Thursday, April 27, 2006
My day in Lawrence
As noted in my previous blog, my day revolved around attending kindergarten roundup wiht my daughter Sophia. it was one highlight of a great day.
My day started early with a 7:30 meeting. As the weather was cool, I dressed accordingly when I rode my Duc to my appointment about 5 miles away. The meeting was a little over an hour and I returned home for a short while.
While at home I watched the rest of the Dallas-Colorado NHL hockey game that I recorded the night before. i stopped watching the game at the end the 2nd period the night before. At that point Dallas was leading 3 to 2. In my morning viewing, I found that the Avalanche (Colorado) tied the game in the late in the third period. Colorado went on to win early in the OT period. Great game although I wanted Dallas to win.
After watching the rest of the game I went to the gym for my daily weight-lifting workout. I have rejoined Prairie Life Center since being home. This is a great club and it is good to see some friends I have not seen in a year. I really did not appreciate this club as much until reacquainting myself with the less satisfactory clubs in other cities in the past year.
After completing my workout and shower I rode my motorcycle to Lawrence. I was able to ride today rather than take one of my SUVs because today is Sophie's mother's day and Sophie was being brought to school by her mother. Quite a difference in gas expense. Around $7 on the Ducati versus $21 in either of my trucks for the roundtrip. I got to Lawrence in time for a quick lunch at Chipotle. While not my regular Chipotle, I am friends with the employees at both Chiptoles in Lawrence from my previous residence there. Of course, everyone is familiar with Sophie so I got a report that Sophie visited recently.
The Kindergarten roundup went well. I am pleased to no end seeing my daughter excitement at all thing related to school. Her new school has a nice library which I am sure will come to be one of Sophies favorites.
Sophie and her dad at her new school
Later in the afternoon (after we all left the school) I took the opportunity to go running at the great paved trail they have Lawrence. Other than times with my daughter the only thing I really miss in Lawrence is the great recreation opportunities in and around Lawrence. This trail is about 3 mies from my old house.
South Lawrence Trail
This South Lawrence Trail takes you away from residence and commercial building so you really feel like your are out on the prairie.
Upon arriving to the parking lot I use for the trail, my first decision was how to change into my running clothes. I have mastered the art of changing in my car from my many years of bicycling. One of the great things of motorcycling is that you can quickly (and economically) get to new places. A downside is lack of luggage space and a motorcycle does not make a good closet or changing room (as my SUVs do). The parking lot is completely in the open with no good area to change. I finally decided on a small shelter not far from the parking lot. I was able to use my jacket to cover my privates during the change. LOL. In one of those odd thoughts, you always read about flashers in public parks and trails. I wonder if any of these guys are just exercisers trying to change. Oh well, I did not see anybody or get in any trouble.
Another motorcycle anomaly is how to store and secure your stuff when away from the bike. My hard side cases were full of my gear from the gym, my riding pants and jacket liner from the earlier cold weather, and some other accessories (like my Palm, phone, camera) so I needed to secure a small gym bag (removed to make room for my boots), my helmet, and my motorcycle jacket on the outside of the bike. See the previous post "DucInLawrence" for a picture of the pile of stuff on my bike. Fortunately it was all locked with two separate cables. While others would have been comfortable just leaving their stuff lying on their bike, I have not had good experiences in the pat.
My run was very good and quickly put me into a "state of zen" as I suspected it would. One small difference is that I broke my "federally mandated limit of short mileage such as 3 miles or less" and ran more like 6 miles. Oh well. Good preparation for my personal tri tomorrow. More on this in a future blog entry. After my run the reverse changing procedure was required. Unfortunately more people were around by now. I had to wait a few minutes for a safe gap in walkers around the park to make my change. The weather had turned very nice (around 68 degrees) and there was literally only one small cloud in the sky (which you can see in the picture above).
After leaving the park, I rode to a local pizza restaurant for something to eat. This was one of my regular stops when living in Lawrence so it was nice to visit after a long time. Only those who haven't experienced motorcycling, cycling, or running while traveling will understand that I had to do a quick "towel bath" in the restroom to be presentable to eat my meal.
Finally I rode back to Kansas City in time to watch some more NHL hockey.
My day started early with a 7:30 meeting. As the weather was cool, I dressed accordingly when I rode my Duc to my appointment about 5 miles away. The meeting was a little over an hour and I returned home for a short while.
While at home I watched the rest of the Dallas-Colorado NHL hockey game that I recorded the night before. i stopped watching the game at the end the 2nd period the night before. At that point Dallas was leading 3 to 2. In my morning viewing, I found that the Avalanche (Colorado) tied the game in the late in the third period. Colorado went on to win early in the OT period. Great game although I wanted Dallas to win.
After watching the rest of the game I went to the gym for my daily weight-lifting workout. I have rejoined Prairie Life Center since being home. This is a great club and it is good to see some friends I have not seen in a year. I really did not appreciate this club as much until reacquainting myself with the less satisfactory clubs in other cities in the past year.
After completing my workout and shower I rode my motorcycle to Lawrence. I was able to ride today rather than take one of my SUVs because today is Sophie's mother's day and Sophie was being brought to school by her mother. Quite a difference in gas expense. Around $7 on the Ducati versus $21 in either of my trucks for the roundtrip. I got to Lawrence in time for a quick lunch at Chipotle. While not my regular Chipotle, I am friends with the employees at both Chiptoles in Lawrence from my previous residence there. Of course, everyone is familiar with Sophie so I got a report that Sophie visited recently.
