yerboy's Xanga

Moving to Blogger

Sun, 13 Nov 2005 14:57:20 GMT

I've decided to host my KLog from a different service. Click here to go there.

celebrate peace

Fri, 11 Nov 2005 11:36:41 GMT

Sorry, another non-moto related entry...

Happy Armistice Day!

The end of wars is a great thing.

change in the weather

Thu, 10 Nov 2005 11:31:12 GMT

Yesterday when I left work it was about 50 degrees (F), with 40 MPH winds. People have started asking me the seasonal question, "Aren't ya cold on that thing?" Hopefully, my license plate says it all..

Motorcycles Are Cheaper Than Therapy

Mon, 07 Nov 2005 23:55:15 GMT

Had a meeting from Hell this evening, and afterwards was reminded of how awesome it is to have the privilege to ride a motorcycle. I hate to sound sappy, but man, when you're riding, all the troubles you have just blow off in the wind. Get home, and all is forgotten.

Go ride a motorcycle. It will improve your life.

Bush Supporters

Mon, 07 Nov 2005 03:11:46 GMT

This is not KLR or motorcycle related, but I need to rant...

I have an "Impeach Bush" yard sign out front of the house. Well, I went out this evening for a walk around the neighborhood, and when I came back, the sign was gone. This is so typical of "Bush Fans." Instead of using intellect, logic and common sense to get their point across, they use fear, false "facts", lies, thievery and coming to a home near you, vandalism of private property.

I wonder what this fine upstanding Bush Fan was thinking. Maybe he (possibly she, but I doubt it) was thinking that by stealing this sign from my yard, they would persuade me that Bush is the one I should be supporting. Perhaps this person thought that upon seeing that someone had violated my private property, I might turn my political and philosophical thinking around, and start believing in the Right's lies and schemes. Perhaps, this person thinks that by denying me my constitutional right to freedom of speech, they will keep me quiet.

Well, here's what is ACTUALLY going to happen...

1. TOMORROW I am going to go to the group who sold me the sign in the first place, and buy another one. This group gives most of their money to the Democratic party. I am not necessarily a Democrat (didn't vote that way last time around), but the enemy of my enemy is my friend. I will gladly give them more money in the hopes of getting the word out that Bush is the worst thing to happen to America since Pat Robertson.

2. I will be spreading the word far and wide that most (if not all) of the Bush supporters that I've come in contact with are deceitful, conniving, and/or mindless drones who believe anything that their party spouts at them. And, that left unsupervised, these animals resort to criminal acts in their attempt to gain more supporters.

So please, if you support Bush, that's great. But, for God's sake, please remember that thievery and vandalism are not very good ways to get your point across.

Motorcycle Brotherhood? Not in Michigan.

Sun, 06 Nov 2005 20:33:54 GMT

I headed up to Lansing yesterday for the Fall MEA RA. As I was slowing on the interchange from 23 to 96, my clutch cable snapped. This was a first for me. As I was behind two garbage trucks and several cars and in 5th gear, I was a bit concerned. But, I didn't flip my wig, and was able to downshift at the next exit and pull off the highway.

Once I stopped, I assessed the situation. Since I didn't have an extra clutch cable on me (I should start carrying one), I had two solutions to this problem. One, call someone to bring me a clutch cable, or two, rig something up that could get me home. I decided to call Wes and see if he had an old cable around, and try to rig something up in the meantime.

I took off the brush guard and got out some vice grips. I clamped 'em down on the frayed cable and pulled. It seemed to work, and I imagined I could get home, though with some difficulty, by using the vice grip as a clutch lever.

It was a nice theory, but somehow I couldn't get enough leverage to pull the cable enough. I finally got ahold of Wes and he got there in about a half hour with an old clutch cable. It's great to have friends like Wes.

Now, what really pissed me off about this situation is that although I wasn't in any danger, and I had the situation under control, not less than six motorcyclists rode by me without stopping to see if I needed anything. I mean, I had my tools all laid out and everything. Two of these fucks actually looked over and smiled as they rode by, as if saying hello. Ass holes. Two people in cars stopped to ask if I needed a ride or anything. Thanks to those two folks; good lookin' out. And finally, one guy on a bike did stop to simply ask if I needed anything. Big thanks to that guy too. I didn't NEED help, but it was nice that one biker thought to stop and check on a fellow biker.

