A Beginning

Yes, I rode to work today.

I know I wasn't the only one who rode to work today. It was a gorgeous day.

After work I met a stranger for dinner. We wanted to talk about doing some riding together. She has a Genuine Buddy 125cc. She and I both belong to the River City Riders Forum. She posted wondering if there was anyone in her area willing to ride with her. She is a fairly new rider and I knew how difficult it can be to find folks to ride with. It isn't always easy for smaller cc folk to find each other.

It was a good first meeting. We both like exploring back roads, finding old homesteads, and taking our time.

I'm mostly a lone wolf when it comes to riding. Much of that has to do with my personality, but some of it has to do the whole fitting into the moto culture and finding a place. Dar, Princess Scooterpie, got me thinking with her post about Moto Attitude. She just took the bull by the horns and started a riding group. While that isn't my style. Responding to another rider looking for someone to ride with is something I can do. Who knows I might even like it. We'll see how it goes.

• 66F/19C and lots of sunshine for the ride to work.
• 86F/30C with stunning blue skies for the ride leading eventually home.

Company

Yes, I rode to work today.

0700 CDT

We didn't make it to 80F/27C but we got close. The demonstrators Downtown couldn't have asked for a better day for their rally.

When I walked by the Morton D May Amphitheater on my way to lunch the place was packed with Union members protesting Peabody Energy's role in the demise of Patriot Coal (Click here to read about it). Thirty minutes later they were all gone. I don't know where they went.

On the way home I noticed this Magnolia tree with a few blooms still left. The dogwood, the redbud, and the crabapple trees are in their glory now, the Magnolias have pretty much come and gone.

I must say, there is nothing like the rumor of a 80degF/27degC day with lots of sunshine to bring out the bikes.

Billie had lots of company today.

• 48F/9C with a little fog for the ride to work.
• 78F/26C and a few clouds for the home ride.

And So It Goes.

Yes, I rode to work today.

I think the temperatures today were nearly perfect. I wore my regular gloves with the heated grips on low in the morning and never turned the grips on for the home ride. I had just a baselayer and my jacket on. I suspect I wouldn't have complained if it was just a little warmer. Given the options I like being able to have the ability to add a layer over sweating and not being able to take any more layers off. Those days will come. I'll enjoy days like today while I can.

On the way home I noticed the car repair place which appeared to be going out of business was merely transitioning.

And so it goes.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. And if you are able to ride, ride safe, ride strong, and ride beautiful.

• 51F/11C and cloudy for the ride to work.
• 59F/15C and overcast for the home ride.

Free-Range Fashion

Yes, I rode to work today.

Apparently food trucks aren't just for food anymore, who knew?

I didn't go in.

• 44F/7C and sunny for the ride to work.
• 62F/17C with some clouds but still plenty of sunshine for the home ride.

Keys

Yes, I rode to work today.

It was another wet beginning.



It's funny what I notice sitting on the bike at a stoplight.

I bet whoever dropped these keys isn't going to think it's funny when it is discovered they are missing.

By the afternoon the sun was shining and it had warmed up. This business has apparently closed. Every time I see a business close up I hope it isn't because the owner had to.

Kitty-corner from the Midas location is Slyman Bros and Sons. We recently bought a washer and dryer from them. We wanted to keep our business in the neighborhood. The other day I was talking to the person who does some maintenance around the condo. He asked me if we needed any new appliances. I told him we didn't. He said if we ever did he knew where we should buy them from, and then he told me this story. His refrigerator had stopped working. He and his wife assumed they needed a new one. They went to Slyman Bros. The owner waited on them. He asked them about their old unit. After a few questions he told them he'd be happy to sell them a new refrigerator, but he wasn't sure they needed one. He gave them a number of a person who repairs appliances and suggested they have him take a look at it. And, he added, if they did need a new refrigerator when they came back he'd subtract whatever the service call had cost them from the sale price. It turned out they didn't need a new refrigerator. The malady was minor and the fix was inexpensive. Needless to say, the person who told me this story is never going to buy an appliance from anyone as long as Slyman Bros is in business, and if he has his way no one he knows will either. There is something so very very right about this.

• 40F/4C and light rain for the ride to work.
• 54F/12C and some thin cloud cover for the home ride.

More Rain

Yes, I rode to work today.

