The weather folk had called for a nice day yesterday; sunny, temps in the mid-40's. I should have known better than to get my hopes up, though...
Matty and I had tentatively agreed to take the bikes out for a lunch trip/ride but as Sunday got closer, we realized we'd need to wait until Sunday morning to see how the roads were. Well, after snowing for most of the day on Saturday, combined with temps which fell into the low 20's overnight, Sunday morning greeted us with ice-covered roads and overall unwelcoming conditions. This of course meant we scrapped the plan to go for a ride. Fcuk!
The weather folks are saying this Friday we'll actually hit 60. Time will tell, although they're also calling for rain, so I'm sure that part of the forecast will be correct.
My fear is that we're going to straight from winter into summer (high temps, high humidity), just likes we've seemed to do the past number of years.
Oh well, at least we're able to ride in humidity...
Monday, March 30, 2015
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Slingshot
I was ambling down Rte 9 yesterday when I spotted something in the slow lane, up ahead of me. I didn't recognize it and it sure as hell didn't look like anything else I'd seen out on the roadways. What the heck is that thing???
Increasing my speed to catch up to it, I pulled alongside and gazed over. It was low-slung and looked kind of like an elongated dune buggy, except it only had three wheels; two in the front and one in the back. And it was ugly! "Buy a hat like that, I bet you get a free bowl of soup" kind of ugly!
Sitting inside this thing was the operator, decked out in full riding gear and full-faced helmet. I say "sitting inside" because that's what it was; the guy was sitting inside this thing, looking like he was driving a convertible.
Looking at the back of it, I saw the tag name "Slingshot", so when I got back to the computer, I looked it up. It's made by Polaris and I guess it's their answer to the Can Am line of vehicles. And while I've always thought it was a stretch to consider a Can Am a motorcycle, it goes beyond reasoning to call this Slingshot one. But sure enough; it's classed as a motorcycle. How can that be? I mean, it's even got a write-up in Car and Driver. Shouldn't that tell you something? Gimme a break.
**Update! Apparently Texas and Connecticut are the only states which have not lost their senses. They have both refused to allow Polaris to register their vehicle as a motorcycle in their states.
Texas has refused on the grounds that motorcycle is defined as something with "a saddle" as opposed to a car-style seat, which the Slingshot has. As such, the vehicle is no longer street legal in the Lone Star State.
Connecticut has refused because the definition of a motorcycle by the Connecticut DMV, excludes vehicles with an enclosed driver's seat and an engine that's covered. The Slingshot runs afoul of both. To quote; "It is the consensus of the DMV that this vehicle closely resembles an automobile in appearance, and is equipped (brake, clutch, accelerator, steering wheel, four-cylinder engine, seat belt, gear shifter, etc.) and handles like an automobile rather than a motorcycle."
Thank goodness there are still some sane people in power out there.
**Update Two!! After a bit more research, I found that Polaris has issued a "Stop Sales, Stop Riding" order. Wow! The machines (not motorcycles) apparently have potentially defective ball bearings in the steering rack (say wha?), not to mention the roll bars may have defective components, negating their ability to safely protect the operator/passenger in the event of a rollover. (Roll bars? Definitely not a motorcycle!!)
It sounds like Polaris really screwed the pooch with this thing.
Increasing my speed to catch up to it, I pulled alongside and gazed over. It was low-slung and looked kind of like an elongated dune buggy, except it only had three wheels; two in the front and one in the back. And it was ugly! "Buy a hat like that, I bet you get a free bowl of soup" kind of ugly!
Sitting inside this thing was the operator, decked out in full riding gear and full-faced helmet. I say "sitting inside" because that's what it was; the guy was sitting inside this thing, looking like he was driving a convertible.
Looking at the back of it, I saw the tag name "Slingshot", so when I got back to the computer, I looked it up. It's made by Polaris and I guess it's their answer to the Can Am line of vehicles. And while I've always thought it was a stretch to consider a Can Am a motorcycle, it goes beyond reasoning to call this Slingshot one. But sure enough; it's classed as a motorcycle. How can that be? I mean, it's even got a write-up in Car and Driver. Shouldn't that tell you something? Gimme a break.
**Update! Apparently Texas and Connecticut are the only states which have not lost their senses. They have both refused to allow Polaris to register their vehicle as a motorcycle in their states.
