Last Ride for the Year?

Haven't posted anything here for awhile.

Decided on the 12th of October to head down to Gilbertsville NY to visit a firend. Just a little over 500km from home. It was a cold damp day with temps in the 5-6C degree range and got mistier as I passed through Adirondack Park. Rain threatened continuously but nary a drop fell. Clemintine ran like a champ and I enjoyed the quiet. At this time of year there is very little traffic on the road and I like it that way.

Anyway got to NY and spent that evening drinking a little scotch and helping load wood into the cellar of my buddy's farmhouse. Spent Saturday loading a little more wood and touring around the area looking for used furniture and other bargains. Closed the evening with a fine pork roast and a little more scotch.

I had to be back at work on Monday so I left first thing Sunday. A beautiful cool autumn day and let me tell you I could have turned Clemintine in any direction and just kept going for a month or two.

Next Spring I will be adding a new seat and some other accoutremonts to help my wife be comfortable on the back. I really think it would be cool if she caught the bug and got herself a motorcycle. Francesca could easily be sacrificed in exchange for whatever struck her fancy. Then the two of us could head out together looking for those endless 2 lane highways and the small little podunk towns along the way.

Well that is it for now as I seem to have been a bit verbose today. Still riding to work and will do so until it starts to get icy. Dang I hate living in a place where I have to store the bike for 5 months of the year and oh yeah besides that work is starting to become somewhat of an inconvenience as well......I mean when am I supposed to find time to ride.

Francesca and the defibrillator

Went out this weekend to start Francesca in preparation for a ride to work on Monday. Her battery gave one slow spin and then clickety clickety. DEAD!!!

Figured this would be a good time to try the mini-charger I bought this year. Of course unlike Clementine who exposes things like that with just a lift of the seat Fracesca's heart is not so easy to get at. In the interests of sleekness and Italian beauty Ducati saw fit to place her battery under the right fairing centre section. Of course the side fairing is in three pieces and the bottom and top come off in order to get at the centre section. So about 45 minutes later the battery is exposed and the charger goes on. I must say these little chargers work great! Twelve hours later and she is ready to again. Fairing is back on it's off to work tomorrow. This is good as the weather is calling for a bit of rain and she provides much better weather protection than the Harley does.

Off again next weekend for New York to visit a friend from Kosovo. Nothin too far just a little burg about 30 miles from Cooperstown and about a 7 hour ride through Adirondack State Park. Colours should still be good and I will take rain gear and cool weather gear just in case.

Later