My R Nine T Thinks I’m Crazy

Happy New Year! And happy semiquincentennial year for the USA! I look forward to an exciting year ahead with lots of amazing rides.

Today’s ride, however, was amazingly cold. In theory the temperature was 41 degrees, but with the wind chill and the cloud cover, it felt much colder. I had finally added the lining to Rev’It Factor 4 thermal lined waterproof pants my warm neck sleeve. I did wear my Klim liner gloves underneath my mid-weight gloves, and Bill led us on a shorter ride.

When we head out, I check my odometer to see how far we go. Today, when I looked down, I saw a flashing 37. After a moment, I noticed the flashing snowflake to the right, and I realized the motorcycle was telling me it was too cold to ride. This happened once before during a ride (Even My Motorcycle Thinks It’s Too Cold to Ride) when my BMW flashed between 34 and 37 for the temperature. Today, it held mostly steady at 37 but did dip down to 36 and rise to 39. The point of this warning is that there is the potential for ice on the roads. Now, we haven’t had any rain in over a week, so ice wasn’t a risk. But as smart as the R Nine T is, it isn’t smart enough to know that (yet).

So despite the cold and the gray skies (the sun made an attempt to shine through but gave up rather quickly), I was mostly comfortable as we rode. Except for my fingertips. Because I have learned to pre-load the front brake, my index and middle finger are on the brake lever and not on the heated grips. Several times during the ride when I was on a straightaway, I brought my grip onto the heated grips to defrost my fingertips, but I found the position uncomfortable and I appreciated the irony.

Four and a half years ago when I sat on the Kawasaki Eliminator, the idea of not having all five fingers on the handlebars was unthinkable. But over the years, I’ve learned how to pre-load and now, pre-loading is the natural, comfortable riding position and five-finger grip on the handlebars feels wrong. But pre-loading in cold weather riding is incredibly uncomfortable, so I started thinking why doesn’t someone invented heated brake and clutch levers for motorcycles? Perhaps because they are made of metal usually, it’s not really a good idea, but a heated brake and clutch lever would make winter rides a bit more enjoyable.

As it was, I rode with the occasional attempt to defrost my fingertips. There were Christmas decorations still up for those you remember that the twelve days of Christmas are from Christmas to the Epiphany. Two interesting ones are a giant bear and a giant penguin seemingly made out of fur like a stuffed toy. But I realized that in fact they are inflatables with the fuzzy surface which makes more sense as they are at least fifteen feet tall.

We did have one crazy street crossing squirrel who darted out in front of us coming and going. And I did spot a falcon being chased by some crows, but mostly it was a quiet ride. I did get to wave to a few people who waved at us, a man out raking leaves and boy about twelve years old. I remember being fascinated by motorcycles as a kid, and I’m very happy that I’ve allowed myself to learn to ride because it is in trying new things that we keep sharp and have fun! My new year’s resolution for 2026 is to not sweat the small stuff, and to help me with that resolution, I plan on channeling my motorcycle riding vibes. I will be creating many positive vibes this year.

Motorcycle dashboard showiong cold weather. — Cold weather warning on the Triumph Rocket display.

Itchy Nose Ride

Today’s ride was wintry for sure. The sky was gray and the wind was bitterly cold bringing the temperature down to below 40 degrees. But I was bundled up well and my heated grips were working, so I was mostly comfortable except for chilly fingertips.

Even under the gray skies, I managed to spot a white egret flying overhead as we started off and two more in the low tidal waters at the park. I also spotted two ospreys, one in each neighborhood, as we rode, and the squirrels were busy in the yards but keeping off the roads. Yet there seemed a quietness as we rode, that winter stillness that seems to settle over the land.

I noted that despite spotting a few pink winter roses and some newly planted purple pansies, there was a brown hue to the landscape as we rode by. The pines and other evergreens and grass are greens muted by the winter brown. One of the joys of riding my motorcycle is experiencing the seasons from the saddle and enjoying their unique features.

About midway through the ride my nose started itching. Now while riding a motorcycle, it is possible to take a hand off the handlebars. With cruise control some riders even take both hands off the handlebars. So theoretically I could take my left hand off the bars, lift my visor, and bump my nose with my gloved fingers. But I didn’t want to open my visor in the cold air.

