somewhere, somehow, a northwest biker has upset the weather gods.
either that or they decided that since we had a super late, super quick summer, we should make up for it by having a really long winter.
on the way home from job #2 tonight (around 10pm) it was cold. now, my jacket and pants are quite good at protecting against the elements (although i was likened to a power ranger in appearance). however, the one caveat of having good gear is that you have to wear it. at the end of my shift i was quite hot and decided i didn't need to wear my riding hood on the way home. to be fair, i made it home just fine, but i was just getting the start of a cold wind headache from the steady stream of air up into my helmet, and my chin was freezing.
i've already mentioned that the ground is starting to get a little slick in the morning, and this morning there was frost on the grass and windshields. not a good sign for an elongated riding season. so the fact that it was quite cold on the ride home did not bode well. according to weather.com it's only 44 degrees out, though with wind chill it is considerably colder. last night it got down to about 37, and it was clear most of the day today, which means another chilly night. not freezing temps quite yet, but getting close.
all this means i probably don't have much riding left this year. that's not so much fun, though less fun is the idea of getting stuck having to commute home on the bike through snow and/or icy roads. i may be crazy, but i'm not stupid. so i'll be riding as much as i safely can until i can't ride no mo'.
or until my beard freezes. whichever comes first.
until then,
rftc,
scott
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
cold weather and strange cravings
the changing of the seasons often leads people to do odd things. sometimes these are good, sometimes these are not so good. sometimes you aren't really sure if they're good or bad. sometimes you just never find out.
it's been getting colder recently, even as we've been having some gorgeous afternoons here in seattle. the nights and early mornings are experiencing ever-dropping temperatures at a radical rate on that inevitable path to winter. i'm guessing it'll start freezing in early november. we're supposed to have a bad winter this year and, unfortunately, that does not bode well for my winter commuting.
now, as i've mentioned before, i'm pretty hearty when it comes to riding in inclement weather. i'm usually a year round commuter. however, i will not ride when there is ice on the roads, or the chance of ice. i'm tough, i'm not stupid. i was riding to work the other morning around 8:30, and the roads were already getting slick from the cold. the temperature was probably in the low 40s, and it didn't freeze that night as far as i know, but i certainly noticed the roads. if it keeps getting colder, and starts freezing, i may not get to commute much this winter on the bike, which would be a shame.
right, now to the strange cravings. recently i've been having more unexplained desires for a harley davidson (those that know me know that this is strange indeed). this came up a bit during the trip, which i could write off to circumstances (my knee was bugging me from my aggressive riding position, i was seeing a LOT of HDs on the road, and the whole travelling around the country thing definitely fits with the image harley has manufactured). now that's just the thing. i know that harley has manufactured this image, and i am currently falling for it. i'm not a huge fan of harley bikes. i'm not even a meagre fan of most harleys, it's mainly one that's catching my eye. that would be the sportster 883 iron, or this one:
now let's face it: this is a pretty bike. overpriced? sure. all harleys are. overrated? probably, as most HDs fall into that category as well. but when i've been fantasizing about bikes recently, this is what most comes to mind. again, i'm not sure if it's the bike that's doing it, or the image associated with the bike, but there you go. falling victim to marketing and whatnot (again, strange for me).
i think part of this is due to the fact that my own personal style doesn't necessarily always mesh with vixen's. she's a spicy little japanese bike, and i often fit more with the classic biker style. we are often at odds when it comes to asthetics. don't get me wrong, i think she's tres sexy, but as i've said before, she might not be my first choice given unlimited options. i love the way she handles, i love the quick, light flickability she offers, but sometimes she seems a little...plain. suzuki is not a brand with a lot of mystique and her looks are nice, but not amazing. she's a midrange bike with midrange asthetics. even in the naked bike category, she doesn't stack up to a monster or a speed triple.
when i've talked about dream bikes in the past, it's usually been closer to the classic british side of things. i've always had a soft spot for old triumphs and the bonneville is still one of my all time favorites. like this one:
very nice. this is where my tastes usually drift, but recently it's been all american iron. i can't explain it. again, i think it's much more of the idyllic imagery that goes along with it than the bike. i mean, the 883 is probably the only harley i would ever have an interest in owning; in terms of style, it's the only one that does anything for me. maybe it's just more that classic look that i'm digging. vixen is a very modern bike and i'm just not necessarily a modern man.
