If I'm gonna hang out here, there has to be a motorcycle thread. I thought I'd just make it a two-wheeler thread to include Steve's insane bicycle adventures. I figure, pedals or a V-twin, all two-wheeled vehicles are powered by the soul.
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Where the banned are
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This is the best time of year for riding. The last precious month before the southern California becomes the devil's broiler. Days in the high 70s, evenings in the low 60s, overnight chill. I'll be on my bike even more than usual between now and mid-June. Did a little off-roading today. This big bitch doesn't like the dirt, but I had to visit my favorite little stream.
And, dammit, I bought a Coke Zero by mistake. That tastes like sweetened ass.
Today, my MC is having the first officer elections since I joined. When I patched in, I was appointed, not elected to the Secretary office. Let's see if I retain my post now that they have a choice.
Got my one-year patch.
After several weeks of unusual cold, Christmas day broke sunny and hot. Had a great ride through the country and mountains, singing Christmas songs into the wind.
Wrenching on them is sometimes as fun as riding them.
Some fucking days...
It's been a rough year for Black Sabbath Motorcycle Club. We lost an entire chapter in a head-on collision with a wrong-way drunk driver. A club founder passed away - leaving one living OG. Several patch holders were severely injured in accidents and another two died on the road. In my own chapter, we had to vote a longtime member out bad and another good brother left because of it. A few months ago at a big event, I saw something happen twenty feet from me that I'll never, ever get out of my mind and I can't do the one thing I know is right because...well, because that's not how things work on the MC set. I'm bound by a code of bylaws, for better or worse. I can't choose which rules to follow and which to disobey. Since then, I've questioned my patch a time or two, but it's still on my back.
Because it's been a good year, too. We on the west coast settled an internal beef with the broader BSMC nation that nearly had us at civil war. We've had eleven babies born to brothers and sisters. We gave winter coats to seventy five local kids in need and we are supporting our angel tree kids again this Christmas with toys and books. Our community Halloween party will offer a safe, spooky afternoon for needy families. We've had desert campouts, backyard barbecues, long rides and good times. We have been there for each other over and over - anytime a brother called.
So I remain, even when I'm conflicted.
As bad-ass as it gets in Marlborough, Wiltshire:
Not a role model for all, but an infamous legend in the biker world. For better or worse, the man was a true outlaw.
I'm a friend to bees and hitchhikers, but hitchhiking bees are no friends of mine. This one got lodged beneath my helmet straps on my way to work today and gave me a good sting on the side of my head. I couldn't get it out and I wasn't sure if it was a bee or a wasp, but since I only got one sting I decided it must be a bee. I could feel it crawling through my hair all the way to work, where he died on my saddlebag.
Rest in peace, fucker.
Tribute run.
Steve, do bicyclists use hand signals to communicate when riding in a pack or is the action too fluid for that sort of thing?
We use a lot of hand signals, initiated by the Road Captain and repeated back through the pack.
Tap hand on top of helmet - cop ahead
Raised fist - stop for yellow light ahead
Raised fist pumping - go through yellow light ahead
Point at road, either side of lane - object in the lane
Raised hand, point left or right - indicates lane change on highway or a turn on surface street
Raised hand - 1 to 4 fingers extended - indicates an upcoming exit from highway, the number of fingers corresponds to the exit's listing on the sign
Flat hand lowered, left side, motion up and down - slow the pack
BSMC Riverside Chapter - MC, Sisters of the Cross & Auxiliary.
Changing gears slightly, I saw this yesterday.... Thoughts?
BSMC lost a patch-holder and two wives yesterday in Arkansas. Eight riders injured, three killed by a wrong-way driver.
https://www.5newsonline.com/article/traffic/crash-i-40-westbound-mulberry-diverting-traffic-off-interstate/527-562cd930-324f-491c-95b1-8f1ee0aa13e9