Texas has refused on the grounds that motorcycle is defined as something with "a saddle" as opposed to a car-style seat, which the Slingshot has. As such, the vehicle is no longer street legal in the Lone Star State.
Connecticut has refused because the definition of a motorcycle by the Connecticut DMV, excludes vehicles with an enclosed driver's seat and an engine that's covered. The Slingshot runs afoul of both. To quote; "It is the consensus of the DMV that this vehicle closely resembles an automobile in appearance, and is equipped (brake, clutch, accelerator, steering wheel, four-cylinder engine, seat belt, gear shifter, etc.) and handles like an automobile rather than a motorcycle."
Thank goodness there are still some sane people in power out there.
**Update Two!! After a bit more research, I found that Polaris has issued a "Stop Sales, Stop Riding" order. Wow! The machines (not motorcycles) apparently have potentially defective ball bearings in the steering rack (say wha?), not to mention the roll bars may have defective components, negating their ability to safely protect the operator/passenger in the event of a rollover. (Roll bars? Definitely not a motorcycle!!)
It sounds like Polaris really screwed the pooch with this thing.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
The Sky Is Falling
There's a building here in Natick center which had an enormous chunk of ice hanging off the side of it. This thing was monstrous, and in retrospect, I should have stopped and taken a picture of it for you. The town realized the danger it posed and set up some cones and caution tape to block off a large section of the sidewalk beneath it, so that folks would have to steer clear.
When the temps started to warm up a bit, the town must have realized that mere cones and caution tape were not enough, and the set up a sizeable section of scaffolding beneath the hanging iceberg. And this wasn't your normal, run-of-the-mill scaffolding, this was beefy stuff, complete with steel-supported, sectioned flooring.
The ice made its descent sometime over the weekend. How did the scaffolding fare?
Click on the pic and zoom in on it...
Actually, let me save you the trouble and zoom in for you...
And zoomed in even further... (Look at the underside)
Yowch - it punched right through. Just imagine being under that when it let go.
So now we hafta not only watch out for ice on the roads, but also ice falling from the sky. Awesome.
Summer can't get here soon enough!
When the temps started to warm up a bit, the town must have realized that mere cones and caution tape were not enough, and the set up a sizeable section of scaffolding beneath the hanging iceberg. And this wasn't your normal, run-of-the-mill scaffolding, this was beefy stuff, complete with steel-supported, sectioned flooring.
The ice made its descent sometime over the weekend. How did the scaffolding fare?
Click on the pic and zoom in on it...
Actually, let me save you the trouble and zoom in for you...
And zoomed in even further... (Look at the underside)
Yowch - it punched right through. Just imagine being under that when it let go.
So now we hafta not only watch out for ice on the roads, but also ice falling from the sky. Awesome.
Summer can't get here soon enough!
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Riding!
As those of you on Facebook saw; I took the bike out last night when I got home from work. How could I not? The temps were still well above freezing and the roads were calling. Sure there was a ton of salt, sand, slush and various potholes to be wary of, but it felt so good to be out on two wheels!
I didn't ride that long; the dwindling daylight combined with the dropping temps convinced me to head toward home after about an hour. Winding my way along various back roads, I made sure that my return route would take me past the car wash where I would be able to wash off the nasty road spray. Much to my chagrin, I found that the outdoor hose was out of order. Worse still; the entire assembly was all wrapped up in plastic and tape - giving a strong impression that it being repaired is not high on the owner's mind. Damn.
Well, there was nothing to do but head home, fill up buckets of hot water from the tub, and wash down the bike in the driveway. No way I want to leave all that salt on her!
When all was said and done, I rolled her back into the garage and set the overhead door down into place. Whereas the last time I did that we were still deep in the throes of winter - and facing many more weeks of unrideable conditions - I have a feeling that she'll be back out again much sooner this time around. And I can't wait to start getting some adventures going again!
Wish Hard, Think Spring!
I didn't ride that long; the dwindling daylight combined with the dropping temps convinced me to head toward home after about an hour. Winding my way along various back roads, I made sure that my return route would take me past the car wash where I would be able to wash off the nasty road spray. Much to my chagrin, I found that the outdoor hose was out of order. Worse still; the entire assembly was all wrapped up in plastic and tape - giving a strong impression that it being repaired is not high on the owner's mind. Damn.
