SeaCat
Hey, my Halo is smoking
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2003
- Posts
- 15,378
So I was working on the patio today. Putting up plastic Lattice around the bottom two feet of it. (Makes it look nice.) I'm sweating freely but I'm not worried about it. This is south Florida after all. I ran out of screws.
Okay so I decided to hop the bike and put a couple more miles on it. I gear up and off to the bike I head. (Jeans, Boots, Denim Jacket, Vest, Do-Rag, Helmet and Gloves.) (Always think sunglasses with me.) 10 miles to the hardware Store. Ten miles and maybe eight Stop Lights, all of which were green. By the time I parked the bike in the shade I was sweating freely.
In I go and I'm enjoying the A/C as I get the screws I needed. I stand around for a bit chatting with the owner of the store, (an old biker,) and the cashier. I'm cooling off nicely and loving it. Finally though it's time to leave. I climb in the saddle and pull on my helmet as I start sweating again.
Ten miles home and this time every blasted light is red. I'm in slow moving heavy traffic and I can feel the sweat running down my face and body. Ten miles of stop and go traffic and the highest gear I hit is second.
Finally I ease between my neighbors car and mine to park the bike. Looking down I can see that damned whisp of gray smoke, but I have to look hard to see it. I'm not happy about that but I may be over reacting to it. I shut down the bike and drop the stand but I don't climb off the bike yet. I have to just sit there for a couple of minutes. I'm feeling weak.
I wander into the trailer and it feels like heaven. Cool and dry. I drop the bag on the table and set my helmet over an A/C vent to dry out. I peel out of the jacket and vest and hang them over a chair before heading for the bathroom. I literaly peel out of my jeans and boxers. They hit the floor as I step into the shower. The cool water feels great. 20 minutes later I step out of the shower feeling a lot better to find a tall glass of lime laced Ice Water sitting on the counter waiting for me. That glass of water last the several steps to the bedroom but that's it.
I dig out boxers and shorts and find my wife has refilled the glass of water. I drain that one as I dress. SHe fills it again and it makes it through my brushing out and putting my hair into a pony tail. I step into the kitchen and fill the glass yet again as I think that I have to refill the water jug. (2.5 gallons)
Glancing into the dining area I see my jacket. The sleeves of the jacket aren't their usual light blue. They are a very dark blue. Stepping closer I touch the vest and find it wet to the touch. Damn, I had sweat through the vest again. I wiped it down with a paper towel as I thought about how I would have to clean it again when it was dry. (Salt stains look funny on leather vests.)
After refilling the water glass again I wandered into the living room. I glanced at the thermometer and understood why I had been feeling a bit off. It was reading a lovely 91° with a 75% humidity. That means a heat index of at least 106°. That doesn't take into acount sitting on top of a good sized air cooled engine in stop and go traffic for almost an hour.
This was one hell of a ride. It would have been better if I though I could trust the bike.
One of these days I'll get the bike so I can trust it again.
Cat
Okay so I decided to hop the bike and put a couple more miles on it. I gear up and off to the bike I head. (Jeans, Boots, Denim Jacket, Vest, Do-Rag, Helmet and Gloves.) (Always think sunglasses with me.) 10 miles to the hardware Store. Ten miles and maybe eight Stop Lights, all of which were green. By the time I parked the bike in the shade I was sweating freely.
In I go and I'm enjoying the A/C as I get the screws I needed. I stand around for a bit chatting with the owner of the store, (an old biker,) and the cashier. I'm cooling off nicely and loving it. Finally though it's time to leave. I climb in the saddle and pull on my helmet as I start sweating again.
Ten miles home and this time every blasted light is red. I'm in slow moving heavy traffic and I can feel the sweat running down my face and body. Ten miles of stop and go traffic and the highest gear I hit is second.
Finally I ease between my neighbors car and mine to park the bike. Looking down I can see that damned whisp of gray smoke, but I have to look hard to see it. I'm not happy about that but I may be over reacting to it. I shut down the bike and drop the stand but I don't climb off the bike yet. I have to just sit there for a couple of minutes. I'm feeling weak.
I wander into the trailer and it feels like heaven. Cool and dry. I drop the bag on the table and set my helmet over an A/C vent to dry out. I peel out of the jacket and vest and hang them over a chair before heading for the bathroom. I literaly peel out of my jeans and boxers. They hit the floor as I step into the shower. The cool water feels great. 20 minutes later I step out of the shower feeling a lot better to find a tall glass of lime laced Ice Water sitting on the counter waiting for me. That glass of water last the several steps to the bedroom but that's it.
I dig out boxers and shorts and find my wife has refilled the glass of water. I drain that one as I dress. SHe fills it again and it makes it through my brushing out and putting my hair into a pony tail. I step into the kitchen and fill the glass yet again as I think that I have to refill the water jug. (2.5 gallons)
Glancing into the dining area I see my jacket. The sleeves of the jacket aren't their usual light blue. They are a very dark blue. Stepping closer I touch the vest and find it wet to the touch. Damn, I had sweat through the vest again. I wiped it down with a paper towel as I thought about how I would have to clean it again when it was dry. (Salt stains look funny on leather vests.)
After refilling the water glass again I wandered into the living room. I glanced at the thermometer and understood why I had been feeling a bit off. It was reading a lovely 91° with a 75% humidity. That means a heat index of at least 106°. That doesn't take into acount sitting on top of a good sized air cooled engine in stop and go traffic for almost an hour.
This was one hell of a ride. It would have been better if I though I could trust the bike.
One of these days I'll get the bike so I can trust it again.
Cat
