This morning I relaxed with coffee and the newspaper, then headed out for some errands on the bike, including a stop by the library and an hour or so at Adventure BMW for their open house.  I enjoyed catching up with Mike, Michael, Jack and a few others.... it's a good riding community.  My wife commented that it's the first motorcycle gathering she's been to where everyone was wearing protective gear.

After that I spent a few hours at the Virginia Wine Festival with a few friends from work.  This was my first year, but it won't be my last.  I shared a nice red, Octagon, from Barboursville Vineyards.  It was one of the more pricey bottles there, but absolutely fantastic for standing around in the sun on the banks of the Elizabeth River and making new friends.

One other thought...is it wrong to refer to an executive at work as The Evil Bitch Monster of Death?

A total of just over 1,500 miles.  LOADS of fun and good Company.  Photos coming soon.

Should be fun.

I've been really enjoying Trading Spaces and While You Were Out on TLC.  Of course it doesn't hurt that Paige is a real cutie!

I'm not sure what to make of that.  If he hands them out to everyone, why did he have only one, well-worn copy in his pocket?

If he only had one, why in the hell did he give it to me?  If I had been more awake, I would have let him know I had my tubes snipped, so I'd already taken the unnatural path, thank you very much.

On a completely different note, I'm going to try and grow my freelance work -- writing and web sites.  I'm also going to do some more creative writing.

I also stumbled across a few links that led me to this: http://woodliecaroline.blogspot.com/.  It's quite possibly the saddest thing I've ever read and it brought tears to my eyes.  Good lord I hope I never have to through anything even close to that.

Saturday I met up with our new IT Executive Director for a ride down to Knotts Island, NC.  It's one of my favorite rides, but the traffic was a bit thick.

I also managed to develop an oil leak around my right cylinder head.  I've got to call the shop and see when I can get in for the service.  I'm a bit bummed, as the pinging has gotten worse, also.

Oh yeah, lots of stuff going on at work these days.  Some of it even makes me laugh.

Here are a few things I've done lately of interest. Last Sunday I woke my eldest daughter (11 -- that's her age, not her name) up at 5 a.m. and we jumped on the bike for a 30 mile ride east to the Sandbridge section of Va. Beach.  We walked out on the beach and watched the sun come up over the ocean, while porpoises danced through the waves just off shore.

We packed it in after 45 minutes or so and stopped by a restaurant for breakfast on the way home, where we both hit our respective rooms for a morning nap.

Week before that I was in New York for a day/night and stayed up until 3 a.m. hanging out with colleagues from other parts of the Company.  I was doing pretty well until that last B-52.  Ugg.  Missed my 6 a.m. flight back to Norfolk and caught a later bird.  Only to come home and take a nap.  I'm starting to see a trend here.

So today I was once again up early on a Sunday, out the door a little before 5 a.m. for the Rock and Roll 1/2 Marathon, where I was on tap to ride my motorcycle with a cameraman on the back shooting video of the event.  I had asked for the lightest/smallest camera guy, as I didn't want a monster on the back. Some of those guys were BIG.

I didn't really have a destination in mind, other than getting to some mountain roads, so I headed west on I-64 until I got around Richmond, where I picked up Rt. 33 West.  This is a fun road, rolling over the gentle hills outside Richmond and dotted with huge mansions on modern-day plantation-sized farms.  Lots of horses and, the more west you get, cattle.

It was fairly warm and by the time I got to Gordonsville, about 2 1/2 hours into the trip, I was getting a bit hungry, so when I passed the Old Dominion Creamery, I turned around and went back for a medium sized Heath Bar ice cream in a waffle cone.

It was absolutely fantastically decadent and while I licked the melting ice cream a couple pulled in on a Gold Wing, towing a trailer.  They got their licks and joined me in the outdoor seating area.  They were on their way back to Richmond from a poker run in Culpepper.  We chatted for a while and I looked at my map to figure out where I was headed next.  I noticed a smallish line on the map that led to Sperryville.  Hmmm... I've been there before, right at the base of Rt. 211! 

Knowing that was a fun ride, and that there would likely be camping areas around Skyline Drive, I headed northwest on Rt. 231.  This was a very fun road that had hardly any traffic -- it simply wound through more farm country with nice sweepers and some tighter sections when the road dropped into a hollow to follow a creek or two.

It was getting a bit late as I headed up Rt. 211 and it was sprinkling a little.  I had purchased a FirstGear Mex Tex perforated jacket on the way out of town at Adventure BMW and the cooling air felt almost chilly as I got back into the groove of mountain road riding.  By the time I got to the top of 211 I was feeling pretty good and really enjoyed the twists and turns.

I stopped in Luray for gas and to change into my Kilimanjaro jacket.  I also looked at the map and decided to head north along the west side of the mountain range toward Front Royal and several campgrounds.  I figured I'd get there around dusk and have time to find a site, pitch my tent and run into town for dinner.

Well I was working my way up a VERY twisty Rt. 675, heading for Rt. 678 and getting a bit confused, in spite of the GPS, when I noticed the sky was very very dark to the north, including flashes of lightning.  I went a few more miles then turned around and picked up a side road that went up over the mountains to the west.  I jumped on I-81 and gunned it south at speed, with plans to get back to New Market or Luray, get a campsite and get set up before the storm hit.

As luck would have it, I couldn't find the advertised campground in New Market, so it was back East on 211 over a smaller mountain and a quick run to Luray in a drizzle, where I found the Yoggi Bear campground was booked solid.  "Rut Roh." I thought in my best mental Scoobie voice.

By now the light was fading fast and the storm was approaching even faster.  I ran back to Luray and followed the signs for one other campground, arriving at deep dusk, as the rain really hit.  I quickly paid for a site, they had plenty, and rode up to an open area.  I set up the tent in my gear in the rain, thankful it has a small vestibule where I could leave my wet stuff.  By now it was 8:30 and I was hungry and soaked, and had NO desire to ride back into town in the dark and rain for a bite somewhere. 

Instead I opted for the two granola bars in my tank bag and a shower when the rain died down a bit.  I walked a lap around the campground and hit the sack by 9:30 or so.

By 7 a.m. I was up, packed and on the way in the fog.  I hoped to find a small-town diner serving Sunday breakfast, but had to settle for a motel restaurant.  Forty minutes later I was running west on Rt. 211.  I had my eye on Rt. 42, figuring I could run south to Staunton and head east on Rt 250 and then get on the Blue Ridge Parkway for a while.  Once I got over the mountains west of Luray it was full sunlight!

Rt. 42 was okay, but when I got to Harrisonburg I figured I wanted more mountain riding and headed west on Rt. 33 -- one of my favorite stretches of road in the state.  Rt. 33 heads into the George Washington National Forest and runs straight for about 6 miles between tall trees, like a ribbon of ink through a green tunnel.  It was perfect, and even better than that when the twists started.

When I reached Brandywine I noticed I could take some back roads south, instead of continuing on to 220, so I headed south toward Sugar Grove on Rt. 678. This was a very fun road that ran right along the edge of the hills, following every twist and turn of a small river.  I loved it!  One strange site was the Sugar Grove Naval Base right out there in the middle of the West Virginia mountains.  Weird.

