On the long ride on Rocket two weeks ago, I felt a little uncomfortable for the first time ever on a scooter. Then, riding to Apalachicola and on the return, I felt much more uncomfortable, with moments of pain that would make me wince.
Then, I spent much of the day Saturday cleaning up the yard at the new home. This included moving potted plants and mowing.
I noticed a bulge in my, um, private area over the weekend, then looked up hernia on my Google machine. It described my condition exactly.
So, yesterday I called my doctor, good friend Richard Flynn. He saw me in the morning and confirmed my diagnosis. Then let me know that I was too young to let it go, so surgery is up next.
It means that I will probably have to miss the Fall MP3 gathering in north Georgia. I really like that event and the ride up, but it is too painful to ride that far before the surgery, and I heard it takes a couple of weeks to recover after the procedure.
So, I will be out of commission for a while.
RATS!
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Saturday, August 15, 2015
Florida Summer Oyster Tour
On Thursday I left Jacksonville just after 8:00 to meet up with Ken in Perry, around 140 miles to the west. I rode on I-10 to get out of town, 30 miles to Macclenny where I turned south on 121. Because I prefer empty roads, I turned off 121 to 130 at the closed Cash Cow store just south of the Florida Mental Hospital. Then to 229 and 238 to Lake Butler. 238 is one of my favorite roads in the area as it is narrow, vacant and goes through forest, past a large lake and farm. That plus it has a few turns that make it interesting. Here it is as I turned on it from 229.
Rode along the lake through through Lake Butler, then picked up 121 again to Worthington Springs. There I headed west on 18, another of my favorite local roads. This ran into Fort White where I took 27 through Branford and Mayo to meet Ken at the McDonalds on 98. When I got there, I checked my phone to find a voice message from him saying that Big Red, his 250 GTS had stopped running 27 miles south on 98. I called him to find that he had called a tow truck to haul Big Red to a dealer in Gainesville. He suggested I continue to Apalachicola and meet up with Captain Gary there and await his arrival via rental car.
I decided to ride in a leisurely fashion, stopping a few times for photo opportunities, inspired by Steve Williams and his Scooter in the Sticks Blog. The first stop came when I was just west of Perry and saw a turtle a quarter of the way across 98. I slowed and turned around and parked on the opposite shoulder. One pickup truck passed in the turtle's lane, then a large truck was coming in my lane and I hoped that he didn't give so much room around my scooter that he would take out the turtle. Luckily the little friend was not hit and I moved it to safety.
I stopped to take a photo of Razzo in front of the Panacea town sigh. Then turned and found it in front of a cool marshy pond. In Carrabelle, I stopped for fuel and rode a scenic ride along the coast where I took another photo. Then stopped for a shot at the Crooked River Lighthouse.
From there to East Point, 98 runs along Apalachicola Bay on smooth pavement with some nice curves and views. I couldn't pass Lynn's Quality Oysters at lunch time without stopping for a dozen raw and a Yuengling.
After that delicious delight, I crossed the long bridge into Apalachicola and checked into the Gibson, a fine old Victorian establishment in the heart of town. While checking out the room, I heard a noisy Vespa sound coming from out front and speculated that Captain Gary had arrived. I went out to meet him and let him know that his exhaust gasket had failed. He hadn't noticed.
He wanted to share a room, so I changed my room from a king bed room to a pair of twins. It allowed significant savings for both of us that we spent on more good food and drinks.
Because Gary has spent a lot of time in Apalachicola over the years, he took me on a guided scooter tour of the area. It is a wonderful town that began and grew at a time of fine architecture and planning, the late 1800's and early 1900's. Then it stopped growing and the structures survived. Gary says that the houses are all being bought by people who are restoring them. It makes for a fine, small town to visit and enjoy.
We were having a nice discussion with Trish, manager at the local watering hole that Gary had suggested when we got a text from Ken saying he would be at Lynn's at 7:00.
I said we would meet him there. So Gary and I rode over the long bridge for more oysters and Yuengling.
