Shorter Days

Longer shadows, colder winds.

Are you riding, still?
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Leaves Are Falling

... and when they're wet, they are dangerous. Keep this in mind when you ride the twisties near you.
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Life In The Rear View

On my way to meet the gang.

The gang!

Maybe Las Palmas will be our new Tuesday night alt-hang.
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Yes, A Museum

The scootnashville.com gang was hankerin' for a ride, as the weather is ass-kicking, the trees are blooming, etc. So last night, Ross made and executive decision, and we went to Lane Motor Museum, today.

Today was one of the rare event days, where they give out the "basement tour" (the museum only has enough space to display about half of the available collection at any one time), and they fire up some of the old cars, too. Lane tries to keep all the vehicles in running condition, which I think is pretty awesome.

UPDATE: Here's me, Steve (face obscured by rearview mirror) and Tara in the one "photo car" that you can touch and actually get inside, a Citroen 2CV of indeterminate vintage (probably 1970s):


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Al Gore's Fatness Is Local

Photo used under Creative Commons (photo by jbitzerjr)

Yes -- Al lives but a few miles from me, and today, Nashville actually got up to 65°F. Just this past Wednesday, we had snow. Early Friday morning when I got up, it was 8°F.

I wish I could say I got out on some epic ride, but I ran some errands and took a nap, instead. I haven't been sleeping well at all.

Fear not -- this whole week is supposed to be very pleasant. I'd be thrilled if that fat ol' groundhog Gore was right for one February in his life. We shall see!
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Winter

... and the scooter blogs and forums are all but dead.

One notable exception: Orin's excellent Scootin' Old Skool. Of course, it doesn't hurt to have temperatures in the 50s°F... dammit. I remember when Nashville had winter weather like that, but then Al Gore had to go and get fat. Y'know, he lives less than 10 minutes from me.
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Wherein I Win The Wet T-Shirt Contest

Home again, after a ride across Nashville through a massive thunderstorm this afternoon. Go, moobs!
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After The Flood

I hope all my Nashville peeps are safe.

On the west side, we got off pretty easy, although some of my neighbors here in the complex did not escape water damage -- we had four buildings that took on water, but mine was not one of them (I live on the highest ground, in the top floor).

For those riding around on two wheels, please be careful of road debris (including amazing amounts of sand and gravel), huge, unexpected potholes and collapsed roadways and other hazards. Ride slow, and turn around at the first sign of trouble ahead.

Stay safe and dry.
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I Know It's Wrong

Photo by FaceMePLS @ Flickr under Creative Commons license.

... but I don't wanna be right. The first day when I can ride in shorts is like the first night you're both happy with the test results and toss out the condom.

At least I didn't wear flip-flops, but do as I say: ATGATT!

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Entry/Exit

I thought I might try to get to Kroger today, but a long swath of road that had been untouched by the sun prevented it. It was tricky enough getting out of the complex's lot. I think tomorrow will be better.
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Snow By Sodium Light

... or you can look at the auto-corrected version.
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Snow Scootin'

Through some roundabout circumstances which included my doing some web site design for the shop's mechanic, I ended up getting a new rear tire (Kenda, OEM) for BRU.

Looks like I needed it, hm? Got over 14,000km on that bad boy, but it should have gone at 11,000km.

Even the new tire won't help me the next few days, though...

Can you believe that a couple of hours ago, there wasn't a flake of snow on that seat? Now, I know... that's not a lot of snow. But this is Nashville, people. In the 14 years I've lived here, this much or more accumulation has only happened like three times.

Here I am, arriving at ESS this past Wednesday for "Project X." More about that as time goes by.
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Leaden Skies, Immaculate Timing

As anyone living in Middle Tennessee can tell you, it's a soggy mess, right now, and has been for a week.

I worked almost every day at ESS this week, including Saturday. Saturday was generally sunny, except for the time I rode to work, and the time I rode home.

Then tonight, after not raining for hours, I set out on a short trip. I got caught in a drenching, two-minute downpour.
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Another Story From The Road Less-Traveled

Being on two wheels is a viscerally different experience from being in a car. Most of one's senses are more engaged on two wheels, including tactile sense.

Something that all but perhaps convertible drivers miss: The small-but-quite-detectable differences in temperature out there on the road.

When the nights start to cool off a bit, as they have here, recently, it's a neat feeling to dip down into a valley, and feel a noticeable bite in the air -- a crispness one can both feel and smell. Or to ride under an interstate overpass, still warm from the sun's rays all day, and to feel the temperature rise for just a moment as one rides underneath it.

I live for those little moments.
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Ridin' Weather

First accumulation of the year!

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Vino Friday

I got a pair of 12-LED 1157 bulbs -- one each for the respective taillights of the Vino and the P250 -- and installed them, Wednesday or Thursday evening. In the case of the Vino, it was "must have" if I were going to ride it, as the lens replacement for the taillight won't be in until later this coming week, 'cause I ordered an oil-filler lid as well, and that was backordered. Yes, Tennessee, like all wise states, does not allow white light to issue from the rear of any vehicle on the road, unless it is IN REVERSE, in which case, it's required (except for motorcycles and scooters). It's a safety/confusion thang. :)

For the P250, I figure everything I can do to lessen the current draw, the better and longer my evil GPS system can operate, unattended.

Anywhoo... where was I? Oh, yeah! Riding the Vino!

I rode it to work, Friday, in a frog-stranglin' rain. I even wore aquasox (Nike; they don't seem to make them, anymore), knowing I'd be splashing through some puddles. It wasn't the rain, I swear... but the Vino just felt... twitchy. It's like I could think of moving my hip, and switch lanes.

Yeah, these two bikes are very different, indeed.

This all still works, btw... but... for how long? Dunno. I wonder if I can glue a Petri dish to the top of it.
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Day 17, 338.0km

Rain day... nothing new. But, between rain sessions, I did take the Vino to Sahib's to get teh brews.

Here's a video. Hope you enjoy.

Outrunnin' The Rain, Again

I left work at exactly 4:24 (for some reason, our timesheets have to be in tenths of hours... don't ask me why), and made it home at 4:53 (lots of traffic lights got me), with about three minutes to spare before the clouds opened up with a vengeance. At least I had time to whip out the cover and get it on, securely.

Of course, I keep an eye on the radar throughout the day, and had let my boss know that I may be heading out prior to 5:00 if the weather threatened a safe commute. Hey, it's skin off my nose... or wallet, I should say. Yep, I'm an hourly serf. :)

Oh -- special thanks to Scott @ TallahasseeScooters, a nice blog written by a guy with a Piaggio LT 150. He's the first and only one to link to me... I will be posting a list of good non-Kymco scooter sites sometime this weekend, and Scott's will definitely be there.
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Looks like a couple of scooter-free days

Raining this morning, and forecast through tomorrow. :(
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