Finally!!!

[h2olawyer]

Well, it looks like I'll finally get out for some riding this year.  I actually have a couple weeks coming up with no astronomical outreach events.  So, I'm getting the V out of the garage this evening to check it over, do the spring maintenance, give her a good bath and polish all the shiny bits.  Have two outreach events this weekend, but I'll have time on Saturday for an afternoon cruise.  Next week, I'll be taking a couple longer rides early in the week and then next Thursday (6/23) I'm riding up to Steamboat for a funeral of one of my childhood friends.  Round trip is about 350 miles.  Should be a good ride and will let me get the kinks out.

Then, I should be ready for the annual Timberline (church) to Timberline (Rocky Mountain National Park) ride on Sunday, the 27th.  That's a big group ride.  Last year, we had about 125 bikes of all types, brands and riders.  It is really a fun ride.  The event breaks into smaller groups at the Alpine Visitor's Center in the Park (about 12,000ft.).  From there, several of us plan to head down the west side, into Grand Lake for lunch, then towards Winter Park, over Berthoud Pass, to I-70 and the Central City Parkway, back towards Estes Park and then back into Ft. Collins.  Definitely a long day.  I'll have the bike cam hooked up and recording.  If all works well, I should have a video on YouTube or my Photobucket account within a few days after the ride.

Anyone in the area is more than welcome to join in the ride.  Although it may be a church event, but there's no religious pressure and only a couple prayers (one at the beginning & one at the end) that you need not join if you don't feel like it.  I am not a member of the church but am made to feel most welcome.  This will be the 4th or 5th one of these I've been on & I always meet some great folks with cool rides.  Last year, I rode in the big group with a guy who has an 82 Seca 750.  A most definite family resemblance to the Vision.

I was out in eastern Colorado Tuesday night with the new scope.  Had great fun but the sky glow was pretty bad.  Too much humidity from all the recent rains out there.  Still, I got some fantastic looks at Saturn, Jupiter, a comet, tons of galaxies and nebulae.  Less detail than my scope is capable of because the skyglow decreases the contrast but I could still see the individual arms in the Whirlpool Galaxy (google M51) and some details in both the Veil Nebula (a supernova remnant) and the Crescent Nebula.  Tried to see the "Pillars of Creation" (a famous Hubble photo) in the Eagle Nebula but even after 20 minutes of constant study, I couldn't see them.  They are visible under better conditions.  It was nice to be selfish with all the photons for a change!

H₂O

[YellowJacket!]

heh heh heh.  Good to see that you are getting to ride again H2O.  I was reading your and humming "I'm back in the saddle again...."  8)

David

[h2olawyer]

Ah yes - the philosophy of Gene Autry.  Quite fitting!

Got the V out from behind a ton of stuff and gave her a good bath.  Rearranged the garage so I can access the car, the scope, the V or the telescope without any real hassle.  I've had to move the mower to get the V out for years.  Never did like that routine.

Considering I haven't started the V since last October, I think I did pretty good getting it to fire in about 20 seconds of starter running time (in several few second bursts).  Glad I used Sta-Bil when I put her away last fall and kept the Battery Tender hooked up all this time.  Just had to give it time for the float bowls to fill and she fired right up, idled well and even did a lap around my cul-de-sac at low speed.  Tomorrow, I'll check the air in the tires, brakes, main nuts & bolts, etc.

Sure was a lot of sanding dust on her after the telescope project!  Had to make lots of sweet talk while I dug her out and cleaned her up.  I'm sure she has been feeling neglected recently.  Think I'll do a cosmetic restoration this year.  The fairing has developed a few cracks & scratches and I have the 83 fuel system to install - including the 83 fuel tank.  She will remain Star Silver nd with the OEM paint scheme.  I might decide to go back to a Shark fairing, though.  Need to think about that a bit.  Then I'll get with Professor Rex and get Tractor back on the road and ready to sell.

H₂O

[Lucky]

Actually, I think he was hearing Areosmith in his head, lol  :D :D :D

[h2olawyer]

Never was much of an Aerosmith fan.  Screaming is not music to me.  Guess that's why I thought of Gene Autry!  Aerosmith never even entered my mind.  Even took me a few seconds to figure out Lucky's post - feeling a little dense now,   ;D

H₂O

[funkamongus]

Great you are riding!! Sorry about your friend...

[h2olawyer]

Thanks, funk.  Actually, I only got around to checking everything out, getting ready to ride.  The observing in Rocky Mountain National Park was so good, several of us stayed up there until dawn.  I didn't get to bed until about 7AM.  Then another outreach event last night - but I was home by 1AM.  So, I think I'll delay any riding for one more day.