When I told Wes this story, his response was, "so much for the brotherhood of motorcycists." What the hell is up with that? I've stopped every time I've seen a motorcycle on the side of the road that looked like they might need help. I stop, even if you're riding a Harley

Anyway, I just want any bikers out there to know that if you don't stop to help another rider, you should get off your bike and go FUCK YOURSELF!

The rest of the day was great. On the ride home I took 96 to Fowlerville, got off the highway and headed south on dirt roads.

Most of the leaves are off the trees at this point, but there are a few spots that are still looking good.

I wound up going through Pinkney, Dexter, and finally back to Ann Arbor. It was a great afternoon for a ride: temps in the upper 50s and cloudy, with a bit of a breeze.

I went through Hell to get this pic

Motorcycle Parking

Fri, 04 Nov 2005 10:40:46 GMT

Yesterday, I was glad to see that someone else actually rode to work. Whoever it was rode on some chrome bling cruiser thing. Harley clone or actual Harley, I don't know.

The thing that's messed up is that even though I left room in the spot I parked in for another bike, this dork HAD to have his/her own space, and take up all of it. This really pisses me off. Part of the reason we have motorcycles is because they take up less space. In a parking lot, at least two bikes can fit into a parking space. For parallel parking on the street, at least three bikes will fit.

It's totally rude for a so-called "biker" to take up more room than they need. It's a total snub to other two-wheel riders. Even scooter riders are doing their part to save gas, have fun, and make space for more vehicles. Wes told me of a billet barge rider who parked length-wise in a parallel spot. Wes and his gal parked their bikes on either end of this idiot to make a point. I hope it was well taken. All it takes is common sense to understand that you just leave room for others!

Always remember though, that if you're the first to park in a space, don't leave TOO much room. One day I parked the KLR in a parallel space, leaving room for at least two more bikes. When I returned to my spot, a car was parking in the same spot my bike was in! What dumbasses. I immediately gave them a gentle reminder (while pointing) that there was ONE meter for this space, and I was using it. Their response? "Oh, we didn't know." Maybe I should have gently suggested that they get their eyeglass prescriptions checked too.

Thursday, November 03, 2005

Thu, 03 Nov 2005 10:30:54 GMT

Lazy Losers

This doesn't really have to do with the KLR, but I was on the KLR when I noticed it.

The leaves are falling, and people are busy getting them off their lawns. Remember when people used to use rakes? Well, now most people, as you know, use leaf blowers. These people are too lazy to pick up a rake and get a little exercise, so they create air and noise pollution, while at the same time using up expensive gas (of course, if one uses an electric blower, the fuel impact is different).

Everytime I see one of these idiots I just shake my head in disbelief. People wonder why the obestity level is so high in America. Well, just look around. We can't even take the most simple of tasks and use what's left of our muscles to do them.

We are a nation of fat, lazy, polluting, cocky, unaware idiots. We deserve whatever wrath comes our way until we start thinking about the concequences of our actions.

On a happier note, in an hour or so here, I'll be riding my 50+ MPG motorcycle to work.

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Wed, 02 Nov 2005 10:50:59 GMT

Fall Weather

The weather lately has been incredible. Summer riding is nice and all, but give me some cool weather any time. For the past few weeks it's been in the 60s (F) during the day, and 30s to 40s at night. If you've ever been at a stoplight in the blazing sun when it's 95 degrees and you're wearing a leather, you know how much of a relief it is to have it be cooling off.

And yes, I'm looking forward to the snow too. Although the snow keeps me from riding maybe 10 days a year, it is fun to get out and do some recreational snowriding. I still haven't rigged up my snowboard rack for the KLR, but it'll happen one of these days.

The best thing about this season though is the fall colors. When all the trees are changing, it just adds to the quality of the ride each morning.

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 10:26:09 GMT

Motorcycle cops
I've stopped waving to motorcycle cops. They never wave back. I don't know why they don't wave. Aren't they motorcyclists too? I mean, I realize that some Harley "riders" are too cool to wave, but the cops? Aren't they supposed to be our friends? I bet if I saw a firefighter riding a motorcycle, he'd (or she'd) wave

These unfriendly cops should really think about the message they're giving other folks. Some people already have a bad attitude about cops for many reasons. If I were one of these people, and saw a cop on a bike, I might think to myself, "hey, now there's a cop on a motorcycle, we must have something in common." Then to be snubbed on the wave, I might ride away thinking, "what a fucking ass hole. Cops are dicks."