let me make it clear, however, that i won't be jumping off to buy another bike anytime soon, or try and trade vixen in for something. first off, i can't afford it even if i wanted to. these dream bikes are pricey. and second, i do have a certain attachment to the old girl, having taken her around the country. for my needs, she's just about perfect. and besides, if i had been serious about trading her in i would have done so BEFORE taking her on an 8400 mile trip. so don't worry, i'm not about to do anything rash.
a guy can dream, though. can't he?
rftc,
scott
it's been getting colder recently, even as we've been having some gorgeous afternoons here in seattle. the nights and early mornings are experiencing ever-dropping temperatures at a radical rate on that inevitable path to winter. i'm guessing it'll start freezing in early november. we're supposed to have a bad winter this year and, unfortunately, that does not bode well for my winter commuting.
now, as i've mentioned before, i'm pretty hearty when it comes to riding in inclement weather. i'm usually a year round commuter. however, i will not ride when there is ice on the roads, or the chance of ice. i'm tough, i'm not stupid. i was riding to work the other morning around 8:30, and the roads were already getting slick from the cold. the temperature was probably in the low 40s, and it didn't freeze that night as far as i know, but i certainly noticed the roads. if it keeps getting colder, and starts freezing, i may not get to commute much this winter on the bike, which would be a shame.
right, now to the strange cravings. recently i've been having more unexplained desires for a harley davidson (those that know me know that this is strange indeed). this came up a bit during the trip, which i could write off to circumstances (my knee was bugging me from my aggressive riding position, i was seeing a LOT of HDs on the road, and the whole travelling around the country thing definitely fits with the image harley has manufactured). now that's just the thing. i know that harley has manufactured this image, and i am currently falling for it. i'm not a huge fan of harley bikes. i'm not even a meagre fan of most harleys, it's mainly one that's catching my eye. that would be the sportster 883 iron, or this one:
i think part of this is due to the fact that my own personal style doesn't necessarily always mesh with vixen's. she's a spicy little japanese bike, and i often fit more with the classic biker style. we are often at odds when it comes to asthetics. don't get me wrong, i think she's tres sexy, but as i've said before, she might not be my first choice given unlimited options. i love the way she handles, i love the quick, light flickability she offers, but sometimes she seems a little...plain. suzuki is not a brand with a lot of mystique and her looks are nice, but not amazing. she's a midrange bike with midrange asthetics. even in the naked bike category, she doesn't stack up to a monster or a speed triple.
when i've talked about dream bikes in the past, it's usually been closer to the classic british side of things. i've always had a soft spot for old triumphs and the bonneville is still one of my all time favorites. like this one:
let me make it clear, however, that i won't be jumping off to buy another bike anytime soon, or try and trade vixen in for something. first off, i can't afford it even if i wanted to. these dream bikes are pricey. and second, i do have a certain attachment to the old girl, having taken her around the country. for my needs, she's just about perfect. and besides, if i had been serious about trading her in i would have done so BEFORE taking her on an 8400 mile trip. so don't worry, i'm not about to do anything rash.
a guy can dream, though. can't he?
rftc,
scott
Sunday, October 16, 2011
traffic sucks
and is getting worse. i swear. when i got back a couple of weeks ago i thought that maybe i had just forgotten how bad the traffic was around here. now i'm pretty sure it wasn't just an adjustment period.
it always takes time to get home after work around 5 or so, that's just a given. but until recently there have always been ways around the worst of it. my standard route between downtown bellevue and south where i live has always been lake washington boulevard (also known as 118th). most of the time you can avoid the worst of the freeway traffic, with maybe a little backup. the past few times i've attempted it, however, the backup has been miles long (literally), and i've turned around to go other ways. bellevue way to 90 to 405 always sucks because of the merger onto 405 south, and factoria is usually no better. and, to top things off, things got so bad that the other day i decided to actually take the freeway, since i was on the bike and i could just jump in the HOV lane. did it work? hell no. the carpool lane was, for much of the time, slower than the rest of the freeway. what gives? i've just stopped trying to come home between 5 and 6:30. i'll get a cup of tea and read my book. it's far more enjoyable than sitting in traffic and, once i decide to head home, things are actually reasonable, traffic-wise.
