11-13 Got home late. Geared up and rode around the subdivision and once through the IP
11-14 Got home early from work it was warn upper 40's I geared up but where to go, first I warmed myself up in the industrial park, a lot of semi truck traffic so I decided to ride out and visit a former neighbor that bought in a new subdivision about 5 mi away but the only way there is the second busiest primary around and the beginning of rush hour. Coming out of the industrial park is a double left turn lane onto the primary but a half block back is a service road intersection from the fast food joints 7-11 and other service businesses as I approached a semi pulled out from the service road turning the same direction as I was going and across my path, I wanted to stay in the right hand of the double left hand turn lanes to give myself more room in the turn I see too often drivers in the right hand side of a double
left cut to the inside cutting off those in the inside left hand position, I had stopped for the truck pulling out but he realized he could not make his turn so he stopped that's when the fun began. The traffic behind me all decided they weren't going to wait for traffic to clear for the trucker the left hand of the two turning lanes was only half full whereas if I filled in the right lane I be blocking the trucker the impatient CAGERS started going around me from both sides to fill in the left hand turn lane WTF! I just sat there till traffic cleared the trucker pulled clear and I moved up and what, I had to wait till the light cycled through again. I had my outside position I could swing a little wide I was a happy camper! Rest of the trip out and back was uneventful, just getting in some ride time in traffic.
11-15 Off work. Where to ride to? Decided to visit my old shop I was with them for 16 yrs till the old man retired and the kid took over. This is a nice ride about 17mi mixed traffic through some forest preserves over bridges and RR tracks and stop and go city traffic I'm very familiar with this road. The forecast was partly cloudy, a little windy and speed to increase as the day went on.
The section that runs through the forest preserve is a little twisty with uphill down hill and blind curves. I've been over this road hundreds of times in the car or truck it ain't the same on the bike plus I've had more than one deer pop out in front of me over the years. I've seen some of those bike and deer videos on U tube I took it nice and easy probably the first time I did the speed limit through there in years especially on the uphill blind turn I'm generally 5mph over the limit of 15. Made it through but had a line of traffic behind me I think they all just wanted a look at my sharp blue Vulcan.
Crossed the big bridge it's concrete with metal expansion joints no big deal nice view from the top if you like church steeples. Visited a while and caught up on what's happening they all thought it was Harley but they think all cruisers are. Headed back got a few miles down the road and thought, Hey I don't have to go home so I made a left at the next light which just happened to be a US highway and headed south. Well a few miles down I ran into a construction zone which was fun flaggers, lane closers, reduced speeds. Don't get me wrong I always slow down for road crews I think everyone caught speeding in one should have to stand out there for a day with two tons of steel or more flying by a few feet away, just changing a tire is more than I want to do under those conditions and I have.
Well I kept heading south till I got to the corn fields and yeah that wind started to pick up. I hadn't ridden in any wind yet so something new I turned west at the next crossroad I was familiar with it so I rode on. The speed limit was 50 it's single lane passing is permitted but not practical do to volume of traffic most times of day. I tried to do the limit but with the wind buffeting me I felt uncomfortable much over 45. Lucky for me the first guy behind me who was right on my tail turned off at the first stop signed crossroad and a heavy construction truck turned in behind me. I was able to get away from the stop signs quick and that big old rig was just catching up about the time we hit the next that went on for about six miles except when a Ups brown slipped in but he didn't stay long. Anyway we have to be nice to brown they bring us goodies. Well I hit the north south that would bring me back home and quartering to the wind wasn't to bad and being out of the corn fields a lot of structure to break it up. Home and a hot bowl of chile.
11-14 Got home early from work it was warn upper 40's I geared up but where to go, first I warmed myself up in the industrial park, a lot of semi truck traffic so I decided to ride out and visit a former neighbor that bought in a new subdivision about 5 mi away but the only way there is the second busiest primary around and the beginning of rush hour. Coming out of the industrial park is a double left turn lane onto the primary but a half block back is a service road intersection from the fast food joints 7-11 and other service businesses as I approached a semi pulled out from the service road turning the same direction as I was going and across my path, I wanted to stay in the right hand of the double left hand turn lanes to give myself more room in the turn I see too often drivers in the right hand side of a double
left cut to the inside cutting off those in the inside left hand position, I had stopped for the truck pulling out but he realized he could not make his turn so he stopped that's when the fun began. The traffic behind me all decided they weren't going to wait for traffic to clear for the trucker the left hand of the two turning lanes was only half full whereas if I filled in the right lane I be blocking the trucker the impatient CAGERS started going around me from both sides to fill in the left hand turn lane WTF! I just sat there till traffic cleared the trucker pulled clear and I moved up and what, I had to wait till the light cycled through again. I had my outside position I could swing a little wide I was a happy camper! Rest of the trip out and back was uneventful, just getting in some ride time in traffic.
11-15 Off work. Where to ride to? Decided to visit my old shop I was with them for 16 yrs till the old man retired and the kid took over. This is a nice ride about 17mi mixed traffic through some forest preserves over bridges and RR tracks and stop and go city traffic I'm very familiar with this road. The forecast was partly cloudy, a little windy and speed to increase as the day went on.
The section that runs through the forest preserve is a little twisty with uphill down hill and blind curves. I've been over this road hundreds of times in the car or truck it ain't the same on the bike plus I've had more than one deer pop out in front of me over the years. I've seen some of those bike and deer videos on U tube I took it nice and easy probably the first time I did the speed limit through there in years especially on the uphill blind turn I'm generally 5mph over the limit of 15. Made it through but had a line of traffic behind me I think they all just wanted a look at my sharp blue Vulcan.
Crossed the big bridge it's concrete with metal expansion joints no big deal nice view from the top if you like church steeples. Visited a while and caught up on what's happening they all thought it was Harley but they think all cruisers are. Headed back got a few miles down the road and thought, Hey I don't have to go home so I made a left at the next light which just happened to be a US highway and headed south. Well a few miles down I ran into a construction zone which was fun flaggers, lane closers, reduced speeds. Don't get me wrong I always slow down for road crews I think everyone caught speeding in one should have to stand out there for a day with two tons of steel or more flying by a few feet away, just changing a tire is more than I want to do under those conditions and I have.
Well I kept heading south till I got to the corn fields and yeah that wind started to pick up. I hadn't ridden in any wind yet so something new I turned west at the next crossroad I was familiar with it so I rode on. The speed limit was 50 it's single lane passing is permitted but not practical do to volume of traffic most times of day. I tried to do the limit but with the wind buffeting me I felt uncomfortable much over 45. Lucky for me the first guy behind me who was right on my tail turned off at the first stop signed crossroad and a heavy construction truck turned in behind me. I was able to get away from the stop signs quick and that big old rig was just catching up about the time we hit the next that went on for about six miles except when a Ups brown slipped in but he didn't stay long. Anyway we have to be nice to brown they bring us goodies. Well I hit the north south that would bring me back home and quartering to the wind wasn't to bad and being out of the corn fields a lot of structure to break it up. Home and a hot bowl of chile.