Monday we were back in the saddle again, but we decided after the long ride on Sunday to make a shorter day of it.
We decided to go back to Culpeper to check on our friends again and from there go to Fredericksburg to check on Katie and the new house.
It started off as a cool morning, so we put on our jackets and gloves. We wore T-shirts underneath because it was supposed to warm up again. I reminded myself to look for my fingerless gloves when I got home.
Culpeper by way of Vint Hill and Nokesville is a nice ride down some country roads. I enjoy going through the little towns and wondering how they got their names. One of the towns we went through was Catlett. Just exactly what is a Catlett? Is it a small cat? Not a kitten, but a miniature cat? I know - wierd stuff goes through my head at 65 mph on the back of a bike. Doesn't anyone else wonder stuff like that?
Then there's another place called Summer Duck. As opposed to Winter Duck? I don't think we went through Summer Duck. We just passed the sign that points the way to get there. I'll have to talk to Karl about actually going there.
The last one is Brandy Station. All kinds of ideas come to mind for that one. Is that were everyone went for a tot after a long ride on the train? Are we talking about a girl named Brandy or the drink? I kind of want to do some research on some of these towns. Find out their origins and why they were named so. There are story ideas in there.
That brings us to Culpeper. That has a nice Southern genteel ring to it. Sounds like a Civil War General. There are quite a few battlefields within about a 50 mile radius. Chancellorville, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania Courthouse and Wilderness come to mind. There is also a Civil War era cemetery in Culpeper. I think it's a national cemetery.
We arrived at our friends' house and once again everything looked just as it was when we saw it on Friday. No one home. The same small package was on the front porch and the spiderwebs in the doorway were undisturbed. We concluded that our friends must be out of town for the holiday weekend. This time we had brought a small notebook and a pen to keep in the saddlebag, so we wrote a note and slipped it in the mail slot in the front door.
As we said to ourselves when planning to ride to Culpeper, if they aren't home, then the worst thing is we had a nice ride. It's more about the ride than the destination anyway. But still, we hadn't seen our friends in a few years - busy-ness on both our parts.
After a break and a stretch, we put it back on the road and rode out toward Wilderness and the Spotsylvania Courthouse Battlefields toward Katie's.
The nice part about the route we took is it goes through both Wilderness and Spotsylvania Courthouse battlefields. It was a nice scenic drive.
No matter where we went, we saw many other bikers on the roal all weekend long. Bikers, by and large tend to be an amiable lot. They always acknowledge one another when passing on the road. The folks who ride crotch rockets tend to wave less but I think that;'s because it's easier for them to lose their balance. I draw this conclusion because I watched someone lose his balance and almost drop his bike after takiung his hand off the hanldebars to wave. I'd like to give the rest of the the benefit of the doubt and not conclude that they're stuck up.
We ended up passing the apartment complex where Katie used to live - I recognized it even though we came at it from the other direction. I congratulated myself because I am usually directionally clallenged. Sometimes I can't find my way out of a paper bag. My GPS is my best friend when I'm driving.
We got to Katie's and I was ready for a break. Of course, it looked like all of her moving boxes exploded, but hey - she had just moved two days earlier. Whose place doesn't look like that right after they move? It was actually starting to come together.
After a short break, we left Katie to her boxes and put it on the road to go home. We came up Route 1, accross the "Bridge of Death" over the Rappahannok River, through Stafford and past Quantico. We decided to take the more winding route of Joplin Road once we got to Triangle, and that's a nice drivve through Prince William Forest National Park.
We were home in time for lunch.
All in all, my first weekend on the bike, I think I did pretty well. Oh, and we went over the first thousand miles on the odometer. Not bad for Karl's three weeks of riding on the weekends. Time for Baby's first check-up and maintenance.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Skyline Drive
The Sunday of Labor Day weekend was the next ride. We decided to take Baby up on Skyline Drive.
It was a beautiful clear morning, and the temperature was in the 50s. It was supposed to get up into the mid 80s later in the day, so we were deciding what to wear. We figured t-shirts underneath leather jackets. My jacket has vents which are very handy. Since we stopped at East Coast Harley the day before on the way home form moving Katie, I bought a rag with a sweatband and a woven leather lanyard for my glasses. I wore all that and figured that I could unzip my jacket part of the way later in the day if I got too warm.
That all briefed well. On our way out to Front Royal, the northern starting point of Skyline Drive, I was having trouble with both the lanyard and the rag.
I wear bi-focals and even though they are progressive lenses, they still have to sit on my face correctly, and the leather lanyard was so stiff that with the helmet on, it put pressure on the bows to pull my glasses just up off my nose and I was not seeing the way I was supposed to out of my glasses. No matter how I adjusted, I couldn't get them positioned right.
The next thing was with the rag. I was happy to have it because I didn't realize how nippy 50 degrees can get at 55-65 mph. The problem was the sweatband was thick enough that it changed my helmet size and my helmet was fitting too tight. I was starting to get a headache. About halfway to Front Royal, I tapped Karl on the shoulder and asked for a break so I could make some adjustments. Those adjustments were the rag and the lanyard both into the saddlebag.
I noticed on this cool morning that when we stopped for traffic lights, I fogged up my visor, so I'd lift it a couple notches whenever we stopped. That wasn't a problem on the first ride two days earlier when it was
over 90 degrees out.
We got to the starting point, and paid our park entrance fee. Motorcycles get a bit of a break. It's only $8.00 for a bike (as opposed to $10.00 for a car) to get into the park, and with the receipt, we could re-enter the park for up to a week. That's good to know. It helps for making plans for future rides.
We got to the first Welcome Center about four miles into the park. There were quite a few bikers in the parking lot. We parked near the rest of them. There was a couple from Ontario doing some serious biking. They were obviously planning to camp somewhere, and they were on two different bikes. He had a Harley davidson Road King touring bike, and she had a Harley Davidson Heritage Classic. When I saw how low her seat was on her bike, I thought for the first time, "Maybe I can get a bike that fits me." (I can't straddle the Fatboy and have both feet on the ground. It's way too much bike for me to handle.)
I admire lady bikers who have their own ride. One of my neighbors in MI who Karl knew growing up told me that her first car was a motorcycle. Since I didn't know her back when she was a kid and in college, I hadn't ever thought of her riding her own bike. I thought it was pretty cool, and inspiration for me to learn to drive one. My friend told me that she used to love it when she'd walk in to class with ther helmet and people would ask, "Who'd you ride with?" She enjoyed the look on their faces when she said, "Me."
