Ride it like you Stole it Ride it like you Stole it Daily blog of a Motorcycle Riding U.S.Army Veteran and IT Engineering Manager. Articles
Commuting in FlatLand - Apr 23
2008-04-23 15:00:00 This mornings Motorcycle Commute to Tampa was beautiful! 63 degrees f. with no clouds or wind and heading into the 80's this afternoon. A perfect FlatLand Spring Morning. I think this is the first R1200GS that I've encountered on my morning commute. There were two FHP Cruisers sitting in the median of SR54 between US19 and Little Road, just over a hump in the road. The Valentine1 detected their radar a full 2 miles before they were in a clear line of site. Traffic moved well on surface streets as well as on the Toll Roads this morning. Not bad at all for a Hump-Day commute. The extraordinary bright sunshine really makes the new Olympia Neon Red High Visibility vest stand out. Have a Great Day everyone and Ride it like you stole it! LATER Technorati Tags: RilySi,Ride it like you stole it,Motorcycle Riding,Motorcycle Commuting ,FlatLa... More About: Flatland
R1200GS Adventure Maintenance - Fitted New Brake Pads
2008-04-22 22:55:00 I arrived home from my evening commute just a short time ago to find the Farkle Fairy had left me a new set of Brake Pads for the R1200GS Adventure . It took me all of Ten (10) Minutes to fit them to the bike and take a short test run around the Casa. EBC Sintered Brake Pads #FA363HH $23.95 x 1 Rear EBC Sintered Brake Pads #FA335HH $23.95 x 2 Front Motorcycle Accessory Warehouse is the seller & shipper of these on Amazon.Com. So, for $71.85 US plus ground shipping I get all three sets of brake pads. This is one easy motorcycle to maintain in good working order and I appreciate the engineering that went into making such a fine Riding Machine! Time to go for a ride. LATER Technorati Tags: RilySi,Ride it like you stole it,Motorcycle Riding,Motorcycle Maintenance ,R1200GS Maintenance,Adventure
One Thousand Posts on Ride it Like You Stole It
2008-04-22 15:28:00 Well My Friends, Ride It Like You Stole It has crossed a numerical milestone. The post entitled: Spring Training Camp - Deal's Gap Riding Video was my One Thousand th Post on this blog. I think it fitting that the 1000th post be completely about Riding my Motorcycle. This blog has been a cathartic endeavor for me that has allowed me to grow, vent, process and share my thoughts on Motorcycle Riding, and just about any thing else, in a creative way. I hope you have found something interesting here and will come back again for a visit. Ride it like you stole it! LATER Technorati Tags: RilySi,Ride it like you stole it,Motorcycle Riding,Motorcycle Commuting,FlatLand,Florida,1000th Post More About: Posts
Spring Training Camp - Deal's Gap Riding Video
2008-04-22 15:16:00 I had the opportunity to ride Deal's Gap / Tail of the Dragon, with my Bro James Langley video recording the ride from his Honda GL1800. For those interested; Deal's Gap is a stretch of US129 than starts in North Carolina and continues into Tennessee, and forms part of the Western boundary of the Smoky Mountain National Forest. The Cool things about the road are the 318 Curves in the 11 mile stretch. There are all types of curves with varying radius and elevation changes just to make it interesting. Here is a 16 minute video of my ride through the gap as it was recorded by James from his GoldWing. This Link will open the Google Video Page of this Video where you may view the video directly from the site, download the video or share it. May I suggest view using the Original Size and Smooth Video settings, accessible through the Arrow Icon at the Lower Right Corner of the Video Screen. By the way, there is no sound t... More About: Spring Training , Training , Spring , Camp
Commuting in FlatLand - Apr 22
2008-04-22 14:57:00 This mornings Motorcycle Commute to Tampa was in 63 degrees f. with no wind and no clouds. Pasco County Deputies were patrolling the West end of SR54 between US19 and Little Road. Traffic was heavy but moved pretty well on the surface streets and the Toll Roads. I passed only one other motorcycle on the road this morning. You just can't beat spring time weather in FlatLand. Have a Great Day everyone! LATER Technorati Tags: RilySi,Ride it like you stole it,Motorcycle Riding,Motorcycle Commuting ,FlatLand,Florida More About: Flatland
