Sunday, April 12, 2009

Back in the Saddle...

Got the Harley out of storage yesterday. As is customary, it was raining and 40º yesterday when I went to the dealership to retrieve it. At least it wasn't as bad as two years ago, when it was 25º - before windchill.

Made it home safe and sound, Mother Gaia's best attempts to kill me notwithstanding (and looking like the Gorton's Fisherman on a scoot...). And now she's back in my garage, all happy and ready to roll...

Back in Black


Welcome home, baby...

That is all.

8 comments:

agg79 said...

I bet she is glad to be back home out where a friend is a friend.

Whoopi-ty-aye-oh

breda said...

sweet!!

Heath J said...

Good stuff, I'm completely jealous.

Home on the Range said...

Nice. VERY nice.

bogie said...

Now you just need some decent weather to ride in (or at least less wind - those with fairings have a much better time in the cold than those of us without)

Jay G said...

agg79,

Yep. She's back home, safe and sound, and purring like a kitten to boot.

Well, it's a Harley. Angry mountain lion might be more appropriate... ;)

Thanks Breda. It's good to have her home.

Heath,

Thanks man. Now I just need a Softail standard I can rake out and put obnoxiously loud pipes on...

;)

Thanks Brigid. What's even nicer is riding with The Boy on the back. He is TOTALLY stoked - last year was his first time on the back, and he's grown several inches since the bike was put into storage.

He fits the back damn near perfect now, so he'll be ready for longer trips...

Maybe even Laconia this year. Heh.

bogie,

The only problem I've encountered with the full fairing is that it precludes use of the full-face helmet in any weather above 40º - there's simply not enough airflow to prevent the face shield from fogging like hell.

And yes, Saturday on the ride home I wore the full face. I actually had jeans, denim jacket, leather jacket, leather chaps, and full rain suit on. Cold weather gauntlets and waterproof boots rounded out my gear, and I made it home, in 40º weather with pouring rain, with only minor dampness around the feet and hands.

There's something to be said for having the right gear...

Molasses said...

Something's just plain wrong when I do a round trip on the Valk in bluebird (although that bluebird had goosebumps) weather from the Twin Cities to Duluth to shop Aerostich's seconds rack on the same day you had...less than optimal conditions while pulling the H-D out of storage.

Has to be "Climate Change". Sure.

Hope you get to start racking up mongo 2009 riding season miles ASAP.

Anonymous said...

So when is that massive cross-country bike trip? ;)