To distract myself from the itch, my mind went to how in today’s society, so many needs are immediately met. Are you hungry? Uber eats will deliver nearly anything you want. Feeling ill? Medicine is on its way, or you can get a virtual appointment and a prescription without getting out of your pajamas. But riding my R Nine T, dressed in my safety gear with its extra layering for the cold, scratching my nose was not a simple task. And what if I just endured the inconvenience of an itchy nose? Would the delayed gratification feel better? Or, as did happen, would the itchy nose cease to itch? And am I better person for having endured it?

I realize how silly this is, but my ride did distract me from the itchy nose. During a U-turn in a cul-de-sac, I was letting out the clutch to increase my speed a little. I was , in the full bars to the left, front wheel turned, and the bike wasn’t accelerating. I tried a little throttle, and I only got engine revving. I had mis-shifted into neutral and had to quickly shift into first and accelerate to maintain the motorcycle in an upright position. Luckily, the boxer engine saved my balance and let me save the turn. And I soon forgot about my itchy nose.

As the ride ended, I had a new focus as I dismounted—the bathroom. Eventually, due to my recovering from a cold, I did get to scratch my itchy nose.

And, in the immortal words of Monty Python, “now for something completely different,” my motorcycle Christmas gift. Bill surprised me with Dream Apparel’s motorcycle bell. The bell says, “Never ride faster than your angel can fly.” It is a guardian angel bell to protect me from road gremlins. Next week, we’ll get it affixed to my motorcycle. I don’t know if it will protect me from itchy noses though, but I’m willing to keep riding to find out.

All Is Calm, All Is Bright

All was certainly bright as we headed out on our solstice eve ride. Yesterday’s rain had cleared away, leaving behind cloudless skies and lots of sunshine. In fact there were several times the sun was a little too much due to the lowered angle in the sky, but Bill quickly led us off those roads. The calm was the animals. I didn’t see any squirrels and only two crows and one buzzard. The only excited animal was a dog aggressively barking at a flock of geese. But even the geese calmly went about munching their lunch.

My ride was much smoother than last week. No mis-shifts during this ride and a smooth start. My on-street U-turns were all pavement. And I really enjoyed the acceleration into trail braking drill. I think Bill was having fun too because he led us into a second parking lot to do some more.

As we head toward Christmas, I want to wish everyone taking time to read this a very merry Christmas and please know I appreciate your time—and your likes! One more ride for 2025!

Mis-Shift Bookends

When I start the motorcycle, I hold the front brake. Today I experienced why. Ever since I fell off the Ducati Scrambler taking it out of the garage, Bill has put both motorcycles down at the street. He usually shifts it back into neutral before turning off the engine. But we all have moments of distraction, and for whatever reason, the R Nine T was left in first.

Now when I turn the key in the ignition, the clock lights up, so I saw the green “N” light up for neutral. However, later I realized that once the bike was started, the “N” was not lit up. The reason I hold onto the front brake is for just this mis-shift as I found out. Without realizing the motorcycle was in gear, I let off the front brake as I situated myself and the bike leapt forward before stalling. If I hadn’t had my fingers on the front brake when I started the bike, the motorcycle would’ve leapt out from under me. Luckily, because I hadn’t engaged the clutch, the motorcycle stalled, cutting off the engine.

It took me a while to collect all my thoughts as to what had happened. I’m not trying to throw Bill under the bus because I should be ensuring the motorcycle is in neutral as I start it. My mishap was a minor one, but the feel of the 500 plus pound motorcycle lurching forward away from me was quite a wake up, and I will add checking for neutral to my start up just as pulling in the front brake is part of the routine.

The ride itself was wonderful. We were blessed with a day of sunshine and mid-50s, and I was almost too warm wearing my leather jacket. But there was enough wind to keep me comfortable. We added a new skill to work on, something MotoGP racers do at a phenomenal level. The skill is to downshift and apply the brakes going into a curve then accelerate out of it. Now I’m doing this downshift from second to first and slow speeds, but it is a skill that teaches me a greater feel for the brake. In fact the first part of the drill was practiced in the garage where I sat on the R Nine T pushing it forward with my legs and slowly applying the front brake. So I was pushing against the brake until I had pulled it in enough to stop the bike.

