What did you do with your GRiSO today?

LBC Tenni wrote:

... I'm an Iowegian too, by the way.  Born and raised out in the sticks near Solon. What part of the big cornfield do you call home?

Isn't "out in the sticks near Solon" redundant?

Actually, had a fine time at a tavern in Solon a few years ago. Near a cool old bridge.  Was with a great Guzzista from Mechanicsville who had bought my Ballabio and was letting me have a "visitation." Recall a sign at bar that said: "Spandex is a privilege, not a right."    At least one local charmer could lawfully have exercised that privilege ; others, not so much.  

sideshowbob wrote:

I'm about 30 miles N of Des Moines. ...

Isn’t it Canada when you get 30 miles north of Des Moines?

Seriously, I had a fine time when I was job "exiled" to Rock Island.  Loved riding in the Driftless to the north.

And, of course, bought my GRiSO at Rose Farm Classics. Oh, happy day.

Bill

Bob, thanks for the generous offer. I'll make the same offer to you, if you find yourself in So Cal. I'm a 25 minute ride from the old battleship. They have turned it into a nice museum of sorts. Perhaps you have already visited.

Bill, it's not every day I encounter someone who has visited Solon and the Sutliff Bridge. The bridge is a popular stop on the RAGBRAI, so the crew there is undoubtedly qualified to judge on the subject of spandex. 
Kudos on your wanderings far and wide. 

Don

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Why? ....
I have drilled the holes and cut the threads for the MPC hugger.

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^^^^^^

A bachelor, huh?

Bill

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Stopped at the French King Bridge in Gill MA  on my way to dropping off the GRiSO for it's spring service.
It was an unbelievable 76 degrees F! Of course snow is in the forecast for tomorrow.

Bill Hagan wrote:

^^^^^^

A bachelor, huh?  

Bill

Nope ...living separated, almost divorced.

Went to Halls Gap for a family get together. Caught up with rellies I hadn't seen for 6 years and some I'd never seen. Good fun and great chatting. Decided to ride home at 2pm and  just coming into Lake Bolac, busting for a pee and got done for 112kmh just as I came down the slope into town.  3 points and $317.00. Bugger. Apart from that it was a nice ride with some lovely curves through the Grampians.
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112km? Move to NSW.

Cops are so much better in NSW. Not anywhere near as rigid with the rules. Hopefully Heather and I will be moving late this year or next year to somewhere near Noosa where her older son lives. I hope the cops are better there.

112K?  What was speed limit?

Condolences.

LEO response in U.S. varies, too, by jurisdiction, individual officer temperament, and -- as no coffee yet this a.m. -- Bill heads into sexist territory with "time of month."  

As an example, with rare exceptions, to be stopped by Virginia State Police -- an unsmiling lot nearly all the time -- is an almost guaranteed costly souvenir.  Yet, county sheriff's seem to exercise way more discretion.  In other states, the reverse seems true.  Cities?  "It depends."

Looks to have been a nice ride otherwise. 

Bill

I have fitted an Escort ix.Have been pushing my luck for too long. Bill pretty much nailed it on our LEO's.

Good move Bob. They are the kings of chickensh** tickets. I once got a ticket for doing 5 mph over near Clarion. I think it’s an unfortunate side effect of them not having enough to do. Out here in So Cal, it seems most won’t bother you unless you’re over the limit by 20. Consequently, riding out here is more dangerous. A happy medium would be nice.

I lived in Virginia for 20 years and never got popped by the Virginia State Police.  Definitely was very fortunate because my buddies and I from the Richmond BMW club used to ride through the countryside at speeds well in excess of a reckless driving conviction.  Now that I am in Colorado, I have slowed my pace considerably.  There is frequently gravel, rocks or a large animal in the road around every curve.  That, and the views are much more enjoyable if you are riding at a pace that you can actually look at them once in a while.  ;-)

Triman023 - You might want to try a pair of Dainese Scout 2 gloves.  My wife has Reynaud's Syndrome and always has very cold hands; she swears by them.  Since she bought them, she rarely uses her heated grips.  She has talked them up so much that I have a pair headed my way.

