Not what you think
It's nice when things are a little unexpected. :) My life has been pretty fun of late and I hope it stays that way for at least a little while longer. Going to go back to front this time. Of course there was another ride this weekend just passed...
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Ride to Somewhere 1 May 2011
Here's the short short version, again. I'm trying desperately to stay awake as I type this, but the V I had yesterday morning has well and truly worn off.
When I got up and looked out the window yesterday morning I was greeted by a cloudless, blue sky. What a fantastic day for a ride! :) After dazzab's mention of the roads between Wee Jasper and Uriarra the weekend before I was keen to go exploring. Breakfast was Maccas (drive-thru) after checking tyre pressures at the servo at Brand Depot. None of the Maccas I've visited must have many motorcycles going through drive-thru, because that's two for two strange looks that I've gotten when I've done it. :) Stuffing breakfast into my jacket I headed to the servo at Hume and was surprised to find that most of the people coming along on the ride were already there and raring to go! I counted 8 in total as well Carl - a nice sized group to go a-riding with. :)
Frosty + 1 had decided that they were only going to do part of the ride - a little is always better than none at all! Hope your wife didn't sneeze while you were away Frosty. ::D We were getting ready to leave (on time?!) and Lee turned up on her schmick R1. I spent a good part of the day drooling over it! :D And so we headed off on our adventure, partly making it up along the way. The ride TO Cooma seems shorter every time I do it. The ride FROM Cooma is a different matter entirely. I spent some of the trip to Cooma watching Frosty first in my side mirror and then in front of me wheel standing down the road, little puffs of smoke whenever he put the bike down again. Very impressive! :D
We regrouped at the Adaminaby turnoff, but everyone was keeping a good pace so it wasn't a very long stop. Refueling in Adaminaby and pushing ahead we were making great time when we reached The Link Rd turnoff. All the sections of the road between Adaminaby and the turnoff that had freaked me out on the last ride melted away this time. I was having a blast already. Everything felt great this time - smooth and deliberate. I ust admit to having watched Twist of the Wrist 2 a few weeks back and identifying with a few of the common mistakes that they talk about. Ever since then I've been trying out different techniques to try and improve my riding and they appear to be working! w00t! By the time we got to Tumut ponds I was so happy with my riding compared to last time I was bouncing all over the place! :D
Frosty + 1 and Lee decided that they were going to turn back at that point and ride back the way they'd come. I seriously considered doing the same, but then turning left onto the Snowy Mountains Hwy to complete the Tumut -> Wee Jasper -> Uriarra trip that I'd planned. There were some ominous looking clouds passing over us, and sections of the road up to Tumut Ponds had been wet, though I think that was probably from a heavy fog and then lack of sun to dry it out, than rain from the clouds overhead. TEveryone else that was left didn't really mind where we were going to go, so I suggested that we ride to a high point and then check the radar to see if we were going to cop a lot of rain if we continued on. As it turns out, the clouds were all bluff and bluster and it didn't rain on us for the whole rest of the day! I was really keen to tackle the roads along the Snowy Loop again as some of them had gotten the best of me last time, and everyone else was no less eager to go that way, so off we went!
We got to Khancoban and the day had heated up a lot by then. We refueled again and sat around chatting about various thing for only a little while before getting back on our bikes and heading for the chain bay on the side of the road just past Murray Gorge. The road along this section was a little wet in places for the same reason as bits of the road to Tumut Ponds. Luckily though it didn't spoil any of our enjoyment of the twisties or the open countryside. Everyone had huge smiles on their faces as they arrived at the chain bay.
We caught our breaths and, still smiling hugely, decided that we would refuel and grab something to eat in Jindabyne. By this point it was mid-afternoon and no-one had had anything decent to eat, so we decided to grab something to fill our stomachs at Gloria Jeans in Nuggets Crossing. We were out of Jindy at about 4:30pm and setting a cracking pace to Cooma. No stop at Cooma, except to make sure that andtfoot wasn't having bike troubles, and we were on our way back home. I think it must be a combination of the cold, dark and getting caught wearing a tinted visor that makes the return trip from Cooma feel like it lasts that much longer. We'd lost pretty much all light be the time we pulled over in Michaelago, but surprisingly I was still having a good time. It was a little chilly in my summer jacket, but only a little as I had layers galore on underneath. Add a bit of music and highway commuting (with at least a few large twists and turns) was actually starting to appeal to me. :)
Thanks to everyone who came along and made the ride yesterday absolutely fantastic. :D Even though the rest of us didn't end up going the way we thought we would, I bet everyone still has smiles on their faces from the ride yesterday because the roads round that section of the world are nothing short of spectacular!
