Applegate Lake

Such a beautiful day today.  Clear skies and it warmed up pretty fast.  We took a ride around lunch time and went up to Applegate Lake.  I have been hearing how low the lake was, but it was still shocking to see it for myself.

The boat ramp doesn't reach the water anymore.

 

On the way back we stopped at McKee Bridge and had lunch.

Beemer's a no-go

My husband called me early this afternoon to announce the weather:  the skies were clear and the temperature was rising.  Could I get off early and go for a bike ride with him?  I told him I would have to see! 

I ended up getting off at 3:30 and rushed home.  I called him and told him to hurry home before it got too cold.  It was 50 by our backyard thermometer and I was ready!

I was sitting in the driveway when he pulled up.  He ran in and got his jacket on then rode his bike up from the back garage and stalled it in the driveway.  He tried to start it again and it was DEAD!  He hasn't ridden in awhile and didn't have it plugged in so his battery was dead.  It was weird that he was able to ride it 30 feet before it died.

He said (insert very sad voice) "Go ahead without me..."  I felt bad but I was dressed, so I went for a short ride.

I took a picture of Charlie's dead bike when I got home and tinted it blue because he sounded so sad!

Odd - Cities Motorcycle Rally 2014

This is a motorcycle riding/photo type contest.  Entrants may be riders or passengers on a motorcycle of any brand.

The first 26 points are nearly free - A-Z city names - get all 26 letters of the alphabet in the first letter name of a city.

A - Abilene
B - Baltimore
C - Crescent City, etc.

You get one point per city for each letter of the alphabet  - up to 26 total.

Here is the odd part:

While you are out there getting the A-Z cities, look for the names of cities that don’t belong, or may belong somewhere else.  We all know that there is a Phoenix, Arizona but there is also a Phoenix, Oregon! 

How about Philadelphia in Mississippi instead of Pennsylvania?  Dallas, Washington instead of Dallas, Texas?

You get one point per city and you can get points for the same city name in multiple states.  The name of the ODD CITY should be easily recognizable.

Send a picture of your motorcycle and your number with proof of your presence in the city. 

Proof can be any sign such as “Welcome to Portland, Maine” or “Entering Dallas, population 2108” “Phoenix Library” or some other sign with the name on it.   You get one point per odd city. 

To sign up: send your name or nickname and e-mail to sandiroush@live.com   I will send you a rally number to write on any surface.  The number must be in the photo along with your bike (or portion of your bike).

Send your picture via e-mail to sandiroush@live.com    The heading should read: Oddcity 2014. Please add a note to let me know the city and state along with the reference state.

Ex:  Phoenix, Oregon (Arizona) 

If there is any question - I have the final decision (after all, it is my contest!!)

Get signed up and get out there.  The contest runs from May 1 to August 31, 2014.

Prizes?  Yep!! A trophy and a t-shirt at least!

Rules:

1.        You have to sign up and get a number

2.       The number must be in each photo with the sign and a portion of your motorcycle that you rode to the city. 

3.       Pictures must be taken between May 1 to August  31, 2014.

4.       Pictures must be submitted to sandiroush@live.com

5.       Photos will be accepted until 48 hour after closure of the contest.

6.       Heading of e-mail should be: Oddcity 2014

7.       Please Include the name of the(odd) city and state (include the reference state).

 

Expression or Junk?

There is a house down the street from where I live that has a front yard that is "decorated".  It's more than the usual grass and shrubbery (a herd of pink flamingos would be tame in comparison). 

I could call it the OMG yard because the first time you see it, that is what you say!

I have lived in my house about 7 years now and pass by it almost every day.  It makes me smile because it is so over the top.  The pictures don't do it justice.

One eared donkey.

                                      Little cabin with miner and donkey and trees.

 

Wolves in the bushes.

Mushrooms and frogs.

Swinger and blue bird in the tree.

Miner, donkey, western wheel, logs, rocks and antlers!