Now having said all that, it seems like it's overwhelming at first. With both hands and feet doing stuff. It will take some getting used to. That's why I think when I'm ready, I'll take the ladies only safety and licensing course.
After a good stretch and a bit of time off the bike, we hopped back on and got started. It was warming up nicely - now in the the 60s, but in the shade it was still nippy. My hands did not sweat in the gloves on that day.
Skyline Drive is such a beautiful place to ride. So many scenic overlooks nto the Shenandoah Valley. Lots of bikers enjoy the ride and on a beautiful day like that day, there were quite a few on the road. Always a friendly lot, bikers always acknowledge each other with a wave when out riding. Even the passengers wave. I am very much looking forward to Skyline Drive again in October when the fall colors are at their peak. I'm trying to talk Karl into taking a day off in the middle of the week so it will be less crowded.
Park speed limit is 35 mph, and it's 80 miles from Front Royal to the other end in Lexington. There is another entrance/exit at about 1/3 of the war from Front Royal. As we neared that place, Karl asked me how I was doing and did I want to get off there? I told him no, let's keep going. So he decided to go all the way to Big Sky Meadow, which is about the halfway point and we'd eat at the restaurant there.
That was a nice long break. While there, Karl asked if I wanted to go on or turn around and go back. I thought about it, and I decided that Lexington was just too ambitious for my second day out. If we went all the way to Lexington, we'd have to find a place to stay overnight because my backside would not be able to manage the ride home from there. So we turned around and went back the way we came and decided to get off in the middle.
I'm so glad we did. We took a break at that park exit and headed home via some byways. It was about 10 degrees warmer at the bottom of the mountain than it was at the top. But we stayed cool enough with the vents in our jackets.
By the time we got to Nokesville, I needed a break and we stopped at a little corner store and had some Dove Bars. That day was also the first time I'd ever seen a woman driving a crotch rocket. Usually guys in their 20s ride those. She and two guys stopped to buy gas at the corner store.
We finished our ice cream and then made the final push home. It had been a 9 hour day of riding. All in all, it was a great day. I think the next time we do Skyline Drive, we'll make an overnighter out of it and ride the entire length of it. Maybe I'll find a nice Bed and Breakfast in Lexington.
Neither one of us felt like cooking, so we ate out and took Kurt with us.
It was a beautiful clear morning, and the temperature was in the 50s. It was supposed to get up into the mid 80s later in the day, so we were deciding what to wear. We figured t-shirts underneath leather jackets. My jacket has vents which are very handy. Since we stopped at East Coast Harley the day before on the way home form moving Katie, I bought a rag with a sweatband and a woven leather lanyard for my glasses. I wore all that and figured that I could unzip my jacket part of the way later in the day if I got too warm.
That all briefed well. On our way out to Front Royal, the northern starting point of Skyline Drive, I was having trouble with both the lanyard and the rag.
I wear bi-focals and even though they are progressive lenses, they still have to sit on my face correctly, and the leather lanyard was so stiff that with the helmet on, it put pressure on the bows to pull my glasses just up off my nose and I was not seeing the way I was supposed to out of my glasses. No matter how I adjusted, I couldn't get them positioned right.
The next thing was with the rag. I was happy to have it because I didn't realize how nippy 50 degrees can get at 55-65 mph. The problem was the sweatband was thick enough that it changed my helmet size and my helmet was fitting too tight. I was starting to get a headache. About halfway to Front Royal, I tapped Karl on the shoulder and asked for a break so I could make some adjustments. Those adjustments were the rag and the lanyard both into the saddlebag.
I noticed on this cool morning that when we stopped for traffic lights, I fogged up my visor, so I'd lift it a couple notches whenever we stopped. That wasn't a problem on the first ride two days earlier when it was
over 90 degrees out.
We got to the starting point, and paid our park entrance fee. Motorcycles get a bit of a break. It's only $8.00 for a bike (as opposed to $10.00 for a car) to get into the park, and with the receipt, we could re-enter the park for up to a week. That's good to know. It helps for making plans for future rides.
We got to the first Welcome Center about four miles into the park. There were quite a few bikers in the parking lot. We parked near the rest of them. There was a couple from Ontario doing some serious biking. They were obviously planning to camp somewhere, and they were on two different bikes. He had a Harley davidson Road King touring bike, and she had a Harley Davidson Heritage Classic. When I saw how low her seat was on her bike, I thought for the first time, "Maybe I can get a bike that fits me." (I can't straddle the Fatboy and have both feet on the ground. It's way too much bike for me to handle.)
I admire lady bikers who have their own ride. One of my neighbors in MI who Karl knew growing up told me that her first car was a motorcycle. Since I didn't know her back when she was a kid and in college, I hadn't ever thought of her riding her own bike. I thought it was pretty cool, and inspiration for me to learn to drive one. My friend told me that she used to love it when she'd walk in to class with ther helmet and people would ask, "Who'd you ride with?" She enjoyed the look on their faces when she said, "Me."
Now having said all that, it seems like it's overwhelming at first. With both hands and feet doing stuff. It will take some getting used to. That's why I think when I'm ready, I'll take the ladies only safety and licensing course.
After a good stretch and a bit of time off the bike, we hopped back on and got started. It was warming up nicely - now in the the 60s, but in the shade it was still nippy. My hands did not sweat in the gloves on that day.
Skyline Drive is such a beautiful place to ride. So many scenic overlooks nto the Shenandoah Valley. Lots of bikers enjoy the ride and on a beautiful day like that day, there were quite a few on the road. Always a friendly lot, bikers always acknowledge each other with a wave when out riding. Even the passengers wave. I am very much looking forward to Skyline Drive again in October when the fall colors are at their peak. I'm trying to talk Karl into taking a day off in the middle of the week so it will be less crowded.
Park speed limit is 35 mph, and it's 80 miles from Front Royal to the other end in Lexington. There is another entrance/exit at about 1/3 of the war from Front Royal. As we neared that place, Karl asked me how I was doing and did I want to get off there? I told him no, let's keep going. So he decided to go all the way to Big Sky Meadow, which is about the halfway point and we'd eat at the restaurant there.