Anyway, I picked up Rt. 250 and had the choice of running east the 28 miles to Staunton, or west 15 miles to Monterey.  However, the reserve fuel light had come on about 15 miles ago, and I decided to head west, over another mountain range :-).  I managed to find gas before I ran out and headed east again on Rt. 250 -- some seriously fun riding, especially where it crosses the top of the mountains at the Civil War Fort Edward Johnson.  I stopped there for a photo and some water, before heading south to get lost in the cute town of Staunton.  I could live there, easily.

I ended up running up running east on I-64 to Afton Mountain, where I picked up the Blue Ridge Parkway for a run south.  This is a great stretch of road, although somewhat slower paced due to the heavily enforced 45 mph speeds.  There is a great stretch of uphill left-handed sweepers near mile post 20 that are fantastic.  I rode down about 50 miles or so to the intersection with Rt. 60 and headed east toward Richmond. 

I stopped in a po-dunk town for gas and some food about 1:30 or so, and continued east until I hit Chesterfield County -- my high-school age stomping grounds.  I worked my way across the county and picked up Rt. 10, running east along the James River.  Funny, I had been near the headwaters of the James that morning as I ran 200+ miles of mountain roads!

By late afternoon I was in Surry and ready for a pit stop and an ice cream bar to cool off.  An hour later I was home to a warm shower and some grocery shopping.  A great getaway of nearly 750 miles!  Ahhh... I needed that.

I'm approaching 20k on the Roadster.  The past two weeks have been mostly commuting miles, however.  I also hope to receive my Iron Butt certification soon.  I know I did the ride, but there's something special about receiving the recognition and joining a very select group of riders.

I also gave up the ghost on having time to do some home repairs and hired a handyman to pressure wash the house, replace some wood trim and paint all the exterior trim.  He's also sanding some areas that needed attention and caulking around all the windows.  He's making good progress -- certainly faster than I could have done.

The beach has changed a lot during the past 20 years, not all of it for the better.  The traffic is worse than ever, but there are more things for families to see and do.  But we went the traditional route -- reading, swimming and relaxing.  Now if I can just hit the lotto.

Now for a trip to the beach for some relaxing vacation days!

My bike is ready, but with the fam off at camp, I'm having trouble scrounging a ride to the shop.  Perhaps I can con a coworker into running me by the shop today.

Tonight is movie night with a friend from work.  I'm thinking Bourne Identity or Minority Report.  I watched the DVD of Behind Enemy Lines Sunday night on a laptop.  A good action flick that suffered from a woeful lack of good acting.  Listen up folks... ya gotta cast people who are believable.  Gene Hackman aside, of course.

I've got a full day planned before the kids head off to Girl Scout summer camp with their Mom.  Ahh... a week to myself.  Today it's mowing the grass, changing the oil in the Xterra, wash, wax & cleaning the inside and a few other things around the house.  Watch out folks, I'm on a roll.

Speaking of the apple -- we've had a couple of mini-date nights lately.  Getting out of the house running errands with just the two of us, while somewhat less romantic than an evening in a high-end restaurant, has been really great.  We've been heading in different directions for so long, it feels good to just spend some time together.  Besides, the errands have ended up requiring the checkbook on multiple occasions, so it feels just like we had a high-end dinner in a fancy restaurant, but without the gas.  Tonight we also dropped the bike off for the 18k service, 1079 miles too late.  I'm also returning to brand new Dunlop D205s on the bike.  Hopefully the invoice won't kill me.

And on a final note... last night while stuck in traffic I heard one of those radio commercials for Hanes or the Dump -- the furniture places that are always having a "once in a lifetime" sale.  I was bored, so I called up every employee in one of the departments at work and left a message on their voicemail about how I just heard about a once-in-a-lifetime event this weekend that sounded so great, I wanted to make sure they knew about it.  I rambled for about 20 seconds about the great sale and then hung up.  It made for some smiles all around this morning. Sometimes it's just good to be silly that way.  I had so much fun with it I think I'll tell strangers about it in the elevator tomorrow.

On another note, it's time for new tires on the bike and the 18,000 mile checkup was due 1,000 miles ago.  I plan to call the shop today to schedule a visit.  Look out Dunlop, here I come.... these BT56s are no comparison.

Never mind.  I've been incredibly busy lately and the site was one of the last things on my list. However, I found a great new FTP client, have a Blink 182 CD in the stereo and am ready to roll.

Speaking of rolling, here's one of the things I've been up to -- the Iron Butt Saddle Sore 1000.  That's 1,000 MILES on a motorcycle in less than 24 hours.  Here's my tale, so to speak. I now have more than 19,000 miles on the bike and it needs the 18k service, so I'm Jeeping it this week.

In other news, the MS 150 was lots of fun and five people from work did a great job of pedaling the entire route.  Me, I managed about 500 miles between the two days.  That's a lot of back-and-forth over the same roads!

They're looking for more volunteer riders if you're interested. Drop me a note.

Today the grass gets mowed, some weeds get pulled and the trellis I built for the front walkway goes up.  But first, some coffee and relaxation.

And perhaps later... "Is he strong? Listen bud, he's got radioactive blood."

The photos are (l to r) my bike at the Skyline Drive/Rt. 33 intersection, Paul from DC and Erik from Ohio (note the camcorder setup on his tank bag), Don from Raleigh and Paul, and two shots of the group and some Canadians we caught up to.

Once again I'm amazed at the local paper, The Virginian Pilot, and it's utter lack of dedication to the written word.  While there are certainly some talented folks, more often than not I'm left with questions, not answers, after reading an article.  This morning I was reading about the Virginia Beach Bike Classic -- a local motorcycle rally aimed mostly at the Harley crowd.  The article mentioned one bike owner who was testing his bike, I'm guessing on a dyno, then the rest of the article focused on some Sons of Confederate Veterans who were at the rally touting a new CSA license plate.  What the hell does that have to do with the Bike Classic?  I'd put in a link to the article, but the paper is so lame they don't have most of the articles on the web site.

I spent the bulk of yesterday cleaning out the garage.  I managed to throw a bunch of stuff away (my bride will be proud).  Later, I cooked up a spaghetti dinner for my two youngest daughters and me.  Mom is off camping with some Girl Scout leaders and my eldest is camping with a friend.  Nasty weather for it.

Today I think some house straightening and then some other chores, including the final coat of paint on a window flower box and a trellis for some flowering vine my wife has snaking up the side of the house.  Thankfully it's too wet for weeding, although I may give it a shot, if only to get muddy like a child :-).

I rode home in this last night. It was a frog-drowning kind of rain.  I kept expecting to run through a poodle.  Meanwhile, there was lightening striking all around me.

Then drove to Richmond and back for my wife.  I'm still tired.

I headed out fairly early Friday morning, leaving the house a little after 7 a.m., having packed the bike the night before.  I promptly got stuck in traffic for the next 20 minutes or so, which put me behind schedule.  I had hoped the commuters wouldn't be out in force yet that morning.  I was wrong.  The plan was to meet Paul in Gordonsville, Va., at the intersection of Rt. 33 and 15.  Paul was riding down from DC with another VFR rider.  My plan was to take 64 to 295, jog around Richmond and pick up 33 for a scenic ride to Gordonsville.  My delays in Chesapeake messed up my plans though, so I stayed on 64, where I was able to keep the throttle wound out and cruise to Rt. 15.  I was about 15 minutes behind our 9:30 meeting, and after I gassed up and ate a banana, we were on our way.

