Cranfills Gap 2013 & Meridian State Park

Following the previous weekend of hard riding Scott insisted on doing some riding related activities instead of riding the entire state of Texas again, go figure.  Saturday we both gave our bikes a good scrubbing.  They were still covered with an enormous amount of grasshopper goo.  This was the first washing of my Softail and Scott found it entertaining to hear me whine and grumble about how nasty the bug parts were and the fact that they wouldn't come off easily. I swear grasshoppers have super glue for blood.  We also waxed the paint and polished the chrome on both bikes.  This was the first detailing for my bike so we took our time and did the process thoroughly.  This took all morning and we enjoyed doing it together.

Looking back at the last couple rides a problem we've been having is storage space. Scott is having to carry everything for both of us in his saddlebags.  We had found bags for my bike last month that I liked from Viking Bags so we went ahead and ordered them. In the afternoon we decided to stop by Fort Worth Harley while we made our weekly grocery rounds.  We ordered some saddlebag guards for my bike and a reduced reach clutch and brake handle too.  I have been struggling with the reach on my controls since getting the bike so we had to do something for me. Of course these are all things you discover as you ride your bike and one of the downsides to being 5' 1", most things just don't fit without a little modification.

We still wanted to ride a bit so Sunday morning we decided to go to Cranfills Gap.  Scott had been before but I had to work the day the group he road with went. The temperature was only going to be 98 for the high so it wasn't as bad as the previous weekend.

We had lunch at the well known Horny Toad Bar & Grill which is about the only business in that town. When we left the temperature was beginning to climb.  It was 1:30 pm and only gonna get hotter throughout the day. Meridian State Park was only about 20 miles away so we decided to go there and spend the afternoon swimming and lounging around in the shade until it cooled down for the trip home.  Start to finish the trip was 257 miles. So despite Scott's insistence that we spend the week-end working on the bikes I managed to weasel a ride out of him, again.

Dublin Dr Pepper & Goldthwaite Texas

Over the last month Scott and I have been taking short rides, mostly close to home.  We started out doing 20 miles round trip and worked up to 60 mile round trips.  I was doing pretty good and Scott didn't want to push me and provoke any discouragement by riding too far too fast and freaking me out. So he decided to trick me by doing a longer ride without telling me. He worked up a route to Hico, Tx and back which was about 125 miles round trip.  The evening before our friend Jim called to see what we were up to so we invited him and Pat along.

We met in Crowley and headed out.  The route took us through Godley, Bono, Granbury, then on some very nice FM roads to Hico.  Jim had to be back home to meet some construction contractors by noon so he broke off from us shortly before arriving at Hico.

Scott and I had breakfast at the Koffee Kup and unknowing to me we were preparing to head back home.  As we got up to leave I asked "where are we going now?"

"Back home" he responded.  Now is the turning point to this otherwise boring post.  Honestly I  wasn't very happy with his response. I wanted to ride some more. He smiled and replied "Gotta keep your woman happy right?"  We headed out on more very nice FM roads and hours later ended up in Dublin TX.  We decided to take the tour of the historical Dr Pepper Museum and get a couple souvenirs. If you are looking for some old fashioned Dublin Original Dr. Pepper Made With Cane Sugar 8 oz. Glass Bottles you will have to settle on ordering it now.

We left Dublin and ended up back in Hico, then Glen Rose, then Granbury, Bono, Godley, Crowley, and finally home.  Every place we stopped at Scott encouraged a shorter route home to which he received evil glares and whining about what kind of rider he was? To be honest, I finally broke loose on my bike and overcame a lot of my apprehensions about riding.  I relaxed, let the bike go, and enjoyed the ride and scenery.  I finally began to understand the beauty of riding.  I was hooked and there was no turning back now. We rode 300 miles that day and every mile and stop was wonderful.