The Kindergarten roundup went well. I am pleased to no end seeing my daughter excitement at all thing related to school. Her new school has a nice library which I am sure will come to be one of Sophies favorites.
Sophie and her dad at her new school
Later in the afternoon (after we all left the school) I took the opportunity to go running at the great paved trail they have Lawrence. Other than times with my daughter the only thing I really miss in Lawrence is the great recreation opportunities in and around Lawrence. This trail is about 3 mies from my old house.
South Lawrence Trail
This South Lawrence Trail takes you away from residence and commercial building so you really feel like your are out on the prairie.
Upon arriving to the parking lot I use for the trail, my first decision was how to change into my running clothes. I have mastered the art of changing in my car from my many years of bicycling. One of the great things of motorcycling is that you can quickly (and economically) get to new places. A downside is lack of luggage space and a motorcycle does not make a good closet or changing room (as my SUVs do). The parking lot is completely in the open with no good area to change. I finally decided on a small shelter not far from the parking lot. I was able to use my jacket to cover my privates during the change. LOL. In one of those odd thoughts, you always read about flashers in public parks and trails. I wonder if any of these guys are just exercisers trying to change. Oh well, I did not see anybody or get in any trouble.
Another motorcycle anomaly is how to store and secure your stuff when away from the bike. My hard side cases were full of my gear from the gym, my riding pants and jacket liner from the earlier cold weather, and some other accessories (like my Palm, phone, camera) so I needed to secure a small gym bag (removed to make room for my boots), my helmet, and my motorcycle jacket on the outside of the bike. See the previous post "DucInLawrence" for a picture of the pile of stuff on my bike. Fortunately it was all locked with two separate cables. While others would have been comfortable just leaving their stuff lying on their bike, I have not had good experiences in the pat.
My run was very good and quickly put me into a "state of zen" as I suspected it would. One small difference is that I broke my "federally mandated limit of short mileage such as 3 miles or less" and ran more like 6 miles. Oh well. Good preparation for my personal tri tomorrow. More on this in a future blog entry. After my run the reverse changing procedure was required. Unfortunately more people were around by now. I had to wait a few minutes for a safe gap in walkers around the park to make my change. The weather had turned very nice (around 68 degrees) and there was literally only one small cloud in the sky (which you can see in the picture above).
After leaving the park, I rode to a local pizza restaurant for something to eat. This was one of my regular stops when living in Lawrence so it was nice to visit after a long time. Only those who haven't experienced motorcycling, cycling, or running while traveling will understand that I had to do a quick "towel bath" in the restroom to be presentable to eat my meal.
Finally I rode back to Kansas City in time to watch some more NHL hockey.
Kindergarten Roundup
Today was a great day. Most importantly, today was Sophie's first day related to Kindergarten or "Kindergarten Roundup". For those of you in cities where they do not have this, kindergarten roundup is the day that children entering kindergarten in the fall visit there new school. Sophie loves "school" and can not wait to start Kindergarten.
DucInLawrence
Trying a new photo sharing service. Picture below.
My Duc in Lawrence
My Duc in Lawrence
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Living Life
Unfortunately, I am not great about updating my blog. But last week I had a day that I wanted to blog about (and am just getting around to). The day started with me getting my two workouts in. I am taking advantage of my time off to get my fitness back up. As part of this I am working in two separate workouts in, one aerobic and another weight-lifting one. Man am I happy. My evening plans were to attend a Counting Crows concert. This outdoor concert was put on by the new Village West mall in Kansas City.
The Counting Crows were good (not great). The Crows do not sound the same live as their recording. This is traded off with the excitement of being live (which I really like). Being outdoors the crowd was not too bad. I would like to know how many people attended, but found no reports or reviews of the concert. I would guess more than 5000 but less than 10000.
Village West is about 20 miles from my house. I had planned to jet out there on my Ducati and get a nice summer (late spring?) ride in. The weather was very nice. Motorcycle parking at events like this is also much easier.
After the concert was a celebration fireworks which I was not much interested in. So I headed to one of the new restaurants. I ate dinner at the Yard House where I made some new friends.
As the evening wore on I decided it was about time to leave. As I left the restaurant I found out that it had started pouring rain.
I chose to ride home in the moderately-heavy rain. This was mostly highway and very invigorating (and somewhat unnerving). Just like bicycling where I rarely will choose to start in the rain, when I am force into it I do not mind. The Duc performed flawlessly and I made it home safe.
Just another day "living life"
The Counting Crows were good (not great). The Crows do not sound the same live as their recording. This is traded off with the excitement of being live (which I really like). Being outdoors the crowd was not too bad. I would like to know how many people attended, but found no reports or reviews of the concert. I would guess more than 5000 but less than 10000.
Village West is about 20 miles from my house. I had planned to jet out there on my Ducati and get a nice summer (late spring?) ride in. The weather was very nice. Motorcycle parking at events like this is also much easier.
After the concert was a celebration fireworks which I was not much interested in. So I headed to one of the new restaurants. I ate dinner at the Yard House where I made some new friends.
As the evening wore on I decided it was about time to leave. As I left the restaurant I found out that it had started pouring rain.
I chose to ride home in the moderately-heavy rain. This was mostly highway and very invigorating (and somewhat unnerving). Just like bicycling where I rarely will choose to start in the rain, when I am force into it I do not mind. The Duc performed flawlessly and I made it home safe.