Rt 33 passes north of Charlottesville and is a nice, but short, stretch of twisty roads that were just right.  As I was leaning into one of the first tight (25 mph) left handers, a beautiful hawk lifted up off the side of the road and flew just above my windshield for 20 yards or so.  It was an awesome experience, and all I could do to keep my eyes on the road and not the bird.

All too soon we topped the ridge at Skyline Drive and headed down, ending up in Harrisonburg and a quick pit stop.  From there we continued on Rt. 33 and some of the best twisty roads I've ever encountered.  The CLASS school I took last spring really paid off and I was riding better than ever in the turns, with none of the pucker factor I used to experience on mountain roads.  It was great!  By lunchtime we were in Elkins West Va., where Levent turned back toward D.C. after some time eating at Shoney's.

We continued on Rt. 33 out of Elkins and Paul and I were soon stuck behind a lumbering school bus, with very few areas for passing.  Between the slow pace and the fumes, I was starting to get a headache, and at the first chance we zoomed around the bus and were hauling along again.  We headed northwest on Rt. 47 and spent the next hour going 45 miles or so, with no straight stretches more than 400 feet or so.  It was fairly intense and I was getting way tired, hitting the 400 mile mark near the beginning of 47.  We picked up the Interstate just a few miles shy of Marietta and blasted up the slab at super-legal speeds, arriving at the hotel around 5ish.  Don was already there and we joined him in looking over the bikes and having a bite to eat.

Dave, a West Virginia High School Principal, arrived around 9 or so, having ridden his Nighthawk out after work.  We told lies for a while and then headed off to bed.

We were up and moving my 7:30 or so Saturday and headed out to breakfast, where we took our time and talked.  By 9:30 we were gearing up in the hotel parking lot when Erik pulled in on his VFR.  Paul and I met Erik during the Palmetto Ramble and through some emails we let him know he was welcome to join us.  He lives in Columbus and rode down for part of the day.  Erik had mounted a video camera to his tank bag thanks to some foam and tape, and was planning on catching some of our group going through the turns.

With Paul as the Routemeister (who did a fantastic job planning and leading), we were off, flowing up and down over hills, through off-camber turns and along beautiful valleys, home to covered bridges and "Mail Pouch Tobacco" painted barns.  Here's a link to the route Paul prepared.

We passed a few other riders out during the day and ended up stopping for a late lunch in Zanesville before heading south on the triple nickel.  This was one of the most unnerving stretches of road I've ever been on.  Lots of ups and downs, with blind, descending turns right after you crest a hill.  Thank goodness Paul was leading, because I could watch which way he started leaning as his helmet disappeared over each rise.  I was concentrating so hard I hardly noticed the scenery, although I'm sure it was beautiful.

We stopped for a breather in Gloucester, Ohio, a place that still hasn't recovered from the great depression.  A few hours later and we were headed east on Rt. 550, finishing up 270 miles of the curviest roads I've ever been on.  These weren't twisties, just curves, but I was still worn out at the end of the day.   We did some bench racing with the others at the hotel in the rain, which conveniently held off until we were in the final stretches of our ride.  Don took some "after" photos of a beautiful R1 some guy had managed to wad up in an off-camber turn.  The word was that he was okay, but still at the hospital.  Man, he was proud of that bike. I hope he recovers fully.

While Don and Paul headed to the restaurant bar, I grabbed a quick shower and a fresh set of clothes, and joined them in time for a beer.  Don headed off for his own shower and Paul and I watched the resident squid do laps around the parking lot in the rain on his BMW K1200LT for anyone who would glance his way.  There's some serious psychology at work between those ears!

While Paul chatted with some of the VFR listers I headed back to the room to relax and get out of the rain.  I ended up hanging around the room, eating a few munchies from the vending machine and calling it dinner (we had a very full lunch at a Cracker Barrel).  We watched the forecast, a bit of the Stanley Cup and some serious heavyweights trying to duke it out in the ring.  I turned in around 10 and had a fitful night's sleep on a trundle bed, awakening around 4:30 or so to thunder and heavy rains.

It was still raining in the morning when I got up and I was anxious to get on the road, anticpating 450 miles of riding in the rain through the mountains of West Va.  I headed out before the fellas and was rolling south on the Interstate by 8:30.  Surprisingly, the rain stopped just across the river and other than the first two miles, my day was rain-free!  A fantastic stroke of luck given the weather that rolled through that area, including flooding.

I headed east on Rt. 50, which was blessed with a 65 mph speed limit, enabling me to run around 75, slowing down on the wetter stretches of road.  I picked up 250 South to Elkins, where I stopped for gas and a late breakfast at McD's with 130 miles or so under the tires.  I continued west on Rt. 33 in the sunshine and had a fantastic time blasting through the mountains.  The only down side was in the twisty sections, where water was running across the road on every inside turn as the runoff left the mountainside.  It was still great, though.

I stopped at the top of the pass at Skyline Drive to take out my jacket liner and put on summer-weight gloves, then my last stop was in Gordonsville for gas and a quick snack.  From there I continued east on Rt. 33, passing lots of slower traffic, but generally enjoying the ride, despite high winds.  The final 100 miles or so was on the Interstate, where traffic was heavy and required lots of concentration.  By the time I got home I was pretty beat and my left knee was so stiff I didn't think I would be able to get it down at a stoplight.  I realized later it was the first time I put my foot down in more than 160 miles.  Ouch.

All in all it was a great weekend with 1,200 miles of high-quality riding.  I lucked out with the weather, the roads were great and the company was top-notch, as usual.  I'd do it again next weekend if I could, and plan to head back along 33 in West Virginia sometime soon!

BTW, I'm a fan of Six Feet Under and just checked out the wake section of the HBO website (hbo.com).  Pretty cool details, like Nate's to-do list from this week's episode.

Even better, Don is heading up from Raleigh and Paul and I are going to meet up near Charlottesville Friday morning.  I'm hoping for great weather and the chance to take some photos on the trip!

I ended up near Surry, winding a twisty path down entirely too many roads to count. However, with the GPS onboard, I can re-trace my route someday if I choose.  It was very helpful in identifying roads with a few more twists and turns, including one spectacular stretch that wound along the banks of a creek and swamp, through trees and following rises and falls.  It was great, except for the rain that joined me for the bulk of my ride.

I'm not one to complain about riding in the rain, but I didn't want to push it too much, so it was back home after 100+ miles of smiles.  I then ran out to Farm Fresh for the last two live lobsters in the tank.  Happy birthday, sweets.  Hope you like the presents, too.

I also took off the GS handguards now that we've skipped spring and moved right into summer.

I know, I know -- it's about individual rights, yadda, yadda yadda.  So after the doctors do their best with skin grafts, remind me to ask "how are those rights working for you now that you don't have a face and are drooling all over everything."  Of course I can only control what I do :-).