Butterflies.

Horse drawn covered wagon.

Skull and eagle. 

Miner looks like he is whispering sweet nothings in the donkey's ear!

Red nose deer and windmill.

Howling coyotes.

Swinging bear.

Cowboy, cowgirl and dog.

 

There used to be more plastic horses along the fence line but they are gone. 

I get excited when I see excessive Halloween decorations or Christmas lights but I know those are just temporary (except for the Christmas lights my husband didn't take down for three years).  I'm not sure how I would feel about living next door to a house like this. 

 

So what do you think?

 

P.S. When my husband was in the Navy I went to a few wives-club meetings.  Anytime one of the group moved to a new house, the wives would get together, go to the new house in the middle of the night on the first night in the house and "decorate" the front yard with all the flamingos and yard gnomes we could get our hands on. 

Of course the next morning they would wake up to a crazy yard and all the neighbors would wonder how crazy their new neighbors were.  Good times!!

Bike riding list

It's cold and raining, there is lots of residual gravel in the road from the storm a few weeks ago so it's not exactly motorcycle riding friendly right now.  The sun came out for an hour yesterday but there was lots of rain and fog.  I miss the road and riding but I can say I turned in some requests for time off for long weekends.

Actually that is one of my New Years Resolutions - take more overnight motorcycle trips! 

In preparation for trips, I have become a list girl, just like my Dad.  When planning a trip, it is easy for me to get excited about the route and the stuff we are going to see, and without a list I might forget my cell phone charger!

I think each person's list is a little bit personal.  If you are a photo person you will include lots of photo gear.  If you are mechanical, you might bring lots of tools.  I'm a nurse so I make sure to include medications in case anyone in the group needs it.

So here is my trip list.  You can see I added some blank lines to include extra stuff.

I have some pretty big saddle bags and keep a small first aid kit along with my registration and insurance card.

What else do you include in your list, and why?

Happy riding!

Motorcycle Trip List

Bike Stuff                                                                              ____Hairbrush/Comb

____Spare Key/battery                                                     ____Toothbrush/Toothpaste

____ Insurance Card                                                           ____Tissue/T.P.

____ Registration                                                                ____Glasses

____Chaps/Riding Pants                                                     ____Sox & Underwear

____Neck Cozie                                                                    ____ Medication

 ____Tie Wraps                                                                    ____Jeans

____Gloves X2                                                                     ____T-shirt

____Boots                                                                             ____Sleep shirt

____Tire gauge                                                                    ____Pocket Knife

____Cardo Unit                                                                    ____Cash

____Tire Inflator kit                                                            ____ Sunscreen

____ Electrical tape                                                            ____ Post card list

Personal Items                                                                     ____________________________     

____Wallet                                                                          ____________________________

____ Camera & charger                                                     ____________________________

____ Phone & charger                                                      ____________________________

 ____Tennis shoes                                                               ____________________________

 ____ Sandals                                                                       _____________________________

 ____Bandana                                                                      _____________________________

____  Laptop & Charger                                                     _____Bike Meds(Motrin, Aspirin,Tylenol,Benadryl,Tums)

____ Medical Kit

____ Chapstick

____ Bungee cord

____ Flashlight    

                                                                

 

 

 

 

 

Antioch

This morning started out cold and foggy and I couldn't imagine it getting warm enough to ride today, but I was wrong.  This afternoon it actually got above 54 degrees so off I went!  I enjoy riding on Antioch Road south of Rainey Corner but decided to go North on my ride today.  It was pretty curvy and there was a lot of gravel still on the road but I also found snow and ice on the road on the dark side of the hill.

I found a cool barn and then the road ended.  I wasn't sure how the road would be around the corner so I found a place to turn around and head home.  The sun was in my eyes around some corners and flashed through the trees on other corners.  It's a good thing I'm not prone to seizures because that flashing was annoying!

 

Despite the scary parts in the road, it was a nice ride!