Nice little story but little did Scott know it would continue sooner than later.  He slept in the next morning to about 8am.  That's VERY late for us considering our daily wake up time is 5am. He crawled out of bed, wandering into my work room rubbing his eyes trying to clear his vision only to find me standing there, dressed with my riding vest on.  "Where are we going today?" I asked with a completely serious demeanor. He later told me he was thinking  "WTH?!?!  riding 300 miles in a day is a pretty nice ride in itself for one weekend and this woman wants to go out again?" He told me he didn't have anything planned to which I responded "Why not? You better figure out something soon so we can get going!"  I know he was thinking "OMG, this keeping your woman happy concept is starting to work against me!" Of course Scott is always happy to ride too and I think he is happy to have me happily riding behind him, even if I do push for more.

Within an hour were back on the road, Crowley, Godley, Bono, Hico, Hamilton, and finally to Goldthwaite. We stopped at a restaurant named Peabody's to cool down and eat.  We arrived 30 minutes before closing time and stood at the front door for a few minutes while the staff walked around and ignored us. I figured if we sat down we might be served. Not a chance. Scott  finally went to the back of the restaurant where the staff was hiding out and asked if we were supposed to wait to be seated. A very rude server sharply informed him they were closed and turned away. If you go to Goldthwaithe stay away from Peabody's, they are not biker friendly.   We did manage to find a Dairy Queen and got some cool drinks and a burger. They were very friendly unlike the cold shoulder we received at Peabody's. There is a historic suspension bridge somewhere in the Goldthwaite area we wanted to see but by now it was late and we had a long ride to get home. We didn't get any pictures in Goldwaithe as there really wasn't anything to photograph. Well go back again and try to find that bridge on another trip. After another 10 hour day of riding and another 300 miles, we arrived home.

600 miles in two days.  I'm not really sure how to comment on that. I loved it.  Every bit of it.  The riding, the stops at towns and rest areas where we would just enjoy the day together.  We stopped at quite a few historical sites as well.

We took the camera and GoPro both of those days to try and get some media.  It's grasshopper season in Texas so we lost a lot of video due to those things splattering on the lens cover of the GoPro even though he cleaned it at every stop. We still got some decent riding clips and Scott used what he was able to salvage and put together a short video. I hope you enjoy the media as much as we enjoyed the riding to compile it.

Dublin & Goldthwaite, TX Slide show

Accident Scene Management Class

One of my biggest apprehension when it came motorcycle riding was the danger. I am CPR and First Aid certified and have a medical background that includes nursing work in a hospital including the ER for over a year and the things you see are haunting. Despite all of my training I have had no training or experience when it comes to accident management or dealing with a motorcycle injury out on the road. 

With Scott and I both beginning to ride together we felt it would be a good idea to learn what to do in case of an accident.  No rider wants to go through that possibility but the reality is that it can happen.  When it happens the more someone might know about what to do at an accident scene could save the victims life.  Fort Worth HOG scheduled a class with Road Guardians on July 20 and July 21 for its members.  As soon as we were informed about it we reserved a spot for each of us.  The road captains in our chapter are required to take the course and keep their certifications active but we won't always be with the group. 

There were 2 courses offered,  the basic and advanced.  We took both.  If you had taken the basic within the last 2 years you could just take the advanced to re certify.  Quite a few of our road captains were able to do this.  Scott and I along with quite a few others from our chapter had to start with the basic class.  There were 22 riders that completed the 2 day course from our chapter.

 The basic class taught things like stabilizing the victim, controlling traffic, securing the scene, information needed for a 911 call, basic first aid, techniques for rolling a victim, leadership, and how to find and determine the extent of injuries.  It was fascinating and I had never really considered all of the necessary steps that need to be taken at an accident scene.

The advanced class the next day focused on details taught in the basic class.  There was a lot more hands on where we practiced stabilizing a riders head while rolling him, getting them on a stretcher, when to remove a helmet and how to remove it if you have to, applying a tourniquet, applying pressure to arteries to stop bleeding, and more.  At the end of the second day the instructor surprised us with a mock accident outside from which our team had to take control of the situation properly until EMS arrived.  They had a vehicle that had hit a motorcycle.  The driver was trying to get back into his car to drive away, the motorcycle was on top of the rider, and the bike passenger had been thrown and injured quite a ways away from the scene.  We had to begin making immediate decisions on what to do. The 2 days were quite intense but we had a lot of fun learning with the others from our chapter.

