finally! and other thoughts

well, the windshield is finally on. finally. it took long enough, i'd say.

without going into too much detail, it took another few trips to the hardware/auto parts stores for the proper hardware, which turned out to be a quick set of bolts for mounting a license plate. once we got the right hardware, it was just about as easy as i heard it was supposed to be. go figure.

the initial reaction was positive in regards to windflow. i now have a nice little windpocket to hang out in, and the air is now directed much higher, to my neck and helmet more than my chest. i was getting this nice little stream of air that went directly under my left ear, which was very loud. louder than without anything on there. i adjusted the angle of the shield, and it's a little better, but i think it's just something i get to deal with. overall, though, it will serve it's purpose nicely.

and now, as promised, here are some pictures. here's the old:


and the new:


not nearly as sexy, i admit. when the trip is over i think i'll be going back to either the old bikini fairing or nothing at all. i was rather enjoying the naked look for the few days vixen was baring it all.

in other news, i picked up some of the last gear on my list. i purchased a pair of textile overpants, which will be my primary pants on the trip. i went with fieldsheer mercury pants, which have a zip-out liner and some nice venting options. the next day it was nice and cloudy, so i got to test them out on my way to work, and i was perfectly snug and warm. unfortunately, the clouds broke in the early afternoon and i was a little toasty going between jobs, and absolutely boiling on the way home (i was already sweating from my shift, and throwing on a few extra layers never helps). i've come to accept the fact that, for much of my trip (at least the first half), it will be hot! i'll be using the vents as much as possible, and i've already thought about ways to cut down on other layers, like wearing shorts underneath the textiles, or just going with jeans some of the time. i'm sure both methods will be employed at some point.

right now i'm trying to work on a solid itinerary, with approximate dates, so i can start telling people when to expect me. if everything goes to plan, i may even be able to take a little more time than anticipated, and maybe take a few more days to get through some of the longer stretches. i'm also trying to figure out how much camping gear i can fit on the back, since there was some extra room under the cargo net. i really need to just pack everything up and see how much room it takes. that, however, involves actually knowing what all i'm taking. i'm working on "the list" in my head, but have yet to put anything on paper. soon.

in terms of everyday riding, vixen has now become my standard mode of transportation. i've been riding her exclusively, except when the truck is absolutely necessary, which is twice a week for hurling practice (have i explained hurling yet? i will at some point). i'm really enjoying it, and i find myself missing the ride on tuesdays and thursdays. i'm thinking that one of my goals for next year (or possibly sooner) is to go completely car-less, which i think is very doable. it will also save me money on gas. have i mentioned that? it's very nice.

during this riding, i've been working on pushing things a bit more, getting comfortable with slightly more aggressive riding. not weaving traffic or anything like that, but keeping speed up a bit more, taking a turn in third instead of second, things like that. i'm very pleased with my progress so far though, as i said, i'm not pushing it too much.

overall, things are progressing well, and i'm very optimistic for an awesome trip.

rftc,

scott