Pre-Ride
May 1 - May 22,
2003
So, the Three Caballeros were all lined up
and ready to roll. Garrett was in, Bill was in, and I was making my final
arrangements for the trip. I would like to take a few minutes to
reintroduce the reader to my vehicle of choice. I purchased this
2002
BMW R1150R last year and have to date put just over 10,000 miles on it. I
love this bike. It is quick enough to hang with some very fast
riders, terrific in the turns, and comfortable to ride damn near all day long.
It has ABS Brakes, heated hand grips, and (new for 2003) a heated vest.
Yes, I know there are faster bikes, I know there are more comfortable bikes, I
know there are cheaper bikes - but when you combine the comfort, with the speed
and power, with the reliability, with the safety I don't think you can beat the
BMW. If you can, I don't want to hear about it.
You
will also notice pictures of the bike both with and without bags. A
terrific feature on this bike is that I can basically bolt on the bags for a
long haul, take them off like luggage when I arrive, lock them up and keep my
possessions secure. I keep them on for the long hauls, but take them
off when I am riding with friends, mainly because I don't want to look any
dorkier
than
is absolutely necessary. What little street credibility I have would be
tossed out like a groping strip-bar patron should I ever show up to the local
bike night with my bags still on. If I did show up with the bags, I had
better have something REALLY interesting in them, like the pink slip from
GSX-1000. Since that is damn near impossible, I ride with the bags off . .
Since this story is about me and my friends,
you should get used to the idea of seeing pictures of me and my friends.
No
better time to start than now, so here is a shot of me and Jenna
(figure it out).
Last but not least, I am a Fourth Generation
Native Texan. Furthermore, I live in Florida. This combination
basically means I am a foreign national. Put it to you this way, I am
proud that Texas was one of the countries making up the Coalition of the Willing
who liberated Iraq. Amusingly no one in Florida was actually born IN
Florida, and due to conservation efforts no more than three native
Floridians can be in the same place at the same time. Everyone else in
Florida is from New Jersey, and they all managed
to
bring their good looks, manners and charm with them. If you find someone
in Florida with a southern accent there is a 100% chance they came from Georgia.
What this means is that I am a foreigner, surrounded by foreigners (worse,
Northerners). To finish this little rant, I think the 'soul'
in this state is in serious jeopardy, and I worry that it doesn't have one.
Maybe Florida sold
the rights to its soul to Disney. Unless the soul of this state is whiny
old people and their non-stop complaints. This state has two groups of
people, those who are staving off death by living in a warm climate, and young
people here to have a good time (some of which have been here long enough to
start raising their own young people). Short version, Native Texan, living
in Florida, glad to get back home for a visit.
DUDE - Just shut up
and tell the story
I am done, get me
outta here
2002
BMW R1150R last year and have to date put just over 10,000 miles on it. I
love this bike. It is quick enough to hang with some very fast
riders, terrific in the turns, and comfortable to ride damn near all day long.
It has ABS Brakes, heated hand grips, and (new for 2003) a heated vest.
Yes, I know there are faster bikes, I know there are more comfortable bikes, I
know there are cheaper bikes - but when you combine the comfort, with the speed
and power, with the reliability, with the safety I don't think you can beat the
BMW. If you can, I don't want to hear about it.
