiments.


Rock on with your own fine Guzzi selves!

[Muzz]

Got to see an orthopaedic surgeon who examined my MRI scan taken to see why all my leg pains had started to get worse. Seems like the meds I am on have caused the cartilage on the ball of my hip to "come off in flakes". Go in in three weeks time for a new hip.  He was a bit surprised to hear I was still (just :D) doing a 40 hour week. Must admit to be basically a cripple at the end of the day. He gave me a couple of crutches to enable me to get around at the days end.

Really happy to actually know what is causing at least some of my grief anyway. Looking forward to the op; surgeon reckoned I will notice the pain drop within one day after the op. ;-T

[oldbike54]

RK , has he already started asking for a raise and more vacation time ? :BEER: :D
Dusty

[oldbike54]

I would suggest that his parenting skills are under developed by the fact that his daughters pants were falling off .
Dusty

[biking sailor]

Good day today!  Tomorrow is wife and my 27th anniversary so we went for an over ight bike ride. Took 20 north of Salina, nice little stretch of road, but I really couldn't concentrate on it. Reason was a month ago I started the paperwork to buy a new VStrom but it fell thru because the bike shop lost the bike to another dealer.

Today I stopped in at Brookside and Paul made me a deal to take two bikes in on trade for a new Stelvio. Trading in my 1200 Sport and a Ninja. Really stoked because I have been wanting an adventure touring bike for quite a while. I will miss the Sport but not the Ninja. Stelvio Should be delivered in July, can't wait.

Darren

[Monza-jockey]

My day is excellent.

 I'm unemployed as some of you may have read in the Freshly Unemployed thread that I started. I've already applied for medical insurance, paid some bills and signed up for Unemployment.

 Today, I took a Mental Health Day and burned over to the ocean to go surfing. Of the many craft that I have, I took out my Island Longboard waveski. It's like a surfboard, but you're strapped to it sitting down, and I paddle with a kayak paddle. I had a great session as the waves were in the 4'-6' range, had some great rides a couple of wipe-outs. Then it was off to my favorite Taqueria for shrimp tacos. Life is good!

My local surf hangout Pleasure Point:  http://youtu.be/fssqNOKivRM

Freedom!

[lucydad]

Dusty,

You are so kind to ask.  The week has been busy.  My wife's dad has been staying the past two weeks.  He goes back home to San Antonio tomorrow.  He is a handful as he has a very weak body from stroke/major car accident effects.  Some dementia and a stroke add to his disability.  He had a really bad day last week, but rallied.  I loves staying here as he really gets catered to...yet at a point my wife particularly needs relief from the care role.

Work is insanely busy.  Today was a strange Friday.  Early this morning I heard they fired a geophysicist down the hall.  I did not know him well.  They have been firing individuals and groups/teams of people on Fridays off and on since early in the year.  I had a big meeting, and coming back to my office Mr. Boss was waiting for me and wanted to see me immediately.  I said, hold on a minute I need to visit the mens room, and coming back it was closed door...and they gave me a nice raise and praise.  So, that is all good, but I see morale eroding and of course the less people the more work load on survivors and so yeah been there done that for decades. 

Late this afternoon I went to a retirement reception for the very best boss I had in the oil business.  I worked with Chris in Lafayette and as team lead we found a heck of a lot of oil.  Then in Houston worked the Libya project also.  He is a very, very fine chap, a Liverpudian, and American citizen by choice now.  So we all went to a fav British pub and hoisted a couple.  I also saw several very old friends and caught up and it was a grand affair.  I really enjoyed connecting.

It is hot as hades here, I mean brutal and our house AC can't keep up.  The raise might go to install modern windows in our older spec house--it could help insulation.  We will see.  I hate spending more money on this house, but summer goes until at least mid-October...a long, long time to have the interior of the house no cooler than 83F and the AC run continuously. 

So, it will be up early Saturday for a goose ride.  A cousin is here and we will host her for four days, she is a favorite cousin, and a professor at Penn State.  Right after she leaves my oldest daughter comes in from Manhattan NYC to visit over the Fourth of July.  Mid summer it is, and a four day weekend will help me  I am pretty toasty.

My brother seems to be slowly healing up from a neck nerve problem, and some issues with depression and stress.  He is taking the summer off teaching college, and bored and broke.  He has had a very tough six months.

Overall I am doing ok.  I could use a week in the Colorado high country listening to the aspens.  That will happen in August and perhaps again in September though....

Bed time...

[oldbike54]

So how was it ?  :) :D ;D >:( :( 8)
Dusty

[balvenie]

         Went shooting again. Didn't really feel like it as the weather was yuk. Got a possible. Now I'm happy ;D Most unexpected as some of my gear is at odds with  accepted wisdom. Cannot imagine what this means but it bears further investigation ;D

[balvenie]

         The northern lights. Heard about it. Must be fascinating to live up there ;D

[Unkept]

Lindsey and I had a nice morning ride, 60's in temperature with light rain...

Found the town of Cedar Lake southwest of us.

[Lannis]

Lindsey and I had a nice morning ride, 60's in temperature with light rain...

Found the town of Cedar Lake southwest of us.

We got to make sure that some of these grumpy old guys on here who swear that there's no young Moto Guzzi folks see some of this .... !

Lannis

[Chuck in Indiana]

She might not count. I'm pretty sure she's a Hobbit.  ;D Ever see her with her boots off?? Didn't think so..... :BEER:

[oldbike54]

She might not count. I'm pretty sure she's a Hobbit.  ;D Ever see her with her boots off?? Didn't think so..... :BEER:

  ;D ??? All this time I thought UK was just really tall .
Dusty

[Unkept]

  ;D ??? All this time I thought UK was just really tall .
Dusty

6 foot or so, I suppose l am just "tall".  ;D

[nick949]

The bad:  I got a call from the Royal Bank that my Visa card was compromised. Some twat in Dublin using my number.  Now I have to wait for a few days until I receive a new one.

The ugly: my wallet fell out of my motorcycle jacket as I was leaving a butchers shop. I was unaware it had happened. It only contained about $50 cash, but all the usual plastic cards (debit, licence, health card etc.), along with the ownership documents for my four Guzzis - ugh!

The good: I got home to find a message on my phone machine asking me to call 'Barb' if I thought I might have lost something.  I did. She had my wallet.  20 minutes later I had my wallet again, completely intact - and Barb had a bottle of wine in thanks.

Its enough to make you feel all warm and fuzzy about humanity. ;-T

Nick

[oldbike54]

Nick , in American parlance twit with an A takes on a whole new meaning . ;D :BEER: Still appropo to the situation . Glad you got the wallet back .
Dusty

[nick949]

Nick , in American parlance twit with an A takes on a whole new meaning ......

Dusty,
   I do generally choose my words advisedly.
Nick

[oldbike54]

Dusty,
   I do generally choose my words advisedly.
Nick

The Irish like to use the other , more insulting word , 4 letters .  ;D
Dusty