Due to road construction, we were rerouted for our ride, so I was able to see different Christmas decorations including my new favorite—the Deercraft Carrier. That one just edged out the Grinch in his Christmas PJs. I also spotted a few maples showing off their autumn colors—one a gorgeous golden brown and the other still a bright yellow. But mostly I see the bare tree branches against the pale blue sky. The crows were busy flitting everywhere as were the squirrels, but the latter at least were flitting in the grass.

Again, due to the road work, we rerouted our return to the garage. As I pulled in the driveway, I lost acceleration and looked down to see I had shifted into neutral. Luckily, I found out my legs were strong enough to hold the motorcycle in place even in my parents’ steep driveway as I corrected the shift into first and rode into the garage. One of the fun aspects of riding motorcycles is that the bikes always have new challenges and new lessons to teach, and I can’t wait for next week’s learning.

Santa's sleigh blow up with three reindeer on gray "Deercraft Carrier" platform.

Gearing Up for Winter Riding

I am amazed at people’s ingenuity, and one place that ingenuity is on display is in motorcycle gear. In the early days of motorcycle riding, smart riders figured out to wear goggles to protect their eyes and leather to protect their skin. Bill will tell me how in his earliest days of motorcycle riding, the only gear he had was a Bell helmet, but he knew to wear a leather jacket, jeans, and boots.

Now some people in the summer can be seen on their motorcycles in shorts and t-shirts, but that is a choice. In the MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) course, they teach riders to dress for the slide. Leather is still one of the best skin protection for the slide, but thanks to the invention of Kevlar, riding jeans can be substantive enough to protect the skin.

But in addition to the safety features of motorcycle gear, there is also the weather adaptability. My leather riding pants have a detachable lining, so I can add a layer for warmth when needed, like on today’s 42-degree ride under gray skies. My leather jacket also has a removable lining for warmth adjustability. I also have three different sets of riding gloves that offer differing degrees of warmth, but all offer protection should I take a tumble.

Luckily (knock on wood) I have not needed the slide protection of my gear. I have needed the warmth protection, though, and it seems I will be needing it for quite a while now as winter seems to have arrived early this year. Next week, I’ll start wearing my balaclava under my helmet to keep my chin and cheeks warm.

We shortened our ride some because the roads still had wet spots from the cold rain that fell on Friday. I didn’t go on the gravel because of the damp, and the skies were dark enough I could see the beams from our headlights. The squirrels were busy, but they stayed out of our way. I spotted a large vulture in the air at the beginning of the ride, and I saw the birds flying away from the water, but I didn’t see any white-feathered heads. Of course, in our shortened ride, we didn’t ride as close to the water.

The best part of the ride was that I was mostly comfortable with just a little bit of cold fingers due to pre-loading, but it wasn’t as bad as last week. And I know I’ll be fine for next week’s ride too.

zipper on black pants — Zipping the lining up at the ankles of my leather riding pants.

Chilly Cheeks Ride

No, not those cheeks! But it does make a great hook. We had a chilly 43-degree day for our ride in bright sunshine, and I layered up. I made sure to close the vents in my helmet and to add the lining to my leather pants. I was pleased, also, that I was finally able to wear the Klim thermal sweater Bill gave me for Christmas four years ago over the Alpinestar’s safety jacket. That’s a concrete sign I’ve slimmed down.

One of the benefits of this pullover sweater is that it has a zipper at the top and a collar, so I could add an extra layer of neck protection. But I forgot to bring my thermal neck tube, so I had nothing to warm my cheeks from the cold air entering at the bottom of my helmet. The chill on my cheeks, however, was not enough to ruin my fun ride.

As we headed out, I glanced up in hopes of spotting an eagle, but no raptors were in sight. Nor was I going to see any butterflies in the colder air. But the squirrels were lively, and we had two cross our paths during the ride.

I was wearing my Klim medium-weight gloves with the heated grips on. However, I was also pre-loading the front brake, which meant my index and middle fingers were not on the grip and got quite cold. I focused during the ride on being careful with the throttle. These thicker gloves tend to block my feel some, so I will accidentally roll on the throttle. I had a few roll-ons as I was braking, but I did control the throttle better.

My U-turns were better this week than last week. I only brushed the edge of the grass on the berm as I did the first on-street U-turn. And my two-parking spot turn in the gravel lot was going great until I spotted a thick branch right at my exit point and had to go wider to avoid it. I missed that branch even thought I rode around the lot first to check for obstacles, which shows me that even when I think I’m aware, I need to be extra aware.