the upside to all this is that i have been riding my bike. the past few days commuting i've bundled up in the morning and braved the cold, gray mornings. it hasn't rained too hard so far. i haven't been able to ride elsewhere that much mostly because i've had to carry things here and there. my winter gear has held up remarkably well so far, and i haven't even had to layer that much. my new coat keeps me nice and comfortable with only a t-shirt underneath, so that investment is thusfar paying off nicely. i'm really enjoying the regular riding again, even in the chilly weather. and parking is a cinch. today will be the first day i get to commute to seattle again on the bike, so we'll see how the bridge goes with the new gear, but i'm not too worried. it's even supposed to clear up later today.
so, continuing the trend of late, here are some more pictures from my travels, for those that just skim these for photos. this is the universal studios round, with these first few from jurassic park. this is how i want to paint my explorer. my dad seems opposed, for some reason...
and the visitor's center. classic.
next we have some harry potter land stuff, for those rowling-buffs out there. i have to admit, the whole thing was amazingly well done, down to the last detail. these pictures will hopefully give you an idea of what everything looked like as a whole. hogwarts castle, hogsmeade and the defense against the dark arts classroom. pretty cool.
and this was all in 90 degree florida weather. there were times i really wished it was really snowing.
and finally, a blast to the past for those who are high school friends. we made sure not to miss the blues brothers show, and here is the bluesmobile.
i have to say, it was a pretty good show. jake was pretty convincing, but i did a much better elwood. decent singer, but definitely not a baritone.
that'll do for now. next time i'll have more pics from the second half of the trip, starting with washington dc.
rftc,
scott
it always takes time to get home after work around 5 or so, that's just a given. but until recently there have always been ways around the worst of it. my standard route between downtown bellevue and south where i live has always been lake washington boulevard (also known as 118th). most of the time you can avoid the worst of the freeway traffic, with maybe a little backup. the past few times i've attempted it, however, the backup has been miles long (literally), and i've turned around to go other ways. bellevue way to 90 to 405 always sucks because of the merger onto 405 south, and factoria is usually no better. and, to top things off, things got so bad that the other day i decided to actually take the freeway, since i was on the bike and i could just jump in the HOV lane. did it work? hell no. the carpool lane was, for much of the time, slower than the rest of the freeway. what gives? i've just stopped trying to come home between 5 and 6:30. i'll get a cup of tea and read my book. it's far more enjoyable than sitting in traffic and, once i decide to head home, things are actually reasonable, traffic-wise.
the upside to all this is that i have been riding my bike. the past few days commuting i've bundled up in the morning and braved the cold, gray mornings. it hasn't rained too hard so far. i haven't been able to ride elsewhere that much mostly because i've had to carry things here and there. my winter gear has held up remarkably well so far, and i haven't even had to layer that much. my new coat keeps me nice and comfortable with only a t-shirt underneath, so that investment is thusfar paying off nicely. i'm really enjoying the regular riding again, even in the chilly weather. and parking is a cinch. today will be the first day i get to commute to seattle again on the bike, so we'll see how the bridge goes with the new gear, but i'm not too worried. it's even supposed to clear up later today.
so, continuing the trend of late, here are some more pictures from my travels, for those that just skim these for photos. this is the universal studios round, with these first few from jurassic park. this is how i want to paint my explorer. my dad seems opposed, for some reason...
and the visitor's center. classic.
next we have some harry potter land stuff, for those rowling-buffs out there. i have to admit, the whole thing was amazingly well done, down to the last detail. these pictures will hopefully give you an idea of what everything looked like as a whole. hogwarts castle, hogsmeade and the defense against the dark arts classroom. pretty cool.
and this was all in 90 degree florida weather. there were times i really wished it was really snowing.
and finally, a blast to the past for those who are high school friends. we made sure not to miss the blues brothers show, and here is the bluesmobile.
i have to say, it was a pretty good show. jake was pretty convincing, but i did a much better elwood. decent singer, but definitely not a baritone.
that'll do for now. next time i'll have more pics from the second half of the trip, starting with washington dc.
rftc,
scott
Monday, October 10, 2011
motorcycle fail. and pictures!
i've been a terrible biker recently. mainly because i haven't been biking. like, at all. i brought vixen home from the dealer about 20 minutes before it started raining. it hasn't stopped.
now, i'm not one to let a little rain deter me normally. i really don't mind riding in rain that much, especially the nice, light rain we get around here. and it hasn't been just that. there have been other factors. i've had things to carry or deliver that wouldn't fit on the bike, or i've had late nights at work, or i've just been tired. the rain has certainly not helped, though. i'm planning on riding to work tomorrow. i really am. i need a kick in the butt to get back on this thing.
