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Showing posts from September, 2008

Dinner and a Block Party

Saturday, September 27th, 2008 Well, I didn't figure the was a need for a map, as this is a pretty boring route. We rode from Kasey's house, through town, via US 36 to Washington Street. I strapped two lawn chairs to the back of the bike, and we headed back down Washington Street, into Irvington, and a parking spot infront of The Legend, a classic diner. We had dinner outside on the patio, and we could hear the band warming up for a street show down the road. I knew the lead singer of the group performing, as she was an intern with Indianapolis Public Schools Television Department, and she had me for a mentor on several productions. After eating, we grabbed the lawn chairs, and walked across the street, met my friend during a song break, and found a spot to sit and enjoy the show. There was somewhat of a party going on too, but all were invited. When the show was over, we walked back to the bike, packed up the Lawn Chairs, and head back home. We took Ritter north to Pleasa

Having Lunch in a Friendly Place

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Friday, September 26th, 2008 Well in Indiana there is a chain of eateries called Arni's and is advertised as the place where friends meet. Most of the places feature pizza, and are dotted across Indiana in smaller towns. They are known by many, including me, as a comfortable place to eat with good service. Of course, I was not meeting a friend there, that I knew of, I was taking her with me. So Kasey and I ventured out on this chilly September Morning heading north on SR 39, just west of Danville, Indiana. We veered off on State Road 236 and headed north and west into North Salem, Indiana. We then headed due north on SR 75. At Thorntown, I turned to the left and headed west on SR 47. This road has some great sweepers that will let you ride hard, and then you hit one that tightens into more than a sweeper. When we first hit SR 47, and left the town of Thornton, I hit a speed burst that Kasey enjoyed. SR 47 leads us right into Crawfordsville, Indiana, the town playing host to

The Big Introduction

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Sunday, September 21st, 2008 Well, it is the third Sunday of the month, and normally, I would be going on a Cruiser Club Ride, but, family matters called. My Sister-in-law, Virginia, was having a party to celebrate her birthday. But bigger for me, was the fact that Kasey was coming along to a family event, and meeting some of the relatives she had yet to meet. The major ones being my mother and father. Okay, so the major one was my mother. We headed out into the mid Sunday Morning air along US 36 to street that took us north, and back way out of town. It winds it way around the northern Danville, and eventually turns into Tenth Street when it nears Marion County and Indianapolis. We went this way east until SR 267. We took that north, which takes us through the town of Brownsburg, which for some reason favors the color purple? All the street signs backgrounds are purple anyway. At the north end of Brownsburg, we turned right, heading east once more, this time on 56th Street. I

Breaking in the Rookie

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Saturday, September 6th, 2008 Here is it the first Saturday of the month, and of course that means we just had a meeting last Thursday. Oops, I mean that it is day for a Cruiser Club Ride! It was a crisp morning, but it was forecasted to be good day. It would also be a day of firsts, the first Cruiser Club ride that Kasey would join me. I could feel as we were getting our gear on the warmth was rolling in. The sun was bursting over the trees. We started out on a familiar path, heading down Cartersburg Road to US-40. We turned south on the new Ronald Reagan Parkway, passing by the airport, and arriving south of the meeting place. I had not filled up with gas, and when we stopped at SR 67, the bike stalled. The light also seemed to last forever! Of course, Kasey reminding me that she wanted to leave 15 minutes early didn't make the light change any sooner. So we showed right at the appointed time, instead of the time that I usually do, early. I know, it was my own fault. W

Morning Ride, Hot for September

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Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008 It was time for another lonely trip back home, with an empty back seat. It was a hot morning for September, hopefully there will plenty more, followed by sunny afternoons. Even with this recent activity of riding with a passenger, I would still say that I have ridden 99.9 percent of the time without one, so it is hard to understand why I get such an alone feeling. I would be distracted from my emotions when I passed a house with an older couple out in their front yard. They gave me a hardy wave as I passed. I continued meandering my way out to US-36, then headed east into Avon, and then into Indianapolis. Rockville Road US-36 runs right into US-40, then leads me east all the way through the Circle City. This is also Washington Street, and leads me right to my house.

Motorcycle Picnic: Ride to Eat, Eat to Ride

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Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008 Okay, so the above map is incomplete, but I wanted to display the best part of the ride. The only part that is missing is the early morning part I rode to get from my house to Kasey's. I told you this would be a routine trip, and it might be until I find another way of getting there. For information, I rode west on Washington Street to Raceway Road or SR-267, then west again on US-36 into Danville, Indiana. Kasey and I suited up, put a couple coolers in the bike's trunk, and then headed out. We made our way south out of town to one of our favorites way to escape Danville, Cartersburg Road. At US-40, The National Road, we jogged over to SR-39 and continued south. A brief stint on the four lane divided SR-67 and we veered off on one of my favorite little stretches, Shelton Road. It gives you that out in the country feeling almost right away, and features what I have called Shelton's Switch, a vicious uphill right hander with a lovely little

Heading Back Home, Alone

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Sunday, August 31st, 2008 From time to time, I have reflected on riding styles. For most of my riding career, I have done two kinds of styles, Alone or In A Group. Now, I know there are lot more ways to ride a motorcycle, you could call Highway Touring a style, The Back Roads a style, and even a Racing Style. But you can do all those Alone or In A Group. The last two days I have been full time on a new style to me, riding with a partner on the back-seat. Sure, I have had others filling the back seat of the bike, but it wasn't like this. It was more than just having a second person along. I felt like I had a partner behind me. So that all precedes this lonely ride back home. I was full of the happiness that this weekend had provided. Friday Morning everything started as just another date. Now, it is Sunday Afternoon, and the date is over as I head home. As the memories of this weekend are reviewed, they are replaced by the vision of looking forward to the next ride with Ka