I'm getting revved up for the Center of the Universe rally in lower Ohio next weekend.  Assuming the weather cooperates, it should be a great run with Don and Paul.  There are also threats from a few other riders about joining us, but as Don puts it, "...they are weak and unmanly men at best, and will probably stay at home under the biting whiplash of their wives and/or bosses. Not that there is anything wrong with that."  He has a way with words, ya know.

Also... I've got a story that's been in my head for almost two weeks now, thanks to an artsy session in the leadership training I went to last week.  I may try to get it down on paper today, especially after being prompted yesterday by Roy Lantz -- a very engaging speaker.  Thanks, Roy.

The taxes are done (the check is in the mail, really) and I spent the evening mowing the grass and washing the motorcycle in 80-degree weather.  Man, what happened to spring?  It felt really good to be back on the bike after a week away.  I took my eldest to a birthday party on the bike on Sunday, where she was proclaimed "the coolest."  Sometimes it's just great being a dad!

Here are some photos of my latest woodworking project, a country-style island for our kitchen:

Here's another.  Click on the photo for a larger version.

BTW, I'm an ENTP (and here).

Fooled ya?  I doubt it.  It is, however, spring break, which means my lovely children will have driven my wife quite batty by the time I get home each day.  I'm going to take off two days this week to join in the madness.

Looks like a wet ride in and out of work today, too.

We came home and took a long, hot shower and I'm rounding out the evening with some web work after a bit of bill-paying depression ;-).

BTW, I just published a web site I've been working on for a client.  This kind of thing is right up my alley, particularly when the subject is MOTORCYCLES!  Check it out.

I guess this means I have to offer a disclaimer when I tout Adventure BMW now.

On another note, I have a three day weekend, counting today, and the family and I are off to a cabin in the mountains north of Charlottesville.  It's the rustic cabin of a friend -- no running water, but it does have electricity.  It's about 10 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway and I think it should be a grand time!  Of course I'm also going to take the GPS and scout out some roads in the area for a return trip on the bike.

I started off the day at 5ish for a 6 a.m. breakfast gathering of the BMW faithful.  This was my first get-together with this group and what a change from the Harley breakfast a few weeks ago.  There were five of us, four for breakfast and one just for the ride.  By 7 a.m. we were gearing up and headed out of Suffolk (a half hour or so from my house) for points unknown.  These guys were ready to ride, promising a full day of 400+ miles.  I let them know I had to turn back to be home by lunch and they let me know the general route so I could bail out when needed.

I arrived back home at high noon, with 230 extra miles on the bike.  Now that's what I call a Sunday morning ride!  A few tidbits of interest:  three of the five were sporting GPS units, three of the five had reflective vests over their gear, all five had hyper-lites installed (it looked like a disco when we pulled up to a stop.  All had full-face helmets and high-quality gear.  My kind of crowd.

One nice thing about the GPS V was I didn't have to worry about remembering road names.  When I was ready to turn around and head back, I just followed my "track."  Once I was closer to roads I knew, I peeled off the track and headed to some other fun roads, taking the scenic route back home.  All in all a great day for riding!

For today -- taking down the dog kennel that the homeowners association is all a flutter over, after four years of having it in the back yard.  Maybe some yard work as it warms up and generally spending time with the family.  We'll see if the latest hair color makes it through the weekend, too.

Where did she go wrong?  I'll tell you --  expecting that because she has a fancy piece of sheepskin that she is somehow entitled to something different from anyone else.  This type of whining really ticks me off and furthers my belief that parents aren't doing kids any favors these days when they shelter them from reality and instill a sense that you are entitled to anything in this world.  Maybe the English degree wasn't the best choice, babe.

A nasty, rainy day here, but it started out great with a daddy-daughter (x3) trip to a local diner for breakfast.  The food left a lot to be desired (like a better breakfast somewhere else), but the company was great. 

On the "good news" front... a guy who posted some great photos of a tug boat going under a bridge has recovered some funds.  Apparently the photos were so popular his ISP was cranking hard and hit him up with a $3,000 bill.  A bunch of folks on the web who heard about it sent him a total of $1,200 and change to help offset the costs -- all of them relative strangers.  Gotta love the power of the Internet!

But first, a shower -- I'm a bit manly after 2+ miles on the treadmill.  Then maybe some decaf and the paper.  Man I love weekends!

! 13-year-old kid in Portsmouth shot and killed a 16-year-old boy Sunday after a party to celebrate non-violence.  This kid has several assault convictions under his belt, along with a few others.  What was a 13-year-old doing out at 12:30 a.m. with a history like that.  We should lock up the parents, too.  Lest you think it was self defense... he chased the older teen down the street to kill him.

I had the local shop (Adventure BMW) put the 4,600-mile Bridgestone BT56s back on the bike after running the Dunlop D205s into the ground.  A major improvement in handling on the way home.  It's easy to forget how much of an impact good tires have on motorcycle handling and rider feedback.  It felt like a new bike -- very confidence inspiring.  I also had the state inspection done.  I've had the bike for 11 months and 14,000 miles and every ride is like one big full-body smile.

Now for some web work and SS1000 planning.

The good part, if there is one, is that he wasn't drunk and was horribly upset.  I finally told him not to worry about it and sent him home, after getting his name, number, address and license plate, of course.  He stopped by the house tonight to apologize some more and offer any help that we needed ("I'm an electrician, is there anything I can help you with.") -- a very nice gesture, if you ask me.

He's painting my house this weekend.

Just kidding.

My Most Lovely Wife (TM) arranged so that my family obligation today was to deliver Girl Scout cookies -- 90 miles away to relatives on the Outer Banks!  I had enough room in the saddle bags for 14 boxes of cookies, and now I'm back, after two stops to deliver cookies and campaign advice, and one stop at Pigman's Barbecue.  Yummy!

By the way, here are some other tales from the Palmetto Ramble.  My favorite quote, "The procession of trailer towing trucks heading south on I-95, each trailer loaded with one or more really pretty bikes. ("That bike's so purty I bet you have to wear lace panties when you ride it.")."  I actually wore my "I rode my bike to Trailer Week 2000" T-shirt during the rally, and also saw lots of Harleys on the way to Daytona in the back of trucks.  Another good line...

"I got tired of dry people in trucks, with bikes on trailers commenting about this not being a very good day to ride. I finally began responding with a brief but to the point comment. "How the f*** would you know, you sorry a** no count b***, kiss my a**."

I also added a ride story about my trip to the Ramble.

Note to self... don't sneeze while eating oatmeal.

I need to spend some time on my web project tonight.  I should be able to wrap it up the initial rollout soon.

At least until I get cold.    Wish us luck!

I have my first route picked out, having thrown out two others already.  I wonder how the big dogs are doing?

A few errors on the bonus location list to keep people on their toes.  Also, THE GPS ISSUE IS SOLVED thanks to My Most Wonderful Wife (TM), who brought home a new Garmin GPS-V on her way home from a Girl Scout training function this afternoon.  Yes folks, she's a keeper!

