bluekat's Journeys

Jefferson to Stayton. First rainy ride in a long, long time. I think I missed the rain just a little bit. More mist than rain really, and warm. Many of us didn't bother with raincoats. Regroup at Shelburn Road Misty and wet. I love this lonely view No ride specs because my computer quit...and Ron's computer quit. Go figure! :)

Tonight we are serving up... new gloves. Okay, it's a lousy post, but it is moto related. :) Today, let's just say the weather was as lousy as it can get, cold and windy with rain and snow. Our snow is as wet as our rain, not the pretty fluffy stuff of hallmark cards and ski resort brochures. Ugly, wet smooshy snow. I didn't even bother with a pic. Instead of bicycling or motorcycling, we opted to go shopping (ugh!) At least it was motorcycle shops and bicycle shops. Now that's shopping I can live with! First we hung out at Discount Motorcycle in Eugene, where I tried on several jackets. I was well behaved and didn't leave a mess of liners and layers strewn about for the owners to pick up after. I found a pair of thin, unlined gloves that I'd been wanting, and pondered a future jacket purchase. A girl can't have to many gloves or jackets. One more silly pic New gloves: something light and simple (makes it easier to grab the camera). Afterword...

Rainy and windy, so we skipped out on the club ride and did a quick loop close to home.   21.87 miles 1.42 time 12.83 av 30.05 mx 3,502 Total  Pics to follow if I get them off my phone.

Rain at the start of the day. Rain at the end.  And in between? More rain... and wind... and debris. I think there was about 5 minutes of nice weather tucked in there somewhere. Wednesday was the big storm day and I took the cage. Thursday was a little tamer, but still wet and windy. I hadn't ridden in stormy weather for a while. Guess it was about time to crawl back on that particular horse. Was it fun? Sometimes, but it was also a little scary, and that's why I ride in bad weather. It keeps that edge off the fear, just a little. The next stormy ride will be a little easier. Eventually it will be exhilarating, the buffeting wind, the crisp air, the patter of raindrops, the crunch of riding over hail... Kidding! I draw the line at frozen crunchy stuff...or frozen stuff of any type. One from the ride. It was darker than it looks I managed one dark, blurry snapshot of my ride home on Thursday. Home is that spot just under the darkest cloud in the sky. I saw one othe...

It starts out so promising, but alas it is not to be...a dry ride that is. In preparation for longer trips Ron and I decided it was time for a long ride. The absolute hardest thing about planning a trip is picking a route. So many options, which one to chose. I can fritter away whole weekends with indecisiveness. This weekend we come up with a plan, a trip to the coast, and we stick to it. The route will take us out to the coast by way of highway 34 to Waldport, down the coast highway to Reedsport where we'll head inland on highway 38 to Drain. Returning north we'll take Territorial Road around the edge of Eugene, and then ride local roads toward home, a total of 277 miles, more or less. When I figure out the mileage later at home we'll realize this is our longest ride ever, most of it with the pitter-patter of raindrops on the face shield. Fortunately we have a dry highway 34 to ourselves out to the coast. For those not local to the area, this is a great, curve filled...

Ron and I rode to Eugene today. Going south was not a good choice. All the rain was south today. Well, aren't WE the lucky ones. We had some dry roads, but we also had to ride through some standing water. The murky water stretched from one side of the road to the other. Ron went first and hit a pothole on his way through. No way, I'm not go through that. But where I'm stopped I can't turn around. Ron saw the look on my face and knew...he had to ride back. He picked a different line through the water and everything went smoothly. While we sat and discussed the options, a white-haired grandma came cruising through in her Honda Civic, no problem. I watched her wheels, and her smooth ride through the water. Yeah, if grandma can do it, I can do it. Just stay left. Okay, deep breath...and GO! Water flying left, water flying right, and according to Ron, a really cool rooster tail. Okay, maybe I didn't need quite that much throttle to get through, but I was a little ner...

Ride or drive? The deep thoughts I ponder whilst sipping my morning brew. If I let the rain stop me, I won't be riding for quite some time. I'll just slip on my riding pants while I have my coffee, just to see how it feels. Feels like it's time for a ride! I chuck the winter gloves in the topcase, and grab some lighter ones. Chuck the balaclava too. Turns out I won't need the heated stuff either. Yeah, I can live with unseasonably warm.Warm being relative. Troubadour kept us on the edge of our seats posting about his office move, so I'm inspired to take a few pics from my own office. Okay I'm a little bored what with the sales staff off to a trade show. My nearest window, or the corner of it waaay over there. And the faithful Sam patiently waiting in the rain. A little closer look cuz riders will make any excuse to show off photos of their bike. Worse than parents that way... My kick ass computer, lovingly built by our new, young (read enthusiastic) I.T. kid. I...

