Ride Report: Therapy Ride

3 April 2010:  Toxaway, NC (up and back)

I found out I like up and back rides.  I enjoyed riding the same roads back to back.  Not many words this post.  Just Video.  Bad video, due to the vibrations of the camera.  I'm looking for a better way to mount it to the bike rather than the helmet which is the only way I've found so far not to have the vibrations.

Waiting is the hardest part

On a sunny Saturday morning two years eight months ago, I rode home on my new to me 2005 Yamaha FZ1.  Three days later, I purchased new tires.  The next weekend, I did my first mod:  replaced the stock headlights with bright white xenon ones and added a tank pad.  Over the next two years, I learned the difference between riding a motorcycle with two cylinders and one with four cylinders.  I did more mods, mostly cosmetic like adding spinning/flashing tail lights, frame sliders, luggage anchor points, and gel grips.

FZ1 Mod Update: Seat Mounted Top Case -- Case installed

I finally finished mounting the case to the seat.  It took a little longer than I expected due to a slow imagination.  However, after spending Saturday at the AMA Suzuki Superbike Showdown at Road Atlanta I was too tired to do the planned Sunday ride to the Dragon.  After sleeping in then cooking dinner, I decided it was time to finish the seat mounted case.  (See these posts for more details:  New Project, Update 1, Update 2)

FZ1 Mod Update: Seat Mounted Top Case--Hardware Installed

After riding every weekend for the past month or so, I decided to take a break and tend to some of the bike's needs.  I replaced my burned out tail light and discovered NOT to use red bulbs as they look too dim, I have some white LEDs on order.  Then I cleaned up the gunk that resulted from using Maxima Chain Wax and changed the oil.

Ride Report: Twisty Butt Ride Part Five

27 Mar 2010:  Tellico Plains to Chatsworth

Everything after Cherahola was like cake for me.  Once I made it past that hurdle, I knew I could and would complete the ride.  The cathartic tears I shed upon seeing the Cherahola Market sign combined with the phone call to theMomma was all the inspiration I needed.  We had about 100 miles to go and something like 2.5 hours to do it.

Ride Report: Twisty Butt Ride Part Four

27 March 2010:  near BRP to Tellico Plains

Later, Mike admitted he had to wing this part of the route because the route transfer from the computer to the gps was not successful.  With road closings and his lack of knowledge of the area, it must have been pretty stressful.

Ride Report: Twisty Butt Ride Part Three

27 March 2010:  Clayton to near BRP
After a longer stop in Clayton to eat a quick bite, gas up, and use the restroom, we took Warwoman RD to Hwy 28 toward Highlands NC.  I was relieved to feel the weather was finally warming up as forecasted but it was short lived once we climbed into the mountains.

Ride Report: Twisty Butt Ride Part Two

27 March 2010:  Suches to Clayton

From Suches, we took Wolf Pen Gap Rd (SR 180) to US 19 toward Helen.  My beef jerky was giving me a little bit of energy and my mind was beginning to really wake up.  As usual, I fell back a little so I would not be distracted by the others.  I'd made the decision to do this shortly after I decided to do the ride.  It was the only way I felt I would have a chance to complete the entire 500 miles.

Ride Report: Twisty Butt Ride Part One

26 Mar 2010:  Meeting Mr&MrsTwisty

After I got back from Savannah, I expected to be exhausted but Sunday came and went without me feeling tired.  I checked all the forums and found out the ride for next week was going to be a Twisty Butt ride.  The simple definition of a Twisty Butt Ride (TB) is 500 miles of twisty roads completed in less than 12 hours.  It is a take on the Iron Butt Saddle Sore 1000 (SS1000), which is simply 1000 miles in 24 hours.