That was a nice long break. While there, Karl asked if I wanted to go on or turn around and go back. I thought about it, and I decided that Lexington was just too ambitious for my second day out. If we went all the way to Lexington, we'd have to find a place to stay overnight because my backside would not be able to manage the ride home from there. So we turned around and went back the way we came and decided to get off in the middle.
I'm so glad we did. We took a break at that park exit and headed home via some byways. It was about 10 degrees warmer at the bottom of the mountain than it was at the top. But we stayed cool enough with the vents in our jackets.
By the time we got to Nokesville, I needed a break and we stopped at a little corner store and had some Dove Bars. That day was also the first time I'd ever seen a woman driving a crotch rocket. Usually guys in their 20s ride those. She and two guys stopped to buy gas at the corner store.
We finished our ice cream and then made the final push home. It had been a 9 hour day of riding. All in all, it was a great day. I think the next time we do Skyline Drive, we'll make an overnighter out of it and ride the entire length of it. Maybe I'll find a nice Bed and Breakfast in Lexington.
Neither one of us felt like cooking, so we ate out and took Kurt with us.
Her Name is Baby
Who knew? Apparently, the bike's name is Baby and she's a girl.
We finally got some nice pictures on Baby all dressed up with her accessories. Isn't she pretty?
Friday, September 17, 2010
Finally! My First Ride
First of all, for those who have asked both on and off the blog, I promise to get some pictures put up sometime this weekend (hopefully).
Where was I? Oh yes, Labor Day weekend. Karl got off work early on Friday and he came home and asked what chores we could do so we could ride on the rest of the weekend. Chores! Forget the chores! I wanted to go for a ride!
The trmperature was somewhere around 90 degrees so I wore a T-shirt and my leather vest, jeans and boots. Good thing I had those boots - those exhaust pipes are hot.
"Where do you want to go?"
"I don't know, Warrenton maybe?"
Warrenton it was. We were only going riding for a couple hours, three tops. Of course, we took the back roads out because riding is all about the roads you take and not so much about where you're going. Riding is a lot like life that way - once you know your destination, it's more about the journey. The roads less traveled are the best and more scenic than the crowded roads that get you there fast. Although fast on the back roads can be exhilirating. Apparently, the backseat of the bike makes a person wax philosophical too.
Sitting there on the back of the bike, watching the scenery up close and personal and smelling the smells that you're shielded from in a car, from the clean fresh air of a wooded lane, even if it is 90 out, to the farm smells as we ride through horse country and the smell of the hot road, it all fills up the senses.
Off we went through Brentsville, a rural little town I've always enjoyed driving through, Vint Hill and Nokesville on our way out to Warrenton. Once there, we stopped for gas and a bottle of cold water - we were both sweating in the heat despite the road wind. I was ready for a break as the seat was getting uncomfortable.
I had a choice. We could wander our way back home or we could ride farther out toward Culpeper. Well, after the break and some water, I wasn't ready to go home yet. It was only around four in the afternoon. Culpeper. It would be a good break point and maybe our friends who live there were home. And even if they weren't, it's a nice ride, and that's what it's all about.
We arrived at our friends' house and no joy. OK. I needed the break anyway and needed to stretch my legs and walk around a bit. It's probably a good thing. That house tends to be the house of no return for us and it had been a long time since we had touched base with those friends. After about a 10 min break, we hopped back on the bike and decided to take it home.
I discovered that there were still a few things lacking in my personal gear. I needed a rag to wear under my helmet because the sweat was dripping down my face, and my glasses were sliding down my nose. Not that they were in danger of falling off, but because I wear bi-focals and you want them to sit in the right place on your nose or you get queasy. So I needed something to hold them in place on hot sweaty days.
I also discovered that maybe Culpeper was a little ambitious for the first ride out. My initial ride before a break is longer than subsequent rides on the same trip. The breaks get closer together because I need them more frequently. By the time we got to Nokesville coming home. I was starting to feel lightheaded and tapped Karl on the shoulder to ask for a break. We stopped at the first handy place - a car dealership - and took a break in their parking lot. Karl went in an asked for a glass of water which he brought out for me. I drank it and felt much better. I think that from the hot day and the hot road and the hot bike and all the sweating, I got a little dehydrated. The water made all the difference. And we'll file that in the "Lessons Learned" column.
We decided to just buy a case of bottled water and pack a few in the saddlebags for our trips.
So we got back on and rode the rest of the way home. I'd be lying if I didn't say that I wasn't ready to be home and off the bike by the time we got back. My backside was telling me it was time to get off this iron horse and that I was going to be a little saddle sore. But I have to say, all in all, it was a great afternoon and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. We were out for about three hours, and that's not bad for the first ride in about 30 years.
The next day was going to be a break day because we were scheduled to help Katie move into her new house.
We stopped by East Coast on the way home from Katie's and I bought a rag with a sweat band to wear under my helmet and a black leather gadget to hold my glasses in place while I ride.
Sunday was our next big ride...
Where was I? Oh yes, Labor Day weekend. Karl got off work early on Friday and he came home and asked what chores we could do so we could ride on the rest of the weekend. Chores! Forget the chores! I wanted to go for a ride!
The trmperature was somewhere around 90 degrees so I wore a T-shirt and my leather vest, jeans and boots. Good thing I had those boots - those exhaust pipes are hot.
"Where do you want to go?"
"I don't know, Warrenton maybe?"
Warrenton it was. We were only going riding for a couple hours, three tops. Of course, we took the back roads out because riding is all about the roads you take and not so much about where you're going. Riding is a lot like life that way - once you know your destination, it's more about the journey. The roads less traveled are the best and more scenic than the crowded roads that get you there fast. Although fast on the back roads can be exhilirating. Apparently, the backseat of the bike makes a person wax philosophical too.
Sitting there on the back of the bike, watching the scenery up close and personal and smelling the smells that you're shielded from in a car, from the clean fresh air of a wooded lane, even if it is 90 out, to the farm smells as we ride through horse country and the smell of the hot road, it all fills up the senses.
Off we went through Brentsville, a rural little town I've always enjoyed driving through, Vint Hill and Nokesville on our way out to Warrenton. Once there, we stopped for gas and a bottle of cold water - we were both sweating in the heat despite the road wind. I was ready for a break as the seat was getting uncomfortable.