The limit was 100kph Bill, but they only allow up to 3kph over before they issue a ticket. and in Victoria they do not give youa warning and let you go. They are tax collectors for the government pure and simple.

Yesterday I took the GRiSO to Jennings GP race track in Jennings FL for my first track school.  Weather was perfect and it was a blast.  We would do 20 minutes on the track then 20 minutes in a class room telling us what we needed to work on for the next session.  We did 7 sessions on the track and it was a blast.  Ole GRiSO just doesn't have the straight away power to run with some of these bikes but I was able to pass a few slow riders during the day.   I have been riding 50+ years but this was my first time on a track.  Other than losing a left passenger peg and one bolt out of the side stand it was great,  so I guess the GRiSO vibrates as much as a harley  LOL

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Cold but sunny run up the west coast and a short ferry crossing to Argyle, then on through the Arrochar Alps before heading home.  Put a cheesy grin on my mug

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beautiful. thanks.

cognosticator wrote:

Yesterday I took the GRiSO to Jennings GP race track in Jennings FL for my first track school.  Weather was perfect and it was a blast.  We would do 20 minutes on the track then 20 minutes in a class room telling us what we needed to work on for the next session.  We did 7 sessions on the track and it was a blast.  Ole GRiSO just doesn't have the straight away power to run with some of these bikes but I was able to pass a few slow riders during the day.   I have been riding 50+ years but this was my first time on a track.  Other than losing a left passenger peg and one bolt out of the side stand it was great,  so I guess the GRiSO vibrates as much as a harley  LOL

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It's a slow track...
Was there once with my 09 and had a blast also.
I was holding my own since the guys with high HP bike can't really use it so it's about skills really. GRiSO was King that day...
At each intermission, folks were gathering around in the pits to see who was the freak on the big twin. lol
The wife was there as well on the 1100 and was scared to death at first, but manage to get rid of her chicken strip by the end of day.
Got yelled at after she saw me almost lose the bike on the last turn (14 I think) which is tricky.
For the record, I was running Dunlop roadsmart and they never failed me despite shredding them.
Love to do it again on slicks...
But that experience sealed the deal for me as far as the handling capacity of the GRiSO...it's kind of a sleeper in capable hands for sure and I was able to kick ass on that heavy bike with stock suspension (sorted to its best potential though) and street tires and I'm far from being a pro, so that's why anybody my size and weight (5.7 165lbs) bitching about the short coming of our bike's factory's component needs to swallow their pride and hone up on their skills first.

Monthly Guzzi Breakfast this morning in Enumclaw, in the foothills of Mt. Rainier. Esther woke up feeling shitty so she and Jellybean stayed home and I took the GRiSO instead of the sidecar! Aside from having to adjust my brain a little, and very dense fog for the best stretch through the Green Valley, had a great scoot. Fog all burned off by the time we headed home. Man I love my GRiSO!

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Went to Halls Gap again this weekend for family wedding. This time didn't get a ticket on the way back. Yay.

nothing ... waiting for the salt to disappear from the roads

Nice, I like that fairing.

Today Heather and I are starting a 10 day holiday in Eden in lower NSW. Taking the ferry from Queenscliff to Sorrento and staying the night in Rosebud. Leaving early tomorrow morning to do the 580km to Eden. We';re hoping to do a few trips up the coast from there and Heather's even talking about a day jaunt to Bungendore to say hello to Pete and Michael. I will post pics after the trip.

I rode to work, so I suppose I'll have to ride home again - Damn!

Pete and Jude generously bought my bike back out to Cobar for me last Sunday. I took it out for a run this morning riding 50 kms to find the only set of corners anywhere near Cobar (and these are such gentle corners they need to be taken at excessive speed to make them even remotely fun).
Anyway, the performance of my bike was an absolute revelation. Roll the throttle on from any speed, in any gear and it just went and went and went.
I've said it a few times already but thanks to Pete and Michael for all the work they've done and thanks to Beetle for providing pipe an map. All very much appreciated.
Can't wait to have the time to get out for a proper ride. It's a shame that I have to ride for about 3 hours to get anywhere near some decent corners.