I ran into Jack Hornbeck on the way in (no, not literally) and we started making plans to ride to the Palmetto Ramble together, along with Rick B. and Paul from DC.  The Virginia contingent has every intention of kicking some serious rally ass.

While I was there I met Bill (?), a guy I had actually met with Amy in December.  You may recall me writing about a guy who came up to us in Food Lion and asked if we were on a Beemer, after seeing our gear.  He was at the shop with his R1200C.  Also met Neal, who rides an K1200RS.  A go-fast bike and I suspect he knows how to ride it.  He told me about a group that rides every Sunday morning and I may have to hook up with them after I get back from South Carolina next weekend.  We exchanged email addresses.

The more people I meet in the Beemer community the more I enjoy the riding experience.  They say you meet the nicest people on a Honda.  Apparently you meet the serious riders on a BMW!  And it's a damn small community -- everyone seems to know everyone else.  I like it.

I may have to skip out of work a little early this afternoon to get some RIDING in!

No dice on the riding, but I'm home a little earlier.  Maybe in the morning.

If you ride, you should read this: http://www.mcnews.com/depts/physical.htm

I spent several hours working on a web design last night.  The content is coming along nicely and the overall design shouldn't be far behind.

I joined in an online chat last night for the Palmetto Ramble motorcycle rally.  Learned a few things that may come in handy.  One of the items to bring is a swim suit, and a towel.  I'm not sure what it all means, but I sure hope it warms up by March 2!

Meeting with someone tonight to talk about doing their web site.  Wish me luck.

We stopped by Adventure BMW to check out the new BMW sport screen for the Roadster.  It's actually made by National Cycle and looks WAAAY cool.  I'm going back when they get the touring model in to make my selection.  Of course I can't afford it anytime soon, but it's fun to think about the next accessory!

BTW, I received another email from across the Pond today, this one from Arno in Switzerland who rides a '96 R1100R.  It's a good-looking bike, particularly with the matching system case covers.  This Internet thing is great -- my world keeps getting smaller, and the itch to travel is starting to turn into a rash.  I may have to get a passport just in case.

The power of the Internet:  How about I get an email from a guy in Spain who has the same bike and is interested in finding out more about my wind screen after seeing this site.  This thing makes the world a much smaller place, and I think it's fantastic.  David, I'll send you some thoughts on the wind screen after I get home from work tonight.

I've been getting healthy(er) lately -- up to three miles of straight running on the treadmill and no caffeine since January 3.  This could be the start of something.  At least I'll be in better shape for the Palmetto Ramble motorcycle rally.

This morning my lovely bride was off early to teach a Girl Scout class, so I went out for a nice 70 mile ride through Va and NC before grabbing the Jeep and heading out to pick up the kids.  All in all a great start to the weekend, if you ask me.  This week I will be making an appointment with the talented folks at Adventure BMW for the 12,000 mile service.

I'm also noticing some cupping on the front tire (Dunlop D205 with 7,500 miles on it) and may put the spare BT56s back on at the same time.

BTW, I managed to get my taxes done in about an hour or so, thanks to Turbo tax (www.intuit.com).  Good stuff.  However, based on the results, I WILL be waiting until the last minute to actually file those suckers.

BTW, here's a pretty cool web page that has a bunch of conversions... BAR to PSI, Miles to K, etc.

I took a slightly longer way home (300 miles) and just walked in the door.  I'm ready to do it again.  More later, including a few photos.

Here's a full write-up, with the photos, including a few of the sunrise in the camp area and of the bike loaded up with the tent and bag.

There's also talk of a run to Wyoming in the summer, or a jaunt to a different kind of riding school.  Damn this is fun!

I'm also hitting the weights and treadmill (treadmill since the holidays) to get in shape for the long-distance riding.

• Polypropelene long underwear (i know that can't be how you spell it).
• Some type of hydration system
• A few SC maps, highlighters, pens and paper to shove in my tank bag.
• Bicycle shorts (the ones with the funny pad...yeah, I know).
• 12,000 mile service for the Beemer (I'm at 11,000 and will probably hit close to 12k by the end of this weekend).
• A credit card so I can pay at the pump.
• Pocket calculator (or I'll just take my Palm Pilot).
• Drag out my micro tape recorder to help remember bonus stuff?

I'm also going to get on my bike, throw on a sleeping bag and tent (If Don backs out) and head south on Saturday, maybe to Charleston?

Before the ride I made some adjustments to my Deflector Screen.  I may have to go with something larger for better wind protection before trying a SS1000.

I'm also looking at another track school this year.  This one is expensive, but it's getting some fantastic reviews.

My new favorite quote, something like this, "Words are cheap when you can blow things up" courtesy of Project Greenlight on HBO.

I'm thinking seriously about giving this rally a shot in early March.  Looks like a good way to find out more.  I'm also very interested in the Tobacco Road rally.

Damn, that was short-lived.  It seems the server extensions at cox.net aren't up to snuff for my web page... let's try again with an FTP client...

With any luck I'll be able to get a few miles in today. I've been jonesing for a nice long ride in the sun.  Gotta wash the road salt off the Beemer, too.  Oh yeah, and the Jeep.

BTW, one of my regular motorcycle reads, motorcycle.com, is going to a fee-based service.  They tease you with the first few lines of an article, then try to get you to pay for the rest.  It's a sure sign to me that they aren't getting enough advertising dollars to support the great job they do.  It's a shame, but for me there's enough other free content out there that I don't feel the need to pay for more.  Besides, I already subscribe to three paper magazines (Motorcyclist, Motorcycle Consumer News and Rider).

Well that was easy... I picked up the handguards and got them installed very easily.  Here are a few photos:

Off to the dealer tomorrow (Adventure BMW) to pick up some GS hand guards for the Roadster.  I'm also giving serious thought to a Saddle Sore 1000 (1,000 miles in 24 hours) in the spring.

By the way... I had a car start to cut me off the commute home tonight in the dark... he/she must have seen my new lights all of a sudden, because they swerved right back out of the way.  I was expecting the car to come over, so it was a pleasant surprise when it actually didn't move into my space, even though I was already on  the brakes and ready for it.  Gotta like those PIAAs!

And this from the weather service... "Any Travel Is Strongly Discouraged. If You Leave The Safety Of Being Indoors, You Are Putting Your Life At Risk. "  My corporate office is open today.  Lovely.

Home early from work, where the view was nice, but there weren't too many people around to enjoy it.  A half hour of snowball fighting with the family and now a phone interview with a prospective employee.  Then... a nice hot bath!

Hope you're having a happy one!

I'm also thinking I may head south on the bike on the next warm weekend!  Charleston is a nice jaunt from here.

Everyone told me how much I'd love these lights.  They were right.  There's no good way to explain it, you have to see them for yourself.

I really like this shop.  I've never heard of being able to demo an aftermarket seat.  They said "you can take it with you for a while to see if you like it."  By "a while" they likely mean a few weeks.  I may go borrow it before my next long day, but with the cold snap we're having, that will probably be a while.

Here's an initial photo of the lights.  I took these from about 10 yards away.  More to follow.