Ride or drive? The deep thoughts I ponder whilst sipping my morning brew. If I let the rain stop me, I won't be riding for quite some time. I'll just slip on my riding pants while I have my coffee, just to see how it feels. Feels like it's time for a ride! I chuck the winter gloves in the topcase, and grab some lighter ones. Chuck the balaclava too. Turns out I won't need the heated stuff either. Yeah, I can live with unseasonably warm.Warm being relative. Troubadour kept us on the edge of our seats posting about his office move, so I'm inspired to take a few pics from my own office. Okay I'm a little bored what with the sales staff off to a trade show. My nearest window, or the corner of it waaay over there. And the faithful Sam patiently waiting in the rain. A little closer look cuz riders will make any excuse to show off photos of their bike. Worse than parents that way... My kick ass computer, lovingly built by our new, young (read enthusiasti...

That's how many miles I rode this past month. I am so jazzed! Sorry...just some gratuitous back patting. I rode to work three times this week. I drove the car one day. The day I took the car it rained for five minutes. The days I rode the bike it rained solidly the whole time. The upside? Well, apparently my gear is waterproof. Except the gloves. They have been on the drying rack every evening. Might have to rethink those. Earlier this week (while in a downpour) I saw another rider. I looked at him (or her) and he looked at me. I think we both had that "wow, another rider out in the rain" expression on our faces, not that we could tell through the shields. A shared moment, brief, then gone. No pics cuz' it was rainin'. :) Be safe out there...dry weather is coming! Or so they say. kari

Shut up alarm. I don't want to get up. It's dark. It's cold... It's morning. I look out the window. Hmmm, maybe not too bad. Some blue sky; Some grey clouds and some white. It's the kind of morning that promises pretty skies. It's also the kind of morning that brings risk...of rain. Still I want to ride. I don't even make it out of town when I feel the drops. I'm warm. I'm bundled in rain gear and fleece. I'm good. I don't want to dig out the camera. I hate stopping on the side of the road with no shoulders. I grab a snapshot at my stop on Scravel hill. Rain. But still...pretty. It's early. I opt to go through Jefferson and stay off the freeway. The rain has stopped, but when I look over at the coastal mountains I see white. Snow! The first snowfall on the foothills. I try for a photo, but there's no place to pull over. In Salem the sun comes out. It's a good day to commute.

Since Saturday looks like this... ...This looks like a nice way to spend the day indoors... THIS is the color a kawi should be! Might have to pay a visit to... One for Ron... ...Might have to drop by this place... ...and visit with this little one. Experienced, but she looks like she needs a new home!

This week I notice the first signs of spring. I spot a few crocus and daffodils coming up, and a few that are starting to bloom. The Plum tree in our backyard is showing its first pink buds. I had some nice rides this past week, and a nice bicycle ride yesterday. But while today had some sunshine, it also had some of this: Rain, sleet, snow in passing storm after passing storm. So the Boulevard stayed in the garage. But she is patient. She knows later this week...the sun will return...without the rain...or sleet. And she will be out and about once again. More time in the evenings to ride now too!

It was decided the night before. Today I'm going to ride! I already had on my rainpants when I got online and checked the weather. 32 degrees! Too bad, I'm still riding. The fingers haven't frozen off yet. Packed up lunch, grabbed the camera and headed out to the bike. And we're off. And were back...to make sure the coffee pot is off. Yep, it's ok, off we go again into the cold. The sky was pretty. Some sun, lots of clouds. Soon enough I run into fog. Blecch! Fog is tedious. But I get my first on-the-bike photo (woohoo)! Ok, so it's ugly fog and full of all sorts of photographic no-no's, but it's my first on-the-fly photo, so that trumps all! And I didn't kill myself, run off the road, or plow into any large painful objects. I make it to work and the boss is off to a tradeshow (Hallelujah!) . This afternoon I look out the window. It looks nice out. Partly cloudy, pretty skies. Hmmmm, I won't need the sunglasses though. I head out of town and o...