Again, thanks for the sympathy regarding my friend.  Wish I could say it was a surprise, just a long, tragic story.  Many folks tried (obviously unsuccessfully) to help him find a way in life, but he finally decided to end it himself.  He was a truly kind, gentle soul and I hope he finally found the peace he so desperately sought in life.

H₂O

[h2olawyer]

At last, I got my ride in this afternoon!  111 miles round trip.  Dropped off some paperwork to the National Park Service.  Needed to get it all in so I can get my name badge, uniform, cap and all that crap.  They want us volunteer astronomers to look 'official'.   ::)  Not that anyone can tell in the dark . . .   At least I get a free annual pass.  (Saves me $40!)

No big issues with the V.  Some low RPM stumbling and poor idle when hot.  Going for another ride tomorrow and will dump some SeaFoam through the system to see if it improves.  If not, I'll have to remove the carbs and give them a little cleaning.  They don't need a full on dip, but would likely benefit from a spray & gentle wire reaming through all the passages.  Everything above idle is great and it felt good to be out riding again - even though I did feel a bit rusty.  Another 150 miles tomorrow and maybe 360 on Thursday should shake some of those cobwebs loose (and hopefully not into the carbs).  I might drive up to Steamboat Thursday - if I decide to go.

H₂O

[h2olawyer]

Another 60 miles today in absolutely wonderful weather!  Low 80s in town and mid 70s in the mountains.  Poured some carb cleaner (I was out of SeaFoam) into the tank, filled up and by the time I was another 5 miles down the road, the idle was better and the low end stumble was nearly gone.  So, a few more miles and things should be back to normal.

However, my skills are really rusty.  Just not comfortable on the bike yet.  Tried to keep up with a friend on his 800 Interceptor in some difficult, blind, tight twisties and the pucker factor just got too high.  I've ridden that road faster, but that was after a few hundred miles of riding in the season.  The worst turns are blind hairpins with washboard pavement, going from bright sun to deep shade.  Tough to pick a line that avoids the washboards - I used to know the proper entry points but the washboards worsened over the winter.  Finished off the ride with a stop at Gellazi - an Italian ice shop downtown.  I had a fabulous raspberry / lemon "Booty Shake" that was quite refreshing.  First time I'd been there & I plan on going back!

So, I just need to get out and ride more.  Headed out tomorrow and Friday for a couple longer rides ~ 100 or so miles each.  Then a day off before the major ride on Sunday.  Not going to the memorial service in Steamboat - turns out it was today anyway, so I missed it.  Oh well, I'll send a letter to his parents.  They owned & operated a jewelry / toy store (I was a good customer especially for Hot Wheels) in Steamboat for many years.  His dad finally closed it last fall, deciding it was time to retire (he's 93).

H₂O

[supervision]

 I try to look as far forward as possible, and let your perifural vision take care of the up close stuff.  Also I try not to turn in too soon, as that usually causes wasting road making correction. The other thing that helps me is having just a littlle  positive throttle thru the turn. 

[inanecathode]

I always have the willies for the first week of riding or so. I just cant get into the right groove and cant stop thinking about how stupidly dangerous it all is. After the first week tho its always nice riding :)

Well, until you think about your posture while riding then everything starts to hurt ><

[h2olawyer]

Thanks, sv.  I do (or try to do) most or all those things but right now, with only 170 miles ridden so far, I'm still not comfortable.  That's the main deal.  Just haven't ridden since early last fall!  I'm just rusty and not trying to push things at all until I'm on my game again.  Should happen over the next few days.  Still, those corners are just plain nasty.  The washboards are several inches deep (yes, it is paved) and they start right at the point the light changes from bright sun to shade.  There are 3 or 4 of them in that section, they all look alike but one is also a decreasing radius - just to add some more excitement.  The "suggested" speed on the curve signs is 10MPH, so they are pretty tight and trees block looking more than a few feet ahead of you as you enter the turn.  (These are all about 180 degree switchbacks.)

I have always had the problem of turning into corners too early and am working hard to overcome that.  Too many years of cruising and not pushing my limits.  I also often enter turns slower than I know I can just so I can slowly accelerate through them.  Still learning the best mix of entry speed and amount of positive throttle.

Inane - wait until you are older - everything hurts before you start to think about your riding posture!   :D  My lower back has been aching since I got back on the bike Tuesday.   ::)

H₂O