I had a choice. We could wander our way back home or we could ride farther out toward Culpeper. Well, after the break and some water, I wasn't ready to go home yet. It was only around four in the afternoon. Culpeper. It would be a good break point and maybe our friends who live there were home. And even if they weren't, it's a nice ride, and that's what it's all about.
We arrived at our friends' house and no joy. OK. I needed the break anyway and needed to stretch my legs and walk around a bit. It's probably a good thing. That house tends to be the house of no return for us and it had been a long time since we had touched base with those friends. After about a 10 min break, we hopped back on the bike and decided to take it home.
I discovered that there were still a few things lacking in my personal gear. I needed a rag to wear under my helmet because the sweat was dripping down my face, and my glasses were sliding down my nose. Not that they were in danger of falling off, but because I wear bi-focals and you want them to sit in the right place on your nose or you get queasy. So I needed something to hold them in place on hot sweaty days.
I also discovered that maybe Culpeper was a little ambitious for the first ride out. My initial ride before a break is longer than subsequent rides on the same trip. The breaks get closer together because I need them more frequently. By the time we got to Nokesville coming home. I was starting to feel lightheaded and tapped Karl on the shoulder to ask for a break. We stopped at the first handy place - a car dealership - and took a break in their parking lot. Karl went in an asked for a glass of water which he brought out for me. I drank it and felt much better. I think that from the hot day and the hot road and the hot bike and all the sweating, I got a little dehydrated. The water made all the difference. And we'll file that in the "Lessons Learned" column.
We decided to just buy a case of bottled water and pack a few in the saddlebags for our trips.
So we got back on and rode the rest of the way home. I'd be lying if I didn't say that I wasn't ready to be home and off the bike by the time we got back. My backside was telling me it was time to get off this iron horse and that I was going to be a little saddle sore. But I have to say, all in all, it was a great afternoon and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. We were out for about three hours, and that's not bad for the first ride in about 30 years.
The next day was going to be a break day because we were scheduled to help Katie move into her new house.
We stopped by East Coast on the way home from Katie's and I bought a rag with a sweat band to wear under my helmet and a black leather gadget to hold my glasses in place while I ride.
Sunday was our next big ride...
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Mostly All Dressed Up With Somewhere To Go
Karl took Baby in to get all the accessories put on after work, and left her there overnight for the work to be done the following day. There was a small glitch. It seems we ordered the wrong sissy bar to marry up the backrest and my seat, but everything else was correct. So they installed everything but the back rest and had to reorder the correct sissy bar. It would be available in about a week.
So Baby came home mostly all dressed up, but Karl didn't want to take me for a ride until the backrest for my seat was installed. I was ok with that too. He said is rides differently with all the accessories on , so for one more weekend he was riding on his own.
I have no idea where he went, but he rode for about half a day both Saturday and Sunday.
The following Tuesday, I called to see if the sissy bar was in and it was. So Baby went back in for another overnight stay for the final touches.
And then I was ready for adventures. The following weekend was Labor Day Weekend and we had some plans.
So Baby came home mostly all dressed up, but Karl didn't want to take me for a ride until the backrest for my seat was installed. I was ok with that too. He said is rides differently with all the accessories on , so for one more weekend he was riding on his own.
I have no idea where he went, but he rode for about half a day both Saturday and Sunday.
The following Tuesday, I called to see if the sissy bar was in and it was. So Baby went back in for another overnight stay for the final touches.
And then I was ready for adventures. The following weekend was Labor Day Weekend and we had some plans.
Monday, September 13, 2010
The First Ride
The new baby sat in the garage for the entire week before we went on vacation to MI. We couldn't ride it, but we could admire it. Even so, it was still naked without all the accessories we planned to put on it. Karl's helmet did not arrive before we left on vacation, but Kurt picked it up a couple of days before we returned home. He also picked up my jacket which had been special ordered.
It was close to 10 PM berfore we made it home form a long day's drive from MI. The next day, it had rained in the morning, and was starting to clear off and the roads were drying out, so Karl declared that he was going riding in the neighborhood. I chuckled. We live in a small neighborhood, and as I suspected, he got bored with that in about fifteen minutes. So he left the neighborhood and broadened his horizons to the northern part of town.
He said that he hoped I didn't mind that he went without me, but he wanted to get the feel of the new bike and it was considerably larger than the one he rode for the safety course when he got his license and the one he used to ride about 30 years ago. Besides, my new seat and backrest were not yet on the bike. I didn't mind a bit. And I didn't begrudge him some time to himself to familiarize himself with his new toy. To be honest, I wanted him to be familiar enough with it that he would be comfortable riding with me on it. I figured it was in my own best interest.
About a half hour later, he came back home and announced that he was only home to pick up his cell phone and was going out again. This time he was gone for a little over an hour and then he came back and said that he was home to change his shirt because he was tired of getting beaten up by his collar in the wind., and what time was dinner? I told him whenever he made it back home. Again, chuckling to myself. This was the most animated I had seen him in a long time.
I was tickled. He was like a kid at Christmas with a new toy. This time he went even farther affield and at some point he stopped in to visit our daughter who was packing to move in a couple of weeks. He stayed long enough for a quick break before putting it back on the road to come home.
He came home and was beaming about how smooth a ride it is and how much more power it has then some cars. He had really enjoyed himself out on the road. I was happy for him. We should have done this years ago.
The next day I called to check on the accessories. They were all in, so I made an appointment for Karl to bring in the bike the day after that to get the baby all decked out.
It was close to 10 PM berfore we made it home form a long day's drive from MI. The next day, it had rained in the morning, and was starting to clear off and the roads were drying out, so Karl declared that he was going riding in the neighborhood. I chuckled. We live in a small neighborhood, and as I suspected, he got bored with that in about fifteen minutes. So he left the neighborhood and broadened his horizons to the northern part of town.
He said that he hoped I didn't mind that he went without me, but he wanted to get the feel of the new bike and it was considerably larger than the one he rode for the safety course when he got his license and the one he used to ride about 30 years ago. Besides, my new seat and backrest were not yet on the bike. I didn't mind a bit. And I didn't begrudge him some time to himself to familiarize himself with his new toy. To be honest, I wanted him to be familiar enough with it that he would be comfortable riding with me on it. I figured it was in my own best interest.
About a half hour later, he came back home and announced that he was only home to pick up his cell phone and was going out again. This time he was gone for a little over an hour and then he came back and said that he was home to change his shirt because he was tired of getting beaten up by his collar in the wind., and what time was dinner? I told him whenever he made it back home. Again, chuckling to myself. This was the most animated I had seen him in a long time.