Just another day "living life"
Lord Stanley's Cup
While my friends know I am a NFL (go Chiefs!) fanatic, fewer know that I also like NHL hockey. Just as my withdrawal symptoms from football are really getting bad, the Stanley Cup playoffs start. This is really the best time in hockey as the regular season is sort of a bore.
Lots of great hockey on TV, even in Kansas City.
For Martha if you are reading: Not sure I made a good deal giving you Buffalo and keeping Detroit. But no, the Canadians can still not have Detroit.
Lots of great hockey on TV, even in Kansas City.
For Martha if you are reading: Not sure I made a good deal giving you Buffalo and keeping Detroit. But no, the Canadians can still not have Detroit.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Hill Country Trip - Day 4 (final day)
On my final day of my trip I had breakfast at my Dallas regular breakfast restaurant, Chick-Fil-A. Chick-Fil-A has wonderful breakfast chicken biscuits. I am pretty much addicted to these. As I tell all my friends, I am continually impressed by Chick-Fil-A. While having a somewhat limited menu there chicken sandwiches (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) are great. Most importantly the stores are always clean and the employees friendly. Unlike any other restaurant in Dallas that I can say I have never had a bad experience in the Plano Chick-Fil-a.
After breakfast, I returned to the hotel for final packing and to check out. As was the norm for my entire trip the morning skies were cloudy. But the weather forecast and radar indicated sun the entire way. This was good. One reason for going to the the Hill Country trip (versus Taos, NM or southwest) is the regular large storms that have been passing through the midwest. Indeed, as I write this the forecast is for storms, possibly tornados, and hail in Kansas City.
I had set my route in my GPS the night before. More on this later. Leaving Plano, I took Hwy 75 north, then Hwy 69, and finally 169. Because of the length of the trip (500 miles) I chose main highways rather than multiple back roads. There really is no great way to get from Dallas to Kansas City other than this or using the interstate.
The ride was relatively uneventful with two quick gas stops and a short stop for lunch (Wendys). The roads were moderately busy with enough traffic that passing rarely got me out of traffic. Heedful of my earlier speeding ticket I once again did not post large speeds.
I arrived back in Kansas City and stopped at my regular Chipotle. Unlike restaurants in other areas, my Chipotle if full of friends and is somewhat like a neighborhood hangout. I spoke with several friends as I unwound from the trip. After dinner, I headed home. Evening included washing my motorcycle and relaxing with a rented movie.
The days ride was just over 500 miles in 8 hours.
Motorcycle diary
Most of the trip north was with the wind or low wind (until Kansas). I averaged 46 mpg on the first leg of the day.
GPS - I really enjoy my Garmin Quest 2. Unfortunately it does not connect to my Mac. Garmin is promising Mac support later in the year. But, one feature of the Quest 2 is that it has the entire street maps for North America preloaded. This means you can route using just the Quest 2 unit. Creating a route is moderately cumbersome. First you put in your start and end locations. This is pretty easy as the unit allows you to store favorite locations. You then add "via points" to force the GPS to calculate a route along your desired roads. This is fairly straightforward as you can enter the via point via various methods. I use the "map" method which lets you use a cursor on the displayed map. The number of via points you add is dependent on the number of roads you choose to include in your route.
A slightly confusing thing is when you add a small town in your route (using the map option). When I do this I mean that I want to drive by the town. The GPS thinks I want to go the center of town and will plot you city streets to get you there and then back out to the highway. A trick is to add a via point just before or after the town.
Another good feature of the GPS is the automatically "calculation". When you stray off course, intentionally or otherwise, the GPS will calculate you back towards your destination. After a time you learn how to use this to your advantage. While riding it is hard to readjust your route by adding or deleting via points. Generally you just drive off the direction you want. Initially the GPS will try to route you back to your previous routes. This includes making you backtrack. At some point, the GPS figures out that you want to skip your last via point and move forward. You can then just follow the GPS direction.
The GPS continually updates to tell you where you are, the distance to the next turn, etc. This is really helpful on a motorcycle as reading a map while riding is dangerous. That said, it is good to have paper maps in addition to the GPS. This allows you to choose alternate routes on the fly and helps give a bigger picture of where you are.
Conclusion
This motorcycle trip met my expectations. It was fun to not really have a plan. The weather cooperated and I did not have to deal with any bad weather. Each day was good for a different reason. The start was a visit to a new town that I had not experienced before. The second day was some very good riding. The third day was enjoyable riding ending with my return to my "second home" and visiting with friends. Finally, the last day was the return to my real home and family. This is especially nice as "there is no place like home".
After breakfast, I returned to the hotel for final packing and to check out. As was the norm for my entire trip the morning skies were cloudy. But the weather forecast and radar indicated sun the entire way. This was good. One reason for going to the the Hill Country trip (versus Taos, NM or southwest) is the regular large storms that have been passing through the midwest. Indeed, as I write this the forecast is for storms, possibly tornados, and hail in Kansas City.
I had set my route in my GPS the night before. More on this later. Leaving Plano, I took Hwy 75 north, then Hwy 69, and finally 169. Because of the length of the trip (500 miles) I chose main highways rather than multiple back roads. There really is no great way to get from Dallas to Kansas City other than this or using the interstate.
The ride was relatively uneventful with two quick gas stops and a short stop for lunch (Wendys). The roads were moderately busy with enough traffic that passing rarely got me out of traffic. Heedful of my earlier speeding ticket I once again did not post large speeds.