i've been thinking about the next trip to plan, however, which has been fun. i'm trying to get my brothers and dad on board for a biking brewery tour of belgium. i think that would be an excellent vacation. nice easy days on the bike, try the local brew, stumble to the b and b and sleep in before doing it again. belgium is supposed to be a beautiful country and i hear they take their beer pretty seriously. all good things.
anyway, here are some more pictures from the road. these first few are from new mexico. another one from the lovely straight plains (this is the kind of road i got my speeding ticket on. seriously. the cop was the first car i'd seen in about 5 miles) and one of the thunderstorms i was trying to outrun when i got ticketed. it was really cool how you could just sit there watching the thunder and lightning storm slowly moving across the plains, staying perfectly dry and warm where you are. a phenomenon we don't get in the northwest.
this last one is from arkansas, which was one of the pleasant surprises of the trip, scenery-wise. this is just another lovely river i passed over while crossing through the southern part of the state.
that'll do it for now since this takes me up to orlando, and there are a lot of pictures from universal studios to sort through. i'll find some good ones for the next post. hopefully i'll have some riding to report as well.
rftc,
scott
now, i'm not one to let a little rain deter me normally. i really don't mind riding in rain that much, especially the nice, light rain we get around here. and it hasn't been just that. there have been other factors. i've had things to carry or deliver that wouldn't fit on the bike, or i've had late nights at work, or i've just been tired. the rain has certainly not helped, though. i'm planning on riding to work tomorrow. i really am. i need a kick in the butt to get back on this thing.
i've been thinking about the next trip to plan, however, which has been fun. i'm trying to get my brothers and dad on board for a biking brewery tour of belgium. i think that would be an excellent vacation. nice easy days on the bike, try the local brew, stumble to the b and b and sleep in before doing it again. belgium is supposed to be a beautiful country and i hear they take their beer pretty seriously. all good things.
anyway, here are some more pictures from the road. these first few are from new mexico. another one from the lovely straight plains (this is the kind of road i got my speeding ticket on. seriously. the cop was the first car i'd seen in about 5 miles) and one of the thunderstorms i was trying to outrun when i got ticketed. it was really cool how you could just sit there watching the thunder and lightning storm slowly moving across the plains, staying perfectly dry and warm where you are. a phenomenon we don't get in the northwest.
this last one is from arkansas, which was one of the pleasant surprises of the trip, scenery-wise. this is just another lovely river i passed over while crossing through the southern part of the state.
that'll do it for now since this takes me up to orlando, and there are a lot of pictures from universal studios to sort through. i'll find some good ones for the next post. hopefully i'll have some riding to report as well.
rftc,
scott
Friday, October 7, 2011
more pictures, round 1
i've had a few requests for more pictures from the trip. i certainly have those, so i thought i'd start posting some of the photos that didn't make the cut the first time around. enjoy!
these are a few more from the mojave, on route 62. still one of my favorite rides of the trip. i wish these pictures could truly capture the feeling of what it was like to be out there.
these next few are from arizona, just outside of phoenix. as soon as i left the city i started climbing up into the mountains (and the temperature thankfully started dropping), and the views instantly got better.
well, that'll do for now. i'll be adding more as i have time, attempting to go somewhat chronologically.
till next time,
rftc,
scott
these are a few more from the mojave, on route 62. still one of my favorite rides of the trip. i wish these pictures could truly capture the feeling of what it was like to be out there.
these next few are from arizona, just outside of phoenix. as soon as i left the city i started climbing up into the mountains (and the temperature thankfully started dropping), and the views instantly got better.
and finally a few more from the salt river canyon, also in arizona. another gorgeous part of the ride. again, i wish i had better pictures, but the view also got better 2 minutes after i stopped to take the photo.
well, that'll do for now. i'll be adding more as i have time, attempting to go somewhat chronologically.
till next time,
rftc,
scott
Thursday, October 6, 2011
back in the saddle again
...out where a friend is a friend. you know the rest.
i picked up vixen today from aurora suzuki. it took me about an hour on 2 busses to get there, but i think it was worth it. the service there was $100 cheaper than the eastside option, and these guys are friendlier.
