Road Kill

A car ran over a squirrel right in front of me today. (shiver) There is nothing that creeps me out more! Good thing I was almost to work. (See also)

what a crappy crappy day at work

It all started yesterday. I won't bore you with the non-motorcycle related details but I went home in a bad mood. I had to find some one to vent to before even getting on the bike to go home. That took about half an hour but luckily I felt much better after venting. (Thanks boss for lending an ear!) Got home, had a nice dinner, but after spewing about my day again (just couldn't let it go) I was all wound up. So, I went to bed early. This morning, I was not moving with any sense of urgency to get to work. So, I decided to go to FedEx to pick up my package. That would make me feel better. I'd called them last night to make sure they'd hold it for me. I was told to call in the morning before going just in case. So, I called but it was too early for them to say definitively if it was still there. So, I thought, this is a good excuse to go to work late. So, I checked in with my officemate, who once again covered for my absence. (High five GH!) Not that there is anything so urgent that we do at work that I can't be a slacker once in a while. And anyway, she knew the saga of my bad day.

So, I made it to FedEx about 9:00 and was on the rode to work by 9:20.

I get to work after riding on I-70 from FedEx and then US36 into Boulder, ready to tackle the day. Well, not so much. A little more drama than I was ready for and then the servers go down. So, I actually couldn't do any work. This must be a sign. I'm outta there I tell GH. She agrees and tells me to ride safely.

My mood immediately lightens. I think I'll do that lunch ride I've been putting off. A scenic and slow ride from Boulder to Nederland and home again. That should clear my mind. I shut down the computer, grab my gear, say see ya tomorrow to GH and head out the door...

Only to see this! Will this crappiness never end!!??!!


I know from experience that the FedEx guy will be out shortly but it just summed up the past 24 hours so well I had to take a picture. And I had time because I certainly wasn't going anywhere.

A couple of minutes later I was on my way. I thought about stopping for gas as I had about half a tank. But, there were no gas stations conveniently located so I figured I'd fill up in Nederland (about 20 miles away).

The leaves are changing here so the view was awesome. I didn't stop for many photos though as it is a windy road with lots of gravel pull outs. I just didn't feel like tackling gravel on a slope. I got behind a speed limit driving car which was just fine by me. I wasn't in a hurry and hadn't been on this road before on the bike, so taking it slow was the way to go. Many other cars and bikes were not feeling the same and a few made some passes on double yellow curvy bits. Yikes. That made me uncomfortable to say the least. But, I went on without any trouble.

The bike started bucking a bit as if I was running out of gas so I switched to reserve. I'm not sure that was actually the reason and need to talk to hubby about that. Anyway, I got to town, filled up, and kept on to Hwy 72 which heads back to Arvada and home.

It was a very quick and sharp left onto 72! Took me by surprise a bit. This road is much curvier than 119. And I did manage to find a safe spot to pull over for some photos. It was a decent ride, more challenging than I anticipated. But, I was able to cross that off the to do list! Yay! I think I'll try to do the ride to Nederland and back to Boulder on lunch from now on. It will get me out of the office and clear my head. There are some nice photo ops on that road too but they were all on the opposite side from me today.

Next Season's Riding Goal

Before I forget to post it, my goal for next riding season is to attend Dirt Bike School, preferably with my niece. I've already told her we'd do it for her birthday. Now we just have to figure out where it will be and when we can attend. :-)

Riding goal - a mountain pass

Should have planned to do this earlier in the season but I think there may still be time. We'll have to get up early and get on the road to beat the afternoon (or noon) storms over the passes. And the potential rain. Google maps says it is about 4 hours and 200 miles. :-) This would give us two passes to go over. Of course if the weather looked iffy, we could just turn around and go back the way we came without going over both. So much to do, do little time. Well, hubby? What say you? ;-)

What's this noise?

On the way to work yesterday I kept hearing this rattling noise. It sounds like it is right in my ears or in my helmet. Now, my helmet does rattle a little but this wasn't that noise. I kept tilting my head to try to figure out where it was coming from, looking in the mirror to see if there was something tapping me on the head some where. And then on the way home, it sounded worse, well louder anyway. It had me worried that I should pull over because something might be wrong with the bike. I couldn't figure out where it was coming from and it was really driving me to distraction. I did notice when I tucked my head behind the windshield I couldn't hear it. (That made me think earlier that it was my helmet and the wind.) But, when I put my head down and to the left, I couldn't hear it. When I put my head down and to the right I could hear it. It also seemed to only be there above 45 miles per hour. It definitely sounds like it is coming form the front of the bike.

One thought was that it is my spotlight. The left one is loose. But, when I shake it I can't recreate the noise. I'll try tightening it tonight (I drove today) to see if that changes anything. I'll also try wearing my other helmet to see if that changes anything. I also need to check my spokes. Would they make a noise??

There are other things that vibrate and rattle on the bike when it is idling in neutral that I can't figure out. (It is 22 years old.) But, this is something new and different. Hubby noticed a weird humming noise as well.

Oh, the other thing it could be is the rear shock. The damper (is that what it's called) or some piece inside the shock is loose. I also have those hard saddle bags with things in them that bounce around. That makes noises as well but I can usually tell what those noises are. I need to get my shocks replaced, front and rear. Winter projects hear we come....

catching up

It sure has been busy since I've gotten back to work and gotten over my cold. Riding takes a bite out of the stress though. Riding to work gets me there in a relaxed state and gives me something to look forward to at the end of the work day as well. The leaves are changing here so my scenic views have changed as well. It is a nice cool ride in the mornings and not so hot and sunny in the evenings. Of course, all of that means the season is getting shorter as well which makes me sad. I wonder if there is still time to reach my riding goal for this season. The longer I put it off, the less likely I'll be getting over any passes. Trail Ridge Road is still open for the season but it has closed a couple of times already. I'm thinking this weekend might be my best bet. I've got plans for the first two weekends in October and after that, who knows what the weather will be like. Berthoud Pass is also showing dry roads. Today's high is supposed to be in the upper 70s and the rest of the week should be in the 80s. I'll have to talk to hubby about this... [Hello love! Wanna ride this weekend?]

drove to work today...

I decided to drive the car to work today. I was so tired when I got home yesterday, I thought maybe I still need to rest and recover more before tackling the added pressure of today's nationally televised football game at CU. We've been getting emails at work from the campus telling us how much more traffic there will be due to this football game. We've even been told to leave early if we feel we need to. So, with that in mind, I decided it would be better to fight the cagers while in the comfort of my own cage. And wouldn't you know it, on the way to work this morning I was almost crunched twice! Grrr. And that didn't even have anything to do with the extra football traffic yet to come.

On a side note.... why is it that there are lots of Honda Magnas out there and none of them belong to me? Sigh.

Back in the saddle again...

It has been about 3 weeks since I've ridden and only because I've been out of town, then sick and then out of town again. I really missed riding. :-( But, I'm almost feeling better now, definitely well enough to commute, so I'm back on the bike and back at work. Yee haw!

A guy on a BMW passed me at a red light yesterday. Jackass. He didn't even stop for the light, which is what I was doing. No one likes to stop at that light for some reason. As if it is exempt. That makes me so mad. But, what can you do?

no news

So, I went out of town for work and have been sick since then and am going out of town again. Haven't ridden in a couple of weeks. :-(

Hubby has been working on the blinker situation.