After that we headed back west to Apalachicola so Ken could check into the hotel and we enjoyed ending the long day in the old bar inside the Gibson.
Morning came and Gary wanted to change the exhaust gasket on his scooter as leaving it leaking can damage the bodywork and brake line. He carried an extra, I had two and the tools, but Ken had tools too (we are all experienced at Vespa touring), so Ken and I proceeded to watch Gary remove the exhaust while we drank coffee on the wrap around porch. He brought it up to us where he and Ken did the gasket replacement. Gary installed it and it was as good as new.
Ken wanted to have breakfast at the place where the locals eat theirs, the Mexican restaurant in East Point. Gary would have none of that so we went to Caroline's on the river where we had a delicious breakfast overlooking the water.
Gary was getting anxious to head home, it turns out that he was not feeling great, so he headed back to Dothan at 11:00. Since Ken was driving a car, he said he wanted to explore some side roads on the way back and I said I would follow. But we turned off at Lynn's for more oysters and Yuenglings, then I abandoned him and headed home along the same route.
Razzo and I had a light headwind the entire way home that made it a little tiresome, but we made it easily. It was a very nice way to spend two days.
Rode along the lake through through Lake Butler, then picked up 121 again to Worthington Springs. There I headed west on 18, another of my favorite local roads. This ran into Fort White where I took 27 through Branford and Mayo to meet Ken at the McDonalds on 98. When I got there, I checked my phone to find a voice message from him saying that Big Red, his 250 GTS had stopped running 27 miles south on 98. I called him to find that he had called a tow truck to haul Big Red to a dealer in Gainesville. He suggested I continue to Apalachicola and meet up with Captain Gary there and await his arrival via rental car.
I decided to ride in a leisurely fashion, stopping a few times for photo opportunities, inspired by Steve Williams and his Scooter in the Sticks Blog. The first stop came when I was just west of Perry and saw a turtle a quarter of the way across 98. I slowed and turned around and parked on the opposite shoulder. One pickup truck passed in the turtle's lane, then a large truck was coming in my lane and I hoped that he didn't give so much room around my scooter that he would take out the turtle. Luckily the little friend was not hit and I moved it to safety.
I stopped to take a photo of Razzo in front of the Panacea town sigh. Then turned and found it in front of a cool marshy pond. In Carrabelle, I stopped for fuel and rode a scenic ride along the coast where I took another photo. Then stopped for a shot at the Crooked River Lighthouse.
From there to East Point, 98 runs along Apalachicola Bay on smooth pavement with some nice curves and views. I couldn't pass Lynn's Quality Oysters at lunch time without stopping for a dozen raw and a Yuengling.
After that delicious delight, I crossed the long bridge into Apalachicola and checked into the Gibson, a fine old Victorian establishment in the heart of town. While checking out the room, I heard a noisy Vespa sound coming from out front and speculated that Captain Gary had arrived. I went out to meet him and let him know that his exhaust gasket had failed. He hadn't noticed.
He wanted to share a room, so I changed my room from a king bed room to a pair of twins. It allowed significant savings for both of us that we spent on more good food and drinks.
Because Gary has spent a lot of time in Apalachicola over the years, he took me on a guided scooter tour of the area. It is a wonderful town that began and grew at a time of fine architecture and planning, the late 1800's and early 1900's. Then it stopped growing and the structures survived. Gary says that the houses are all being bought by people who are restoring them. It makes for a fine, small town to visit and enjoy.
We were having a nice discussion with Trish, manager at the local watering hole that Gary had suggested when we got a text from Ken saying he would be at Lynn's at 7:00.
The long bridge over Apalachicola bay between Apalachicola and East Point
Lostboater
Razzo and Gary's scooter at Lynn's
Gary on scooter, Ken in rental car.
After that we headed back west to Apalachicola so Ken could check into the hotel and we enjoyed ending the long day in the old bar inside the Gibson.
Morning came and Gary wanted to change the exhaust gasket on his scooter as leaving it leaking can damage the bodywork and brake line. He carried an extra, I had two and the tools, but Ken had tools too (we are all experienced at Vespa touring), so Ken and I proceeded to watch Gary remove the exhaust while we drank coffee on the wrap around porch. He brought it up to us where he and Ken did the gasket replacement. Gary installed it and it was as good as new.
