Suicidal Butterflies?

As we set out for our motorcycle ride on this warm but not too hot day, I had a goal in mind—work on scanning my environment for potential hazards and pathways of avoidance. During the week, Bill and I watched some YouTube videos on motorcycle safety. One was on what the Japanese version of the MSF teaches, and one was from a British instructor for their version of the MSF. I discovered I have a lot of work ahead.

One of the aspects of riding safety I have not been paying careful attention to is hidden roadway obstacles. For example when I approach an intersection, I know to scan for oncoming traffic, seek an escape route should I need to swerve, and slow down slightly. What I had not been thinking about is the road itself. Is the road smooth? Gravelly? Bumpy? What might be on the road that would cause me to lose control, even briefly, of my steering or braking. It was quite enlightening, and I worked on adding a scan of the road’s surface to my usual scans.

Also during the week, I had watched a YouTube video “What Motorcycling Really Does to Your Brain (Tokyo University Study)” which explained the neuroscientific benefits of riding motorcycles including the brain development and cognitive skills riding builds and maintains. I’ve explained how my motorcycle rides help me deal with stress, and there are studies showing a reduction in cortisol levels from riding and endorphin release, but I didn’t realize it would help keep my brain sharper as I age. I’ve been out having fun while I ride. But I am constantly figuring things out during the ride—where is the road smoother, obstacle free, hiding a potential crash. I also develop my brain while working on my slow-speed drills such as U-turns and fast stops.

And I gain the endorphin benefit of spending time in nature. In addition to the scent of honeysuckle, ligustrum, and magnolia blooms, I love that constant scanning allows me to also enjoy natural sights. I spotted the first cabbage white butterfly several miles into our ride. But the suicidal cabbage white was the fifth one I spotted during the ride. The first cabbage white went fluttering across Bill’s path, and so did the fifth. However, I watched Bill swerve sharply to the left and then flick his left hand in the air as the sixth cabbage white approached his motorcycle. After the ride, he explained that the butterfly was trying its best to collide with Bill’s right mirror. Luckily, Bill’s riding skills kept number five alive.

Traffic was odd during the ride because of neighborhood yard sales. But one benefit to a bad driver backing out of their driveway into our path was the sudden stop gave me a second look at the low-tide river and allowed me to spot the well-camouflaged great blue heron. I also spotted a bedraggled-looking osprey overhead perhaps just waking up for breakfast. We had gone out earlier for our ride in part due to the warmer temperatures but also to avoid the crazy traffic around my neighborhood for the nearby festival.

We have some summer weather heading our way this week complete with the daily chance of thunderstorms. But hopefully we’ll have a sunny day for next week’s ride, and the butterflies will have worked out their issues and just flutter pleasantly by.

white butterfly — Photo by Tu00f4n Thanh Chiu1ebfn on Pexels.com

Did You Miss Us?

Overhead as we unloaded our riding gear, we spotted three ospreys and an eagle soaring high in the thermals and probably fighting over territory. It was a spectacular sight. The garage cabbage white fluttered by followed by a young tiger swallowtail enjoying the warm day, and it gave me hope of some butterfly spottings as we rode.

We again lucked out with the weather. Some much needed rain had fallen the night before but had dried on the roads by the time we headed out on our motorcycles. We have been in quite a dry spell, and the rain-refreshed irises, roses, peonies, rhododendrons, azaleas, and buttercups clearly brought the butterflies back. All in all I spotted twenty butterflies during the ride, mostly cabbage whites, but beautiful sights on a beautiful day.

With the temperature at 80 degrees, I kept my jackets partially unzipped to let in the cool air. A mile into our ride, I spotted the first two cabbage whites flittering among the buttercups. I did make three mistakes at the first three stops, forgetting to check my rearview mirrors. That realization helped me refocus, and I did my mirror check at all remaining stops. But it did rattle me to realize my focus was perhaps too much on the butterflies and not enough on my skills.

Once I refocused on my riding skills, I let the butterfly spotting be my secondary focus. I made sure to check directions at all intersections and check my mirrors at all stops. I also remembered not to look at the berm during my on street U-turns, and they were both plenty of road. Most of my U-turns were pretty tight, but I did mess up and have to dab my left foot in the gravel lot parking spaces.

Most of my ride went well. I waved to a lot of people who had waved to us first. And I kept spotting butterflies everywhere. Mostly I saw cabbage whites including one that fluttered right across my path as I finished up my fast stop figure eights. During the ride I also spotted what I believe was a juvenile black swallowtail and what may have been an American copper. They zoomed across my line of sight, so I didn’t get the best look at the wings.