she was getting the 11K mile service, even though she's up around 14.4K total. oops. turns out i was a little late. when i went on my lunch break today i actually had two messages waiting for me from the dealer. the first said that, after checking the mileage, it wouldn't hurt to adjust the valves while i have it in. the second said they were done with the basic service. i called back to authorize the valves if they could get it done the same day, which they thought was possible. when i got off work, however, i got another message (i can't answer the phone at work, in case you were wondering. another perk of retail). this one said it would take 2 hours for a 1 hour valve job since they already put everything back together, and that i would be fine for another 3K miles or so. that worked for me, since it saved me another $120 or so. in 3000 miles i might be able to afford that.
anyway, taking her in yesterday was the first time i'd ridden her since returning, so i'd been off the bike for 8 days. that's a lot for me, even when i'm not traveling, and it felt a little odd getting back on. i noticed a few things riding home tonight. first off, she's a lot lighter when she's not loaded down. i probably had around 50 lbs of luggage for the trip, and she's a lot more responsive when it's just me and her. quicker too. also, since i've put the stock windscreen back on (the bikini fairing), i've noticed quite a difference at freeway speeds. yeah, the wind is a little more present but the biggest difference is the noise. it's a lot quieter now than with the touring screen. the shape and height of the tourer aimed an airstream right by my left ear, which made a loud whistling noise. without that airstream it's a lot more pleasant. chalk another one up for the smaller screen.
and, a note about leathers. i love them. they are far better than textile gear. more comfortable, better for warmth and wind without a million layers, and they let a bit of a breeze in (which is good if it's not 40 degrees out). it's been very nice to ride with leathers as opposed to the riding suit. sure, they aren't as waterproof, but so far i haven't had more than a few drops to and from. it's a bit of a risk (it's been cloudy and showering since i've been back) but, then again, riding a bike is a bit of a risk. that's part of the fun. i'll be breaking out the textiles again soon enough, i'm sure, when the winter commuting starts, so i might as well enjoy it while i can.
for a quick note on my adjustment, things are going better. i'm getting back into the things i actually enjoy, and i'm remembering everything i was looking forward to. i'm still not crazy about the job, but it's a job. you don't have to like it. i am still thinking about the next trip, though. i have many ideas floating around, some of which i may be exploring here in the future. my uncle has been trying to convince me to find some sponsors and take off for a year riding around and writing. don't get me wrong, this would be awesome and if anyone wants to sponsor me for this, i am open to it. i just might spend a little time here at home first.
i am going to submit a short piece about my Gorilla gloves to a couple of motorcycle publications. sort of a "solving-problems-on-the-road/look-at-the-crazy-stuff-this-guy-did" kind of piece. short, hopefully a little funny, maybe get it published on a back page somewhere. that would be cool. who knows? i certainly wouldn't be opposed to a little freelancing here and there.
anyway, i'm going to try to keep this blog going as best i can without making it too boring (today i went to work...again), so stay tuned. for now, though, it's good to have my baby back in full working order so's i can start taking her out regularly again.
rftc,
scott
i picked up vixen today from aurora suzuki. it took me about an hour on 2 busses to get there, but i think it was worth it. the service there was $100 cheaper than the eastside option, and these guys are friendlier.
she was getting the 11K mile service, even though she's up around 14.4K total. oops. turns out i was a little late. when i went on my lunch break today i actually had two messages waiting for me from the dealer. the first said that, after checking the mileage, it wouldn't hurt to adjust the valves while i have it in. the second said they were done with the basic service. i called back to authorize the valves if they could get it done the same day, which they thought was possible. when i got off work, however, i got another message (i can't answer the phone at work, in case you were wondering. another perk of retail). this one said it would take 2 hours for a 1 hour valve job since they already put everything back together, and that i would be fine for another 3K miles or so. that worked for me, since it saved me another $120 or so. in 3000 miles i might be able to afford that.
anyway, taking her in yesterday was the first time i'd ridden her since returning, so i'd been off the bike for 8 days. that's a lot for me, even when i'm not traveling, and it felt a little odd getting back on. i noticed a few things riding home tonight. first off, she's a lot lighter when she's not loaded down. i probably had around 50 lbs of luggage for the trip, and she's a lot more responsive when it's just me and her. quicker too. also, since i've put the stock windscreen back on (the bikini fairing), i've noticed quite a difference at freeway speeds. yeah, the wind is a little more present but the biggest difference is the noise. it's a lot quieter now than with the touring screen. the shape and height of the tourer aimed an airstream right by my left ear, which made a loud whistling noise. without that airstream it's a lot more pleasant. chalk another one up for the smaller screen.