I arrived back in Kansas City and stopped at my regular Chipotle. Unlike restaurants in other areas, my Chipotle if full of friends and is somewhat like a neighborhood hangout. I spoke with several friends as I unwound from the trip. After dinner, I headed home. Evening included washing my motorcycle and relaxing with a rented movie.
The days ride was just over 500 miles in 8 hours.
Motorcycle diary
Most of the trip north was with the wind or low wind (until Kansas). I averaged 46 mpg on the first leg of the day.
GPS - I really enjoy my Garmin Quest 2. Unfortunately it does not connect to my Mac. Garmin is promising Mac support later in the year. But, one feature of the Quest 2 is that it has the entire street maps for North America preloaded. This means you can route using just the Quest 2 unit. Creating a route is moderately cumbersome. First you put in your start and end locations. This is pretty easy as the unit allows you to store favorite locations. You then add "via points" to force the GPS to calculate a route along your desired roads. This is fairly straightforward as you can enter the via point via various methods. I use the "map" method which lets you use a cursor on the displayed map. The number of via points you add is dependent on the number of roads you choose to include in your route.
A slightly confusing thing is when you add a small town in your route (using the map option). When I do this I mean that I want to drive by the town. The GPS thinks I want to go the center of town and will plot you city streets to get you there and then back out to the highway. A trick is to add a via point just before or after the town.
Another good feature of the GPS is the automatically "calculation". When you stray off course, intentionally or otherwise, the GPS will calculate you back towards your destination. After a time you learn how to use this to your advantage. While riding it is hard to readjust your route by adding or deleting via points. Generally you just drive off the direction you want. Initially the GPS will try to route you back to your previous routes. This includes making you backtrack. At some point, the GPS figures out that you want to skip your last via point and move forward. You can then just follow the GPS direction.
The GPS continually updates to tell you where you are, the distance to the next turn, etc. This is really helpful on a motorcycle as reading a map while riding is dangerous. That said, it is good to have paper maps in addition to the GPS. This allows you to choose alternate routes on the fly and helps give a bigger picture of where you are.
Conclusion
This motorcycle trip met my expectations. It was fun to not really have a plan. The weather cooperated and I did not have to deal with any bad weather. Each day was good for a different reason. The start was a visit to a new town that I had not experienced before. The second day was some very good riding. The third day was enjoyable riding ending with my return to my "second home" and visiting with friends. Finally, the last day was the return to my real home and family. This is especially nice as "there is no place like home".
Friday, April 14, 2006
Hill Country Trip - Day 3
Because of the necessity to return to KC to complete some tax items, my plan for the third day of my trip was to return to Dallas. Having completed 300 miles of curving road the previous day I was fine with the return trip.
Morning started the same as the previous day. I awoke to a light breakfast at the hotel. Then I finished packing my bike for the days travel. Packing for the motorcycle is a challenge to me. I somewhat pack like a "woman" bringing a lot of stuff. Reasonably this includes computer stuff, exercise clothes, and some normal street wear. Electronics counts for a good amount as i carry: GPS, digital camera, computer, Palm handheld, cell phone, various cords, two iPods, and the associated chargers necessary. One reason I really like my Ducati is the stylish hard saddlebags. This is supplemented on trips with a soft tailbag, medium duffle bag (partially filled), and a tankbag. No worries.
The morning ride started, once again, with very cloudy skies. Fortunately I did not get any precipitation the entire way. Chastised with my newly acquired speeding ticket of the previous day, I vowed to be more careful and limit my speed somewhat. I am genetically disposed to traveling at least 10 miles an hour over the speed limit. But I was good and limited my speed to approximately 10 miles and hour over the speed limit. The exception is when passing. Passing on a motorcycle is much different than a car. Because of it's great power, it is easier to pass. The passes are much quicker and safer. A rule I learned from another motorcycling friend is that it is also safer to be in the lead and not be following vehicles. My observation for the day was that a general pass consisted of a quick blip of the throttle, immediately speeding up to 105 miles an hour, then complete the pass. This may be a shock to auto drivers.
I must have had one high speed run as my top speed was 135 miles an hour. A note on quoted speed. Almost all motorcycles, and especially Ducatis, have inaccurate speedometers which read higher than your actual speed. My ST3 reads 7 miles an hour faster when over 100 mph. But I use my accurate GPS to read my actual speed.
When getting near Dallas/Ft Worth (74 miles out), I realized that was very near a highly touted Ducati dealer, Advanced Motor Sports (AMS). AMS thrives even though it is located 70 miles south of Dallas. I have wanted to visit but never made the time. Here was my chance. After calling my buddy, Kevin W. for directions and a light lunch (McD) i headed to AMS. AMS is cool and somewhat disappointing. The cool part is they have a large number of Ducati motorcycles, including several racing models. The disappointing part is that their prices seem to be unreasonably high. I guess it just a Ducati thing. I visited for a short time before heading off.
One beauty of having a GPS is that you can just wander and still find your way home. Leaving AMS (outside of Mansfield, TX) I header up through Arlington before taking several highways back to my Dallas home of the La Quinta - Plano. I arrived at the hotel in the late afternoon.
I quickly washed my bike (an anal quirk that my friend know I have) and then went for a short run. Of course after all day of clouds, the sun was shining once I arrived in Dallas.