I did get to enjoy Christmas decorations as many people took advantage of the Thanksgiving holiday time off to decorate. I even spotted some people out hanging their lights. I will enjoy these decorations for the next four weeks, but I also know I will feel a little sad when I see the decorations taken down right after Christmas. Someone once explained to me that their family undecorates right after Christmas because they have the time off. But I look for those that hold onto the twelve days of Christmas and keep their décor through to the Epiphany. I will see a few people do this on my upcoming holiday rides.

bright yellow leaves on a tulip poplar tree — Tulip poplar in autumn

Three Eagles Ride

I was going to call this blog What a Difference a Day Makes as today’s weather was opposite Saturday’s dreary, warm rain. Today was cool and sunny, with hardly a cloud in the sky. But then I spotted the first eagle circling in the clear blue, and the ride became more about the sights.

I layered exactly right for the 60-degree day, but I forgot to close the vents in my helmet. It wasn’t cold, but I did have cool air blowing across my head. I realized, however, that I might not want to prematurely close the vents; we could still get some warm riding days. On today’s ride the bright sunshine almost became an issue. Luckily, we headed out early enough in the day before the sun hit that direct-into-the-eye angle.

I was enjoying the beautiful foliage still vibrant though many trees are bare. The beautiful elm tree from last week still had its leaves, but they had faded into a paper bag brown. The Japanese maples that have their leaves are a stunning deep red, and I saw enough color to remind me it’s still autumn and not quite winter. The smell of pine needles struck me as I went wide on the on-street U-turn having entered the turn too quickly. I improved on the second turn, and I did great on the gravel turns later.

I spotted the first bald eagle as we passed the neighborhood water tower. At first I had thought it was another buzzard, but then I noticed the white tail feathers and, as the raptor swung about, the tell-tale white head. I pointed upward in hopes Bill would look into his rearview mirror and then up. Instead, I was able to tell him on our stop.

After I spotted the eagle, we headed into a turn. I saw the front end of the Rocket slip and Bill pulled over and parked. I parked alongside him and watched as he walked back to the corner. He rooted around in the leaves along the roadside, and then he came back and showed me three chunks of asphalt that had been lurking under the leaves. It was a reminder that the leaves on the roadway can hide dangers. But it did give me the chance to mention the eagle to Bill. We rode into the cul-de-sac and when we came out and were stopped at a stop sign, Bill took the moment to remind me of the one time he dropped the R Nine T was at this stop. After he made the reminder and started to head off, I called after him because the eagle had made a reappearance. It was, however, soaring up in the thermals and difficult for Bill to spot. But he eventually did spot it.

I also spotted a cabbage white butterfly toward the end of our ride. It came darting out of a clump of yellow mums to make sure I got a look. The other two eagles were over the river, and I saw them as I was loading my gear back into the car. They were circling around each other and soaring higher and higher as they headed down the river. So a beautiful day with a beautiful ride was capped off with another beautiful sighting of bald eagles. I’m hoping for some more sightings on next week’s ride; I certainly will be thankful!

Getting Back to the Gravel

It was a day for motorcycles. I spotted almost ten motorcycles of various models as we headed over for our own ride, and I spotted even more on the way home. Tuesday, Veterans Day, had given us a taste of the coming winter, and I think motorcycle riders wanted to grab the great riding weather while they could. The skies were cloudy but no rain was forecasted, and the temperatures were in the upper 60s.

The sun did peak out every now and then as we rode, conveniently as I snapped a photo of one of my favorite autumn trees (see picture). But it was cloudy enough I didn’t wear my sunglasses under my tinted visor. The gray light softened the autumn colors and would’ve made for a peaceful, calm ride, except we had a quick stop not even a half mile into our ride when a cat darted in front of the Rocket’s front tire. That cat kept one of its lives thanks to Bill’s quick reaction.

The squirrels, for the most part, kept themselves in the yards except near the end of our ride when one felt extra daring. Again, it’s a good thing we practice fast stops and swerves. I spotted one tiny cabbage white butterfly determinedly working its way across road. I remarked last year that it seems the cabbage whites are the first and last butterflies of the season.

We headed into the gravel lot to give me more practice, and I felt more comfortable and confident. The small slips of the rear tire were not as nerve-racking as last week, and I even tried my U-turn inside the two parking spots. I had a large smile on my face as gave Bill the thumbs up to signal an end to my gravel practice. I’m glad I get the opportunity to put the 50/50 tires on a surface other than the asphalt. (50/50 tires are half for road and half for off-road.)

