Finally! A Ride!
March 17, 2015
It finally happened. The weather warmed up into the forty degree range and the roads were a little less white from salt yesterday. I dragged a bike out to ride in celebration. It's very fortunate that the 50cc bike is so light because the word "Dragged" was quite appropriate. There is still a think ice and snow berm in front of the garage from us walking across and compacting it into a solid path. I had to turn the bike around in the garage, push it over the top and then walk it out past my minivan before I could put the sidestand down. I was plotting this all day and had started the bike up in the morning so I would first, know if it would start and run and second, have it warmed up slightly for an afternoon ride.
Everything went according to plan and, after a brief warmup, I was pulling away from my ice covered driveway to acquire the necessary items from the grocery store. The bike was running like it hadn't been sitting for months and despite its small engine held 45 mph with ease. Even better was that the chill you normally feel when the surrounding countryside is covered in snow, was absent and I was warm. The first thing I did to celebrate the occasion was blow my horn as I cruised by my next door neighbors house. I had to let them know that one rite of Spring was in progress. I had been exchanging messages with them all winter bemoaning the lack of riding and felt I should let them know everything was alright now.
I noticed while I rode that my odometer was approaching another 100 km. mark which I use as a mile marker to purchase gas. A good thing I did. It needed a half tank after those 62 miles and took all of $1.33 and a half gallon to fill it up. It's all good for another few weeks now and I shouldn't have to fill it again until sometime in the middle of April.
As you can see by the video above the Town is still veiled in white but it didn't dampen the day. Even with tiny streams of ice water running across the streets it was still a glorious ride.
I can only hope the death grip of winter has subsided and all my bikes will be on the highway soon. Then I'll have even more tales to tell.
Everything went according to plan and, after a brief warmup, I was pulling away from my ice covered driveway to acquire the necessary items from the grocery store. The bike was running like it hadn't been sitting for months and despite its small engine held 45 mph with ease. Even better was that the chill you normally feel when the surrounding countryside is covered in snow, was absent and I was warm. The first thing I did to celebrate the occasion was blow my horn as I cruised by my next door neighbors house. I had to let them know that one rite of Spring was in progress. I had been exchanging messages with them all winter bemoaning the lack of riding and felt I should let them know everything was alright now.
I noticed while I rode that my odometer was approaching another 100 km. mark which I use as a mile marker to purchase gas. A good thing I did. It needed a half tank after those 62 miles and took all of $1.33 and a half gallon to fill it up. It's all good for another few weeks now and I shouldn't have to fill it again until sometime in the middle of April.
As you can see by the video above the Town is still veiled in white but it didn't dampen the day. Even with tiny streams of ice water running across the streets it was still a glorious ride.
I can only hope the death grip of winter has subsided and all my bikes will be on the highway soon. Then I'll have even more tales to tell.
Posted by Jim Zeiser.
If you wish to comment my e-mail address is h1500e@hotmail.com. I'd like to hear anything-good or bad-that anyone would like to say. As they said in college, we're all lifelong learners.
