Dreary Winter Daze!

Tomorrow is the first day of February and I can see the light at the end of the Winter tunnel! This month I will attend the International Motorcycle Show in Greenville, South Carolina. I will make a day trip out of this. It will be good to spend a day in a building that smells of gas and rubber!

It has been a slow month for riding. I rode the airhead on New Year's day but I have not ridden the GS at all. Tomorrow (February 1) The weather is supposed to be in the 50s (11-12C) and I may get a ride in just to charge up the battery. Starting on Monday we are due for another round of ice and snow. The snow melts quickly here but the problem is the salt and sand that the city and county spread. That stuff remains for weeks afterward. Sand and motorcycles are not a good combination (for me, anyway!).




















I am also busy planning my "Chasing Hemingway" trip scheduled for third week in April. This trip will only be one week, but it is to an area that I have never been to before. I am a huge fan of Earnest Hemingway and the main purpose of this trip is to see his home/museum in Key West Florida. I have included the route that I am planning to take. If any of you are familiar with this area and have some tips for me let me know!

Well, everyone hang in there and check back in two to three weeks. Spring is coming!!!!

Baby! It's Cold Outside!!

Some of you have been asking for updates since I have not posted in over two weeks. Don't worry I am fine and still alive, but there have been some goings on at our house. First I shipped son number 1 (he's the pilot, black belt, SCUBA diving one (don't you love it... land, air and sea!)) back to San Diego. Son number 2 (he's the one that just graduated college) has decided that Honduras are more to his liking than Mexico...so on Tuesday he flies to Honduras to begin his Dive Master course. This means he will not be in Mexico, so that changes my schedule for the summer. At first I thought that Honduras would make an interesting trip, but I just won't be able to squeeze it in this summer. Besides his course will be over in April and he does not know if he will remain in Honduras or not. Oh! To be young again! Anyway, I am back to my original coast to coast plans for this summer.

I have not ridden either bike since New Year's Day. You can see why in the photo above. I snapped this photo yesterday morning. I don't normally let a little cool weather keep me from riding, but I do have my limits! Nine degrees Fahrenheit (-14 C) is just below my limit. It does inspire me to plan my trip to Key West this April!

If you don't hear for me in a couple of weeks, don't worry! Spring will be here soon and winter will be a distant memory! For those of you in the southern hemisphere, ride safe...those in the north, stay warm!!!!

First Ride of 2009!!

Today I made my traditional New Year's Day ride. I took the airhead and rode a few miles (almost 50) on my home road, the Blue Ridge Parkway. As you can see from the photo the weather was absolutely beautiful. It was a little chilly though, 42 degrees Fahrenheit (About 7 degrees Celsius).

For New Year's Eve my wife and I spent the evening listening to Larry Keel and the Mountain Family Circus at the Grey Eagle Music Hall here in Asheville. Larry's music is hard to describe...sort of a bluegrass/jazz/experimental/fusion style. Whatever you want to label it, it was a great show!

I hope everyone has a great 2009 and let me hear from you!!