Ken telling Gary how to insert the gasket
Gary and Ken
Gary was getting anxious to head home, it turns out that he was not feeling great, so he headed back to Dothan at 11:00. Since Ken was driving a car, he said he wanted to explore some side roads on the way back and I said I would follow. But we turned off at Lynn's for more oysters and Yuenglings, then I abandoned him and headed home along the same route.
Razzo and I had a light headwind the entire way home that made it a little tiresome, but we made it easily. It was a very nice way to spend two days.
Our new home.
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Florida Oyster Tour, Act II
My friend Ken, AKA Lostboater, has been talking about another scooter ride to Apalachicola for oysters. I have been needing a ride for August so it fit well. Captain Gary has agreed to join us from Dothan, Alabama so we will have a mini gathering at the Gibson Inn in downtown Apalachicola.
All of a sudden, I now have three Vespa GT's that are capable of the ride. There is Rocket, fresh off a new vacuum hose that solved all of the stalling symptoms that have been happening over the past several months. Then Razzo, the perfect GT and now Vanessa. With the new purchase getting closer and the dent and radiator issue repaired, Vanessa is capable too.
But for this ride, I think it will be Razzo, due to it having the top box and no mechanical issues waiting in the wings.
I leave tomorrow morning and meet Ken at the McDonalds in Perry at 11:00. I have a nice route, the same one I took last time that takes me to Macclenny on I-10. Then I turn south on 121 to Lake Butler to 18, a very scenic Florida road to Fort White. From there is is straight to Perry on 27. The ride over to Apalachicola gets interesting as it gets near the end, running along the Gulf of Mexico. First stop in that area will be Lynn's Quality Oysters for the first dozen or so.
I will try to post here.
All of a sudden, I now have three Vespa GT's that are capable of the ride. There is Rocket, fresh off a new vacuum hose that solved all of the stalling symptoms that have been happening over the past several months. Then Razzo, the perfect GT and now Vanessa. With the new purchase getting closer and the dent and radiator issue repaired, Vanessa is capable too.
But for this ride, I think it will be Razzo, due to it having the top box and no mechanical issues waiting in the wings.
I leave tomorrow morning and meet Ken at the McDonalds in Perry at 11:00. I have a nice route, the same one I took last time that takes me to Macclenny on I-10. Then I turn south on 121 to Lake Butler to 18, a very scenic Florida road to Fort White. From there is is straight to Perry on 27. The ride over to Apalachicola gets interesting as it gets near the end, running along the Gulf of Mexico. First stop in that area will be Lynn's Quality Oysters for the first dozen or so.
I will try to post here.
The Gibson Inn from last March.
Lynn's
Deliciousness
Monday, August 10, 2015
Rocket on a Long Ride
Yesterday, the scooter club had a long breakfast ride planned. We met up at Bojangles, then headed south to Palatka for breakfast at Angels Diner. Angels is known as the oldest diner in Florida, situated in a small river town about 50 miles south of Jacksonville.
Because Boris had repaired a broken vacuum line on Rocket, and I tested it with a 50 mile ride to Baldwin and back the day before, I decided to take it on the ride.
For those who don't know, Rocket now has over 67,000 miles on it. And since breaking the variator on the Scooter Cannonball Run in Arkansas, has given me fits. The outer drive pulley came loose on the club ride to North Carolina in the fall last year. Then it did it again returning from Gainesville a few months later. The first one required me to get parts shipped in next day from George's Scooter Parts Co., so I could do the repair in a local gas station. The second found me carrying the parts and fixing it in a parking lot in Brooker, Florida.
Then the carburetor began flooding while riding, doing this three times, twice stranding me on the road. But much of this was clearly due to the vacuum hose. The variator issues are a mystery, but I speculate that the variator nut was not properly tightened twice.