There was a lot of learning involved and I am glad to have taken both classes.  There are some real differences when treating someone injured in a motorcycle accident and someone in an automobile accident. The possibilities of a serious head or spinal injury are much higher with a motorcycle accident and every decision and move could cause a life altering effect. 

We also learned about the importance of a good Motorcycle Operator First Aid Kit by Rescue Essentials 

and other safety devises that we should have in our saddlebags such as Light Sticks,  Emergency Road Flares and a proper safety gear.

Windshield Modification

As I have gotten more comfortable on my bike I have had an ever growing issue with the windshield.  I am getting a lot of reflections and glare on the inside that is affecting my ability to see the road due to its height. Everyone has their preferences on how tall, short, fat, etc. a windshield should be. Most articles, riders, and accessory places will recommend that your eye site should be just above the top of the wind shield which makes sense to me. Try having a windshield that you have to look through and ride in the rain.  No wipers means you can’t see through it and you’ll end up having to crane your neck to the side of the windshield to see the road. 

I have mentioned my issues to Scott a few times and he suggested cutting it.  We could take it somewhere and have a company cut it for us or try it ourselves.  Our decision? HA! Let's do this! No Fear!  We Ain't Skeerd! The worst situation that could come from this is we could mess it up and have to buy a new windshield.  It’s not like we would mess up the bike from improper procedures on this task.

He started by having me sit on the bike in riding position. As corny as this sounds he took a builders level and stuck it close to my eye until the bubble showed level and marked that spot on the windshield.  This gave us a good visual reference as to where my eyesight came into contact on the windshield.  Then we measured down 1” from that spot for our cut point.  This point was exactly 2.5” from the top of the windshield. Scott measured 2.5” from the top center around towards both sides and made a lot of pinpoint marks as he went.  When you get to a certain point towards each side you have to begin to taper your measurement to merge your cut line with the side of the windshield.  This way it won’t look like you just chopped off the top.

Next he connected all the dots he made using a permanent marker.  He did this freehand but had made enough dots to where it came out nicely rounded.  Next he took painters tape and ran it on the lower portion of the windshield along the marker line.  This helps prevent chipping if the jigsaw blade catches too much.  I made sure to put a couple inches of tape to prevent the jigsaw base from scratching the plastic while moving it along while cutting.

For the cut we purchased a Bosch Jig Saw Blade For Plexiglass.  This was our only expense on the project since we had everything else necessary.

Scott started at the blend point on one side of the windshield so he could make one continuous cut most of the way around without having to stop and reposition the blade.  He didn't push very hard or force the blade to cut.  Just held the jigsaw firmly and let the blade do the work.  He also held the windshield very firmly and close to the front of the cutting blade to eliminate any jumping that could happen from snagging.  If the blade snags it could cause the plastic to chip in that spot.  Snagging will usually occur from a dull blade, pushing it along to fast trying to force the blade to cut faster than it is able, or a blade that is not fine toothed enough to cut the material.  I held the windshield from moving around so he could focus on the cut.  Just follow the tape line around and try to keep it as smooth as possible.  You might not get an absolute perfectly rounded cut but you’ll be sanding any points or other imperfections afterwards.

When you get about ¾ of the way around you'll want to stop cutting.  Your gonna want to cut the big rounded piece you've been working on off.  The reason for this is to prevent the plastic you've already cut from snapping off due to the weight which could cause damage to the windshield.  After you do this continue your cut on the remaining small piece until your done.

We took off the tape to get a better view of the cut and began sanding the edge with 100 grit sandpaper using an electric sander.  We used the 100 grit to smooth any areas that might not have been rounded well or any points that needed to blend.  When we were happy with the shape we moved to 400 grit and used this one to begin rounding the edges to match the original cut.  We finalized the sanding with 600 grit without using the electric sander.  Doing this allows you to feel any rough spots with your hand that you might need to go back to using a courser sandpaper. 

