Month: April 2026

Sudden Stops on a Spectacular Spring Ride

Spring returned in full force for today’s ride with a beautiful sunny day right around 70 degrees and with a full-frontal assault by the pollen.  I wore my neck tube up over my mouth and nose to help alleviate my allergies, and that action was mostly successful, so I could enjoy the day without sneezing all afternoon.

            The azaleas are reaching peak bloom, the roses are beginning to bloom, and I even saw large pink-white peonies blossoming.  I spotted two monarch butterflies out enjoying the day probably as much as I was.  The Japanese maples were a spectacular red as they reflected the sunlight off their leaves, and the roads were covered in the maple seed pod “helicopters.”  We called them “helicopters” as kids because we would pick them up and throw them in the air to let them spin their way to the ground.  I even picked up a few as I loaded the gear after the ride to relive my childhood fun.

            My motorcycle ride was wonderful.  My on-street U-turns were all street with my second one being super tight.  Turning my head a little more has really helped tighten my U-turns; I just need to work on reaching and being comfortable at full lock.  We also did the zooming figure eights with the race braking, but there was a trailer parked in the lot and it cramped my turns.

            My most successful aspect of the ride was finally being able to use engine braking to aid my sudden stops.  Engine braking is when I let the downshift of the engine help to slow the motorcycle.  What I have to do is let out the clutch as I downshift while braking sharply.  It’s a coordination effort on my part.  Out of three attempts, I was successful on two.  The first stop with the engine braking was within two parking spots.  The second one was a goof.  And the third was the best; I stopped within a parking spot and a half.  It’s always fun to make a leap in skills, and I look forward to working the stops some more next week.

burgundy leaves in sunlight on a Japanese maples

Taste of Summer Ride

Hard to believe that last week I was riding in my leather and thermal jackets with the heated grips on.  For today’s ride, I kept zippers open and my visor partway up to maximize air flow.  The wind shifted this week and came up from the south; the fun of Virginia’s mercurial weather patterns.  But for a motorcyclist, 83 degrees is a lovely day for a ride.  There was a cool breeze and clouds moving, evidence of the cold front heading our way.

            With the sunny skies, I expected to see lots of butterflies, but no such luck.  My garage cabbage white was fluttering across some lawns before we headed out, but during the ride I didn’t see any.  I did see a number of ducks, including one drake hovering on the berm of the road who got an encouraging boost from Bill to fly across the road instead of meandering into the oncoming car’s path.

            Instead, I enjoyed the fully blooming dogwoods and the azaleas beginning to burst.  I love the contrast of the white dogwood flowers against the burgundy leaves of a Japanese maple.  Most of the dogwoods are the white flowering kind, though I did spot a few pink flowers.  I also enjoyed the bursting Sakura cherry trees with their heavy pink blossoms.  And I spotted some irises opening up alongside the tulips.

            Even while I enjoyed the springtime beauty, I remembered to work on my riding skills.  After forgetting to check my mirrors at the very first stop, I diligently remembered to check my mirrors for the rest.  We mostly cruised along to keep cool, but my U-turns were tight, and we did get a chance to work on the fast braking U-turns.

            One of the many fun aspects of riding a motorcycle is watching the boys’ reactions to the bikes.  We passed several groups of boys out walking, riding, or playing, and they all followed our motorcycles with their eyes as we rode by.  Sometimes, one of them will wave and I, as the designated waver, will wave back or toot my horn.  But there is something magical and intriguing about the roar of an engine and beauty of the mechanics.  I know I fell in love with motorcycles because they intrigued me.  How did they work?  What did it feel like to be out exposed in the air while zooming along.  Luckily for me, I’ve had the opportunity to find out, and I can’t wait to enjoy the magic on next week’s ride.

pink cherry blossoms, green leaves, white clouds, and blue sky