Doobage
07-08-2005, 11:11 AM
My first week of daily commutes of roughly 10 miles one way has been good. Being south of Houston, it's been REALLY hot this last week. Typically when I have left in the morning, it's already been 86 degrees leaving my driveway. Coming home has always been 105.
However, this morning, we finally got some rain last night as it's been 6 weeks since our last rain (very odd for here). The rain helped cool down everything and when I left this morning it was 81 degrees. That's the coolest tempature I have ridden in yet. When I finally got up to 60 on the one short stretch, I could feel to cool wind blowing through my First Gear jacket, and even though it's 90% humidity, I could taste what autumn will feel like with the bike. I let out a soft laugh and grinned at the thought of riding during the day without sweating perfusely. What also surprised me was that with this "cold" air around me, even at the stop lights I didn't notice any engine heat at all (and my bike has no mods for heat issues).
This weeks riding has improved my skill marginally. One close-call was earlier this week when returning from work. I was nearly home and pulled into the middle lane to make a left turn at a protected green light. I had traveled maybe 200 feet in the lane when a car pulled out on the opposite side of traffic and was in position to broadside me. Fortunately when they got completely out into the two oncoming lanes, they saw me at the last second and stopped. I had, seemingly instinctively, did a shoulder check to move to the right and was just about to swerve when I noticed the car stop. Had they not stopped, I'm still not sure if I would have made it (depending on their acceleration) but it might have bought me the time I needed). I turned to look back at the driver with a scowl (tough to see a scowl from a full face helmet, but I tried anyway) and the person through up a hand in the understanding sign, or "easy, I'm sorry, I didn't see, I feel like an idiot". I felt mildly bad for scowling, but at the same time I really wish all drivers would pay attention more (not just because of bikes, but just a generality).
The other skill was this morning and came from something I read on this stowner board last night. I came into a 45 degree turn at a signal a little hot as I was trying to ensure I got through a yellow light. I was starting to go a little wide and remember what others in this board had said (and my MSF course) and pressed harder into the turn and brought the bike over about twice the lean I was currently in and rolled a little bit more on the throttle. I felt like I was on the end of a slingshot and was at the moment of release. Coming out of the turn I felt a little bit better about my riding and truSTed my bike all the more on the turns. Ride it through!
I'll try to get some "real" ride reports in here, but until then, you'll just have to suffer my incidental experience curve as I adapt to my new mode of transportation and clammer for ride time while attempting to maintain balance in my life with all good things (family, music, bike, oh yeah...eat and sleep....and uh...work).
However, this morning, we finally got some rain last night as it's been 6 weeks since our last rain (very odd for here). The rain helped cool down everything and when I left this morning it was 81 degrees. That's the coolest tempature I have ridden in yet. When I finally got up to 60 on the one short stretch, I could feel to cool wind blowing through my First Gear jacket, and even though it's 90% humidity, I could taste what autumn will feel like with the bike. I let out a soft laugh and grinned at the thought of riding during the day without sweating perfusely. What also surprised me was that with this "cold" air around me, even at the stop lights I didn't notice any engine heat at all (and my bike has no mods for heat issues).
This weeks riding has improved my skill marginally. One close-call was earlier this week when returning from work. I was nearly home and pulled into the middle lane to make a left turn at a protected green light. I had traveled maybe 200 feet in the lane when a car pulled out on the opposite side of traffic and was in position to broadside me. Fortunately when they got completely out into the two oncoming lanes, they saw me at the last second and stopped. I had, seemingly instinctively, did a shoulder check to move to the right and was just about to swerve when I noticed the car stop. Had they not stopped, I'm still not sure if I would have made it (depending on their acceleration) but it might have bought me the time I needed). I turned to look back at the driver with a scowl (tough to see a scowl from a full face helmet, but I tried anyway) and the person through up a hand in the understanding sign, or "easy, I'm sorry, I didn't see, I feel like an idiot". I felt mildly bad for scowling, but at the same time I really wish all drivers would pay attention more (not just because of bikes, but just a generality).
The other skill was this morning and came from something I read on this stowner board last night. I came into a 45 degree turn at a signal a little hot as I was trying to ensure I got through a yellow light. I was starting to go a little wide and remember what others in this board had said (and my MSF course) and pressed harder into the turn and brought the bike over about twice the lean I was currently in and rolled a little bit more on the throttle. I felt like I was on the end of a slingshot and was at the moment of release. Coming out of the turn I felt a little bit better about my riding and truSTed my bike all the more on the turns. Ride it through!
I'll try to get some "real" ride reports in here, but until then, you'll just have to suffer my incidental experience curve as I adapt to my new mode of transportation and clammer for ride time while attempting to maintain balance in my life with all good things (family, music, bike, oh yeah...eat and sleep....and uh...work).