MIGcruisers

Gammon gammon@optonline.net
Sat, 27 Mar 2004 23:23:39 -0500


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This morning the weather forecast was for a warm day, starting with clouds.
Here in NJ in March, warm is anything over 40, so I was READY for a good
ride, to be sure. PMS, Parked Motorcycle Syndrome has had a hold on me, though
I have had a fix a few times this winter&#8230;<br>
<br>
It was 55 when I went out to the garage, the warmest morning yet this year.
I wheeled old Bessy out of the garage and gave her a fast spray bottle wash.
(For those who don&#8217;t know, Bessy is a 98 rauder named after the girl friend
(not wife) of the singer of Cripple Creek, by the Band). Well, with her blue
flame paint job looking good and the chrome removed of it's dust. <br>
<br>
Bessy fired right up to my astonishment, she hasn't been run in at least
a month. She was READY to run!<br>
<br>
I filled her up and checked the air, 15 psi low. I THOUGHT her ass was wiggling
on the way to the gas station! Well, she was the same old agile young athelete
leaving. We rode in harmony, the cool morning air stopped for the most part
by a leather bandana around my neck. It is sweet.<br>
<br>
Bessy was running fine, I was getting back into the particular harmony of
her rythym and the back roads began to unfold. Now I have been known to be
pretty good at getting lost, but this day was special. I headed West 20 miles
and then headed NW, just because I hadn't gotten lost up that way in a while.<br>
<br>
Well, it was not as easy as I'd have prefered to enjoy the ride for some
time due to the disease called subdivision. Some folks call them a "development".
Well, most are pretty disgusting developments simply because they completely
level the entire area before they start. At least in my neighborhood when
they built 50 years ago, they left many of the old tree alive. We call it
charactor.<br>
<br>
But even that could not ruin this morning, and as if it had only been a test,
the roads got smaller, older and windier. "Always take the poorest look road"
is my motto. And I found some sweet ones too! I recall on one ocassion winding
my way through some woods and smelling something very familiar. As O made
the last turn, sure enough, I ridden right into a horse farm area. Mom and
Pop types, 3 in a row. Beautiful horses and folks working 'em. <br>
<br>
Well, I rode 3 and a half hours and covered just 135 miles. After northwest-ing
as far as I wanted, I headed south. I love those little roads. I turned around
at a previously unknown Suzuki dealer in Maple Shade, bought chain wax and
lubed her chain, and Bessy and I headed home. <br>
<br>
Did I mention how sweet it was?<br>
<br>
JimG MIG #229
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