11 Curves in 318 Miles

neebelung · 04-07-2008, 12:04 AM

...and so shall begin my 2008 Riding Blog. The title? A tribute to the painfully straight (and flat) roads we have here in Florida, where we often play on the "Deal's Gap: 318 curves in 11 miles" tagline.

neebelung · 04-07-2008, 10:54 PM

My riding "season" isn't starting off in stellar fashion. 'Why?' you ask? Well, because for exactly 16 days now, I've been without my bike. It's still at a friend's, awaiting the arrival of some gaskets from Ron Ayers. *sigh*

To add to my misery, for a few weeks now, we've had a great group ride planned with some outta town friends - a few from Orlando, one from Lake City and one from Gainesville. The very idea that I was the organizer of this ride, and that I might not be able to participate was, to say the least, depressing.

Lucky for me, I've got great friends, some of whom have 'extra' bikes. Also lucky for me, one of these friends opted to ride his Warrior, and loaned me his 2006 black Hayabusa for the ride.

I'll be the first to admit, I was simultaneously excited and intimidated by the prospect of riding this beast. I've ridden several bikes, most of which, however, were 600cc varieties. Only recently had I ridden a liter bike, and that was merely for a little demo ride. So the idea of a saddling up on this 1300cc, 480 lb machine gave me just a bit of nervousness. Nervousness, however, quickly gave way to sheer giddiness once we got out onto the road.

If there's one thing I'll say about the Busa it's that it surprised me. Surprised me at how comfortable it was, surprised me in how nicely it handled, surprised me in that it doesn't FEEL like a 500 lb monster, and surprised me in just how much fun I had riding it.

On the downside, I will say it would be quite easy to get into a HEAP of trouble on that thing. On the first stretch of freeway, following behind my friend Steve (on his Warrior), and his wife Brenda (on her own 2006 Busa), I was just getting a feel for the bike, and was concentrating on following their lead (and pace). Then I looked down, and realized we'd hit triple digits (something I don't tend to do very often on the freeway, due to Florida drivers, and ... well... Johnny Law). But the bike was so quiet and smooth, and stable, it just didn't FEEL anything like 110 mph. Not a bit. It felt like a nice, easy 75 mph (danger! danger!!).

Alright, so enough about the Busa....

So we met up with the rest of the herd at the appointed meeting spot. Although the morning's forecast had only predicted a 30% chance of scattered storms (which is pretty much the daily forecast from March through November here in Florida), the skies were looking rather dark and ominous prior to our departure. But we were having so much fun, were so excited to have our friends in from out of town (as well as a few IN town friends whom we hadn't seen in months), we mounted up and headed out anyway.

We meandered south and west a ways, avoiding the freeway, and opting for as many narrow 2-lane, tree-canopied roads as we could find. It was just one of those rides that FELT good. Everyone was riding well, no one was pulling any jackassed moves, there was almost no traffic on the roads, and it just felt RIGHT. Just one of those rides that has you grinning in your helmet.

As we made our way south toward some nice, open roads along the river, and into farm country, the skies continued to darken, and along came the rain. Light at first, and then steadily heavier. Since we had a few motards in the group (with, apparently, very small fuel capacities) we stopped a Buddy Freddy's, to get some gas, dry off a bit and decide the fate of the rest of the day's ride.

We decided at this point (as the skies turned black, and flashed a few bolts of lightning) that it would be wise to head back north and east a bit and find someplace for lunch (with the hopes that maybe we could wait out some of the storm). However, the storm not only chased us, but caught us, and the next 45 minutes or so were a wee bit moist (ok, who am I kidding, we were all soaked to the skin).

One thing I've noticed is that BBQ joints are always pretty welcoming to a big group of riders (more so than your typical "casual dining" establishment). Even our motley crew of 18 weary and wet riders was greeted warmly, and seated promptly (though the other patrons of the restaurant didn't seem as pleased at our arrival).

Following a great lunch, we decided the interstate might be the quickest (albeit most boring) way to get back home, so we blazed a trail up I-95. Only we didn't get very far... not even two miles up the road, we hit a dead stop - traffic backed up as far as we can see, and not budging an inch. Drivers had turned off their engines and were milling about talking to one another, so we all parked it and tried to figure out what was going on. Within a couple of minutes, a truck driver came over and informed us that there was a car that had spun out and off into the woods, so all three lanes were blocked by firetrucks (seconds later, we saw the life flight helicopter, so I imagine it was in order to have a clear space to land in).

It was then I looked back and realized we were only about 20' in front of one of those "For official use only" openings in the median wall. Fuck it, let's flip a bitch and head south (and that we did). I have to admit, there was a small sense of amusement as we did so, knowing that everyone else in their giant SUV's didn't have the wiggle room to do what we did (motorcycles FTMFW!).

However, our detour took us back west, which meant right into the path of a bit more rain (what did we care at this point - we're already soaked, right?

).

We all managed to make it home safely, and the remainder of the ride was uneventful (and actually pretty, once the rain passed).