I was confident but you never know. We headed out from Bojangles, taking one of my favorite rides getting out of town down Greenland Road then Julington Creek Road to 13. We took that to 16 where we crossed the Shands Bridge to pick up Rick at a gas station at the corner of 17 and 16. Then 30 miles of 65 to 70 mph into Palatka.
We ate our breakfast, flirting nicely with the pretty server.
Heading home we decided to go through East Palatka to pick up the end of 13 and ride it back home. I cut off at 16, took the Shands Bridge again and made it back home. Rocket was perfect.
Later in the day, feeling sorry for Razzo, I hopped on it and did another 50 mile loop west of town. It was perfect too. It sure is nice to have so many nice scooters.
Because Boris had repaired a broken vacuum line on Rocket, and I tested it with a 50 mile ride to Baldwin and back the day before, I decided to take it on the ride.
For those who don't know, Rocket now has over 67,000 miles on it. And since breaking the variator on the Scooter Cannonball Run in Arkansas, has given me fits. The outer drive pulley came loose on the club ride to North Carolina in the fall last year. Then it did it again returning from Gainesville a few months later. The first one required me to get parts shipped in next day from George's Scooter Parts Co., so I could do the repair in a local gas station. The second found me carrying the parts and fixing it in a parking lot in Brooker, Florida.
Then the carburetor began flooding while riding, doing this three times, twice stranding me on the road. But much of this was clearly due to the vacuum hose. The variator issues are a mystery, but I speculate that the variator nut was not properly tightened twice.
I was confident but you never know. We headed out from Bojangles, taking one of my favorite rides getting out of town down Greenland Road then Julington Creek Road to 13. We took that to 16 where we crossed the Shands Bridge to pick up Rick at a gas station at the corner of 17 and 16. Then 30 miles of 65 to 70 mph into Palatka.
New rider Kevin with his new Kymco, purchased the day before.
Getting the riders ready to go.
State Road 13. Often listed among the top motorcycle roads in the country.
Break along the way just south of Green Cove Springs
Heading home we decided to go through East Palatka to pick up the end of 13 and ride it back home. I cut off at 16, took the Shands Bridge again and made it back home. Rocket was perfect.
Parked at Angels
Rounding them up again.
Safely back home.
Later in the day, feeling sorry for Razzo, I hopped on it and did another 50 mile loop west of town. It was perfect too. It sure is nice to have so many nice scooters.
Saturday, August 8, 2015
On the Road Again!
Today, I stopped by Boris' warehouse to see if he and his brother Eric were making any progress on repairing Vanessa, the 2007 Vespa GT that I am buying from Leslie after my wife Sarah ran it into a Land Rover while turning at the end of our driveway. It was heavily damaged on the front end, and to make her perfect to give back to Leslie, it would be a major undertaking.
Leslie kindly offered to sell her to me a couple of weeks ago. The price was Blue Book retail value. I was pleased to take her for that after letting her get damaged by making a poor decision. I wasn't sure if she was sound enough to try to repair her, but let Boris and Eric give it a try.
When I arrived, Eric had Vanessa by the front door. This usually means it is the scooter to work on that day. It was and he quickly began disassembling the glove box enclosure. It came off, then the radiator that began leaking immediately after the crash. It turns out that the leak was from a damaged hose, not the radiator. It was fine.
After clearing the way, using his fine tools, mostly a cut down 2x4, he began banging out the dents. It started looking normal after some work. He straightened everything to the point that the right turn signal fit and the horn cover too. It was lumpy, but definitely rideable. After hitting it with a grinder to get the paint and old Bondo, from an earlier accident, off the steel leg shield, he asked about paint. I told him that primer would be fine for now. I want it to look ok, but am more interested in riding.
He did the primer, then reassembly. With the only missing piece being the front fender, I started it and took a 15 mile ride through town and over the Hart Bridge, returning on Atlantic Boulevard. She ran like a new scooter. No pulling or poor feel. It was great.