Commuting will probably be a bit chilly.  Yesterday it was 26 degrees (F) on the way in to work.  It's already "warmed" up to 29 this morning.  That goodness for Widder.  I also wear a Quiet Rider by NOJ on the colder days.  Sadly, yesterday it slipped out on the commute (my fault), so those brisk sub-30 temps were swishing around in my helmet.  I was quite awake by the time I got to work.  I fixed it up the right way at my desk (see what I mean about getting things done) and the ride home was very comfortable.

The PIAAs go on tomorrow, courtesy of Adventure BMW.  Photos to follow.

Actually, I'm kidding.  The visits were surprisingly enjoyable, particularly for the kids.  The Roadster is the envy of my brother-in-law, so it gave us something to talk about.  Well, I talked, he drooled :-). 

Kind of cold and nasty today... the perfect vacation day with a good book and a fire in the fireplace.  I actually cleaned out the gas fireplace the other day.  Last year I paid some guy $65 to come fix it -- clean out the soot on the glass, clean out the holes in the flame hole thingies, re-arrange the gas logs, etc.  Two weeks later and it was starting to soot over again.  This year I did it myself in about half the time.  No charge.  I'm a big fan of real fireplaces, but there is a certain artificial satisfaction that comes with flicking a light switch and having instant fire.

I'm thinking the satisfaction comes mostly from spending a cold winter in the Utah mountains heating our first home entirely by wood one year.  It's a long story, but basically involved 9 cords of self-cut wood, nightly woodstove filling at 11 p.m., 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. and a strong desire to not split another log for quite some time.

I took the PIAAs out to the garage tonight and duct-taped them in place where I wish to mount them.  Here's what they look like (click on the photos for larger images):

A brisk ride in to work this morning in the chilly rain.  Traffic was light, the bike was running great and those heated grips were just fine, thank you.  Now for some additional light on the subject.

By the way.  This is my life.

Today I'm going to set up an appointment to get my PIAA lights installed at Adventure BMW.  I'm sure I could do it myself, but it would take me several hours.  I'm fairly handy with tools, but digging into my bike's electrical system may be a bit more than I'm ready for.

BTW, we were waiting in line at the Food Lion and the guy behind us asked what kind of bike we were on. I told him a BMW and he said that's what he figured... full gear, boots, electric cords -- riding on a cold day. Not your typical Harley look. He has a BMW R1200C and stopped by as we were loading some groceries into the saddle bags (he was in a car) to admire the Roadster.  Later I realized I should have gotten his name.

There's talk of a spring ride with my CTD buddies.  Here's a possible stop along the way, along with the dragon.

I finished Purple Mountains.  It's a relatively easy read, kind of like one long travel motorcycle article.

"...We were held up at one post for over two hours at Ferkessedougou because we had not stopped at the previous blockade and refused to return...After considerable time of stand off I proceeded to start taking photos of the surrounding area, including the road block which brought on an immediate reaction from one sergeant to snatch the camera, and a scuffle broke out resulting in Kay's helmet hitting him on the head and him punching Kay in the face. Even here women don't openly get punched in the face by Army sergeants regularly, and the situation immediately went quiet."
Peter & Kay Forwood, Australia, in Code d'Ivoire

The good news is my wife bought me some PIAA lights (1100x) for my Beemer for Christmas.  The better news is she already gave them to me!  I'm thinking about mounting them under the oil coolers on either side of the fuel tank.  Any suggestions?  Send me an email.  I'll post some photos once they're on... and some tales about the process.

The bad news.  Work comes around again on Monday.  Maybe sooner.

I rode home for about four miles in second gear at 45-60 mph the other night.  The bike and I loved it. Man there's a lot of power at the top of the rev range!

The bad news... the young lady at the checkout counter needed some Oxy-10++ treatment and was sporting a better moustache than mine.

I'm not quite as hungry anymore.

A yucky day in the Old Dominion.  The agenda for the day: coffee, buy a treadmill, some web work and a trip to the library for a free read.

Oh... I just heard this from my wife, who is reading the paper.  You know that blood you donate to the American Red Cross.  THEY SELL IT!  Hell, I could have done that.

This video will take a while to download, but it's way cool.

The web site leaves a lot to be desired, but they hard-copy catalog is great, chock full of good stuff.  Here's a tip, guys and gals.  If you have a product featured in your Press Release section on the web site, have a link directly to the product being highlighted, and the ability to BUY IT RIGHT THEN.  I spent another 3-4 minutes looking for the book in the online catalog.  Lesser men may have given up.

A busy day for the fam.... Girl Scout activities until mid-afternoon.  Then the glorious Noffsinger Family Christmas Hell, er... party.  Here's a site one of my cousins put together on the family history (no, not the soap opera stuff).

Now this is how a president should look when we're at war!

I also made an adjustment to my deflector screen last night.  I tilted it back quite a bit in hopes of getting my helmet into clean air when I ride.  It doesn't rest on the headlight anymore, but it seemed pretty stable at speeds up to an indicated 75 on the commute today.  We'll see if we can crank it up to triple-digits over the weekend.

We're also talking about getting a canoe.  Now that would be a different speed.

My new slogan... WWSD.  What Would Scoobie Do.

These are a few of my favorite things.... makes me laugh. This would scare me!

Here are a few photos taken during the ride Paul and I took on Sunday (1, 2, 3), and his write-up, which includes his review of the BMW R1150R.

I'm also starting to get serious about writing again.  It's been quite a while since I really wrote anything other than work stuff.  While that certainly helps offset the need, it really doesn't begin to satisfy the craving that's becoming more noticeable with each passing day.  It's a mental hunger if you will.  I started to get some thoughts down last night, but there was so much going on around the house, it just didn't work out.

Early mornings and late nights may be the answer.  Good thing I like coffee.

Oh yeah, another woodworking project...

I led him down Benefit, Douglas, Balahack, Back Woods and a half dozen other roads before we hit the NC line.  We piddled west to South Mills, then jumped on 158 for a fast-paced run to 13.  We headed north on 13 for a while, then pulled off on some backroads, ending up in Franklin, where we picked up Rt. 258 North to Rt. 10.  Then RT 10 to Surry, where Paul split off for the Jamestown Ferry and the Colonial Parkway.  I turned around and blasted home on Rt. 10 to Rt. 17 to the Interstate.  About 200 miles later I'm ready for some hot coffee and a stretch!  Photos to follow.

BTW, we also switched bikes for about 20 miles or so.  The VFR is a nice bike, but that crouched over riding position would definitely take some getting used to.  I also missed my EVO brakes! Paul said the Beemer was "very smooth."  I'm hoping he'll write a short review to expand a bit on his impression.

Now to pick out a tree.

BTW, @HOME may get unplugged tomorrow -- a judge is to rule on whether the company, which is in bankruptcy, can shut off Internet access.

On another note, if you haven't seen it already, rent Memento and watch it a few times.  It will take a half our or so to get into the swing of things, but quickly becomes captivating, with an interesting twist at the end.Palmetto Ramble

My 10-year-old daughter just told me I need to "jack up my dude."  Maybe this Playstation thing wasn't such a good idea?  Then again, at least she doesn't want to be like Britney Spears, who has lost that young, innocent look that moms and dads found comforting.

