We had a glorious autumn day for our ride. The wind was blowing, the sun was battling through the clouds, and the temperatures were in the mid-60s. The wind was welcome as it blew the clouds apart and let the sun shine on the colorful leaves.
The sun also lit up the colorful costumes on the kids. The neighborhood hosts a costume parade every year, and we happened to be out for our ride at parade time. I spotted an ostrich and dinosaur as well as some Spidermans and ghosts. The kids had a great day for their parade, and being out in the daytime made it easier to see their costumes.
The sunshine also made it easier to spot any potential road hazards. I dodged branches, pinecones, bumps, and dips. A true test would be to put on the cruise control and release the handlebars, but I don’t really go long enough for cruise control, so my test was limited.
But I marveled at how comfortable I am riding the R Nine T. As I rode around on the gravel lot, I wanted to feel the back end slide some. If I had a smaller dirt bike, I feel I could rag on it. I’m held back because even with the crash bars, I do not want to drop the R Nine T; it’s just too pretty a motorcycle.
Now I say I’m comfortable riding the R Nine T, and I am in terms of confidence. But I do still get that uncomfortable numbing in my right hand. Since I didn’t experience the numbing while riding the 310 or the Scrambler, it must come from the riding position on the R Nine T. There’s some issue with the slight lean in the riding position and maintaining the throttle that eventually causes me some numbness. It isn’t enough of an issue to prevent my riding the motorcycle; it’s more a curiosity.
Another curiosity during the ride was the squirrels. They are clearly in hyper winter prep mode as they were dashing all about. One goofy fellow had to be beeped out of the road by Bill as he was caught between the oncoming motorcycles and an oncoming SUV in the opposite direction. At least with the bright sunshine it was easier to spot them.
I also spotted two tiny butterflies (I think). One was a tiny orange one and the other a tiny black one—I’m not kidding—perfect for the day and upcoming Halloween next Saturday. Since we ride early in the afternoon, we won’t have to watch out for trick-or-treaters, and I hope to see all the Halloween decorations blown up and ready for nighttime scares.
