grumpyfrog wrote:Was a few storms out between yours and Inverness yesterday.
Never saw a single bike yesterday on the road, but I was down Mintlaw/Peterhead taking in the Broch coming back home. (Decided those twisties at Mintlaw were not a good idea considering the few ''moments'' on the way through)
And sods bloody law, by the time I finished up doing me dealing, went to get a sit down meal and recharge the bloods, the bloody sun was in me eyes all the way home as well.
So, another one handed ride home, which is fine, until you try and negotiate the S bends after the Pitsligo junction.
Why do we continue to do it?
When I got home, a bike-building guy arrived to collect some stuff, and said
''yup, you need rides and days like that. It lets you know your alive, and it hones all your skills into one session. If you ride just in summer, then lay the bike up over winter, that's when accidents happen, as you're not in the saddle long enough and you forget stuff...or are a bit rusty when it hits the season again....where-as riding all seasons keeps you tuned on a regular basis...
True, and I forget sometimes how much skill it takes to keep upright in sh1tty conditions - it's just instinct and ''second nature'' I suppose after all these years of riding.
I though he made sense (for once Bruce if yer reading this
)
Good to hear from you Stu. Hope all is well. Take 'er easy!
fabiostar wrote:did you use roads or fields...
yup, there be a lot of tractors dragging crap in and out of the fields, so, I suppose you
could say ''field'', as most of them are spread over the roads. Combined with the usual grit salt (now with an additive that is a bugger to shift off yer machine) it makes a nice clean bike look like I've ridden through Mongolia and back. I've ridden a couple of off road bikes in the past, and had them cleaner than this after a session.
There should be a law stating that you shouldn't allow the road to get into that state, with mud and sh1te...but it's farming community, and no-one really gives an ass. Until some poor bugger comes off his bike....then the roads cleaned
that quick, it's like it was freshly laid tarmac. Most folk (as ya know) don't think or care about the risk to bikes, as they're all wrapped up in a safety cage, side impact bars, seat belts, air bags, Radio 2, heaters on full, and the ability to clean their windscreen on a regular basis at the touch of a button. Then, at the end of the day, they just slot in a few quid and drive through a car wash - again, never getting off their backsides.
When a road bike turns up in the supermarket carpark, looking like this, and the rider is white from salt and covered in other sh1t, it's no wonder we're looked at with contempt and fear! It's quite an imposing look, sitting down for a meal with amongst all the other ''clean'' people.
Had another weird dream due to low blood levels...It played like a film, full colour, and different view points:
It's like you've just stepped out of an arena after winning a battle against a big scary thing...and are now walking through lines of people who part and look away from you, as you proudly wear the ''splattered'' clothing of defeat then victory. Exhausted and mentally drained, but happy that yer alive! Realising that this was only Round One, and you have to go back out there for more of the same...so you sit quietly in a corner...relax...recharge...refuel...and plan yer next move.
And it worked. I live to fight another day!
PAH! - this Russel Crowe in Gladiator? He has it easy. I reckon he should be made to ride a bike in winter time. Now THAT keeps you on yer toes. (All 12 of them).
. nice helmet by the way.