And the Ass Hat of the Week goes to
2008-04-21 18:11:00 Malcom Williams of Dothan Alabama for taking pot to probation meeting, At the Court House DOTHAN, Ala. - A Dothan man attempting to report to his probation officer and pay some fines was re-arrested when he emptied his pockets for a metal detector at the Houston County Courthouse and laid out more than the usual coins and keys. Two baggies full of marijuana came out, too, authorities said. Malcom Williams, 51, tried to escape when the drugs appeared Thursday, but he was caught after a minor struggle and a failed attempt to Taser him, sheriff's officers said. "He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful with change, U.S. currency, keys, and the marijuana was evident in his hand," Houston County Sheriff's Capt. Antonio Gonzalez said Friday. "Every now and then you have somebody who forgets what he had in his pockets." Sheriff's Investigator Rick Clemmons said deputies had to shackle Wi... More About: Week
Smoking Kills 14,000 People Every Day
2008-04-21 17:15:00 14,000Smoking related deaths every day should be enough evidence to convince anyone. Stop It before It Smokes YOU! LATER Technorati Tags: RilySi,Ride it like you stole it,Motorcycle Riding,Stop Smoking,Smoking Related Death More About: People
Commuting in FlatLand - Apr 21
2008-04-21 14:48:00 Hello All, I'm back from Spring Training Camp for Riders in the Great Smoky Mountains. I had a great Motorcycle Commute to Tampa this morning in 68 degrees f. with no wind. Traffic was heavy on the surface streets but moved well, even with the LEO's running ambush. FHP Cruiser hand out a personal performance award to the cager. And here's my exit to the office. It's nice to be home after a trip! I picked up a Neon Red Olympia High-Visibility Vest to wear over my Riding Jacket. (Sorry, Only photo I could find.) I notice the cagers heads turning to actually look at me now instead of just a careless glance, which is exactly what I wanted when I purchased the vest from Tellico Motorcycle Outfitters for $69.00 US. A beautiful FlatLand Morning and Hey! It's Florida Outside! LATER Technorati Tags: RilySi,Ride... More About: Commuting , Flatland
Spring Training Camp - Sunday - The Ride Home
2008-04-21 01:20:00 I rolled out of the IronHorse at 08:40 and into the Casa at 17:30. It was a bit crisp this morning but by the time I hit the Florida Line I changed to the Mesh Gear. This photo is just for a time reference as it's 3 minutes from the Casa. I had a Great Ride even though every Georgia Highway Patrol as well as the Florida Highway Patrol cruiser was on I75, or so it seemed. I had a wonderful time on this road trip to the Smoky Mountains and really enjoyed all of the riding and hanging out with my extended family and friends. Total Trip Miles 1,995 LATER More About: Spring Training , Home , Training , Spring
Spring Training Camp - Saturday - Riding with my Bro James
2008-04-20 00:34:00 The showers moved through the area this morning during the Tech Sessions we held in the Garage Area. This is the only rain we've had all week and it moved through by 09:30. The winds being pushed along by the cold front had the roads dry within an hour or so. James & I headed out for some "Spirited" riding. At Deal's Gap we found the three LEO's that have been patrolling the Gap all week. They were all at the Crossroads of Time writing up the wreck between the damn 18 Wheeler and a truck pulling a boat. So with them at this end we headed into Deal's Gap. ... More About: Spring Training , Training , Spring , Saturday , Camp
Spring Training Camp - Friday - Even More Great Riding
2008-04-18 23:04:00 I had another Great Day of Motorcycle Riding here at Spring Training Camp for Riders. There are untold numbers of Motorcycle here from all over, as well as a couple of Sports Car Clubs that are all running Deal's Gap at high speeds. I rode over and made a pass each direction on the Gap then headed back over to the Joyce Kilmer Forest. US129 US129 US129 US129 In Joyce Kilmer Forest there is a dead end road to the top of a rather high hill called Maple Tree Gap. There is an observation deck at the top of the hill that is built around a large Maple Tree. Shots from the Observation Deck. ... More About: Friday