I was tickled. He was like a kid at Christmas with a new toy. This time he went even farther affield and at some point he stopped in to visit our daughter who was packing to move in a couple of weeks. He stayed long enough for a quick break before putting it back on the road to come home.
He came home and was beaming about how smooth a ride it is and how much more power it has then some cars. He had really enjoyed himself out on the road. I was happy for him. We should have done this years ago.
The next day I called to check on the accessories. They were all in, so I made an appointment for Karl to bring in the bike the day after that to get the baby all decked out.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
We're Done Shopping!
We’ve been busy this summer. And we finally bought the Harley.
After Karl got his motorcycle license, we decided to check out the bikes at Patriot Harley in Fairfax and Whitts Harley Davidson in Manassas. That was about a day’s worth of shopping.
At Patriot, I found the boots I liked - different from the boots I tried on at East Coast – but I liked these better. Wide enough for my feet, but not too masculine. (A lot of the girly looking boots were too narrow for my feet.) I ended up getting them, as well as a leather vest I liked. They had it in my size.
We looked at the selection of Fatboys there and they had a black 2010. So we knew that if East Coast couldn’t get the one we wanted, we could get it at Patriot.
At Whitts they also had a black 2010 Fatboy. We would probably be ready to buy it in the next couple of weeks, but it was so close to the new model year, we decided to wait to see if there were any significant changes.
At Whitts I also found THE leather jacket. It was beautiful – black with turquoise flames and according to the website, it was new and could only be purchased through the dealer. So I figured I’d put off buying it until we got the bike in another couple weeks.
Karl went away on a business trip for about a week and then at the end of July, we looked at the new models online. I liked the 2011 paint job on the Fatboy better than the 2010 paint job, and since the price was exactly the same, we decided to get the 2011 model.
So I called the car insurance company to get a quote and with that in hand the last Saturday in July, we went to East Coast to buy a Harley.
This is our first Harley. Buying a Harley is quite an experience. It’s like being adopted into the family. After talking to the Salesman, and seeing that, to our surprise they had a black 2010 on the floor, and they were looking to move it, we decided that the 2011 paint job wasn’t worth passing on a good deal, so we bought the 2010.
After deciding on the bike and making sure the fit was right for Karl, then we were introduced to the Chrome guy where we decided what accessories we wanted on it. We decided to get me a more comfortable seat with a backrest and a luggage rack, saddlebags, footboards, a windshield, an engine guard and road pegs fro Karl. We wanted to get footboards for me, but I had to settle for pegs because they are attached between the dual exhaust pipes. The footboards wouldn’t work.
Next up was Service. We went back to the service center and were introduced to the service crew, and talked about scheduled maintenance and how they work and the service plan and the owner’s manual and their recommendations.
Next stop was gear. The ladies in the gear shop were so helpful and fitted us with our helmets and helped us pick out our jackets and gloves. We ended up having to order Karl’s helmet because they didn’t have the one he liked in his size. I got my helmet that day. My jacket had to be special ordered, and the one I wanted was no longer available. (Big Bummer!!) But I found one that was subdued (Black and purple) and it matched my vest pretty well.
Then it was off to do all the paperwork. All in all, it took most of the day, and they wanted us to take possession of it that day. They couldn’t hold onto it waiting for all the accessories to come in. Plus we were going on vacation for two weeks.
Karl couldn’t ride it home because he didn’t have a helmet, but the Salesman drove it home for us and Karl took him back to East Coast.
We couldn’t ride it yet, but that baby was ours!
After Karl got his motorcycle license, we decided to check out the bikes at Patriot Harley in Fairfax and Whitts Harley Davidson in Manassas. That was about a day’s worth of shopping.
At Patriot, I found the boots I liked - different from the boots I tried on at East Coast – but I liked these better. Wide enough for my feet, but not too masculine. (A lot of the girly looking boots were too narrow for my feet.) I ended up getting them, as well as a leather vest I liked. They had it in my size.
We looked at the selection of Fatboys there and they had a black 2010. So we knew that if East Coast couldn’t get the one we wanted, we could get it at Patriot.
At Whitts they also had a black 2010 Fatboy. We would probably be ready to buy it in the next couple of weeks, but it was so close to the new model year, we decided to wait to see if there were any significant changes.
At Whitts I also found THE leather jacket. It was beautiful – black with turquoise flames and according to the website, it was new and could only be purchased through the dealer. So I figured I’d put off buying it until we got the bike in another couple weeks.
Karl went away on a business trip for about a week and then at the end of July, we looked at the new models online. I liked the 2011 paint job on the Fatboy better than the 2010 paint job, and since the price was exactly the same, we decided to get the 2011 model.
So I called the car insurance company to get a quote and with that in hand the last Saturday in July, we went to East Coast to buy a Harley.
This is our first Harley. Buying a Harley is quite an experience. It’s like being adopted into the family. After talking to the Salesman, and seeing that, to our surprise they had a black 2010 on the floor, and they were looking to move it, we decided that the 2011 paint job wasn’t worth passing on a good deal, so we bought the 2010.
After deciding on the bike and making sure the fit was right for Karl, then we were introduced to the Chrome guy where we decided what accessories we wanted on it. We decided to get me a more comfortable seat with a backrest and a luggage rack, saddlebags, footboards, a windshield, an engine guard and road pegs fro Karl. We wanted to get footboards for me, but I had to settle for pegs because they are attached between the dual exhaust pipes. The footboards wouldn’t work.
Next up was Service. We went back to the service center and were introduced to the service crew, and talked about scheduled maintenance and how they work and the service plan and the owner’s manual and their recommendations.
Next stop was gear. The ladies in the gear shop were so helpful and fitted us with our helmets and helped us pick out our jackets and gloves. We ended up having to order Karl’s helmet because they didn’t have the one he liked in his size. I got my helmet that day. My jacket had to be special ordered, and the one I wanted was no longer available. (Big Bummer!!) But I found one that was subdued (Black and purple) and it matched my vest pretty well.
Then it was off to do all the paperwork. All in all, it took most of the day, and they wanted us to take possession of it that day. They couldn’t hold onto it waiting for all the accessories to come in. Plus we were going on vacation for two weeks.
