Jasonisms

To be honest, we never thought it would end. The rain. For those of you who don't know, I live in Colorado where the natives like to brag about 300+ days of sunshine a year. Well, we're probably not going to meet that goal this year. The only two days in May (2015) that didn't have precipitation in one form or another (yes, it snowed and hailed) was the last weekend of the month - this past Saturday and Sunday. But, now riding season is [officially] upon us. And with riding season [hopefully] there will be more posts to this blog. Let's begin the summer riding season with a post I've had toiling around in the back of my head for a few years now. Actually, the idea came to me from another local rider who sent me a PM on a local riding forum asking me how to organize a ride. First, some background: we always had a local noob  ride that unofficially kicked off the riding season by taking veteran riders and putting them in riding groups with newbies. Now, those noobs  c...

One of my least favorite things in the world is dying. No, no – not death. Dying. Specifically, when it's me. More specifically, when it's me doing the dying and someone else doing the killing. That's when you know life sucks. Just a little bit ago I found myself just a reaction away from death. A little slower, perhaps a little more tired or had I been distracted and I wouldn't be here to type this out, relating how one man in a SUV nearly killed me because – why the hellz not? The weather is dry, the sky is blue and I was riding my motorcycle running a few errands and grabbing a bite to eat. It was a normal day. I wasn't speeding (as if I ever do that); I wasn't in the canyons subtracting from my chicken strips nor was I acting the fool in any way, shape or form. In fact, I was merely leaving a parking lot via a one-way exit when a man in a SUV decided he couldn't wait until the corner to turn into the parking lot, he had to come in the exit. Now, you h...

Like all good riders, I got out and put some mileage on my motorcycle this past weekend. A long day in the saddle Saturday took me nearly 300 miles and a total of nearly 12,000 feet in elevation gain/loss. There were six of us: a ZX10r , FZ1 , FZ6 , TLR and R6 and my SV1000s . We left the Denver area and headed up I-70 to Berthoud Pass where we cross the Continental Divide and on into Winter Park, CO . From Trail Ridge Ride, 6-25-2011 Looking north from the summit of Berthoud Pass. From Trail Ridge Ride, 6-25-2011  We kept heading north through Granby and Grand Lake (which reminded my of small European lake-side communities) and into Rocky Mountain National Park . We were a little dismayed at the $10/motorcycle charged to get into the park and the ranger even charged the R6 (which was 2-up) $20 citing the fees were per-person. I highly doubt that is the case as cars and vans with multiple persons weren't paying per-person. We rode (slowly behind tourists and gawkers) up Trail...

Not that's it's really too cold -- I've definitely ridden the motorcycle in colder and wetter weather, but since I don't really have anywhere to go and a ride today my ride would have been for fun and not for function. Regardless, I didn't go for a ride and I'm sadder for it.    Tomorrow is looking better.