Spring Training Camp - Thursday - More Great Riding
2008-04-17 23:18:00 I decided to find some roads that I had not yet ridden so I asked Don Norwood to make a recommendation, which he did with suggesting Upper Tuskegee Road which changes names to Yellow Creek Rd., and connects to 129 Near Joyce Kilmer Forest. These first two shots are from Lower Tuskegee Rd. that loops back in the back way to the IronHorse. The dirt was fun but brief and I headed back to Upper Tuskegee Rd. This is a nice road with an amazing hairpin on a 45 degree incline. See the last shot of this post for a photo of the hairpin. The shot to the right is kind of long field, but if you look at the center of the shot, there is a small horizontal line. That line is the Cherohala Skyway on the other side of the valley. I love the Smoky's, I just love it here. The Cherohala... More About: Spring Training , Training , Spring , Great , Camp
Wide Area Wireless Networking - Country Style
2008-04-17 01:36:00 Being you basic curious type as I am, when I noticed this home grown device attached to the overhang of the lodge. The problem was that those visitors on motor-homes out on the property could not get connected to the wireless network of the IronHorse. John mounted a wireless access point in front of the unused dish networks dish, acting as a reflector it drives the wireless signal out over the campground. Ingenuity! Country Style , I love it. LATER More About: Wireless , Networking , Wide
Spring Training Camp - Wednesday - Some Great Riding
2008-04-16 23:15:00 I decided to get in some solo riding time today before the group rides of later in the week. I took 28 toward Fontana and got this shot at an overlook. 28 heading toward Deal's Gap. I love the fuel economy the GS gets up here in the hills. Deal's Gap / Crossroads of Time with only 2 or 3 riders instead of the overflow of hundreds of riders. North Carolina heading into Tennessee on Deal's Gap. The Reverse view from Tennessee looking back to North Carolina. I love riding Deal's Gap using just my Right Hand and just a smooth ride in 3rd gear. Following are several shots from Deal's Gap. ... More About: Spring Training , Training , Spring , Great , Camp
Spring Training Camp - Tuesday - The Ride North
2008-04-16 04:12:00 Here are the photos from today's ride North out of FlatLand and to the Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina / Eastern Tennessee. 30 Minutes on the road. Flat Painfully Flat Georgia State Line, Flat South of Atlanta, Flat-ish Atlanta, Flat but hauling butt I love HOV Lanes, North East of Atlanta Does this road have a dip to it, I thought I saw a dip The North Carolina State Line, Hills in the distance Viola! Hills, not big ones but huge by FlatLand Standards Just taking a break Muggin' fur das camera Hills to the left, hills to the right Stecoah North Carolina, just a wagon greasing from the IronHorse ... More About: Spring Training , Training , Ride , Spring
Greetings from The IronHorse Motorcycle Lodge & Spring Training Camp for Ri
2008-04-16 02:57:00 Ileft the Casa at 08:00am and arrived at the IronHorse at 17:00; didn't find a soul around so I rode over and did the Gap, had it all to my self for the first time ever. Left there and headed to Robbinsville to gas up, grab a sandwich and some Mt Dew's and headed back to the IronHorse. Doug Hines arrived at the same time I did on his R1200GS, he rode in from Arkansas. On 143 from Robbinsville back to 28, I passed a poke along white Ford SUV and no sooner had I passed him; I got to me Sheriff Moody of this lovely County. He walked up to the GS as I stepped off of it and he held out his hand to shake mine. He introduced himself & I did the same. He said "You are gonna take it easy aren't you?" to which I sounded off with a Yes Sir! He climbed back in the SUV and and turned into the next driveway that I passed. Damn nice fellow! Had some snow on 28 between Franklin and here and it's a mite nippy, the warm fire here ... More About: Motorcycle , Spring Training , Training , Spring , Camp
The Wall Of Death - With A Lion along for the ride