The forecasters said it was going to rain and it did. I rode to work in light rain and rode home in heavier rain.

I took a different way home. My service tech is opening a new shop and I wanted to see if I could find it.

I couldn't. Later I found out he'd told me the major intersection it is near and not the actual intersection.

I didn't find what I was looking for, but it did mean a longer ride home. This is good, even in the rain.

I get a real charge out of being able to ride in the rain and not get wet on the inside. It has taken me a while to get the gear right, but it seems I have it. Still, after nearly an hour of playing in the rain I was ready to be home.

• 59F/15C with a light rain for the ride to work.
• 45F/7C and a heavier rain for the home ride.

Monday is Monday

Yes, I rode to work today.

0700 CDT

It continues to feel like Spring.

There were lots of people enjoying Citygarden during lunchtime.

It would have been a very nice day to spend outdoors rather than at work, but Monday is Monday.

After work I did make it to the trail and did a quick seven mile skate.

As I was putting on my skates the sky was clouding over. The National Weather Service is forecasting a 100% chance of rain tomorrow. I can honestly say we don't need it.

• 44F/7C and a few clouds for the ride to work.
• 72F/22C with some clouds on the horizon for the home ride.

I Went Into Work Late

Yes, I rode to work today.

I went into work late. My car had a tire in need of fixing. It had developed a slow leak and it was getting worse. It turned out to be worse than I thought. I needed to replace the tire. Oh well, better finding out this way than to have it go flat unplanned.

By going in late I managed to catch the little snow flurry we had here this morning. I really thought I'd seen the last snow and it wasn't anything really. It was gone before it even hit the ground. Still coming when it did and as it did, it was fun. If it would have accumulated at all, I know I wouldn't have looked on it as kindly as I did.

I'm ready for it to be Spring for all of us in the Northern Hemisphere. I'm also ready for it to be the weekend. Fortunately, the weekend is more predictable. Be safe everyone, and have a great weekend.

• 39F/4C and light snow for the ride to work.
• 51F/11C and sunshine for the home ride.

Rain

Yes, I rode to work today.

It rained.

And, it rained.



It rained all day long.



There has been some flooding in the area, and there will be more. You can read about it here.

• 65F/18C with heavy rain for the ride to work. I'm glad I missed the light show the storm put on just before I left.
• 51F/11C with a light, but steady rain for the home ride.

Perhaps

Yes, I rode to work today.

We got the promised warm up and even some sunshine. I took a nice walk at lunchtime. I don't remember enjoying the budding and flowering of Spring as much as I am this year. Perhaps this is a particularly glorious Spring. It really could be that simple, couldn't it?

The forecasters are saying there is a 100% chance of rain tomorrow. We'll see.

• 51F/11C overcast with some light fog for the ride to work.
• 85F/29C, breezy and partly cloudy for the home ride.

Dry Rides On A Wet Day

Yes, I rode to work today.

Monday 0700CST

And, while there was plenty of rain today none of it fell during either my ride to work or my ride home. It appears it is going to be one of those weeks when I'm as likely to get rained on as not.

There could be another big temperature swing tomorrow. Today it wasn't difficult to accept it is still Hockey season. It wasn't cold, but there was a damp chill in the air.

These two look like they're headed to the Blues game. My daughter was once quite the hockey fan. She now lives in Norfolk VA and occasionally goes to the local minor league games. I'm afraid the NHL lost me during the strike/lockout/whatever before this last strike/lockout/whatever.

Billie is looking a little winter worn. Soon I'll clean her up and get the crud and the yellowing Boeshield buildup off her fairings. Although, I must admit she does really look like she has been somewhere doesn't she?

• 47F/8C and overcast for my ride to work.
• 48F/9C and overcast for the home ride.

I Forgot

Yes, I rode to work today.

And, I left my camera on my desk. This means for the second week in a row there is no "first photo" of the week. Last week I just plain forgot to do it. Memory is one of the things I notice changing as I age. Names. I used to be so very good with names. Now? Now it is a sometime thing. I find myself at times not being able to remember people's names who I know and know well. Yes, this aging thing is an adventure. That said, today it had more to do with being rushed out of my work space by people coming to clean the carpet. Hopefully, my camera will still be on my desk when I get in tomorrow.