Ahhh... and a few minutes later, I feel better.  The six-year-old replies to her mother, "yeah, yeah, yeah, yak, yak, yak, yak, yak."  Of course reading this you may think we are bad parents and our children have no hope for future success.  They are actually quite the dears and very well mannered.  I keep telling myself that.

Work on the web site today.... check out the woodworking/indoor projects page.  I also managed to get in a bike ride today and get through half of the third Harry Potter book.  Light reading, but I've gotta keep up with the kids!  When I was in New York last week a woman dressed like a wizard (witch?) was standing on a street corner in Times Square handing out paperback copies of the first book in the series.  What can I say... I like it.

I managed to get in an hour of so of motorcycling on some favorite back roads.  Found a new bunch of twists and turns for when Paul comes down for a visit next weekend.  He's going to crash here... er, make that stay here... and head to Portsmouth for a MSF instructor training gig on Saturday.  Anyway, the ride today was through some beautiful wooded areas, but the local hunters were out in force, so I kept it down to a reasonable pace since there were a bunch of dogs and guys with guns running all over the place.  I'm fast, but I can't outrun bullets.

So what are you thankful for?  Me... a loving, understanding wife, three wonderful children (all girls, by the way), sunny days, a dog wagging it's tail... and being an American. 

I've been getting a big kick out of Dilbert cartoons lately.  There are some amazing parallels to my life.  The cartoons are funny as heck anyway, but even more so when you are working in Corporate America.

A newspaper I used to run has improved its web site.  I built the first site for the paper back in 1995 or so and it is now drawing more attention than ever because the 2002 Winter Olympics will be held in the backyard.  I've learned a lot about the web since then.  Back then I learned how to write HTML code from a 15-year-old kid with a web site dedicated to Alicia Silverstone.  I never met him, but we sent some emails back and forth.  A month of long nights later and poof, the newspaper was online. I'm still proud of it.  By the way, I also remember one of the old URLs, and here's an article I wrote way back when.

Today I may do a bit more woodworking.  But first, some updates to this site, particularly the woodworking area.  Actually, first, some coffee.

I finally managed to finish the bathroom hutch I've been working on.  I put the door together last night and put on a coat of primer.  Two coats of paint today, followed by hardware and a motorcycle ride and it's Miller Time.  You can click on the photo at the left to see a full-sized version of the finished hutch.  Not to bad considering I took a photo in a catalog and ran with it.  I made our version about 6 inches taller and used solid panels rather than bead-board for the sides and doors.  Total cost: $125 worth of lumber and about $25 worth of hardware (hinges, etc.).

There are several things I'd do differently next time, but that's part of the fun in designing and building something -- you always find a new or better way of doing something.  Hopefully by improving, not through trial and error :-).

There's no real way to describe what it felt like.  I spent a half hour or so, just walking around, soaking it all in.  In between the bay doors were photos of the 15 firefighters from the station that lost their lives on 9/11.  They looked like people I pass on the street every day.  Hanging in the truck bay was a cloth banner, "All gave some, some gave their all."  There were dozens of people stopping by, yet it was the quietest New York street corner I've ever been on.  And I understood why.  I signed a guest book sitting on a small table outside the station house.  The man in front of me was from Brazil (no, I didn't see him in the restaurant).  I was number 2,787, I think.  I'm sure it wasn't the first book.  What a great show of support, yet deeply saddening at the same time.

Friday I went to a three and a half hour meeting for work.  I then had an hour and a half before catching a ride out to the airport.  I grabbed a cab and headed downtown.  I had been debating whether to go, and was torn.  Finally I just went.  Traffic was horrible and I ended up jumping out of the cab in Soho and walking the rest of the way.  I was already off my timing, but I figured this was more important.  It was.

I ended up walking down the street that was shown in so much of the news coverage.  A direct line into where the World Trade Center used to be.  Where so many people worked, and died.  It was so powerful, all I could do was stand with a 100 or so other people peering over a fence into the destruction zone.  I didn't think about much of anything, I just looked at an 8-story mound of twisted steel and rubble.  The devastation to nearby buildings was just as powerful.  I can't imagine what it was like to be there.  To watch the horror of the twin towers coming down.  Or worse, to be inside.

I kept looking back as I walked away.  I couldn't help it.  I'm glad I went.  I'll never forget.

I realized later most of the photos and television coverage I've seen has been shots looking down at the rubble.  I was looking up at it.  A very different perspective that highlights the hugeness of this tragedy.

Here's a tribute book I signed.  My entry is there for Nov. 16.

I'm going to pass on the KLR.  Nice bike, but not something my wife could ride, even with lowering links. 

I also went out yesterday and looked at a used Kawasaki KLR650 as a possible second bike.  Very different ride/style, but I like.  The bride and I (Paul has been known to call his the CFO) are in discussion.

I got a lot done today.  Here are a few more photos... You can never have too many clamps -- particularly Jorgensen and Pony.  The photo at the left is where I ended up when I stopped for the night.  Still to come -- the door for the left side, a final sanding and a few coats of paint.  By the way, it's made of Poplar and some quality faced 1/2" plywood for the panels. The white spots are filler for the counter-sunk nails and some slight gaps.

This is really something I enjoy and I haven't built anything since some garden trellis projects this summer.  The basic plan is to draw up my own plans for the hutch, then have at it.  I picked up some poplar a few weeks ago that will work out nicely.  Stay tuned for photos.

I went to a presentation Thursday night at Adventure BMW about a tour in the Alps next summer.  I'd love to go with the wife, but it looks kinda pricey for the near future.  However, these folks seem to have their act together.  Very cool package!

After washing the wife's SUV I went out for a nice long ride, south to the VA/NC border, east to Va. Beach, south again to Pungo and Knotts Island and all the way to the Currituck Ferry dock, where I couldn't resist a shot of the bike, it's shadow and the water.  I turned around and headed north again toward Sandbridge, stopping along the way for another photo along the causeway.

It was really great opening the bike up along this narrow ribbon of pavement, surrounded by marsh grass, clear air and water.  A couple of cruisers rode by while I was snapping photos.  They waved as they went past.  I waved back, wondering why these folks want to look like 1%ers.  Those half helmets have got to make for a cold face when the temps get into the 50s and lower!

As I got closer to civilization I turned off to Sandbridge, stopped to pee and look at the ocean for a few minutes, then started making my way home... taking the long way back through Pungo, of course.  I picked up West Neck Road, which is always fun, then headed home.  Total time, about 3 hours, counting three or four stops for photos.  Distance, about 120 miles of smiles.

I also started Patrick Symmes' "Chasing Che, a Motorcycle Journey in Search of the Guevara Legend."

Agenda for today - wash the bike, take some photos and put them on here!  Stay tuned.

And tomorrow?  We ride.  Oh yeah, I also started, and finished, John Sandford's new book. 

I just saw this, and liked it so much I had to post it here.  Ahh, the power of the Internet.

The links on this page aren't very politically correct, but they have me laughing my ass off!  http://www.admiralszone.com/america/america.html.  Check out "Tomorrow's Forecast" under the Cool Photos and stuff category on the left.  And then there's this cute write-up: http://www.fm99.com/rickr/rickr.shtml.

