# Five days and counting.



## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Planning my Christmas Day ride. Making sure all is good to go. That's what I love about the SW. You can do things that pretty much the rest of the nation can't do in late December. 

For the most part, there's not a whole lot of traffic on the highways Christmas Day. And, the ones who are on the road, see you on a motorcycle and wonder what the Hell is up with that guy, and where's he's heading to? 

It's always a special day for me to ride. I do a whole lot of reflecting while riding. Not sure why, but it just happens. It's surprising how much ground emotionally that I can cover. 

I'm going to plan a 200 mile route. Maybe more, if the weather is inspiring, maybe less, if not so much. 

By the time I return home, dinner is ready and so am I. :smt033


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Do you wear red leathers?
Trimmed in white, of course?

...And a sprig of mistletoe on your helmet?


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

The mistletoe is on the back of his belt


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## Cait43 (Apr 4, 2013)

*Paratrooper and his gnag......*


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## BackyardCowboy (Aug 27, 2014)

I wonder if there's a Grinch in a patrol car on your route.

You're really hoping for a lot of coal this year to cut down on your heating costs. (but you'll add to Global Warming)


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Cait43 said:


> *Paratrooper and his gnag......*


Naw......you must have me confused with someone else. I don't ride with HD's. They simply cannot keep up.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

BMW versus HD...
It reminds me of 1960s club racing: Back then, there weren't enough Corvettes to run a track-full race, nor were there enough Mercedes 300SLs (you know: the gull-wing-door kind), so they were frequently raced together in the same heats.
The Corvettes were super-hottie-go-fasts, but couldn't corner worth a shot; while the 300SLs could out-corner anything on four wheels, but were much lower than Chevvys in the horsepower department.
But race after race, somehow those 300SLs used to leave the Corvettes in the dust. Every time.

Finesse always beats brute force.
Ask any Black Belt you happen to see.
Or any BMW-bike owner.

Ho, ho, ho...


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## BackyardCowboy (Aug 27, 2014)

paratrooper said:


> Naw......you must have me confused with someone else. I don't ride with HD's. They simply cannot keep up.


Besides, PT's has pedals.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> BMW versus HD...
> It reminds me of 1960s club racing: Back then, there weren't enough Corvettes to run a track-full race, nor were there enough Mercedes 300SLs (you know: the gull-wing-door kind), so they were frequently raced together in the same heats.
> The Corvettes were super-hottie-go-fasts, but couldn't corner worth a shot; while the 300SLs could out-corner anything on four wheels, but were much lower than Chevvys in the horsepower department.
> But race after race, somehow those 300SLs used to leave the Corvettes in the dust. Every time.
> ...


My BMW isn't a crotch rocket by any means. It's probably one of the slowest big road bikes I've owned. I've had some that accelerated so fast, it was hard for your eyes to keep up with the road that it was devouring.

But, my BMW is sneaky fast. That is to say, it increases speed steadily and without much effort. Before you know it, you're doing well over the posted speed limit. It's fast in a kind of lazy, laid back, ain't no big deal, kind of a way.

It's quite comfy running 100 down the road. It could do that plus some all day long. It has a 6 speed transmission. And, it's quiet. All you basically hear is the rush of the wind. I usually wear earplugs most of the time. I can't sing worth a damn, so I usually end up humming to myself.

Buying it was a vast departure from my ususal menu. It was my 1st BMW. Totally not what I had been used to. And that's exactly what I wanted.

I have thought of looking at some new bikes (my wife has no idea) but I'm not even sure where or what I would look at. I don't like the looks of the new BMWs. Too insect looking, if you know what I mean.

Mine only has about 30K on the clock. According to some you talk to, it's not even broken in yet. It's still as pristine as the day I bought it, save for a few very minor rocks chips here and there from following other vehicles and the front tire kicking crap up.

I think at one point, I had a point to this post. But it escapes me now. Oh yeah....I was going to elaborate on the BMW vs. HD thing. I don't think I'll ever be old enough, or slow enough, to want to buy a HD. :smt033

Some people post pics of their kids.......or horses. I post pics of my bikes. I don't have any kids of my own, and I don't own a horse. Although I do have a "trunk" for my bike as seen in the attached pic, I've yet to use it.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

paratrooper said:


> My BMW isn't a crotch rocket...But, my BMW is sneaky fast. That is to say, it increases speed steadily and without much effort. Before you know it, you're doing well over the posted speed limit. It's fast in a kind of lazy, laid back, ain't no big deal, kind of a way...It's quite comfy running 100 down the road...


As I previously wrote: Finesse beats brute force. Every time.


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## whitepaper (Nov 21, 2017)

Cait43 said:


> *Paratrooper and his gnag......*


Well, this is great!


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## JeremiahCarlson (Sep 7, 2017)

now its gone


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Only three days until I go for a ride on New Year's Day. :smt041


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

I go riding every News Years Day also. Only missed once since 1991


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

tony pasley said:


> I go riding every News Years Day also. Only missed once since 1991


Betcha I'll cover more ground then you will. :smt033


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

paratrooper said:


> Betcha I'll cover more ground then you will. :smt033


You will but I will cover round you can't cover fair trade off. I also don't have to worry about some idiot causing a wreck.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

tony pasley said:


> ...I also don't have to worry about some idiot causing a wreck.