and, a note about leathers. i love them. they are far better than textile gear. more comfortable, better for warmth and wind without a million layers, and they let a bit of a breeze in (which is good if it's not 40 degrees out). it's been very nice to ride with leathers as opposed to the riding suit. sure, they aren't as waterproof, but so far i haven't had more than a few drops to and from. it's a bit of a risk (it's been cloudy and showering since i've been back) but, then again, riding a bike is a bit of a risk. that's part of the fun. i'll be breaking out the textiles again soon enough, i'm sure, when the winter commuting starts, so i might as well enjoy it while i can.
for a quick note on my adjustment, things are going better. i'm getting back into the things i actually enjoy, and i'm remembering everything i was looking forward to. i'm still not crazy about the job, but it's a job. you don't have to like it. i am still thinking about the next trip, though. i have many ideas floating around, some of which i may be exploring here in the future. my uncle has been trying to convince me to find some sponsors and take off for a year riding around and writing. don't get me wrong, this would be awesome and if anyone wants to sponsor me for this, i am open to it. i just might spend a little time here at home first.
i am going to submit a short piece about my Gorilla gloves to a couple of motorcycle publications. sort of a "solving-problems-on-the-road/look-at-the-crazy-stuff-this-guy-did" kind of piece. short, hopefully a little funny, maybe get it published on a back page somewhere. that would be cool. who knows? i certainly wouldn't be opposed to a little freelancing here and there.
anyway, i'm going to try to keep this blog going as best i can without making it too boring (today i went to work...again), so stay tuned. for now, though, it's good to have my baby back in full working order so's i can start taking her out regularly again.
rftc,
scott
Saturday, October 1, 2011
maybe a wrap up?
i'm not sure. this could be what ends up to be the final trip wrap up, or it could not. i just thought i'd jot a few things down here, now that i've been home a few days.
first off, i got this unbelievable jolt of wanderlust last night, totally unexpectedly. i was going to see a play, the first of three this week (i have to make up for lost time), and i had just come from my first shift back at work (just a half day). first off, i am really, really not looking forward to going back to work. one of my jobs isn't bad, but the thought of the other just kind of makes my skin crawl (for the purpose of self-preservation, i won't say which one is which, or even where i work for that matter). so it was a long half day, and i was looking forward to seeing some friends and going to the theatre.
the show itself wasn't bad. it wasn't great, and i had some problems with some of the acting and the staging (again, i'm not a reviewer, so i won't name names). but somewhere during act II (out of 3) i just really didn't want to be there. as in, not even in seattle. i just got terribly depressed at the thought of going back to my life and, in my mind, i starting listing out everything i would need to bring with me if i were to hit the road again, and what i could get away with selling or giving away in order to do so. this lasted most of the play until fatigue took over and i started falling asleep instead. that's the most consistent emotion i've felt since my return: fatigue. i think a lot of it is due to the time changes, since i still haven't been on west coast time for that long. as a result i get tired early, go to sleep, wake up early (i haven't been able to sleep past 8) and get tired early again. so that was an interesting night.
it seems to be an isolated incident thusfar (the wanderlust), but i'm still having some trouble transitioning back into real life. i've loved seeing my friends and being back in seattle, but when i've tried to wrap my head around everything i was doing before i left, and trying to start it all up again, my mind just starts spinning and i get totally overwhelmed. i know i need to give myself time to readjust, but the idea of readjusting into what i was doing before is very unappealing at the moment. when i was traveling, life was exceedingly simple. you had one primary objective and, when you weren't doing that, you didn't do anything. when i stopped i would just rest, maybe eat something, occasionally look at a map. that's it. now when i try to relax there are too many things i feel like i should be doing or thinking about. it's really got me thinking about the priorities in my life, and where everything falls. i don't have any answers yet, but i think these are good things to ponder.
as for official trip "wrap up" stuff, i think it was an unbridled success. first off, i completed it. i did it by myself, with a fair amount of problems. it wasn't just smooth sailing all the way, and i managed to work everything out and overcome the difficulties, physical and mental. not to be terribly cliche, but i have learned a lot about myself. not all of it positive, but useful information. like the camping thing. i don't necessarily do well alone. and that's ok. i need sensory stimulation. it's little lessons like this that have really stretched into other parts of my life, and have guided my thinking about how i want to prioritize, and what would and wouldn't work for me in terms of job, lifestyle, even where i live. so these are all good things.