2008-04-14 18:21:00 The famous Wall Of Death carnival attraction has thrilled onlookers with the speed and roaring engines just feet away from the spectators at the top of the Wall. This incarnation of the Wall Of Death included a Lion in a Side-Hack on the car. Just another photo from the Strange file I found interesting. LATER Technorati Tags: RilySi,Ride it like you stole it,Motorcycle Riding,Wall Of Death More About: The wall
MonoTracer - $82,350 Enclosed Production Motorcycle
2008-04-14 16:30:00 The MonoTracer is an enclosed motorcycle or "cabin cycle," a style of vehicle which experiences a lot less drag than your average motorbike and keeps you from having to pick the bugs from between your teeth later. Its aerodynamic design and 130 horsepower engine get the MonoTracer from zero to 60 in about 5.7 seconds, and it has more speed than you'll ever need, topping out at 155 mph. The MonoTracer is built by vehicle and engine construction company Peraves, and rolls off the factory floor starting at $82,350. Unless you're drooling gold right now, you may have to wait for Christmas for this one. Anyway, I know what you're here for. Click through that gallery for more views of the MonoTracer. Oh, yes. Oh, oh yes. VEHICLE & BODY STRUCTURE Self-supporting composite-monocoque made from glass-, kevlar- and carbon tissues bonded by epoxy-resin reinforced with crash and roll bars. Engine frame, steering head and stabilizer axles... More About: Motorcycle , Production
Commuting in FlatLand - Apr 14
2008-04-14 14:43:00 This Mornings Motorcycle Commute to Tampa was a fine ride in 59 degrees f. with heavy overcast sky's and winds out of the North from the approaching cold front. The sunlight shafts promise a brighter day as old Sol rises above our cloud cover. Traffic moved very well on both the surface streets as well as the toll roads and I didn't pass a single LEO on the prowl this morning. This will be the only day this week that I will be commuting to work as I leave for Western North Carolina in the morning for our Spring Training Camp for Riders. You just got to love living in Florida. This Sandhill Crane was standing guard at the doors to my office this morning. This crane is about four feet tall (122cm) LATER Technorati Tags: RilySi,Ride it like you stole it,Motorcycle Riding,Motorcycle Commuting ,FlatLand,Florida More About: Flatland
2008 Spring Training Camp For Riders
2008-04-11 21:11:00 Next Tuesday I roll north out of FlatLand for Higher roads in the Great Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee. I'll leave the Casa around 07:00am and arrive at the Iron Horse Motorcycle Lodge in Stecoah North Carolina between 3:00 and 4:00pm. This is the 4th annual STC at the Iron Horse Lodge and were looking forward to yet another great turn-out for the event. This year I will be leading some off-road/fire road rides on the Gravel-hala, the fire road equivalent of the Cherohala Skyway that runs roughly parallel to the Cherohala with all of the elevation changes and scenic beauty of the Smokey Mountains without the cager traffic. I'll also be conducting a tech session on the use of the GS-911 Emergency Tool from Hex in South Africa. We're expecting another sell-out crowd at the Iron Horse for STC so if your coming, bring your camping gear! John and Charlene, the owner/operators of t... More About: Spring Training , Training , Spring , Camp , 2008
Commuting in FlatLand - Apr 11
2008-04-11 15:02:00 What a beautiful FlatLand Morning for the Motorcycle Commute to Tampa. 68 degrees f. and no wind or clouds made for a gorgeous ride this morning. In the shot to the right, the Gulf of Mexico is on the Left in a giant mangrove stand. Traffic was light for a Friday morning and moved well making it easy for me to stay between the cager clusters. I didn't see a single LEO along the route this morning. There were several other Motorcycles on the road during my commute. FlatLand Spring Mornings don't get much better than this! It's Friday in FlatLand and Hey, It's Florida Outside! Have a great weekend everyone and Ride it like you stole it. LATER Technorati Tags: RilySi,Ride it like you stole it,Motorcycle Riding,Motorcycle Commuting ,FlatLand,Florida More About: Flatland