Karl couldn’t ride it home because he didn’t have a helmet, but the Salesman drove it home for us and Karl took him back to East Coast.
We couldn’t ride it yet, but that baby was ours!
Shopping For Harleys, Part 2
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Harleys Part 2
In the weeks since we took the decision that it was finally time to buy a Harley, my husband and I have been doing our homework. We have perused the catalog, and checked out the parent website where we have custom built our dream motorcycle. We have swapped out handlebars, swapped in and out various seat configurations, changed colors, added saddlebags, taken away saddle bags and luggage racks, platforms for foot pegs; we have looked at just about every variation that we could think of on several different models.
We have made two more trips to the dealer. I took my son on the first trip - he has his own Harley dreams, and they're not the same as ours - and I talked to the salesman about different features. Of course, he asked about the type of riding we plan to do, (day trips on the good weather weekends and an overnight about once every couple months), and he made recommendations and showed me the difference between the bikes we were considering.
We ended up making a tentative appointment over the past weekend for a convenient time for my husband. I wasn't sure how convenient it would be. My husband was scheduled for the three day Motorcycle Safety course for the weekend, but in the end, he came to the appointment, talked to the dealer himself, sat on a couple bikes and confirmed our choice.
After my business with the dealer, I went to the gear and apparel side of the place and tried on boots, a leather jacket and a helmet. I figured out what I like, what I don't like, what fits and what sizes. So now I have an idea of what I'm looking for and what I'm not looking for. I surprised myself. The boots I chose after trying them on were not the boots I thought I wanted.
I want to get a leather jacket, and I will probably buy it from the dealer; but I'm looking for something understated. The reason is that bike jackets have features precisely for motorcycle riding, and they cost about the same as a good quality leather jacket anywhere else. Same goes for the boots. My only issue is if I'm going to spend a lot of money on a leather jacket, I don't want to pay extra for the privilege of wearing the logo and being a walking advertisement for Harley Davidson. The problem is, if you buy it from Harley, you're wearing the logo. I think I found something that minimized the logo and works for me, but I'm holding out for the new stuff coming in at the end of the month with the new model year. So I have a good idea of what I want when the time comes.
This past weekend, my husband took the motorcycle safety course, and passed it. (There was never any doubt). Yesterday, he converted his D.M.V. form into an M class on his driver's license, so now we can get the bike. He further honed his ideas at our appointment with the dealer, but we have decided to see what the new models look like. We're still thinking black Fat Boy geared for the road, unless there are drastic changes in the line up. We're making progress.
Posted by klasko at 11:22 AM
2 comments:
V.R. Leavitt said...
Awesome!!! I can't wait to see pics of your new toy with you guys on it, once you get it.
July 14, 2010 2:21 PM
klasko said...
V - so glad you've resurfaced! I was beginning to wonder where you were.
July 14, 2010 4:23 PM
Harleys Part 2
In the weeks since we took the decision that it was finally time to buy a Harley, my husband and I have been doing our homework. We have perused the catalog, and checked out the parent website where we have custom built our dream motorcycle. We have swapped out handlebars, swapped in and out various seat configurations, changed colors, added saddlebags, taken away saddle bags and luggage racks, platforms for foot pegs; we have looked at just about every variation that we could think of on several different models.
We have made two more trips to the dealer. I took my son on the first trip - he has his own Harley dreams, and they're not the same as ours - and I talked to the salesman about different features. Of course, he asked about the type of riding we plan to do, (day trips on the good weather weekends and an overnight about once every couple months), and he made recommendations and showed me the difference between the bikes we were considering.
We ended up making a tentative appointment over the past weekend for a convenient time for my husband. I wasn't sure how convenient it would be. My husband was scheduled for the three day Motorcycle Safety course for the weekend, but in the end, he came to the appointment, talked to the dealer himself, sat on a couple bikes and confirmed our choice.
After my business with the dealer, I went to the gear and apparel side of the place and tried on boots, a leather jacket and a helmet. I figured out what I like, what I don't like, what fits and what sizes. So now I have an idea of what I'm looking for and what I'm not looking for. I surprised myself. The boots I chose after trying them on were not the boots I thought I wanted.
I want to get a leather jacket, and I will probably buy it from the dealer; but I'm looking for something understated. The reason is that bike jackets have features precisely for motorcycle riding, and they cost about the same as a good quality leather jacket anywhere else. Same goes for the boots. My only issue is if I'm going to spend a lot of money on a leather jacket, I don't want to pay extra for the privilege of wearing the logo and being a walking advertisement for Harley Davidson. The problem is, if you buy it from Harley, you're wearing the logo. I think I found something that minimized the logo and works for me, but I'm holding out for the new stuff coming in at the end of the month with the new model year. So I have a good idea of what I want when the time comes.
This past weekend, my husband took the motorcycle safety course, and passed it. (There was never any doubt). Yesterday, he converted his D.M.V. form into an M class on his driver's license, so now we can get the bike. He further honed his ideas at our appointment with the dealer, but we have decided to see what the new models look like. We're still thinking black Fat Boy geared for the road, unless there are drastic changes in the line up. We're making progress.
Posted by klasko at 11:22 AM
2 comments:
V.R. Leavitt said...
Awesome!!! I can't wait to see pics of your new toy with you guys on it, once you get it.
July 14, 2010 2:21 PM
klasko said...
V - so glad you've resurfaced! I was beginning to wonder where you were.
July 14, 2010 4:23 PM
Shopping For Harleys
Monday, June 21, 2010
Shopping For Harleys
"You know... we have both cars paid off and no more tuition to pay. We can afford a payment on a new Harley..." My husband and I were standing on the side of the road watching the Dumfries staging of Rolling Thunder. I put it out there to see what would happen.
About thirty years ago, we were both in language school in Monterey, CA. That's where we met. He was skating his way through the basic German course, (his Grandparents spoke German), and I was toiling my way through the basic Russian course. He was one of the Bad Boys; a single SF guy in his twenties, larger than life. I was still a babe of nineteen, young and impressionable, but I was not impressed with his Green Beret. He had a Honda 750, acted like a gentleman and treated me like a queen. I was smitten. Apparently, so was he. He was impressed by the fact that the beret didn't matter to me. For me, it was really the motorcycle.