No work, no problems, just me and the road(s).  My wife is dying her hair blue for some reason (she's upstairs in the bathroom as I write), and all I can think about is riding along, smiling and enjoying the hell out of a beautiful fall day.  I bet you wish you could ride along!

Last week I had two people tell me they ride a motorcycle.  This was almost immediately followed with the caveat "but I don't ride in the rain."  There's nothing wrong with not riding in the rain, but it really limits the experience.  Yes, you need to ride safely and within your limits, but if you never ride in the rain, you'll never be a good rider in the rain.

Ultimately I think it's things like riding in the cold and rain that are indicators of whether a person rides a motorcycle or is a motorcyclist.  It doesn't really matter, I don't need a label to enjoy riding as much as I can.  I find, however, that it is part of who I am, not something I do.

On a different note, I'm considering adding some aftermarket lights to my bike.  Either some PIAAs or something similar.  Any thoughts?

I don't think I missed much in the CTD III ride.   There was a 22% attrition rate, with one rider ending up in the hospital with a collapsed lung and four broken ribs, and another rider wadding up his brand new ZRX 1200.   Maybe we should have stuck with Nighthawks?  Here's Paul's tale.   Paul also added a few photos from the VIR races.

I finally put the finishing touches on a web project.  Check it out.  Does the name look familiar?  Good.  Buy some art.  It's good stuff.

My pal Don has shut down his site.  Now what am I going to read while I drink my morning coffee, damnit.  I can always try Newsmax while listening to mancow.  Dammit.

The races at VIR were great, however, and the riding to and from the track was fantastic!  Don took us on one road that I will definately ride again, if I can ever find it!  Another reason to get a GPS unit.  I put about 800 miles on the Beemer during the weekend -- each one a joy.  Here are some photos from the day (linked to Don's site) one, two, three, four, five.

Today I've got house cleaning and yard work on the agenda.  I'm hoping to squeeze in a nice ride, though.  Also, working on a web project.... stay tuned.

Also -- great news!  A guy named Doug has started a web site dedicated to the BMW R1150R.  Check it out!

In other news, the trials of corporate life seem so much less significant these days.  Kinda hard to put any oomph into complaining about your lot in life when 6,000 or so just lost theres in a man-made disaster.  And given that we appear to be headed into a heck of a recession, it's time to buckle down and get to work.   Oh yeah, and buy American, too.

And from our leader... "When I take action,” he said, “I’m not going to fire a $2 million missile at a $10 empty tent and hit a camel in the butt. It’s going to be decisive.”  I LOVE IT!

So this weekend I'm going to try and do just that. Spend time with the kids.  Enjoy the biting smell of freshly mown grass that is somehow so comforting.  The predictable things in life -- that the windchime will clang against the window when the breeze really picks up.   That my dog will whine at the sound of thunder, and that my girls will argue over something that is both insignificant and annoying at the same time.

There's some irony for you... why do we let the things that we consider minor annoyances have such a major impact on our attitude?  We can all choose our attitudes -- why should we let the fact some other driver is a jerk and cuts cars off upset us?  The fact that the driver is an idiot should have absolutely no control over me or my emotions.  I control me.  I am responsible for my happiness.   I choose to live life, and do what I can to help others along the way, recognizing that many things are well beyond my control, and thus should not affect how I feel about or respond to them.

Okay, if that's too left-brain for you... how about this... if one synchronized swimmer drowns, do they all have to?

A friend posted this link on his web site.  Reading the article once again reminds me of the great sacrafices so many have made to ensure my way of life.  My grandfather was in World War Two before he was 20.  He was captured by the Germans and wounded when he escaped from a barn where they were keeping him.  Not all of the GIs tried to escape.  The next day they found the ones who didn't escape.  Dead.   I have no frame of reference for this type of experience. 

My grandfater is truly one of those who lives life to its fullest.   And yet for the last four-plus decades he's walked with a limp -- one leg is a bit shorter than the other, courtesy of the war.  I know that's not the ultimate sacrafice, but thinking of him this morning helped me reflect on what's important.   Hell, I sometimes get annoyed when I can't have real half & half for my coffee.   Gotta maintain perspective and a sense of humor.

I wonder if he knows I ride a German-made motorcycle.  I bet if he did, he'd ask me for a ride.

As a consequence, I'm spending my morning listening to MP3 punk sounds, trying to find the right match of music and mindset that I can burn onto a CD and let the lyrics put things in perspective, even if it's only to recognize that there are some truly out-there folks out there and thinking for oneself is the best way to ensure one's independence.

Also trying like hell to find a great track from a Salt Lake band, Chola.  The track is uh-uh.  Here's a sample... If you stumble across the track, send it my way! (it's the only song they have that I like).

BTW, anyone remember the Richmond band The Good Guys?  Fun stuff from my college days at VCU.

BTW, I find myself listening to a lot of punk music these days -- NOFX, Pennywise, etc.  Also very found of Linkin Park, particularly the song "crawling."  How's this for lyrics...  That I find this so appealing either says a lot for their music, or a little about my mental state these days.  Okay, before you call for help, my mental state isn't close to that, but damn those words are powerful!  The video's not bad, either.

Oh yes, I've also been working on a logo for the fall Crash Test Dummies get-together.  It still needs some work.  Like updating it for 2001 for one thing.  Too bad this work stuff keeps getting in the way of my personal life.

Sunday was spent outside pulling weeds for entirely too many flower beds I built for my wife last spring.  It was a long day and I'm still sore, but damn that yard looks good!

Monday was a combination of cleaning house, getting organized inside and putting togther a home ethernet to connect two PCs to a router and on to the cable modem.   I went the wire route with a Linksys 4-Port Router/Switch setup with built in firewall and other goodies, again, compliments of Best Buy.  Installed another 128 MB of RAM and a NIC card in the old PC and started getting wired.  It took a little while to get set up and configured, and I had to come up with a workaround for the email servers, but I'm there now, baby.

The wife and I did a two-up trip to West Virginia last weekend to go whitewater rafting on the New river.  It was about 850 miles, round-trip, the longest we've done two-up.   The Beemer performed like a charm.  You can read about the trip, here.

Getting ready to buy tickets to the AMA races at VIR.   Should be a blast, especially since that's where I attended the CLASS riding school.  Hoping to meet up with my pal Don for the weekend.  We're also planning the third Crash Test Dummies Fall Motorcycle Rally.  Here's the story on how I became one of the founders.

On another note... have you ever noticed that corporate politics can be much more spiteful than the kind you read about in Washington?  At least there the media points out the really bad stuff, in theory.  Too bad I've got this expensive hobby to support!

On another note, my daughter is now kicking my butt on Playstation.  It's the end of an era.

2:30 ish.  Okay, this may be a bit tougher than I thought thanks to Microsoft.  Trying to preserve the old pages that were up for two years or so.  As it stands this site is a hodge-podge of junk.  We'll see how it works out in the end.  I may just punt and give up.

5:10 p.m.  Well hot damn, looks like it's staring to come together.   After FTP comander and FrontPage's publishing failed me, the Windows web publisher looks like it may do the trick -- themes and all!  Next up, scrap the theme and create a good looking site :-).