This morning when I checked The Weather Channel it told me to, "Expect Dry Conditions for the Next Six  Hours." Fortunately, I look at other sources and didn't believe them. I rode to work in a nice light rain, which I was dressed for. It rained on and off all morning and into the afternoon.

At lunchtime, between showers, I noticed some people sitting on the benches in front of 1010 Market.

When it's warm there are people on every bench. Even though we have had some warm days, this is the first time I've noticed anyone other than smokers sitting out. I wonder if it is the tulips blooming that called to them.

I had a nice dry ride home. It looks like tomorrow will be a repeat of today, scattered showers with possible thunderstorms.

• 60F/16C with a nice steady light rain for the ride to work.
• 69F/21C and overcast for the home ride.

Tired and....

Yes, I rode to work today.

The day started clear, but clouds moved in. 

It has been a long week. Work has been very busy, which is a good thing. That said, I'm tired. The storms cutting into one night's sleep didn't help.

A co-worker retired today. We were buds. Work is what we had in common and I suspect the relationship will not continue. It's funny how that goes. I will miss her.

Put it all together and I'm left with a slight touch of reflective melancholy. It somehow seems appropriate to hear of Jonathan Winter's death. He has always been one of my favorite comediennes and I suppose it is in part because of the melancholy I sensed as the soil from where is humor sprouted. Oh well, what a very funny, talented, and odd man.

The tulips are finally blooming.

Tornadoes, spring storms, daffodils, trees a flower, and now tulips. Hopefully, I get some time to ride this weekend and look for more signs of Spring.

• 38F/3C and a few clouds for the ride to work.
• 45F/7C and overcast for the home ride.

Spring Storms

Yes, I rode to work today.

Today was not a mesh day. Even though the passing weather front brought much different temperatures, I didn't wear my "cold weather" helmet. I'd forgotten about lens fogging. This morning's ride re-enforced what I already knew. It isn't enough to have a dual lens, one also needs a breathguard and some airflow to really do the trick.

We weren't located in the area which suffered the worse of the storms. You can click here to read an article and see a video about the storm. As a friend commented, "Nothing says Springtime in the Midwest like tornado warnings and 100mph winds."

Although it was overcast all day, there were patches of blue sky occasionally. Tomorrow promises sunshine, but there are frost warnings on tap for Saturday morning. Of course, then another big warm up come Sunday. Yep, it's time to climb aboard the Spring weather roller coaster once again.

• 48F/9C and overcast for the ride to work.
• 47F/8C and still overcast for the home ride.

Storms

Yes, I rode today.

I was dry on both the going and the coming home, but there were storms all around. We had a high of 82F/28C, but the temperatures are dropping. There are severe thunderstorms in the area. So, So I'm making this an abbreviated post. Actually, the sirens are just going off. 

• 71F/22C and overcast for the ride to work.
• 69F/21C and overcast for the home ride.

Enjoying It While I Can

Yes, I rode to work today.

It was another warm and luscious day.

But it was obvious by the home ride something is cooking out to the West.

This showed up today on my route to work. It is perhaps the smallest out of doors flamingo I've ever seen.

Yes, I am wearing mesh again today. Two days in a row of being beautiful in beige.

I finished the day with a nice 6.6mi/10.6km inline skate. The sticker on my bumper says, "To Skate Or Not To Skate, There Is No Question." Pretty much says it all.

• 66F/19C and a little cloudy for the ride to work.
• 79F/26C with a few more clouds for the home ride.

Opening Day

Yes, I rode to work today.

It was the first day for wearing the warm weather gear. Apparently, I look much different in beige rather than black. The deputy at security didn't recognize me. He isn't the regular deputy, but still. It was very funny.

Today was the home opener for the St. Louis Cardinals Baseball team. St. Louis is pretty crazy in love with their baseball team and Opening Day is a big deal.

There were people everywhere.

The weather couldn't have been more perfect.

I'm not sure how much these kids cared about the Cardinals, but they sure seemed happy the sprinklers were back on.

Another sign of Spring greeted me on the way home.

Colors of Spring is fully stocked and going to town. Two weekends ago there was nothing on the shelves or in the yard. Last weekend there were some flowers, but now it is really cookin'.

And, the trees are blooming.

t certainly appears to be Springtime in St. Louis.

• 63F/17C with a few clouds for the ride to work.
• 78F/26C and sort of cloudy for the home ride.

