Zoooooooooooooooooooom...
I did it - I rode my bike to work this morning.
Oshkosh was no biggie - I didn't stall the bike once! (I tend to be a little un-synchronized when it comes to easing into first from a stop) Then - THE HIGHWAY. I have about 20 miles of Hwy 41 to traverse - all four-lane, no biggie wow, but my first time ever taking the bike over 35MPH. Merged ok (I was behind a big slow truck), slowly got up to speed (still following the truck). Once I got out of town and traffic thinned, I found a slow-moving truck (about 55-60MPH) and pulled in about ten seconds behind him - far enough to stay out of his backwash, but close enough that no-one felt like cutting in, and I followed him down 41 till I got to Fond du Lac.
I took the back road exit (not confident enough in my first-gear skills to tackle the busy main road in the morning rush), and took some residential streets into the parking ramp. I did stall it twice - I get nervous at a stoplight/sign when people are waiting for me to go - but the bike started right up each time and I was able to scoot through without being too much of a holdup.
I'm definitely awake, though - and the experience alone is worth this odd petroleum taste in the back of my throat.
I can't wait to go home today :D
Oshkosh was no biggie - I didn't stall the bike once! (I tend to be a little un-synchronized when it comes to easing into first from a stop) Then - THE HIGHWAY. I have about 20 miles of Hwy 41 to traverse - all four-lane, no biggie wow, but my first time ever taking the bike over 35MPH. Merged ok (I was behind a big slow truck), slowly got up to speed (still following the truck). Once I got out of town and traffic thinned, I found a slow-moving truck (about 55-60MPH) and pulled in about ten seconds behind him - far enough to stay out of his backwash, but close enough that no-one felt like cutting in, and I followed him down 41 till I got to Fond du Lac.
I took the back road exit (not confident enough in my first-gear skills to tackle the busy main road in the morning rush), and took some residential streets into the parking ramp. I did stall it twice - I get nervous at a stoplight/sign when people are waiting for me to go - but the bike started right up each time and I was able to scoot through without being too much of a holdup.
I'm definitely awake, though - and the experience alone is worth this odd petroleum taste in the back of my throat.
I can't wait to go home today :D