Rides, ramblings and rants on a motorcycle.
- We are scientists, too!
1.15.2013,6:56 PM
Cold bikes, cold ride, cold heart
It did not warm up much today, especially with the wind, although I am more than happy that we did not get all the foul wet white stuff that north Texas did today. Still, I bundled up with three shirts, a windproof jacket, topped off with the Shift jacket; two neck warmers, a balaclava that tends to make people down here laugh (has a sabertooth tiger skull on it); long johns under flannel pants and my new Forester wind/water proof, hi-vis yelow with reflector stripes (can y'all see me now?) pants and suspenders. It takes me more time to gear up than it does to put gas in the bikes.
The DR has proven incorrigible to start in cold weather, no matter how much I pet it, praise it, and call it sweet names. After 15 minutes of trying this morning, I resorted to cursing. So I took the covers off the Whee-strom and woke it up. Like a good boy, it responded immediately with a purr and we went on our merry way to the Post Office, where I lent my ear to Lisa, the post mistress, as she recounted her tale of daily woe. But she hands me my mail without me going to the PO box and I always be sure to wish her a nice day with a smile.
I was not the only rider out there today. At the post office, I ran into..... Honda Man? He rides a 1960's 100cc (maybe even less; I forgot) Honda scrambler with knobbies and gets 100 mpg. Like me, he was also bundled up; in a German military one piece snow suit, with a white bearded face sticking out under a hood, most noticeable are his mischievous blue-green eyes and laugh. We keep running into each other on our respective little knobby-clad bikes, dressed in gaudy gear. Today, he greeted me with several bodybuilder poses, and a loud 'We bad, we bad!!". And I curtsied with my Hi-Vis pants and sabertooth tiger head.
It was way to early to go to the Starlight for $1 tacos, so I went home and dropped off my mail. Looking at the DR, I wondered, wondered, will it? Should I? Let's try. Turn the petcock, pull the choke out, mutter 'Come on, baby', and hit the starter. Nope. Okay; gently twist the throttle and return slooooowly closed. Try it again. "Please...." Whooooom!!!!!!!! Blah, blah, cough, gag....... sigh. 'Stay running, please?'
I let it rev up with choke out for a bit while puttering and returning the blanket over the Whee. Then pushed the choke in, sloooowly, 1/4 of the way. Let it run again. Then pushed the choke in to 1/2 position; 'Don't you die!!!' Pulled choke out again, let it warm up some more. "Boy, you have a cold heart!"
Back on with all the head, facial and hand stuff and we're gone. Rode into Study Butte, checked in with Bob and Gloria. Nope, they're cold; not going for tacos. Heck, I'm getting cold. And Starlight doesn't open for and hour and 1/2. 'Let's go down the road'.
It's getting colder with the sun getting closer to the horizon. I'm thinking that heating some soup, making a cheese and tomato quesidilla, then getting under a warm blanket is becoming more appealing.
Done.
It was tasty, too.