I'm biting my tongue, to restrain the wisecrack which rises to my lips about the intelligence of horses.


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> I'm biting my tongue, to restrain the wisecrack which rises to my lips about the intelligence of horses.


Why? I seldom refrain from wisecracks


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## BackyardCowboy (Aug 27, 2014)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> I'm biting my tongue, to restrain the wisecrack which rises to my lips about the intelligence of horses.


Horses are very intelligent, often more-so than their riders.

Tony, this is an abuse case, seized twice by SPCA for starvation/abuse/neglect. Placed with us and would walk away from ANY human.
We like to think we've made some progress.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

tony pasley said:


> You will but I will cover round you can't cover fair trade off. I also don't have to worry about some idiot causing a wreck.


Yup......when I ride, I'm *ALL* eyes. Worst parts are going thru an intersection and stopped at a light, and hoping the vehicles behind you will stop as well. I keep a close eye on my mirrors when stopped at a light. As the cars begin to approach me, I grab the front brake lever and squeeze it a few times.

When passing cars on the highway, I don't waste any time and linger alongside them. I've learned lots of "tricks" when it comes to riding on the streets. I've been doing so for 47 years. I never take going for a ride for granted. Until I get on the open highway and things calm down, I'm in battle mode. Only then do I relax and enjoy myself.

My wife doesn't ride with me as much as she used to. For her, it's not as big a deal as it is with me. She gets chilled easily, even in the mnddle of summer.  That and the fact, that she's just not into a ride that might last a couple hundred of miles.

Anyways, yes it's a war zone out there when it comes to m/c's and cars / trucks sharing the roadways. The vast majority of the motoring public just don't see motorcyclists. We are invisible to them. As a rider, you will never win a battle with a_ cager_ (motorist) when it comes to hitting one another, even if you were 100% in the right.

Before geting my m/c endorsement at age 16, I had a very strong background in dirt bike riding / racing for years. I've known some guys that decided to start riding m/c's for the first time in their life at a late age. Most of them gave it up within a matter of several months to a year or so. Wise choice! :smt002


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

Many of the same ideas go for both real horses and fake horse ( could not resist) The main on is always be ready for anything to happen.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

tony pasley said:


> Many of the same ideas go for both real horses and fake horse ( could not resist) The main on is always be ready for anything to happen.


My experience with real horses is very limited.

Although, I have watched countless episodes of Gunsmoke. Giddy up and whoa is about all you need to know.........right? :smt033


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

Well the first rule of horse back riding is to keep the horse between the rider and the ground.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

tony pasley said:


> Well the first rule of horse back riding is to keep the horse between the rider and the ground.


So, why does Festus choose to ride a mule, and not a horse? :watching:


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

Actually in the real west mules were ridden by a lot of people, mule are more sure footed, stronger, and better endurance than most horses. Horses are more agile than mules. It was the western movies that made people think all people rode were quarter horses.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

tony pasley said:


> ...It was the western movies that made people think all people rode were quarter horses.


Driven by the "western" movies that I'd seen, I once got a summer job learning to manage a string of horses from the back of a quarter horse.
Given that experience, I think that I, like Festus, would also opt for a mule.

I did my job only because the quarter horses knew much better than I what needed to be done.
I was merely along for the ride.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

tony pasley said:


> Actually in the real west mules were ridden by a lot of people, mule are more sure footed, stronger, and better endurance than most horses. Horses are more agile than mules. It was the western movies that made people think all people rode were quarter horses.


Interesting! I had no idea.


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

My Grand father who raised me starting his working career in 1914 as a mule skinner hauling freight with a 10 mule team for $20.00 a month silver. Top pay for a 14 year old. most of the time her used or rode mules to work the ranch, except at round up time in spring and fall of the year.


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## BackyardCowboy (Aug 27, 2014)

tony pasley said:


> My Grand father who raised me starting his working career in 1914 as a mule skinner hauling freight with a 10 mule team for $20.00 a month silver. Top pay for a 14 year old. most of the time her used or rode mules to work the ranch, except at round up time in spring and fall of the year.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

tony pasley said:


> My Grand father who raised me starting his working career in 1914 as a mule skinner hauling freight with a 10 mule team for $20.00 a month silver. Top pay for a 14 year old. most of the time her used or rode mules to work the ranch, except at round up time in spring and fall of the year.


Always thought that Festus was a lot more capable then what he led others to believe.


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

Everything is ready to go in the morning. I can't wait


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

tony pasley said:


> Everything is ready to go in the morning. I can't wait


Me too! Hope that I can get some sleep tonight. Gotta be alert and well rested.


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

Damn it was cold riding this morning.


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## BackyardCowboy (Aug 27, 2014)

tony pasley said:


> Damn it was cold riding this morning.


4 below here with a winchill of 20-24 below. :smt110

You just need a better hot sauce to get you going.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

It was a spectacular day / ride today. It couldn't have been any better. I got in 160 glorious miles. Only had one bug hit me. Smack dab right in the middle of my face shield. Hard little sucker too. Sounded like a .22LR round striking me. 

Made some more therapeutic progress as well. That's always a good thing!


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