My day ended with dinner with a friend, some repacking for the next days trip to KC, and bed.
Motorcycle Diary
The ST3 continued to run flawlessly. Gas milage during the trip ranged from a low of 32 mpg to 46 mpg. The low gas mileage (my norm) is definitely contributed to by a heavy throttle hand.
I am now looking for mounting locations for a potential radar detector. But I am still on the fence. Will I travel faster if I have a radar detector?
My new Oxford (humpback) tank bag has really proven useful. Especially nice is the ability to lean on it when I crouch down in a tuck to get farther out of the wind. Because of bicycling I am pretty comfortable in the crouched position.
On the other hand (leg?) my left knee (which I had surgery on last fall) gets a little uncomfortable after a period of time in the sportsbike crouch. Nothing I can not deal with with a little stretch (while riding and also off the bike). But I doubt it will ever get better.
Conclusion
A good day of riding. Unlike others who just enjoy motorcycling for its own sake, I think I am happier with destinations and events. I still enjoy the driving very much I just like to to have some endpoints or reason (even if made up) for the exercise. Getting back to my "second home" of Dallas was nice after a medium (300 miles) day of riding.
Day 4 report to follow.
Morning started the same as the previous day. I awoke to a light breakfast at the hotel. Then I finished packing my bike for the days travel. Packing for the motorcycle is a challenge to me. I somewhat pack like a "woman" bringing a lot of stuff. Reasonably this includes computer stuff, exercise clothes, and some normal street wear. Electronics counts for a good amount as i carry: GPS, digital camera, computer, Palm handheld, cell phone, various cords, two iPods, and the associated chargers necessary. One reason I really like my Ducati is the stylish hard saddlebags. This is supplemented on trips with a soft tailbag, medium duffle bag (partially filled), and a tankbag. No worries.
The morning ride started, once again, with very cloudy skies. Fortunately I did not get any precipitation the entire way. Chastised with my newly acquired speeding ticket of the previous day, I vowed to be more careful and limit my speed somewhat. I am genetically disposed to traveling at least 10 miles an hour over the speed limit. But I was good and limited my speed to approximately 10 miles and hour over the speed limit. The exception is when passing. Passing on a motorcycle is much different than a car. Because of it's great power, it is easier to pass. The passes are much quicker and safer. A rule I learned from another motorcycling friend is that it is also safer to be in the lead and not be following vehicles. My observation for the day was that a general pass consisted of a quick blip of the throttle, immediately speeding up to 105 miles an hour, then complete the pass. This may be a shock to auto drivers.
I must have had one high speed run as my top speed was 135 miles an hour. A note on quoted speed. Almost all motorcycles, and especially Ducatis, have inaccurate speedometers which read higher than your actual speed. My ST3 reads 7 miles an hour faster when over 100 mph. But I use my accurate GPS to read my actual speed.
When getting near Dallas/Ft Worth (74 miles out), I realized that was very near a highly touted Ducati dealer, Advanced Motor Sports (AMS). AMS thrives even though it is located 70 miles south of Dallas. I have wanted to visit but never made the time. Here was my chance. After calling my buddy, Kevin W. for directions and a light lunch (McD) i headed to AMS. AMS is cool and somewhat disappointing. The cool part is they have a large number of Ducati motorcycles, including several racing models. The disappointing part is that their prices seem to be unreasonably high. I guess it just a Ducati thing. I visited for a short time before heading off.
One beauty of having a GPS is that you can just wander and still find your way home. Leaving AMS (outside of Mansfield, TX) I header up through Arlington before taking several highways back to my Dallas home of the La Quinta - Plano. I arrived at the hotel in the late afternoon.
I quickly washed my bike (an anal quirk that my friend know I have) and then went for a short run. Of course after all day of clouds, the sun was shining once I arrived in Dallas.
My day ended with dinner with a friend, some repacking for the next days trip to KC, and bed.
Motorcycle Diary
The ST3 continued to run flawlessly. Gas milage during the trip ranged from a low of 32 mpg to 46 mpg. The low gas mileage (my norm) is definitely contributed to by a heavy throttle hand.
I am now looking for mounting locations for a potential radar detector. But I am still on the fence. Will I travel faster if I have a radar detector?
My new Oxford (humpback) tank bag has really proven useful. Especially nice is the ability to lean on it when I crouch down in a tuck to get farther out of the wind. Because of bicycling I am pretty comfortable in the crouched position.
On the other hand (leg?) my left knee (which I had surgery on last fall) gets a little uncomfortable after a period of time in the sportsbike crouch. Nothing I can not deal with with a little stretch (while riding and also off the bike). But I doubt it will ever get better.
Conclusion
A good day of riding. Unlike others who just enjoy motorcycling for its own sake, I think I am happier with destinations and events. I still enjoy the driving very much I just like to to have some endpoints or reason (even if made up) for the exercise. Getting back to my "second home" of Dallas was nice after a medium (300 miles) day of riding.
Day 4 report to follow.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Hill Country Trip - Day 2
Day 2 adventure was to be some spirited motorcycling on some the fine roads around the hill country.
My morning began with a light breakfast at the La Quinta continental breakfast. While I would have preferred dining at a real breakfast restaurant, I determine that nothing appealing existed in Frederickburg.
I was disappointed to leave in heavy clouds. While the forecast and radar maps indicated no rain, the heavy clouds appeared to tell a different story. In fact the whole morning consisted of a very light mist. Fortunately the temperature was mild and the light precipitation did not hinder my riding.