We went everywhere on that motorcycle, and we lived for the weekends when we could put down the daily grind of dialogs to memorize, vocabulary words to learn, and grammar to apply. On the bike, we were free. We made day trips to Carmel, rode on Seventeen Mile Drive to see how the other half lives, down to Big Sur, and up to San Francisco and everywhere in between. Riding in the open air was exhilarating.
But after language school, we both received orders, mine to Japan and his to Germany. I eventually traded my orders for someone else's so I could be near him in Germany. He did not take the motorcycle to Germany with him because he didn't need the wheels in Berlin. We married and we were not stationed together. About the same time as my enlistment was up, I found out I was pregnant, so I got out of the military and followed him for the rest of a twenty-six year career. At some point, after the children came along, he sold the motorcycle, and then we decided that "someday" we would get the Harley he'd always wanted.
The running joke over the years has been, "Can I get my Harley yet?" The answer would always be, "No not yet. We have other priorities right now."
On the morning of Rolling Thunder, the five year old living inside of my husband began doing the happy dance the moment I mentioned buying a Harley. The responsible adult said, "Well, let's look at the budget and then we'll discuss it." Yeah, we discussed it all of ten minutes when I showed him where the money was going to come from.
Last weekend, we were running errands and he asked me if there was anyplace else I wanted to go, and I said, "Let's go to East Coast Harley and have a look-see, and pick up a few brochures."
About an hour later, we left with a few ideas. A few days later, I noticed East Coast was bookmarked on the computer. By Wednesday, we both pretty much had a good idea of what we did and didn't want.
For father's Day, I signed him up for the motorcycle safety course he needs to get his license. And I gave him a Harley card. We'll probably order it by the first week in August and by Labor Day we'll be kids again. Skyline Drive is nice when the fall colors are out. Goshen Pass is beautiful any time of the year.
So we're thinking of a black Fat Boy geared for the road. I'll be taking the Ladies Only class in the fall too. Truth is, I'm as excited about it as he is.
Posted by klasko at 11:21 AM
4 comments:
modestypress said...
When my wife and I owned a business, one of our employees mentioned she had married her husband because he rode a motorcycle.
While she was working for us, she got off his motorcycle and never got back on. She had worked him through medical school; now he wanted her to work him through law school. I have no idea how many degrees he eventually collected so he could forever avoid getting a job.
July 3, 2010 4:18 PM
klasko said...
Random! Welcome to my blog and thanks for dropping by. It's good to see you.
Now that we've finally finished paying for our kids' educations, my wonderful husband will be working me through college. :-)
But we'll be riding that Harley together in the off time.
It must have been more than the motorcycle, because I stayed with him after he got rid of it. Next anniversary will be 30 years.
July 4, 2010 8:37 AM
modestypress said...
Believe it or not, the wife of one of my bosses worked him through college, and then he worked her through college. However, they are no longer an item. These are not general principles of science; they work for some people (hopefully in your case) but not for everybody.
My father in law was married five times. (My wife was the product of marriage number one.) To the surprise of everyone, marriage number five worked out. Perhaps because they were exhausted; perhaps because they had both worked for movie studios (though not as actors). This is not a plan, either.
July 4, 2010 2:33 PM
V.R. Leavitt said...
OH awesome!!!! How wonderful to get a bit more history of you and hubby too. :-)
July 14, 2010 2:13 PM
Shopping For Harleys
"You know... we have both cars paid off and no more tuition to pay. We can afford a payment on a new Harley..." My husband and I were standing on the side of the road watching the Dumfries staging of Rolling Thunder. I put it out there to see what would happen.
About thirty years ago, we were both in language school in Monterey, CA. That's where we met. He was skating his way through the basic German course, (his Grandparents spoke German), and I was toiling my way through the basic Russian course. He was one of the Bad Boys; a single SF guy in his twenties, larger than life. I was still a babe of nineteen, young and impressionable, but I was not impressed with his Green Beret. He had a Honda 750, acted like a gentleman and treated me like a queen. I was smitten. Apparently, so was he. He was impressed by the fact that the beret didn't matter to me. For me, it was really the motorcycle.
We went everywhere on that motorcycle, and we lived for the weekends when we could put down the daily grind of dialogs to memorize, vocabulary words to learn, and grammar to apply. On the bike, we were free. We made day trips to Carmel, rode on Seventeen Mile Drive to see how the other half lives, down to Big Sur, and up to San Francisco and everywhere in between. Riding in the open air was exhilarating.
But after language school, we both received orders, mine to Japan and his to Germany. I eventually traded my orders for someone else's so I could be near him in Germany. He did not take the motorcycle to Germany with him because he didn't need the wheels in Berlin. We married and we were not stationed together. About the same time as my enlistment was up, I found out I was pregnant, so I got out of the military and followed him for the rest of a twenty-six year career. At some point, after the children came along, he sold the motorcycle, and then we decided that "someday" we would get the Harley he'd always wanted.
The running joke over the years has been, "Can I get my Harley yet?" The answer would always be, "No not yet. We have other priorities right now."
On the morning of Rolling Thunder, the five year old living inside of my husband began doing the happy dance the moment I mentioned buying a Harley. The responsible adult said, "Well, let's look at the budget and then we'll discuss it." Yeah, we discussed it all of ten minutes when I showed him where the money was going to come from.
Last weekend, we were running errands and he asked me if there was anyplace else I wanted to go, and I said, "Let's go to East Coast Harley and have a look-see, and pick up a few brochures."
About an hour later, we left with a few ideas. A few days later, I noticed East Coast was bookmarked on the computer. By Wednesday, we both pretty much had a good idea of what we did and didn't want.
For father's Day, I signed him up for the motorcycle safety course he needs to get his license. And I gave him a Harley card. We'll probably order it by the first week in August and by Labor Day we'll be kids again. Skyline Drive is nice when the fall colors are out. Goshen Pass is beautiful any time of the year.
So we're thinking of a black Fat Boy geared for the road. I'll be taking the Ladies Only class in the fall too. Truth is, I'm as excited about it as he is.
Posted by klasko at 11:21 AM
4 comments:
modestypress said...
When my wife and I owned a business, one of our employees mentioned she had married her husband because he rode a motorcycle.
While she was working for us, she got off his motorcycle and never got back on. She had worked him through medical school; now he wanted her to work him through law school. I have no idea how many degrees he eventually collected so he could forever avoid getting a job.
July 3, 2010 4:18 PM
klasko said...
Random! Welcome to my blog and thanks for dropping by. It's good to see you.
