Midweek commute thoughts…
Yesterday riding in I was thinking about how thrilled I am riding. I just love riding the motorcycle.
I am also very psyched about the upcoming planned moto trip to Vietnam! – After doing more research (at work) about the route in Vietnam to ride Mon and Tues.
This morning I moved into the decent flowing slow lane on the bridge to enjoy the serene water. The bay just kind of melted into the cloudy land in the distance. I saw a little duck take off and fly next to me right by the bridge in the calm from any cross breezes. I outpaced him at 45 mph but not all that quickly.
Another duck took off and flew not far from me and the bridge in our line of travel and outpaced me easily at 35mph! Was pretty cool.
Monday night I spent about an hour and a half tending to my chain. It’s not in good shape. I got a few hard kinks out of it with silicon spray lube, but one remains. And I found a very stretched link – not good. I spun the wheel a lot adjusting the chain tension for multiple points. It’s too slack in a spot and almost all the way tight in a spot and this is after riding and the chain is warm too!
Tuesday I could hear the chain pulsing on the wheel revolutions, not reassuring. The tight spot makes the opposite side too slack I think and then it its too loose around the rear sprocket teeth. That parts clacks. And the tight spot throbs when riding. It’s unsettling, and has me quite worried.
I cannot get parts and have time to replace them this week, so it will have to be a 2016 job… I just need the chain to hold on for the week and maybe a little longer. My rear tire is quite worn down too, well past the wear bars and it’s only been about 8 months since I installed them new!
Posted in Uncategorized by green
Nice ride out to Sea, Half Moon Bay, Pescadero
Got out of work early – riding by 11am!
On the other side of the bridge and remembered a delicious burrito place in Half Moon Bay so I was off!
“Happy Taco” has the most amazing burrito – maybe I’ve ever had it’s so tasty!
Grilled chicken w black beans and everything super burrito spinach tortilla.
I don’t know how they make it but it makes me weak in the knees. So. Good.
A cruise south out of HMB. I stopped at Covell Ranch Beach and walked out to the sea there and relaxed with a carbonated drink. It’s a bit of a walk out there in full moto gear 1/3 mile each way to the viewpoint just south of the gorgeous golf course at the Ritz Carlton.
I didn’t quite realize it – but I had stopped here before last year on a HMB mountain bike cruise with the x.
Probably stopped for 45 minutes altogether, which becomes a critical timeframe next:
Bird of prey on walk to beach. I got quite close to it before it decided to move
Viewpoint at Cowell Ranch beach. Quite serene.
Walk back to bike and…
BIKE DEAD. makes no noise to start at all!
I get all the gear off – I know this is going to be trouble. Removed helmet and earplugs and then and only then can I hear the faintest clicking noise when I push the start button. Of course, clutch in and out, in and out of gear, side stand up / down no difference.
Also rocking bike back and forth in gear in case the starter teeth are stuck gains nothing.
There are exactly 3 cars in the lot, one empty.
I ask the first guy if he has a voltmeter by any chance – he does!! Wow. Only it doesnt really work, displays gibberish screen like it’s broken. oh well. No jumpers.
2nd car DOES have jumpers! Yay!
Then we try to get it started for awhile without luck.
Finally, I rock bike back and forth hard in first gear and have pos – pos leads and neg – neg leads on the posts (not neg to ground). AND minivan motor running. After the rocking, with car on, it finally starts. Phew!
I ride it about 20 miles straight south to Pescadero at revs over 4000 the whole way and once there, make short stops the usual seaside viewpoints leaving the bike running:
I only test the ability to re-start about 35 miles of constant motor on with a big hill in front of me. I come back to bike after a minute and it starts – somewhat a little weakly but starts!
Posted in Uncategorized by green