i'm taking vixen in for her scheduled maintenance, even if i can't quite afford it. i'm already getting antsy not riding, and i would feel too guilty taking her out when she needs so much work. i still have a few things to settle from the trip and i could be very low in the coffers afterwards, but i'm prioritizing. my trip tattoo may just have to wait a little longer.
ok, i feel like i've rambled enough, and it seems to be mostly non-bike related, which is not the objective of this blog, so i'll stop now. if anything new comes up that seems directly related to the trip i'll post it, or maybe some more pictures from yellowstone or something. other than that i'm really not sure about the future of this blog. if everyday riding issues or stories come up and i feel compelled to post them i will, but i'm not sure how regularly that will be. either way, it was a blast, and i thank everyone for dutifully following along, or skimming, or just scanning for pictures and pretending you read it. it all means a lot.
until next time,
ride fast, take chances,
scott
first off, i got this unbelievable jolt of wanderlust last night, totally unexpectedly. i was going to see a play, the first of three this week (i have to make up for lost time), and i had just come from my first shift back at work (just a half day). first off, i am really, really not looking forward to going back to work. one of my jobs isn't bad, but the thought of the other just kind of makes my skin crawl (for the purpose of self-preservation, i won't say which one is which, or even where i work for that matter). so it was a long half day, and i was looking forward to seeing some friends and going to the theatre.
the show itself wasn't bad. it wasn't great, and i had some problems with some of the acting and the staging (again, i'm not a reviewer, so i won't name names). but somewhere during act II (out of 3) i just really didn't want to be there. as in, not even in seattle. i just got terribly depressed at the thought of going back to my life and, in my mind, i starting listing out everything i would need to bring with me if i were to hit the road again, and what i could get away with selling or giving away in order to do so. this lasted most of the play until fatigue took over and i started falling asleep instead. that's the most consistent emotion i've felt since my return: fatigue. i think a lot of it is due to the time changes, since i still haven't been on west coast time for that long. as a result i get tired early, go to sleep, wake up early (i haven't been able to sleep past 8) and get tired early again. so that was an interesting night.
it seems to be an isolated incident thusfar (the wanderlust), but i'm still having some trouble transitioning back into real life. i've loved seeing my friends and being back in seattle, but when i've tried to wrap my head around everything i was doing before i left, and trying to start it all up again, my mind just starts spinning and i get totally overwhelmed. i know i need to give myself time to readjust, but the idea of readjusting into what i was doing before is very unappealing at the moment. when i was traveling, life was exceedingly simple. you had one primary objective and, when you weren't doing that, you didn't do anything. when i stopped i would just rest, maybe eat something, occasionally look at a map. that's it. now when i try to relax there are too many things i feel like i should be doing or thinking about. it's really got me thinking about the priorities in my life, and where everything falls. i don't have any answers yet, but i think these are good things to ponder.
as for official trip "wrap up" stuff, i think it was an unbridled success. first off, i completed it. i did it by myself, with a fair amount of problems. it wasn't just smooth sailing all the way, and i managed to work everything out and overcome the difficulties, physical and mental. not to be terribly cliche, but i have learned a lot about myself. not all of it positive, but useful information. like the camping thing. i don't necessarily do well alone. and that's ok. i need sensory stimulation. it's little lessons like this that have really stretched into other parts of my life, and have guided my thinking about how i want to prioritize, and what would and wouldn't work for me in terms of job, lifestyle, even where i live. so these are all good things.
i'm taking vixen in for her scheduled maintenance, even if i can't quite afford it. i'm already getting antsy not riding, and i would feel too guilty taking her out when she needs so much work. i still have a few things to settle from the trip and i could be very low in the coffers afterwards, but i'm prioritizing. my trip tattoo may just have to wait a little longer.
ok, i feel like i've rambled enough, and it seems to be mostly non-bike related, which is not the objective of this blog, so i'll stop now. if anything new comes up that seems directly related to the trip i'll post it, or maybe some more pictures from yellowstone or something. other than that i'm really not sure about the future of this blog. if everyday riding issues or stories come up and i feel compelled to post them i will, but i'm not sure how regularly that will be. either way, it was a blast, and i thank everyone for dutifully following along, or skimming, or just scanning for pictures and pretending you read it. it all means a lot.
until next time,
ride fast, take chances,
scott
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