Warm

Yes, I rode to work today.

Today Spring seemed to be breaking out all over.

And people were out enjoying the warm temperatures.

The sign on the post says, "Snow Route", but today it was a daffodil route.

Today I, also, made a discovery. It was so warm I decided to open the vents on my helmet for the home ride. Funny thing, I didn't feel any air coming through the front  face vent. I pulled over and closed the vent. Presto air! I've been running with the front vent open rather than closed all winter. Oh well, I thought I noticed a draft.

• 41F/5C and sunny for the ride to work.
• 66F/19C with a few clouds for the home ride.

Spyder

Yes, I rode to work today.

As I was sitting in the Cafe looking out the window I saw this Spyder. Looks like maybe someone was going farther than to work today. Heather and I test rode a Spyder a couple of years ago. Neither of us fell in love with it, fortunately. I hope this couple love their Spyder and were off  for a nice long ride. The next three days are supposed to be spectacular.

• 37F/3C with a few clouds for the ride to work.
• 60F/16C and plenty of sunshine for the home ride.

The Riding Seasons

Yes, I rode to work today.

There is a nice warm up in the forecast, which means I'm getting the "I'll bet you'll glad when it warms up and you can get out of all that stuff" comments. Since I gear up year around hearing these comments means soon I'll be hearing the "Gee, aren't you hot in all that stuff" comments. Here in Missouri based on the comments I get it seems the riding seasons could be reduced to two: The Aren't You Cold Season? and The Aren't You Hot Season?. Truthfully, I thought today was a pretty darn nice day to ride. Of course, to my reckoning, just about any day with decent traction is a darn nice day to ride.

• 33F/1C with a few clouds for the ride to work.
• 52F/11C and cloudy for the home ride.

I Couldn't Resist

Yes, I rode to work today.

And after work I voted. As I was walking into the polling place a man I suspect was in his eighties came up to me and offered me some literature about one of the candidates. It was a candidate I wasn't going to vote for, but when he said, "Please take one of these, I only have two left and when they're gone I can go home." I couldn't resist. It was my good deed for the day.

Where I vote there are two different Wards that vote in the same school gymnasium. I never can remember what Ward I'm in, but today before I could even register any confusion a woman working one of the lines yelled to me, "You belong over here." It seems they remember me from the last time I voted. I rode that day, too, and it was rather cold and there were snow flurries. Apparently, I made quite the impression.

After voting I encountered the same man I'd met outside on the way in. He was still there trying to get rid of the last piece of campaign literature. He asked me, "What kind of bike is that you're riding." I told him it was a SYM Symba. He told me he'd thought it looked like a Honda Cub. He went on to tell me about the Goldwing he owned for a lot of years and began to tell me about his other bikes. I told him I really wished I could talk longer, but I actually had plans for the evening and needed to get home, change bikes, and fed the cat. "Feeding the cat is very important, I know," he said, "I have two cats." Then he added, "They are my family."

My plans for the evening was to meet Heather at The Stone Spiral and listen to my friends Will and Shlomo make music. Alyssa, who I don't really know, is now playing violin with them. The only other time I heard her play with them she was brand new and was just becoming familiar with the material. Wow, tonight she was wonderful. What a great addition.

I took this photo as I was leaving. That's Isabelle's headlight proving once again she is always the real star.

• 31F/-1C with a few clouds for the ride to work.
• 48F/9C and cloudy but with plenty of sunshine for the ride to vote.
• 43F/6C and dark for the home ride.

Waves

Yes, I rode to work today.

0700 CDT

I read frequently on other blogs about the "wave" motorcyclist exchange, or don't, with other riders. But, there is another wave I experience as a rider. It's the wave I get from the folks I see nearly everyday I ride. This didn't happen when I drove to work. I suspect part of the reason for this is the route I take on Billie, my Symba, is much slower paced than the routes I took with the car. I, also, suspect part of it is because the people along my route didn't notice me, I was just another car. Now, I'm the guy on the little bike with the green flag.

I get waves from folks at bus stops. There is a gentlemen who appears to be walking to work, he doesn't wave, but we exchange head nods. Often kids wave to me. It has been a totally unexpected perk of commuting on two wheels. I like it.

• 38F/3C and cloudy for the ride to work.
• 48F/9C with a few clouds for the home ride.