In addition to that, while Eric was fixing Vanessa, I had Boris look at Rocket. He immediately found a broken vacuum hose coming from the evaporator canister. These breaks cause running issues and was probably the cause of the three flooding and stopping issues with Rocket recently. After this repair, I took it for a fifty mile loop to Baldwin, then south to Normandy Boulevard and back home. Perfection is the only word to describe it. I am taking Rocket on the 7BSC ride to Palatka tomorrow and am confident that it makes it,
She was seriously damaged.
Leslie kindly offered to sell her to me a couple of weeks ago. The price was Blue Book retail value. I was pleased to take her for that after letting her get damaged by making a poor decision. I wasn't sure if she was sound enough to try to repair her, but let Boris and Eric give it a try.
When I arrived, Eric had Vanessa by the front door. This usually means it is the scooter to work on that day. It was and he quickly began disassembling the glove box enclosure. It came off, then the radiator that began leaking immediately after the crash. It turns out that the leak was from a damaged hose, not the radiator. It was fine.
After clearing the way, using his fine tools, mostly a cut down 2x4, he began banging out the dents. It started looking normal after some work. He straightened everything to the point that the right turn signal fit and the horn cover too. It was lumpy, but definitely rideable. After hitting it with a grinder to get the paint and old Bondo, from an earlier accident, off the steel leg shield, he asked about paint. I told him that primer would be fine for now. I want it to look ok, but am more interested in riding.
Primer in place. The turn signal and horn cover fit well too.
He did the primer, then reassembly. With the only missing piece being the front fender, I started it and took a 15 mile ride through town and over the Hart Bridge, returning on Atlantic Boulevard. She ran like a new scooter. No pulling or poor feel. It was great.
In addition to that, while Eric was fixing Vanessa, I had Boris look at Rocket. He immediately found a broken vacuum hose coming from the evaporator canister. These breaks cause running issues and was probably the cause of the three flooding and stopping issues with Rocket recently. After this repair, I took it for a fifty mile loop to Baldwin, then south to Normandy Boulevard and back home. Perfection is the only word to describe it. I am taking Rocket on the 7BSC ride to Palatka tomorrow and am confident that it makes it,
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Bermuda Visit by the Veatch Girls
Sarah's mother passed away a couple of months ago. She had cancer and it ended a long struggle. She was among my favorite people of all time, always smiling and fun to be around.
Since that time, Sarah and her family have been going through her house and we decided to go through our photographs to find memories for the small service this past weekend.
One thing we found were photos from a Christmas visit to Bermuda in 1992, by Sarah's mother, Sue, her two sisters Betty and Barbara, and their mother Freda. It was when we lived there while I worked for the Ministry of Works and Engineering, Bermuda Government. Kylie was born in August that year so she was still an infant and the girls were there mostly to see the new addition.
The hit of the photographs were centered around my daily transportation, a Suzuki FB 100 motorcycle. At 100cc it was hardly a motorcycle, but the laws of the time made that the largest displacement allowed on the island.
The girls all posed on it while parked in a scenic location and all but Barbara rode with me for a short stint. When Freda had her 90th birthday a few years later, one of the highlights of her life, pointed out by her in her own commentary, was riding on that bike.
This was my first motorcycle. I bought it for $850. in November, 1990. Then rode it every day until I sold it for $450. in December 1993 as I was heading back to Florida. It was worth every penny.
The visit was priceless.
Since that time, Sarah and her family have been going through her house and we decided to go through our photographs to find memories for the small service this past weekend.
One thing we found were photos from a Christmas visit to Bermuda in 1992, by Sarah's mother, Sue, her two sisters Betty and Barbara, and their mother Freda. It was when we lived there while I worked for the Ministry of Works and Engineering, Bermuda Government. Kylie was born in August that year so she was still an infant and the girls were there mostly to see the new addition.
The hit of the photographs were centered around my daily transportation, a Suzuki FB 100 motorcycle. At 100cc it was hardly a motorcycle, but the laws of the time made that the largest displacement allowed on the island.
The girls all posed on it while parked in a scenic location and all but Barbara rode with me for a short stint. When Freda had her 90th birthday a few years later, one of the highlights of her life, pointed out by her in her own commentary, was riding on that bike.