My route consisted of a little of 300 miles on Hwy 16, 470, 187, 337, 336, 83, and 39. This allowed me to ride many of the scenic and curving roads in the area. Each road had unique characteristics including: sweeping turns, large increases and drops in elevation, tight turns, straight high-speed sections, and even multiple cattle guards on 336. The riding was great. My plan and actual trip consisted of all riding with one very short stop for gas in Camp Wood. The only thing better would have been had the sun appeared.
All the roads were good with the exception of 39. By the time I hit 39 in the late afternoon I ran in to a fair amount of traffic. Additionally while I saw several motorcycle (the majority being Harleys) I was please to note even more bicyclist. Even for an avid cyclist like me, some of the hills in this area would be a significant challenge.
Most unfortunately late in my ride (on the way back to Fredericksburg on Hwy 16), I got a ticket for speeding. I guess I was rolling the dice as I had done a fair amount of speeding earlier. In this case I got passed by a Texas state trooper while passing cars going up a hill. The trooper claimed to have clocked me at 89 in a 70 and said he knew I was going much faster. Such is life. As always I was polite and the trooper was too.
I returned back to Fredericksburg later in the afternoon hungry. Based on the previous days wandering I had pretty much determined the Fredericksburg is dominated with overpriced and underwhelming restaurants. My preference would be to eat a local establishment. But since I was only going to have this one significant meal that day, I chose Chilis. The food was good and consistent with the restaurant chain.
After getting back to my hotel I went for a nice 3 mi run. I believe that you get a much better feel for an area when you bicycle or run in it. In this case, the hotel was not in an ideal location for a run (nor does Fredericksburg appear to have one). Nevertheless, the run was good as the sun finally appeared.
Car-Motorcycle-Bicycle-Run
As alluded in the previous paragraph, my experience is this. Cars are good for covering long distance with the least effort. Unfortunately you really do not experience it. Motorcycles are always thrilling to ride and you can experience an area more than in a car. You can still cover significant distance and motorcycles are economical. Bicycles may be an ideal way to experience an area. Their only limitation is that you are limited in the range you can reasonably cover. Finally walking or running really lets you experience a specific, but relatively short, area.
Overall a good day. Day 3 to follow.
My morning began with a light breakfast at the La Quinta continental breakfast. While I would have preferred dining at a real breakfast restaurant, I determine that nothing appealing existed in Frederickburg.
I was disappointed to leave in heavy clouds. While the forecast and radar maps indicated no rain, the heavy clouds appeared to tell a different story. In fact the whole morning consisted of a very light mist. Fortunately the temperature was mild and the light precipitation did not hinder my riding.
My route consisted of a little of 300 miles on Hwy 16, 470, 187, 337, 336, 83, and 39. This allowed me to ride many of the scenic and curving roads in the area. Each road had unique characteristics including: sweeping turns, large increases and drops in elevation, tight turns, straight high-speed sections, and even multiple cattle guards on 336. The riding was great. My plan and actual trip consisted of all riding with one very short stop for gas in Camp Wood. The only thing better would have been had the sun appeared.
All the roads were good with the exception of 39. By the time I hit 39 in the late afternoon I ran in to a fair amount of traffic. Additionally while I saw several motorcycle (the majority being Harleys) I was please to note even more bicyclist. Even for an avid cyclist like me, some of the hills in this area would be a significant challenge.
Most unfortunately late in my ride (on the way back to Fredericksburg on Hwy 16), I got a ticket for speeding. I guess I was rolling the dice as I had done a fair amount of speeding earlier. In this case I got passed by a Texas state trooper while passing cars going up a hill. The trooper claimed to have clocked me at 89 in a 70 and said he knew I was going much faster. Such is life. As always I was polite and the trooper was too.
I returned back to Fredericksburg later in the afternoon hungry. Based on the previous days wandering I had pretty much determined the Fredericksburg is dominated with overpriced and underwhelming restaurants. My preference would be to eat a local establishment. But since I was only going to have this one significant meal that day, I chose Chilis. The food was good and consistent with the restaurant chain.
After getting back to my hotel I went for a nice 3 mi run. I believe that you get a much better feel for an area when you bicycle or run in it. In this case, the hotel was not in an ideal location for a run (nor does Fredericksburg appear to have one). Nevertheless, the run was good as the sun finally appeared.
Car-Motorcycle-Bicycle-Run
As alluded in the previous paragraph, my experience is this. Cars are good for covering long distance with the least effort. Unfortunately you really do not experience it. Motorcycles are always thrilling to ride and you can experience an area more than in a car. You can still cover significant distance and motorcycles are economical. Bicycles may be an ideal way to experience an area. Their only limitation is that you are limited in the range you can reasonably cover. Finally walking or running really lets you experience a specific, but relatively short, area.
Overall a good day. Day 3 to follow.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Hill Country Trip - Day 1
I finally got some time off to take a motorcycle vacation. I have been thinking about this since last fall but was too busy with work.
My trip planning started with me arriving in Dallas (where my Ducati has been located while working there on a project). My original plan was to spend the weekend in Dallas (Sat and Sun) and probably leave on Monday.
Originally I thought I might like to ride to Taos, NM. I have never visited Taos before and the time looked like a good time. Unfortunately, on further reflection I decided the Kansas plains has just had too many, regular, large storms roll through lately. Because of tax needs, I am required to be back in KC before the 17th. (I don't have my daughter until the week after Easter, or this would all be moot). Being in Taos would require me to ride back in KC before the weekend with little chance to reschedule due to weather.