What your Music says about your Personality
2008-04-11 02:32:00 I took one more of the Personality Test found at outofservice.com. This one is about how your Music al Preferences are indicators of your personality type. Here's what your music says about your personality! Your music preferences have been broken down into four categories. Detailed explanations are below. You can also read answers to common questions. 88 % enjoys reflective and complex music 64 % enjoys edgy and aggressive music 9 % enjoys fun and simple music 7 % enjoys energetic and upbeat music These dimensions are relatively independent, which means that you can be high on one dimension and low on others, or high on all of them, or low on all of them, etc. The feedback is based on the responses of thousands of people tested in our research. Obviously, we can only draw generalizations so it is quite likely that some aspects of the feedback will fit you better than ...
My Morality! 63% liberal, 37% conservative
2008-04-11 00:15:00 I took this online research survey over at outofservice.com To take the test, click the image. Here are my results for your entertainment & edification. Moral Attitudes Results By “moral” we mean those aspects of thought and behavior that relate to commonly accepted notions of right and wrong, and to selfish and unselfish actions. One need not be religious to be “moral,” although religions do tend to espouse moral codes of behavior. We have broken down your results into two sub-categories: political/economic morals and social morals. Politically Conservative Politically Liberal Socially ConservativeSocially Liberal Overall ConservativeOverall Liberal Based on your answers to the previous questions, your overall score on a conservative/liberal dimension of moral attitudes--compared with the general population--puts your percentile at 63, with the 99th percentile indicating ... More About: Morality
German State Introduces Autobahn Speed Limit
2008-04-10 19:59:00 Say the word "autobahn," and people's eyes light up around the world. Immediately, dreams of bombing down the highway at unheard of speeds pop into their heads. Now though, at least in one German state, that dream has been dashed. As of Wednesday, drivers in the state of Bremen will no longer be able to put the pedal to the metal. From now on, the maximum speed allowed is 120 kilometers per hour (75 miles per hour). In practical terms, the change is not a big one—it only affects 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) of autobahn connecting the cities of Bremen and Bremerhaven. The rest of the tiny city-state's 49 kilometers (30.5 miles) of autobahn has long had speed restrictions aimed at fighting congestion, noise and pollution. Nevertheless, the change is symbolically huge in a country where the freedom of the road has been both an escape from regimented urban life and a chance to celebrate the achievements of Germany's proud tradition of automotive e... More About: State , Speed , Autobahn
Origin of China's Olympic Logo
2008-04-10 16:33:00 Finally, the source of China's Olympic Logo is revealed! source: rense.com With the final touches added to reflect China's respect and concern for the Buddhist in Tibet. BOYCOTT China, Chinese Products, Chinese Olympics , American Companies that sell Chinese Products, US Companies that are Chinese owned. LATER Technorati Tags: RilySi,Ride it like you stole it,Motorcycle Riding,Chinese Olympics More About: Origin
Commuting in FlatLand - Apr 10
2008-04-10 14:44:00 This morning greeted me with 68 degrees f. and bright sunshine as I rolled out of the Casa for the Motorcycle Commute to Tampa. Right on the coast it was clear blue sky's but just a couple of miles inland there was a hazy lite fog rising. Traffic was heavy on both the surface streets as well as on the Toll Roads where it was painfully crawling along here & there for no apparent reason. The two FHP Cruisers that tend patrol the Suncoast Parkway / Veterans Expressway like to sit here in the mornings. It's just over the crest of a hill when heading Southbound so by the time you see them, they have you locked. I guess it's just the Thursday Crazies that make the cagers drive like idiots all bunched up on the Toll Roads. Oh Well, It's a beautiful FlatLand Spring Morning and hey, it's Florida outside! LATER Technorati Tags: RilySi,Ride it like you stole it,Motorcycle Riding,M... More About: Commuting , Flatland