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Saturday night saw Carrie and I, with the addition of Matt, going to the roller derby to watch the Red Bellied Black Heart play the Brindabelters. It was an extremely close game from start to finish and even needed to go into overtime to decide who was going to win. We were all biting our nails and then the announcement that I know _I_ was waiting for - the Black Hearts had won it! :D Matt and I jumped up to stand in line and smack the hand of the players. It really was a very cool night, and it wasn't about to end there! But first a few more steps backward...
I had spent the afternoon taking the Ventura rack off my bike and installing a smoked tail light with Matt's help. One of his friends had rocked around while we were in the middle of all this to show his babyblade off. I couldn't help but covet - I really do miss my babyblade at times. :) Seeing as Matt's bike isn't on the road at the moment, I had offered (with an ulterior motive) to pillion him to the roller derby game that evening. He hadn't pillioned before and I thought it would be absolutely hilarious (my ulterior motive). I wasn't disappointed. :D We pulled up at the lights on the way to the bout down near Tuggers and some young girls in the car next door were almost laughing their heads off. Hehehe. It must have looked very strange indeed having Matt tucked up onto the pillion seat! I had forgotten to change my visor before we left and so was stuck with a dark visor on the way home. Being the great friend that I am I offered Matt a ride on my bike and I pillioned. Much safer, and for the first few km's much more bizarre!!! I can't even remember the last time I actually properly pillioned on a bike. It was the weirdest feeling for a while - now I know what my sister meant about it feeling like there wasn't much of anything between you and the ground... There's not even much to hold onto other than the rider. My bike just isn't made for pillions that are heavier than the rider. Matt said he could hardly feel me on the back though, so the ride to find some dinner was a fun one. He actually even pulled a little wheelie on my bike, which I promptly smacked him in the back of the helmet for (because he wheelied my bike before I had!) and then laughed about all the way to find something to eat. I had really forgotten how great it is to be a pillion sometimes. Maybe not on my bike, but just in general. It's hugely fun. :)
Friday night was trying (not very successfully) to watch the Riddick Trilogy movies and having a few drinks, which I definitely think I should do more of. It's nice to relax at the end of the week! After the Fast and Furious movie marathon on Tuesday last week I went to see Furious 5 on Thursday night with Lyle. Zambrero's for dinner (yeah, you didn't have to twist my arm) made that a pretty darn awesome night as well. :) See what I mean about the fun? :D
That's where I'm going to end it though, because the chicken in the oven is about done and my eyes are slowly closing... reopening! slowly closing... reopening! like something out of an old Tom and Jerry cartoon. Hehehehe.
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Ride to Somewhere 1 May 2011
Here's the short short version, again. I'm trying desperately to stay awake as I type this, but the V I had yesterday morning has well and truly worn off.
When I got up and looked out the window yesterday morning I was greeted by a cloudless, blue sky. What a fantastic day for a ride! :) After dazzab's mention of the roads between Wee Jasper and Uriarra the weekend before I was keen to go exploring. Breakfast was Maccas (drive-thru) after checking tyre pressures at the servo at Brand Depot. None of the Maccas I've visited must have many motorcycles going through drive-thru, because that's two for two strange looks that I've gotten when I've done it. :) Stuffing breakfast into my jacket I headed to the servo at Hume and was surprised to find that most of the people coming along on the ride were already there and raring to go! I counted 8 in total as well Carl - a nice sized group to go a-riding with. :)
Frosty + 1 had decided that they were only going to do part of the ride - a little is always better than none at all! Hope your wife didn't sneeze while you were away Frosty. ::D We were getting ready to leave (on time?!) and Lee turned up on her schmick R1. I spent a good part of the day drooling over it! :D And so we headed off on our adventure, partly making it up along the way. The ride TO Cooma seems shorter every time I do it. The ride FROM Cooma is a different matter entirely. I spent some of the trip to Cooma watching Frosty first in my side mirror and then in front of me wheel standing down the road, little puffs of smoke whenever he put the bike down again. Very impressive! :D
We regrouped at the Adaminaby turnoff, but everyone was keeping a good pace so it wasn't a very long stop. Refueling in Adaminaby and pushing ahead we were making great time when we reached The Link Rd turnoff. All the sections of the road between Adaminaby and the turnoff that had freaked me out on the last ride melted away this time. I was having a blast already. Everything felt great this time - smooth and deliberate. I ust admit to having watched Twist of the Wrist 2 a few weeks back and identifying with a few of the common mistakes that they talk about. Ever since then I've been trying out different techniques to try and improve my riding and they appear to be working! w00t! By the time we got to Tumut ponds I was so happy with my riding compared to last time I was bouncing all over the place! :D
Frosty + 1 and Lee decided that they were going to turn back at that point and ride back the way they'd come. I seriously considered doing the same, but then turning left onto the Snowy Mountains Hwy to complete the Tumut -> Wee Jasper -> Uriarra trip that I'd planned. There were some ominous looking clouds passing over us, and sections of the road up to Tumut Ponds had been wet, though I think that was probably from a heavy fog and then lack of sun to dry it out, than rain from the clouds overhead. TEveryone else that was left didn't really mind where we were going to go, so I suggested that we ride to a high point and then check the radar to see if we were going to cop a lot of rain if we continued on. As it turns out, the clouds were all bluff and bluster and it didn't rain on us for the whole rest of the day! I was really keen to tackle the roads along the Snowy Loop again as some of them had gotten the best of me last time, and everyone else was no less eager to go that way, so off we went!