As we headed back to the garage, I glanced out over the water and spotted several egrets sitting atop the pylons on a pier. I realize that as we ease into winter, the wildlife views will become even sparser, but then maybe there will be less fast-stop drama too!

shades of gold on tree leaves — Elm tree with golden leaves

Happy Fall Y’All!

After a tough week at work, I was eager to ride, and I was given a gorgeous day of partly cloudy skies and 70 degrees. I was back in the Klim jacket, and I enjoyed a cool and comfortable therapeutic ride.

The squirrels were a little less squirrelly today; they crossed the roads in progressive leaps well out in front of us. I had fun creating wakes in the leaves along the roadway, and the autumn colors are nearing peak, so the sun was glinting of gorgeous burgundies, greens, golds, and umbers. Next week may actually be peak colors, though some of the Japanese maples are already there.

We did encounter three golf carts out on the roads during our ride, and Mr. Recumbent Bicycle was out again, but this ride he had the sense to have someone in front on a regular bike to help with visibility. I’m not sure what’s going on with the golf carts. There are plenty of neighborhood sidewalks for walking, and the day was perfect for taking a stroll. But when I thought about it, aren’t the golf carters doing what Bill and I are but in their own fashion? Aren’t they out riding in the elements, enjoying the feel of the cool air blowing across them, the lack of barriers between them and nature? So while the carts’ puttering speeds are a little annoying, I didn’t mind them so much. I recognized them as fellow riders of a sort.

Of course in a golf cart one can’t do cool U-turns with a lean or feel the slosh of the rear tire riding on gravel. I went in the gravel lot and have noticed a loss of confidence on that surface. I mentioned that to Bill after our ride, and he suggested we include the gravel lot more often. I still managed some tight U-turns on the gravel, but I didn’t try the two parking spots because there were some large branches down and the gravel was obstacle enough.

The only butterfly I spotted was a little cabbage white darting over the fence as I put on my riding boots. We have some mid-40 degree days forecasted for the upcoming week, so my butterfly spotting is just about over for this year. But that just makes me look forward to my upcoming rides.

Squirrelly Ride

It felt so good to be back on the R Nine T after missing last weekend. And the weather gave us a perfect day for the ride—sunny skies and highs of 62. I broke out my leather jacket without the lining and leather pants and had a super enjoyable albeit squirrelly ride.

Traffic was the main squirrelly part; there were cars everywhere. No one did anything to cause alarm but we had a few slow-movers that caused us to check up. It didn’t help that I was checking out my odometer because I was approaching 2500 miles and I wanted to snap a picture.

I spotted one intrepid cabbage white fluttering across the road in front of us. But he was the only one. I spotted a few vultures up in the blue sky, but the squirrels were the dominant fauna I spotted on my ride. They are mostly at work collecting food for the winter, but we had to watch for them in the roadway. One extremely lucky fellow benefited from our quick stopping practice; I am still wondering how he escaped Bill’s front tire. The reason the squirrel darted brazenly in front of the Rocket was because he was in a dispute with another squirrel, and the other squirrel chased him into the roadway. From my perspective that guy was roadkill. But then I spotted him to the left of the Rocket’s front tire, less than an inch away. We stayed stopped until the squirrel finished crossing the road.

I had a squirrelly incident early in my ride. I hit a dip in the road and my left foot depressed the shifter down a gear. At my speed, the engine braking didn’t disrupt my ride too much, but it gave me something to think about when out on the highway to be aware of how a bump can cause unintentional actions.

We encountered more squirrels as we looped around for the finish of the ride, including a confident fellow who ambled across the road assured we would stop for him—which of course we did. We also encountered a squirrelly individual riding a recumbent bicycle. He did have a tall flag attached to his bike, but he was low to the ground and riding in a very shady part of the road, weaving between both lanes. He did have a flashing headlight, but it is low to the ground and wasn’t very brightly lit. It made me realize that my motorcycle headlight—a safety feature—is probably not as bright as I think.

As we head deeper into autumn and closer to winter, the squirrellyness will settle down. The leaves are more colorful but not yet at peak; I will be out next Saturday to enjoy the fall colors.

odometer of motorcycle showing 2500 miles