Oregon Bikers Beat National Safety Record
2008-04-09 18:44:00 Oregon's motorcycle riders have earned an enviable safety record during the past six years, consistently beating the national fatality rate for bike crashes, according to state and national statistics. Riders here have died less frequently in wrecks than those across the United States, despite having 43 percent more motorcycles on Oregon roads than there were in 2001, according to statistics kept by the Oregon Department of Transportation. The 2006 fatality rate for motorcycle wrecks in Oregon is 3.9 deaths for every 10,000 registered bikes, slightly more than half the nationwide rate of 7.3 deaths per 10,000 registrations. The national fatality rate for motorcycle crashes has risen steadily alongside the increasing number of registered bikes, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. Motorcycle proponents and state traffic safety officials agree that training is the main reason motorcycle riders fare better in Oregon. ... More About: Oregon , Record , Beat
Hero Honda Motors Ltd Expand Plant in India
2008-04-09 17:33:00 India's top motorcycle maker, Hero Honda Motors Ltd. has a newly inaugurated plant in the northern Indian town of Haridwar where they will spend 19 billion rupees, or approximately $500,000,000 US to triple capacity at a new plant by 2010. This announcement comes on the heels of Honda announcing the closure of it's Honda Motorcycle Assembly Plant in Marysville Ohio, USA where the Goldwing and VTX models are built. Hero Honda Motors Limited, based in Delhi, India, is the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles. Hero Honda is a joint venture that began in 1984 between the Hero Group of India and Honda of Japan. It has been the world's biggest manufacturer of 2-wheeled motorized vehicles since 2001, when it produced 1.3 million motorbikes in a single year. Pawan Munjal, managing director of Hero Honda Motors, poses inside Hero Honda's newly inaugurated plant ... More About: India
10 Ways to Fly Under the Radar
2008-04-09 15:42:00 These days it is becoming harder and harder to live your life without some kind of interference from the government. Individual sovereignty has become virtually lost. There are, however, some things you can do to fly under the radar of government and become independent. This is a list of tips and tricks for living your life without the burden of government, or to help you if you simply wish to disappear. 10Leave no Trails This means pay in cash - always (unless you own an anonymous credit card), shred any documentation you do not need (use a decent shredder that turns your paper in to dust - authorities can piece together the basic type of shredded documents). Don’t use your real name if possible, and definitely don’t apply for credit. Your credit report is like a big map pointing right to you. 9Secure Yourself Online If you are going to be using the internet in your secret lifestyle,... More About: Radar
Commuting in FlatLand - Apr 9
More articles from this author:2008-04-09 14:43:00 I had a fine ride this morning during the Motorcycle Commute to Tampa. 66 degrees f. with steady wind out of the East and overcast sky's made the ride easy on the eyes. Traffic moved well along the commute on both surface streets and Toll Roads. I always work my way to the head of the pack and then attempt to stay between packs of cagers so that basically I'm riding alone. The Cagers that just have to ride side by side, and three abreast just drive me nutz. These Idiot Formations tend to make everybody, other cagers included, impatient and frustrated so that they begin to swap lanes at the slightest sign that one of the Idiots is gaining ground on the other two. This dude on a VTX was the only motorcycle heading the same direction as I this morning. I used to own a VTX. It had plenty of low end torque but was just not comfortable for my style of riding. Hey, It's Florida Outsid... More About: Commuting , Flatland 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
|
 |
|
 |