This was my first motorcycle. I bought it for $850. in November, 1990. Then rode it every day until I sold it for $450. in December 1993 as I was heading back to Florida. It was worth every penny.
The visit was priceless.
Sue
Barbara
Kylie made a book of Sue's life with this as one of the photos.
That is Freda riding with me
Monday, August 3, 2015
Raining Blood
Late in the afternoon last Friday, I was planning to ride my Honda to Orlando to meet up with Sarah and Kylie, who had driven down earlier, and Sam, who was flying in from Chicago. The reason was to bury Sarah's Mother, Sue.
A half hour before leaving, Kylie called from the road to tell me that I needed to bring three shoe boxes full of photographs, and that I probably needed to drive the Miata. I thought not, as I really wanted to ride and the Honda hadn't been anywhere in a while.
So I got out a soft suitcase and put the photos into that, zipped it up and tried strapping it onto the bike. The Honda, a NC 700X has a storage box where the gas tank usually resides and my plan was to use that for the clothes that I needed. While trying that in the garage, I knocked my yellow helmet to the floor. I hate doing this because it usually breaks something. It has a bunch of little vent covers and visors that can break easily when they hit concrete (odd for a safety device, I know)
When it hit the floor I was angry with the situation and myself, so I bent down to pick it up. Because I was a bit mad, I began to stand bolt upright when the back of my head hit the bottom edge of a shelf that runs along the back wall of the garage. It hurt. A lot. I put the palm of my hand on the spot, then checked it out and it was covered in blood. Then, from my hair, the blood started raining down. I have never bled so freely.
I went outside and it was dripping all over the driveway and brick sidewalks that have come with the new duplex. It started to slow so I began looking for a hose that I had disconnected to mow the week before. I hooked it up and started to try to clean the spot and get the blood out of my hair. The first water was brown from the mix of blood and water. It stung a lot when the water hit the cut.
At that time, I still wanted to ride but was dazed a bit. I noticed that the fuel tank was not full, so I took the spare tank used for filling the lawnmower and filled the Honda tank to full.
But after a few more minutes I realized that I would soil the inside of the helmet with the remaining blood and knew that Kylie was right and driving would be the better way there.
So I put the bike away and drove.
It rained most of the way home on Sunday so, good decision reinforced.
A half hour before leaving, Kylie called from the road to tell me that I needed to bring three shoe boxes full of photographs, and that I probably needed to drive the Miata. I thought not, as I really wanted to ride and the Honda hadn't been anywhere in a while.
So I got out a soft suitcase and put the photos into that, zipped it up and tried strapping it onto the bike. The Honda, a NC 700X has a storage box where the gas tank usually resides and my plan was to use that for the clothes that I needed. While trying that in the garage, I knocked my yellow helmet to the floor. I hate doing this because it usually breaks something. It has a bunch of little vent covers and visors that can break easily when they hit concrete (odd for a safety device, I know)
When it hit the floor I was angry with the situation and myself, so I bent down to pick it up. Because I was a bit mad, I began to stand bolt upright when the back of my head hit the bottom edge of a shelf that runs along the back wall of the garage. It hurt. A lot. I put the palm of my hand on the spot, then checked it out and it was covered in blood. Then, from my hair, the blood started raining down. I have never bled so freely.
I went outside and it was dripping all over the driveway and brick sidewalks that have come with the new duplex. It started to slow so I began looking for a hose that I had disconnected to mow the week before. I hooked it up and started to try to clean the spot and get the blood out of my hair. The first water was brown from the mix of blood and water. It stung a lot when the water hit the cut.
At that time, I still wanted to ride but was dazed a bit. I noticed that the fuel tank was not full, so I took the spare tank used for filling the lawnmower and filled the Honda tank to full.
But after a few more minutes I realized that I would soil the inside of the helmet with the remaining blood and knew that Kylie was right and driving would be the better way there.
So I put the bike away and drove.
It rained most of the way home on Sunday so, good decision reinforced.
The shelf in the background.
The wound, five days later.
Also showing thinning hair.
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