Daytona Biker Week pics and video
March 7, 2009 – 5:58 pm
Down to Atlanta and over to Austin
March 5, 2009 – 6:34 pm
*This has been sitting in my drafts folder for two days. Pretend it’s backdated to the 3rd.
Unfortunately I had to leave Charlotte really early to get to a tour I had scheduled at Georgia Tech. Unfortunate because I didn’t get to see my wonderful hosts again and unfortunate because it was so incredibly cold. Well, the high teens is usually fine if I’m just going in to work. It’s a different story when I’m riding for 4 hours. In the 30s my heated liners make me feel cozy and warm. In the teens, they just keep my digits from falling off. There were signs of the thaw and refreeze, especially on exit ramps, which I took with an abundance of caution. Fortunately I only need about a six-inch wide section of road surface so I could avoid the fingers of ice running down the slope of the highway in places. I’d have to say (with gentle sarcasm) that the highlight of the day was getting behind a snow plow which sporadically pelted me with rock salt somewhere near the South Carolina line. I’m glad it was mostly powdery snow that the east coast got so that when my beloved cage drivers hit 70 mph, the monumental snow drifts that tumbled off their roofs and trunks scattered into harmless flakes instead of the sailing sheets of solid ice I see so often in Northern Virginia.
After five hours, a cup of hot chocolate, and the can of deicer it took to get my gas cap off, I arrived in Atlanta where it had warmed up to a remarkable 30 degrees fareinheit under sunny skies. My visit to Atlanta itself was pretty uneventful, except for the tourguide who always walked backwards. It was a little disorienting.
Starting the day in Charlotte, blowing through South Carolina, hanging out in downtown Atlanta, then catching a plane to Texas did do something to make me feel a bit rushed.
The only one dumb enough
March 4, 2009 – 3:31 am
Today makes the third day in a row that I haven’t seen another biker on the road. That’s actually pretty unusual. Maybe DC bikers are heartier than most, but I usually see at least one other on my way to work even on the coldest days. These have been cold days.
The ride from Raleigh to Charlotte was beautiful. The sun was bright the whole way, the weather was relatively warm (that is, bearable), and everything was covered in a frosty blanket of pure white. I kept thinking it looked like Narnia under the White Witch. You know, without barbaric ruler turning everybody to stone. The road was clear of snow and of cars.
I got to town a little after 1, with plenty of time for Bojangles and visiting before going over to Katie and Michael’s beautiful house for dinner. I was impressed to find that Katie is quite the accomplished cook. No surprise there though. I really enjoyed the excellent hospitality and they were even kind enough to let me use the snuggie. I felt like royalty!
Only been hit with one snowball
March 2, 2009 – 5:30 pm
It’s cold and windy but beautiful. I’m somewhere near Lexington now, warming my hands and body with some coffee. Everything is covered in powder-white snow. Props to the NC DOT. I-85 is pristine exept for the snow and ice coming off truicks. Very little traffic so I’m making great time. Speaking of that, I’m going to get back on the road.
First stop
March 1, 2009 – 8:04 pm
It started raining about the time I got to Petersburg, so I pulled over, put on my rain gear and covered everything up. I spent the next three hours riding in varying types of rain. Sorry about all the product placement here, but I feel like a brief gear review is in orde. My Tour Master Elite rainsuit kept me a lot dryer than I would have been, but completely dry? No. Somewhere rain seeps into the jacket and slowly soaks through the front of my clothes. I ended up with a big wet spot on my stomach…on three shirts. Yes, I was wearing too many shirts.
The dampness wasn’t really a problem, though because of my FirstGear heated jacket and gloves. These work like a heated blanket, with wiring running through them to generate heat. It plugs into the 12 volt motorcycle battery. The FAQ for the “Warm and Safe” line of products says
“Q: What happens if I get wet?
A: You’ll be warm and wet.”
I can attest to this.
I didn’t even realize my gloves were takig on water until I took them off because they were so warm. They were also completely soaked through. Since they were still comfortable, my only complaint is that wet gloves are really hard to put on.
I still love my Sidi On Road boots which kept my feet completely dry and warm.
Tonight’s weather is supposed to be like yesterday’s except with ice and snow, yay! So, as is the case with any plan I ever make, these are changing as well. I’ve got some great hosts and friends here, so I’m happy to hang out. It’s nice to be back down in the south. I can get sweet tea wherever I go. There are sweet accents everywhere. I have great conversations with people I’ve never seen before. This is a very reasonable place.
Everybody I’ve talked to is excited about the prospect of getting off work because of the snow tomorrow. That’s a pretty alien concept. You guys in DC know that doesn’t happen, right? I hear there could be up to a foot up there tonight. Sorry I’m not there to see it. Is anybody expecting a free day off
Bike Week coming up
February 28, 2009 – 5:37 am
In the morining I’m heading off in the direction of Daytona Beach and visiting some very good friends on my way down. I’m going to try to put some updates online fairly regularly. Of course, since I’m traveling by motorcycle, my fairly bulky laptop has to stay at home. So this is really a bit of a test post to see if my mobile blogging/Twitter/Facebook setup is going to work as smoothly as I hope. If this ever gets published, it’s coming from my phone.
Looks like rain tomorrow. Maybe that’ll keep all the cage drivers off the road.
“Le Montage” — A love story
February 13, 2009 – 6:51 pm
Keeping up my promise to bring you the very best Valentine’s themed videos this week, I present to you “Le Montage” from Handsome Donkey. Not only is this just an awesome short film, but it features my main squeeze, Missy Peregrym.
Valentine’s Idea
February 12, 2009 – 2:40 pm
Looking for the perfect gift for Valentine’s Day? You can’t beat the economy and sentiment of writing a poem. In case you’re having a little trouble starting out, here’s some inspiration.
Single This Valentine’s Day? Get Excited!
February 11, 2009 – 1:21 pm
You’re going to have a blast. How about a girls night out?
Ah, L’Amour
February 10, 2009 – 10:10 pm
In preparation for Valentine’s Day (my favorite holiday) I’m going to feature a few of my favorite videos. First, I present you with this lovely animation from Don Hertzfeldt, of “Rejected” fame. (I AM A BANANA!)