And in spite of the weather, the traffic and the detour, the initial feeling of sheer joy never waned. It was still just one of those great days, a great ride, and a lot of fun with friends.

What a motley crew we are.

Brenda (in pink) and I (in white) rockinâ€™ the (non-chromed, non-stretched, non-bling) Busas.

By Florida standards, this is a great road

Um yeah, the sky? Getting a bit ominous.

Some of the wildlife, as seen at Buddy Freddyâ€™s gas station

Drowned Rats, party of 18, your table is now ready

neebelung · 04-29-2008, 02:30 PM

*sigh*

So for a riding blog, this is somewhat lackluster, isn't it?

Some time ago, my bike went to "The Doctor's" to have a few minor things looked at. A little oil leak here, a little coolant leak there... it was just time for some TLC for little Greenie.

So as you can guess by my lack of posts about RIDING lately, I haven't gotten her back. Nope, it's been 5-1/2 weeks, and still I'm bikeless.

Oil leak? Located and fixed.

Coolant leak? Located and fixed.

Carbuerator issue? Located and fixed. Or so we thought. It was after the carb work had been completed that he noticed it still had that "hiccup" (more like a jolt... or 4) in first gear.

Pulled her apart all over again, and found that he believes it had the wrong jet kit installed in it (so it was probably dumping more fuel than it needed... hence it running rich all the time, and the carbs gumming up, I suppose

).

So now we're in the 6th week of "Greenie: The Rehab" and we're eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new jet kit (should be here any day now).

I don't fault our mechanic friend... afterall, he does all the work for free, just out of a sheer love of bikes. And between his day job, being a rider coach and being a control rider at Jennings, it's not like he has an abundance of free time. There've also been parts delays.... parts that should've taken 5-7 days took a few weeks, etc.....

But dammit, I miss my bike. It's springtime here in Florida... highs in the upper 70's to low 80's, a crisp breeze, bright sunny days.... *sigh* Prime riding weather.

neebelung · 06-20-2008, 12:44 PM

I'm BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN.... I'm BACCCCKKKKKKKKKKKK......

Yes kiddies, that's right. I got my baby back Wednesday night, and got to get in a few (long overdue) miles last night, as well as this morning. WOW..... I can't tell you how much I missed it. This morning's ride was just phenomenal... I can't remember the last time I enjoyed my commute to work so much!!

04-07-2008, 12:04 AM	#1
neebelung Ornery, scandalous & evil Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Jacksonville, FL Moto: 2004 Scarlet R1 Posts: 5,962	11 Curves in 318 Miles ...and so shall begin my 2008 Riding Blog. The title? A tribute to the painfully straight (and flat) roads we have here in Florida, where we often play on the "Deal's Gap: 318 curves in 11 miles" tagline.