We got to Khancoban and the day had heated up a lot by then. We refueled again and sat around chatting about various thing for only a little while before getting back on our bikes and heading for the chain bay on the side of the road just past Murray Gorge. The road along this section was a little wet in places for the same reason as bits of the road to Tumut Ponds. Luckily though it didn't spoil any of our enjoyment of the twisties or the open countryside. Everyone had huge smiles on their faces as they arrived at the chain bay.
We caught our breaths and, still smiling hugely, decided that we would refuel and grab something to eat in Jindabyne. By this point it was mid-afternoon and no-one had had anything decent to eat, so we decided to grab something to fill our stomachs at Gloria Jeans in Nuggets Crossing. We were out of Jindy at about 4:30pm and setting a cracking pace to Cooma. No stop at Cooma, except to make sure that andtfoot wasn't having bike troubles, and we were on our way back home. I think it must be a combination of the cold, dark and getting caught wearing a tinted visor that makes the return trip from Cooma feel like it lasts that much longer. We'd lost pretty much all light be the time we pulled over in Michaelago, but surprisingly I was still having a good time. It was a little chilly in my summer jacket, but only a little as I had layers galore on underneath. Add a bit of music and highway commuting (with at least a few large twists and turns) was actually starting to appeal to me. :)
Thanks to everyone who came along and made the ride yesterday absolutely fantastic. :D Even though the rest of us didn't end up going the way we thought we would, I bet everyone still has smiles on their faces from the ride yesterday because the roads round that section of the world are nothing short of spectacular!
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Saturday night saw Carrie and I, with the addition of Matt, going to the roller derby to watch the Red Bellied Black Heart play the Brindabelters. It was an extremely close game from start to finish and even needed to go into overtime to decide who was going to win. We were all biting our nails and then the announcement that I know _I_ was waiting for - the Black Hearts had won it! :D Matt and I jumped up to stand in line and smack the hand of the players. It really was a very cool night, and it wasn't about to end there! But first a few more steps backward...
I had spent the afternoon taking the Ventura rack off my bike and installing a smoked tail light with Matt's help. One of his friends had rocked around while we were in the middle of all this to show his babyblade off. I couldn't help but covet - I really do miss my babyblade at times. :) Seeing as Matt's bike isn't on the road at the moment, I had offered (with an ulterior motive) to pillion him to the roller derby game that evening. He hadn't pillioned before and I thought it would be absolutely hilarious (my ulterior motive). I wasn't disappointed. :D We pulled up at the lights on the way to the bout down near Tuggers and some young girls in the car next door were almost laughing their heads off. Hehehe. It must have looked very strange indeed having Matt tucked up onto the pillion seat! I had forgotten to change my visor before we left and so was stuck with a dark visor on the way home. Being the great friend that I am I offered Matt a ride on my bike and I pillioned. Much safer, and for the first few km's much more bizarre!!! I can't even remember the last time I actually properly pillioned on a bike. It was the weirdest feeling for a while - now I know what my sister meant about it feeling like there wasn't much of anything between you and the ground... There's not even much to hold onto other than the rider. My bike just isn't made for pillions that are heavier than the rider. Matt said he could hardly feel me on the back though, so the ride to find some dinner was a fun one. He actually even pulled a little wheelie on my bike, which I promptly smacked him in the back of the helmet for (because he wheelied my bike before I had!) and then laughed about all the way to find something to eat. I had really forgotten how great it is to be a pillion sometimes. Maybe not on my bike, but just in general. It's hugely fun. :)
Friday night was trying (not very successfully) to watch the Riddick Trilogy movies and having a few drinks, which I definitely think I should do more of. It's nice to relax at the end of the week! After the Fast and Furious movie marathon on Tuesday last week I went to see Furious 5 on Thursday night with Lyle. Zambrero's for dinner (yeah, you didn't have to twist my arm) made that a pretty darn awesome night as well. :) See what I mean about the fun? :D
That's where I'm going to end it though, because the chicken in the oven is about done and my eyes are slowly closing... reopening! slowly closing... reopening! like something out of an old Tom and Jerry cartoon. Hehehehe.