Now that we've finally finished paying for our kids' educations, my wonderful husband will be working me through college. :-)
But we'll be riding that Harley together in the off time.
It must have been more than the motorcycle, because I stayed with him after he got rid of it. Next anniversary will be 30 years.
July 4, 2010 8:37 AM
modestypress said...
Believe it or not, the wife of one of my bosses worked him through college, and then he worked her through college. However, they are no longer an item. These are not general principles of science; they work for some people (hopefully in your case) but not for everybody.
My father in law was married five times. (My wife was the product of marriage number one.) To the surprise of everyone, marriage number five worked out. Perhaps because they were exhausted; perhaps because they had both worked for movie studios (though not as actors). This is not a plan, either.
July 4, 2010 2:33 PM
V.R. Leavitt said...
OH awesome!!!! How wonderful to get a bit more history of you and hubby too. :-)
July 14, 2010 2:13 PM
The Thunder Rolls
Monday, May 31, 2010
The Thunder Rolls
Yesterday was the 23rd annual Rolling Thunder Memorial Day ride into the Capitol.
Motorcycle riders, mostly veterans, ride to the National Mall and the various war memorials to honor their fallen brothers in arms; most especially those still unaccounted for Prisoners of War and Missing In Action. The majority of these are from the Viet Nam War era. Rolling Thunder is a demonstration to demand a full accounting.
My family has a tradition every Memorial Day Sunday, of watching a pre-staging of this event. We discovered the pre-staging on our way home from the early service at the Quantico Chapel one year. The staging begins at East Coast Harley at around 7 AM. It takes about two hours for all of the hundreds of motorcycles to assemble at the bottom of the hill in the village of Dumfries.
Motorcycles of all different shapes and sizes, makes and models begin to arrive around 6 AM. Choppers, Hogs, Motortrikes, Bikes with sidecars, crotch rockets, some with passengers, some without, all line up and form a parade through the town of Dumfries, heading northbound on Route 1.
Meanwhile, near the top of the hill, spectators, from parents with infants and small children to aging senior citizen veterans gather on both sides of the four lane Route 1 in anticipation of the parade. They come dressed in patriotic attire, carrying signs that say "Thank you for your service to our country," waving flags at passersby.
Finally, the cavalcade of motorcycles gets underway aorund 9 AM. They are led by the Prince William County Police on their motorcycles, followed by the Virginia State Police, sirens blaring. The County police stop traffic along the parade route and escort the motorcycles to the HOV ramp onto I95. The Virginia State Police escort them all the way to the grand staging at the Pentagon. This year, organizers expected about 400,000 motorcycles.
Some three thousand motorcycles passed under an arch formed by the local fire department's ladder trucks at the base of the hill as they exited Dumfries to begin their treck. Rolling Thunder is an apt description as hundreds of motorcycles crest the hill. American flags and POW/MIA flags fly unfurled from the backs of many of the cycles. Often, the riders take pictures of the crowd as they ride past; as others wave to the onlookers. There is a conversation between crowd and the riders in those waves and the fleeting eye contact that accompany warm smiles. It says "thank you for making a difference."
As a veteran myself, married to a now retired career Special Forces soldier, it would be an honor to ride alongside them. One of these days, we'll get our Harley and we will.
Today I honor the fallen:
Mark P.
Ted
Big Pat
Mark L
Joey
Harve
Mitch
Karush
There are more whose names I have forgotten. Thanks you guys, for your service. It has not been forgotten.
Taps.
Posted by klasko at 10:09 AM
1 comments:
V.R. Leavitt said...
Great post, Karen. I've seen the exact staging place you're talking about and it's definitely a sight to behold.
June 1, 2010 2:10 PM
The Thunder Rolls
Yesterday was the 23rd annual Rolling Thunder Memorial Day ride into the Capitol.
Motorcycle riders, mostly veterans, ride to the National Mall and the various war memorials to honor their fallen brothers in arms; most especially those still unaccounted for Prisoners of War and Missing In Action. The majority of these are from the Viet Nam War era. Rolling Thunder is a demonstration to demand a full accounting.
My family has a tradition every Memorial Day Sunday, of watching a pre-staging of this event. We discovered the pre-staging on our way home from the early service at the Quantico Chapel one year. The staging begins at East Coast Harley at around 7 AM. It takes about two hours for all of the hundreds of motorcycles to assemble at the bottom of the hill in the village of Dumfries.
Motorcycles of all different shapes and sizes, makes and models begin to arrive around 6 AM. Choppers, Hogs, Motortrikes, Bikes with sidecars, crotch rockets, some with passengers, some without, all line up and form a parade through the town of Dumfries, heading northbound on Route 1.
Meanwhile, near the top of the hill, spectators, from parents with infants and small children to aging senior citizen veterans gather on both sides of the four lane Route 1 in anticipation of the parade. They come dressed in patriotic attire, carrying signs that say "Thank you for your service to our country," waving flags at passersby.
Finally, the cavalcade of motorcycles gets underway aorund 9 AM. They are led by the Prince William County Police on their motorcycles, followed by the Virginia State Police, sirens blaring. The County police stop traffic along the parade route and escort the motorcycles to the HOV ramp onto I95. The Virginia State Police escort them all the way to the grand staging at the Pentagon. This year, organizers expected about 400,000 motorcycles.
Some three thousand motorcycles passed under an arch formed by the local fire department's ladder trucks at the base of the hill as they exited Dumfries to begin their treck. Rolling Thunder is an apt description as hundreds of motorcycles crest the hill. American flags and POW/MIA flags fly unfurled from the backs of many of the cycles. Often, the riders take pictures of the crowd as they ride past; as others wave to the onlookers. There is a conversation between crowd and the riders in those waves and the fleeting eye contact that accompany warm smiles. It says "thank you for making a difference."
As a veteran myself, married to a now retired career Special Forces soldier, it would be an honor to ride alongside them. One of these days, we'll get our Harley and we will.
Today I honor the fallen:
Mark P.
Ted
Big Pat
Mark L
Joey
Harve
Mitch
Karush
There are more whose names I have forgotten. Thanks you guys, for your service. It has not been forgotten.
Taps.
Posted by klasko at 10:09 AM
1 comments:
V.R. Leavitt said...
Great post, Karen. I've seen the exact staging place you're talking about and it's definitely a sight to behold.
June 1, 2010 2:10 PM
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