04-07-2008, 10:54 PM	#2
neebelung Ornery, scandalous & evil Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Jacksonville, FL Moto: 2004 Scarlet R1 Posts: 5,962	Ride Report: Sunday, April 6th, 2008 My riding "season" isn't starting off in stellar fashion. 'Why?' you ask? Well, because for exactly 16 days now, I've been without my bike. It's still at a friend's, awaiting the arrival of some gaskets from Ron Ayers. sigh To add to my misery, for a few weeks now, we've had a great group ride planned with some outta town friends - a few from Orlando, one from Lake City and one from Gainesville. The very idea that I was the organizer of this ride, and that I might not be able to participate was, to say the least, depressing. Lucky for me, I've got great friends, some of whom have 'extra' bikes. Also lucky for me, one of these friends opted to ride his Warrior, and loaned me his 2006 black Hayabusa for the ride. I'll be the first to admit, I was simultaneously excited and intimidated by the prospect of riding this beast. I've ridden several bikes, most of which, however, were 600cc varieties. Only recently had I ridden a liter bike, and that was merely for a little demo ride. So the idea of a saddling up on this 1300cc, 480 lb machine gave me just a bit of nervousness. Nervousness, however, quickly gave way to sheer giddiness once we got out onto the road. If there's one thing I'll say about the Busa it's that it surprised me. Surprised me at how comfortable it was, surprised me in how nicely it handled, surprised me in that it doesn't FEEL like a 500 lb monster, and surprised me in just how much fun I had riding it. On the downside, I will say it would be quite easy to get into a HEAP of trouble on that thing. On the first stretch of freeway, following behind my friend Steve (on his Warrior), and his wife Brenda (on her own 2006 Busa), I was just getting a feel for the bike, and was concentrating on following their lead (and pace). Then I looked down, and realized we'd hit triple digits (something I don't tend to do very often on the freeway, due to Florida drivers, and ... well... Johnny Law). But the bike was so quiet and smooth, and stable, it just didn't FEEL anything like 110 mph. Not a bit. It felt like a nice, easy 75 mph (danger! danger!!). Alright, so enough about the Busa.... So we met up with the rest of the herd at the appointed meeting spot. Although the morning's forecast had only predicted a 30% chance of scattered storms (which is pretty much the daily forecast from March through November here in Florida), the skies were looking rather dark and ominous prior to our departure. But we were having so much fun, were so excited to have our friends in from out of town (as well as a few IN town friends whom we hadn't seen in months), we mounted up and headed out anyway. We meandered south and west a ways, avoiding the freeway, and opting for as many narrow 2-lane, tree-canopied roads as we could find. It was just one of those rides that FELT good. Everyone was riding well, no one was pulling any jackassed moves, there was almost no traffic on the roads, and it just felt RIGHT. Just one of those rides that has you grinning in your helmet. As we made our way south toward some nice, open roads along the river, and into farm country, the skies continued to darken, and along came the rain. Light at first, and then steadily heavier. Since we had a few motards in the group (with, apparently, very small fuel capacities) we stopped a Buddy Freddy's, to get some gas, dry off a bit and decide the fate of the rest of the day's ride. We decided at this point (as the skies turned black, and flashed a few bolts of lightning) that it would be wise to head back north and east a bit and find someplace for lunch (with the hopes that maybe we could wait out some of the storm). However, the storm not only chased us, but caught us, and the next 45 minutes or so were a wee bit moist (ok, who am I kidding, we were all soaked to the skin). One thing I've noticed is that BBQ joints are always pretty welcoming to a big group of riders (more so than your typical "casual dining" establishment). Even our motley crew of 18 weary and wet riders was greeted warmly, and seated promptly (though the other patrons of the restaurant didn't seem as pleased at our arrival). Following a great lunch, we decided the interstate might be the quickest (albeit most boring) way to get back home, so we blazed a trail up I-95. Only we didn't get very far... not even two miles up the road, we hit a dead stop - traffic backed up as far as we can see, and not budging an inch. Drivers had turned off their engines and were milling about talking to one another, so we all parked it and tried to figure out what was going on. Within a couple of minutes, a truck driver came over and informed us that there was a car that had spun out and off into the woods, so all three lanes were blocked by firetrucks (seconds later, we saw the life flight helicopter, so I imagine it was in order to have a clear space to land in). It was then I looked back and realized we were only about 20' in front of one of those "For official use only" openings in the median wall. Fuck it, let's flip a bitch and head south (and that we did). I have to admit, there was a small sense of amusement as we did so, knowing that everyone else in their giant SUV's didn't have the wiggle room to do what we did (motorcycles FTMFW!). However, our detour took us back west, which meant right into the path of a bit more rain (what did we care at this point - we're already soaked, right? ). We all managed to make it home safely, and the remainder of the ride was uneventful (and actually pretty, once the rain passed). And in spite of the weather, the traffic and the detour, the initial feeling of sheer joy never waned. It was still just one of those great days, a great ride, and a lot of fun with friends. What a motley crew we are. Brenda (in pink) and I (in white) rockinâ€™ the (non-chromed, non-stretched, non-bling) Busas. By Florida standards, this is a great road Um yeah, the sky? Getting a bit ominous. Some of the wildlife, as seen at Buddy Freddyâ€™s gas station Drowned Rats, party of 18, your table is now ready

04-29-2008, 02:30 PM	#3
neebelung Ornery, scandalous & evil Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Jacksonville, FL Moto: 2004 Scarlet R1 Posts: 5,962	Almost the end of April, and this is only my second Blog entry.... sigh So for a riding blog, this is somewhat lackluster, isn't it? Some time ago, my bike went to "The Doctor's" to have a few minor things looked at. A little oil leak here, a little coolant leak there... it was just time for some TLC for little Greenie. So as you can guess by my lack of posts about RIDING lately, I haven't gotten her back. Nope, it's been 5-1/2 weeks, and still I'm bikeless. Oil leak? Located and fixed. Coolant leak? Located and fixed. Carbuerator issue? Located and fixed. Or so we thought. It was after the carb work had been completed that he noticed it still had that "hiccup" (more like a jolt... or 4) in first gear. Pulled her apart all over again, and found that he believes it had the wrong jet kit installed in it (so it was probably dumping more fuel than it needed... hence it running rich all the time, and the carbs gumming up, I suppose ). So now we're in the 6th week of "Greenie: The Rehab" and we're eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new jet kit (should be here any day now). I don't fault our mechanic friend... afterall, he does all the work for free, just out of a sheer love of bikes. And between his day job, being a rider coach and being a control rider at Jennings, it's not like he has an abundance of free time. There've also been parts delays.... parts that should've taken 5-7 days took a few weeks, etc..... But dammit, I miss my bike. It's springtime here in Florida... highs in the upper 70's to low 80's, a crisp breeze, bright sunny days.... sigh Prime riding weather.

06-20-2008, 12:44 PM	#4
neebelung Ornery, scandalous & evil Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Jacksonville, FL Moto: 2004 Scarlet R1 Posts: 5,962	Cue Aerosmith, cus.... I'm BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN.... I'm BACCCCKKKKKKKKKKKK...... Yes kiddies, that's right. I got my baby back Wednesday night, and got to get in a few (long overdue) miles last night, as well as this morning. WOW..... I can't tell you how much I missed it. This morning's ride was just phenomenal... I can't remember the last time I enjoyed my commute to work so much!!