A short morning shower nearly derailed our riding plans, but after a few hours delay, the roads had dried off and we were able to ride under cloudy skies. The day was warm like last Saturday, so it was a surprise to me when I realized halfway through the ride that I hadn’t seen any butterflies out. They must prefer the sunshine.
We did get to see an osprey with a fresh catch fending off some crows as we headed onto the curvy road. The road construction throughout the neighborhood had abated some and allowed some roads to open up. I kept my eyes peeled for the bald eagle too, but I didn’t spot him. I did get to see some beautiful, tall, yellow Japanese irises in bloom. And I did see a pair of ducks probably scoping out nesting sites.
On this particular ride, I noted how easily I can shift gears with the R Nine T. I wonder if it’s because it is a dry clutch or if it is because I first learned to drive on a manual transmission, so I am used to shifting gears. Whatever it is, I don’t miss the sputters of the 310 or Ducati, nor the stalls I often had on both of those motorcycles.
As we rode, I noted that the azaleas are past peak bloom, but the roses are filling in to replace them. I did spy black tulips at least super dark purple tulips, which I thought was an interesting shade. And it’s good to see the tree leaves coming in; hopefully, my allergies will soon disappear. I did figure out a different way to keep my neck tube up over my mouth when I put on my helmet. Usually, I try and hold the neck tube in my mouth as I pull on the Arai helmet, but that results in the neck tube down at my chin. I need my nose covered while my allergies are still so active, so for today’s ride, I pulled the tube up over my eyes before putting my helmet on. My nose stayed covered, but I had to do some awkward adjustments to keep a piece from sticking up over my right eye. Never let it be said that I look super cool gearing up for my ride.
Most of my ride went terrific. I did go wide on the first on-street U-turn, but I believe that had more to do with a last second adjustment when it looked as though Bill had pulled up. Next ride, I’m going to hang back a little more so if he does adjust, I don’t have to over adjust to recover. My footless stops went really well, and I feel as though I am restarting more quickly.
As we headed home from the ride, we had the phenomenal sight of a bald eagle swooping down on the road in front of us to snag a dead squirrel. It was only about 20 feet away which allows me to appreciate just how large a raptor it truly is. This fellow was pestered by several angry crows trying to get the squirrel for themselves, but he was able to soar away from them with his prize. At least the clouds don’t keep the raptors at bay, but I do hope the forecasted sunshine will allow for some butterfly sightings on my next ride.
Flutterby Biker 