Smorgasbord!

I didn't get a nap today.

Not complaining, by any stretch, but I'm gonna sleep like a baby tonight! This morning started out sedately enough. Gigi asked if I had any laundry I needed done, and so I took a few items downstairs after breakfast, and we talked while waiting for Mike to get back from a pilots' meeting this morning. The forecast actually had us under a flood watch with Gloom and his brother Doom predicted. There were some clouds, yes, but none of them did more than float around. By 11 a.m., we started our rounds with the bikes, and I got to pick my rides after each mini route we would take.

First up, the Ducati 996. That bike needs a track where it can run. And it needs a pretzel to ride it. He was zippy, but not something you'd want to be on for any extended period of time. I did manage to stall at one protected arrow, but also recovered, restarted and got through the intersection before the light changed, and without putting my feet down. That bike is also a cooker, and I was keeping an eye on the temp gauge, in case it might need some cooling off time.

Next, the SV650S. This one was not nearly so contortional, and a better fit. Mike warned me it had a grabby clutch. I kind of wondered how that would feel, and when I first rolled off and my head snapped back, I learned what he meant! We had a couple of bridges to cross with that one, and it's pretty torquey, and nice for a 650.

Once we got back, it was time for lunch, and we went to meet Gigi at Poor Richard's Sandwich Shop on the waterfront, with Mike and me each taking a dual sport. On the ride there, I was on a Super Sherpa 250, which felt like it weighed about 50 pounds. Super light and maneuverable, and with its own milk crate on the back as luggage. We parked, sharing a spot and then walked to the restaurant, where we sat outside. Across the water was a replica of the ship that the first colonists came over on, and it looks dinky! Those were some brave folks to cross the Atlantic on something that small, I gotta say.

After lunch, we swapped bikes for the ride back. If you ever want to throw a curveball at Mike, be sure to hit the kill switch before he gets on a bike :) I always hit mine to turn the bike off, so when he got on the bike I had ridden to lunch, it took a minute for him to figure out what was wrong (heh, heh). My ride back was a DRZ400, which is quite a bit taller than the Sherpa. I had to climb up on the footpeg in order to be able to swing my leg over the seat (and in front of the ubiquitous milk crate). Once again, it was a nimble ride back to the house, and tomorrow looks to have more dual sport adventures, as the weather permits.

Once back at the house, Mike asked if I wanted to take a break, or if I wanted to keep riding. I asked him, "What is this 'break' thing you speak of? Am I cutting into your nap time?" He averred I was not, and the next bike to ride was a GSXR 750. Once again, there was a bit of leg scrunchage, but I was surprised at how tall the bike was. I flatfooted it, but my legs were fully extended. That bike will go from zero to stupid in a half twist of a wrist. I did eventually have it in top gear for a little bit, but not much. Plus, Mike wanted me to keep it geared down and rpm above 3k, since it was running a little rough in the lower rpm range. That was another fun bike, but really needed a track. I don't see how all those pretty boys can ride around town with their Gixxers and actually want to ride it as their regular bumming around bike.

The other fun part of that ride was that Mike was on his wife's GZ250, flogging it for all it was worth, hunkered down behind the handlebars to get it up to 70 going over the bridge. White helmet, hi-viz jacket and, and blinker left unattended. Now that was classic :)

Next up was Mike's VFR. He's got the twin to my bike, same year, make and model. His has slightly different handlbars, a Sargent seat, stock windscreen, mirrors and footpegs. I really liked how the Sargent on that bike felt. I sold the one my bike came with because I did not like how it felt at all. This one was totally different than that one, but not too far off from the Spencerized seat I've got on mine now. It might have run at a hair lower rpm than mine, but was identical, otherwise. It made me happy to know the bike I liked best was...my bike!

Last trip out, we took an actual ride. The other tours had been over and back across some bridges in a loop, or through some neighborhood roads with curves, but never longer than about 15 or 20 minutes. This last ride, I got to take the ST1300, with rain gear in the luggage since the sky looked like it might open up, and Mike hopped back onto the VFR. This time, there's actual proof I was on the bike, and not just near the bike. Back out of town, got a couple gallons of gas, and on to Engelhard, down highway 264.

The road actually had signs advising the pavement ended, and the road was closed, but I'll let you in on a secret. It wasn't closed. Nice thing, too, there wasn't much traffic on there. Most of what we went through had been burned in the Pains Bay wildfire earlier this year, which had been sparked by lightning, and burned thousands of acres of trees, with the primary fuel being peat moss. It burned for many months, and Hurricane Irene went a long way towards putting out most of the last hot spots. There is already green showing through the charred tree trunks, though, so life will come back.

There are approximately 10 curves or slight bends in the road for about 38 miles. Not too much excitement, but we did pass a Navy place where they blow stuff up, as well as an Air Force testing area, and saw F-18's playing tag in the sky on the way over, and F-16's on the way back (identified per my pilot buddy Mike). There were some rather lackadaisical turkeys in the road that didn't feel rushed by the honking bikes bearing down on them, and one other smaller bird walked part way across the road, and right as Mike was about to pass him, he vaulted up into the sky across his path of travel. The birds around here aren't the brightest.

Engelhard was just a stop to stretch and drink, before turning back around. Some local boy went past us three times in his jacked up pickup that had 'The Beast' written across the top of his windshield, and exhaust loud enough that we couldn't talk when he passed. Not much going on in the burg of Engelhard.

The road was still open all the way for our trip back (good thing), and we went over the Mann's Harbor bridge one last time before heading to the house. Tonight's supper was meatballs and stroganoff, along with loaded baked potatoes, rolls, and broccoli with cheese. The day was catching up with me (combined with being up until midnight last night), so I made my way upstairs at 8:30 to call it a night, and update here.

Tomorrow's tentative schedule is riding in one of the wildlife refuges with the dual sports, as well as getting in some aerobatic flying :) I need to hurry up and get some sleep so I can drain the last few drops tomorrow, since Mike will be back at work on Friday, with a 72 hour shift. Pics, and to bed.