The best part of a motorcycle trip is the ability to reschedule and re-plan at the last minute. Thus on Sunday afternoon I decided that I would travel south to the Texas Hill Country. The weather has been beautiful in Texas. The riding in the hill country was supposed to be awesome. My base camp for my trip is Fredericksburg, TX. More on Fredericksburg later.
Ride Start
On Monday morning my start time was a little in the air. I could not decide if I should leave very early to try to avoid the rush hour traffic or to leave later to miss the morning rush. My decision was made by two factors. First, by leaving late I could have breakfast with my great friend, Martha. Secondly, On Sunday morning I had purchased a charger for my phone because I thought I had left mine (one of two) at home. Late in the evening I found my original charger. A late start would allow me to return the new charger. Therefore my trip started after 9:30am.
Ride down to Fredericksburg, TX from Dallas, Tx
Unfortunately, I do not know a way out of Plano, Tx south that does not take you through a lot of traffic and by downtown Dallas. At least my late start meant I avoided much of the rush. Driving this in rush hour would be miserable. At the time I left, the traffic was moderately busy.
My route was Hwy 67 to Hwy 220, then to 281. From 281 I took a exit to 581. Many of the roads oo n this trip were suggested by my friend Kevin W. 581 is a motorcycle friendly road. 581 hooks to 501 and then Hwy 16. You then follow 16 all the way to Fredericksburg.
The entire trip was right at 300 miles. I arrived around 2:30.
Motorcycle Diary
The first part of the trip was a little bit of a drag with traffic. But once on motorcycle-friendly backroads things opened up. There was very little traffic and therefore lots of opportunity for curves and some higher speeds.
My friend and motorcycle guru, Kevin W, preaches in favor of custom-made ear plugs. While I am find with standard earbuds on shorter trips and commuting, higher speeds for longer periods proved his wisdom. At my first stop I switched to standard foam earplugs. This help cut down the noise (and fatigue) considerably.
Kevin W. is a disciple of long-distance riding, thinking nothing of 600mi and 1000mi days. My longest day (on a cruiser) has been a little over 600 miles. As part of his long distance Kevin comments that he likes very short stops for gas, not even getting off his motorcycle. This is not for me. I found (and confirmed on this trip) that I need to get off the motorcycle at gas stops just to stretch my legs. I don't have to stop for long (maybe 5 minutes) but it really helps. Interesting enough, I find myself more in the "zone" on my second leg after the first stop. This must have something to do with relaxing out of the somewhat cramped riding position of a sportsbike.
Fredericksburg, Tx
Upon arriving in Fredericksburg my first task was to cruise the main street. This was more done in the hope that I would happen on my hotel and secondly to get a lay of the land. I then drove to my hotel which ended up being around two miles from the main downtown area (albeit on the same street). The Fredericksburg La Quinta is new and a nice property.
After checking in and unloading my luggage, my first priority was to find someplace to eat. At this point my only meal was my 7:30 breakfast of a Chick-fil-a chicken biscuit and iced tea. After walking up and down main street I decided on the Fredericksburg Brewing Co. brewpub. Main street has stores (and a few restaurants) on both sides for about three or four city blocks.
The Fredericksburg Brewing Co. restaurant was unmemorable and I don't really recommend it. The food was only average.
After lunch I walked the full length of the main street area (on both sides). The weather was awesome at 75 degrees and sunny with a moderate breeze. Downtown Fredericksburg is the entire attraction of the town. The stores consist of many antique and furniture stores with some clothing emporiums. Unfortunately the median age of the people visiting was much older than me. This is more a place for couple looking for a relaxing getaway or older couples. The town (and the majority of the stores) rolls-up at 5:00pm.
While I stayed at my standard, La Quinta, this town has many bed and breakfasts. Looking at the advertisement in several storefronts I decided that the B&B are "country-nice" and not the upscale B&B you may find in some other areas. Buyer beware.
Equipment Report
Ducati ST3 - MY Duc performed flawlessly and continues to affirm my decision to purchase it. It is very comfortable and has plenty of power. The only thing better (for touring) would be a full touring rig with a full windshield to block out more wind noise. I am pretty sure I would not appreciate the riding experience of a larger touring motorcycle.
Garmin Quest 2 GPS - Another recommendation from motorcycle guru, Kevin W. This GPS is invaluable for motorcycle touring. In fact, touring without it would be much less enjoyable. At higher speeds and trying to take back roads, the GPS allows you to concentrate much more on riding.
Motorcycle clothes - My gear for Day 1 consisted of: Dainese riding boots, Gerbing (heated, but heat not used) riding pants, Belstaff riding jacket, Arai helmet, and Lee Parks motorcycle gloves. While my cruiser persona used to ride with less gear, I have been convinced to wear more protective gear. While I hope not to need it, I have become comfortable to ride in full gear. Day 1 was pretty windy so the jacket and pants were plenty comfortable. Given the number of bugs splattering my faceshield, I am not sure I will ever travel in an open-faced helmet again.
Conclusion
My day ended early. Day 2 trip report to follow.
My trip planning started with me arriving in Dallas (where my Ducati has been located while working there on a project). My original plan was to spend the weekend in Dallas (Sat and Sun) and probably leave on Monday.