Well, there was nothing to do but head home, fill up buckets of hot water from the tub, and wash down the bike in the driveway. No way I want to leave all that salt on her!
When all was said and done, I rolled her back into the garage and set the overhead door down into place. Whereas the last time I did that we were still deep in the throes of winter - and facing many more weeks of unrideable conditions - I have a feeling that she'll be back out again much sooner this time around. And I can't wait to start getting some adventures going again!
Wish Hard, Think Spring!
Monday, March 9, 2015
Spring is in the air...
I saw two indications of approaching Springtime this morning. The first one was most-welcome, the second was anything but.
First; I passed a State Trooper on his motorcycle on my way in to work this morning. (He was going the opposite direction, which is why I passed him. I did not pass him while going in the same direction - that would have been frowned upon by him.)
It was great to see a rider out and about on the roadways. The roadways are still quite a mess with sand all over the place, but I wish I were out there riding as well.
The second Springtime indicator I saw was roadkill. A poor little raccoon had been caught sometime during the night while trying to cross the road. I'm sure that as the critters start shaking off their winter doldrums and set to being more active, I'll see more instances of poor little things not making it safely across.
So there's two things to be wary of while out driving; bikers and critters.
Ride Safe, Keep Your Eyes Open.
First; I passed a State Trooper on his motorcycle on my way in to work this morning. (He was going the opposite direction, which is why I passed him. I did not pass him while going in the same direction - that would have been frowned upon by him.)
It was great to see a rider out and about on the roadways. The roadways are still quite a mess with sand all over the place, but I wish I were out there riding as well.
The second Springtime indicator I saw was roadkill. A poor little raccoon had been caught sometime during the night while trying to cross the road. I'm sure that as the critters start shaking off their winter doldrums and set to being more active, I'll see more instances of poor little things not making it safely across.
So there's two things to be wary of while out driving; bikers and critters.
Ride Safe, Keep Your Eyes Open.
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
On A Happier Note
I've been bitching about my neck a lot lately, so here's something positive. There's young buddy of mine here at work who served in Iraq and got blown up in a Humvee. He had a pretty serious back injury as a result, which has pretty much hamstrung him from leading a normal life.
I don't know how many surgeries he's had - his recovery has been long and slow - but he'd recently started doing some exercising again and trying to get back into the groove of things. Unfortunately, his back was still giving him some really serious pain and the docs told him to stop exercising. They did another MRI and found there was more shrapnel inside his back so they went in and removed it. He's now feeling much, much better and the docs think they may finally have all the shrapnel out. (He has two more follow-ups where the docs will search again to be sure.)
Even better, he's back to exercising and is dropping a lot of weight - this morning he showed me some pics of him when he was deployed - he was skinny back then, and has put on probably 50 or 60 pounds since being laid up. So he's very excited to be dropping weight finally.
Also good news for him; the military informed him recently that he was owed back pay which he never even knew of. Apparently when he got injured, his pay grade was elevated and he wasn't aware of it. That increase in pay stretches all the way back to when he was injured (years ago) so he got quite a hefty check (he showed me the amount - wow!). He and his young wife used it to pay off medical bills, their car they'd just bought, put some into savings, and the rest toward the house they just bought. Things are really looking up for him and it's definitely well deserved.
Thank a vet. They've earned it.
I don't know how many surgeries he's had - his recovery has been long and slow - but he'd recently started doing some exercising again and trying to get back into the groove of things. Unfortunately, his back was still giving him some really serious pain and the docs told him to stop exercising. They did another MRI and found there was more shrapnel inside his back so they went in and removed it. He's now feeling much, much better and the docs think they may finally have all the shrapnel out. (He has two more follow-ups where the docs will search again to be sure.)
Even better, he's back to exercising and is dropping a lot of weight - this morning he showed me some pics of him when he was deployed - he was skinny back then, and has put on probably 50 or 60 pounds since being laid up. So he's very excited to be dropping weight finally.
Also good news for him; the military informed him recently that he was owed back pay which he never even knew of. Apparently when he got injured, his pay grade was elevated and he wasn't aware of it. That increase in pay stretches all the way back to when he was injured (years ago) so he got quite a hefty check (he showed me the amount - wow!). He and his young wife used it to pay off medical bills, their car they'd just bought, put some into savings, and the rest toward the house they just bought. Things are really looking up for him and it's definitely well deserved.
Thank a vet. They've earned it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
