Getting Ready for the Iron Butt

With an Iron Butt Saddle Sore 1000 lurking just over three weeks away, I have to get started on scooter preparations.  Last night I took the wheels off Vanessa to take to Mike McNeil for new tires.  He will do that today, then the same for Razzo tonight for its tires tomorrow.

After that, I have belts and rollers coming from George's Scooter Parts Co.  I will do that next week along with oil changes.  With that, we should be ready to take on Florida.

My new garage has decent lighting.  Enough to make it a good workshop.

7BSC Scoot-A-Cue

Once a year the scooter club puts on a picnic at the house of one of the members.  This year we had it at Sue's house in Arlington.  This tradition has been going on since I joined the club several years ago.  One year it conflicted with a funeral I attended, but I rode the scooter to the funeral in a dress suit, then stopped by Russ' house on the way home to join in on the fun.

A few days before the party, I got a call from my friend Jim Mandle.  Jim lives in Hernando, about 120 miles southwest of Jacksonville.  He wanted to come up to the gathering but was going to drive because of he would have to get home in the dark.  I offered for him to stay with me so he rode up, catching some rain around Starke.

But he made it and we enjoyed the visit.

This year it coincided with Boris' 50th birthday.  Sue made him a cake to help celebrate.

We all had a nice time and made it home safely.

Me arriving

Jim right behind me.

Sue and Elaina

Karl, Bobby and some of the wives.

Kevin, Rick, Karl and Grace Ann

Dining and visiting with Boris, Shaw and Jim.

Kathy and Jim

Chris and Boris.  These two, along with Russ, founded the club.

Shaw and scooters.

Much of the gang.

Tuesday Ride to Ramirez

This week Russ chose Ramirez Restaurant in Orange Park for our weekly outing.

We hadn't been there in several years but he was looking for fresh places for the new people.

We gathered at the warehouse as usual and the weather was nice, for a change.  Cool and comfortable.

I led and the route was through Riverside, Avondale and Ortega, then a blast down US17 to Orange Park.  We rode through the shops of Avondale, over the draw bridge into Ortega, then down the beautiful Ortega Boulevard, where I have designed at least 25 projects over the years.

We were seated in our own room at the back of the restaurant.  Service was slow, but OK.  The food was decent and a little expensive, but I had the chicken and shrimp special and we all shared appetizers.

I was hurting all the way there and back, but it was still fun.

Scooters all in a row

With riders.  Me on Rocket.

Heading out.  The warehouse is in an area undergoing massive changes.

The once vacant building across the street is going down, making room for something new.

Our warehouse is going to go the same way soon.

At the restaurant.  Mike, across from me, had his appendix out the week before me so we had war stories.

Getting Better

I had the first post op visit with the surgeon today.  As can happen, it is the day that the soreness was better than it has been in a long time.  I even spent two hours on my feet measuring a house immediately before the appointment and felt fine through the entire time.

He said I can do whatever I want now, but be careful of the remaining two hernias.

I need to mow my lawn.

And prepare two scooters for the Iron Butt with Bill Dog.

And ride as much as I can.

Riding Again

Today I decided to get back on Rocket and ride around the neighborhood.

I have found that not riding makes me feel our of sorts.  Just the thought of getting on the road on a scooter was enough to make me feel much better.

But first I had to make sure that I could push it around and get it on the stand.  So I tried these things in the garage and driveway first.  No problem.  Then rode to my barber for a haircut.  She was busy so over to Southern Roots for an early lunch, then back to the barber.  She gave me a solid cut before I headed to see the guys at the Scooter Warehouse.  Then back to the office for this post.

Everything is looking good.

Bumps do hurt a little, but I found that if I sit up straight, the pains are minimized.

MP3 Fall Gathering

I was supposed to ride to Vogel State Park in North Georgia tomorrow morning with Mike.  The ride was to attend the Fall Gathering of the MP3 crowd (a few who still ride the three wheeled scooters).  I don't have one but like the group and enjoyed attending the last two, once on my Honda a year ago, then on Razzo in the spring.

But my slow recovery has left me uncomfortable and unable to ride safely.

It is a real bummer, but I will be riding again soon.

Not Riding

Not being able to ride is killing me.

I missed the Sunday ride to St. George, Georgia.

I am driving to work.

Tonight I am missing the short ride to Moon River Pizza.

And I am almost certain to miss the ride to Vogel State Park for the MP3 gathering this weekend.

I hate it.