Before Sanding the Edge

After Sanding the Edge

And that's it!  The whole job took about 2 hours and came out well.  I've ridden with the shorter wind shield 3 times and am very happy with the results. One of the keys to riding safely is making sure you bikes fits well and that you are able to see properly, thanks to my modified windshield I am no longer bothered by the reflection I saw having to look through it. 

My First Real Ride on the Road

Last weekend I completed the state mandated riding class and obtained my motorcycle riding license. The fourth of July meant we had an extended weekend so we were able to get out in the parking lot a bit more than usual. This helped me feel more comfortable on my Harley but I was still a bit hesitant when Scott asked about taking a short "real ride" as in out on the road.  I wanted to say no but seeing how I now had a license and a brand new bike I had hard time coming up with a valid excuse. I finally swallowed my fear and said sure. I knew Scott would be right there with me and that helped. 

We left very early in the morning knowing there wouldn't be too many cars on the road.  We stopped at the McDonald's in Crowley and had some coffee and talked about how I felt about the ride before heading back.  I was a bit nervous and it showed but Scott assured me that is to be expected.  The ride home was much better, I  was more relaxed and my riding reflected it. Total round trip was 16.8 miles although I swear it felt like 50.  It was short enough to give me the opportunity to apply my riding abilities to the road and experience a taste of what is to be expected on the road without becoming to overwhelmed. I was very happy when Scott told me he was proud of my riding and comfortable with me as a riding partner.  He said he was never nervous or worried about my riding or feared that I was a danger to myself, him, or others on the road.  

Of course after I relaxed a bit I had to evaluate myself. I definitely need to work on going faster and learn to relax when I see a red light. We must have hit everyone, something that doesn't happen when riding in a parking lot. The thought of shifting down and stopping in time worried me and caused me to go slower than I needed to. By the third light I was praying for green lights every time I saw a signal coming up! I began to slow down just in case it turned red. Over all though I am proud of myself and happy to have taken my first real ride.

I Bought A Harley!

For months I have been stalking Fort Worth Harley looking for "my Harley". Scott has had to endure my whining saying "Wheres my Harley?!"  He has become a master at tuning the question out or pretending not to hear it. However as I have gotten more comfortable riding the kawasaki and more determined to have a bike of my own I am sure he knew the question would have to be addressed eventually.

Friday I sent him a text asking if we could get my bike early. His reply? He didn't really see the need to seeing as I still doesn't have my license yet but agreed we could by and look.  So off we went to Harley when we both got home. As you can imagine I was excited all the way there. It reminded me of the time the kids talked me into going to the Humane Society just to talk to the puppies, of course we left with one!

Race (that's our salesman's name) offered quite a few different scenarios based on bike color, term, warranty, down payment, etc.  We both had agreed on a ballpark amount that we would settle with.  While he was working up options we were looking at the bike and discussing things we would need to put on it. We would need a super reach seat replacement, engine guards, and windshield immediately.  So we went to the parts counter to get some prices on those items.

Race came over to us with some figures and asked us what we thought.  Without even looking at Scott I said, "I just want to know when your gonna finish this paperwork and sell me my bike?"  Race laughed and said, "Ok, I'm on it!" When I glanced over at Scott he had sort of a WTF? Did she just buy that thing!? look on his face! He joked and said "So much for my input, you just took control and bought your first Harley."  He the proceeded to  just settle into the back seat on this one and let me go.  A few minutes later Race was pushing my bike out the front door to take it to service to be prepped.

While we were at the parts counter trying to decide when we were going to buy the parts we needed, Race came to us and said "I forgot to tell you, Harley is doing a promotion where they give you a gift card for $500 if you buy your bike in June."  Wooooot!  That was a bonus we had not counted on!  So the parts manager worked with us and in the end we got the seat, engine guards, windshield, and a fender bib which they had to order.  We got all that stuff and only had to pay $19 extra.  As far as the bike goes, we got it for right about what we wanted to spend and with a 4 year extended warranty.  We were completely happy with the entire purchase even though it was a bit sudden.  I want to give a special Thank You to Race and Nick in parts and also to all of Fort Worth Harley for helping make this happen.

