It's about time!

I have been looking for a clock for my bike for weeks now. I grabbed a $1 store watch one day during lunch after being late for work, but that didn't function when I took it out of the package. Yes, I know I should have known. Thanks. I went to *dun dun duhhhhn* the mall and checked out those big stores and the little stores and that got me nowhere. I left the 'maul' before my head exploded and jumped on the internet.

I was dismayed that anything I found online was at least $40 - and that was definitely low end. I saw clock/thermometers while I was looking around, which I got interested in, but those were even more expensive. I am one to lose/break sunglasses, watches, etc. within days of purchase, so I just wanted something inexpenseve to test out first. Once I got over that it was going to be $40 or more for a decent motorcycle clock, I started looking again.

I had found http://clocks4bikes.com/ and they seemed pleasant and guarantee their clocks for 3 years 'even if you lose it'. I was quite ready to get serious about picking one of those. This aluminum stick-on one is only $25 http://www.clocks4bikes.com/stickon.html and would have gotten the job done. They are certainly worth checking out!

There are many other options if you want to glow in the dark or to light up when you press a button. Some have thermometers, others have compasses, some clamp on to your handlebars and some stick on a flat surface or fit on your stem nut. (Tsk. What are you thinking..?)

Do an online search or check these out:
http://www.formotionproducts.com/gauges_menu.htm
http://www.tricktape.com/search.aspx?find=clock
http://www.motoshop.net/mm5/merchant.mvc?

Here are reviews of some clocks with additional links to other clock sites:
http://www.webbikeworld.com/r3/harley-clock-thermometer/
http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/bike-watch/bike-watch.htm

However, I had just gotten the latest Rider Wearhouse Catalog and I saw...well, I saw all kinds of cool stuff, but there was a MotoFizz Thermo Clock for $22! Ok, so it's a square stick-on that's much more utilitarian than glamorous, but had the clock and temp in one and was very inexpensive . It even has a 16 max/min memories if you want it. http://tinyurl.com/78sbv

I jumped on the website and, just for the heck of it, did a search for clocks. Lo and Behold! They have all kinds of things not in the catalog. This little stick-on would look fantastic on my bike...but now I want a thermometer, too.

So, now I have to decide whether I want a seperate thermometer or what? Oy. Too many decisions, but I'm fairly confident that Aerostitch has a great representation of what I was interested in everywhere else. Plus tons of fun things I'm drooling over already. I'm sure that shipping will be cheaper if I buy *several* things...

Where's my wallet?...

Leather Weather

whew! Say *that* 10 times fast...

Well, It's September in Maryland and that means about 5 days of Fall-like weather before the temperatures drop to snow-conducive levels. I had an early job today and, when I'm planning to ride, I give myself an extra half hour to get out in one piece. I woke up tired and grouchy. And, while that isn't unusual in itself, that I considered not bothering with all the prep to ride the bike was. I waffled a bit as I packed up my gear bag, but the weather's changing and my riding time is limited...

Instead of trying to zip my mesh jacket up over a long sleeve shirt, a sweater and 3 inches of scarf tail left after immobilizing my neck, I wore my leather jacket and chaps. It was a lovely ride. That early I'd rather still be in bed, but with so many other folks not yet on the road, my ride was that much better.

The leather jacket is an improvement over the mesh jacket, but it isn't a bike jacket, so the sleeves don't cinch up at the wrists. And my gloves, well, they aren't bike gloves, so they don't go over the jacket sleeves. It wasn't uncomfortably cool, even for me, who has been told by friends and family that I will be the only person they know to be happy about hot flashes. But the cool air filling my jacket sleeves reminded me that Indian Summers are past us. With Winter looming and my dislike for the cold unchanged, my eye has turned to next season. While I squeek out as many more days as I can in 2008 I plan an Iron Butt Ride for 2009.

http://www.ironbutt.com/about/default.cfm

I had no idea that there were so many options when I started seeing comments about people's 'iron butt rides' or 'iron butt rallies' in books, blogs and magazines, but there is a veritable plethora of choices! ("Jefe, do you know what is a plethora?" *name that movie*)

I have already recruited my partner. (sucker!) AM is a fabulous Canadian adventurer who, if we were doing a multi-day trip, would suggest that after numbing out our buns for 10 or 12 hours on the bikes that we camp rather than find a comfy hotel with soft beds and warm showers.

I didn't think that I'd yet put 1000 miles on my bike since I got it, but doing the math it turns out that, even with 6 weeks in the shop, since May I've put 2500 miles in! And that doesn't include the time on the Mean Streak I borrowed while mine was laid up. Of course, that wasn't in less than 24 hours...

The shortest of the Iron Butt Rides is the Saddle Sore 1000. Then there's the Bun Burner 1500.
Those miles must be completed in less than 24 and 36 hours respectively. I don't know which one I can talk AM into, but since I've had a license for all of 5 months and my longest trips have been 2 hours or so, I think I have some saddle time to put in, whichever one we decide. Though, thinking about it, sitting in front of the computer in a non-ergonomic chair for hours a day, I may be better prepared for this than I thought.

Well, I'm going to check out http://motowhere.com/ to check out some more distances. And then I'll probably go shopping for some warmer gloves and see how much more time in the saddle I can buy!

Go. Do. Be...

"Go. Do. Be..."  I figure for the title of a blog... well, not any blog, but *my* blog... that's a fine and all-encompassing title.  While I'm particularly antsy to write about motorcycling at the moment, Fall is soon to set in and then I'll just be whining about not being able to ride, and that's only fun to read for so long.  Gifted with a short attention span, it's very likely that I'll see something shiny somewhere else and want to write about *that* or muse about why my dog likes to eat cat poo, but it wouldn't make sense on a blog I've called 'Life on Two Wheels' or something similar where the reader has a reasonable expectation to see something about motoring around town.  No, "Go. Do. Be..." suits me quite well, I think.  And, now that I've settled on the punctuation, it's way past my bedtime. 

Until next time!