Originally I thought I might like to ride to Taos, NM. I have never visited Taos before and the time looked like a good time. Unfortunately, on further reflection I decided the Kansas plains has just had too many, regular, large storms roll through lately. Because of tax needs, I am required to be back in KC before the 17th. (I don't have my daughter until the week after Easter, or this would all be moot). Being in Taos would require me to ride back in KC before the weekend with little chance to reschedule due to weather.
The best part of a motorcycle trip is the ability to reschedule and re-plan at the last minute. Thus on Sunday afternoon I decided that I would travel south to the Texas Hill Country. The weather has been beautiful in Texas. The riding in the hill country was supposed to be awesome. My base camp for my trip is Fredericksburg, TX. More on Fredericksburg later.
Ride Start
On Monday morning my start time was a little in the air. I could not decide if I should leave very early to try to avoid the rush hour traffic or to leave later to miss the morning rush. My decision was made by two factors. First, by leaving late I could have breakfast with my great friend, Martha. Secondly, On Sunday morning I had purchased a charger for my phone because I thought I had left mine (one of two) at home. Late in the evening I found my original charger. A late start would allow me to return the new charger. Therefore my trip started after 9:30am.
Ride down to Fredericksburg, TX from Dallas, Tx
Unfortunately, I do not know a way out of Plano, Tx south that does not take you through a lot of traffic and by downtown Dallas. At least my late start meant I avoided much of the rush. Driving this in rush hour would be miserable. At the time I left, the traffic was moderately busy.
My route was Hwy 67 to Hwy 220, then to 281. From 281 I took a exit to 581. Many of the roads oo n this trip were suggested by my friend Kevin W. 581 is a motorcycle friendly road. 581 hooks to 501 and then Hwy 16. You then follow 16 all the way to Fredericksburg.
The entire trip was right at 300 miles. I arrived around 2:30.
Motorcycle Diary
The first part of the trip was a little bit of a drag with traffic. But once on motorcycle-friendly backroads things opened up. There was very little traffic and therefore lots of opportunity for curves and some higher speeds.
My friend and motorcycle guru, Kevin W, preaches in favor of custom-made ear plugs. While I am find with standard earbuds on shorter trips and commuting, higher speeds for longer periods proved his wisdom. At my first stop I switched to standard foam earplugs. This help cut down the noise (and fatigue) considerably.
Kevin W. is a disciple of long-distance riding, thinking nothing of 600mi and 1000mi days. My longest day (on a cruiser) has been a little over 600 miles. As part of his long distance Kevin comments that he likes very short stops for gas, not even getting off his motorcycle. This is not for me. I found (and confirmed on this trip) that I need to get off the motorcycle at gas stops just to stretch my legs. I don't have to stop for long (maybe 5 minutes) but it really helps. Interesting enough, I find myself more in the "zone" on my second leg after the first stop. This must have something to do with relaxing out of the somewhat cramped riding position of a sportsbike.
Fredericksburg, Tx
Upon arriving in Fredericksburg my first task was to cruise the main street. This was more done in the hope that I would happen on my hotel and secondly to get a lay of the land. I then drove to my hotel which ended up being around two miles from the main downtown area (albeit on the same street). The Fredericksburg La Quinta is new and a nice property.
After checking in and unloading my luggage, my first priority was to find someplace to eat. At this point my only meal was my 7:30 breakfast of a Chick-fil-a chicken biscuit and iced tea. After walking up and down main street I decided on the Fredericksburg Brewing Co. brewpub. Main street has stores (and a few restaurants) on both sides for about three or four city blocks.
The Fredericksburg Brewing Co. restaurant was unmemorable and I don't really recommend it. The food was only average.
After lunch I walked the full length of the main street area (on both sides). The weather was awesome at 75 degrees and sunny with a moderate breeze. Downtown Fredericksburg is the entire attraction of the town. The stores consist of many antique and furniture stores with some clothing emporiums. Unfortunately the median age of the people visiting was much older than me. This is more a place for couple looking for a relaxing getaway or older couples. The town (and the majority of the stores) rolls-up at 5:00pm.
While I stayed at my standard, La Quinta, this town has many bed and breakfasts. Looking at the advertisement in several storefronts I decided that the B&B are "country-nice" and not the upscale B&B you may find in some other areas. Buyer beware.
Equipment Report
Ducati ST3 - MY Duc performed flawlessly and continues to affirm my decision to purchase it. It is very comfortable and has plenty of power. The only thing better (for touring) would be a full touring rig with a full windshield to block out more wind noise. I am pretty sure I would not appreciate the riding experience of a larger touring motorcycle.
Garmin Quest 2 GPS - Another recommendation from motorcycle guru, Kevin W. This GPS is invaluable for motorcycle touring. In fact, touring without it would be much less enjoyable. At higher speeds and trying to take back roads, the GPS allows you to concentrate much more on riding.
Motorcycle clothes - My gear for Day 1 consisted of: Dainese riding boots, Gerbing (heated, but heat not used) riding pants, Belstaff riding jacket, Arai helmet, and Lee Parks motorcycle gloves. While my cruiser persona used to ride with less gear, I have been convinced to wear more protective gear. While I hope not to need it, I have become comfortable to ride in full gear. Day 1 was pretty windy so the jacket and pants were plenty comfortable. Given the number of bugs splattering my faceshield, I am not sure I will ever travel in an open-faced helmet again.
Conclusion
My day ended early. Day 2 trip report to follow.