Scott picked it up the next day while I was at work and put all the parts on to have it ready for me to ride.  We went out Sunday morning so I could get my first ride in on the new bike.  There was some adjusting  to do as the bike rides completely different than the kawasaki.  Lower center of gravity, longer wheel base, longer turn radius, heavier, much heavier, forward controls, tighter clutch, wider handle bars, etc. The feel was completely different and I was so scared I was going to drop my new bike, I didn't but I know that it will eventually happen.

Here is a short video taken by Scott of my first ride on my bike!

My Third Ride

Last Week-end was my third time EVER to ride a motorcycle. My head is still swimming, partly from excitement but also from all the new stuff I am trying to remember.

 Scott keeps telling me to relax but it is so hard! He has been riding since he was 5 years old so for him it is all second nature. Me, I have never ridden anything close to a motorcycle, I can't drive a standard and well, I am very intimidated by it all!

 He and I discussed how it can be difficult for seasoned riders to grasp the concerns, fears, and issues that beginning riders have. They simply let the clutch out, roll on the throttle, let off the brake simultaneously and zoom away clicking up and down their gears without thought. Me , as a new rider however, I have a completely different perspective on this process. We are not familiar or acquainted with how all that works together. We also mentally dwell on each task that needs to be performed just to get the bike moving, all the while being concerned about keeping their balance, tipping, or falling.

 To the new rider taking off is like a task list where each action needs to be checked off and accounted for. 1) Slowly release clutch until engagement
2) Slightly roll on throttle
3) Keep my balance
4) What if I let the clutch out too fast?!
5) Let up on brake
6) What if I give too much throttle?!
7) Release more clutch
8) Keep my balance
9) What do I do if I start to fall?!

 All these things and more are going through the new riders head and it can easily create a fog of thought that makes it even harder to get started. Scott assures me that I will overcome these issues at various levels, it just takes practice and time.

 The very first time he took me out to learn to ride I was able to grasp the basics of clutch and brake. I wasn't zooming around the parking lot, but I did ride and stop. Scott would jog beside me, coaching me, and was available in case of emergency. He got my exercises in for sure that day and lost a few pounds! Only one time did I fall, and fortunately when I started going over, I pulled in the clutch and held it in place to keep the bike from propelling forward. Not sure if that was something Scott had told me to or not, it probably was just luck.

 The second time we went out my skill level went up tremendously. I just caught on to all of it. By the end of the day I was taking off and stopping without help. I rode around the parking lot for a couple hours practicing clutching and braking. I did topple a couple times, once due to popping the clutch and having the bike jolt forward, the other time I came to a stop and turned the handlebars which caused me to topple to that side. No harm done though, I hopped right off and just let the bike go over. It was a good experience for me to topple though. When Scott asked if I was okay I replied "Now I know I can fall over and not necessarily get hurt". I had a great fear that falling over automatically meant broken body parts. Toppling safely helped over come some of my preconceptions about that.

 The third time we went out to practice was totally exciting. Again I feel like I took a huge leap forward in my learning. Of course Scott took this to mean he needed to begin pushing my riding skills. By the end of the day I was shifting up to third and back down, weaving between buckets (we bought cones for future practices), and coming to quicker stops at a parking lot line. I was scared when he told me what we were going to do but in the end I am glad he pushed me.

 We have gone out a fourth time and again Scott felt the need to push me a little bit more. He closed the cone weave to be a bit tighter and had me perform more shifting patterns to accustom me to having to shift more due to traffic situations. He also shook me up a bit by having me take off facing upwards on a slight incline. That gave me some problems because I couldn't just let off the brake without rolling backwards. It did help me learn to feather the clutch with more accuracy though and taking off on an incline is a real world situation that I need to be able to do. I have to admit I didn't do very well with it and that will be an area that will require A LOT OF PRACTICE!

 Going back to my third ride, Scott took the GoPro that day and shot a bit of video of me. He did it so I could see how well I was doing. Sometimes its not evident to yourself when your the one riding. He had fun with the clips and put them into a short video with some music. It was fun to get to see myself riding and to be able to appreciate how far I have come. I am so thankful for a husband that is willing to help me reach my dream of learning to ride!