I was happier with this ride because the butterflies were back. We’re expecting a lot of rain during a much cooler week. Hopefully, it will dry up by next Saturday for my ride and give me a cool day for riding. Next week is pretty special for me as it will be my fifth anniversary of motorcycle riding—five years of fun.

white butterfly on blue flowers — Photo by thorl5 on Pexels.com

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

Finishing Up February with Fun

Spring is winning out over winter. While we did have some snowfall Sunday, the weather warmed back up and we had a near 60 degree day for our ride. The sun was out, the clouds were thin and stretched out, and it was another perfect day for riding motorcycles.

On our way over to the garage, we saw a young man zooming over 80 mph on his sport bike on the interstate. I realize the new MotoGP season has started, but zooming through heavy traffic is never a smart idea. And this young man only had his helmet on. His white hoodie was standard cotton, not Kevlar lined like my Klim jacket.

I risked my lightweight jacket and thought I might have made a mistake. As I geared up, I thought about the Velcro straps at my cuffs and cinching them up. But I don’t normally do that with the Klim, so I didn’t, but I very quickly came to regret that decision. The cool air slid right up my sleeves and gave me a chill. I turned on the heated grips, but I wasn’t comfortable until I reached over and cinched up the sleeves. Most jackets have this cinching feature, but since walking around doesn’t cause the air to flow up our arms, I am not in the habit of cinching except with the Schott’s leather. Those sleeves have zippers to cinch in the cuffs, and I always zip those after I’ve put on my gloves. I learned another lesson in appreciating my motorcycle gear.

Our beautiful ride, however, was thwarted a bit by unusual traffic. Three times during the ride we found ourselves edging past cars that had just stopped in the roadway. Apparently it was random stop in the road day and no one told us. The worry was these stopped cars might abruptly start again and pull out without looking. I was worried about one mini-van that almost started but stopped for Bill because I wasn’t sure they would realize I was behind him. Luckily they did, but the odd traffic did put a damper on the ride and Bill cut it short.

But before it was over, I did two beautiful on-street U-turns and managed not to let my tire slip on all the little broken off branches littering one of the parking lots. The Rocket’s front tire did slip and Bill had to dab.

I thought I would see more daffodils blooming, but I think they took a beating by the arrival of second winter and are keeping their heads down. I did see my first spray of bright pink phlox blooming and more camellias are flowering. Heading over I spotted a great blue heron, but nothing but crows and buzzards during our ride. And squirrels, lots of squirrels, lots of excited squirrels out enjoying the early signs of spring. Next weekend looks to be a full-on spring day with temperatures forecasted for the mid-70s; the squirrels and I will be out loving it!

Mix and Match Ride

Our weekend is mix and match weather—partly sunny skies and 60 degrees followed by rain and highs in the mid-40s. Luckily, the sun was out enough to let us ride, and I had both my warm and cold weather riding gear. I had my Klim summer jacket and summer gloves on, but I wore my long sleeves and Klim wool jacket underneath. And I was perfectly comfortable throughout the ride.

The buzzards and crows were acting up with the weather, flitting and circling about. The day was warm enough that I wondered if it might confuse a butterfly into making an appearance. It didn’t, or course, but the nice day brought the kids out and the dog walkers. The impending storm, with snow forecasted, caused people to be out, and we encountered traffic everywhere.

My ride went really well. I was glad to have the light weight gloves on as they give me the best feel for the throttle, clutch, and front brake. I figured if my hands got chilly, I could turn on the heated grips. But with the sun shining down on us for most of the ride, my hands were fine. I made an interesting emergency stop. As Bill was leading us around on the on-street U-turns, he stalled the Rocket in front of me. I saw Bill dab his left foot and realized I would need to stop in the midst of my turn. So I straightened my wheel quickly and stopped with no wobble or need to dab. I was a little disappointed because my turns were set up really sharply, but then I realized that I had the opportunity to practice a rare skill.

I also had good U-turns on the gravel lot. I’m almost ready to go inside the wooden board two parking spot section and see if I can stay inside the wood. During the fast shift-down turn drills, I wanted more roadway to accelerate because I really enjoy that drill.

When we started the ride, I looked for clouds and saw some building in from the north. About halfway through our ride, the clouds quickly overtook the sun, so much so I wondered about rain. The forecast hadn’t shown any rain for today, but I thought maybe the storm might have arrived early. No rain came, but the temperature began to fall as we ended our ride. As we headed home, the temperature had already fallen 10 degrees, so I was glad I had my mix and match layers.

Of course, the big question in my mind was what would next week’s ride be like? Will winter return? Or will we be gifted another spring-like day to air out our motorcycles? I can’t wait to find out.

large cloud overtaking the sun — Photo by Samir Smier on Pexels.com

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.

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